There’s no query that the Ottawa Senators have one of the vital thrilling younger cores within the NHL. Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle give the workforce a harmful one-two punch up entrance, whereas blue liner Jake Sanderson is on monitor to turning into one of many NHL’s greatest two-way defensemen. Together with Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig, Thomas Chabot, and a wholesome Josh Norris, few groups have as a lot NHL-ready expertise popping out of a prolonged rebuild.
The issue is that, regardless of the Senators’ plethora of up-and-coming stars, the remainder of the workforce has didn’t rise to the event, bringing the entire ship down. Goaltending and defensive depth have been abysmal over the previous few seasons, and though there have been just a few vivid spots among the many bottom-six forwards, for probably the most half, they’ve struggled to contribute something significant. Nevertheless, the 2024-25 season will deliver a really totally different group of depth and function gamers to Ottawa, a lot of whom could possibly be invaluable within the workforce’s push for a playoff spot. Listed here are three underrated Senators who might have a a lot larger impression this season than the stat sheets present.
David Perron
When David Perron’s two-year, $8 million deal was introduced, followers noticed him as a participant who might present some secondary scoring whereas additionally bringing much-needed management and expertise. His 2023-24 stats again up that declare; final season, the 36-year-old scored 17 targets and 47 factors with the Detroit Pink Wings, and though he ranked seventh on the workforce in factors, it was his lowest whole since 2016-17. He’s broadly thought of one of many slower gamers within the NHL, and alongside together with his well being struggles — he’s solely performed two full seasons previously seven years — he’s unlikely to be one of many Senators’ key gamers this season.
However there’s greater than meets the attention with Perron, and what made him a valued member of the Pink Wings for the previous two seasons was his capacity to play good, aggressive hockey and to take action persistently. He’s been a 60-point participant for a lot of his profession regardless of taking part in on six totally different groups, incomes him the nickname “Mr. Consistency,” in addition to “Mr. Additional time” for his capacity to attain when it actually counts. Projected to start out the season alongside Norris and Batherson on the second line, Perron ought to have a straightforward time returning to the 25-goal, 60-point mark in his first season with Ottawa.
One other side that makes Perron extra beneficial than simply placing up factors persistently is his aggressive type. In Detroit, the issue was they didn’t have anybody else who matched his aggression; his 55 penalty minutes had been second on the workforce final season. That resulted in him turning into considerably of an enforcer, which led to the unlucky incident between him and Artem Zub. Now in Ottawa, he received’t need to play that function anymore, as Zack MacEwen is slated to take over a lot of the workforce’s pugilistic duties, however he’ll nonetheless deliver an edge that can mesh effectively with Tkachuk and Greig, giving the Senators one other robust buyer that can make practically each line as irritating as the following.
Angus Crookshank
Competitors will likely be tight for the fourth line this season. Noah Gregor and MacEwen have one-way offers, leaving only one spot up for grabs that would go to a number of prospects. Jan Jenik and Adam Gaudette have expertise, Xavier Bourgault and Jamieson Rees have the potential to be a prime producer, and Zack Ostapchuk possible has one of the best match for the workforce proper now. However one participant who may need one of the best angle for that spot is Angus Crookshank.
After three seasons within the minors, Crookshank lastly made his NHL debut final season, taking part in 13 video games and scoring two targets and three factors. Accidents restricted his improvement, however when he lastly might play a full season, he wasted no time getting right down to enterprise, placing up back-to-back 24-plus aim and 46-plus level campaigns. In 2023-24, he was named to the American Hockey League (AHL) All-Star recreation.
Associated: Ottawa Senators 2024-25 Prospect Pyramid
However what he did throughout his NHL stint offers him a leg up on his competitors. Regardless of being the smallest participant on the roster, he refused to draw back from something. In 13 video games, he threw 20 hits, together with 4 in his first recreation. Unfold over a full 82-game season, that works out to 126 hits, which might have tied him with Mark Kastelic for fifth place final season. He additionally recorded eight blocked pictures, which averages out to 50 over a full season. Solely Parker Kelly had extra blocks amongst Ottawa’s forwards in 2023-24, with 67. With Kastelic and Kelly gone, Crookshank could possibly be referred to as on to take over their jobs on the fourth line whereas additionally bringing the next stage of offence, one thing the Senators desperately lacked in earlier years.
Drake Batherson
It’s exhausting to consider Batherson as underrated, as some take into account him a part of the Senators’ core. He’s had back-to-back 20-goal, 60-point seasons and was named to the NHL All-Star recreation in 2021-22. However he’s additionally not on the identical stage as Stutzle, Tkachuk, Chabot, Sanderson, and even Norris, whose absence proved how essential he was to the highest six. Batherson has fallen right into a second tier in Ottawa the place he’s considered as necessary, however replaceable. Forward of the 2024 Commerce Deadline, Ian Mendes believed that there’s no less than a dialog available, writing, “…if Staios and firm need to shake up the core with a hockey commerce, it stands to purpose Batherson could possibly be on the listing of tradable belongings that would fetch an excellent return” (from “Senators commerce tiers: Who stays and who goes forward of the deadline?,” The Athletic – 26/02/2024).
There are actually considerations round consistency that maintain Batherson out of the untouchable vary, however final season showcased his two-way worth. He was simply one among 23 gamers to attain greater than 20 targets and file greater than 90 hits, 30 blocks, and 40 takeaways. Of that listing, 14 acquired award concerns with Batherson sitting second in scoring amongst those that didn’t. The one participant above him? Travis Konecny, whose future seemed unsure main as much as the draft and was even briefly related to the Senators earlier than he signed an eight-year, $8.75 million per season extension with the Philadelphia Flyers.
There’s no query the Senators had been intrigued with Konecny’s mix of physicality and offensive expertise, however the Senators may need that sort of participant with Batherson. The Flyers’ centre scored 33 targets, 5 greater than his Senators’ counterpart, however had simply two extra factors, one fewer block, and eight fewer hits. Batherson additionally had fewer penalty minutes, a greater taking pictures share, and is a 12 months youthful. He additionally put up a 2.51 on-ice anticipated targets in opposition to per 60 minutes, which was the fifth-best whole on the workforce. Konecny, alternatively, had practically a full aim extra per 60 minutes, sitting at a 3.41, one of many worst for the Flyers. So, whereas Konecny excels on the offensive facet of the sport, Batherson is simpler in practically each different side. That’s a reasonably good case for being one of many Senators’ most underrated gamers.
The Senators will likely be in robust to make the playoffs this season; the Atlantic Division stays extremely aggressive on the prime and the Pink Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Buffalo Sabres have made enhancements to their rosters, making the struggle for a wild-card spot that a lot harder. However the Senators core continues to take steps ahead, and with Perron, Batherson, and Crookshank in a position to contribute in a number of methods on and off the ice, they’ve nearly as good of an opportunity as any to lastly break their playoff drought.
