Senators eliminated after defensive struggles, injuries

The Ottawa Senators were eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention following their 7-2 loss at the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

The Senators have failed to qualify for the playoffs for six consecutive seasons and seven times in the past eight. Their only appearance in that span came in 2016-17, when they advanced to the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
Here is a look at what happened in the 2022-23 season for the Senators and why things could be better next season.

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The skinny

Potential unrestricted free agents: Cam Talbot, G; Travis Hamonic, D; Austin Watson, F; Nick Holden, D; Derick Brassard, F; Patrick Brown, F
Potential restricted free agents: Alex DeBrincat, F; Dylan Gambrell, C; Shane Pinto, C;
Egor Sokolov
, F; Julien Gauthier, F; Jacob Bernard-Docker, D; Erik Brannstrom, D
Potential 2023 Draft picks: 5

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What went wrong

Net pains: The Senators have allowed 260 goals this season, tied for 21st in the NHL. That simply isn't good enough to get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Neither is a goal differential of minus-13. Though the young defensemen are still enduring growing pains, the issues in goal are front and center. Veteran Cam Talbot (16-14-2, 2.89 goals-against average, .900 save percentage, one shutout) struggled down the stretch with an .856 save percentage in his past five games and battled a variety of injuries throughout the season. The 35-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild for goalie Filip Gustavsson on July 12 and was expected to be the answer in goal for Ottawa. Instead, there's an argument to be made that Gustavsson (20-9-6, 2.03 GAA, .932 save percentage, three shutouts) is having a far better season with the Wild. And because Gustavsson is 24 years old, the second guessing has begun as to whether the Senators came out on the wrong side of this trade. This much is certain: Ottawa's biggest offseason need is to find a solution at the position.
The injury bug: Talbot wasn't the only one dealing with injuries. Thomas Chabot, the Senators top defenseman, dealt with concussion issues in November, then sustained an upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup the past five games. Fellow defenseman Jakob Chychrun, acquired in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on March 1, has missed the past seven games with a hamstring injury. With each sidelined when Ottawa needed them most, the Senators have lost four consecutive games (0-2-2), which inevitably slammed the door on their playoff hopes.
Road rage: Only seven teams have fewer victories than the Senators on the road (15-21-4) and all have been eliminated from playoff contention. That's no coincidence. Ottawa is 1-6-2 in its past eight away from Canadian Tire Centre, and that swoon comes at a time when the Senators were poised to make a push for a postseason spot. Didn't happen. Until this team finds a recipe for success on the road, achieving its playoff dreams in future seasons will be difficult, to be sure.

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Reasons for optimism

Ownership clarity approaching: Questions about the future of the franchise should should be answered in the coming months, producing a sigh of relief from the organization and its rabid fan base. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman met with Ottawa city officials last month and said there are about half a dozen candidates still in the mix to purchase the club, a transaction he expects to be finalized this summer. With the prospect of ownership stability and a potential new arena that hopefully is much more accessible than Canadian Tire Centre, 20 miles west of downtown, the organization will have a huge distraction off its plate and can concentrate solely on hockey again. Of course, any changes the prospective new owners make will be intriguing.
The Brady and Timmy Show: Brady Tkachuk was selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft by the Senators, and Ottawa chose
Tim Stutzle
with the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Upon further review, the Senators hit a home run with each forward. Tkachuk is averaging a point per game (79 points; 35 goals, 44 assists in 79 games) and isn't afraid to get physical, as shown by his 124 penalty minutes. At 23 years old, he's already the heart and soul of this team and the ideal player to be its captain moving forward. Stutzle leads Ottawa with 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists) in 75 games and appears to be just scratching the service of what he's capable of, especially offensively. Plus, he's only 21.
Bolstered blue line: Though Chychrun's late-season injury was a blow to Ottawa's late-season playoff hopes, his addition takes a large burden off Chabot's shoulders. Going into training camp, a nucleus on defense comprised of Chychrun, Chabot and Jake Sanderson, 20, gives Ottawa a promising defensive core that figures to keep getting better. Credit to general manager Pierre Dorion, who put together the deal to pry Chychrun out of Arizona for a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, beating out a lot of other interested teams in the process. The bonus for Ottawa: Chychrun is thrilled to be there, what with his grandfather and sister living in the area.