By The Numbers: Sens surging after slow start
Published
The Ottawa Senators entered the 2022-23 season with high expectations after a busy offseason. The acquisition of two-time 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks, and the signing of former Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux was supposed to bolster an up-and-coming forward group. The team also traded for veteran goaltender Cam Talbot, who was coming off an all-star season with the Minnesota Wild, to provide stability for a young defence corps.
The Senators were looking to enter a new era for the franchise, with general managerPierre Dorion stating prior to the start of the offseason, “The rebuild is over.”
However, the Senators struggled in the first quarter of the season. After starting the season 4-2-0 and averaging over four goals per game (4.16) the team went into a tailspin, going 2-10-1 over its next 13 games, including a seven-game winless streak where the revamped offence mustered just 2.85 goals per game.
Talbot dealt with an injury to begin the season and made his Sens debut on Nov. 3. He played well while working off some rust, posting a .911 save percentage in eight appearances, despite a 1-5-0 record.
No. 1 defenceman Thomas Chabot missed two weeks due to an injury in the middle of the team’s slump, putting more pressure on an already depleted unit. Josh Norris, a 35 goal scorer last season, was also lost to a long-term shoulder injury and has been limited to just five games this season.
The Senators began the season 6-12-1 and sat last in the Eastern Conference with just 13 points after 19 games.
Senators 10-game surge
Chabot’s return on Nov. 25 seems to have flipped a switch for the team, as the Sens have gone 7-2-1 in their past 10 games, including winning the past three in a row.
The offence has not returned to the level it was in the early part of the season (3.1 GPG during the streak) but the defence has been much improved. The team has allowed just 2.3 goals per game over their past 10, down from 3.85 over their rough 13-game stretch.
DeBrincat and captain Brady Tkachuk have stepped up offensively for the Sens, scoring 12 and 11 points over the past 10 games, respectively. Talbot has also found his form, posting a .923 save percentage with a 2.12 goals-against average over eight starts.
Head coach D.J. Smith is happy with the team’s play but knows the team needs to continue working to dig its way out of the early-season hole.
“We’ll take any win at this point,” said Smith, following Wednesday’s win over the Montreal Canadiens. "You’ve just got to keep clawing and scratching and clawing and grab as many points as you can and hope you get some guys back and keep this thing going.”
The Senators have climbed up the Eastern Conference standings and now sit seven points back of the New York Rangers for the final wild-card spot with more than 50 games remaining.
FanDuel odds have the Senators at +780 to make the playoffs, behind the Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals, and Detroit Red Wings, among teams on the outside looking in.
Ottawa will look to keep up their improved play against the Red Wings on Saturday