OTTAWA — It’s clear by looking at the league standings that the Ottawa Senators have had their share of struggles so far this season. With an overall record of 16-17-3, their 35 points from 36 games is just good enough to keep them within nine points of tying a playoff Wild Card spot.
Two reasons for the Senators being within Wild Card striking distance come in the way of forwards Claude Giroux and Alex Debrincat. Both have produced over 30 points so far this season, with Debrincat (13-23-36) playing at a point-per-game pace and Giroux (15-17-32) just behind him at .88 points-per-game.
Not only are the two impressing with their on-ice abilities, but the way they’re having positive impacts on the players around them has been an important part of the Senators gameplan.
There are five Senators currently at or above the 30 point mark this season, including the newly acquired duo of Giroux and Debrincat, alongside Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, and forwards Drake Batherson, and Tim Stützle.
Last season, there were seven players who had 30 or more points through the entire season.
With five Sens already surpassing the 30-point mark, three more Senators are on pace to hit 30 or more points by season’s end in defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson, along with 22-year-old center Shane Pinto, who has 17 points in 36 games.
While producing points is an important part of winning hockey games, the actual ability to win games is where the Senators have had their problems this season. Despite a recent stretch of six wins in 11 games, the team has struggled to gain any ground in the Wild Card race.
Given how tight the standings are, the Senators will look to build on their positive production entering the new year.
Twice as nice
A focal point throughout their recent 11-game stretch has been on Giroux, Debrincat, and their offensive production so far this season.
With 19 points in his last 15 games, Debrincat will hope to continue producing at the point-per-game pace he is currently on. Doing so could mean setting a career-high in points and assists.
The 25-year-old has 13 goals through 36 games, which means tying his career-high in goals (41) seems unlikely but not impossible. Needing only 28 goals through the teams 46 remaining games, if the 5-8, 178-pound winger can go on a heater, anything can happen.
The ceiling for Debrincat is incredibly high, and there’s a possibility he can put up some serious offensive numbers going forward.
Having a veteran presence on a team is an invaluable asset to any young team that’s looking to elevate its game and individual play on and off the ice. This is where Giroux comes striding in.
At 34-years-old, fans might not look at Giroux as being a true veteran just yet, especially when he isn’t even in the top-10 of oldest active NHL players, but with 16 seasons of NHL experience on his resume, Giroux has earned the title.
Leading the team in goals, Giroux has been a prime example of what it’s like to lead by example, doing so with a team best 17.4 shooting percentage, and a 60.4 faceoff percentage – good for second on the team behind… Debrincat. Go figure!
Rubbing off – taking notes
The offensive production of Debrincat and the veteran presence of Giroux has helped elevate the game of 23-year-old captain Tkachuk, who has 38 points through 36 games, and is on pace to have career-years in every offensive category.
The 6-4, 221-pound winger leads the team with 25 assists, 38 points, four game winning goals, and 155 shots. He is also third in team powerplay points produced, two points behind Batherson and three behind Debrincat.
The Senators will play 14 games in January and only four of those games are against teams below them in the league standings.
With 15 games upcoming in March, the Sens have a jam-packed second half of the season with lots of ground to make up against some likely playoff contenders and potential Wild Card opponents down the stretch.
Provided the remaining Senators can feed off the positive production of their core, it should make for an entertaining remaining season for a team on the cusp of doing something great.