Ottawa Senators: Predicting the Opening Day Lineup

Forwards

1st Line

 Brady Tkachuk-Chris Tierney-Drake Batherson

With a shortage of high-end talent at the center position, Ottawa sticks with the known commodity in Tierney to start the season as the number one. D.J. Smith didn’t roll with a bonafide number one center last season, as he rolled his top 3 lines regularly, but as of this point, Tierney has the advantage. Producing 48 and 37 points respectively over the last two seasons, the former Shark adds some offensive flair to the top line.

While on the wings Ottawa boasts untapped potential, with Brady Tkachuk already asserting himself as one of the top young guns in the NHL. Tkachuk has enjoyed back to back 20+ goal seasons and he’s Ottawa’s star upfront. He was on pace to become the first player in NHL history to record 300+ hits and 300+ shots in a season, but ultimately due to Covid-19 that couldn’t come to fruition.

The engine that makes the Senators go, the skill and physicality Tkachuk plays with is why experts are predicting Tkachuk as the new captain in Ottawa.

Now with Batherson, the talented forward has become has been too effective in the AHL to warrant another year there, after easily topping over a point/game last season in Belleville. He adds great offensive talent to the top line and will hopefully form a dynamic duo with Tkachuk. With 43 NHL games under his belt, expect those numbers to continue to rise as he becomes an NHL regular.

2nd Line

Anthony Duclair-Quinton Byfield-Connor Brown

Assuming Ottawa nabs Quinton Byfield in the 2020 NHL Draft, he will find a role as the second-line center for the team. While some scouts think Byfield needs some more grooming in junior, I think he’s a lot further along than many think, especially with his 6’4″ frame. Lastwordonhockey.com expressed their belief in Byfield’s NHL readiness:

"He seems to be NHL ready and should be in competing for a spot in his new team’s training camp next season. However, it may take a year or two before he is ready to be a first-line centre"

While he will most likely situate himself in the middle-six for his first season, he is without a doubt capable of being NHL ready.

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Last year’s 3rd overall pick Kirby Dach enjoyed a successful rookie season in the NHL, with Byfield being of a higher pedigree than Dach there’s no reason the 2020 draftee can’t make a significant impact next season.

With veteran forward Connor Brown and Anthony Duclair on his wings, Byfield will be in a position to succeed. Duclair was an All-Star last season while Connor Brown enjoyed a career year with his increased role in Ottawa. This is a comfortable situation for Byfield to step into, stuck between two veterans who were relied on heavily last season by D.J. Smith.

3rd Line

Alex Formenton-Colin White-Bobby Ryan

Here’s where it gets interesting for the Senators. They have to figure out which roles they want their up and coming prospects to take on. Ideally, Formenton is a dominant third-liner, using his elite speed to be a threat on the penalty kill and on for 3 on 3 overtime. Formenton is viewed as a player with a high-floor due to his blistering speed, that will always be a high priority for any teams forward group.

Colin White will look to rebound from a disappointing campaign last season, where he was underwhelming with just 23 points. At the time he was drafted, many scouts projected him as a top-9 centerman and if he can be a solid producer on the third-line, Ottawa will have no qualms. With Formenton and a recently energized Bobby Ryan, this line could be a pain for opposing teams top lines to play against.

4th Line

Nick Paul-Logan Brown-Josh Norris

Despite being the fourth-line, this group has enough talent to take a regular shift for Ottawa. Logan Brown and Josh Norris will add offensive talent to the bottom of the lineup, without Ottawa just jogging out stop-gap solutions like Scott Sabourin and J.C. Beaudin. Brown and Norris will also have the ability to slip onto the second power-play unit, to allow them to develop offensively on the power-play.

While Nick Paul likely won’t play minutes on the power-play, the Senators know what they have in him now at 25-years-old, they don’t have to worry about harming his development with limited minutes.

13th Forward

Artem Anisimov/Jake Hawryluk