Senators Defence Finally Providing Much Needed Optimism

While the Ottawa Senators didn’t make any big acquisitions leading up to the NHL’s trade deadline last week, it appears the team has taken some positive steps forward in the few games since. While it’s still early and the sample size is extremely small, it appears the team has added lots of value to its backend, via subtraction. 

The shortened 2020-21 season has put plenty of strain on all teams across the NHL, leading to a frequently high number of lineup rotations of players on a nightly basis. The Senators have been no different, using a total of 11 different defencemen through 45 games. Within the past month, 4 of these players have been traded – Christian Wolanin, Erik Gudbranson, Braydon Coburn and Mike Reilly. The early results have indicated that for the first time in years the Senators’ defensive play is trending in the right direction.

There’s an obvious question to ask here: what exactly is different about this blueline? For one thing, it’s a lot different from what fans have come to expect under Pierre Dorion and D.J Smith. It’s not a traditionally physical group, which Gudbranson and Coburn contributed to in that respect. This is a far more mobile core now, with an emphasis on defending using skating and stick ability.

Mike Reilly and Christian Wolanin both fit the build of a smart, mobile defender, however, the pending UFA status of both made it clear their respective stints with the organization were over. Plus, the Senators evidently had two internal replacements waiting, and may have hit the jackpot on the waiver wire.

In the three games since the deadline, the Senators left side has consisted of the untouchable Thomas Chabot, top prospect Erik Brannstrom and newcomer Victor Mete. While Chabot’s play has remained really solid, it’s the elevation of Brannstrom’s role and the addition of Mete that has helped the group thrive.

Brannstrom in particular has looked very comfortable beside Artem Zub, the role previously occupied by Mike Reilly. This is a great way to elevate the young Swede’s confidence and get him in some more offensive situations – where those who study prospects believe he will thrive. Zub has also instantly become the best partner Brannstrom has had at the NHL level (no offence to Ron Hainsey and Erik Gudbranson).

While the former Vegas Golden Knights 1st rounder may always be burdened by the player he was traded for (Mark Stone), it looks like his career in Ottawa and in the NHL is finally on the upswing. At just 21-years-old lots of his play in the NHL, this season has been promising. With his minutes on the rise, it only seems like he can continue to get better.

Victor Mete has given the Senators legitimate depth on the backend, something they’ve lacked for years. The former Montreal Canadiens player has been an analytical darling in his brief NHL career. In his few games with the Senators, the team has had an expected goals share (xGF%) of 54%. That mark is the highest of any Senators defencemen so far this season (despite his small sample size).

A really solid 22-year-old defender is nothing to sneeze at, so picking him up for free from a direct rival may turn out to be one of Pierre Dorion’s best moves as a general manager. If the Senators can continue to elevate his minutes, it’s not out of the question to think Mete could develop into a really solid top-four defenceman on this team.

The homestretch of the season should provide the team with a chance to evaluate the right side of the defence going forward as well. The aforementioned Artem Zub has more than earned his keep, and the duration and pay of his next contract could factor in. Additionally, the futures of Josh brown and Nikita Zaitsev are very much on the line as prospect Jacob Bernard-Docker looks to force his way into the team.

Either way, it’s extremely evident that “the process” finally looks like it’s working, and the Senators blueline shows it. The shift towards modern, smart defending away from sheer physicality has worked wonders to this point, and hopefully provides a glimpse of what’s to come from the Ottawa Senators.