Ottawa Senators: Predicting the Opening Day Roster
By Daniel Bruce
Left Wing
Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Nick Paul, Alex Formenton
Out of all the teams forward positions, left wing seems to be the most set in stone with each player pretty much penciled in as a part of the team.
It all starts with pending RFA, and Senators leader Brady Tkachuk, who’s been the heartbeat of this team during the rebuild, and in all likelihood will assume the role as team captain. Tkachuk took a measurable step forward last season, scoring 17 goals, and a team-leading 36 points, the power-forwards ability to create space for his teammates isn’t left unnoticed. The 21-year-old is such an intimidating presence on the ice, his 7 fighting majors led the league, something coach D.J. Smith know’s he will have to live with:
"“But he’s just so big and he plays with so much energy that naturally he’s going to get into a few here and there. I think he actually got bigger since the start of the year — he was standing in the hall yesterday, I can’t believe how big he is.” -D.J. Smith"
Following Tkachuk, there’s German superstar and 2020 3rd overall pick, Tim Stützle, who’s only going to be even better this upcoming season. The Viersen, Germany native finished his rookie season with 12 goals and 29 points, the Senators couldn’t have expected much more from the 18-year-old. With 53 games of NHL experience, and a full offseason of training, it’s reasonable to expect a jump in production for his sophomore campaign.
Following a breakout season, Nick Paul will likely assume his role on the third-line and top penalty-kill unit. Alex Formenton proved he was NHL-ready in his 20 games last season (6 points), his elite speed allows him to affect the game in so many ways (5v5, 3v3, PK).