Ottawa Senators: What a Potential 2022-23 Lineup Looks Like

The future of the Ottawa Senators at defence is looking better and better, and now with the recent rise of Erik Brannstrom, this defensive group shouldn’t be an area of weakness anymore in Ottawa.

First Pairing

Thomas Chabot – Jacob Bernard-Docker

The duo of Chabot and Bernard-Docker has been solid when used this season, and it’s obvious that there is a point of emphasis to get the two familiar with each other. Together they’ve logged 90:25 minutes together with a 54.65 CF%, despite the small sample size, Chabot has posted better numbers with Bernard-Docker than his season average (48.68 CF%).

They seem like a natural fit together and D.J. Smith has no problem putting the two together, and it would be a good idea to go with that to start next season.

Nikita Zaitsev is due $2 million in signing bonus money in both the 2022-23 & 2023-24 season, his struggles have been evident as of late, and a buyout is a potential move.

Second Pairing

Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub

Placing Bernard-Docker on the top-pairing allows Artem Zub to slide down with Jake Sanderson for his rookie season, ideally creating a shutdown pairing that will rarely make mistakes in their own zone. The two will likely get a chance to play together before the end of this season once Sanderson’s season at North Dakota comes to an end.

Zub has been as steady as expected once again this season, his dependability with and away from the puck has been invaluable for multiple Senators’ defencemen this season, and he would do the same for Jake Sanderson. Sanderson’s insane offensive progression makes this pairing even more enticing, he has 22 points in 19 games and will likely be a contender for the Hobey Baker.

Zub’s defensive acumen will make the adjustment from college to the NHL easier on Sanderson, it’s likely by the start of the 2022-23 season, Sanderson will be fully comfortable at the NHL level. Despite being just 19-years-old, Sanderson does have an advanced defensive game, and his dominance is showing at the college level:

Third Pairing

Erik Brannstrom – Ilya Lyubushkin/Nick Holden

Brannstrom’s play over the past two weeks guarantees him a spot on the team and despite his third-pairing deployment, he can be used in offensive situations alongside Thomas Chabot, as well as on the second power-play unit. While Lyubushkin is a UFA at the end of the season there’s a chance he reaches the open market.

Lyubushkin is just 27-years-old and has the upside to play up the lineup, he produced solid advanced metrics last year in Arizona, and could potentially play with Chabot if Bernard-Docker isn’t quite ready. Adding a big, steady presence to a core with a lot of young players is a great idea if the player they’re acquiring can effectively play hockey, and in this instance, Lyubushkin can!

If the Senators start next season with a third-pair of Erik Brannstrom and Ilya Lyubushkin, they would suddenly have one of the more enviable defensive groups in the league, and depth they haven’t experienced in years.