It’s been a tough going lately for the Ottawa Senators, as Anton Forsberg has shown us his only consistency is his inconsistency. An injury to Linus Ullmark could result in the contending, yes, contending, Sens to seek other options if they can’t get it together in the net.
Still, there’s a chance we’ll see Ullmark return at some point this season, and it’s why I wanted to kick off this article talking about why he’ll ultimately need to bring his A-Game when he’s ready to roll again. Ullmark has been a focal point of this revitalized Senators team that’s tough to beat when he’s in the net.
But there’s also one forward and a blueliner who is worthy of discussion. Should all three players bring their best respective games as the Senators seek to end their current playoff drought, well, then there’s a good chance they will end it.
Linus Ullmark
When the Senators traded for Linus Ullmark, it was all I needed to know that 2024-25 was not about to be a throwaway campaign. Nope, nobody was giving the Senators much of a chance, even with Ullmark, but I knew differently.
And while they still got ground to make up if they’re interested in snagging one of those two wild card spots, if Ullmark can channel his inner-Vezina self, they’ll at least be a threat.
Unfortunately, we won’t see Ullmark playing immediately, as it looks like that back injury is still giving him trouble. But if he can return and play the same stellar hockey we’ve seen from him already, you can count on the Sens to rediscover their game.
Claude Giroux
So far, the Senators top three points producers are Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson. But there’s a dip after Batherson, and Claude Giroux is the next name down the line, and one who’s no stranger to the situation the Sens currently find themselves in.
Yeah, Giroux is in his age-37 season, so I’m not saying he’s going to be as productive as the three players listed above. But when a sense of urgency is necessary, then we need to see a seasoned veteran like Giroux step up to the plate.
He’s been effective in some areas, like logging top-six minutes, winning faceoffs nearly 61 percent of the time, and playing a decent, physical game. While his 24 points aren’t bad, if we can see Giroux bring back his inner-2022-23 game, the Sens will have four points producers that could give opponents nightmares.
Jake Sanderson
Jake Sanderson is enjoying a solid follow-up to his second full season in the league, but there’s still more to give. Last year, Sanderson finished the year with 10 goals and a solid 6.3 shooting percentage for a defenseman, but he’s far from that pace this season.
Sanderson is looking every bit like the playmaker we saw brewing since 2022-23 and then some, so there’s a good chance he finishes with 40-plus assists. Still, I want to see double-digit goals again from the blueliner and a 50-point season if I’m calling this one a breakout campaign.
Considering how close the Senators are right now, we should expect nothing less from Sanderson. He’s also seen 36 goals go into the Senators own net at even strength, and it’s a number that’s threatening to hit 80 at the moment, so I’d like to see more productivity from him in the defensive zone, too.