2. A breakthrough and concerns from other teams in Atlantic Division
At some point when a team is in a playoff drought, the team is optimistic about having a breakthrough. This season, the Senators are one of the teams that are close to a breakthrough.
Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report gave Ottawa's reason to be optimistic about this season is being close to a breakthrough on Sept. 12. Clearly, Yerdon sees the team is close to reaching full potential. There also could be concern in the Atlantic Division that can help Ottawa's case for a breakthrough.
The Boston Bruins having to rely on Jeremy Swayman can be a concern with not having their 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark now on the Senators. The Tampa Bay Lightning lost their captain Steven Stamkos to the Nashville Predators to free agency which can cause the Lightning to take a step back this season.
The Buffalo Sabres still have been sturggling since 2011 when they last made the playoffs. The Detroit Red Wings have concern with losing David Perron in free agency to the Senators and missing the 2024 playoffs by one point. The Montreal Canadiens have struggled since 2020, and won't have newly acquired Patrik Laine in the lineup for two to three months.
With being close to a breakthrough and concerns about other teams in the Atlantic, the Senators find themselves with a team that's hungry to take big strides this season.