One area where Tim Stutzle is improving in that will help the Senators
Tim Stutzle is going to be part of the Ottawa Senators for a long time. The 22-year-old is under contract with the Senators until 2031.
Since being drafted by the Senators in 2020, Stutzle has been a key offensive piece. Stutzle has already recorded one 90-point season and one 70-point season.
Stutzle is at it again with his offensive production with being tied for first on the Senators for the most points on the team with seven alongside Jake Sanderson and Brady Tkachuk. However, while Stutzle is known for his offensive game, there's one area that Stutzle has improved in that has caught the Senators' eyes five games into the season.
Stutzle's physicality improvement hasn't gone unnoticed and is much better
Five games into the 2024-25 season, Stutzle's 13 hits are leading the Senators. It's one area that Stutzle is improving in to make him a better all around player.
At 6-foot, some might not see Stutzle as a physical player, but he's slowly changing that. While Stutzle did have a 125-hit season in the 2021-22 season, his hit numbers dropped off slowly, but still had at least 100 hits over the past two seasons, but this season Stutzle is bringing the body,
In yesterday's 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Stutzle had two moments in the game where he brought the body in a huge way. One moment was hitting Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh twice in the same shift just seconds apart, and the other was a big hit in front of the Lightning bench on Conor Sheary.
This is Art from Timmy Süperstar. More please. pic.twitter.com/9udxeVIjJg
— Locked On Senators (@SensCentral) October 19, 2024
Over the past two games, Stutzle is turning into a power forward by recording nine hits. Stutzle has the ability to develop into one of the better power forwards in the league with the names of Jamie Benn, Alex Ovechkin, Chris Kreider and even the Tkachuk brothers.
With Stutzle now adding a physicality change to his game this season, he is now becoming a better all around player for the Senators that they have been missing for years with Stutzle on the team. As defense has been a problem with the Senators, one reason is not being a physical team, but Stutzle is taking a bigger step in his game by bringing the body more.