The 2020 NHL Draft marked a very crucial one for the Ottawa Senators franchise. Heading into the draft, the Senators had the third and fifth overall picks in the draft.
In search of finding two franchise players to help build the franchise, the Senators drafted Tim Stutzle with the third overall pick. While the franchise also selected Jake Sanderson two picks later who has turned into a solid defenseman already, Stutzle had more pressure on him with being the third overall pick.
Stutzle made an immediate impact by finishing in the top 10 for the Calder Trophy in 2021 and recorded a 90-point season in the 2022-23 season. While being known for his play making with setting up his teammates, Stutzle is able to score goals too, and his next one will break an impressive stat in Senators history.
Stutzle needs one more goal to break an impressive Senators stat
Stutzle will turn 23 years old on Jan. 15, and he needs one more goal to break the all-time record for most goals scored in Senators history before turning 23.
Tim Stützle doesn’t turn 23 until mid-January 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/GxU1zra0gf
— Locked On Senators (@SensCentral) October 30, 2024
The record for most goals scored by a Senator before turning 23 years old is 96 which the record is owned by Martin Havlat. Stutzle is now tied with Havlat after scoring two goals in Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Blues.
For Stutzle, it would be an impressive stat to own by scoring one more goal. The good part for Stutzle is he will have 2.5 months to break Havlat's record and he's more than capable of breaking it.
Throughout the entire month of October, Stutzle was part of an offense that was so dominant with consistency and finding ways to score every game. Stutzle scored the first goal of the season on opening night against the Florida Panthers, and it was a sign of bigger things to come.
Stutzle needed to have a strong start to the season scoring goals quickly after having a 21-goal drop off from 2022-23 to 2023-24. Stutzle recorded 39 goals in 2022-23 to having 18 last season. Stutzle has five goals this season and is off to the best start of any season he's had.
The Senators will return to action tomorrow night at 7 p.m. ET against the New York Rangers in New York City at Madison Square Garden. New York City always offers bright lights to play under with the history of Madison Square Garden. There might be no better arena to grab a piece of Senators history than Madison Square Garden for Stutzle.