As opening night is on Thursday night for the Ottawa Senators, the excitement is growing even more. Opening night is always a big and exciting game for a team. Excitement has added more for Ottawa as the team finished 5-1-1 in the 2024 preseason.
The Senators will have their superstar duo of Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle leading the team. Linus Ullmark had two good starts in the preseason.
However, just because the Senators are gaining confidence going through training camp and finishing the preseason on a high note, not everyone is giving the Senators the respect they deserve. The disrespect has continued again as opening night is getting closer.
Senators are to be in "power tankings" for the first overall pick in 2025 NHL Draft
Bleacher Report's Joe Yerdon recently wrote an article titled "Power Tankings: 7 Teams That Will Be In Play for No. 1 Overall Pick at 2025 NHL Draft." Yerdon listed the Senators as one of the seven teams in the "power tankings" along with the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens and San Jose Sharks.
It's not the first time that Bleacher Report has disrespected the Senators in training camp or during the preseason. On Sept, 19, 2024, Bleacher Report's Lyle Fitzsimmons ranked the Senators as the 21st best team out of 32 in a power ranking article.
The Senators have been disrespected for the past seven years with not making the playoffs. Entering this season, a breakthrough can be in the works. Unlike the other six teams Yerdon listed, the Senators are the best team that can be in a win-now phase with Ullmark between the pipes.
Having Ullmark will be a key piece to having success this season. Along with their duo of Tkachuk and Stutzle, Drake Batherson has been consistently underrated with having back-to-back 60-point seasons. Jake Sanderson is getting close for a breakout season at 22 years old, and if Yakemchuk is going to make the opening night roster, Yakemchuk and Sanderson can be a good young defense pair.
Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins are also going to provide good veteran leadership to the team, and Shane Pinto is destined to take a big step this season.
From being ranked low in Bleacher Report's power rankings, and now being put in Bleacher Report's "power tankings." Bleacher Report has disrespected the Senators again and the team is eager to silence the critics this season. The way the Senators do that is by making the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.