Whenever a new NHL season is getting closer, every team and fan base gets more excited. The Ottawa Senators are going to be eager when opening night arrives on Oct. 10 at Canadian Tire Centre against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
One thing that is always important is to have optimism. When a team and its fans are optimistic, it can lead to high expectations, but it also could be deflating when the optimism comes crashing down.
Despite missing the playoffs since 2017, the Senators have reason to be optimistic about a new season with a new season approaching. One reason can give the team even more reason to be optimistic.
"A breakthrough" gives Senators reason to be optimistic this season
Earlier today, Bleacher Report's Joe Yerdon wrote an article, "1 Reason for Every NHL Team to Be Optimistic a Month Before The 2024-25 Season." Yerdon dubbed the Senators' reason being "a breakthrough."
Of course, the Senators' young duo of captain Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle gives them a reason to be optimistic. Both of them recorded over 70 points last season, but they have the potential to break out more with over 80-85 points this season. Yerdon called Stutzle "a brilliant offensive player and makes opposing players see all shades of red when he occasionally enhances their misdeeds."
Goaltending woes have been a concern for Ottawa for years. This Summer, Ottawa sought to end its goaltending woes by trading for Linus Ullmar. Optimism will be there with Ullmark, who won the 2023 Vezina Trophy. Time will tell how his time in Ottawa can go with his previous success in Boston.
Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot will be two defensemen who will be getting a lot of ice time, and both will need to play good defense with the elite offensive superstars in the Eastern Conference. Claude Giroux's production of points at 36 years old will help the Senators get more offense. Shane Pinto can also take a big step after being suspended for half last season.
One area that could be a concern is having a new head coach in Travis Green. However, Green was the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks when the Canucks made the playoffs in 2020, but Green was fired in the middle of his fifth season in the 2021-22 season. Green gained more experience as a head coach last season when he took over for the New Jersey Devils when the Devils fired Lindy Ruff in early March. The Devils went 8-12-1 in 21 games with Green as interim head coach.
There is reason to be optimistic about the Senators' making a breakthrough in the 2024-25 season. If the offense can produce goals and Ullmark shows his Vezina flashes, the Senators can be an under-the-radar team that makes the playoffs in 2025.