Underrated players in the NHL usually don't get much attention for their contributions. These are the players who get on the stat sheet and help their team win games but don't get much love.
Playing on a struggling team also adds a factor in because the typical hockey fan won't want to watch a struggling team on TV. The Ottawa Senators have been a struggling team for the past seven years with not making the playoffs.
However, the optimism of the Senators about being close to "a breakthrough" is growing. Obviously, for the Senators, it starts with their dynamic duo of Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle on offense. However, one player on offense is contributing to the team that isn't getting the recognition he deserves. It might be time for the NHL to start showing recognition to this 26-year-old stud.
Drake Batherson dubbed "one of the most underrated players" heading into this season
Dan Powers of the "Empty Netters Podcast" named Senators right wing Drake Batherson one of the most underrated players heading into the 2024-25 season. Batherson's game is starting to get recognized more and more. This season, the Senators will need Batherson more than ever.
The Ottawa Senators’ Drake Batherson is one of the most underrated players in the NHL pic.twitter.com/S13vRCHfkH
— Empty Netters (@EmptyNettersPod) September 12, 2024
"This guy is starting to buzz," Powers said
Powers is right about Batherson's starting to buzz with his play over the past two seasons. The Senators needed another player outside of Tkachuk and Stutzle to contribute big to the team on offense, and Batherson has.
Batherson has been fully healthy and played in all 82 games over the past two seasons. In both seasons, Batherson recorded over 60 points, but last season was the biggest season of his NHL career.
Batherson recorded the third most points on the Senators, with 66 points, which set a new career high. Batherson finished with more points than Claude Giroux did. Among the entire roster, Batherson was second on the team in goals with 28 to set a new career-high. Batherson also recorded 17 multi-point games too.
Batherson's shining last season was one of the biggest positives of the season because the Senators needed to find their third offensive guy to help the roster alongside Tkachuk and Stutzle. What helps the Senators, too, is that Batherson is playing incredibly well for how much his contract is worth.
According to PuckPedia, Batherson has an annual cap hit of $4.975 million per year until 2027. That is an absolute bargain of a contract for a player who recorded back-to-back 60-point seasons. Batherson scored more points last season than some of the highest-paid players in the NHL, who are considered to be superstars. Some of those players include Timo Meier, Alex Ovechkin, John Tavares, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and even Tage Thompson.
If Batherson continues to grow his game, he will be a reason for the Senators to have a great season. Batherson's career is starting to take off at the right time, and the Senators may have been the perfect team for him to play for. New head coach Travis Green could give Batherson more minutes this season.