Tonight, the Ottawa Senators conclude their four-game home stand against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. ET at Canadian Tire Centre.
Through the first seven games, the Senators aren't playing like they did last season as a playoff team. The Senators currently sit with the second worst record in the Eastern Conference with a 2-4-1 record.
Although it is October, slow starts can hurt a team in the long run. A new power ranking shows just how tough the first seven games have been for the Senators.
Senators ranked bottom five in the NHL
Earlier today, Lyle Fitzsimmons of Bleacher Report wrote an article titled "NHL Power Rankings See Penguins Rise Into Top 10 as Bruins and Rangers Struggle." In his article, Fitzsimmons ranked the Senators 28th out of 32 teams.
If the Senators did have captain Brady Tkachuk in the lineup, the team likely may have more than two wins. Tkachuk's impact is too valuable and important for the Senators. Tkachuk suffered an injury in the third game of the season, and is out of the lineup for 6-8 weeks after having thumb surgery. Just after Tkachuk got injured, Bleacher Report ranked the Senators 27th in a power ranking, now the team sits at 28.
The losses by the Senators have been tough with goaltending being a major concern. The Senators have allowed 25 goals combined in the five games they have lost so far this season.
The two worst losses have been against the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders. On Oct. 15, the Senators were defeated 8-4 in Buffalo after leading 2-1 in the second period. Against the Islanders on Oct. 18, the Senators allowed a third period rally by the Islanders, which the game-winning goal was scored by Anders Lee with 1:03 remaining in regulation to lose 5-4.
In the Senators' last game on Tuesday night, they did fall 3-2 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers. However, earning one point against the two-time defending Western Conference champions can be a start in the right direction to get hot.
Two big bright spots this season have been from Shane Pinto and Dylan Cozens. Pinto leads the Senators with seven goals and eight points, and Cozens is second on the Senators with four goals and six points. However, the Senators are still missing offensive production from their top offensive players, and better goaltending, defense and penalty kill.
If the goaltending, defense and penalty kill continue to struggle, the losses can pile up more down the road for Ottawa.