The Ottawa Senators are making significant changes to their lines before their final preseason games against the Montreal Canadiens, with head coach Travis Green flipping Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens.
Stutzle will now centre a line with William Eklund and Fabian Zetterlund, while Cozens will play between Drake Batherson and Andre Burakovsky. It is an interesting change from what we have seen from the Senators so far, especially with the regular season getting closer.
Swapping Stutzle and Cozens makes a lot of sense
Stutzle and Cozens are obviously two very important players for Ottawa, but they bring different things to the lineup. Stutzle is the team's top offensive player, while Cozens is going to be heavily relied on to replace some of Brady Tkachuk's physicality.
Putting Stutzle with Eklund and Zetterlund gives him two different players to work with on his wings. Eklund has high expectations in Ottawa after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks, while Zetterlund brings some size and a different style of game to the line. It will be interesting to see how the three of them look together.
Cozens, meanwhile, gets two experienced offensive players in Batherson and Burakovsky. Batherson has been one of Ottawa's better offensive players for years, while Burakovsky gives the line another player who can create offence and finish chances. If Cozens can take advantage of playing between those two players, it could give Green another option to work with.
The timing of the change is also interesting. Ottawa didn't have the best night against Toronto, losing both split-squad games and getting outscored 10-3. The Senators are still trying to figure out what their lines will look like when the regular season starts, so these final preseason games are a good chance to see what works.
It doesn't necessarily mean these will be the lines on opening night. Green has moved players around throughout training camp, and there is still time for more changes before the regular season begins. At the same time, with the preseason coming to an end, the Senators are getting closer to having to settle on their lineup.
For Stutzle, the biggest thing will be seeing if he can build some chemistry with Eklund and Zetterlund. For Cozens, playing with Batherson and Burakovsky gives him a chance to show what he can do with two players who have plenty of NHL experience. Unfortunately, Green is going to have to make some decisions soon, and these final preseason games could help make some of those decisions easier. The change doesn’t seem to be a huge one, but it has the chance to be one that could have a lasting effect on the lineup.
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