The Ottawa Senators hired Travis Green to a four-year contract to be their next head coach in May 2024. Green served as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 2017-2021, and was served interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils last season for 21 games.
Through 17 games of the 2024-25 season, the Senators have an 8-8-1 record. The Senators have lost their past two games before they start a four-game home stand tomorrow night against the Edmonton Oilers.
Even with losing their past two games with the most recent being a 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night, Green has continued to show signs of confidence. Prior to tomorrow's game against the Oilers, Green issued a bold statement to the NHL about his team.
Green says Senators will be over .500 if they play the way they've been playing
According to TSN 1200 after the Senators' practice today, Green said that if the Senators play like they've been playing over the next 10 games, the Senators will be over .500.
Green says over the next 10 games if they play the way they've been playing, he thinks they will be above .500
— TSN 1200 Ottawa (@TSN1200) November 18, 2024
Next 10 games on Senators schedule:
Tomorrow vs Edmonton Oilers
Thursday vs Vegas Golden Knights
Saturday vs Vancouver Canucks
Nov. 25 vs Calgary Flames
Nov. 27 @ San Jose Sharks
Nov. 30 @ Los Angeles Kings
Dec. 1 @ Anaheim Ducks
Dec. 5 vs Detroit Red Wings
Dec. 7 vs Nashville Predators
Dec. 8 vs New York Islanders
The expectations are high for Green for the Senators this season, and this statement sure shows that Green not only believes in his team, but wants to win.
Seven of the next 10 games on the Senators' schedule are at home. The Senators have a good record at home right now with a 5-2-1 record. However, the Senators fell to the Golden Knights and Islanders earlier this season, and both of those teams are on the Senators' schedule over the next 10 games. Five teams on the schedule would be in the 2025 playoffs (Oilers, Golden Knights, Canucks, Flames and Kings) if the season ended today.
The Senators would be out of the 2025 playoffs if the season ended today with 17 points. The Eastern Conference standings are getting tighter with every game that's played every night. Despite the past two losses, the Senators' offense has been putting on heavy pressure, but the defense and goaltending have been lacking.
A good thing about the next 10 games for the Senators is only three of the games are on the road. Although the Senators have a struggling 3-6-0 road record, two of the three teams that the Senators are playing on the road wouldn't be in the 2025 playoffs if the season ended today, which would be the Sharks and Ducks. Both the Sharks and Ducks are under .500 in the Western Conference.
Green is still confident in the Senators despite losing two consecutive games. If Green believes the Senators can be over .500 over the next 10 games with how they're currently playing, tomorrow night's game against the Oilers adds more intense to it. Puck drop for tomorrow night's game is at 7 p.m. ET at Canadian Tire Centre.