Are the Senators ready to take the next step? Whichever way the season ends, it’s still clear there’s a bright future ahead.
. His defensive play didn’t go up as his productivity dropped, either; he was 164th in expected goals against/60. Chabot is capable of more — injuries and a series of overextended partners are certainly a factor — and for Ottawa to progress, he’ll need to show, once again, that he’s a better-than-average No. 1 defenseman. Right now he falls below the mark.
An undercover red flag for the Sens, though, is an overreliance on the power play. They spent more time on the man advantage than any other team last season, with a gap between them and second place larger than the one between second and 10th. Stützle and Tkachuk, specifically, were 10th and 11th in the league in total penalties drawn. That skill, valuable as it may be, doesn’t typically repeat itself to this extreme of a team-wide level.
He had a huge bounce-back season with the Coyotes, scoring 28 points in 36 games while posting excellent five-on-five numbers relative to the team. He looked like a true top-pairing option and is projected to be Ottawa’s best defenseman this season. “I think he’s a solid second pair D when he’s healthy, but I don’t think he’s ever really shown top-end ability,” one team front office executive said. “I just don’t see him as a difference-maker.”