The Ottawa Senators’ season can be described as frustratingly successful. General Manager Pierre Dorion set the expectation of being in the race at the trade deadline, and by that point, they were 3 points out of the playoffs with 2 games in hand.
But as we sit here today with the regular season wrapped up, the Senators missed the playoffs by 6 points after a brutal month of March. Since expectations were technically met, it’s hard to criticize the big picture. The Senators have significantly improved their roster over the last 10 months, adding players like Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat, and Jakob Chychrun.
But it’s all been leading to next season. The goal has to be making the playoffs next year, no excuses.
The rebuild has been an excruciatingly long process in Ottawa. Brady Tkachuk has played 5 NHL seasons, and his draft was the first where the Senators identified that they would be rebuilding.
However, the most agonizing stretch, for many, has been what I call the “2-D” era.
At the virtual 2020 NHL draft, the Senators selected Tim Stützle with the 3rd overall pick, and he donned the brand new uniforms that the Senators have now worn for 3 campaigns. Since that jersey and Stützle arrived in Ottawa, the message has always been the same: the young core is progressing, setting career highs every season, and the team looks like a real threat in the future.
But in 2020, I would have considered 2023 to be the future. It’s been 6 years of no playoffs and 4 seasons of “the future is bright” narratives.
I will give Dorion the benefit of the doubt for his pre-season comments. In 2022, the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference belonged to the Washington Capitals, who finished the year with 100 points. So going into 2022-23, the Senators certainly needed to be realistic about their expectations, given they finished with just 73 points in 2022.
But the way this season played out, the Senators absolutely could have been playing in the postseason, which makes it sting that much more.
Claude Giroux wants to be competing in the playoffs right now. "It's a little frustrating." #Sens @FullPressNHL pic.twitter.com/lHDx9W5jnE
— Murray Pam (@Pammerhockey) April 14, 2023
The Florida Panthers occupy the final wildcard spot this season, finishing with 92 points. But I don’t think that should be the goal for Ottawa next year. Anything can happen in a playoff race down the stretch, something they should be well aware of. On March 3rd, the Panthers and the Senators were tied at 66 points.
That’s why the franchise cannot afford to let next season come down to the wire and risk missing the playoffs for the 7th straight season.
What the New Jersey Devils did this season should be the blueprint for what Ottawa can do in 2023-24. Not just solidify a playoff spot, but compete at the top of the Atlantic division all season long.
And I don’t think that’s an outrageous standard to hold this management group, the coaching staff, or the players to. There’s been a disturbing trend with this core that when expectations are higher than the year before, they falter.
There are things to address this summer, but the big pieces are in place. It’s time for results.
There have been too many draft picks and too much money invested into this roster to only be playing 82 games every year. There has to be an 83rd game for the Ottawa Senators next year.
The good news is that the captain understands:
“I don’t like being done in April any more, I’m pretty done with it. Moving forward that won’t be the case,” Brady Tkachuk’s thoughts on the #Sens future. pic.twitter.com/09kEsx0nrg
— Claire Hanna (@clahanna) April 14, 2023
It’s going to be a long summer in Ottawa. Is it October yet?
-Jack Richardson
Twitter: @jackrichrdson
Photo: US Department of State. This image is a work of a United States Department of State employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain per 17 U.S.C. § 101 and § 105 and the Department Copyright Information.