Though they won three of their last four games before the bye week, and struggling goalie Craig Anderson made 40-plus saves in each of the last two victories, the Senators are the most disappointing team through the first half of the 2017-18 NHL season.
Quite simply, nothing comes easy for a club that’s failed to live up to expectations this season.
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Overall Team – F
With a 15-18-9 record, second-last in the Eastern Conference, there’s no doubt,fans expected more from a Sens squad that was one goal away from a 2017 Stanley Cup Final appearance. Lack of attention to detail, inconsistent goaltending, and dismal special team units culminated in months of woeful hockey. The Senators finished 7-13-3 over the two-month span of November-December. This downward spiral contributes mightily to their current unenviable position of needing to leapfrog seven clubs to gain a playoff berth.
Coach C-
Guy Boucher is a details-oriented coach, spending hours on the finer points of the game. While the message clearly got through late last season and in the playoffs, it has not on most nights so far this season.
The Senators allowed a league-high five or more goals on 15 occasions already. Special team units appear broken. Boucher recently had assistants Marc Crawford and Martin Raymond swap duties. The ploy still hasn’t worked. In fact, it worsened. The power play and penalty kill combos rank 28th (15.3 %) and 29th (74.8 %) league-wide respectively.
Team goaltending possesses a .894 save percentage, a far cry from the .915 attained in 2016-17, certainly not the coach’s fault. Craig Anderson and Mike Condon are in the midst of down years, but the rise in goals against from 2.56 to 3.43 per game this season isn’t all on them.
Boucher’s club is allowing 32 shots per game, up two over last year. Opposing teams are able to find seams far too easily at times, something that didn’t occur previously. Second periods have been the Senators’ bane with the team being outscored 62-35.
It’s not all gloomy for the Senators’ bench boss. Boucher’s recent tinkering with his top two lines is creating more offense. Scoring rose 10 per cent on the season, increasing from 2.51 to 2.76 goals per game.
The coach needs to right the ship in short order if his team wants to realistically make a post-season run.
General Manager B-
Pierre Dorion already made one bold move, acquiring coveted centre Matt Duchene. Eyes are on the Senators GM as to what he’ll do next. With the NHL Trade Deadline six weeks away, Dorion is working on a plan of action with an eye towards next season. The GM will most certainly look to deal a trio of veterans -- Johnny Oduya, Alex Burrows and Nate Thompson. Dorion needs to find a way to open permanent roster spots for youngsters Filip Chlapik and Colin White.
Mike Hoffman and Dion Phaneuf are also rumoured to be on the trading block. Moves of this magnitude are difficult to pull off in-season. Dorion may also want to rethink the possibility of moving Hoffman, due to his growing rapport with Duchene.
Forwards
Mark Stone A+
A diamond in a rough season, Stone is producing at a point-per-game pace. The 25-year old leads the club with 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists) in 42 games. Stone deserves to be in Tampa for the All Star Game. The right wing embraces his leadership seriously, often being the first player to meet media post-game. Stone is willing to give an honest critique where others may tend to give a generic comment.
Derick Brassard B
The crafty centre is on pace for 55 points, a total the organization expected when they acquired him in July of 2016. Brassard will likely surpass the 20-goal plateau for the second time in his career. The one flaw in the 30-year old’s game of late is a penchant to take offensive zone penalties.
Matt Duchene B
Acquired Nov. 5, Duchene has 12 points in 28 games with Ottawa, including six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in his last four games after a painfully slow start. Duchene’s recent play hasn’t been lost on his teammates. The centre helped Mike Hoffman break out of an extended swoon, while his subtle head fake and subsequent pass springing Tom Pyatt in Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs was a play only an elite player makes.
Ryan Dzingel B-
After going scoreless in 10 games, Dzingel notched four goals in the past five games and is one away from tying his 14-goal total of last season. Signed to a two-year deal in the off-season, the speedy winger admitted he’s still learning the subtleties of the game. The 2011 seventh-rounder isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty. Most of his goals of late have come on the doorstep of the crease.
Mike Hoffman B-
A streaky player, Hoffman went 14 games recently without a goal, only to break out with a four-point effort a week ago. The left wing appears to have found chemistry alongside Duchene. With only 11 points, (3 goals, 8 assists) in his last 20 games, Hoffman’s shift of linemates seems to be working.
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Jean-Gabriel Pageau C+
The diminutive centre gives his all every game, often facing the opposition’s top scorers. Pageau’s offensive numbers are down this season, (6 goals, 9 assists). The addition of Duchene in the middle cost Pageau some valuable ice time, contributing to those numbers.
Bobby Ryan C+
Similar to last season, Ryan’s luck is all bad. After blocking a shot Saturday, the 30-year old may miss more time with an injured hand. If so, it will be Ryan’s sixth hand/finger injury in three seasons and second since Oct. 21. Prior to this, the Cherry Hill, NJ native played his best hockey since the 2017 Playoffs, compiling eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in the past 11 games, playing on Duchene’s right side.
Zack Smith C+
Smith’s season is difficult to grade. The winger lost 14 games due to injury spread over three different stints. Smith’s strength is his ability to be a depth player, filling any role required. The 10-year veteran returned to the checking line after his latest bout on injured reserve, allowing Hoffman to jump up the depth chart.
Tom Pyatt C
Pyatt’s game-winner versus Toronto Wednesday was his first goal in 20 games, but the hard-working bottom-six forward isn’t paid to score goals. He plays within his means and is one of Boucher’s most-trusted players.
Nate Thompson C
Thompson is tops among Senators with a 55.9 success rate at the faceoff dots. The fourth-line centre is also a solid penalty-killer. The Anchorage native’s four goals are his highest total since 2014-15.
Alex Burrows C-
At age 36, Burrows is on the downward slope of his career. With one year owed on a $2.5m deal, the feisty winger is filling a limited role on the ice, averaging 11:31 of ice-time per game. However, he’s played more than 10 minutes on only three occasions in his past 19 outings, while contributing one assist. Off the ice, Dzingel and rookie Colin White expressed appreciation how much Burrows aided them with their game this season.
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Gabriel Dumont C-
The plucky winger earned his first goal in 16 games since being claimed off waivers Wednesday. It came at a crucial time, tying the game in the final frame. Dumont is an energy player who knows his role.
Defensemen
Erik Karlsson A
Critics contend Karlsson isn’t having an ‘A’ season. The All Star d-man is still adjusting to skating using one and a half ankles, but while doing so, averages 26:22 per game, third-most league-wide. The captain’s offensive output is down slightly. However, the 27-year old ranks third among NHL defenseman in assists (27), despite playing only 37 games. One stat that jumps out is his minus-16. However, Karlsson’s positive even-strength 54 per cent shot attempt differential (Corsi) counterbalances that stat.
Thomas Chabot B-
During training camp Boucher said, “You can’t feed steak to a baby,” in reference to Chabot receiving minutes before earning them. Well, the 20-year old is now cutting his teeth, paired with Karlsson on the Senators back end. The 2017 CHL Defenseman of the Year is feeling more comfortable by the game.
Dion Phaneuf C+
The 32-year old no longer possesses explosiveness, but his effort doesn’t go unnoticed. The recent first-time dad is a quiet leader on and off the ice.
Cody Ceci C+
Averaging 22:54 per game, the 25-year old is the Senators’ second-highest minutes-muncher. However, is Ceci deserving of such a lofty total? The former-67’s star holds a 43.75 even-strength shot attempt differential, ranking the defender 131 out of 132 NHL defenseman who played 35 games or more. Begging the question, is the five-year pro miscast as a shutdown ‘D’?
Fredrik Claesson C
Recently suspended for two games and scratched for two more, the Stockholm native has been in and out of the lineup lately. It’s been a tough go for Claesson who excelled as the club’s best defenseman when Karlsson missed the opening five games.
Ben Harpur C-
Turned 23 on Jan. 12, Harpur played a career high 20:08 in his last game. With only 40 NHL games under his belt, the lanky six-foot-six, 220-pound blue liner is prone to inconsistency. The Niagara-on-the-Lake resident would be better served patrolling the blue line for AHL Belleville, playing 20-plus minutes per night.
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Johnny Oduya C-
Enticed by the possibility of pairing with Karlsson, Oduya signed with the Senators during the off-season. However, the tandem did not work out. It’s no surprise, at age 36, the 12-year veteran lost a step. It remains to be seen if teams inquire about the depth defenseman closer to the trade deadline. Oduya is due a $250,000 bonus once he plays his 41st game. He’s currently at 37.
Mark Borowiecki - Incomplete
The team hopes Borowiecki returns to action Thursday after their mandated break. Borowiecki missed 23 games due to a concussion suffered at MSG Nov. 19. The Senators are much tougher to play against when the Clarkson University grad is in the lineup. Their record of 5-2-5 with and 10-16-4 without Borowiecki belies this.
Goaltenders
Craig Anderson C
Signed to a two-year, $9m extension prior to the start of the season, Anderson is having a subpar campaign. The goaltender has been uncharacteristically inconsistent all season. The 36-year old’s .899 save percentage is his worst since becoming a full-time NHL no.1 starter in 2009-10. Anderson allowed five goals or more eight times already in 2017-18. The good news, he bounced back every game after doing so, compiling a 5-0-2 record, plus one no decision where he stopped 27 shots.
Mike Condon C-
Condon owns a 3-5-4 record this season. In his third full NHL campaign, the 27-year-old has not been able to repeat his stellar performance of last season. In fact, he’s given up on average one goal more per game with a bloated 3.48 GAA.