Upgraded Senators eager to challenge playoff contenders in tough Atlantic Division

Mercifully, the long preamble and repetitive exhibition games against the Montreal Canadiens are giving way to the real thing. 

When the Ottawa Senators visit the Buffalo Sabres Thursday to open their 2022-23 NHL regular season schedule, it represents the most anticipated start to a Sens season in several years. Fans in Ottawa have been paying penance since the surprise trip to the 2017 Eastern Conference Final and are finally being rewarded for their patience. 

These are your not your older brother’s Senators, who patched holes with retread defencemen and journeymen forwards. With what may very well be the first steps toward upgrading the value of the franchise for a sale of the team — don’t worry, they will only move as far as LeBreton Flats, not Quebec City — the Sens have loaded their roster with newcomers Alex DeBrincat, Claude Giroux and goaltender Cam Talbot (injured to start the season). 

And if that doesn’t feel like a lot of change, try this exercise. Check out the names of some of the players on the Opening Night roster a year ago for the 2021-22 season starter against the Maple Leafs: Chris Tierney, Tyler Ennis, Connor Brown, Nick Paul, Alex Formenton, Logan Shaw, Zach Sanford, Victor Mete, Josh Brown, Nikita Zaitsev. All of the above are OUT now, although Zaitsev is still on the roster as a seventh defenceman. Gone, too, is goaltender Matt Murray. 

IN and new to start the season: two-time 41-goal scorer DeBrincat, ex-Flyers captain Giroux, wingers Tyler Motte and Mathieu Joseph (acquired for Nick Paul at the deadline). Rugged Mark Kastelic, rookie Jake Sanderson, their prized fifth overall draft pick. Travis Hamonic. 

THEN: Tierney actually saw second-unit power-play time. That’s how thin the Senators were up front. 

NOW: The Senators have too many scoring threats to fit on one unit. Head coach D.J. Smith will go with the hot hand out of two balanced power plays. 

The common denominators of both season openers include captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto (who missed most of last season) and star defenceman Thomas Chabot, among others. 

Goaltender Anton Forsberg, coming off a breakthrough season, will carry the load in net, at least until Talbot returns next month. 

The Sens have switched the top two centres around since the start of camp, such that Norris is now between Giroux and DeBrincat, and Stützle is between Tkachuk and Batherson. Pinto centres a solid third line with Motte and Joseph. Big Kastelic is the fourth line C between pesky Parker Kelly and veteran Austin Watson. Derick Brassard and Dylan Gambrell are extra forwards on Thursday. 

Chabot and Artem Zub are the lead pair on defence. Sanderson is with Hamonic while Erik Brannstrom is paired with veteran Nick Holden. 

There is no question the Senators will be able to score goals. As always, the question remains — can they defend well enough to close the gap in the competitive Atlantic Division. The Sens finished 27 points behind the final playoff spot last season, which is a lot to make up. 

Ottawa will not only have to top an improving team like Buffalo, but also strive to supplant one of the established teams in the division, perhaps Boston. 

“There’s some very talented teams that made the playoffs in our group, but at the same time we’re aware of that and we’re up for the challenge,” Chabot says. “It’s never going to be perfect all season, but the closer we get to it, the better we give ourselves a chance every night.”  

For the first time since he took over the coaching reins in 2019, Smith and the Senators are facing real expectations to be competitive this season. If they play up to the strength of their roster, Ottawa should take a run at a top-four division finish, it says here. Keep in mind that general manager Pierre Dorion, coming off a strong summer, is not done yet. He is expected to add a defenceman to slot into the top four, perhaps early in the season (Jakob Chychrun being the worst kept secret as a target). 

“We are going to start this way,” Smith said this week of his group of seven D. “In the NHL, things change quickly.”

That’s a pretty decent hint at something coming. 

BRING ON EXPECTATIONS 

To a man, the Senators say they welcome the higher expectations and can’t wait to get started. 

Channeling his inner Yogi Berra, Smith put it this way when it comes to having more weapons at his disposal: “You’ve got to play good if you want to win in this league. It doesn’t matter if you are good, you’ve got to play good.”

Sounds good, coach. 

“It’s no secret, everyone knows we have to take a step here, but that’s easier said than done,” Smith says. “Every single team, outside of a few that have decided to bottom out and are in a complete rebuild — everyone’s looking to take a step. So, there’s no easy games.”

Following their team bonding trip to Mont-Tremblant, Que., the Senators skated in Saint-Jovite on Wednesday before flying to Buffalo. They start with two on the road, moving onto Toronto on Saturday for a date with the Leafs. Then, they are home for five straight, starting with the home opener against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. 

“Go time,” as Smith says. 

Ottawa fans can’t wait to get started.