No matter how well your team is going, as an NHL general manager, worry and anxiety are common bedfellows.
Teams can be one major injury or a couple of poor goaltending outings away from singing sayonara to the post-season.
Here in Eastern Ontario – and readers of this space will recognize the term Hockey’s Holy Trinity – the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs carry the bulk of the fan base and make up said Trinity.
With that in place, let’s have a look at how the three have fared through the first quarter of the season, and what those GMs are losing sleep over, and what they’re smiling about. (A deep dive on Ottawa upcoming and somewhat shorter synopses on the others).
OTTAWA SENATORS
Worries: You might need a stenographer to get all this down. This has not been the opening of the season anyone organizationally desired.
But before we get too much into every niggly bite-mark, let’s address the two fundamental issues with this year’s Senators.
One – Linus Ullmark has been an unqualified disaster. His .881 save percentage is one thing, the eye test tells us another: Ullmark allows far too many weak goals. We can’t put his 4-7-1 win-loss record squarely on his shoulders. The team defence in front of Ullmark, especially from some of the forwards, is lacking and some of this is on them.
Do you need back-up on that? Last season’s scapegoat, Joonas Korpisalo, is 4-2-1 with the Bruins and sports a very respectable .911 save percentage. Looking back through the goalie graveyard in Ottawa, this is nothing new. ‘Tenders leave Ottawa after a bad season or two and discover their game again in greener pastures. Troubling.
Issue two – by all accounts, the Senators have talent. Nobody disputes that. What they don’t seem to have, is the right attitude or approach to best serve that talent. In other words, Ottawa self-identifies as a team ‘that’s gonna blow it.’ We’ll call it a ‘winning persona.’
It’s missing. The club lacks that confidence and has for years.
Having said all that, the win over Calgary on Monday night was an essential after a ruinous five-game losing streak (at home, to boot). The task gets tougher now as Ottawa will have to do the bulk of turning-things-around on the road; the team’s played 12 of its first 21 games at home.
Not To Worry: Individually?
Two stand out from the rest – Tim Stutzle and Nick Jensen.
This is kind of a flabbergasting point; Stutzle we get, but Jensen? The 34-year-old blueliner was expected to be the bad part of a bad deal with Washington. Instead, Jensen’s been a marvel. Credit to GM Steve Staios for scouting the defender well. Jensen is perfect for what is basically a young and learning core on the back end.
Stutzle’s play has been a marvel as well. What I really appreciate is his increased level of maturity on the ice. He’ll still pull out the whine and pout now and then, but there’s definite growth there.
Outlook: Hmm, tough one.
Again, Ottawa’s done itself zero favours with a horrible November. The math says the team is on the precipice of being ‘out’ even this early (Oh yes, the American Thanksgiving formula). As of this writing, the Senators are four points back of Buffalo and six back of the Rangers for the wildcard spots. Could we see them catching the Sabres? Sure. The problem is they’ll need to hop past Boston, the Islanders, Detroit, Philadelphia and Columbus to do so.
Adding to the poor equation is that the Bruins, with a new head coach in hand, seems to have found their game.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Worries: Not too many expected the Habs to contend for a post-season role in 2024-25, however, few expected the expectation to come to fruition so quickly.
The dye was cast earlier this month as Montreal finished off a run of 2-10. Since then, the team’s run to the pace of 3-2. Too little too late.
Things were so ugly even sainted head coach Marty St. Louis was rumoured to be running out of oxygen.
The defensive play has been poor; Montreal sits second from the bottom in goals against per game.
Offensively, this was supposed to be another year of improvement for Juraj Slafkovsky but his one goal in 17 games says otherwise.
Not To Worry: The praises were ringing out long before he even laced them up in Montreal, still, rookie whisp Lane Hutson has followed up in form. The kid is dynamic.
Meantime, Brendan Gallagher’s re-discovered his game, tallying eight goals so far.
Help is eventually on the way as Patrik Laine is veritable inches away from making his regular-season debut.
Outlook: The build continues.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Worries: To be perfectly honest, not much at this point.
Health, though, has been a key takeaway through the first quarter. Both Auston Matthews and smart signing Max Pacioretty have played but 13 games each. Matthews is close; Pacioretty could be a while.
Nick Robertson’s lack of production (one goal in 18 games) could signal a trade out of town, especially considering the backlog now up front which includes up-and-comers Fraser Minten and the colourful Nikita Grebenkin.
Not To Worry: Another stenographer might be required here as well.
First and foremost, all those calling for the head of Mitchell Marner (that’d be me in the front of that group photo) please step aside. Got to love a guy’s fortitude who was basically jeered out of town all summer long, then comes back and absolutely dominates. Good on Marner for sticking it (so far) to the naysayers.
Coaching?
Yup. Craig Berube has instilled a more aggressive/assertive, playoff-esque approach. Toronto’s now playing north-south hockey. The Chief coaches the way he played: balls to the wall.
And . . . who knew?
The Leafs made one of the strongest moves in the off-season in signing career back-up Anthony Stolarz (7-3, 2.18 GAA, .927 save percentage). Joseph Woll (5-2, 2.00 GAA, .922 save percentage) comprises the second half a very impressive netminding tandem.
Outlook: The Buds lead the Atlantic standings and it’s a spot they’d like to hold on to come spring, giving them a favourable first-round match-up for the first time in years.
OTTAWA SENATORS WEEK AHEAD:
Wednesday, Nov. 27: Ottawa at San Jose (10:30 pm)
Saturday, Nov. 30: Ottawa at LA (7 pm)
Sunday, Dec. 1: Ottawa at Anaheim (8 pm)
thegrossgame@yahoo.com