It has taken longer than anticipated, however the Ottawa Senators are within the NHL playoffs for the primary time in eight years.
The Senators, who claimed the primary wild-card berth within the Japanese Convention, will face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday within the opening spherical of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
It’s been an extended, usually difficult and irritating journey for the Senators to succeed in this level.
Captain Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot have each performed 512 profession video games and Sunday can be their first style of playoff motion.
Ottawa Senators’ Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates his sport profitable purpose towards the New York Rangers throughout time beyond regulation interval NHL hockey motion in Ottawa, on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
“I imply, it’s simply moulded us into who we’re and to who we’re as, you already know, a gaggle, and as people,” stated Tkachuk.
“There’s been loads of adversity, loads of powerful occasions, and to type of come out of that, it seems like we’re all type of new individuals and, you already know, our greatest selves.”
Tkachuk admitted that when he began his skilled profession, he by no means anticipated it taking seven years to succeed in the playoffs.
In contrast to others, Tkachuk has had a front-row seat of what it takes to not solely make the playoffs however win a Stanley Cup. Final spring Tkachuk was by his older brother’s (Matthew) aspect as he raised the Stanley Cup after the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven video games.
Tkachuk stated he’s lucky to have his brother as a mentor and a cheerleader and might solely hope to share comparable success.
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The playoffs can be a primary for lots of the Senators together with Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson.
Batherson stated he’s by no means even seen a reside playoff sport and is pumped for his first expertise to be a part of one.
“I believe the environment, the depth, how a lot you already know each little play issues, clearly, it’s all our first time so we’re going to have loads of nervous vitality however pleasure and confidence in our group on the similar time,” stated Batherson.
“So, actually excited to get in there and simply, yeah, in all probability the primary shift be nervous, however we’ll settle in after that.”
Whereas the Senators core group had proven flashes of brilliance over time, they by no means appeared to place every little thing collectively. This 12 months, with new head coach Travis Inexperienced on the helm, the crew appeared to discover a new confidence and maturity and perhaps extra importantly consistency.
This season once they misplaced a sport, they bounced again. When challenges mounted, they leaned on their expertise, and on one another.
“I believe, you already know, we’ve had our fair proportion of adversity, however clearly you’ve obtained to undergo that to type of simply type of develop up and type of mature,” stated Pinto. “And I believe we’ve executed that this 12 months, and I believe that confirmed in our consistency. I believe that’s what we struggled with in prior years.”
Stutzle, now one of the dynamic playmakers within the league, emphasised the worth of the teachings discovered.
“For us, the purpose was to get in, and I really feel like within the playoffs something can occur,” Stutzle stated. “So, like I stated, we’re very assured in our group.
“There have been loads of classes discovered, however we haven’t performed the playoffs, or most of us haven’t, so we’ll see our targets, and we’ll at all times give 100 per cent effort and we’re actually assured in our group.”
Simply as essential because the maturing of the younger core was the additions normal supervisor Stave Staios made through the low season. Including veteran voices akin to David Perron, Nick Cousins and Nick Jensen have offered steerage and management they usually’re excited to see what their younger teammates can do within the playoffs.
“The message is to take pleasure in it and to allow them to reside their very own expertise,” stated Perron, a Stanley Cup champion in 2019. “I believe us older guys, and there’s a number of of us, we’ll attempt to assist them navigate the roller-coaster of feelings it doesn’t matter what performs out.
“It’s a must to bear in mind it’s nonetheless the identical hockey.”
“It’s been a very long time coming,” Pinto stated.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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