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Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios met with the media this morning as his hockey team nears the halfway point in the offseason. With the Senators being four points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot, the moment represented the opportune time to reflect on his team’s 19-15-5 record through their first 38 games.

If you are not familiar with the format of these posts, they are pretty straightforward. The full video of Staios’ availability can be found here, but the general manager’s comments are transcribed below. Following each of his thoughts, I’ve included my own, which are highlighted in bold.

Enjoy.

Staios’ opening remarks...

“There are a couple of things I think that are different this year. One is expectations. The expectations that come with how well the team played last year, particularly post-trade deadline, are well earned. Teams aren't taking us lightly now, and we have higher expectations for ourselves.      

What are the expectations for our group? We talked about taking a step last year. We want to take another step this year towards wanting to be a contending team. This is certainly part of the process, but expectations are different. Coming into this year, we're two points better than we were at this point last year.      

Do we want to be better than that? Of course, we're always striving to be better, but I watch our team, and objectively, there's a lot to like about the way we've been playing. We use the underlying numbers to confirm what we're seeing with our eyes. We've improved in some of the most important categories.      

When you look at the numbers, we went through a 2-7-1 stretch when I was watching our team play. I felt pretty good about the way we were playing, but we weren't getting the results. So, keeping with the theme of being process-driven, I think those are some of the things I look at to make sure we understand exactly who we are as a team.      

The other thing that is unique, and we've talked a lot about it, is the parity in the league, and in particular in the Eastern Conference and in the Atlantic Division. It puts greater emphasis on each and every game. The margins are tighter than ever, and we've got to be up for the challenge to get through some of those areas and improve our game.”

The Eastern Conference is a logjam, particularly because the Western Conference is an absolute mess, where only four teams have positive goal differentials. Another problem is the frequency of three-point games. According to an article by The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman in December, almost 30-percent of games this season were determined after regulation.

Staios is not wrong when he says that many underlying metrics portray his team favourably. The Senators rely on their own proprietary datasets, but publicly available metrics on sites like Natural Stat Trick show that they have done an excellent job of suppressing the shots, chances, and expected goals they allow at five-on-five.

According to that site, the Senators rank in the top 10 in the percentage of total shots (52.98 CF%, 4th), shots on goal (52.46 SF%, 6th), total goals (50.60 GF%, 10th), and expected goals (54.45 xGF%, 3rd). The rate at which the Senators allow these events is impressive, too.

- Shots allowed per 60 (CA/60): 51.48, second-lowest

- Shots on goal allowed per 60 (SA/60): 24.57, fifth-lowest

- Expected goals allowed per 60 (xGA/60): 2.24, lowest in the NHL

The Senators’ five-on-five offence is trending in a positive direction, but there are a few reasons the team should be doing much better than its record and current position in the standings suggest. I will get to these shortly.

On this team struggling with consistency...

“We live in reality. There are a couple of areas of our game that aren't up to our expectations, and we can talk about goaltending. If the goaltenders were in here right now, they would be honest that they haven't lived up to expectations.      

Now, the optimism comes from the fact that over the last month or so, they have played to expectations. It wasn't the best of starts for them, but it has stabilized, and I would feel comfortable saying it's going to continue to stabilize and move in the right direction.”

The Senators’ goaltending has statistically been awful. Linus Ullmark has the second-lowest goals saved above expected metric in the NHL, trailing only the St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington. Leevi Merilainen has the third-lowest in the NHL, and he has played in fewer (12) than half the games Ullmark has appeared in (28). The weird dynamic is that, visually, I feel like the duo hasn't given up many soft goals. They simply have not saved enough shots that would have tilted winnable games in the Senators’ direction.

From a team-perspective, the Senators have the third-lowest save percentage in the league at five-on-five per Natural Stat Trick. According to Evolving-Hockey’s historical data, the Senators’ 80.45 shorthanded save percentage is the third-lowest recorded total since the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

On the Senators’ goaltending depth...

“Linus (Ullmark) knows he's got our full support, and we're going to respect not having a comment on that situation. We have full belief in Linus, along with Leevi (Merilainen), a good young goaltender who continues to develop, and in our depth with Mads Sogaard and Hunter Shepard.     

"We know what Linus is as a goaltender. He knows what he is as a goaltender, but at this point in time, we just have our full support and respect his privacy until we have him back.”

The Senators and Staios will never disparage their players or their performances publicly, but admitting that, if the goaltenders were present at that availability, they would say they need to be better is the closest they will come to it. Supporting this group publicly is not much of a surprise either, considering Staios could actively be shopping around the league for alternatives.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had an interesting point on a recent episode of his ‘32 Thoughts Podcast’.

“We talk about how life throws you curve balls, and how do you handle it?  It's going to be interesting for Ottawa because what's their goalie combination going to be? It's not the easiest thing to ask right after an announcement like that. You kind of have to let it breathe a bit and see how things develop. But if you look at their Sportlogiq numbers, like limiting scoring chances against, they're very good. And so you're sitting there, and you're looking at their situation, and you're saying, ‘Okay, how do the Senators handle this?’ They've got a good defensive team. They do a really good job of defending themselves, particularly at even strength, and the goaltending has been a struggle. How do they let this play out? And I admit, I don't have the answers right now, and I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but it's probably something they were even thinking about before the unfortunate announcement on Sunday about Ullmark.”

It is interesting because what Friedman says sounds like the organization was having initial discussions about what it could do to bolster the goaltending position. Does it mean strengthening the backup option given the struggles, or were the Senators thinking about Ullmark’s future?

Ullmark had a hot stretch from November 11 through December 12 last season, in which he went 8-0-1 while recording a .954 save percentage, two shutouts, and a 1.43 goals against average.  Removing those nine appearances, Ullmark has compiled a 31-22-7 record, an .889 save percentage, and a 3.01 goals against average in 63 appearances for the Senators. Aside from that one stretch of games, Ullmark has failed to live up to the expectations that come with a goaltender who was awarded a four-year, $33 million deal.

On when the Senators can expect Linus Ullmark back...

“No, I’ll just leave it at we'll give him the time afforded to make sure that things are in order.”

It is unfair to speculate as to what is going on. All that you can do is offer unconditional support to his family.

On whether the Senators are in the market to add a goaltender...

“Like I said, with the depth that we do have being relatively unproven. Leevi’s had some time, but Mads (Sogaard) is continuing to develop and is in the right spot right now, where he's got the net in Belleville and getting that time, but he's always been a top prospect goaltender turning into a top pro prospect on the cusp of getting an opportunity.”

Goaltenders can often take time to develop, but if Mads Sogaard was not a second-round pick in 2019, I feel like fewer people would be throwing his name around as an alternative.

On whether the organization would be comfortable trading some of its highest value prospects in Carter Yakemchuk or Logan Hensler to bolster its NHL lineup...

“Oh, I wouldn't go so far to that. We're looking at trades.  We're always active (in trade talks), and I think that goes for most general managers. We speak often on ways to continue to improve our team. But you know, as far as the assets that we have at the right time, if it's the right player, it's just kind of too hard to really put a finger on what might go out for, for what's out there.”

The Senators obviously do not want to part with their most well-regarded prospects. With a system that is relatively barren of high-end talent thanks to the drafting, development, and short-sighted deals of Staios’ predecessor, the Senators should have more talent in their cupboards than they presently do. Staios did stop short of outright saying that he would not consider trading either of these right-shot defencemen, but with guys like Brady Tkachuk having three years left on his contract, Drake Batherson having another season beyond this one on his deal, and Thomas Chabot expiring at the conclusion of the 2027-28 season, the Senators’ window to push is now.

On whether the Senators have any insight into whether they could get their 2026 first-round pick back...

“No indication.”

Everyone would feel better in the nation’s capital if there were an indication.

On whether the Senators are comfortable with their goaltending depth with Ullmark away from the team...

“Yes, and we continue to evaluate. They're all good goaltenders, and again, with (Shepard) and (Sogaard), who haven’t had the opportunity yet, they're quality goaltenders. And Leevi, like I said, continues to build.      

The goaltending position, you can talk to any team in the league, it's under a microscope. You can have players that go through stretches that don't have a good month or a good 10 games, or whatever it might be, but obviously, there is an emphasis on goaltending. We've had full faith in the goaltending, and we have full faith in Linus once he gets back heavy, and then (Sogaard) and (Shepard).”

Again, Staios is not going to disparage his players or depth in the public realm. I would be curious to hear his thoughts on why the underlying five-on-five metrics portray the Senators so favourably while both goaltenders have allowed more goals than were expected, but maybe that’s a conversation for another day.

On the Eastern Conference’s parity and whether the team is where he thought they would be at this point in the season.

: “Absolutely no. I mean, could we be five points better? Watching our team play over 82 games, you hope that it levels out. If we play to that level over 82 games, you hope that would get us back to the level we were last year from a point-total perspective.      

But we can't get wrapped up in looking at the standings. We have to stay focused on what we do in the day-to-day, which is... we've talked about being process-driven. And the expectation is that we continue to take a step forward. And it's not that we have enough of a sample size; that's 39 games where we have taken a step forward in some of the most important categories, but certainly we hope it reflects in wins.      

We're going to get judged on wins and losses and where we end up standings, but the margins are so fine that we can't you want to stay on top of these areas to continue to improve, but there has we're not where we want to be, for sure, from a point total perspective, but I don't think our game's far off.”

To Staios’ point, the Senators’ underlying metrics have improved significantly from last season to the 2025-26 campaign. The difference has been the goaltending and the penalty killing unit's performance, which, ironically, relies heavily on its goaltenders making saves.

On the Senators' window of competitiveness...

“I'll start with the contention window of the next couple of years. We'll contend when we're ready to contend. I think that we're continuing to build towards that. Putting a timeline on when our contending window is, I think we have a good young team that continues to develop. And we continue to evaluate and watch as the team moves forward.

Now, I felt last year that there was an opportunity, under sort of tight cap constraints, to try and improve our team, lengthen our lineup. Had a couple of players who are in our top six. If we're moving towards that, I'll be looking to do the exact same thing, and we're always trying to get better. And last year we had the opportunity to do that. 

We'll look at it again. I think what you're getting at is, if the team doesn't get to a certain level, which direction do we go? I mean, we'll continue to evaluate. But there's enough optimism with this group that I'm hopeful that we're looking at it a different way.

The “We’ll contend when we’re ready to contend” quote is going to get a lot of play in this market, but Steve Staios is the hallmark of the modern front-office executive. To me, he is reminiscent of Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro era with the Toronto Blue Jays. Both took and continue to take a ton of heat for their ability to be verbose without revealing much of anything in their media availabilities.

Fans may bemoan the fact that Staios does not articulate an expectation of when the Senators should compete for a Cup, but it simply does not make sense for an executive to hang an arbitrary date on something for fans and media to measure this organization’s success against.

On whether there are areas the Senators can improve in to tip the scales in their favour down the stretch...-

“I think when you look at five-on-five play, it's so tight. Across the league, teams are so prepared to play. The parity is incredible. I think mentally, we've done a good job. The other thing that's becoming clearer in our league is the swings, whether we’re up two goals, down two goals, you're never really out of it. I think we've done a good job being able to stay level headed and maintaining our play.      

Certainly, the margins in special teams, when I look at the underlying numbers, there's a lot of good in our game. Our defensive game is very strong. Our structure is great. The coaching has held our players accountable to winning hockey, and they've bought into it. So there's been a couple of areas for sure that we look to improve.”I t

Staios is not wrong. If the Senators can get a higher percentage of saves at five-on-five and while on the penalty kill, they should, theoretically, be in great shape down the stretch. Of course, the caveat to that is that it would rely on the Senators preserving their current five-on-five metrics, but if they can continue to do that, the hope is that the luck will swing the team’s way and afford them the chance to make up ground in a tight Eastern Conference.

On experiencing the postseason and the assumption that this team can continue to be a playoff team...

“Now we just keep building, and how hard that can be from year to year in the work that needs to go into being right where you got to last year. I feel that they're game for it. There's a mindset with this group that they wanted, and you guys said after the 20-game market, early on, we may have gotten away from that process-driven approach.     

I'm not sure if it was the eagerness, but they're a very coachable group. They're very motivated. Sometimes, when you want it so bad, you're not doing yourself any favours. I think coming out of the gate, I was a little surprised. I think we didn't really play to our identity, which is probably the best way to describe it. I feel like we're getting closer to playing to our identity more consistently.”

Not coming out of the gate strong is a nice reminder that momentum from season to season does not necessarily carry over in the short term.

On his assessment of the penalty kill and whether improvement can come from adjustments, adding another penalty killer or changing the coaching staff...

“All of that's in discussion. I'm in and around the coaches' room. I see how hard they work, and it's not just on one coach. They all work together on all these areas. They recognize that it's an area that needs to improve. There's no panic in it. We go through a process to try and find ways, whether it's personnel who're playing, which defense pairings (are on), how we deploy them, all of that comes in  from a structure perspective.      

Most of the league plays it the same way we do now. We just have to execute better. Certainly, we live in reality, our penalty kill hasn't been good enough. But it's not like there haven't been adjustments along the way. It's seen a little bit of an improvement in that area.      

The players that go out there for the penalty kill take a ton of pride in it, and I'm hoping, with some of the adjustments that we've made, and some confidence you get on the other side of it, and momentum is an interesting thing, and it goes for five-on-five, power play or penalty kill, and we're hoping we have some positive nights and we can continue to improve.”

The Senators’ penalty kill ranks 31st in the league, but there is an obvious discrepancy in how they kill penalties with their hybrid diamond formation kill. When the group is aggressive and making proactive reads on the puck, they assertively do a much better job of forcing plays and creating opportunities for turnovers. If the group falls into a more passive structure, they afford the opposition too much time and space while putting too much pressure on their goaltenders to make high-danger saves.

On whether the Senators have continued to “piss away” points as the team did in the first 20 games of the season...

“The 2-7-2 stretch that we played, we played really well. Yeah, you'd hope that you get a few more points. But we can't look back on it. We have to keep moving forward. If we're five points better right now, how much better do we feel about it?      

You know, you'd hope again, over 82 (games) that with a consistent effort, that our group puts in improvement in some some of those areas that that that comes back to us, and you got to believe that some of the things that I see as I watch, and what we're we're reading as well, as far as tracking our team that that it gets to that level.”

Staios is not wrong. If the Senators keep doing what they’re doing at five-on-five, they should theoretically put themselves in a great position down the stretch. At the same time, if those five-on-five numbers suffer while the goaltending and special teams play continue to struggle, they will be sunk. It works both ways. The encouraging thing is that the team is healthier now and will hopefully remain so for some time. If they can ice their best lineups while continuing to hold their own at five-on-five, they should be competitive down the stretch.

On the state of the trade market right now...

“I continue to add, that with the standings being so tight, that puts another variable into how the conversations are going to go. Typically, when you see a bit more of a divide, you have teams looking to recoup some assets and move on. And it's, it'll be interesting, for sure.     

There's been lots of dialogue, even leading into the holiday freeze there. There has been some dialogue, but I sense that there are a lot of teams that are sort of just in the middle right now, trying to continue to evaluate where their group is.”

With so few out of the postseason market, it is a seller's market. The wrinkle to this, of course, is that middle-of-the-pack teams may recognize that the likelihood of Cup contention is small. Knowing that, they may feel compelled to make a deal given the market conditions.

On evaluating Brady Tkachuk’s game since returning from his thumb injury...

“Well, I don't feel like that's fair to cherry-pick on one player or another. We talked about players going through stretches where they're not on their game. We know what Brady means to our team. We know what he's all about and what he brings to our group. So to bring up one player specifically, I don't think that's right. There are plenty of players that, if it were 10 games ago, you could have brought them up as well, and we've had players that have now turned the corner that had questions on them, so I don't think it's fair.”

Again, Staios is not wrong. At various points during the season, it would have been easy to criticize the contributions of Fabian Zetterlund or Ridly Greig. Both of whom have found their games and have begun contributing at both ends of the ice. It is noticeable that Brady Tkachuk has not necessarily played his most dynamic of games, but maybe that is a sign of optimism.

He did have that thumb injury that forced him out of the lineup for a quarter of the season, so there is no shortage of context to explain why he may not be at the top of his game. Tkachuk still wears a wrap to protect his hand and thumb, so if he continues to progress from his surgery, there is reason to believe he can reach another level as a player.

On Tkachuk’s importance to the team and why his play is under the microscope...

“Yeah, but we have other players on the team that when you know one of our players isn't, maybe at the top of their game... We could, at any point in the season, come up here after every five games and talk to me about a certain player that maybe isn't at the top of his game.      

Brady is what he is for our group, and you know whether he's getting points or not. He brings it for our group. Now, we've played well enough to keep winning games. And if we can get to some of these areas that we need to improve on, I feel like this group can turn the corner.     

And let's be honest, I saw a graphic on one of the broadcasts. They went through after every game, and they showed our division. I watched the teams move around, moving up three or four spots. When you get on the right side of it for a few games, things change.

The one thing the Senators have not done this year is win consistently. For whatever reason, the Senators have curbed streaks. Whether it was a winning streak or a losing streak, the team has basically traded wins with losses. Their longest winning streak of the season was four games, while they have had three separate three-game losing streaks.

On assessing the Senators’ defensive depth...

“In losing (Donovan) Sebrango, we brought in (Dennis) Gilbert for depth on the left side. Jorian Donovan continues to develop as a potential call-up for us as well.      

Carter Yakemchuk, unfortunately, is injured. It is nothing too serious, but we probably would have seen him recalled by now. He has continued to impress and round out his game in the American Hockey League with Belleville.      

When you have Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, you have the top guys, and you can continue to bring in guys who can play alongside them. And then, with our bottom pair, I feel good about our depth.”

Carter Yakemchuk’s defensive aptitude continues to develop in Belleville, but 12 of his 18 points have come while Belleville was on the power play. Before his firing, former head coach David Bell was on the ‘Coming in Hot’ Podcast articulating how Yakemchuk was playing well but still had ways to develop defensively, but the organization and management are not going to downplay the development of their top prospect.

Perhaps there was a chance that the Senators considered bringing up the offensive defenceman when Thomas Chabot reaggravated an upper-body injury during the team’s western coast swing in November, but the team has not suffered any injuries on the right side.

Would the Senators have benched any of their current right defencemen in Jordan Spence, Nick Jensen or Nik Matinpalo to make room for Yakemchuk at this juncture? To quote Daniel Alfredsson, probably not.

On whether Nick Jensen was rushed back too quickly...

“Nick Jensen might have rushed a little bit too early with what he had. I think you saw (Jensen’s) game is interesting. When Jensen’s game hit full stride, and he was back to being (himself), that was probably the timeline we originally had in mind. But credit to him for coming back and pushing, and for wanting to be here for his teammates.”

I recently wrote a piece on how Jensen’s skating metrics have noticeably improved in the past few weeks, but most of his mistakes are reads and mental errors. Some of those mistakes could stem from a player working his way back from a major surgery and the adjustments he needs to make to recognize and play with whatever limitations exist.

The optimistic belief is that the further Jensen is removed from surgery, the better he should play. The skating results are beginning to take effect, but if he can limit the mental mistakes, it will markedly improve the Senators’ performance. If he cannot, it will inevitably put the organization in a spot where it will have to look for outside help.

On whether improvements to the penalty kill and goaltending will put the Senators in a better spot...

“Yes, and I think that's pretty clear. We live in reality. When we look at it, we watch it, we look at the numbers, that's really and we have faith that both can improve.”

If the Senators’ goaltenders can make a higher rate of saves at five-on-five and while on the penalty kill, they will be in great shape. Heading into Saturday’s games, the Senators allowed 31 goals on 152 shots. If they had an 85.74 league-average save percentage while shorthanded, they would have allowed 11 fewer goals.

League average goaltending of 90.66 percent at five-on-five would have saved the Senators an additional 12 goals. Those are 23 goals that the Senators could have back just by being average. Considering how the Senators have a .455 win percentage in one-goal games while only the Winnipeg Jets and Utah Mammoth have lost more one-goal games, if the Senators miss the postseason, blaming the goaltenders for not making enough quality saves will be at the forefront of stories this offseason.

On Jordan Spence’s acquisition and his role...

“Well, it had a little bit to do with Nick (Jensen)'s injury, but probably the role that he has now is very versatile. He can play up and down our (defensive) pairings. He is a very good puck mover, very good at going back for pucks and breaking pucks out. So I think he’s exactly what we’ve seen now. I know it didn't sort of meld in perfectly at the beginning because Nick was back, and we had the depth. It's harder on the player, but it's a good problem to have for a team that knows it has NHL players who can step in.”

The underlying metrics that Staios alluded to earlier, when describing why he has faith in his club, have been exemplary while Jordan Spence has been on the ice.

Spence tilts it in the Senators’ favour through his efficient puck collection and movement. At his best, Spence makes quality reads in the neutral zone, stepping up into the play to disrupt outlet passes and create turnovers before the puck has a chance to enter the Senators’ zone. There, he can get exposed because of the limitations of his size, but as a whole, he has been a nice addition to the Senators’ blue line.

On evaluating the Senators’ draft record under his watch and whether he’s happy with the job his amateur scouts are doing...

“Yeah, positively. I think when you look at some of the players that you know, couple players that we picked in the fourth round that looked like they're real players, that's hard to do, you know, so I think that, and it's a, there's no science to it, you know, draft is it comes with a we do the best that we can to, you know, build a profile in the player, make a decision, and then it's up to us to continue to develop them.

That's why Belleville is so important. So the player that we draft is one thing. Scouts have to go and identify them, and then we have a big job to make sure that we put them in the right environment so they can develop.”

I was unable to attend Staios’ availability due to family commitments, but given the timing of the World Junior Championship, I was curious to hear Staios’ reflections on his organization’s draft record now that he has had two years under his belt. 

Unlike other parts of the Senators’ hockey operations department, Staios’ amateur staff is largely inherited from the previous regime without any turnover, so as a group that prides itself on a ‘best in class’ mantra, I was curious whether this was one of the few remnants of the previous regime that was headed for change.

As I’ve detailed elsewhere, the Senators have done a good job procuring prospects who have played NHL games. The issue is the philosophical divide over weighing the importance of playing games against the value these players add when they do play.

I respect the fact that the Senators found value in the fourth round by drafting Stephen Halliday. He appears to have skill and size that could lend itself to future NHL success, but historically, the Senators have drafted a ton of players who have played NHL games without providing much impact. The obvious caveats to this are players drafted in the top five (Jake Sanderson, Tim Stützle, and Brady Tkachuk), Shane Pinto and to a lesser extent, Ridly Greig.

Considering how 20 of the organization’s 48 picks between the 2018 and 2022 NHL Drafts were slotted between the first and second rounds, it is inexcusable that the team did not churn out more talent given what was available to them when they were making selections. It is a problem that has persisted in recent years, but if you’re interested in their amateur draft record, give this old piece a read.

On his evaluation of Belleville’s season and the development being done down there...

“A big part of my job is to make sure that the environment is right, and so Belleville continued to take a step from the beginning here, and it's a big step forward in that regard. That environment has to be right for us to nurture and develop players, and we continue to improve from day one.      

When I got here and met all of you for the first time, we were talking about the different areas that needed improvement within the organization. We can look back and feel good about a lot of that. Now. We talk about the day-to-day. We talk about the points, the standings, and where we want to be. But I think when you start to reflect sort of on the longer-term vision, including Belleville, it's taken a step in the right direction. It's critical that we make sure that the environment is right, that we can develop our players.”

Ultimately, the success of the farm team will be predicated on the quality of players added, and the Senators have struggled to add impactful young players to the farm.

On whether the Senators are looking to add a coach in Belleville...

“I'm comfortable with where it's at right now, and Matt Turks is on it on the day-to-day, so we feel good about where we're at. We'll continue to evaluate, as we do anywhere. And if they need more support, Sam Gagner is on staff and has been a big support, not only in player development but also with the coaches. He has been on the bench for them down there as well. He's an incredible resource who played there.”

The Senators have done an exceptional job building up the facilities and support that the organization’s players have at every level, but it will take time to build up the pool of talent. It just feels like their amateur scouting and decision-making have not caught up to the rest of the progressive and modern decision-making that the organization is undertaking in other areas.

On his evaluation of the coaching staff at the NHL level...

“No issues with my coaching staff here. Maybe the hardest, most cohesive group that I've seen. It's impressive. I wish you guys could see it like, the amount of work, the passion, the commitment, the dedication, the understanding, the way Travis (Green) has included all the coaches. It's as good as it gets, from what I've seen, and no issues there.”

The underlying metrics are impressive, but at some point the results have to begin to mirror what is happening on the ice. If the goaltending continues to submarine their five-on-five play and exacerbate some ill-timed passive tendencies on the penalty kill, it will sink an otherwise impressive season. This will, in turn, fuel questions about who bears responsibility for these shortcomings. Is it the player(s)? Is it the specialized coaches or, by and large, the coaching staff? Or is it on management for acquiring the player or not addressing the coaches?

On what management’s message to the players is right now...

“Continue to stay with it, you know, continue to stay with it, to be able to take that next step. With the margins, I think, like everything that we've talked about, we feel like we're close. But in this league, you cannot take that for granted at all. On every given night, it feels like every game is tight. The emphasis on each and every game now, now this year, I think, has never been highlighted with the parity that we have.      

So, improvements in some areas; margins are very tight, so make sure you're prepared for every game. With a condensed schedule, look after yourselves leading into the Olympic break. We've taken a lot of time for rest and recovery as well in a year like this. Those are the margins if we're looking at every single detail to make sure we're prepared.”

The margins are small, and if the Senators fall short, we may be looking back at a relatively soft December schedule, rueing the fact that the team did not take advantage and build a points cushion. Their margin for error is much smaller than it should be and obviously, there is context for it, but every team in the NHL experiences trouble and hardships over the course of a full 82-game schedule.

On Fabian Zetterlund’s performance and whether he has adjusted to help provide secondary scoring to this group...

“Now, the one thing about him is that, even when he wasn't scoring, he has a fallback, which was always comforting. He's on the forecheck. He's heavy. He's got great speed. You know, he was a little snake bitten for a while there, but seems to have found it. He continues to create opportunities. He's fit in well.

It is just the transition for a player in particular coming from a system where, if you're coming from a system to a team that plays similarly, I think the transition may be a little bit more seamless, and maybe it took Fabian a little bit longer, but certainly feels like he's fitting quite well there.”

Fabian has 10 goals in 39 games, putting him on pace for 20, but he is generating more chances. A large part of that is his improved play away from the puck, where it feels like he is more engaged and working harder to battle and turn pucks over, creating more opportunities for him and his linemates.

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News - Ottawa

The Buffalo Sabres' 10-game winning streak came to an end, as they lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-1 final score in their last contest. Although the Sabres lost, they undoubtedly put themselves in a far better place than they were with their big winning streak. 

The Sabres currently have a 21-15-4 record and are just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Sabres look to add to their roster by the trade deadline. This is especially so when noting that Buffalo is desperately looking to snap their 14-year playoff drought. 

When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman would have the potential to be a nice pickup for the Sabres.

The Sabres could use another impactful forward for their top nine, and acquiring Coleman would provide them with just that. The 34-year-old forward is also capable of playing multiple positions, which certainly adds to his appeal. He would also give the Sabres another option to work with on their penalty kill.  

Coleman's experience also makes him a fascinating potential target. With the Sabres looking to take that next step and be a playoff team, bringing in a player who has won the Stanley Cup twice like Coleman certainly could benefit them.

In 41 games so far this season with the Flames, Coleman has recorded 13 goals, 21 points, and 103 hits. With numbers like these, the 10-year veteran would give the Sabres both secondary scoring and plenty of grit if brought in.

The Philadelphia Flyers didn’t simply leave Edmonton with two points — they left with a performance that showed clarity in how they wanted to play and discipline in how they executed it.

In a 5–2 win over the Oilers to close out their West Coast road trip, Philadelphia delivered a game that balanced patience with assertiveness, matched skill with detail, and responded decisively when momentum threatened to swing. 

1. The Flyers Managed Edmonton’s Stars Without Chasing the Game.

Beating the Oilers often comes down to resisting the temptation to overreact. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are going to generate chances; the danger comes when teams start cheating offensively or abandoning assignments trying to stop them outright. Philadelphia largely avoided that trap.

The Flyers kept McDavid and Draisaitl from dictating pace through the middle of the ice, forced plays to the outside, and limited second opportunities around the net. When Edmonton did generate looks, they were rarely off broken coverage or extended chaos — a key difference from the Flyers’ earlier loss to the Oilers this season.

Dan Vladar benefitted from that approach, but he also earned his night. The shots he faced were competitive, not overwhelming, and his rebound control prevented Edmonton from turning single chances into game-shifting sequences. The Flyers didn’t neutralize Edmonton’s stars — they managed them, which is often the more realistic and effective goal.

2. Denver Barkey’s First NHL Goal Fit the Night Perfectly.

Denver Barkey’s first career NHL goal was a highlight, but what made it notable was how naturally it arrived within the flow of the game. He's fit in so naturally with the NHL game since his debut on Dec. 20 (where he recorded his first two NHL assists) that it only felt like a matter of time until he started making an impact through goals. 

Denver Barkey is a Philadelphia Flyer. #PHIvsEDM | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/7MIGtZvsTu

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2026

His goal mattered not just on the scoreboard, but in reinforcing how the Flyers are integrating younger players into meaningful situations without overexposing them. Barkey didn’t look overwhelmed by the stage or the opponent, and his ability to contribute without needing to dominate touches speaks well to his adaptability at the NHL level.

3. The Blue Line Helped Drive the Outcome.

Travis Sanheim’s goal and continued climb up the franchise’s all-time scoring list for defensemen is worthy of recognition, but the broader takeaway is how involved the Flyers’ defense was across all three pairs.

Sanheim, Cam York (1A)), Nick Seeler (1G, 1A), and others consistently supported the attack without abandoning defensive responsibilities. Pucks were moved efficiently, pressure was relieved quickly, and Edmonton was rarely able to hem the Flyers in for extended stretches.

Seel Team checking in! 🫡#PHIvsEDM | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/8vph7L5pAX

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2026

Sanheim’s milestone goal — moving him into sole possession of fourth all-time in points by a Flyers defenseman — was the headline, but it was the collective reliability of the group that allowed Philadelphia to control large portions of the game.

That’s Olympic Athlete Travis Sanheim, to you. #PHIvsEDM | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/Q1FBFZwIuM

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 3, 2026

4. Depth Scoring Continues to Define This Team’s Ceiling.

The Flyers didn’t win this game on a single dominant line or a one-off performance—and they rarely do anymore. They won it because production came from everywhere.

Bobby Brink’s 11th goal, Nick Seeler’s first goal of the season (along with an assist), Owen Tippett’s multi-point night, and contributions from Matvei Michkov, Sean Couturier, Cam York, and Rodrigo Abols all added up to a balanced offensive night that Edmonton struggled to contain.

The Magic of Owen Tippett: Unpacking His Impact On Flyers Beyond The Scoresheet<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/owen-tippett-speaks-on-individual-season-closeness-of-current-flyers-group">Owen Tippett</a> is a player who makes you sit up in your seat.&nbsp;

When 12 different players factor into the scoresheet, it becomes far harder for opponents to game-plan or survive momentum swings. Philadelphia’s ability to generate offense without relying exclusively on its top-end skill has quietly become one of its most reliable traits.

5. The Flyers Know What They're Capable Of, and They're Hungry For More.

Closing a West Coast trip with a win against Edmonton wasn't simply about energy or emotion alone. It’s about decision-making when tired legs meet elite opposition. The Flyers were smart with the puck, selective with their pressure, and opportunistic when Edmonton overextended.

The Flyers didn’t need to be perfect to win this game. They needed to be deliberate, composed, and committed to doing the hard things consistently—a mindset that has defined this group since Rick Tocchet took over this season.

Dan Vladar summed up where the Flyers are at pretty perfectly, telling media postgame, “Those are the moments that I think a lot of guys in here are living for. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best… Obviously, we’re still not the best, but we are doing everything we can to get to the best spot we can. We still know it’s a lot of hockey left, but I think that if you’re going to follow our leaders and the coaching staff, we are going to be in a good spot.”

Bonus: Welcome Back, Garnet Hathaway!

Garnet Hathaway returned to the Flyers lineup in Edmonton, and didn't take long to drop the gloves with Darnell Nurse in an entertaining—and also quite dizzying—first period brawl.

Just a CHAOTIC fight between Hathaway and Nurse 😂🥊 pic.twitter.com/MZ9VDQHCfK

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 3, 2026

The Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights are set to face off on Sunday night at the United Center. After defeating the Washington Capitals in DC on Saturday night, this is another back-to-back with travel for Chicago. 

So far this season, they have had terrible results in these situations. This is their fifth opportunity to make it right, as plenty more loom in the second half of the season. With the team carrying some momentum as they’ve played well following the holiday break, this is as good a time as any to get a back-to-back sweep. 

Scouting Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the best rosters in the NHL when healthy. The problem for them is that they are not very healthy. They’ve also lost three in a row coming into this game and are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. 

They do now, however, have Jack Eichel back in the lineup. Eichel is their best player as he creates chances, scores goals, and has a heavy two-way game that brings out the best in everyone. It is only a matter of time before this group finds its groove.

Barbashev-Eichel-Marner

Dorofeyev-Hertl-Bowman

Smith-Howden-Stone 

Saad-Sissons-Kolesar

Hanifin-Whitecloud

Lauzon-Korczak

Megna-Hutton

Hart

Jack Eichel playing with Mitch Marner is pure hockey magic. These two are both playmaking wizards, and Eichel has an all-world shot. This duo, on a line with Ivan Barbashev, is one to focus on for Jeff Blashill and his staff. 

Although Eichel is back, they are still missing two-way forward William Karlsson and Team Canada defenseman Shea Theodore. Brayden McNabb, who is also a pretty good defenseman, is out as well. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks have two straight wins with the same lineup. There really isn’t much of a reason to mess with it unless there is any sort of injury or return of an injured player. 

In the last couple of games, they’ve seen veterans like Ryan Donato, Ilya Mikheyev, and Teuvo Teravainen produce in the absence of Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. Even Nick Foligno and Andre Burakovsky coming up clutch in the shootout on Saturday night were big moments for this team, trying to gain some steam again. 

When Bedard and Nazar come back, they will be returning to a team that learned how to play without them. That may help everyone overall once the lineup is at full strength. There will be no reason for the young guys playing well or the veterans to slow down once those two return, which would make it a much more balanced attack. 

Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky 

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Teravainen-Moore-Lardis

Dach-Foligno-Slaggert

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Soderblom

After Spencer Knight shut down the Capitals on Saturday night, Arvid Soderblom will certainly go against the Golden Knights at home on Sunday. To have success in the NHL these days, you need two good goalies. Soderblom has played well, and this is another good test for him. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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There has been no love lost between the Nashville Predators and the Calgary Flames this season. 

While Nashville has won the regular-season series, picking up a 4-3 win on Saturday in Calgary, there have been 118 penalty minutes combined across those three games. 

The most recent matchup featured two fights, a 10-minute misconduct and a missed sucker punch that left Predators head coach Andrew Brunette irate at the officials.

It was a chippy game that was a lot closer than the previous one, but in the end, it was the impact of Nic Hague that resonated and gave the Nashville Predators the win. 

"It's never going to be easy for us, and it hasn't been all year, and tonight was another example of that, but I'm really proud of the group," Hague said. "We stuck together and kept pushing for that next goal."

John Beecher's impact in the game could debatably led to the Predators' win. During a scrum in the first period with Michael McCarron, Beecher got a punch in that caused McCarron to fall to the ice. 

Brunette and the Predators argued that Beecher should've been given a match penalty as his lick in on McCarron could've been deemed a suck punch. Beecher was not given an extra penalty, as both he and McCarron were given roughing and misconduct calls. 

Fast forward to the second period, right as Ryan Lomberg broke into the Predators zone, creating a prime scoring chance, Hague dropped the gloves with Beecher.

It's unknown whether or not Hague was aware of the Flames' offensive chance generating down the ice, but the fight stopped the play dead in its tracks. 

"We believe that we're a good team. There's going to be ups and downs through the season and throughout a game, but there was no better example than tonight," Hague said. "We just never backed down, no matter if it was physically or finding our own play. That's what good teams do and it took us right to the end." 

In the final minute of the game, tied, McCarron and Cole Smith worked the puck up the boards to Hague at the point. He let a slapshot go that went in, beating Dustin Wolf's glove side for the game-winning goal with 27 seconds left in the game. 

"They (Calgary) get one late to tie it up, but there wasn't any discouragement on the bench and we gotta go out there and work for that next one," Hague said. "Mac's (McCarron) line did an unbelievable job all night getting it (the puck) on the forecheck and (generating) the last goal." 

In addition to the game-winning goal, it was announced on Sunday that Beecher is scheduled to have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on the McCarron sucker punch. 

With the win, Nashville is still very much in the hunt for the final Wild Card spot in the west, now just one point out after the San Jose Sharks lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Nashville is now at 19-18-4, with 42 points and can move into that final Wild Card spot if it defeats the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. 

"We've had a lot of grit all year," Brunette said. "We've gone through stuff together, stayed together and we've never been tighter. We grow every day and we're continuing to get better, but we also believe in each other...It's nice to get the win in a hard place to play."