The new year has been kind to the Ottawa Senators. After starting January with a five-game losing streak, they followed it up with six wins over the next 10 games and two overtime losses. It may not be the dominance fans were hoping for, but it’s definitely more of what they expected. It’s also hardly a coincidence that the team began performing better once Shane Pinto returned to the lineup, and he’s been great, too; in seven games this season, he already has seven points. Add on the fact that Tim Stutzle finally is starting to look like his old self and Brady Tkachuk is scoring more consistently, there’s finally a bit of hope back with the Senators.
The Senators’ farm system is also showing some growth throughout the ranks. Jorian Donovan has continued his dominance of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Angus Crookshank continues to look like a hidden gem with the Belleville Senators, but some of the team’s more underrated prospects have found a new level of skill. Here’s who stuck out in January.
Matthew Andonovski
The Senators didn’t select Matthew Andonovski 140th overall in 2023 for his offence. In his draft year, he finished his second season with the Kitchener Rangers with zero goals and 16 assists. But, at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, there was the potential for him to become a defensive-minded depth defender who wouldn’t be afraid to throw big hits and mix it up when needed. Better yet, he fit the persona that management was trying to develop, that being an in-your-face player who was a pain to play against.
Related: Senators’ 2023 Draft Class Full of Question Marks
But, after last month, there might be some offensive upside to the big defender. In nine games, Andonovski put up three goals and six points, which not only doubled his goal total for the season but helped him hit a new career-high in points just 45 games into 2023-24. He hasn’t lost any of his snarl – he already has 103 penalty minutes this season, which leads the Rangers by more than 30 minutes – but his game is developing a more well-rounded skill set. That’s a great sign for his future with the franchise, especially as defensive depth continues to be an issue.
Stephen Halliday
The Senators have been very good at identifying overage prospects in the middle of the draft, and 2022 was no different when they selected Stephen Halliday in the fourth round. Passed over twice before, he broke out with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2021-22, scoring 95 points in 62 games. So, it was no surprise that, when he joined Ohio State University in 2022-23, he was one of the best freshmen in the NCAA, scoring 41 points in 40 games to lead the team in scoring.
Big things were expected for Halliday’s sophomore season, but he didn’t get off to as hot of a start, putting up just 14 points in 18 games. Thankfully, the new year revitalized him, and he stormed out of the gate, scoring four goals and 13 points in just eight outings with Ohio. It’s the first time this season that he’s scored more than twice in a month and surpassed the point-per-game mark. Last season, he scored nine goals, and with his January production on the books, he has already matched that total. Described as a pass-first player who didn’t use his size effectively, the Senators are seeing a more well-rounded center who has a great shot that he’s finally using more. After the impression he left at Ottawa’s development camp, there’s a chance he won’t stick in the NCAA for much longer.
Vladimir Nikitin
Don’t look now, but Vladimir Nikitin hasn’t lost a game in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in three months. Although he doesn’t play much for the Chilliwack Chiefs, averaging just a game or two each month, he’s been remarkably consistent for a rookie; his last regulation loss came back on Oct. 6, 2023. Since then, he’s put up better and better numbers, which culminated in his best performance yet. In January, he made two appearances and he turned away 82 of 84 shots against, giving him a whopping .976 save percentage (SV%) for the month and extending his win streak to six games.
Despite his limited appearances so far this season, Nikitin has taken every opportunity, no matter how scarce, to show off his incredible athleticism, which is slowly making him one of the Senators’ most interesting goaltender prospects. He’s got great size at 6-foot-4, but can also move incredibly quickly and pull off some highlight-reel saves, like the one above. It’s no wonder that he was named the U20 Division IA Top Goaltender. Given that he’s in the BCHL, he’s likely headed to the NCAA next season, where he will continue to be a player to watch in the Senators’ system.
Owen Beckner
All eyes have been on the Tri-City Strom’s Trevor Connolly this season, as the talented forward looks like he’s destined for the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. But he’s got a solid center helping him thrive, that being the Senators’ Owen Beckner. In his first season in the United States Hockey League (USHL), Ottawa’s 2023 seventh-round selection has found a nice niche on the Storm’s top line, where he’s put up 11 goals and 36 points in 41 games. But in January, he was especially lethal, scoring nine points in nine games, five of which came alongside Connolly. While no one doubts Connolly’s skill, it’s unlikely he’d be a top-five scorer in the league without Beckner, and that’s a promising sign for the Senators.
Players To Watch
- Yegor Sokolov is starting to find his rhythm again after putting up five goals and eight points in 11 games with Belleville. He’d taken a step this season after putting up 59 points in 2022-23 and earning a five-game call-up with the Senators, but he may be getting back on track for 2023-24.
- Mads Sogaard had a rough couple of games in the NHL recently, but his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) has been stellar. In January, he had two wins in two starts, one of which was a shutout, giving him a .977 SV%. Although he may not be ready now, he’s getting better every season.
- Tyler Boucher has another AHL goal under his belt. Each game seems to be giving him more confidence, and in January, he had four points in 11 games. He’s getting shots – he had 22 last month – but now just needs those to go into the net. Hopefully, that will come soon for the 2021 10th overall pick.
- While Halliday was the star for Ohio to kick off the year, teammate Theo Wallberg was right there with him, recording his most productive month yet with six points in eight games. The 6-foot-5 defender has always been a good skater, but now the offence is starting to come, which is exactly what the Senators were hoping for.
That’s it for another month of the Senators Prospect Report! While the team is still likely destined for another relaxing spring, the Senators are proving that they won’t give up without a fight. Nor will their late-round draft selections, who continuously are showing that Ottawa has an excellent scouting department despite their limited long-term potential. Of course, that’s just a projection; after all, no one wanted Pinto when he was drafted, but he’s now one of the team’s most impactful players. Maybe one of these prospects will follow in his footsteps.
