• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Ottawa Senators
Senators Management

Why the Senators Are Playoff Bound

By Damjan Peric January 20th, 2017

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Every team in the NHL is now in the second half of their schedule. This means it’s time for some early playoff predictions. With a large sample size of each team, we can separate the contenders from pretenders in the playoff push. The Ottawa Senators have proved they are a contender, and here’s why:

Coaching Staff

Last season the Ottawa Senators finished with a 38-35-9 record, eight points out of the playoffs. When the season ended, general manager Brian Murray took a step back from his duties to focus on his battle with cancer, staying on in an advisory role. Pierre Dorion, the team’s assistant GM since 2014, was promoted to general manager.

Dave Cameron

Cameron was fired after Senators failed to reach the playoffs for 2015-16 season. (Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

Two days after being named GM, Dorion dismissed Dave Cameron. Outside of the miraculous run to make the playoffs in 2015, the Senators were a .500 team under Coach Cameron. He was unable to clean up the defensive mess that got his predecessor, Paul MacLean, fired.

Out With the Old, in With the New

Dorion waited about a month before signing new head coach Guy Boucher. After interviewing Bruce Boudreau and Mike Yeo, Dorion hired Boucher, who’s first coaching stint was with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010-11. He led the Lightning to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing in Game 7 to the Stanley Cup winning Boston Bruins. He was fired in his third season after a 13-18-1 start, and moved to coach in Switzerland.

http://gty.im/614949778

After his hiring, Boucher brought in Marc Crawford, an NHL coaching veteran, to be his associate coach. Boucher and Crawford had spent the previous season coaching against each other in the top Swiss league, National League A.

Crawford, who has coached over 1000 NHL games, has a Jack Adams Award for coach of the year (1995) and a Stanley Cup (1996). He brought plenty of experience and a successful career to compliment the younger Boucher.

Finding Defensive Structure

By comparing the 2015-16 Ottawa Senators to this year, it’s clear that Boucher and his staff have put an emphasis on defense.

Comparing Last Year to Now

The graph shows a clear improvement in defensive play. From last year to this, they have improved on their goals against, power play, penalty kill and their overall record. The Senators’ special teams have especially benefited, and their success killing penalties is a good reason their GA/G has gone from 26th to 11th.

John Rodenburg, long time radio host for the Senators on TSN1200 put it best after the Sens’ 2-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan 19:

“This system that Guy Boucher has put in place, it’s so night and day from where the Sens were last year and have been for several seasons now. (The Sens were) just a complete and utter gong show on the ice, looking at times like a peewee team. And now they are a team in which you watch them play and you go ‘They got this.’”

Guy Boucher has the surprising #Sens believing in the defensive shift. https://t.co/EXsApL8mmj @reporterchris pic.twitter.com/W2Lo5HaUzg

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 13, 2017

New Found Faith

The ‘They got this’ feeling has been missing since the Senators of the 2000s. Boucher and his staff have the team playing as a unit on both sides of the puck. The Senators have played a consistent game all season, and have stayed in the playoff mix. They’re holding on to second in the Atlantic Division, tied with the Bruins in points but have five games in hand.

At this rate, catching the Montreal Canadiens for first in the Atlantic is possible. The Canadiens have been reeling lately, and the Senators are only eight points back with three games in hand.

  • Tags
  • Guy Boucher
  • Pierre Dorion
  • Top Story
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 26th 6:20 PM
Calgary Flames

Tkachuk Shows His Ignorance Discussing Maple Leafs’ Campbell Injury

Jan 26th 6:10 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Reaping the Rewards of Zach Whitecloud’s Development

Jan 26th 6:00 PM
Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Outlook After First 6 Games of 2020-21

Jan 26th 5:50 PM
Winnipeg Jets

Jets’ 2021 Offseason Free Agent Preview

Jan 26th 5:05 PM
Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Unlikely to Call Up Former Fan Favourite Darling

Jan 26th 4:40 PM
Archives

The NHL’s Best Farm Systems Ranked – 2020-21 Season Update

Jan 26th 4:32 PM
Archives

Jimmy Howard’s Red Wings Legacy

Jan 26th 4:25 PM
Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins Not Playing to Full Potential in Comeback Wins

Jan 26th 4:15 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Mediocre Avalanche Road Trip Plagued by Inconsistency

Jan 26th 4:05 PM
Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Coach Ralph Krueger is a Jack of All Trades

Editor’s Picks
Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information