When Ottawa Senators prospect Stephen Halliday arrives at a new level, he seems to figure things out quickly. At every level he moves up to — whether it’s the USHL, the NCAA, or the AHL — he’s found a way to not only stick with the club, but to thrive, moving quickly to the top of his team’s scoring list. That’s part of what makes the 23-year-old forward so intriguing as he pushes toward the NHL.
Halliday doesnâ€t come with the prospect status of, say, a Carter Yakemchuk, the Senators†2024 first-round pick. But he’s not far off. With his size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) and skill, he checks off a lot of boxes, and he’s also got a history of quickly figuring things out at each level.
Back in 2021–22, a few months shy of his 20th birthday, Halliday put up 95 points in 62 games for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. But because he was an older junior player who had been passed over in two NHL drafts, those were red flags. The Senators’ scouting still liked him, though, and by the fourth round of the 2022 draft, they decided to book some Halliday time.
Halliday went on to lead Ohio State in scoring for two straight seasons, then did the same in his first full year with Belleville last season, collecting 51 points in 71 games. Each time heâ€s climbed a rung, heâ€s found a way to adjust, then take over.
Now, the biggest challenge lies ahead: carving out a place in the NHL.
Halliday gave fans a glimpse of that potential on Sunday afternoon in Quebec City, when the Senators blanked the New Jersey Devils 2–0 in preseason action. With the game scoreless late in the third period, he broke through with a perfectly placed snap shot that beat Devils goalie Georgi Romanov high to the glove side.
“Yeah, Timmy kind of drove the middle, and I was just kind of trying to be there if there was a rebound. And then a guy poked it to me, and then I just kind of shot it.â€
Halliday’s Late Power Play Goal Leads Ottawa Senators Past Devils 2-0
The Ottawa Senators improved their preseason record to 2–1 on Sunday afternoon with a 2–0 victory over a New Jersey Devils split-squad at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City.
Halliday made it sound like a lucky shot, and maybe it was. But his release was quick and decisive, the kind of finish NHL coaches notice. That said, Senators head coach Travis Green is always careful not to give a player too much public praise.
“Heâ€s a smart player,” head coach Travis Green said after the game. “Heâ€s got good hands. Heâ€s big. Heâ€s got good hockey sense.
If you sensed a ‘but’ coming, you’d be right.
“Heâ€s still adapting to the pace of the league. Heâ€s had a few days where heâ€s tired. But heâ€s hanging in there.â€
Greenâ€s message was clear: thereâ€s still work to be done. Halliday is aware of that, but right now, he says he feels great.
“I feel like I am making more plays, more confident,” Halliday said. “The D-zone, I think, was a big thing for me, just making sure Iâ€m strong on pucks. Iâ€ve been working on that a lot and just kind of taking it day by day. So Iâ€m really happy with my game so far.â€
Halliday is still a little shy when the microphones come out, but after Sundayâ€s win, he lit up when talking about Thomas Chabot, who suited up in his hometown region of Quebec City.
“Yeah, you can just see how cool the city is, and he’s been showing us around and taking us to cool spots, and we went golfing on his golf course on our off day. So it means a lot for a guy like me who’s just coming up here.
“So it was really cool and we’re really happy to get that (win) for Chabby.”
Looks like we can check off the “great teammate” box as well.
Halliday’s rise to the next level might not happen this fall, but his day is coming. And if the Sens decide to let him cook some more at the AHL level, he’s going to be a handful down there, and a nightmare for opposing goalies.
More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
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