Senators notebook: What we learned from the first pre-season game

OTTAWA — Hockey’s back. Finally.

Even though the Battle of Ontario on Sunday really resembled a matchup between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Marlies, we can certainly grab insights from the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 win.

Here are some of the key developments from Ottawa’s side after a game against a Leafs team without many of its key players:

Claude Giroux could play right wing on Ottawa’s first line

Senators coach Travis Green would tell you not to read anything into his line combinations just yet. They might not mean everything, but they are something. Last season, the combination of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Giroux played more than any other forward line and posted excellent analytics, including a 60 per-cent shot share. Playing vastly inferior competition on Sunday, they were dominant, outshooting Toronto 4-0 at five-on-five according to Natural Stat Trick, with a 73-per-cent shot share and an outrageous 97.46 expected goals percentage.

“Those guys have played a lot of hockey together,†said Green. “They had a lot of time in the other zone, too. Timmy could have, it felt like, four or five goals tonight. Brady had a few whacks around the net, Giroux was good.â€

Stutzle killing penalties

Watch out for the penalty kill. In their first pre-season game, the Sens had a similar diamond zonal formation as they employed last season. The Senators struggled last season with the 19th-ranked penalty kill at 77.7 per cent — although a nice wrinkle Sunday was seeing Stutzle on the penalty kill. Stutzleâ€s compete level and skating ability could allow him to become an elite killer, much as Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews have been for Toronto. Itâ€s where the NHL is going and Ottawa should do the same with its star forward.

“Want to give him a chance at it,†said Green. “Obviously, adds some offence, and heâ€s got really good hockey sense and quickness.â€

Green said he believes Stutzle can be a penalty killer, and so do we.

If the Senators want to be better than last season, they will need Linus Ullmark to be the Vezina-calibre goaltender he was with the Bruins in 2022-23.

Ahead of the game, Ullmark said he was not satisfied with his camp so far.

“I thought it was a pretty terrible showing today,†said Ullmark about his play in camp earlier this week. “Sometimes you’re the best one out there and sometimes you’re not.”

Unfortunately in Sundayâ€s game, Ullmark allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period and was pulled afterward. Green said the plan was always for Ullmark to play only the first period. Ullmark didnâ€t join his teammates on the bench after that, explaining later that it was the “higher-ups†who made that decision.

He said it was better to get the bad starts “over with†rather than carry them into the regular season.

“It’s hard to make an assessment when you only do one period,†said Ullmark. “Because at the end of the day if I play three periods, and if I got 20 more shots and saved them it could have been pretty. So, I don’t take too much out of playing just one period.â€

Itâ€s too early to assess, as Ullmark said, but the hope for Sens fans is that Sunday was a bump in the road and not a trend.

Ridly Greig, a natural centre who played left wing almost all of last season, shifted to centre for his first pre-season game. Greig had a promising start, scoring a goal and adding an assist.

“Yeah, I’m comfortable with both now,†said Greig. “Whatever Green wants me to do, I’m happy to do it.â€

Greig looked good at left wing in the second half of last season, scoring 22 points in his final 42 games.

If Ottawa has injuries or regression in play from any of its top three centres, donâ€t be surprised if Green gives Greig more ice-time down the middle, especially if the latter’s offence starts to pop.

Olle Lycksell and Arthur Kaliyev had strong games, each tallying a goal.

“I thought they were both pretty solid tonight,†said Green. “Little bit of different players, because one guy (Lycksell) is more of a darter and skater. Kaliyev is a bigger body and bigger shot.â€

For the past couple years, Lycksell was a “tweener” with the Philadelphia Flyers organization, a player with great AHL numbers that havenâ€t translated to NHL success. Meanwhile, Kaliyev battled injury while with the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. The former first-round pick is hoping to rejuvenate his career in Ottawa, where his old junior GM Steve Staios now presides.  

“He’s going to have beat someone out of a job,†said Green. “He’s got to be good in his own zone. He’s going to be able to hunt pucks. He’s got to be reliable.â€

Both players have stood out early and will be vying to crack the Senators’ opening-night roster or be the first call-ups from Belleville.

• Brady Tkachuk arrived an hour before Sundayâ€s fan fest and signed or took selfies with every single fan. There is a reason why he is beloved in Ottawa.

• Tyler Kleven left in the third period after a collision. His coach did not have an update after the game.

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