After a rough stretch in January that saw them drop eight of 11 games and slide out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Ottawa Senators are showing signs of life - and not just on the scoresheet.
Back-to-back statement wins over the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche - capped by a convincing 5-2 victory over the first-place Avs - have injected some much-needed momentum into a team that looked like it was teetering. The Senators are now eight points back of a Wild Card spot, and while that’s still a steep hill to climb, they’ve pulled even in the standings with the Maple Leafs and Capitals. That’s not nothing.
Here’s where things get interesting: despite the standings logjam, Ottawa is still chasing the Canadiens, Bruins, Panthers, and Blue Jackets - a group with varying levels of consistency this season. So the question becomes: is this recent surge a sign of something sustainable, or just a blip in a season that’s been hard to pin down?
Former NHL netminder Carter Hutton weighed in on the situation, and his take hits at the heart of Ottawa’s playoff hopes: goaltending. Specifically, Linus Ullmark.
“I don’t want to say they’re dead, totally,” Hutton said. “I want to believe and I want them to have a chance. I thought they were going to take a bigger step forward.”
That step forward might still be in reach - but it hinges on Ullmark returning to form. James Reimer has stepped in admirably, giving the Sens some stability in net, but Hutton voiced what many around the league are thinking: can that level of play hold up over the grind of a playoff push?
“If Linus can come back and be the guy that he can be - a Vezina Trophy-caliber player - then you might have a seat at the table,” Hutton added.
And he’s not wrong. The Eastern Conference is crowded, and pressure is mounting on several teams. If Ullmark can elevate his game and Ottawa finds a rhythm, they could turn this late-season push into something real.
The Senators still have plenty of work to do - and plenty of teams to leapfrog - but if these last two games are any indication, they’re not ready to fade quietly. The next few weeks will be telling.