The Ottawa Senators are making a notable tweak to their forward group ahead of their final preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens, with head coach Travis Green switching Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens.
Stutzle is set to center a line with William Eklund and Fabian Zetterlund, while Cozens will slot in between Drake Batherson and Andre Burakovsky. It’s a different look than what Ottawa has rolled out so far in camp, and it comes with the regular season drawing closer.
The move makes sense on paper because Stutzle and Cozens fill different roles. Stutzle is Ottawa’s top offensive threat, while Cozens is expected to help replace some of Brady Tkachuk’s physical presence.
That gives Stutzle two wingers with distinct skill sets. Eklund arrives in Ottawa with high expectations after coming over from the San Jose Sharks, and Zetterlund adds size and a different style to the mix. How that trio fits together will be worth watching.
Cozens, on the other hand, gets a more proven scoring support cast. Batherson has long been one of Ottawa’s better offensive players, and Burakovsky brings another winger who can generate offense and finish chances. If Cozens can click in that spot, Green may have found another useful option.
The timing matters, too. Ottawa came out of its split-squad matchup with Toronto in rough shape, dropping both games and being outscored 10-3. With the team still sorting out its combinations, these last preseason games are a chance to see what actually works.
That doesn’t guarantee this will be the opening-night alignment. Green has kept moving pieces around throughout training camp, and there’s still room for more shuffling before the regular season begins. But with the preseason nearly done, Ottawa is running out of time to keep experimenting.
For Stutzle, the key will be building chemistry with Eklund and Zetterlund. For Cozens, it’s about taking advantage of the opportunity to play with two experienced offensive players.
Green has decisions to make, and this kind of lineup test could help make them a little clearer. The change may not look dramatic, but it could end up mattering once the games start to count.
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