Ottawa Senators: A Look at the Depth Down the Middle

Ottawa Senators At A Glance: We Take a Quick Look at the Sens When it Comes to the Center of the Ice!

The Ottawa Senators success throughout the last few years has been accredited largely to Erik Karlsson. Karlsson is a great defenseman, and for the most part, he deserves the credit he’s gotten. In fact, he might be worthy of another Norris trophy in his collection.

But that focus on one player has left many Senators without a spotlight. There are some deserving players on the Senators roster who haven’t gotten their karmic credit. Before the playoffs, it’ll be important to look into these guys as a potential factor.

So let’s spotlight some of these players. We’ll try to avoid the obvious, like Karlsson, but also like Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman, Ottawa’s two best forwards. We’re looking for the deep names.

Kyle Turris

Turris has been a Senator since the 2011-12 season when he was traded to the Senators from the Coyotes. In his time in Ottawa, he has produced seasons of 30 or more points nearly every year. The only seasons he didn’t hit that mark were the lockout shortened one in 2013, and the season he was traded.

The only seasons he didn’t hit that mark were the lockout shortened one in 2013, and the season he was traded.

Turris this year has 46 points, including 23 goals and 23 assists. He’s playing first line center for the Senators right now, currently centering a line of Bobby Ryan and Zack Smith. He’s been dependable all season for the Senators and has had a scoring hand in 20 of their wins.

Turris has some playoff experience. In four playoff runs, Turris has 17 points in 27 games played. That means that he could potentially be a reliable scorer for Ottawa this season as well, assuming the Senators make the playoffs.

In his two most recent runs, 2012-13 and 2014-15, Turris has played nearly 20 minutes a game. That means that Turris can be relied upon to play a lot of minutes in this run. That’ll come in handy, with the Senators center depth becoming an important factor.

Derick Brassard

Brassard was acquired from the Rangers in the offseason and has been a dependable depth center since then. He has scored 37 points this season in 70 games. Brassard plays about 18 minutes a night and is currently on a line with Ryan Dzingel and the newly acquired Alexandre Burrows.

In the regular season, Brassard has proven himself capable of a 60 point season. He scored 60 and 58 in the two seasons before this one. He should be able to reach that peak again (if not this season), as he’s still well within his peak years.

Brassard, in the Rangers recent playoff runs, has been a reliable scoring threat. In 59 games he has 44 points. He is one of the players with the most playoff experience on the Senators roster and could be leaned upon in crucial situations.

Brassard is also a capable faceoff winner, taking 48% of his faceoffs in the playoffs, and in his most recent playoff run 52%. That could also factor into Ottawa’s ability to produce offensively in the post-season.

Zack Smith

Smith is currently playing left-wing on the first line with Kyle Turris. He’s been playing there while both Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone have experienced injuries. He’s been able to produce from that position this year, scoring 32 points.

Smith has been a Senator his whole career. In that career, he’s only had one season better than this year – he scored 36 last season. He should be able to pass that mark this season, as he’s clearly entering his peak. The new confidence in Smith to play in the top-six shows how he’s transitioned this season into more of a dynamic player.

Smith’s currently leading the league in shorthanded goals, which also shows his ability to play a variety of different situations.That includes being the offensive forward on the penalty kill. He’s

also been able to win faceoffs this year, when he plays center instead of wing. He’s winning 52% of his faceoffs this season.

In the playoffs, Smith hasn’t been much of an offensive force. In fact, in 26 games he’s scored just 3 points. He’s also not taken that many shots, which should change this year. Smith’s also been a capable faceoff winner in the playoffs, taking 51% from the dot. He’s been a very good defensive center in the playoffs, getting 10 takeaways, and 5 blocks.

Ryan Dzingel

Dzingel is a very young forward. He’s another center that’s been transitioned into a wing on this team, who is very deep at center. At just 24, he’s scored 31 points in his first full season. Dzingel is now playing with Brassard and Burrows, and he’s earned his spot in the Senators’ bottom six.

He’s also earned about 15 minutes a game this season. He’s got a 12.4 S%, and his 14 goals reflect that. Dzingel has been very capable of depth scoring, and Ottawa’s got to be proud of their developing middle-six forward.

Dzingel has never played in the playoffs before. But that’s not truly a problem if you look at his youth and what’s he’s produced this season. Simply imagine Dzingel as this instead: he’s one of the Senators’ x-factors. He’s a wild card.

We don’t know what Dzingel might do in the playoffs because we’ve never seen him there before. But if his .40 points per game are any indication, Dzingel could continue to be a reliable depth forward for the Senators. And that might be exactly what they need from him.

Dzingel’s also produced 17 assists this season. That’s before the acquisition of Alexandre Burrows and the lowering of Brassard. With those two talented forwards playing with him, Dzingel can improve even more. He can help the Senators produce from more than just Karlsson and Stone and Hoffman, and that’ll be important in April and May if the Senators make it there.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau

Pageau is a depth center, currently playing second line center, that is impressive across the board. Not only is the man young – he’s merely 24, like Dzingel – but he’s also developing quite nicely for the Senators. He’s been able to produce statistically across the board as well.

Pageau this season 27 points in 70 games. It’s a bit off his pace last year when he scored 43 in 82. Pageau also had the most short-handed goals last year but has none this year.

Next: Montreal Canadiens Can Compete In the Playoffs

What’s gone up is his defensive ability. His blocks have already gone up, as has his faceoff percentage. He’s taking the puck away more, and giving it up less. He’s becoming a better all-around center, and that’s something the Senators should be able to work with.

Pageau is also a noted Montreal Canadiens killer. Considering the fact that Montreal is a team that the Senators could come up against in the playoffs, well, that’ll come in handy. Just take a look at this hat trick that Pageau had against the Habs:

He did that in the playoffs.