Breaking down the Buffalo Sabres rivals – Ottawa Senators

The Buffalo Sabres open their 2022-23 campaign against a familiar face in the Ottawa Senators. Here is a breakdown of the Sens. 

On paper, the Buffalo Sabres look as though they have a tough rival in the Ottawa Senators. During the 2022 offseason, the Sens traded for the productive Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, signed Claude Giroux, and added a few utility pieces to a brewing roster that already comprised the likes of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stuetzle, Thomas Chabot, and Drake Batherson.

Overall, the Senators look like a team ready to dominate. But a closer look tells me that the pressure is on because expectations for a team with little recent success have only grown.

As a result, if they struggle early, don’t be surprised if the Senators cuts ties with head coach D.J. Smith. And it will be a tall task for Ottawa, given an upper body injury to Talbot that is slated to keep him out five to seven weeks. This means you will likely see Anton Forsberg step into the net when the Sabres meet the Senators on Thursday.

Buffalo Sabres vs. Senators: Three players to watch

Despite the loss of Talbot, Forsberg is no joke, having posted a solid 0.917 save percentage and 2.82 GAA in 44 starts. He also finished a solid 22-17-4. Team captain Brady Tkachuk could be on the verge of stardom, given his 67 points and 30 goals last year.

Tkachuk, younger brother of Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, is a phenom capable of producing elite numbers for a forward while simultaneously playing the game like a defenseman, hence his 117 penalty minutes and 270 hits in 2021-22. He is a rare breed and arguably a top two-way forward.

Giroux played in Florida for 18 games last season so he is a familiar face to the Buffalo Sabres and their fans. He will turn 35 in January, but don’t let that fool you, given his 21 goals and 44 assists last season (three goals and 20 assists in Florida). Giroux is a versatile player who can play center or left wing, and he can also win faceoffs, as he enjoyed a 60.3% FOW% last year.

One of the better two-way defensemen in the league is Thomas Chabot, who put up 38 points in 59 games. Chabot has also displayed incredible endurance, having averaged 26 or more minutes of average time on ice over the last three seasons. On defense, he almost always knows where the puck is, and it is not uncommon to see him sacrificing the body for a block, having recorded 93 last season.

Overall, the Senators could easily do some damage this year, given how good they look on paper. But with them being down a new player already in this young season plus a potential curve in the case of Giroux and DeBrincat, the young Buffalo Sabres could sneak up on their cross-border rivals.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)