2016-17 record: 44-28-10 (98 points)
Lost to Pittsburgh in Conference Finals
Captain: Erik Karlsson
The Ottawa Senators in recent seasons have been a hard team to figure out. One year, they're playoff contenders, and the next, they're in the hunt for the first overall pick. So it goes for a team that wants to gain consistency when it comes to making the playoffs. One thing is for certain, the Senators will be a team to watch.
For a team that features Erik Karlsson, the Senators didn't do all that great offensively. Yes, they have the firepower in Kyle Turris, Mark Stone, and Mike Hoffman, but the drop-off was fairly precipitous. The good news was that Bobby Ryan, who has largely struggled in his time in Ottawa, may have finally turned that corner in the playoffs and will look to continue to build on that momentum. It also helped that Clarke MacArthur was finally healthy after missing nearly two seasons to concussions. On the defensive side, the only uncertainty here is who gets paired with Karlsson, as Marc Methot was claimed in the expansion draft, then traded to Dallas. Coach Guy Boucher's system was instrumental in the team's top third finish on defense, and as long as Karlsson buys into it, so will the rest of the team. In goal, Craig Anderson is still the guy in goal, and certainly, his resolve with the off-ice issues helped galvanize the team. He's still got life in him, but now for the first time in a while, there is a future after him, as Mike Condon played well when Anderson tended to his wife. Special teams must improve, as both finished in the bottom third.
Prediction: 4th in the Atlantic Division
What we've known about the Senators and Guy Boucher is that both can provide spetacular flourishes when no one's looking. However, when all eyes are on them, it's often unpredictable as to what will happen. One way or another, the Senators are going to make things interesting.
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