To say the Ottawa Senators have been a disappointment this season would be an understatement. Ottawa found themselves in the hunt for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, though they ultimately fell short. This year, they are closer to the battle for the top odds in the NHL Draft Lottery than they are playoff contention.
Even a major change behind the bench hasn't helped turn things around. At least, not in the short term. The Senators fired DJ Smith on December 18. They brought in an old face in Jacques Martin to hold down the fort on an interim basis. However, Ottawa has lost two of their first three games under their interim bench boss.
With the holiday break ending, the Senators have one more break in the schedule to look forward to. The NHL All-Star Game takes place on February 3 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Their last game before the break is January 31, and they don't return to the ice until February 10.
Most of the team's players will use this time to rest and recover. That said, some players will represent the team at the NHL All-Star Game. In fact, one player has to make the trip to Toronto to partake in the league's midseason showcase.
So, with the event coming up in a little more than a month, let's take a look at a few top candidates to represent the Ottawa Senators at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
Josh Norris has an interesting case
Josh Norris played just eight games in 2022-23. He suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for the rest of that season. In his return this year, Norris has played rather well for the Senators. And he has made an interesting case regarding the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
The former first-round pick ranks second on the Sens in goals with 12. His 20 points have him ranked sixth on the team in that category. His current pace has the Michigan native on track for 36 goals and 61 points in 2023-24. Both of these totals would represent career highs for Josh Norris.
Norris has provided an offensive punch in his return to the ice this season. There are others ahead of him, but don't be shocked if the Michigan native represents the Ottawa Senators at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux are worthy
Two other Senators stars may have slightly better cases. Drake Batherson has spent his entire career with Ottawa to this point. The Indiana native turned in a career season in 2022-23, as well. This year, he could very well top those totals.
Batherson currently ranks third in points with 26 in 29 games. His 11 goals are third behind Norris and Brady Tkachuk. This puts the 25-year-old on pace for 32 goals and 74 points through a full 82 games. It'd mark a promising improvement, and lead to more hope of what Drake Batherson can contribute down the line.
The other player is a longtime veteran of the NHL. Claude Giroux is in his second season as a member of the Senators. And, much like last season, he is quite effective and is among the team's best offensive weapons.
Giroux only has nine goals through 29 games this season. That said, his 27 points rank second only to Tim Stutzle among Ottawa skaters. He is on track to fall short of the 35 goals he scored in 2022-23. However, he remains on track to put up his second consecutive 75+ point season.
Drake Batherson and Claude Giroux have emerged as two of the team's best offensive options. And as a result, they have built impressive cases to represent the Senators at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle may lead the way
Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle have emerged as the two most prominent names on the Ottawa Senators. This season has seen these two build impressive cases to make an appearance in the NHL All-Star Game, as well.
Tkachuk leads Ottawa in goals with 15 through their first 29 games. His current pace has him falling well short of the 83 points he posted last year. However, the 24-year-old Arizona native is on track to smash his career high with 43 goals in 2023-24.
Stutzle, on the other hand, leads the Senators in points. In fact, he is the only player on the team playing at above a point-per-game pace. His 32 points through 29 games has the German star on track to match the 90 points he recorded in 2022-23.
Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle are leading the Senators in their own ways this season. As a result, there may be no better candidates to represent the 2024 NHL All-Star Game than these two forwards.
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