In the Eastern Association standings, the Ottawa Senators rank number 14, only one ahead of the Canadian, and then we’ll tell each other, that was certainly not the scenario.
At the start of the season, many experts, sometimes self-proclaimed, saw in these Senators the team of the future, the arrow well pointed upwards, ready to climb the ladder for the zenith. But right now, that’s not exactly the reality.
“Each team experiences ups and downs and for us, at times, it was more difficult, admitted Thomas Chabot Tuesday morning at the Bell Centre. We’ve had to deal with a lot of injuries since the start of the season, it hasn’t helped us, but the way we’ve been playing in the last few weeks is what we’re concentrating on. »
It was not the scenario, therefore, because in the summer, among other things, the Senators signified their intentions by hiring Claude Giroux, the time of a contract of 19.5 million dollars over three years. Previously, the Senators had also acquired Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, which suggested a 2022-23 season wrapped in happiness.
But that’s not exactly what happened.
“You want to have expectations of it,” added the Senators defenseman. We have been rebuilding for several years, bringing a lot of young people with us, doing exchanges to get hopes. So when you come into a season with expectations like that, it’s exciting for us players, we want there to be expectations. But we also know that success in this league doesn’t happen overnight either. »
With all that, it should still be noted that the Senators arrive here with three straight wins and that there is, perhaps, a little light at the end of the tunnel.
“We’ve been playing good hockey lately, we want to continue like this,” added Chabot.