Why the Senators shouldn't be concerned about Fabian Zetterlund's slow start

New York Times

04-04-2025

OTTAWA — Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios knew he needed to help his team when it came to scoring goals at five-on-five. With the Senators spending most of the season near the bottom of the league in goals at even strength, a change was necessary.
Once the dust settled by 3 p.m. ET on March 7, Staios had pulled the trigger on two deals that netted him two players who offered reinforcements: centre Dylan Cozens and winger Fabian Zetterlund.
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'Those two players should help in that regard,' Staios said that day.
The Senators have since emerged from the NHL's trade deadline as winners, mostly thanks to Cozens's seemingly seamless transition into the organization. Both men were surprised to be traded for different reasons. Cozens's familiarity with Sens players and staff has helped his process, and he's found a home on a productive line alongside David Perron and Drake Batherson. Cozens already has one goal and six points at even strength since joining the Senators.
It is in contrast to Zetterlund's time, where he still seeks his first goal as a Senator. The Swede has one point in 13 games with the Senators, including Thursday night's 2-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Canadian Tire Centre. Zetterlund had one shot on goal in a win where defence ruled the night. Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio were used late to keep Nikita Kucherov and his points streak off the scoresheet, while Linus Ullmark made 31 saves. But ultimately, Zetterlund is still looking to light the lamp.
Zetterlund is trying his best not to be frustrated.
'I swear a lot in Swedish on the bench,' Zetterlund said Wednesday. 'I feel like all Swedish guys do that. At the end of the day, I play my best when I don't think out there. I just got to go back to that.
'It's going to come. The guys support me really good in the locker room. It's about time.'
The winger didn't have the same ties to the Senators as Cozens did when he joined. Zetterlund didn't have any tangible connections with the Sens' Swedish netminders Ullmark and Anton Forsberg, nor with their team talisman turned assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson.
'Too young,' Alfredsson joked.
Cozens also filled a hole vacated by Josh Norris' departure on the second line. By comparison, it took Zetterlund more time to climb into the Senators' top six after starting on the fourth line with Adam Gaudette and Matthew Highmore.
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'He came into a team where we were winning at the time, and then didn't want to change up the lines and everybody's been playing well,' Alfredsson said.
But the Senators have tried to acclimate him, specifically through their superstar centre Tim Stützle, who offered to show him around Ottawa and even arranged to get him a haircut.
'We're a lot of fun together. (We) hang out all the time. So it's been awesome,' Stützle said.
On the ice, both men have worked hard at creating plays for each other. Stützle is a dynamic passer who can skate into the offensive zone effortlessly, usually through his patented drives up the wing. But whether in the offensive or neutral zone, Stützle seems to be making a concerted effort to find Zetterlund on the ice, as he continues to learn his game. Zetterlund just wants to be accommodating.
'I want to be more like a shooter,' Zetterlund told The Athletic in Detroit last week. 'And just find the open spots out there. Hold on to the puck, be strong on it down low and create space for (Stützle).
Zetterlund has yet to score, but he's manufactured chances from in close. Not long after the Sens acquired him, coach Travis Green described him as an 'inside player.' Entering Thursday night's action, Zetterlund had a 60.71 high-danger chance rating at five-on-five through 12 games. Zetterlund's high-danger rating per game has fallen below 57.14 just four times since his arrival, according to Natural Stat Trick.
He just needs to finish.
Zetterlund's ability to play at the net and notching high-danger chances is part of his tantalizing skill set. Despite being 5-foot-11, Zetterlund is strong enough to win puck battles against opposing forwards and maintain offensive zone possessions. He can back-check and block shots with the same hustle he brings offensively. Zetterlund blocked three shots against the Lightning on Thursday and threw two hits. In the first period, Zetterlund fought off the towering Victor Hedman and forced a neutral zone turnover, leading to some offensive zone time.
Zetterlund forces Hedman to turn it over, then Giroux misplays a Stützle pass and Tampa goes the other way. #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/xSS1ebpyzV
— Everyday Sens (@EverydaySens) April 3, 2025
On the power play, the Sens have him in the bumper spot — a prime area where he's been getting his chances. Zetterlund can also play left and right wing, having already alternated on the top line with Claude Giroux.
'(Giroux's) played a little more right. So, I let the older guy decide where he wants to play,' Green said.
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If Zetterlund needed inspiration on how to handle a goalscoring drought, some of his teammates could help. Drake Batherson played through two 10-game goal-less dry spells, but he did everything he could to keep things 'light,' from walking his dogs to playing Xbox.
Shane Pinto had a 15-game pointless drought and a 19-game goalless skid through mid-December. The best piece of advice he got was to not stray from his everyday routine.
'When you're an athlete you want to do so well, you care about the results,' Pinto said in December. 'But I think when you worry about the results too much that's when they don't come. Just stick with the process, and eventually it'll all turn. I think I'm just not worrying about the results, I think that's been a main point of emphasis for me.'
Those skids ended two days after he said that, by the way. Ironically, Pinto also broke a 10-game goalless streak on Thursday night against Tampa.
Zetterlund, however, already took a page out of Stützle's playbook by getting that haircut. The German forward got his own after a three-game pointless streak in January. Stützle not only broke his streak but scored the Senators' first goal in 148 minutes.
'The big thing for guys that haven't scored is 'are you getting chances?'' Green said. 'I'd have a lot more concern if he wasn't. He's probably led our team in chances since we put him with (Stützle). I'm confident that the puck's going to go in. It's easy to say to a player to relax and stay confident and just keep doing what you're doing. But in reality, that's all you can do. There's no sense putting added pressure on yourself. You're getting chances; they've gone in before, they'll go in again.'
Green's vote of confidence is among the many Zetterlund has received from the team in the last few days. Stützle mentioned last Thursday that Zetterlund getting his first point would help with his confidence. Captain Brady Tkachuk said he's likely to score a big goal in a big moment. Even Alfredsson praised his skills.
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'I think he's done a good job and has gotten better game after game,' Alfredsson said. 'I think it's just a matter of time until he gets more comfortable on and off the ice.'
Some fans and onlookers still feel concerned. But Zetterlund has shown that there shouldn't be too much reason to worry if he continues to show off the abilities that made him a worthwhile addition in the first place.
'Of course, I think about it, a little bit,' Zetterlund said when asked about his scoring woes. 'At the end of the day, it's just hockey out there. I've played it my whole life, and it's not that hard.'