The Senators rewarded GM Steve Staios' faith. Now they must show what they can do together

New York Times

10-04-2025

OTTAWA — It has been almost 3,000 days since the Ottawa Senators played a playoff game. But when this year's team clinched a playoff spot Tuesday night, the players didn't exactly share in the fans' immediate joy.
Senators general manager Steve Staios recounted his team's reaction to making the playoffs while addressing the media Wednesday morning, not even 24 hours after his team accomplished its goal of making it to the postseason through bizarre circumstances. Ottawa had played one of its worst games of the season, losing 5-2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. But because the Detroit Red Wings lost in regulation to the Montreal Canadiens, the Senators clinched their first playoff berth in eight years.
'The reaction from the group was not quite satisfied,' Staios said. 'That's the interesting thing with this group and how they're handling all these situations going forward. They're motivated.'
The Senators earned their place in the postseason, and there are individual performances from players worth singling out that aren't just limited to the team's young core.
Think of players like Linus Ullmark, whose monstrous performances after a slow start and back injury helped the team to this point. David Perron, the Senators' Masterton Trophy nominee, has found a home alongside Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson as a productive winger after personal issues and a back injury slowed his year. Michael Amadio has chipped in admirably in a bottom-six role. Before injuries slowed his progress, Nick Jensen was one-half of a sturdy pairing with Thomas Chabot. The list goes on. And then there's Travis Green, who helped turn his team around from behind the bench.
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'All areas of the organization took a step,' Staios said. 'There was a high level of accountability all throughout the organization. We needed to change the standard of how things were done here. But you can point that to the players, the commitment that they've put in. The coaching staff and getting this team to that next level with an opportunity to play in the playoffs.'
The seeds of Staios' team-building date back to last year's trade deadline and his early interest in Ullmark. Over a year later, they've mostly paid off.
'We brought in some really good leadership guys, some veteran guys who've been in that position,' forward Tim Stützle said.
Because of the additions and changes in culture, Staios exerted patience and didn't make any drastic moves at the first signs of trouble partway through the season. He doubled down on the 'Steady Steve' persona that has followed him on the job. And he proved to be right. The Senators ultimately rewarded Staios' faith in them throughout the season at critical junctures.
'We committed to it since the start of the season,' Chabot said. 'We committed to it since November. Obviously, we went through that tough stretch. And then from there, we just looked forward the rest of the way.'
When Staios met the media at the season's quarter mark in late November, the Senators appeared on the verge of falling off a cliff. They were on a winless streak that would eventually stretch to five games and had a worrisome 8-9-1 start. But Staios clung to the fact that the Sens had won games over perennial playoff teams like Toronto, Florida and Tampa Bay while also holding their own against Vegas and Colorado in tough, late losses.
'I don't see any glaring area where I think that this group needs a great deal of improvement because they've shown it,' Staios said at the time.
The Senators dug themselves out of that hole thanks to Ullmark's performances and increased production up and down the lineup. A six-game win streak — four of those games coming on the road — soon followed.
Staios met the media again in January when Ullmark was still out injured and questions persisted about the team's depth and lack of five-on-five scoring. He was comfortable with his goaltending depth and was proven right when Leevi Merilainen stepped up and kept the Senators' season afloat. Despite Anton Forsberg's game against Columbus, the second half of his season has been much better than the first.
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Staios also pointed to Nikolas Matinpalo getting an opportunity to play instead of looking for another depth defenceman on the market. Despite only playing a handful of games, Matinpalo got called up to play for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off and is now the Senators' No. 6 defenceman.
An important caveat for Staios was that his team was so close to the salary-cap limit. Remember when Adam Gaudette was going back and forth between Belleville and Ottawa at the beginning of the season? It was all in the name of saving what little cap space the Senators had.
So if the Senators were going to address their scoring issue, it would likely mean swapping a body for a body while not completely breaking up the core and remaining cap-compliant. Staios found a way anyway by acquiring Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund at the deadline.
'I think they've had a positive impact,' Staios said. 'Both still young players. I think the ceiling is high for both of them. I think they fit into our group well. The profile of a Dylan Cozens at the centre ice position is exciting for us. (Zetterlund) is creating a lot of chances. Good to see him get one (Tuesday). He's a quality kid and a quality hockey player. We're happy with where they are now as members of our group but also excited about the upside.'
Staios' patience with his group proved to be the right approach. He remained steady until he had to make a move.
Now, on the precipice of their first playoff action in eight years, the Sens have a chance to reward the GM again for his faith while embracing their status as 'underdogs.'
'And we're OK with that,' Staios said. 'There's teams that we'll match up against who have been there and done that and have that experience. And this'll be our first time doing it with this group. But it's hard not to believe in the group. To see how they've stepped up to the occasion throughout the year, it's hard not to believe in them.'