OTTAWA – It’s obvious that the disappointing results in the first half of the season weigh heavily on the shoulders of the Ottawa Senators players. It was definitely not the plan the team struggled to get the wins when Claude Giroux agreed to come home.
The hiring of Giroux and the arrival of Alex DeBrincat should rather propel the young core of the Senators to the next level. Despite the efforts of management and players, the Sens (20-23-3) are still trying to take off this year.
When we told Mathieu Joseph that the club’s season was not up to expectations, he did not hide his opinion.
“I don’t like it when you say ‘not up to expectations’. Yes, there were expectations, but we had never played together. He is a player who gives us a lot of leadership. He’s quite a veteran, we’re lucky to bet on him, ”he commented honestly about Giroux.
“Expectations were high as new players arrived and we had injuries that hurt. Right now, it’s true that expectations are lower, but there are still a lot of games to play and I remain confident in our team,” added the 25-year-old forward.
On a personal level, Giroux can’t blame himself too much with a production of 40 points (15 goals and 25 assists) in 46 games. But at 35, it is mainly thanks to his influence that he helps his young teammates navigate through the ups and downs.
“It’s definitely frustrating that we haven’t gotten the results so far. But we have to keep working on our game and our way of playing,” said the right-hander.
Head coach DJ Smith was able to contextualize Giroux’s impact well in his new organization.
“One good thing with Claude is that he doesn’t get carried away. He played for very good teams, average formations and others less strong. He understands the context of our group and what we need. He knows that the core is young. When you look at some of the top teams, their big guns are around 26 to 28 years old. Here, Tim (Stützle) is only 20 years old (he turned 21 on January 15) and Brady (Tkachuk) just turned 23. Their learning continues and what Claude teaches them will help them become part of a group elite around 25-26 years old, ”assured Smith.
Giroux reacted to Smith’s remarks in this way.
“They will gain experience as the games go on. Tse, Timmy is 20-21 years old and you can already see how talented he is. He’s just going to keep progressing. “
So, for the moment, the challenge remains to support them to manage the emotions in a season which was to be more brilliant.
“We know we can play better so it’s really tough not to feel frustrated. At least there are still several games to play, ”replied the one who will never be fond of interviews.
On Saturday, the Senators suffered their sixth loss in eight games, a 5-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. However, they were able to take advantage of a three-day respite to correct the situation.
“I want us to play fast. When we slow down the pace, the other team has time to adjust and prepare. We’ve moved away from that identity that gives us success,” Smith said.
“Absolutely, when we don’t move our feet enough in the neutral zone, it’s easier to play against us. When we dictate the tone and move forward as a group to push back opposing defenders, we are a dangerous team. We have to go back to that a bit, ”validated Joseph a few minutes later.
The duel against the New York Islanders (23-21-5) seems like a very interesting opportunity for Ottawa. The Islanders go through their calendar streak with just one win in ten games.
“They have a hard time snatching victories just like us. They’re a team that don’t concede a lot to their opponents and it wasn’t the same squad without (Adam) Pelech back,” Smith observed.
Watson talks about his sobriety to help others
The 2022-2023 season will see the Senators grow in so many ways. Beyond learning on the ice, DJ Smith’s troupe learned that assistant coach Bob Jones suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Additionally, veteran Austin Watson is celebrating his fourth year of sobriety.
“What a great coincidence that it happens for Bell Let’s Talk Day. It’s great that it happens on the day when we are talking about these issues. It’s important to be able to talk about our personal troubles,” said Watson, who appreciates the great support of the hockey community.
“I bring this up because you never know who will hear your story. I am far from being a star, but our platform has a great influence. I hope people will become more comfortable talking to loved ones. Often you just need to be listened to,” said the 31-year-old athlete.
“The players planned something for him after the game. What we sometimes forget is that it remains a daily battle. We evolve in high-stress environments, it can easily plunge you back into a consumption problem. At least there’s a lot of help now, the NHL has done a good job on that end,” Smith said.
“It’s strange, we certainly celebrate this date. But, for me, it’s more a moment of serenity. Above all, I derive humility from it. It’s a great accomplishment to get to four years old, but the next day matters too,” admitted Watson, who had failed to quit drinking on his first attempt.
