Senators will be tough to play against in Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2025-26 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher.

In this edition, Craig Johnson, a former assistant with the Anaheim Ducks and Ontario of the American Hockey League, and development coach with the Los Angeles Kings, writes about the Ottawa Senators and what he likes about them going into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Ottawa Senators have all the makings of a team that could go on a long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That looked like something far from reality three months ago.

The Senators were tied for last in the Eastern Conference with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 12, a record of 20-19-5 for a .511 points percentage in 44 games.

Since then, they aree 23-8-6 for a .703 points percentage, which is third in the League in that span behind the Buffalo Sabres (.737) and Carolina Hurricanes (.722). Ironically, they will play either the Sabres or Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference First Round.

But if you look at Ottawa’s analytics through the first 44 games, you can easily say it was better than its record indicated.

The Senators were defending well (25.4 shots against per game). They were getting offense (3.14 goals per game). Their power play was strong (22.8 percent). They were winning face-offs (55.5 percent). But their goaltending was a concern, a reason why the penalty kill was down (72.7).

Now they're getting good goaltending, which has led to an improved PK, and they are better for it.

Linus Ullmark was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week for last week, when he went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .961 save percentage and one shutout to help the Senators clinch their second straight playoff berth.

He had 14 wins in his first 28 starts through Dec. 27, a 2.95 goals-against average and .881 save percentage despite not being taxed with too much work in each game, an average of 24.5 shots against per game.

Ullmark missed the next 16 games on a personal leave of absence, but since returning Jan. 31, he’s played like the No. 1 goalie Ottawa needs him to be -- 14 wins in 21 starts, a 2.41 GAA and .904 save percentage while facing 24.3 shots on goal per game.

It was such a struggle for Ullmark earlier this season that even though the Senators' underlying numbers were good, they could not win games.

With Ullmark confident, Ottawa should be thinking it has a team that is just as good as any in the League.

The team in front of Ullmark plays a style conducive to winning in the playoffs; the Senators are giving up anything from the guts of the ice. They're one of the top face-off teams. Their power play has been good all year. The penalty kill has improved since mid-January.

They're also not giving up a lot off the rush. They've done a good job with getting their F3 to buy in. He's very disciplined. He doesn't go rushing into areas, which also helps their forecheck. When their forecheck turns the puck over, they are getting quality looks from the pocket.

In the past, I liked their system and how they broke out pucks, but creating speed and getting opposing defensemen to back off was a problem. This season, they have started to stretch the zone more. They're reading possession well and they're flying out, creating offense off the rush because they're stretching the ice.

That was something they did not do as well last season, especially in the playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

They need to continue to play with that freedom yet stay disciplined with their third man, especially when forechecking.

Their defensemen as a group do a good job with their gaps, and with the way they close on people and deny the lines. They've been good with their tracking, and that's another reason they're not giving up anything off the rush. They're denying the zone.

They have a really good shutdown pair up front with Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio. I have really enjoyed watching them in particular. I coached Amadio in Los Angeles, and he has one of the better sticks in the League, the way he angles and uses the stick. He's an underrated player, especially defensively.

They get scoring from a lot of players, giving them great balance. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson are at the top of the list, but they have five players on the plus side of 20 in goals and 10 in double digits.

Brady Tkachuk is a complete player and compete driver who is at almost a point per game. If he can be healthy in the playoffs, this could be his time after watching his brother dominate the playoffs for three straight years.

All in all, I'm sure the Sabres and Hurricanes, the two teams they can face in the first round, are not licking their chops thinking they get Ottawa. It will be a tough series.