Ottawa Senators centre Tim Stutzle saw a big drop in production last season, going from 90 points in 2022-23 to 70 points in 2023-24. Almost all of the decline was in goals, cut from 39 to 18. His power-play goal totals were almost non-existent, going from 10 to 1, so he was pleased to get that first one out of the way in the Sens home opener last week.
It’s far too early to predict how this season will go – insanely too early – but Stutzle is undeniably off to a great start, which is a great sign. In the first three games, the 22-year-old has three goals and three assists, which places him one point off the NHL scoring lead.
While not remotely sustainable, there’s nothing quite like the smooth pace of an 82-goal, 164-point season.
Stutzle did miss seven games last season and battled through some injury issues, which can probably explain away some of the drop off. But he reported for camp this year at 100% and said he “feels really good.”
“I got treatment every day the last three months,” Stutzle said last month, right before camp. “I have my own trainer. I work with Mo Seider (Detroit Red Wings), and I skate with Mannheim (his old pro team). Their camp started earlier than we do here.”
While Stutzle wasn’t always at his best in the health department last season, he refused to use it as an excuse.
“Everybody goes through injuries and not playing 100% healthy,” Stutzle said. “If you play 82 games, it’s obviously going to be tough. There are going to be some nagging injuries. For me, it was about getting 100% over the summer and feeling good getting into this year.”
Stutzle’s early pace and production confirm that he’s feeling great, as does his willingness to get to dirty areas where he knows he’ll take contact.
If the Senators are going to shake off a seven-year playoff drought – this just in – Stutzle will need to be at his best. And there’s a lot of pressure that goes with that, but he says he’s unfazed by it.
“Pressure is always there,” Stutzle said last week. “I put a lot of pressure on myself, and I think all the other guys do as well. So we love those moments, and that’s why we play hockey. I think if you play well under pressure, that’s the best feeling in the world.
Currently, the team is 2-1, and Stutzle is averaging two points a game. So far, so good. But they started 3-1 last season, and Stutzle had six points in four games, so no one is getting ahead of themselves.
The million-dollar question remains: Can Stutzle and the Senators stay reasonably healthy and consistently play the right way, night in and night out, during the 82-game grind? If/when they figure that out, they can start dreaming about much bigger things than just making the playoffs.
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