Stützle out to end Senators' six-year playoff drought this season
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Entering his fourth season with the Ottawa Senators, Tim Stützle has his eyes set on playing playoff hockey for the first time in his NHL career.
The Senators finished six points out of the playoffs last season, extending their drought to six seasons. With a young core and off-season additions, expectations are high for the Senators this season, with Stützle agreeing that reaching the postseason is a realistic goal for the club.
"I think so, yeah," Stützle told NHL.com. "At first when I came to Ottawa the playoffs were so far away and now I think we're making a lot of steps in the right direction, and you can just tell the playoffs are coming closer and closer every year. … We are in a really good age group right now that we have a chance to be good and now is the time to show our fans and give the fans something back. They have been waiting for a long time."
The 21-year-old winger, who was selected third overall in the 2020 draft, is coming off a breakout season, having posted 39 goals and 90 points in 78 games. He had 22 goals and 58 points in 79 games during his sophomore season.
The Senators strengthened their goaltending in the off-season by signing free agent Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year, $20 million contract. Ottawa also moved disgruntled winger Alex DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings, bringing back a haul that included veteran winger Dominik Kubalik, and signed veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a one-year deal.
Stützle is part of young Senators core that is signed long term. Entering the first season of an eight-year, $66.8 million deal, Stützle is one of seven members of the Senators signed through at least the next four seasons - along with captain Brady Tkachuk, wingers Josh Norris and Drake Batherson, defencemen Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub, and Korpisalo.
"Oh yeah. It's unreal. Having those guys there who have been committing long term too, you just can tell that everybody wants to be there and that's the biggest part for us," Stützle added. "And now having Korpisalo and Tarasenko coming in, the deals they signed, and getting Tarasenko from free agency, you can tell he believes in the group the same way we do and that's fun to see. Korpisalo signed for five years. He's been a really good goalie in this league and him committing to us long term is unreal.
"And it's awesome to see all those young guys signing with Ottawa long term and really believing in this group of guys."
The Senators will begin their season-long chase for a playoff spot on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 11 before flying back for a five-game homestand.