The Ottawa Senators have shown signs of being a great team, but have been hindered by an inconsistent lineup. At times, they missed crucial players such as Brady Tkachuk, Shane Pinto and Thomas Chabot.
The Ottawa Senators don't look like a team that should be sitting at near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, and for the most part, they aren't playing like it either.
Yet, night after night, the results are the same frustrating stories, one of them closing out without two points.
Take their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 11 as an example.
Ottawa gained an early lead with two goals in the first period and was in the driver's seat. However, the Stars clawed back, tying it on a third-period power play before Roope Hintz sealed it in overtime just over three minutes in.
It was another night where the Senators did enough to earn a point but not enough to finish the job.
This game wasn't an exception, but rather, a snapshot of the Senators' season. Ottawa has shown it can control games early, keep up with the league's best and look to be ahead for long stretches. But somehow, it feels like the lead slips, momentum swings the other way and games that looked to be a sure win become another loss on the record.
The simplest explanation is the Senators haven't been whole.
Like every team, Ottawa has been battling the injury bug, but has dealt with the loss of some key forwards. Earlier this season, captain Brady Tkachuk was absent for nearly two months with a thumb injury.
A couple of games after Tkachuk's return, the Senators were just about healthy up front. On Dec. 2, Ottawa took on the Montreal Canadiens and defeated them 5-2.
Looking back, this feels like an alternate version of what the Sens could be.
However, the ripple effect of Tkachuk's absence for 20 games from Oct. 13 to Nov. 28 was instant. Tkachuk scores goals and makes his opponents uncomfortable with his physical play.
The 26-year-old left winger consistently sets himself at the top of the crease, draws penalties and induces an emotional edge in tight moments.
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Although, to Ottawa's credit, they didn't fall apart without Tkachuk. They were 11-5-4 while he was sidelined, but they were forced to redistribute roles.
Shane Pinto took on more responsibility as one of Ottawa's most reliable two-way centers.
"He plays the power play, he plays the penalty kill, he plays when you're up a goal, good chance he’ll play when you're down a goal, he's a big part of our team," Sens coach Travis Green told reporters about Pinto on Dec. 11.
Several teammates also stepped up.
Tim Stutzle leads the team in scoring with 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points through 33 games. Meanwhile, Drake Batherson has 32 points and continues to be one of the team's most effective forwards on the power play.
On the back end, Jake Sanderson has emerged as one of Ottawa's most important players. He's tied for the team lead in assists with 19 helpers, which equals Batherson and Stutzle. Also, the 23-year-old D-man averages 25:14 of ice time per game, which is the seventh-highest in the NHL.
Additionally, veteran Claude Giroux has provided stability and leadership, posting a team-best plus-9.
Ottawa is averaging 3.09 goals per game, which ranks 13th in the league, and its power play is top five in the NHL at 25.7 percent.
So on paper, that looks like a team doing plenty right, but hockey isn't played on paper.
On Nov. 27, the Senators were the only Canadian team in playoff contention. But then the lineup shifted again.
On Dec 4, Pinto suffered a lower-body injury and has been out since, forcing the Sens back into an unfamiliar lineup.
Since his injury, Ottawa is 3-3-0, and the constant changes have been noticeable. Chemistry that took weeks to build had to be restarted.
Also, it doesn't help when defenseman Thomas Chabot has been out of the lineup since Nov. 22 after suffering an upper-body injury. Although he is set to return against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon.
Over their last 15 games, the Senators have lost eight times, but only two of those losses came by more than one goal.
The frustration comes from how close it all feels, not because the team isn't playing well, but because it constantly looks like it's missing just one familiar face in the group.
That's what this season has been for Ottawa so far. It's not a collapse or a rebuild, but constant adjustment. When one player returns, another goes down, making it hard for the team to grow.
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Of course, the Senators aren't alone in their injury troubles. Their closest rivals – the Toronto Maple Leafs and Canadiens – have been hit hard by a list of injuries.
Looking ahead, the Sens are on a two-game win streak, and Pinto is inching closer to a return. Chabot and Tkachuk are in the lineup together for the first time in a while. Soon, Ottawa may finally have a complete roster.
The Senators are playing good hockey. They just haven't had the chance to play it together, and until they do, wins may keep feeling like they're just one healthy line away.
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