Former Ohio State Star Stephen Halliday Quickly Becoming a Player of Interest for the Ottawa Senators

With five points in five playoff games, Halliday hasn't taken long at all to adjust to the pro ranks.

Ottawa Senators prospect Stephen Halliday is quickly becoming one of the organization's most intriguing prospects. Halliday has only played ten regular season games as a pro but currently finds himself among the AHL scoring leaders with 5 points in 5 playoff games.

Halliday had a goal and an assist in Belleville's 4-3 overtime loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Friday night. The series is all even at one and continues on Wednesday in Cleveland.

The 21-year-old had a fine career at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes in scoring this year with 36 points in 38 games. Even more impressive is that he's maintained those numbers so far at the next level – in the heat of the playoffs, no less.

Halliday's size – 6 foot-4, 214 pounds – certainly helps in that department. His enormous reach also came in handy on Friday, as he outwaited a sprawling defender, moved to the slot, found a seam, and then ripped home a wrist shot to tie the game in the third period.

Not a bad way to score your first goal as a pro.

The Senators selected Halliday in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. After two years at Ohio State, they signed him this year to a two-year entry-level deal.

Head coach David Bell has been highly impressed with Halliday, who's only played 15 games so far in Belleville. Like all good coaches, Bell is focusing on more than just the offensive stats. He's encouraged by the important things the kid does away from the puck.

"His skill set is elite, and he just gets better and better every game," Bell told the Belleville Sports Entertainment Network. I know everybody watches the goals and the passes, but he's winning some face-offs in the D-zone, figuring out the D-zone coverage, and winning stick battles that he wasn't 10 or 12 games ago.

"He's just getting better every day and learning the league, and when he learns the pace of the league, he's going to be a very dangerous player."

TSN 1200 radio's A.J. Jakubec was in Belleville for the game and took to social media to pile on with his praise for the 2024 Hobey Baker Award nominee.

"My biggest takeaway: Halliday has a chance to be a player. Big, skilled, and smart player."