Travis Green Moves Ottawa Senators Newcomer To His Top Line: 'We'll See If It's A Good Fit Or Not'

When Fabian Zetterlund was acquired with minutes to spare ahead of the 3 pm deadline on the NHL's trade deadline day, people in Ottawa instinctively began scribbling line combinations down on napkins.

No one could blame them because it was an unexpectedly productive day by general manager Steve Staios and his staff.

Many expected it to be a quiet day in Ottawa. It was reasonable to assume the organization would work the margins with their limited cap space to address easily upgradeable depth positions. But, for the team to be willing to jettison a popular teammate in Josh Norris and then sneak in a 25-year-old goal-scoring winger who notched 24 goals in 2023-24, it created some waves.

Through his first seven games, Dylan Cozens has been a revelation. He has produced and manufactured offence for his linemates while being a sorely needed puck carrier and physical presence. For Fabian Zetterlund, however, the integration and transition has been slower.

Thanks to the play and effectiveness that David Perron and Ridly Greig have had over the past few weeks, the opportunity for Zetterlund to play regularly toward the top of the lineup just has not occurred. Since being acquired, Zetterlund has played predominantly on the Senators' fourth line, where the results have not been impactful.

He has been held pointless in six games while averaging 10:47 of ice time. The majority of his minutes have been spent playing alongside Adam Gaudette and Matthew Highmore. When this trio has been on the ice at five-on-five per Evolving-Hockey, the Senators have generated 38.65 percent of the shots (CF%), 37.19 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), zero percent of the goals (GF%), and 45.88 percent of the expected goals (xGF%).  

There have been opportunities for Zetterlund, however.

Travis Green and his coaching staff use those post-special team minutes to slide players up and down the lineup to afford them more opportunities while their penalty-killing forwards rest. Zetterlund is one of the players who has had opportunities to play up in the lineup to give players like Claude Giroux an extended rest.

If there was a silver lining to Thursday night's four-goal deficit after the first period against the Colorado Avalanche, the score allowed the coaches to experiment and juggle their lines, with Zetterlund receiving several shifts on the Senators' first and second lines.

Now, after the Senators have dropped two consecutive games, Zetterlund will get to start tonight's game on the team's top line after skating with Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk at Friday morning's practice.

"Just haven't liked our game," Travis Green said while explaining the rationale for giving Zetterlund an opportunity. "I guess that's a big part of it. When you don't win, you look for new answers, and we'll see if it's a good fit or not."

Zetterlund has been patient since his arrival, and his voice is sincere when he talks with excitement about how he enjoys playing with a group that is winning games.

"To get here, (I'm) just excited," Zetterlund exclaimed. "And, then get to win some games, it's fun. We're going to continue to get back to that.

"I'll do everything it takes to win a hockey game, so I don't care where I play in the lineup as long as I'm winning. That's my goal, so that's why I'm here too."

Giroux will vacate his customary right wing spot on the Senators' top line to create room for Zetterlund. Although Giroux has been the Senators' sixth-best point producer at five-on-five this season, he only has two five-on-five goals in his last 35 games.

With a playmaker in Stützle and a dominant down-low puck-carrying entity in Tkachuk, Zetterlund may be able to exploit their strengths and look for soft coverage in the offensive zone.

"Yeah, I can say both of those guys are top guys in the league," the winger stated. "They (both are) good to hold on to the puck and create some space out there in the (offensive) zone and be strong on pucks."

Although Zetterlund is still looking for his first point as a Senator, he is trying not to put any additional pressure on himself now that he is playing on a higher-profile line.

"I'm taking it day by day and trying to get better, working on some small things. I look at video clips and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, we're here to turn this around."

The patient approach with Zetterlund's integration may actually help him now that he is playing on the first line.

"I still figure out more and more," he said while admitting that he is still learning coach Green's systems. "Of course, it's different. We play a different system (than San Jose). But, at the end of the day, it's just hockey.

"I play my best when I don't think out there. I just kind of go out there and have fun."

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

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