Ottawa Senators Taking It “One Day, One Game at a Time”

Ottawa Senators players and staff gathered Tuesday morning for their annual charity golf event in support of youth mental health programs and initiatives across the region, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and other local organizations which provide critical care for children, youth and families.

It was a windy and dreary start to the day, typical hockey weather for a team that’s anxious to hit the ice after coming up six points shy of a playoff berth last season.

While players refuse to say the “P-word” publicly, there’s no doubt it’s on their minds. The message on the links at Loch March Golf Club was clear, “One day at a time, one game at a time.”

Entering his 16th full NHL campaign and second as a Senator, the veteran he is Claude Giroux didn’t want to look too far into the future, “I’m sure you guys will be asking about the playoffs and stuff. I personally think you don’t look at the big picture. You go to one game at a time and then start looking at the big picture. That’s when it takes a lot of energy out of you and you overthink stuff. So really just just worry about the first game and then and then worry about the second game after that.”

Giroux who reached a career-high 35 goals in 2022-23, stated a lack of consistency at times last season ultimately cost his team a playoff spot.

“I think there were stages during this season which we were a dangerous team where we felt comfortable out there. We knew the way we wanted to play was going to give us the win and then there’s some games that we weren’t consistent in what we were doing and that maybe cost us the playoffs last year,” said the Senators’ alternate captain.

Fresh off a 90-point season at only 21 years old, Tim Stützle echoes his teammate’s sentiment to take the season day-by-day, “I think everybody’s putting pressure on us. I know that it’s gonna be a hard season. We can’t take any team lightly and we’ve just got to go day by day. I think we have a good enough team to be really good during the year, but in the end, we just got to go day by day and go game by game, then see how far it’s gonna take us.”

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With 10 out of the Senators’ first 14 games being on home ice prior to crossing the Atlantic for a pair of games in Sweden, Stützle acknowledges a good start is key this season.

“I just think we’ve got to be ready from the start. And it’s a really good sign the whole team is there already skating and preparing for the season. I think that’s a really good sign. So yeah, we just try to be ready right from the start. Like I said, we can’t take any team lightly – have a good start and see how it goes from day by day.”

Ottawa Senators’ captain Brady Tkachuk went one step further, not wanting to speak about his expectations for his team externally, “We’re not going to put any external pressure on us. We have a standard belief internally, but we’re going to keep that internal. Just because if you put a mark on where we think we’re going to expect it, the expectation and distraction is probably too much. So just we have faith and belief amongst each other that we try to focus on day to day, doing our best every day – keep a grip on on so there’s no number, no spot that we’ve kind of got marked. It’s every day doing our best.”

One thing is for certain, Tkachuk and his mates just missing the playoffs last season will be used as motivation for the upcoming 2023-24 campaign.

“I feel like that was the best thing for us, kind of being in that hunt for the first time and kind of having a different experience in that aspect. And I think some key valuable lessons that we learned and will kind of use moving forward. I mean, it felt all summer, just talking to guys a lot and just felt like when the season ended, we all want to kind of get back and get going again.” 

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— Murray Pam (@Pammerhockey) September 19, 2023