The Ottawa Senators have scratched and clawed their way back to a .500 winning percentage with an impressive three-game winning streak. Within those games, head coach D.J. Smith has tinkered with his forward lines, and they seem to be providing some of the best offensive performances of the season.
These new lines consist of “duos” rather than loading up the top six. The talent is dispersed throughout the lineup, so when one line has an off night, there are two other lines that can pick up the slack. This might already be considered a lost season by many, but these new lines are a good step in the right direction if the team can salvage it.
Ridly Greig Has Provided A Spark In Top-Six Role
Ridly Greig’s two-way abilities have been one of the biggest reasons for the success of the top nine. He has only played three games, but you wouldn’t know it becuase of his high hockey IQ.
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He has 23 points in 28 games for the Bellville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) and has proved that he is ready for a look in the NHL. He has impressed and then some, with two assists in his first three games. The first-round pick from the 2020 NHL Entry Draft was immediately thrust into a top-six role, and he is well on his way to keeping it after Josh Norris’ injury will sideline him for the rest of the season.
In 30 minutes of five-on-five play, Greig, Alex DeBrincat, and Claude Giroux accounted for 68 percent of the on-ice expected goals (xG%), according to Money Puck, and they have led the way offensively for the Senators over the three-game stretch. Giroux and DeBrincat have worked with plenty of centres, but Greig has been the one to bring out the best in them, which is a good sign for the future of the franchise.
The Demotion of Drake Batherson Showed Accountability
Accountability is always a good thing, and Drake Batherson‘s demotion to the third line seems to have lit a fire under the entire forward group.
Batherson has a team-worst rating of minus-29 – the next closest is DeBrincat at minus-17. Plenty has been said about his struggles at even strength this season, and this demotion shows that this play will not be accepted from anyone.
In a more sheltered role alongside Shane Pinto and Derrick Brassard, Batherson…
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