The Ottawa Senators were one of the biggest surprises of the 2016-17 NHL season. After squeezing into the playoffs with the sixth-best point total in the Eastern Conference, the Sens shocked a lot of people – including their own fans – by venturing all the way to the conference final. As you might recall, several of their playoff games didn’t sell out in the first and second round as their fan base really didn’t expect this team to make such a run. They defied a lot of odds – including the betting odds – as they went through the Boston Bruins in seven games, the New York Rangers in six games and then took the Pittsburgh Penguins into overtime in seven games. It was one of the most surprising runs we’ve seen in a long time.
After making the Conference Finals last season, the Ottawa Senators return with much of their core intact and hope to make another run at Lord Stanley. The team is highlighted by its strong defensive leadership and goaltending. Still, there are some forwards on the Sens that will be helpful additions to your fantasy team. Here are the best Senators to have in fantasy hockey this coming season.
Top Three Players To Own
1. Erik Karlsson
Ranking second in blocks overall and finishing third in points among defense, Erik Karlsson once again proved to be one of the best players in the NHL. The veteran defenseman, entering his ninth season, has been a truly elite fantasy option over the last four seasons. The Senators’ captain has between 66 and 82 points the last four years while recording at least 218 shots. Karlsson has gotten even better the last two seasons, recording 175 and 201 blocks, which nearly double his previous career high of 101. Don’t expect Karlsson to last long in your draft.
2. Kyle Turris
While he may not be the best option in fantasy, he is an important part of the Senators’ offense and gets enough ice time to be relevant. Turris is coming off a career high in goals with 27 and has scored at least 24 goals in three of the last four seasons. Amongst centers, Turris ranked 14th in average time on ice and 20th in shooting percentage. Turris will get the volume and ice time in 2017-18 to be worth a spot on your fantasy team.
3. Jean-Gabriel Pageau
A risky pick for three, Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a coming out party in the playoffs last year and will look to carry it forward into the 2017-18 NHL season. Pageau scored just 12 goals in 82 games last season, but in the playoffs, he averaged 0.53 goals per game. Do not expect him to score 40 goals this season. However, tweaking his goals per game average to exclude his four-goal performance in round two against the Rangers still gives him 0.26 per game, which would put him on pace for 21 goals this season. Pageau also lead the NHL in short-handed goals in 2015-16 with seven, another benefit this late-round center brings to your team.
One Fantasy Bust: Bobby Ryan
Name recognition can carry too much weight in fantasy, and Bobby Ryan is one of those players to get drafted purely on it. Since departing Anaheim and joining Ottawa, Ryan has been a fantasy disappointment. Ryan’s shooting percentage as a Senator is down to 10.8%, compared to 14.2% as a Duck. He rarely plays on the power play anymore, registering just five PP points last season in 62 games, after averaging 15 the prior two years. He is good for hits but otherwise does not bring much value to fantasy anymore.
Goaltending Situation
Craig Anderson
Even with all the adversity, Craig Anderson dealt with last season he still proved to be a fantastic goalie ranking third in save percentage and tenth in GAA. Add in his five shutouts in just 40 games and Anderson was a top-tier goalie when playing. If Anderson can start between 10 and 20 more games, he will be a number one goalie. Their backup goalie, Mike Condon will see less starts this season, but remains one of the best plug-and-play goaltenders coming into the season. If Anderson needs to step away from the team again in 2017-18, Condon is a good replacement.
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