TIMMY's TIME: Ottawa Senators centre Tim Stutzle expects big things from himself, team

"If you do the right things, if you play the right way, if you stay above the puck, the points will come."

Published Oct 12, 2024  •  4 minute read

Tim Stutzle celebrates with Senators teammates after scoring a first-period goal against the Panthers on Thursday night. Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photo /Getty Images

There are huge expectations for Tim Stutzle, not just to fine tune his own offensive flair, but also to continue to develop the way he plays when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick.

It’s not like Stutzle’s offensive game has dropped off a cliff (18 goals and 52 assists in 75 games last season, nearly a point a game), but the Ottawa Senators need him to be more like he was in 2022-23, when he had 39 goals and 51 assists in 78 games.

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There’s also the defensive game, almost always a work in progress for younger National Hockey League players. Senators head coach Travis Green expects a well-rounded game from all of his players. It’s all about the team; win by whatever means necessary.

“Any player would be lying if he said he didn’t care about points,” Stutzle says. “But, for us, it’s about stepping up and doing the right things. If you do the right things, if you play the right way, if you stay above the puck (in front of it, not chasing it from behind), the points will come. As a young player, it’s important to understand that.

“The next step is winning (hockey games). Win as many hockey games as we can, I think we have the team to do it. It’s about learning how to win those games. When you’re younger, you’re drafted high (Stutzle was picked third overall in 2020) and you get into the league, you already have the creativity. It’s the time to show I can play a more physical game and mature as a player. It’s big to be able to really learn in the game, to understand who you’re playing against and know the situations.”

The stats Stutzle put up a season ago, with a big dropoff in goal production, weren’t what he expected and they weren’t what the team hoped to get out of him.

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There were factors that went into it; he had different linemates than the previous season. Plus, he played on through nagging injuries.

Stutzle doesn’t want to blame anything, no excuses. He wants to push forward and worry about what he does on the ice this season. He’s been reunited on a line with captain Brady Tkachuk and veteran winger Claude Giroux. Big production will be expected.

“It’s not just me. During the season, guys get hurt, sometimes they play through it,” Stutzle says. “There shouldn’t be an excuse for that. But, yeah, I feel healthy, I’m ready to go. I’m excited to be able to start the season healthy.”

Then there’s the team aspect. The Senators took a big step back last season, sliding from putting up 86 points (six behind a playoff spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference) to 78 (13 out of playoff position).

“It’s important for us to show we’ll do anything for the team, develop that team-first mentality,” Stutzle says.

The Senators will need to find a way to get momentum, then carry it forward. Too often a season ago, the Senators got stuck in quicksand — losses spiraled.

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Game 1 of this season — a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champs, with Stutzle scoring two goals — was a good start. 

“The NHL is so tight,” Stutzle says. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we need to treat each game the same. Stay calm, don’t get too high with emotions. Last year, we’d win a couple of games and we’d get too high. (We’d lose a couple of games and we’d get too low). For us, it has to be just keep chipping away.”

Green is pushing his players, working them hard in practice, looking for more.

“It’s important for me to get trust from the coach. You got to earn that trust,” Stutzle says. “I’ve been working as hard as I can, trying to do the right things every day. You want to play for (Green), you want to work hard for him. He brings it every day. I think that’s really what’s going to help this team get better.”

The lineup looks much different than it did a year ago. The top of the roster remains much the same, minus defenceman Jakob Chychrun. The additions of veterans David Perron, Nick Cousins, Nick Jensen Noah Gregor and potential game-changing goalie Linus Ullmark have changed the dynamic, probably in a good way.

“One hundred per cent it helps,” Stutzle says. “We had a really young leadership group the past couple of years. I’m willing to learn every day from those guys. They’ve been in a lot of different situations, they’ve won hockey games. And they’re great guys, I love having them around. I’m still really young, it’s a great opportunity for me to continue to learn.”

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