Jimmy Stu, as he’s affectionately known as, is a great German, superstar point-scorer for the Senators. Tim Stutzle is one of the top young guns in the game, especially so for his club side in Ottawa, Ontario. And Sen fans have been waiting way too long for his team and he to make the postseason. Well everyone, that wait is almost over! Now, as we get going on this Wednesday morning, we know who the Sens first round matchup will be, the Battle of Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before we get into all the chaos that brings, we’d like to discuss Stutzle, and how he can help carry his team to success in the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tim Stutzle and the Rest of the Senators Young Guns Ready for Playoff Action
It’s been a long road to get here. Stutzle, along with guys like Ridly Greig and Jake Sanderson, among a couple of others, were all originally selected by the Senators and getting those first pictures for Upper Deck, in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. They’ve all been waiting for what seems an eternity to get here. But hey, even before that, Thomas Chabot, the longest tenured Senator, begin his NHL journey back in the fall of 2016 (albeit a one-game stint). Needless to say, everyone involved in this organization is impatiently ready for hockey’s platinum version of OPC that is, playoff action. But, just what should Stutzle and squad be setting up for at the start of this session of spring-season hockey?
For Stutzle, he needs to be aware, he will have a big, red target on his back for the Leafs shutdown guys and hard-nose defenders. Guys will be trying their absolute darndest to get under his skin, the Max Domi and Chris Tanev‘s. The question everybody following Ottawa will ask, is just how exactly will he respond? Will it elevate his game to a new stratosphere as he flies past blueliners? Or, will he be drawn in to the shenanigans and look to draw penalties with untimely dives, and other undisciplined, not-well-thought-out decision-making at high speed?
Tim Stutzle and Other Young Guns Need to Initiate, and Power Through the Leafs
Stutzle is fast and strong, although not overly intimidating by stature. But, he does need to initiate. He can’t shy away from contact, just because he’s going so much faster than the defence standing there collecting the puck. He needs to be the aggressor, so as to not be pushed around. Basically, if he is falling down, it’s because he’s knocking someone down in the process, not the other way around. Taking someone with him. Of course, not off the ice, because the Sens need him on the ice, putting up numbers.
Luckily, one aspect of this Sens group, is that not many of their players fall into this category of being not willing to initiate. Guys like Claude Giroux or Chabot may be exceptions. Conversely, they’re offensive guys and try to use their skill to avoid crowded areas. In contrast, Chabot, like Jake Sanderson, they need to be focused on moving the puck quickly. Not unlike Stutzle, they need to be smart decisions when they carry the puck. They need to have their head on a swivel so they snap crisp, cross-seam passes to the open man.
The Sens are a Well-Designed Roster
What about for those tipping the scales the other way, to aid in freeing-up space for guys like Stutzle and Giroux in the o-zone. The Dylan Cozens for Joshua Norris exchange helped tip the pendulum. Moreover, players like Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio, again are not totally, physically imposing figures, but can more than handle themselves along the boards and on towards the net front through sticks, skates, and bodies.
Like many of the young guns on this Sens roster qualifying for Lord Stanley’s tourney, Tim Stutzle has long been shining like a Black Diamond Gem Rookie Card. His recent cool stretch has just proven he can play responsibly amidst struggles offensively. This truly showing his growth and development as an NHLer. One thing he started trying was shooting more and it helped get him out of it. His lethal shot, makings plays at high-speed, is what got him here. Through a tight-checking playoff series, it is those game-breaking plays that might sneak this one out for the Senators.
Taking a look at Stutzle’s statistics, Sen fans have more reason for optimism. Through 80 games, he has tallied 23 goals, 52 assists, for 75 points. This was all the while playing just under 20-minutes a game, getting it done on a shooting percentage of 15. He wasn’t quite at the rate of his 2022-23 campaign, when he buried 39 goals, on a plus-17 S%. Also, the past couple seasons had seen him above 21-minutes a game. Moreover, the 52 is currently tied for his career high in apples and his CF% Rel. of 15.5, is a personal best.
Travis Green Keeping Stutzle and Side in Check
But with this construction of the Senators roster, Stutzle doesn’t need to be relied on for all situations. This can help keep him more fresh for tiring out Jake McCabe trying to catch him into the zone. Also, he had even killed some penalties in previous years, something head coach Travis Green definitely kept him sheltered from. So, he should be more energized.
It seems that Green, thanks to players like Tim Stutzle, have the Sens in a good spot. Despite not being favoured against the higher-ranked Leafs squad in this first round playoff matchup, the Sens did win all three regular season meetings. The Pesky Sens have the pieces there to give fits to the Leafs. You have to think they win the Linus Ullmark against (who?) matchup. With a great gameplan and just enough execution, this will be a hard-fought series. And for Tim Stutzle, we can all marvel in his skill, as he tried to become a playoff warrior in his first shot at glory!
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
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