Senators S Departure Meetings Are Marked By A Common Theme They Want More

But they are not going to add “expectations” to the list of weights they need to overcome. After his first season as captain, Brady Tkachuk said the senators would coordinate the “outside noise” of playoff discussions and views on where the team should be in its development. “To be honest with you, we are not really going to listen to the external pressures on our team,” Tkachuk said. We will focus on “day by day”, every game is important. All of these points are valuable. You see that it takes the high 90s (in points) to reach the playoffs, so you can not really focus on the numbers, you have to focus on the day to day. “I think we are ready for what is happening now.” The Sens finished their season just like last year – with a final boom. Ottawa has won five of its last six games, but still lost the playoffs for one mile. Head coach DJ Smith described it as the biggest year of his coaching career, due to the number of injuries, COVID-19 problems, schedule changes and extra trips. However, he said the challenges helped the staff learn about the players, while the players learned what they could and could not do. Smith said the common theme for Saturday’s retirement interviews was that the team was thirsty for success. “They want more – more for themselves,” Smith said. They want to be part of the action (playoffs). Chatting is cheap, of course, but when there are no calendar games for a team out of the playoffs, chatting is all there is to it. Smith, who has been named assistant coach for Canada’s squad for the upcoming IIHF World Championships in Finland, is going home to Windsor for a few days and will then return here Wednesday to meet with Canadian coach Claude Julien in preparation for tournament. After three lost seasons as Ottawa coach, Smith has admitted he is looking for an “opportunity to win something”. Winning is also on the Senate menu for 2022-23, though Smith warned he should see what his roster will look like after the summer (by you, GM Pierre Dorion, speaking Sunday). Smith believes the key pieces are in place, with Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Tim Stützle, Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson among others. “They need children to support them,” Smith said. Tkachuk believes that the will exists. “Internally, we will push each other, we will push ourselves to become as good as we can,” said Tkachuk, whom Smith called a “father figure” for the whole team. Quite a title for a 22-year-old, but Tkachuk certainly established his credentials as a leader. Part of that development was learning to control his emotions, he said. Tkachuk Batherson’s colleague said he believes this team is ready to push for a place in the playoffs. “We have shown that we can beat top teams,” said Batherson. “We just have to be more consistent.” Deputy Captain Chabot agreed that it was time to fight. “As players, I think it’s time to start winning and take this team to a whole new level,” said Chabot. “I think everyone in our category who makes it to the playoffs is over 100 points, so it’s a long way off, but I think it’s a place we can go.” Norris needs a contract Josh Norris, the 35-year-old Ottawa goal leader, says he does not focus on setting goals for his statistics. “I think it keeps you from getting where you want to go – it keeps you out of the moment,” says Norris. That said, adding that scoring 35 goals this season was a “nice milestone”. With teammate Brady Tkachuk scoring No. 30, the pair became the top scorer with more than 30 goals as teammates after Milan Michalek (35) and Jason Spezza (34) in 2011-12. While Norris may not score, the goals he scored gave him a good contract this summer as an RFA pending. “I hope we can do it fast enough,” Norris said. “And I really do not want it to roll over my head all summer, so we’ll see what happens. But I like it here. I love the city. “I think we have a great crew and I want to be here for a long time.” Norris will rely on Tkachuk and last summer’s contract experience. “He’s one of my best friends… I’m sure there will be days when I need a little advice or just the word that everything will work out for me.” Tkachuk can advise Norris Tkachuk promised Norris an “exciting” summer to complete the deal. “Honestly, he has done everything he can to get it out there and prove himself, to prove how good a player he is,” Tkachuk said of Norris. “I was lucky enough to play with him all year and see the development, and that was just awesome. “I know how emotions work with that, and yes, I’ll do my best to be there for him. “Sometimes it will feel like a long summer – some difficult days will come; but it is an exciting process, just enjoy it.” Stützle is drawn to worlds Several senators will attend DJ Smith at the World Hockey Championship, including three players who spoke on Saturday morning – Drake Batherson and Thomas Chabot for Canada and Tim Stützle for Germany. “It will be fun to see all these kids at the World Cup and we will have dinner together,” said Stützle. Interestingly, Stützle and Smith admitted that the 20-year-old was offered the opportunity to play center outside the training camp, but chose to learn more about the position of the left wing first. Stützle’s final move to the center due to injuries in the starting line-up proved to be the trigger for his development into an elite prospect in position. Smith believes Stützle could be a huge star in the league. “Everything we asked him to do – he got better,” Smith said. One of the areas that Stützle plans to work on: staying on his feet. Pinto close to 100 percent Center Shane Pinto, who missed most of the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery, says he could probably play this spring if the Senators had qualified for the post-season. “Our time is up,” Pinto said. The rookie said it is about the limit of five months now, which is about the time period that his doctor said would be required. “I’m fine.” I’ve been skating for the last two months (with a practical contact), but I’ll be back now. Spend some time with family and then start training again in June… I’ll be here a little early to get more things are moving fast. ” As usual, injuries were a big part of the garbage day talk. Tkachuk said he has two very sore hands, plus a back and knee pain – conditions that will keep him out of the US tournament. Conor Brown missed the last part of the season with a broken wrist. Meanwhile, Mathieu Joseph, who also lost the finals, revealed that he was suffering from a rib injury. “It’s kind of my SC (sternocleidomastoid) joint, close to my sternum and the cartilage on my first side is bothering me, there’s a small fracture in there, so I couldn’t go in the last weeks of the season. Said Joseph. On the plus side, Joseph said he had a wonderful experience visiting the White House with his former Tampa Bay Lightning teammates last week. Joseph is looking forward to playing an entire season in Ottawa and feels he can be a useful player up and down the squad as needed on penalties. Matt Murray still has concussion issues Goalkeeper Matt Murray has not played a game since March 5 and is still experiencing prolonged concussion symptoms. Murray said he was “pushing hard” to get to some games late on schedule, but had to close things recently as symptoms reappeared. He hopes that a little more rest can lead to his return to the ice. The veteran made it clear that he has reluctantly become very knowledgeable about earthquakes, having suffered one in 2016 that prompted him to consult some of the top earthquake experts in the US The most common advice from others who have been through it – get everything else you need. Some cases last longer than others. The focus, he added, is to stay positive and he hopes to be able to continue training this summer once he overcomes the last hurdles to full health. Fans and the media may be speculating about Murray’s future in Ottawa and whether or not the team could make a takeover bid, but Murray certainly speaks like he’s part of the picture in the fall. Four of Murray’s five wins this season came in January and he believes he can return to that level and form a strong combination with Anton Forsberg next season. “When I was there, I thought I was playing well all season,” Murray said. “The point is to be healthy.” Murray said that he has seen great progress in the team’s game in the second half of the season and he feels that the future is bright. “I think you’ve started to see evolution even since I’m here,” Murray said. “Children mature, both inside and outside the ice.” Having won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Murray knows what kind of formula a team needs in the post-season. “It is the attention to detail, especially in playoff hockey, it is the very fine details that determine whether you win or lose games. It is so different, it is stricter, there is much less room for error. “The fact that we saw a lot more attention to detail in the second half, defensively …