Ottawa Senators want to talk about positives around the club, and one of those positives is Drake Batherson. We all know of Batherson’s skill, but this year he’s putting it all together. But, just what does that mean and how does it impact the club’s performance? All this and more, as we discuss Batherson and his significance on the Senators roster.
Drake Batherson Determined to Make This the Year for the Senators
We all know about Batherson’s skillset. He has terrific hands, a hard, accurate shot, and playmaking skills. But it seems that we have yet to truly see his potential. Now, Batherson did previously have his breakout season in the NHL. In 2021-22, he put up 44 points in 46 games playing alongside Joshua Norris and Brady Tkachuk. Unfortunately, that season was cut short by injury for Batherson. However, in the two seasons that have followed, he’s been able to show it was no fluke, despite not quite getting back to that level. He’s scored at least 22 goals and notched a minimum of 62 points in each of those two campaigns. Now, in 2024-25, he looks to do what it takes to elevate his level back to where it was and beyond.
So far on the season, Batherson has been working hard. He is showing that he isn’t afraid to play the body and goes to the dirty areas to generate offence. Just from his 5v5 play, his expected goals on the season are already up to 2.1 through 14 games. Interestingly enough, and a sign the Sens forward group is playing the right way, despite that high rating, he’s only ranked fifth on the team. Unsurprisingly, the captain, Brady Tkachuk, leads the charge at 3.0 in the category. Furthermore, Batherson’s shooting shows confidence in his game. His 2.9 shot attempts per game at 5v5, have him ranked fourth on the squad.
Batherson May Have Found a New Home With Norris Again
The other aspect raising the level of comfort in Batherson’s game is the steady line he plays on. The line of Norris and Batherson combined with veteran point producer Claude Giroux has consistently been one of the Sens best lines on a nightly basis. They have been on ice for nearly 94 minutes thus far in 2024-25. In contrast, it is a bit odd to find their xGoals% at a very underwhelming mark of 41%. Perhaps that has factored into the Sens only being a .500 hockey club, if one of their best forward alignments, still isn’t overly great. On the other hand, what makes the trio successful, has been their efficiency. Their actual on-ice goal% is much higher at 50%. This positive discrepancy between actual and expected, shows that they produce more than they should relative to their opposition.
The other aspect of Batherson’s game that has elevated his play this season is his work on the power play. The Sens power play continues to roll along at 31.1%, good for fourth in the entire NHL. Batherson is a main fixture on the top unit. As mentioned, he has the skills, and he has been able to effectively apply them on the power play. In addition, he is already up to three goals and three assists, with the six points ranking him fourth on the team in power play scoring.
If the Ottawa Senators are to remain competitive in the playoff race throughout the 2024-25 season, Drake Batherson will continue to be a major contributor. Based on his body-of-work thus far, he’s setting a great precedent for what’s to come. As long as he can stay consistent, the Sens power play, the second line with Norris and Giroux, as well as the team outcomes, will all play out favourably as the season wears on.
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
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