Mario Calvo
This image comes courtesy of a meme I saw while scrolling through social media before winter break, and I found it nothing short of hilarious. However, this little meme is more than just a meme, I believe this to be a true microcosm of the Ottowa Senators thus far in the 2023-2024 NHL season.
On the surface, this is a bad team. Under the surface, this is a really bad team. The team currently stands at 16 wins and 24 losses, last in the Atlantic Division with a measly 32 points compared to the first-place Boston Bruins standing at 64 points. On the ice, the Senators combine an average offense with a terrible defense. This team seems to be unable to stop even a nosebleed, given that the Senators are in the top 10 for goals given up, and their penalty kill is an abysmal 3rd-wost in the NHL as well. Their offense is 17th in the NHL for goals scored and have the 24th-ranked power play, nothing too shiny at all. As it pertains to coaching, the Senators have already fired coach D.J. Smith after an 11-15 start, and at 5-9, Jaques Martin does not seem to have improved the Senators’ standing in the NHL significantly. The bottom line is that an aging Claude Giroux is simply incapable of leading the Senators to the promised land by himself. While Giroux’s stats are undeniably good, the team has simply been unable to provide any support for him throughout the season. While Ridly Greig and Mathieu Joseph are bright spots, the rest of the team is simply not good enough to be competitive against top-tier competition in the rest of the NHL.