What was once a much-maligned trade seems to be turning into something so much more for the Senators.
In 2018, the Senators dealt defenceman Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks for a package including Josh Norris and a first-round draft pick, which turned out to be Tim Stützle. The trade sent shockwaves and was seen as a pennies-on-a-dollar swap for a Sharks team that seemed poised to win a Stanley Cup with a group that already included Joe Thornton, Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski.
Meanwhile, Ottawa was headed for a long rebuild. Six years later, the rebuild is still on — but the Karlsson trade did yield the Senators’ top two centres for the foreseeable future. Karlsson, meanwhile, left San Jose with a Norris Trophy, but no Cup.
On Wednesday, both Stützle and Norris impressed in Ottawa’s 4-3 win against the Sharks. Both are providing what the team needs as it attempts to right the ship and become a playoff team.
The first period was Stützle’s own personal hockey clinic. He set up the game-opening goal for Ottawa’s first 1-0 lead in seven games. Moments later, on a power play, Stützle halted a clearing attempt before finding Drake Batherson, who put it on platter for Norris to snap home the Senators’ second goal.
The 22-year-old Stützle has cemented himself as one of the best players in the league.
“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory,” Norris said about Stützle’s improved play. “He’s obviously taken a big step. And I think that’s what all great players do when they’re getting to that age. And obviously, he’s still really young but he’s taken it upon himself to raise his play. Just off the ice through his leadership, and everything else that he brings, so it’s fun to watch him right now.”
To cap off a wonderful evening, Stützle set up Adam Gaudette for a beautiful one-handed tip for the game-winning goal late in the third period.
And then there’s that other pick-up from the Karlsson trade — Norris. There had been trade rumours this week surrounding the second-line centre, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. However, the Senators should think twice about trading a player who scores, kills penalties, is defensively responsible and is well-liked in the dressing room.
The Senators don’t want Norris taking revenge on them like he has on his old Sharks team, which drafted him 19th overall in 2017. Wednesday marked his second game in San Jose, and he has scored both times.
“Seven years ago?” said Norris, flummoxed by how long it was since he had been drafted. “I like coming back here (to San Jose). Obviously, it’s kind of where my career got started. Obviously, never playing games here, but I’m very thankful for them taking a chance on me.”
One issue is that Norris isn’t a play driver — he’s been out-shot 256-280 at five-on-five — yet he still has nine goals in 22 games and is on pace for 33 goals. The Senators are now 6-1-1 when Norris scores.
Ullmark flipping Sens’ goalie script
You can count on one hand how many times a Senators goaltender has stolen a win in recent years.
Add the victory over San Jose to that short list.
Linus Ullmark was superb on Wednesday to salvage a victory in a game in which the Senators managed only 11 shots to the Sharks’ 39.
The expectation heading into this season had been that Ullmark would occasionally stand on his head and steal a victory. However, since his first game of the season when he stopped 31 of 32 against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, Ullmark has been more heel than hero with a .886 save percentage.
But from the beginning of the Sharks game, Ullmark was the man the Senators traded for. He was bombarded with shots, but kept Ottawa in the game, allowing his star forwards to work their magic.
Already this season the Senators have blown leads and thrown away ties late in games against Vegas, Philadelphia and Colorado. This time, Ullmark bent but didn’t break, especially in the third period. He made a big save on Luke Kunin on a breakaway early in the frame and an enormous left kick save on Alexander Wennberg later to preserve a one-goal lead. No question Ullmark was the difference maker, saving 10 out of 12 high-danger shots.
Even after San Jose tied the game late in the third, Ullmark made a miraculous pad stop on Tyler Toffoli’s backdoor opportunity, which was followed seconds later by the game-winning goal from a red-hot Gaudette on the Senators’ first shot in over 20 minutes.
In total, Ullmark stopped 36 shots, saving 1.42 goals above expected, according to MoneyPuck.
Through all the turmoil and poor performances, Ullmark stuck with it. Against the Sharks, he demonstrated what his four-year, $33-million contract extension was for.
“That’s the guy we envisioned, and we needed all of it tonight,” coach Travis Green said. “You know sometimes you just find a way and it wasn’t pretty, but we got a win.”
Gaudette said Ullmark “played a helluve game.”
“It’s great to see and, you know, when you want to win games sometimes you need your goalie to bail you out and that’s exactly what he did tonight,” Gaudette said.
It was just one game, but combined with Ullmark’s career résumé, which includes a Vezina Trophy, there’s hope we could see more of these performances.
After Cole Reinhardt scored his first career goal, it was Tyler Kleven’s turn to get off the schneid in his 39th NHL game. He scored off a rocket of a slapshot in the second.
“I just kind of buried my head and prayed that it went in,” Kleven said. “I was so excited … I was hoping I wouldn’t be put out for the next shift, I was so high. It’s been a long time coming and I was just glad I could help out the team.”
• The Ottawa Senators now have more road wins against Western Conference teams than they did all of last season, with two. Last season they were 1-14-1.
• Eleven shots by the Senators tied their fewest ever in a win in franchise history. (The other was April 12, 2013, in a 2-0 win in New Jersey.) They scored on their only shot in the third period to boot.