Chabot, Giroux, Stutzle excited for new-look Senators after Ottawa’s busy off-season

OTTAWA – Thomas Chabot’s golf swing didn’t seem affected by his off-season wrist surgery or his new wedding ring. He’s confident the surgery will also boost his performance when the Ottawa Senators’ season begins.

Chabot, alongside Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle, participated in the Senators’ annual charity golf event on Monday, signaling the unofficial start of the hockey season. All three players expressed excitement about returning to the ice, especially with the team’s new roster additions.

“I took care of some things this summer,” Chabot said. “It’s exciting to start the season feeling healthy and ready to play.”

Chabot acknowledged that his wrist injury had hampered his play in previous seasons.

“It’s not an excuse, but it’s tough to perform at your best when dealing with injuries,” he explained. “Now that it’s behind me, I can fully focus on training camp and the upcoming season.”

A healthy Chabot is expected to be a key asset for the Senators, as is Stutzle, who also focused on his health during the off-season after dealing with lingering injuries last year.

“Everyone plays through injuries, but my goal was to get to 100% this summer and feel good going into this season,” said Stutzle.

The Senators ended last season with a 37-41-4 record and made significant changes, including appointing Travis Green as their new head coach in May and adding assistants Mike Yeo and Nolan Baumgartner.

Notable roster changes included acquiring goalie Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins in a June trade involving Mark Kastelic, Joonas Korpisalo, and a 2024 first-round pick. Ottawa also made several moves in July and signed eight players through free agency, including veteran forward Nick Cousins in late August.

Stutzle, like many of his teammates, is enthusiastic about the new additions.

“We brought in some great players with strong reputations,” Stutzle said. “I’m excited about our team and eager to get to work.”

Ullmark, with a 138-73-23 career record and a .918 save percentage, has impressed his new teammates.

“He’s a big presence on the ice, and we’re excited to have him,” said Giroux.

Entering his third season with Ottawa, Giroux is also optimistic about the upcoming year.

“There’s always a fresh energy at this time of year with new faces,” Giroux noted. “We’ve made key additions and are ready to get the chemistry going.”

Giroux emphasized that the players must now capitalize on the improved roster.

“Our staff, led by GM Steve Staios, did a great job bringing in players who can contribute,” Giroux said. “Now it’s up to us to deliver.”

As the Senators prepare for training camp, the focus is on building a strong identity and work ethic, with Chabot noting that Green has already stressed the importance of hard work.

“It’s about showing up and putting in the effort every day,” Chabot said. “As players, we need to step up and take that next step as a team.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 9, 2024.