2017 vs 2025 - Sens Playoff Edition

[GoodinOsgoode]

Was just looking back at the last Sens playoff team in 2017.
Solid team but I do think the 2025 version is overall better team with more depth.

Here we go:

2017:
Hoffman Turris Stone
MacArthur Brassard Ryan
Dzingel Pageau Burrows
Stalberg Z Smith Pyatt
extra: Wingels

Methot Karlsson
Phaneuf Ceci
Claesson Wideman
extra: Harpur

Anderson
Condon

2025:
Tkachuk Stutzle Zetterlund
Perron Cozens Batherson
Greig Pinto Giroux
Cousins Gaudette Amadio
extra: Highmore

Sanderson Zub
Chabot Jensen
Kleven Matinpalo
extra: Hamonic

Ullmark
Forsberg

I don't exactly recall what the forward line-up for the 2017 team looked like but I think I am fairly close.
The forward group for 2025 is certainly subject to change as well but I think this is the basic framework for our current group.

I think the overall depth is more balanced in 2025 at forward & defence.
Goaltending in 2025 is arguably stronger going in.
Some noticeable similarities in that are no truly elite forwards and the best player in both groups is a D (Karlsson & Sanderson).

I do think we have a chance this year but things will have to fall just right for us in 2025 as they did in 2017, to get all the way to the third round.

 

[NyQuil]

The 2017 team had a whole pile of guys who knew that it might be one of their last kicks at the proverbial can.

Ryan, MacArthur, Brassard, Phaneuf, Burrows.

They all played at a level that was much higher than expected at that stage of their careers.

Unlike a lot of other playoff runs, we were the veteran team for a change and played a gritty game that took teams by surprise.

 

[GoodinOsgoode]

The 2017 team had a whole pile of guys who knew that it might be one of their last kicks at the proverbial can.

Ryan, MacArthur, Brassard, Phaneuf, Burrows.

They all played at a level that was much higher than expected at that stage of their careers.

Unlike a lot of other playoff runs, we were the veteran team for a change and played a gritty game that took teams by surprise.

You could say that the 2025 version also has a number of veterans in a similar situation:

Giroux, Perron, Jensen, Cousins, Hamonic

 

[Wallet Inspector]

On paper, I think the 2025 forward group completely dwarfs the 2017 one.

On defence, the 2025 group is better overall but Karlsson is easily the best defenceman between the two years.

 

[NyQuil]

You could say that the 2025 version also has a number of veterans in a similar situation:

Giroux, Perron, Jensen, Cousins, Hamonic

Yeah, I thought about Giroux in particular.

Hopefully we'll see a similar jump in play from some of these guys.

A big difference is how many of our guys have zero playoff experience.

Stutzle, Tkachuk, Batherson, Cozens, Greig, Pinto, Sanderson, Zub, Kleven, Matinpalo, etc.

 

[PlayOn]

On paper, I think the 2025 forward group completely dwarfs the 2017 one.

On defence, the 2025 group is better overall but Karlsson is easily the best defenceman between the two years.

I agree.

I would add that “on paper” is the key part here because the magic of the 2017 team was that a lot of these players had completely different gears in the playoffs.

It’s hard to say if this team will have the same knack for the big moments. Goaltending is a great example of that too - with Andy he had his ups and downs but you knew the bigger the game the better he would be. I don’t think Ullmark has shown that in the playoffs yet, but it’s a small sample size, so it’s just more unknowns all around.

 

[bicboi64]

2025 is more talented on paper but no individual player shown the ability to drag the team to a win the way EK could. That roster was full of guys that played their hearts out, but the talent was just not there,

Best part is the guys that can like Stu and Sandy are still developing and can hit that level.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

God I remember how polarizing the team’s metrics were when Karlsson was on/off the ice in those playoffs. Borderline lottery team when Methot-Karlsson weren’t deployed.

 

[DrEasy]

The 2017 team was mostly a mirage; they had some favorable match-ups in the playoffs. The teams they played were struck by multiple injuries, they played tired. Our luck could have even continued if Matt Murray hadn't come back.

This year whoever faces the Devils is probably automatically qualified for the next round.

I think this year's team is better, but the match-up is going to be much harder.

 

[darude]

2017 Forwards were better than our current group, albeit with a different makeup.

If these teams were to play each other our 2025 D would shut down the 2017 team hard though.

I know Ullmark has a Vezina but playoff Andy was incredibly underrated. Dude is third all time in playoff SV% with a .929 in 48 games. Shesterkin has (currently) very similar numbers to Andy come the playoffs and is the only active goalie in the top 10. What I'm saying is Andy in the playoffs was a beast and it wouldn't be a given that 2025 has the edge in goaltending, at least when talking starters.

In a way this kind of comparison kinda lines up with our potential first round matchup in the Leafs. More offensive firepower but weak defensively, goaltending might be a wash or might not depending on how the goalies step up.

 

[darude]

The 2017 team was mostly a mirage; they had some favorable match-ups in the playoffs. The teams they played were struck by multiple injuries, they played tired. Our luck could have even continued if Matt Murray hadn't come back.

This year whoever faces the Devils is probably automatically qualified for the next round.

I think this year's team is better, but the match-up is going to be much harder.

Uhh, what is this revisionist madness?
We beat Boston who had, from what I can see, one notable injury in Krejci (though he played 3 games) plus grandfather Chara.

2017 NHL Eastern First Round: BOS vs. OTT | Hockey-Reference.com

2017 NHL Eastern First Round: BOS vs. OTT

www.hockey-reference.com

Then we beat the Rangers, who from what I can tell had everyone...

2017 NHL Eastern Second Round: NYR vs. OTT | Hockey-Reference.com

2017 NHL Eastern Second Round: NYR vs. OTT

www.hockey-reference.com

Then we took the eventual cup-winning Pens to OT in game 7, and were inches from going to the cup final before we lost.

 

[DrEasy]

Uhh, what is this revisionist madness?
We beat Boston who had, from what I can see, one notable injury in Krejci (though he played 3 games) plus grandfather Chara.

2017 NHL Eastern First Round: BOS vs. OTT | Hockey-Reference.com

2017 NHL Eastern First Round: BOS vs. OTT

www.hockey-reference.com

Then we beat the Rangers, who from what I can tell had everyone...

2017 NHL Eastern Second Round: NYR vs. OTT | Hockey-Reference.com

2017 NHL Eastern Second Round: NYR vs. OTT

www.hockey-reference.com

Then we took the eventual cup-winning Pens to OT in game 7, and were inches from going to the cup final before we lost.

I'll trust your data over my possibly very faulty recollection! Just had the impression that every team we faced were on their last leg.

 

[Ouroboros]

Boston were missing Krug and Carlo for that series in 2017, then they lost McQuaid early in game 2. That's half of their top-6 defensemen. Krejci played in games 3 and 4 but only a handful of shifts in game 5.

 

[JungleBeat]

Karlsson carried that garbage team on his back. 2025 is much deeper.

 

[darude]

Boston were missing Krug and Carlo for that series in 2017, then they lost McQuaid early in game 2. That's half of their top-6 defensemen. Krejci played in games 3 and 4 but only a handful of shifts in game 5.

I stand corrected. Krug got hurt at the end of the season and I forgot about Carlo because that was his rookie year. McQuaid is probably a wash with Boro though, who was also injured and only played 2 games in that series.

 

[Icelevel]

Team is not as dominant as the good old days. But should be built better for the playoffs.

 

[Tuna99]

On paper, I think the 2025 forward group completely dwarfs the 2017 one.

On defence, the 2025 group is better overall but Karlsson is easily the best defenceman between the two years.

Karlsson easily the best player to ever skate for Ottawa and probably will be a long time before we see a talent that changed the game like him

 

[bicboi64]

On a side note, worst part of the 2017 run, our best forward wasn't even going offensively. Stone was pretty meh scoring wise. Only 8 points in 19 games, 8th in team scoring. Guys like Burrows, Ceci Stalberg, and ZSmith combined for 1 flippin goal. If some of our depth guys scored an additional goal each, what could've been...

#f***ChrisKunitz

 

[Cosmix]

Looking back at the 2006-07 season, the Senators roster was (not sure about the lines after line 1):

Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
McAmmond - Comrie - Neil
Schaefer - Fisher - Eaves
Hamel - Vermette - Kelly
McGrattan - Schubert

Redden - Meszaros
Phillips - Volchenkov
Corvo - Presissing

Emery - Gerber

They went to the STANLEY CUP Final!

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Karlsson carried that garbage team on his back. 2025 is much deeper.

Andy and Ryan also were massive reasons why they went as far as they did. Pageau for one game too.

 

[PlayOn]

Andy and Ryan also were massive reasons why they went as far as they did. Pageau for one game too.

Turris too. I remember him being especially awesome in that series against Pittsburgh going up against Crosby. A team with Turris as their 2C would have been laughing.