Can Tim Stutzle still be a superstar for the Senators? – Hockey Writer – Ottawa Senators

Tim Stutzler continues to dazzle Ottawa Senators fans this season. Yet there’s no denying that in the Senators’ 15 games so far this season, his eight goals and eight assists are solid, but not exactly a superstar. The question many in Bytown are starting to ask is whether he has plateaued after a breakout year in 2023 that saw him score 31 goals and 90 points. Some say yes, while others believe he is developing into a more complete player on both sides of the ball and his contributions to the team extend far beyond just scoring goals.

RELATED: Senators fans’ patience wears thin after poor start to season

So, is the youngster from Germany following in the footsteps of compatriot Leon Draisaitl and becoming a superstar, or has he hit a roadblock that he’s struggling to break through?

Does Stutzler fit the definition of a superstar?

The answer to this question lies in your definition of superstar. There is no consensus yet on what it means to be a member of the NHL. What’s more, the term is as cliche as the superlative “generational talent” — a label applied to five or six players currently playing in the NHL at the same time. Seriously, they can’t all be generational Talent, okay?

There’s no doubt that the word “superstar” has been thrown around Stutzl a lot in barstool debates along the Rideau Canal. It started when former Senators general manager Pierre Dorion heaped praise on him after signing him to an eight-year extension in 2022, saying, “We have an up-and-coming superstar. Whether he’s going to be a top-five player in the league or a top-10 player in the league, he’s going to make me get out of my seat.”

The front office isn’t the only one who sees Stutzle as a superstar. Former Senator Jason York spoke eloquently about him last season, saying, “To me, that’s how I categorize a superstar: Can you get the fans out of their seats? Are you worth the price of admission? How many guys are actually worth the price of admission like, ‘Wow?’ Not to be outdone, Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark put it bluntly during training camp, “He’s a superstar.” “

There’s no doubt that Stutzler often brings fans to their feet. Even so, it’s hard to argue that he’s reached star status in the league. This season, he’s on pace to score a solid but unspectacular 76 points. His best season in six seasons skating in the NHL came in 2022-23, when he scored 90 points, a number he hasn’t reached since.

Here’s how his league rankings in key metrics compared last season to what he’ll put up in a stellar 2022-23 season.

Forget Dorion’s idea of ​​Stutzle being a top-five or top-10 player. After a while, a player becomes exactly what his numbers indicate. Their assessment of Stutzle is that he’s unlikely to be among the top 20 players in the league by any important metric.

What’s holding Stutz back from becoming a superstar?

As one of the Senators’ deadliest offensive threats, Stutzle was forced to adapt to more attention from other teams than he received in his first few years as an NHL player. There’s no question that he was difficult to target at times, lost focus and sometimes received silly retaliatory penalties.

Stutzle became more responsible defensively. Backtracking and playing the 200-foot game is something Senators head coach Travis Green emphasizes. As he said of Stutzle’s defensive growth, “Any championship team that wins, their star players don’t just play offense; they don’t cheat. They play on both ends of the ice. They’re able to create offense and play good defense.”

Stutzle appears to be working on transforming from his flashy early self into a more complete player, and Green and his coaching staff are demanding a lot from him. As he explained, “I want to win more games, and if you score 50 points and you lose every game, that’s not going to work. When I perform, it helps. We’re winning games. But at the end of the day, I think if I play better defensively and shut down other guys, we have the same chance of winning games.”

Perhaps this shift diminished his offensive firepower, but it likely set him up for future success. After all, he is only 23 years old, and superstars rarely appear so young.

Stutzle: Are superstars on the rise or have they plateaued?

It’s too early to say Stutzle is regressing. Instead, this season may show growth in his mastery of the less glamorous aspects of NHL stardom. After all, true superstars evolve by expanding their games, not just improving their statistics.

If Stutzle can get close to his career-high of 90 points while meeting Green’s standards of being a complete player, he’ll be taking the next step toward true NHL stardom — however that might be defined.