The Ottawa Senators have waited eight seasons to get here. Tim Stutzle has waited his entire NHL career. Now, the 2025 NHL Playoffs are handing them the loudest matchup possible. The Toronto Maple Leafs . The rivalry that humiliated the Senators for years. This isn’t just about hockey. It’s about history. It’s about rewriting it. For Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk , and the rest of Ottawa’s core, this first-round series is the test they’ve been built for.
Tim Stutzle needs to stay composed and carry Ottawa Senators offense without reacting to Toronto Maple Leafs agitators
Tim Stutzle was drafted to be the face of the rebuild. In 2020, alongside Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig, he became one of the cornerstones of a team that was tired of losing and sick of being ignored. His numbers speak clearly. In 80 games this season, Tim Stutzle recorded 23 goals, 52 assists, and finished with 75 points. His 15 percent shooting percentage and 15.5 CF% Rel are career-highs. And he did it all playing under 20 minutes a night. That’s efficiency and control.
But none of that will matter if he lets the Toronto Maple Leafs drag him into chaos. Max Domi will poke. Chris Tanev will press. The goal will be to rattle him. If Tim Stutzle dives, slashes, chirps back or even hesitates, it plays into Toronto’s hands. He has to stay on the ice. He has to be the one making defenders chase him, not the other way around. He doesn’t need to throw hits, but he can’t avoid them either. If he’s going down, he better take someone with him. Ottawa needs his production more than his drama.
Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson and Claude Giroux must lead a playoff-first Ottawa Senators core against a veteran Toronto Maple Leafs roster
Most of this Ottawa Senators roster has never played a playoff game. That includes Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson, and Tim Stutzle. Only Claude Giroux and Thomas Chabot bring real postseason experience. That contrast matters, because the Toronto Maple Leafs are built with proven playoff talent. Mitch Marner scored 100 points. William Nylander had 45 goals. Auston Matthews is still one of the most dangerous players in the league.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the Atlantic Division. They’re the higher seed. They’ve been here before. Ottawa hasn't. But this group doesn’t carry the psychological weight that broke past Senators teams. The 2004 Game 7 collapse is not Tim Stutzle’s memory. It belongs to fans and history. This team only knows how to move forward.
Brady Tkachuk plays hard, leads harder, and thrives in messy games. He needs to dominate the front of the net. Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot must move the puck clean and fast. Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio won’t overpower anyone physically, but they can win board battles and open lanes for second-chance shots. Every player has a role, and every shift matters.
Travis Green has done his part by not overloading Tim Stutzle. He has kept him off penalty kill duties, letting him conserve energy for offensive drives. That matters against a Toronto team that runs four dangerous lines. And goaltending? Linus Ullmark gives the Ottawa Senators a real chance. They won all three regular-season games against the Toronto Maple Leafs this year.
The last time the Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs? Never. Four series. Four losses. The most painful in 2004, when Joe Nieuwendyk scored twice from the exact same spot and Patrick Lalime never played another game for Ottawa. The kind of game that scars a fanbase.
But this is not 2004. This isn’t even close. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the favorite. They always are. But one playoff round win in eight seasons is not dominance. It’s pressure. It’s expectation. It’s weight.
Tim Stutzle needs to stay composed and carry Ottawa Senators offense without reacting to Toronto Maple Leafs agitators
TIM STUTZLE IN OVERTIME! SENATORS WIN 4-3!#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/pFYZbWutRF
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 13, 2025
Tim Stutzle was drafted to be the face of the rebuild. In 2020, alongside Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig, he became one of the cornerstones of a team that was tired of losing and sick of being ignored. His numbers speak clearly. In 80 games this season, Tim Stutzle recorded 23 goals, 52 assists, and finished with 75 points. His 15 percent shooting percentage and 15.5 CF% Rel are career-highs. And he did it all playing under 20 minutes a night. That’s efficiency and control.
But none of that will matter if he lets the Toronto Maple Leafs drag him into chaos. Max Domi will poke. Chris Tanev will press. The goal will be to rattle him. If Tim Stutzle dives, slashes, chirps back or even hesitates, it plays into Toronto’s hands. He has to stay on the ice. He has to be the one making defenders chase him, not the other way around. He doesn’t need to throw hits, but he can’t avoid them either. If he’s going down, he better take someone with him. Ottawa needs his production more than his drama.
Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson and Claude Giroux must lead a playoff-first Ottawa Senators core against a veteran Toronto Maple Leafs roster
"It feels awesome." 🙌
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 11, 2025
Tim Stützle joins the Hockey Central panel to discuss the Senators clinching their spot in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/kTnSUTCQj0
Most of this Ottawa Senators roster has never played a playoff game. That includes Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson, and Tim Stutzle. Only Claude Giroux and Thomas Chabot bring real postseason experience. That contrast matters, because the Toronto Maple Leafs are built with proven playoff talent. Mitch Marner scored 100 points. William Nylander had 45 goals. Auston Matthews is still one of the most dangerous players in the league.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the Atlantic Division. They’re the higher seed. They’ve been here before. Ottawa hasn't. But this group doesn’t carry the psychological weight that broke past Senators teams. The 2004 Game 7 collapse is not Tim Stutzle’s memory. It belongs to fans and history. This team only knows how to move forward.
Brady Tkachuk plays hard, leads harder, and thrives in messy games. He needs to dominate the front of the net. Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot must move the puck clean and fast. Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio won’t overpower anyone physically, but they can win board battles and open lanes for second-chance shots. Every player has a role, and every shift matters.
Travis Green has done his part by not overloading Tim Stutzle. He has kept him off penalty kill duties, letting him conserve energy for offensive drives. That matters against a Toronto team that runs four dangerous lines. And goaltending? Linus Ullmark gives the Ottawa Senators a real chance. They won all three regular-season games against the Toronto Maple Leafs this year.
The last time the Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs? Never. Four series. Four losses. The most painful in 2004, when Joe Nieuwendyk scored twice from the exact same spot and Patrick Lalime never played another game for Ottawa. The kind of game that scars a fanbase.
But this is not 2004. This isn’t even close. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the favorite. They always are. But one playoff round win in eight seasons is not dominance. It’s pressure. It’s expectation. It’s weight.
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