Greig vs. Rielly & Prospect Updates
Also, a more in-depth look at the most recent Battle of Ontario & more!
Welcome to the THW Ottawa Senators Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Senators writers.
In today’s edition, we have a look at the Morgan Rielly/Ridly Greig controversy, the Battle of Ontario, prospects & more!
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Now on to the good stuff…
Rielly Takes Exception to Greig’s Empty Net Slap Shot – Reactions
February 11, 2024 by Jacob Billington
In the final installment of the Battle of Ontario for the 2023-24 season, the Ottawa Senators came out on top with a 5-3 victory. It was a pretty quiet game with some back-and-forth scoring for the majority of it, and one takeaway from the game was the lack of penalties called by the referees. Only two minor penalties were called, and the game was starting to get physical in the tail end of the third period.
After taking a few extra cross-checks the shift before, Ridly Greig had the opportunity to seal the game with an empty-net goal. As he hustled down the ice, he realized he was all alone and took a high-effort slap shot from the hash marks. Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly didn’t appreciate the extra, unnecessary effort put into the insurance marker and took exception and cross-checked Greig up high after the goal. Here is a look at Greig’s decision, Rielly’s reaction, and some online responses from former NHL players and media members.
Senators Prospect Report: Nikitin, Halliday & More
February 13, 2024 by Dayton Reimer
The new year has been kind to the Ottawa Senators. After starting January with a five-game losing streak, they followed it up with six wins over the next 10 games and two overtime losses. It may not be the dominance fans were hoping for, but it’s definitely more of what they expected. It’s also hardly a coincidence that the team began performing better once Shane Pinto returned to the lineup, and he’s been great, too; in seven games this season, he already has seven points. Add on the fact that Tim Stutzle finally is starting to look like his old self and Brady Tkachuk is scoring more consistently, there’s finally a bit of hope back with the Senators.
The Senators’ farm system is also showing some growth throughout the ranks. Jorian Donovan has continued his dominance of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Angus Crookshank continues to look like a hidden gem with the Belleville Senators, but some of the team’s more underrated prospects have found a new level of skill. Here’s who stuck out in January.
Senators Top Rivalling Maple Leafs in Close Game
February 11, 2024 by Raphael Caron
The Battle of Ontario season series concluded with the Ottawa Senators defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs by the score of 5-3 on a Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre. This was certainly an exciting match-up that saw back-and-forth offensive chances and a lot of heat, especially towards the end. Let’s dive right into this impressive effort by the Senators.
Egor Sokolov Facing Uncertain Future with the Senators
February 11, 2024 by Nicolas Ferrari
The Ottawa Senators’ prospect pool is as deep as the Rideau Canal. Though many prospects have graduated from junior or the minor leagues and now log regular minutes with the Senators, Egor Sokolov often finds himself on the outside looking in. Sokolov, the 23-year-old from Yekaterinburg, Russia, was drafted by Ottawa in the second round (61st overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Most second-round picks get playing time by the time they are 23, and some even end up having long and illustrious careers. Sokolov, however, has only suited up for 13 games with the Sens (split between two stints in 2021-22 and 2022-23). Since he is set to become a free agent this summer (July 1st, 2024), this begs the question, does he have a future in Ottawa?