Why Pierre LeBrun believes Senators are a Stanley Cup sleeper

The Ottawa Senators will be returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sens return to the playoffs for a second straight year after losing in the first round in six games last season.

As they look to advance this season beyond the first round, The Athletic’s hockey insider Pierre LeBrun believes the Senators could be a sleeper to lift the Stanley Cup.

“But you know the team that could really surprise and do damage? The Ottawa Senators. The underlying numbers in the first half of the season suggested that they were a better team than their record,” LeBrun wrote. “Now they’re getting saves. Head coach Travis Green and his staff have done an outstanding job getting that team in. They can beat anyone.”

The Senators have not won a playoff series since 2017, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games. The team has not been to the Stanley Cup Final since 2007, when they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. They have never won the Stanley Cup.

This year, it could be a difficult path to making it through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions, and back-to-back winning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers are not in the playoffs, there are other formidable foes.

The Senators currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, which would set them up against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. They could pass the Boston Bruins with a win in their final game, or with a loss by the Bruins. That would set them up with the winner of the Atlantic Division, which could be the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, or Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Senators are 43-27-11 on the year, and have a chance to move up in the standings on Wednesday night as they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on April 18.

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