Senators surge to 5-1 start despite injuries to key players

OTTAWA · The Ottawa Senators have stormed to a 5-1 record to open the NHL season, securing five wins in 10 nights despite significant injuries. The Senators were the last club to start their season on Oct. 3 but have already played six games, more than all but five other teams. Their most recent victory was a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Monday. The fast start is seen as critically important for the team's playoff hopes in the competitive Atlantic Division.

All-world defenceman Jake Sanderson has seen fewer than five minutes of action this year after leaving the season opener early, and newcomer William Eklund is expected to miss an extended period with an ankle injury. The team has also absorbed other bumps and bruises along the way. Tim Stutzle has been the offensive catalyst, picking up his fifth goal of the campaign against the Devils. The German centre has 10 points through six outings. Goaltender Linus Ullmark, who left a win in Boston early last week with a minor injury scare, stopped 29 of 30 shots against New Jersey and leads the league with a .948 save percentage.

New captain Thomas Chabot has four points while averaging 27 minutes and 14 seconds of ice time per game, more than every player in the league except Columbus's Zach Werenski. Sanderson's absence and the season-long loss of Artem Zub on defence have contributed to Chabot's heavy workload. That has allowed rookie Carter Yakemchuk, the seventh-overall pick from 2024, to get playing time and show he can hold his own. The Senators will now play five of their next six contests at home, offering a chance to build on their early success. When Sanderson and Zub return, the Ottawa defence corps is expected to transform into a much stronger unit, which could help carry the hot start deeper into the season.

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Kraken offence surges early

The Seattle Kraken are averaging 4.33 goals per game, nearly as many as the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche. Those three teams are the only clubs in the NHL scoring more than four goals per night, with Edmonton at five and Colorado leading at 5.20. Seattle has twice scored six goals against the Calgary Flames and also notched six in Detroit and five in Washington during notable weekend wins. Frederick Gaudreau has four goals, with three coming against the Wings and Capitals. Newcomer Mackie Samoskevich has three goals, while young centres Shane Wright and Berkly Catton each have two. Offensive struggles have been a hallmark of the Kraken since their inception, making the early scoring rate a thrilling development for the team and its fans.

In other scoring news, New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere celebrated his 25th birthday by scoring his fifth goal of the campaign in a 6-2 win over Vancouver on Saturday. The first-overall pick in 2020 is averaging nearly two minutes more ice time per night this season and has first power-play duty, leading to speculation he may be poised for a breakout year. The Philadelphia Flyers, among teams struggling early, have a minus-15 goal-differential at five-on-five, worse than every club except the Calgary Flames at minus-16. Calgary is winless through five games for the first time in franchise history. The Flames' next four outings are at Anaheim and Vegas, then home for Carolina and Minnesota.

The NHL's Frozen Frenzy is set for Tuesday, with all 32 teams in action for the first of two times this season. The staggered starts begin with a 6 p.m. ET matchup in Detroit between the Devils and Red Wings. Other notable games include Buffalo visiting Montreal for the first time since losing to the Habs in the playoffs, Washington visiting Carolina, Dallas facing Colorado in a Central Division battle, and Connor Bedard expected to make his season debut when Chicago hosts Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With files from Sportsnet