For nearly a decade, the Ottawa Senators were the Toronto Maple Leafs’ whipping boys. No more.
It has flipped.
The gulf between the two franchises hasn’t been this wide in Ottawa’s favour in years. The Senators dominated Toronto on the ice, in the stands and even in the podcast world, earning a 5-2 win Saturday in Ottawa.
“It’s always fun to beat those guys,” said Senators defenceman Tyler Kleven. “We still have a bad taste in our mouth from the playoffs, and you know what they did to us there. So to push them down the standings … it’s a great feeling.”
Toronto’s past supremacy — and the shared goaltending woes between the teams — loomed in the background. On a night when an emergency backup goalie (EBUG) was required after Anthony Stolarz was injured by a puck to the neck in warmups and taken to the hospital, the unusual circumstances only added to the storyline.
The memory of David Ayres lingered in the air.
It’s difficult to watch these teams play and not wonder if this is what next season could look like. Senators fans outnumbered Leafs supporters, filling the building with chants of “Leafs suck” and the pointed “you need Marner.”
One fan even wore a “LeafsSuck” No. 67 Senators jersey.
“Definitely way more Ottawa fans than Toronto fans,” said Tim Stützle, referencing how Leafs fans have often taken over the arena in the past.
Schadenfreude reigned.
Even the Senators’ social media account joined in, making a post-victory joke about Drake and his so-called curse.
Senators fans should savour this stretch of supremacy over their biggest rivals — it has been a long decade.
But the tension extended beyond the stands, driven in part by Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk. On his Wingmen podcast, Tkachuk criticized Toronto for not defending captain Auston Matthews after Radko Gudas delivered an illegal knee.
The comments did not go unnoticed.
“No,” said Morgan Rielly, when asked if it bothered him.
Why not?
“People are allowed to share their opinions.”
Ridly Greig made his mark with a slick goal while Rielly was sidelined due to injury.
Toronto opted not to respond physically, and with enforcer Michael Pezzetta out of the lineup, there was no on-ice answer to Tkachuk’s comments. It’s a different era, where a player’s podcast can help fuel a rivalry.
On the ice, the imbalance was stark. Ottawa outshot Toronto 43-14, turning the game into a lopsided affair.
Adding to Toronto’s frustration, Ottawa recently regained a key draft pick, while the Leafs’ situation remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, questions linger around both teams’ captains.
How long until Toronto is a contender again?
Tkachuk doesn’t need to ask.
The Senators sit on the edge of a playoff spot, just three points out with a game in hand. In contrast, the Leafs are slipping in the Eastern Conference standings.
An off-season full of bold moves could change Toronto’s outlook. But for now, the balance of power in Ontario is clear.
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Adams’ Apples
Stutzle elevating his game
Stützle continues to thrive against Toronto. He now has 26 career points against the Leafs — tied with the Montreal Canadiens for his most against any opponent.
“I think it’s a big rivalry,” he said.
At morning skate, Stützle worked on faceoffs with rookie Stephen Halliday.
“On the record, if Timmy goes over 50 per cent tonight, I’m taking credit for it,” Halliday joked.
Stützle finished exactly at 50 per cent.
“If I had done my faceoffs exactly the way I practised, I think I would have been at 98 per cent,” he said with a laugh.
The plan is for some of Halliday’s Senators teammates to take him out for a nice meal in New York City this week. We are unsure if Halliday will owe interest or earn his line of credit when that happens.
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Michael Amadio love
Ottawa’s recent success has been driven by depth forwards contributing at both ends of the ice. Michael Amadio exemplifies that.
He could have had a hat trick Saturday but settled for a single goal — and strong praise from Stützle.
“Nothing against management, but he was a pretty good player,” Stützle said, referencing Amadio’s earlier departure.
Ottawa signed Amadio to a three-year, $7.8-million contract in the summer of 2024, a move that is paying dividends for general manager Steve Staios.
Amadio reached the 30-point mark for the first time in his career and is one of 11 Senators with at least 10 goals this season.
Also, he’s a defensive ace.
“He’s really underrated in my opinion, one of the best sticks in the league,” said Stutzle.
Claude Giroux was desperate
It had been since Feb. 2 that Claude Giroux last scored.
He ended that 13-game drought against Toronto.
“I haven’t scored in a while, so maybe I was a little shocked,” Giroux said with a smile.
Nicknamed “Mr. Desperate” by teammates, Giroux has embraced the label.
“The story is basically that every time Giroux checks, he is really desperate and moves his feet,” Stützle said. “So that’s what Green was saying, and now we call him Mr. Desperate.”
Kyle Bukauskas asked Stutzle what the fiery Giroux thinks of the nickname.
“Well, he’s a Hall of Famer and he probably gets chirped the most out of the team, so. But he can take it, and he’s not afraid to go back either,” Stutzle said.
Giroux has always been known as a disher.
Injury updates
There was encouraging news on the injury front. Jake Sanderson could return within seven to 10 days and has resumed skating.
His return would be significant, especially after Dennis Gilbert left Saturday’s game and is expected to miss some time, according to head coach Travis Green.
If Sanderson returns soon, the Senators could be positioned not just to make the playoffs, but to make noise once they get there.
Lassi Thomson is expected to fill in on the blue line, while Carter Yakemchuk remains an option from Belleville in the AHL.
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