The Senators Are They’re Trying to Become a Different Team

When the Ottawa Senators traded Brady Tkachuk, the obvious question was how they would replace his production. But that may not actually be the most interesting question. Tkachuk wasn't simply a player who scored goals. He was part of the Senators' identity. He brought emotion, physicality, net-front presence and a willingness to make himself impossible to ignore. You don't replace all of that with one player.

Eklund brings something different than Tkachuk.

William Eklund gives Ottawa something different. The 23-year-old has quietly put together back-to-back seasons with at least 50 points in San Jose, including 53 last season, and his 176 shots on goal represented another step forward. He could be given a larger role with the Senators, potentially playing alongside their best offensive players and taking on more responsibility on the first power-play unit. That creates an opportunity for Eklund to become more than a useful acquisition. He could become one of the players who defines what Ottawa looks like after Tkachuk.

The most intriguing part is that Eklund doesn't have to become Brady Tkachuk. He doesn't need to replace the emotion or the physical presence. Ottawa can ask him to do something different. Eklund is a creative player who can move the puck, find space and generate offence without relying on the same style that made Tkachuk so effective. If that means Ottawa's attack becomes a little less predictable and a little more difficult to defend, the change could ultimately be bigger than simply finding someone to fill Tkachuk's spot on the depth chart.

Can Eklund make the most of his chance for a bigger role?

That also makes this a fascinating season for Eklund personally. He has already shown that he can produce at least 50 points in an NHL season. The next step is to determine whether he can turn that production into something with closer-to-star-level impact and greater responsibility. More ice time, more power-play opportunities and better linemates could give him the chance. For a player who has increased his shot totals in each of his past three seasons, there is reason to believe there is still another level available.

And that may be what Ottawa is really betting on. The Senators didn't acquire Eklund because they expected him to walk into the lineup and become Brady Tkachuk. They acquired him because they believe he can become an important player in his own right. If he breaks out, Ottawa won't have replaced Tkachuk. It will have started building something different around the players who remain.