In today’s NHL, it’s difficult to gain ground in any one of the four divisions. Nobody knows that better than the Ottawa Senators.
Despite posting an impressive 3-0-1 record to open the 2017-18 campaign, the Senators are just third in the Atlantic Division, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning (5-1-0) and Toronto Maple Leafs (4-1-0). Nipping on Ottawa’s heels are the Detroit Red Wings (4-2-0). Although it’s early, this is a far cry from the past. The competitive NHL saw four points separate the second- and fifth-place Atlantic teams in 2016-17, when just two decades prior, 28 points separated the same positions in the division.
