Stutzle: Playoffs for Senators 'coming closer and closer' each season

After a notable jump in the standings last season, superstar Tim Stutzle believes the playoffs are on the horizon for the Ottawa Senators.

"At first, when I came to Ottawa, the playoffs were so far away," Stutzle told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "Now, I think we're making a lot of steps in the right direction, and you can just tell the playoffs are coming closer and closer every year."

He added: "We are in a really good age group right now that we have a chance to be good, and now is the time to show our fans and give the fans something back. They have been waiting for a long time."

The Senators haven't qualified for the postseason since they lost in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Final. However, Ottawa has undergone a recent resurgence that's largely been accelerated by the arrival of Stutzle, who was drafted third overall in 2020.

The German-born winger broke out in a big way in 2022-23, leading the Senators with 39 goals and 90 points at 21 years old. Although Stutzle's established his reputation as a young star, his focus heading into the upcoming campaign is helping Ottawa build a sustainable team culture rather than individual accolades.

"It's just more about winning games, playing winning hockey," he said. "The tradition we're building in Ottawa is playing winning hockey. Even if you're a skilled guy, you've got to be able to close out games and make the right play in the right situation."

The Senators racked up 86 points last season, the highest total of their playoff drought. Still, they finished six points back of the second wild-card spot.

Ottawa's 2023-24 campaign begins Oct. 11 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

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