Senators’ Drake Batherson Leaves Last Season Behind

The 2022-23 campaign was bittersweet for Drake Batherson. After sustaining a high ankle sprain the season prior, causing him to miss the All-Star Weekend after being named the team’s representative, Batherson appeared in all 82 regular season games, registering NHL career highs in all offensive categories, 22 goals, 40 assists, and 62 points.

However, the 25-year-old’s play was also mired with inconsistencies. While plus-minus is no longer considered the end-all, be-all indicator of one’s defensive attributes, Batherson’s minus-35 ranked an embarrassing sixth-worst league-wide.

The second half of Batherson’s season was disappointing production-wise, as the right wing registered only 25 points, nine goals, and 16 assists in the Senators’ final 41 outings. Though the Halifax area resident averaged three shots on goal per game, his shooting percentage decreased 6.7 percent (15.5% to 8.5%) from his previous season.

Despite having a great preseason capped off by a one-goal, three-assist performance versus his fellow off-season workout partner Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins, Batherson’s season started slowly.

Once again, he was on the negative side of the ledger, posting a minus-7 through the Senators’ first six games. Batherson didn’t net his first goal until his eighth game. In fact, the Senators’ 121st overall 2017 Entry Draft selection garnered only five points (two goals, three assists) in his first 11 games. Then something clicked.

Batherson has quickly become one of the club’s go-to players, not to mention his overall game is more well-rounded. Over the past 19 games, Batherson has notched 11 goals, adding 12 assists. His plus-minus rating sits on the plus side, albeit barely (plus-1), but it is on the positive side, a far cry from minus-35.

Batherson is on pace for a career-high in goals and points and is only nine goals short of last season’s total (22).

Dropped to the third line early in the season, once elevated back into the team’s top six forward group, Batherson’s production took an upswing.

The majority of his current point totals have come at even strength, 75%, compared to only 47% in 2022-23. This statistic alone displays how much Batherson is becoming more conscious of his play at even-strength.

Like any good teammate, Batherson lauds credit to his linemates, Tim Stützle and Vladimir Tarasenko, “I think I gotta give a lot of credit to my teammates. You know, I’ve been playing with Timmy pretty well the whole month. And whenever we get to play with a player like that, it’s obviously good for you. And you know, Vlad has been awesome too. So, just felt a little chemistry right off the bat, and hopefully you can build them out,” he said in a postgame interview Wednesday after scoring two goals, including the sneaky third-period game-winner, pinballing the puck off the shoulder of Maple Leafs netminder Martin Jones, in the Senators 4-2 win.