How have Ottawa's newest additions looked through preseason?

Andre Burakovsky

Burakovsky was another head-scratching pickup for Senators fans and analysts alike, with the team acquiring him to be a top-six forward. His point totals over the last few years have left a lot to be desired, especially with his higher-priced contract and no retention from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Senators, however, will be the first team expected to make the playoffs that Burakovsky has played for since the 2022–23 Seattle Kraken. Burakovsky found himself lining up alongside centre Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson for most of the preseason, and the winger didn’t look out of place at all.

One of the best parts of his game has been the creativity that he likes to use when creating offence. Against the Habs on Saturday evening, he was able to drive the net down the right-side wall and then pull a backhand pass out to Carter Yakemchuk for the snipe. He loves to use deception to open up time and space, and he’s also a good skater who can easily keep up with Stützle. At first, it was hard to imagine him playing in the top six, but 3 points in two games and consistently driving the play may help Stützle and Batherson pump up their goal totals.

William Eklund

There was a lot of hype and hope placed on Eklund’s shoulders this offseason. He was coming into Ottawa to be a forward replacement for their ex-captain but was never able to get completely established on the young San Jose Sharks team. Eklund was billed as a smart, fast player who’s also defensively responsible, and he was expected to be riding shotgun with Stützle. He’s also now reunited with his old linemate and good friend Fabian Zetterlund, with whom he had immense chemistry. However, at the start of the preseason, head coach Travis Green had other plans when he had Eklund playing with Dylan Cozens.

The line of Cozens, Eklund, and Zetterlund established chemistry quickly and showed it often. Eklund was showing exactly why Ottawa targeted him; he’s a fast player who complements his linemates really well. One of the underrated sides of his game came through during the preseason, and that was his goal-scoring and shot. He has a tricky shot that he used on multiple occasions, scoring goals in several games. His IQ and vision were really impressive and will really help his linemates score goals; he could really help Cozens reach that 30-goal plateau.

All three players bring an improvement over the player who had their spot last season. If Ersson is able to find consistency in Ottawa with a stronger defensive structure, he can find himself above a .900 save percentage this season. Burakovsky is playing with the most skilled players he’s played with in years, and that could equate to getting back to high point totals. Finally, Eklund joins a team that needs the exact skill set that he provides, and career highs are expected for him this season. Overall, the pre-season give Senators fans a taste of what is to come with these players and if they're all able to play as well as they did, the team will be in a great spot.