Senators 2025-26 Player Preview: Tim Stutzle

He sits at over a point per game over the last three seasons, and it the most offensively gifted player on the Senators. One frustration fans have is his shooting, or lack thereof. Stutzle has a great shot, but is a pass-first player. He still makes a smart play, but once he starts leaning toward his shot, he could elevate his game to a much higher level.

Even still, his playmaking and play-driving skills are the highlight of his game. He has built a strong foundation of his career to this point, and is going to continue building off of it.

Stutzle’s Role in 2025-26

The Senators have a pretty strong center group with Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto in the lineup behind Stutzle, but if they want to take a big step forward this season, Stutzle is going to need to maintain his high level of play and need to be a part of the solution for 5-on-5 scoring. With just 37 5-on-5 points, it has been the lowest output over the past three seasons.

His chemistry with Brady Tkachuk will continue to help the top of the lineup thrive, and the possibility of Fabian Zetterlund on his other wing could be very intriguing. Having the speed from Zetterlund and net-front presence from Tkachuk could make for a very strong trio. This could give a lot more opportunity to Stutzle at shooting. He once scored 39 goals, and while his totals were lower, every once in a while he would show how good his shot is.

Stutzle has been working on his defensive game, which has greatly improved over the past few seasons. He is turning into an elite two-way center the Senators need him to be. While the support behind him is strong, his role is to be the face of the offense.

Now that the Senators got a taste of the playoffs, they are going to be hungry for more, and Stutzle is no exception. There is going to be a ton of pressure on Stutzle to perform as the Senators look to get back to the postseason. For Stutzle, showing up when he is needed is going to be key. Sometimes during the season, scoring was a team-wide issue, and Stutzle is going to need to be consistent enough to help snap the team back into it.

Everything on the forward group runs through him. He will get most of the offensive-zone starts for the Senators, he will lead in power play time, and will likely lead the team in scoring, too. Stutzle is going to be at the forefront of the team, and his play may lead the Senators to another playoff berth.