Senators GM Steve Staios Holds Court At The Midpoint Of Their Season

Prior to the Ottawa Senators edging the Dallas Stars 3-2 Sunday to complete a back-to-back winning weekend, which included goalie Leevi Merilainen shutting out the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0 Saturday, Senators general manager Steve Staios conducted his midpoint of the season media availability.

The Senators GM touched on several key topics, including the growth of this group, injury updates, the trade market, and general reflection.

On challenging his players and their growth:

At the end of last season, Steve Staios challenged his players individually and as a group.

For their part, the squad is living up to Staios’ challenge. The Senators currently sit at one point in the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. However, due to less games played than their closest competitors, the team actually possesses the seventh-best points percentage (.536) in the East..

“I challenged our group on internal growth from our individuals and as a team. I think we’ve seen a level of that for sure. I’m pleased with the commitment of two-way hockey from our group, especially on the defensive side of things. So that’s a step in the right direction,” Staios noted in his media availability.

Steve Staios expanded on his previous statements by saying

“And if you ask Travis (Green, Senators head coach) he’s talked about it, he’s said it. They’re a coachable group. There’s a lot of character in that room, and they want to get better, so that’s part of the growth for this team, is that they’re willing to be coached and work on those daily habits. We talked a lot about it. It’s a process-driven approach. With this group, we want to see incremental steps, I think, laying the foundation, the way that we have, and with the coaching and the way the coaching staff has, we feel like there’s a foundation there to build off of. I talked about the commitment, the two-way hockey is a great improvement from where we were last year at this time, and culture takes time to build. We could set the environment, but until the players get the chance to live it and breathe it and and are held accountable, preventing habits over a long period of time, that’s where I think that we have an opportunity to continue to grow.”

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On Travis Green‘s job to date as Senators head coach:

“I’ve been pleased. He’s firm, but fair with the players. He’s got an open line of communication and he cares about the players. I think they feel comfortable that it’s an open door policy with him, but he’s demanding, and I think you’ve seen in-part of the reason, when I was evaluating the coaching opportunity the people that could come in and be the next head coach the Ottawa Senators. He’s done this in the past, where he’s gotten the most out of these individuals, and, you know, again, playing winning hockey, hammering in on those habits on a nightly basis. I think it does take some time, but I’ve been pleased with where we are at this point in time from coaching perspective.”

On Senators injury situation:

“They’re all progressing. Linus (Ullmark) has been on the ice the last couple of days, so a good step forward for him. David (Perron) has been skating and getting closer. I don’t have a specific timeline. I apologize on that for either of them. And Michael (Amadio), obviously, with concussions, we want to make sure that that he is fully back to full health. So he’s still moving in the right direction as well. But certainly we feel like all of them are sooner rather than later, and in every particular one of those injuries.”

“When I talk about growth and a winning culture and winning mindset, a lot of the stuff that even they’re learning at their age is the commitment off ice to be able to withstand some of these injuries, And I can talk about where we’re a little bit better than we were from man games lost last year. We’ve taken a step in the right direction with all the work that we’ve put in on that side, with strength and conditioning in the medical. But it continues to need to get better as well and we’ll continue to grow in that area as well.”

“Well, I think if they’re putting in the work like I know they are off the ice. I don’t have a timeline on it. I just think that watching them progress over the last little while here gives me optimism that will see him in the near future.

Steve Staios discusses the Senators goaltending depth:

“We feel comfortable with it. You know, we’ve withstood some injuries, Linus and (Mads) Sogaard as well. So we have some depth, young depth with “Sogie” (Sogaard) and with Leevi (Merilainen). But certainly Leevi stepped up to the challenge at this point in time. And I think,  you get Linus Ullamark in here, and you know, when he’s in the net, that’s the reason why you go and acquire somebody like that. I think you can see around the rest of the league that’s sort of the way that it’s been going, like a platoon. If you don’t have a veteran guy who’s been proven, you kind of rotate through. And you know, the skill of the league now is making it harder for goaltenders. Save percentage, I think across the league is down again this year, right? So, we’re comfortable with the depth, the young depth, and they continue to develop and both Leevi and Sogaard continuing to develop and push to be regular NHL goaltenders.

“The differentiator with Leevii is his mindset. It doesn’t seem like the momentss’ too big for him He’s always he’s got a real calm demeanour around him and I think that gives our group confidence. It gives him confidence that he can step into these types of situations.”

On the possibility of making a trade:

Steve Staios admits it’s tough to consummate a deal.

‘Probably, because you look at the standings and everybody seems to be in it still, it’s a little more challenging, I think for anybody to sort of make a commitment on doing one or the other at this point in time. But as far as going and making trades, I could go and explore bringing in a defenseman, and then we wouldn’t have been able to see what Nik Matinpalo could do. And I think we can all see that there’s potential there. And so we have players internally that are developing through our system in Belleville that are getting a look right now. And so that’s where we’re at at this point in time, and our depth, with all the injuries, our depth is hanging in there. We’ve had players come up and play higher in the lineup and thrust into some situations. They’ve handled them pretty well.”

“We continue to look at options to try and help the group out in certain ways, but also watching the group grow internally as well, as I’ve told some of these call-ups that are coming up, but certainly we’ll keep an eye on it. I mean, it’s nice to be having that conversation right now. We’re at Game 41, there’s still time, as we lean towards the trade deadline, but it’s really nice to have those thoughts., And this group has earned that by their play and taking that first step, and it’s just the initial step. We have a long way to go, but certainly, if I can find a way to help out the group, I will.”

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