Toronto Maple Leafs Headline November Canadian Team Power Rankings

NHL Canadian Team Power Rankings #4:  Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators were never going to make up the 40-odd points they were behind the Toronto Maple Leafs last year, at least not in one off-season.

The Senators were way too optimistic coming into this season, as I repeatedly told anyone who would listen.

Sure they added some nice pieces, and the fact that goalies are random could help them out a lot, but that blueline was always trouble.

And why the Leaf are currently 4th overall, the Senators are 4th last.

All is not doom and gloom for the Senators.

Unlike the Jets, Canadians and Canucks, the Senators are on the upswing.

It’s not gonna hurt them if they have to add yet another top five pick this year, and being in the Bedard sweepstakes is a blessing in disguise, even if their fans were thinking playoffs.

The Senators need defensemen, but what they really need is time.  Once the players they have develop, they’ll be a top team.

And if they can add another blue-chipper, so much the better.

I rank them at the head of Canada’s four (current) loser teams. This is because while they are the lowest in the standings, they also currently have the best shot at a franchise altering player.

Winnipeg can’t be helped. They’re going on an unlikely run at the worst possible time.  They are, along with Vancouver, delusional about their status. Both teams need a rebuild but have too many good players at the moment.

Montreal is behind Ottawa because they should be losing more but aren’t.

In case that is confusing: Ottawa gets ranked at the top of the four bad teams because they are the closest to doing what they should be doing.