Senators winning streak shouldn’t impact off-season changes

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Wins at this time of the year in the National Hockey League by also-rans are often referred to as “fools gold.”

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The Ottawa Senators were riding a season-high five-game winning streak as they prepared to face the Minnesota Wild Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center and, as the clock winds down on the season, it’s too little, too late.

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The club went into Minny trying to win six straight for the first time since the 2017 campaign and that’s the last time the club made the post-season.

But as the Senators prepare to miss the playoffs for the seventh straight spring, coach Jacques Martin and Hall of Fame assistant Daniel Alfredsson were brought in to help this group play the right way for the next head coach who takes over behind the club’s bench next season.

No, these wins don’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but if the club can at least close this season out on a high note in the final nine games of the year, it will bring promise and hope for the players that return next season.

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Captain Brady Tkachuk, who scored the winner Saturday night in Winnipeg, has liked what he’s seen thus far.

“We’ve just got to focus on the little things that have made us successful,” Tkachuk told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson Tuesday before facing the Wild. “It’s about playing the right way and playing responsible. It’s all about us, our attitude, our mentality and the composure to keep growing.”

“We’re not just showing everybody else, we’re showing ourselves that we can do it on a day-to-day basis. It’s hard but you’ve got to enjoy the hard moments. We can keep growing our confidence.”

Still, these late-season wins shouldn’t give Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, any pause for thought when it comes to making the necessary changes in the off-season to help the Senators make the next step as soon as possible.

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Just because a fourth-liner or a fifth or sixth defenceman has stepped up his play down the stretch, it doesn’t necessarily mean they should immediately be part of the club’s plan for next season.

The club needs to have better depth up front, especially on its third and fourth lines. There’s no question Parker Kelly has established himself as a valuable player in this role, but Mark Kastelic has struggled for consistency all season and we’re not sure whether Boris Katchouk fits or not.

Defensively, we’ve seen the best of Erik Brannstrom in the last couple of weeks, but the Senators have to decide if they want to give him a qualifying offer in June after trying to deal him at the deadline. Tyler Kleven has shown in a short sample size that he will push for a spot next season.

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There will have to be a decision made on defenceman Jakob Chychrun, who will be one year away from free agency, and those teams that called before the March 8 trade deadline are likely to circle back.

No matter what happens, the second-biggest decision Staios has to make – the No. 1 priority is finding the right coach – is addressing the goaltending.

Starting with the club’s 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on March 9 on the road and heading into his start in Minny, Joonas Korpisalo has posted a 6-2-0 record in eight appearances with a .911 save-percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average.

Backup Anton Forsberg is 2-2-0 in his four starts in the same stretch with a .892 save-percentage and 3.20 GAA.

Those numbers are an improvement for both because neither has performed up to expectations this season. It’s an area the club has to address, but the thought of buying out Korpisalo with four years and $16 million left on his contract seems far-fetched at best.

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Through this stretch, Korpisalo, 29, has shown more confidence. He went into the game against the Wild making big saves at big times to help the club secure some late-season wins. He’s in a groove at the moment and he’s playing like the goalie the club expected to have all season.

The Senators likely won’t return with the same tandem next year.

Forsberg has one year left on his deal at $2.75 million and the expectation is the club will try to move him in the off-season.

“We have full faith and trust in our goalies,” Tkachuk said. “They’re unbelievable guys and goalies. It’s their work ethic and it’s nice to see them get rewarded for that work ethic and sticking with it. The perseverance has been great to see.”

“It’s our job to make the job easier for them in front of them. They’ve been playing great for us. Happy to see them get rewarded.”

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CLOSING IN ON A RETURN

Defenceman Thomas Chabot has resumed skating.

The club’s alternate captain missed his third straight game with an undisclosed lower-body injury he suffered last Thursday against Chicago but was on the ice Tuesday morning in St. Paul.

“Hopefully he’ll be ready soon,” interim coach Jacques Martin said. “We just want to make sure he’s close to 100 percent when he comes back.”

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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