4 takeaways from the Senators 7-2 loss to the Blues

The Ottawa Senators suffered a heavy 7-2 defeat against the St. Louis Blues on the second night of a back-to-back. Writer Matthew Nafe analyzes the loss, noting the team appeared unprepared amid a compressed schedule of seven games in 11 days. Goaltender Sam Ersson struggled after conceding seven goals, while injuries forced Ottawa to dress three rookie defensemen in Carter Yakemchuk, Hoyt Stanley, and Jorian Donovan.

Nafe argues that despite Ottawa's 5-1 start, underlying issues have surfaced due to missing players including Jake Sanderson, Artem Zub, and William Eklund. He suggests elevating Stephen Halliday to the top six alongside Tim Stützle and recommends that general manager Steve Staios explore acquiring an impact forward.