How Adam Gaudette became Senators' key scorer — and why he keeps being sent to the AHL

OTTAWA — Adam Gaudette has played like one of the Ottawa Senators’ best players over their last five games and is tied for second on the team in goals, one behind team captain Brady Tkachuk. He has also been yo-yoed from the NHL to the minors twice in the last week.

It’s not because of his performance. Gaudette has given the Senators good reason to keep him on the roster, even if there are benefits to doing the opposite.

The forward has gone from a fourth-line afterthought to an early-season surprise over the last five games for Ottawa. The 28-year-old has six goals in that period, extending his goal-scoring streak to three games with a goal in a 3-0 shutout win over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night. Gaudette is now halfway to his career high of 12, set with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2019-20 season. He played only two NHL games last year and scored four in 50 games with the Senators during the 2021-22 campaign.

Combined with linemates Nick Cousins and Zack MacEwen, the trio has contributed nine goals this season. But Gaudette’s offence has shone the most of those three.

Six goals in five games for Adam Gaudette 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZYErB8m4Qa

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 2, 2024

“He’s been hot,” Tkachuk said. “Been scoring some big goals for us. Just has that capability to be able to bear down and get us one. And usually always important ones too.”

“This line has been performing all year. They play hard for us every night,” Senators forward Tim Stützle said. “He just finds a way to get pucks in the net. It showed tonight. All of those three guys, they bring something else to the team. It’s just awesome to watch — that’s exactly what the team needs.”

Senators head coach Travis Green has even trusted Gaudette with power-play time, leaving him in the Ovechkin spot at the faceoff dot. Gaudette has one power-play goal this season, in a two-goal game against the Vegas Golden Knights during their three-game road trip in late October. (Gaudette also has two two-goal games this year).

“He’s probably truly more of a power-play guy than a fourth-line penalty kill guy, which is kind of the norm,” Green said. “Which is different but it’s also a nice option to have.”

But because Ottawa has limited cap space to play with — $368,345, to be specific, according to PuckPedia as of Saturday night — the Senators have sent Gaudette to the minors periodically as a cap-saving measure, only to recall him the next day. It’s a trick most NHL teams can take advantage of whenever they’re hugging the salary cap limit. Gaudette’s contract carries an annual average value of $775,000 that counts toward the salary cap. When the Senators send him down to Belleville, his AAV comes off the books and the Sens get more space (over 1 million) to breathe. At least until he comes back to the Senators roster.

The reason why Gaudette has an exemption: he previously cleared waivers just before the beginning of the season. It looked like a surprise cut at the time because of a standout preseason where he produced goals. The Senators have since benefited, with Gaudette being given a 10-game clock or 30 days on an NHL roster to freely move on waivers.

Gaudette has had a Corsi For percentage rating above 50 percent in five straight games and has been on the ice for at least one high-danger chance per game in that span of games, according to Natural Stat Trick. He’s had no problem garnering those high-danger chances himself, including on the goal against the Kraken where he wrapped around the net before burying the puck in goal, establishing himself as a net-front presence.

“If you want to score goals, get to the front of the net,” Gaudette said.

Green doesn’t remember him having that mindset, or at least playing that way, when he had him for parts of four seasons in Vancouver between 2018 and 2021. But he was familiar with his shot, the same shot that led to his collegiate success — and a Hobey Baker Award in 2018 while playing at Northeastern.

“He’s older,” Green said when asked what has changed from Gaudette’s days in Vancouver to now. “He played well when he was in Vancouver. A young guy coming out of college, had always scored at every level he’s been in. I think like a lot of young players, you don’t understand the other side of the puck quite as well. He tried then. I liked him then as a player too. I like him now as a player. But I think he’s just matured a little bit.

“I don’t want to say he takes it for granted, but he understands that it’s not given that you’re going to play in the NHL. It’s a hard league to make. It’s an even harder league to stay in and have longevity in. And sometimes skilled players have to figure out how they can stay in the league and just become a regular player. He’s always had a knack for scoring goals and that line’s been good for us.”

His reintegration into the Senators didn’t grab headlines when he was signed to a one-year, two-way deal during the free-agent period in July. Gaudette’s familiarity with Green was a crucial reason for his signing with the Senators this offseason. The forward’s journey back to Ottawa featured stops in the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues’ organizations with just those two games in St. Louis to show for it. But he impressed with the Blues’ minor-league affiliate in Springfield last season, scoring 44 goals in 67 games, and earned himself a deal with a new team during the second day of the annual NHL free-agent frenzy.

“If you score over 40 goals in the AHL, I think you’re a pretty good goal scorer,” Stützle said.

Gaudette’s comfort with Green and the Senators, along with a serious refresh in his game, have all played positive factors in his early-season success. It’s turned him into a viable secondary scoring option while still playing fourth-line minutes.

“I liked (Green) a lot when I was there,” Gaudette said. “I was at the earlier stages of my career. I don’t think I gave them all that I could’ve. I don’t think I was quite ready yet. But I learned a lot from him. It was a no-brainer for me to come back and play for him again, especially with the guys here. Familiar faces. I like (Green) a lot, the guys in the room like him. He’s been doing a great job with the new team. I don’t think I’d be here if it wasn’t for him.

“I’ve had to really round out my game defensively without the puck. I could always score but the rest of my game wasn’t always there. Wasn’t ready to play at this level yet. A couple of years down in the AHL has really taught me that. I learned from a lot of different people. Been around a couple of different teams, so I just took everything in like a sponge and it’s paying off.”

Thanks to his play, his days as a semi-regular salary cap sacrifice should soon be over. But this also has much to do with the NHL’s waiver rules. Gaudette’s game against the Seattle Kraken was his 10th of the season. It means that if the Senators want to send him to the minors, even as a paper transaction, he’ll have to clear waivers first. Unless the Senators get creative, they’ll have to live with having under $400,000 in cap space — and keeping Gaudette on their roster — for the foreseeable future.

The silver lining is that Gaudette has played well enough so far that he shouldn’t have to think about hitting the waiver wire any time soon. It’s on him to keep his place, not that he needs any added motivation.

“I’ve been fired up for a couple of years now,” Gaudette said. “That whole journey is a learning experience. I learned a lot. I knew I could battle my way back. Now it’s just about staying here.”

All advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick

(Top photo: Richard A. Whittaker / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)