NHL 24, the next installment of EA Sports’ hockey-themed gaming franchise, is set to be released to the masses on PlayStation and Xbox on Oct. 6, with Cale Makar as its cover athlete. With the Ottawa Senators growing as a team this previous season, chances are many player ratings will look different. In this article, I will be predicting the best-rated players for the Senators in the upcoming season and what I think their ratings will be.
To give some context for my ratings, I’ve based them on the fact that Connor McDavid, who was – and will probably remain – the highest-rated player in the game, was rated as a 95 in NHL 23. To give a lower comparison point, former Ottawa Senators forward Mika Zibanejad was rated as an 88 in the previous game, which I believe will be about the same in NHL 24.
10. Jake Sanderson
NHL 23 rating: 80
NHL 24 prediction: 83
Given that Jake Sanderson doesn’t have as much NHL experience as other candidates on this list, it will be interesting to see his rating. One thing is for sure, he’ll get a decent upgrade from the last edition following his growth and ability to perform in difficult situations at such a young age. This season, the 21-year-old will not only look to build on his rating, but more importantly on his four goals and 28 assists in 32 games.
9. Joonas Korpisalo
NHL 23 rating: 81
NHL 24 prediction: 83
My prediction as the highest-rated goalie for the Senators in NHL 24 also happens to be playing his first season with the team. Joonas Korpisalo bounced back last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but really took his game up a notch after being traded to the Los Angeles Kings, where he put up a .921 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.13 goals-against average (GAA) to lead them to the postseason. His overall could lower due to consistency issues in the past, but should still reflect his recent performances.
8. Josh Norris
NHL 23 rating: 85
NHL 24 prediction: 84
Josh Norris is possibly the trickiest player to rank on this list and my rating prediction could be completely off here. Unfortunately for him, he suffered through injuries all season and only played eight games in that span. However, the Michigan native had 35 goals and 55 points in 66 games in the 2021-22 season, which might make his rating remain close to the same as in NHL 23.
7. Vladimir Tarasenko
NHL 23 rating: 88
NHL 24 prediction: 85
Related: Ottawa Senators 2023-24 Prospect Pyramid
Vladimir Tarasenko had the highest NHL 23 rating out of any player on this list. While it’s unlikely that the newly signed winger has that rating again following a small decline in stats, he still deserves a good rating. Being surrounded by a skilled offensive group of players helps him, which is likely the reason he bet on himself by signing only one year in Ottawa. Expect him to have good shooting attributes.
6. Drake Batherson
NHL 23 rating: 86
NHL 24 prediction: 86
Although Drake Batherson set a career-high in all offensive categories with 22 goals, 40 assists and 62 points in 82 games, I predict that his rating remains the same due to his defensive performances. While many don’t believe in plus/minus statistics, it is a determining factor in a player’s rating in the game. Batherson does have good offensive skills, but his minus-35 won’t help him.
5. Thomas Chabot
NHL 23 rating: 87
NHL 24 prediction: 86
While there’s no denying that Thomas Chabot has game-changing abilities, he had a bit of a down year by his standards. The left-shot defenceman didn’t seem to play with as much swagger and confidence as he did in the past, but he can bounce back this season for the team. Expect him to have the best skating attributes out of all the defencemen on this list.
4. Claude Giroux
NHL 23 rating: 87
NHL 24 prediction: 87
Claude Giroux showed that he could still be an effective player and proved to have been an excellent addition to the roster. The game rated him an 87 last season. I think he’ll remain the same. Not only is the 35-year-old consistently one of the players with the highest faceoff ratings in the game, but he’ll also have solid offensive attributes to back it up.
3. Jakob Chychrun
NHL 23 rating: 85
NHL 24 prediction: 87
Jakob Chychrun, who was acquired by the Sens at last season’s trade deadline, is a bit of a tricky player to rate, similar to Norris. It’s obvious that he has the tools to be a dominant two-way defenceman on the ice, but we didn’t see much action from him last season due to injuries and with the Arizona Coyotes scratching him to keep him healthy while seeking a trade partner. Despite this, I still think he’ll improve on his rating and be the team’s best-rated defenceman.
2. Brady Tkachuk
NHL 23 rating: 86
NHL 24 prediction: 88
The Ottawa Senators captain took his game up another level last season by setting a career-high in all offensive categories, with 35 goals, 48 assists and 83 points in 82 games. Expect him to be one of the rare players in the game to combine both his offensive skill set with physicality while competing at an elite level.
1. Tim Stutzle
NHL 23 rating: 85
NHL 24 prediction: 90
My prediction for the only player to be rated in the 90s for the Senators doesn’t come as a surprise. Not only did Tim Stutzle set a career-high with 39 goals and 90 points in 78 games to lead the team, but he’s also cemented himself as an electrifying player and dominant force on the ice. Expect him to have high speed, hands, and shooting attributes.
Exciting On-Screen and On-Ice
With general manager Pierre Dorion doing a stellar job rebuilding and adding pieces over the past few years, it’s possible that Ottawa is a team more people choose to use when playing the game. Although players using the team will test others on-screen, it’s on the ice that everything needs to pan out for the Sens.
