Senators' Tim Stutzle makes his feelings known about making it to playoffs for the first time

Tim Stutzle will be playing playoff hockey for the first time in his NHL career in 2024-25.

A disappointing 5-2 loss in Columbus was put to bed, as Stutzle and the Ottawa Senators officially punched their ticket to the postseason on Tuesday night, thanks to Montreal beating Detroit 4-1 at the Bell Centre.

It's Ottawa's first time making the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the 2016-17 campaign, and the first taste of playoff hockey for their young core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, and Drake Batherson.

Stutzle spoke to the media after the game and expressed his excitement for the opportunity. Senators writer Alex Adams shared Stutzle's comments on X after the Sens clinched their spot.

"I couldn't be prouder of all the guys. I don't think there's a team who deserves it more than us. I think we really worked hard this year," Stutzle said.

Tim Stutzle is in his fifth NHL season, and in just the second season of an eight-year, $66,800,000 contract extension signed with the Senators in 2022. He and the Ottawa Senators hope this is just the start of many playoff runs moving forward in the years to come.

Tim Stutzle has cooled off despite Ottawa's winning ways

The Ottawa Senators have gone 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, even while Tim Stutzle's production has stalled.

The 23-year-old has been held to just three points (one goal, two assists) in those 10 games, seven of them being pointless efforts. Stutzle's season totals remain strong with 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) in 78 games.

Tim Stutzle, the No. 3 pick from the 2020 draft, leads his class in production by a wide margin, with 319 career points (112 goals, 207 assists) in 363 games. Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond and Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis are the two other players from the class to have reached the 200 mark.

Stutzle and the Senators are back in action on Friday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens in a game that could go a long way to deciding wildcard seeding in the Eastern Conference. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST at the Canadian Tire Centre.