The Ottawa Senators have been in a rough spot as an organization for quite a few years. Since their run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017, they’ve missed the playoffs in each of the last four seasons and look set to be on the outside looking in once again this year.

Despite this, there’s certainly reason for excitement around the franchise, between the young core they’ve assembled and the prospects who have yet to make the jump to the NHL.

The Senators are quietly building what could end up being one of the league’s best forward groups a little ways down the road. The team’s top three forwards in Drake Batherson, Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk are all 23 years old or younger and will make up half of the team’s top-six group for the foreseeable future. Batherson has an outstanding 28 points in 24 games this season, while Norris has already registered 14 goals in 28 games this year and Brady Tkachuk has 12 goals and 22 points in 26 games as well.