The fact that Tim Stützle had such a good third season in the National Hockey League (NHL) is due in part to the teachings of Claude Giroux. The two players became close with the Ottawa Senators.
The German scored 90 points last season, 32 more than the previous season. This outbreak coincided with the arrival of the former Philadelphia Flyers captain in the Canadian capital. On and off the ice, they encouraged each other to get better.
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“He’s so competitive. “I didn’t learn it from him because I’m probably just as competitive as him,” Stützle said in an interview with the NHL website on Monday. We fight in everything we do. When we play poker on the plane, when we play cards, we fight. We compete with pickleball or tennis. None of us want to lose.”
“Personally, he told me very quickly when he arrived in the dressing room that I could come and talk to him. We have built great chemistry together and he is a great teammate,” added the third overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Supportle’s contract begins this year, binding him to the Senators until 2030-2031. Giroux still has two seasons left on his contract, but the 21-year-old is hoping the veteran will extend his deal.
“Every team would want it. It shows what a good guy he is and that he is still a great player. I hope we can count on him for longer than he signed,” he said.
Pressure
Stützle was the Sens’ leading scorer in 2022-2023, with seven more points than captain Brady Tkachuk. Giroux rounded out the top three with 79 points.
“I think I’ve changed a lot and my teammates have changed,” he said, explaining his progress. I was able to play with very, very good players. It’s not that the players I played with before weren’t good, but I think the whole group has more depth and that helps. I have also changed a lot in my personal life. I changed my training and my personal trainer and have felt much better since then.
Stützle shows great maturity and wants to improve “in all aspects of the game”. He now wants to study his opponents more closely to find better ways to counter them on offense and defense.
The young striker shouldn’t need a kick in the butt to find motivation as he has very high expectations of his own.
“The pressure was already there last year. I like to play with pressure. I think it allows me to be the best I can be and puts a lot of strain on my shoulders. It doesn’t matter if I get $1 million or $9, $10 or $11 million,” assured the man who will receive an average of $8.35 million over the next eight years.