Top 25 Under 25, #1: Tim Stützle

Last Year: 1; Reader Rank: 1

Longtime readers of Silver Seven will remember a time when the #1 spot in our Top 25 Under 25 was locked down so securely that there was no question as to who would end up at the top of the annual ranking – and it was a big moment when that player graduated and left the door open for others.

For the first time since the days of Erik Karlsson's reign atop our list, it feels like we might have a consensus best player on the team in Tim Stützle. Even though he’s coming off a bit of a down year by his lofty standards, the 22-year-old centre takes the top spot for the second year in a row. Though it was close in the reader vote, both the staff and the readers are once again in agreement: Stützle is the top of the pile.

What is there even left to say about Tim Stützle at this point? Anyone who watches him play can tell you that he has the kind of pure offensive talent that separates a good player and a superstar. He’s the type of player that makes the games fun to watch all on his own. There are only a few players in the world who have his level of ability with the puck.

We saw a little bit less of that this past season, when he “only” scored 18 goals and 70 points, but considering that it has since been revealed he was playing a large chunk of the season through a serious wrist injury, I certainly expect him to return to the 90-point player he was just a year ago.

Stützle’s statistical defensive impacts have varied a lot from season to season. He looked like a potential future Selke candidate not too long ago, but this past season saw him regress a bit. One could blame linemates or injuries, but maybe it's as simple as growing pains as he evolves as a player. One thing we do know is that he’s definitely not one of those offensive-minded players who just doesn’t care about backchecking. With Mathieu Joseph moving on to the St. Louis Blues, Stützle assumes the mantle of most dogged back-checker; no other Sens forwards catches up to the play to lift a stick or disrupt the play as well as Stützle. Combine his offensive contributions and defensive abilities, and the net result is that nobody on the team can get the puck going in the right direction like the young German.

One of the most surprising revelations of Stützle’s young career has been his talent for getting under his opponents’ skin. A lot of that is tied to his talent for drawing penalties, which is a bit more controversial than his point-getting but something I personally find hilarious. As I have been saying for years, Tim Stützle should dive more. The Montreal Canadiens' multi-year obsession is evidence enough of the benefits. There are many ways to be a pest.

One thing to look out for this coming season will be how Stützle’s game changes under Travis Green. Say what you will about DJ Smith, but he was far more willing to trust young players with heavy minutes than most NHL coaches would be, and I think Stützle benefited. He seems like a really hard-working player who appreciates being given responsibility, and DJ Smith’s coaching style allowed him plenty of that. Green is known for bag skating his players and generally being a much more structured, disciplined coach than Smith was. Maybe Stützle will benefit from more defensive structure, or maybe he’ll struggle if he feels stifled creatively. It could go either way.

Like many others on the team, this feels like a pivotal season for Stützle. He's already shown that he's capable of performing like one of the top players in the league. Does he have yet another gear?