Is Ottawa Senators' Drake Batherson 'One Of The Most Underrated Players' In The NHL?

When you haven't made the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2016-17, your players aren’t always going to get their fair share of the spotlight. And for the Ottawa Senators, that lack of spotlight has resulted in right winger Drake Batherson not getting the attention he deserves.

"In my opinion, he's one of the most underrated players in the league," Senators center Tim Stutzle told reporters after Batherson recorded a natural hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Batherson has looked excellent this season, posting 20 assists and 32 points in 29 games. Although he did not make Canada's roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, he ranks 11th among Canadians in scoring this season.

He's on pace to generate 56 assists and 90 points – which would be far and away the best individual numbers in Batherson’s seven-season NHL career. And Batherson’s $4.975-million salary cap hit makes him a tremendous bargain.

Slowly but surely, Batherson’s individual offense numbers have increased year in and year out. Sure, he hasn’t always been a star, but few players instantly enter the NHL and impose their will on the opposition.

But now, as the Senators jostle for position in the Atlantic Division, they need Batherson to continue stepping up and playing the best hockey of his career.

Playing on Ottawa’s top line with center Josh Norris and left winger Brady Tkachuk, Batherson has two promising top forwards capable of finishing plays and ratcheting up Batherson’s assist totals. He credited them as being part of his success when talking on the Dec. 4 episode of the Sens Nation Podcast as well as he's motivated to improve Ottawa’s results.

You have to give Batherson his due as a well-rounded player. He's a stellar playmaker, but he also battles for the puck, protects it as he moves toward a better area to make a play and isn't afraid to shoot, either. His 10 takeaways and 65 shots rank second among Senators forwards.

He often knows where to be without the puck as well. On Wednesday, he filled in for a pinching Thomas Chabot when he scored one of his three goals.

Batherson gives the Senators another bona fide needle-mover up front, and he’s still really in the early stages of his prime with three seasons left on his contract.

At the end of his deal in 2027, Batherson will be in line for a significant raise. But if his individual numbers continue to rise, Ottawa GM Steve Staios will happily give Batherson his due financially.

Batherson wasn’t necessarily heralded as a can’t-miss prospect when Ottawa selected him with the 121st pick in the 2017 NHL draft. But he has exceeded expectations. Although it’s easy for him to go under the radar somewhat in Canada’s capital city as the Senators have struggled to make it back to the playoffs, Batherson has become an integral component of the team’s blueprint for success. He’s Ottawa’s top right winger, he’s a savvy creator of offense, and he’s one of the more dangerous point-getters in the game today.

You don’t have to pretend Batherson is a surefire all-star to appreciate what he brings to the table. You just have to give him his props for what he has achieved and what he’s continuing to do on a regular basis. Batherson now is a crucial component of the Sens’ success, and as Ottawa fights to finally break their playoff drought, Batherson is going to be hugely important for their overall impact as a team.

Related: Opinion: There's No Way Senators' Tkachuk Is Going To The Rangers Or Anywhere This Year