To say that Ottawa Senators winger Michael Amadio has been a model of consistency in his NHL career would be a major understatement. As an example, Amadio has posted exactly 27 points in each of the past three seasons.
But this year is now officially a career year.
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Just a few weeks shy of his 30th birthday, Amadio marked the occasion early by hitting the 30-point plateau and scoring a huge third-period goal in Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Amadio is in year two of a three-year contract with the Senators, and for a player who can be trusted in all situations, his $2.6 million salary is outrageously team-friendly.
Tim Stützle is among his admirers. When asked about him, Stützle quickly recalled Amadio’s first go-around in Ottawa near the end of the 2020–21 season. The Senators acquired him from Los Angeles for defenceman Christian Wolanin almost exactly five years ago (March 29), when Stützle was closing out his rookie season.
“Nothing against the (former) management, but (Amadio) was a pretty good player, and we traded him away,” Stutzle told the media.
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“I was able to play on his line when he came in. We actually had a really good game, and then the next day he was traded. So I was really excited for him coming back (in 2024).
“And he’s really underrated. In my opinion, he has one of the best sticks in the league, killing penalties, too… playing in every situation. I think just the space he creates for his teammates, it’s been awesome to see, and I think that line has been going really well.”
Amadio was Nick Paul’s junior teammate for three seasons as they helped lead the Brampton/North Bay Battalion, and he’s brought the same kind of no-frills reliability that Paul had here in his last couple of years before Ottawa shipped him to Tampa Bay.
Coaches love reliability.
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It’s often said the very best way to know what a head coach thinks of a player is not to directly ask him, but to check his ice time. As the Senators took down the New York Islanders in a crucial 3-2 win on Thursday night, the Sault Ste. Marie native led all Senators forwards with 20:13.
But just to be on the safe side, the Ottawa media directly asked Travis Green what he thinks about Amadio.
“Yeah, Ammo’s one of those players. He just quietly brings a good game a lot of nights. He’s very smart. He’s got a real good stick, he can intercept passes well, and he’s got good hockey sense.
“He’s a nice player for us to have for sure.”
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Amadio wasn’t actually traded away by the Sens in 2021, so it didn’t go down exactly as Stutzle described. Former GM Pierre Dorion just opted not to qualify him that summer, and Amadio eventually signed with the Leafs.
Toronto placed him on waivers in the first month, when he was snapped up by Vegas, where he eventually won a Stanley Cup in 2023. The following year, Ottawa signed him to the biggest deal of his career, a three-year pact worth $7.8 million.
Five years ago, under previous management, it’s safe to say the Senators didn’t know what they had. But today, in their fierce battle for a playoff spot, they’ll take all the Ammo they can get.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
Read the full article here
