They aren't throwing hamburgers for the coach, even if he likely deserves the most credit for the Ottawa Senators unlikely rise. What Dave Cameron has done in only 44 games is worthy of considerable praise – and perhaps even a Jack Adams Award nomination.

Ottawa's run hasn't been only about goaltending, even if Andrew (The Hamburglar) Hammond's remarkable story is what's leading the headlines.

It has been about Cameron systematically turning over ice time and responsibility to younger, skilled players and watching them flourish.

At this point, with Chris Neil, Chris Phillips and Clarke MacArthur out of the lineup, the Sens have by far the youngest team pushing for a playoff spot (average age 25.9).

The biggest beneficiaries of the coaching change back in December, meanwhile, have been Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Mika Zibanejad, Curtis Lazar, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Patrick Wiercioch – all of whom fall in the 25-and-under category. And Phillips and David Legwand, the Senators' two greybeards, are down the most in ice time.

The team's resulting improvement in key areas such as puck possession – from bottom 10 under Paul MacLean to top 10 under Cameron – has fuelled the rise, even if didn't happen overnight. In fact, on Feb. 8, two months after the coaching change, the Sens still had the league's fifth fewest points and were trailing even the Toronto Maple Leafs, who they beat 5-3 on Saturday.

Since that point, they're 16-2-2 and have gained an incredible 13 points on the Bruins in the race for the final playoff spot in the East. (Ottawa is also now 23 points clear of the Leafs.)

Cameron was promoted to the Sens job with little fanfare. He had ties to ownership, which had made him a likely successor. When he arrived, the season had appeared lost, especially with Ottawa icing a team near the NHL's salary floor.

Cameron's no-nonsense approach had been successful at the junior level, but that doesn't always translate. And, as the Leafs have shown, a mid-season transition to a vastly different system can be more unsettling than anything. That Cameron found a way to make it work is a positive sign, as even when Hammond falls off – and he will – there's enough good here to keep them in the race.

"We're not in the playoffs yet," Cameron said on the weekend. "Right? Yeah we're on a good run … but we're still on the outside. So let's not get ahead of ourselves yet here."

The truth is, even if Ottawa doesn't make it, this stretch of games changes the long-term outlook for the franchise. This is obviously now a team filled with youth and it's pointed in the right direction, with many unheralded prospects taking a surprise step forward.

They may not keep winning, and the hamburgers may not keep raining down, but they've accomplished something more.

And they've got what appears to be a great coach in charge.

Puck possession, before and after Name MacLean Cameron Difference 1 Chiasson 43.6 53.9 10.3 2 MacArthur 47.0 55.0 8.0 3 Legwand 44.3 52.1 7.8 4 Turris 47.3 53.6 6.3 5 Ryan 45.8 52.0 6.2 6 Karlsson 49.1 55.3 6.2 7 Wiercioch 52.3 56.8 4.5 8 Michalek 46.4 50.6 4.2 9 Gryba 45.4 48.4 3.0 10 Ceci 47.1 49.9 2.8 11 Lazar 49.0 51.5 2.5 12 Condra 48.8 51.1 2.3





Rising: The most likely first round playoff matchups

There are only 148 games remaining in the NHL's regular season – or 12 per cent of the schedule – and the playoff matchups are beginning to take shape. Here are those with the greatest chance to occur.