Class is clearly in session for the Ottawa Senators 22 games into the season. Eight rookies have already seen game action. The good news is that many of these youngsters aced their first quarter exam.

However, a roster is judged by the sum its parts, and there are a few areas that require several more lessons.

Overall Team Grade: C+

The Senators are consistently inconsistent.

On any given evening, fans may see a club averaging 3.59 goals per game (third in the NHL), performing with reckless abandon and youthful enthusiasm. On other nights, a defensively-inept squad, allowing a league-high 4.27 goals against, more than half-a-goal greater than their nearest competitor.

Most days, it’s both.

Nevertheless, the Senators are playing an entertaining brand of hockey, hovering around the .500 mark with a 9-10-3 record – a marked improvement from their 30th-place finish in 2017-18.

Coach Grade: B-

After last season’s State of the Union, GM Pierre Dorion fired a shot across the bow, letting his head coach Guy Boucher know in no uncertain terms that it was imperative to lend more ice time to Senators’ younger players.

Boucher has done exactly that in most instances, the lone exceptions being forwards Alex Formenton and Nick Paul. Since returned to the team's American League affiliate in Belleville, Paul’s ice time was spotty during his brief spell in Ottawa. The 19-year old Formenton played under 10 minutes in two of his nine outings prior to heading back to the London Knights.

The Senators’ bench boss currently ices a lineup with three rookies among his top six forwards: Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk and Colin White.

MORE: Fake Twitter accounts created to defend the Senators after viral Uber video

Boucher can also be credited for the revival of his team’s previously dismal power play. Ranked 27th and 23rd, respectively, in prior seasons, Boucher seized the reins in the final year of his contract. The Boucher-led PP ranks ninth league-wide at 23.7 percent.

The same can’t be said for the Senators’ league-worst penalty killing unit. By now, most have seen the infamous Uber video. It’s one facet of the Senators' play that needs attention, along with finding a way to decrease a league-worst 37.9 shots per game.

GM Grade: B-

Pierre Dorion stripped the team of captain Erik Karlsson and sniper Mike Hoffman in the offseason. While it’s difficult to replace either player, especially a perennial Norris Trophy candidate in Karlsson, Dorion used the trades to add roster depth.

Acquired in the Karlsson deal with the Sharks, centre Chris Tierney and defenceman Dylan DeMelo performed better than expected. University of Michigan centre Josh Norris, added in the same trade, leads his varsity team with 15 points in 11 games and is a year or two away from turning pro.

Arriving in the Hoffman swap, also from San Jose, Mikkel Boedker is yet to produce points with any consistency.

The selection of Brady Tkachuk at fourth overall in June’s NHL Entry Draft has proven to be a stroke of genius. Maxime Lajoie, a fifth-rounder from 2016, and 2017 fourth-round pick Drake Batherson are also diamonds in the rough.

The GM’s focus for the remainder of the campaign is to extend potential unrestricted free agents Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Mark Stone. If Dorion can pull off this feat, that "B-minus" may become an “A.”

Goaltending

Craig Anderson: C+

Starting 19 of the Senators’ 22 games, the 37-year old has played more minutes (1,108) and faced more shots (703) than any NHL netminder. Anderson’s already faced 40-plus shots in four games, and 53 in another. His underlying numbers — 3.84 goals against average and a .899 save percentage — are a reflection of his team and obvious fatigue.

With Mike Condon recovering from an injury and no help in sight, it’s a legitimate question of how long the 16-year veteran can hold up.

Boucher has started to limit Anderson’s practice time. It’s only the third week of November.

Incomplete – Mike McKenna

Defencemen

Thomas Chabot: A+

Two months shy of his 22nd birthday, Chabot is a star in the making. Given his winning pedigree, it was only a matter of time before the young d-man would be thrust into the spotlight league-wide. Earning the minutes (23:27 TOI) usually awarded to Erik Karlsson, Chabot trails the Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly by one point for tops among NHL blue liners. Chabot’s 25 points equals his rookie season’s total accomplished in 63 games.

Defensively, Chabot is proving himself more than capable. The sky is the limit for this potential All-Star and possible Norris Trophy candidate. The Quebec native is only going to get better with experience.

Maxime Lajoie: B

Having played 56 games at the age of 20 in the American League last season, Lajoie wasn’t on anyone’s radar to be on the Senators’ opening night roster – let alone earn a goal and an assist in his first NHL game. But Lajoie has proven is more than capable of holding his own against tougher competition. While he still adds offensive spark from the back end, Guy Boucher has removed Lajoie from the power play at times, due to wanting him to conserve energy. The Calgary resident gained his coach’s trust so much that he’s often relied upon in a game’s final moments.

Dylan DeMelo: B-

A bottom-pair defenceman with the Sharks in parts of three seasons, DeMelo is often lined up with Chabot on the Senators' blue line. The steady d-man has been an aberration on the back end. DeMelo is a team-leading plus-10 on a club currently possessing a minus-15 even-strength goal differential.

Mark Borowiecki: C

Borowiecki wears his heart on his sleeve. Vocal off the ice, energetic and sometimes over-rambunctious on it – a pair of hits has resulted in two suspensions already this season.

While the “Borocop” may not be the most talented defender, his work ethic is not lost on his teammates.

Cody Ceci: C

Filing for arbitration in the offseason, Ceci is hoping to improve his stock on his next contract. So far, there’s been no real change in his play from the previous year. The former Ottawa 67 ranks last in Corsi (39 percent) among all NHL defenders playing 260 minutes or more this season. Ceci’s underlying analytic numbers are actually lower than in they were in 2017-18 (44 percent).

Christian Jaros: C

Limited to 44 games due to various injuries last season, his first playing in North America, Jaros is still acclimating himself to the pro game. The Slovak is having his share of ups and downs, which is to be expected after only 16 NHL games. There’s no doubt Jaros will become a shutdown defender at some juncture, but it wouldn’t surprise if the 22-year old spends more time in the AHL to hone his game.

Chris Wideman: C-

Signed to a one-year deal after a season which ended after only 16 games due to a devastating hamstring tear, Wideman has shown glimpses of why the club brought him back. However, the St. Louis native hasn’t broached the level of play coaches have grown accustomed on a consistent basis. Wideman has been a healthy scratch the past two games.

Incomplete – Ben Harpur

Forwards

Matt Duchene: A+

Duchene is taking his game to another level since the Uber video's posting. The Senators’ No.1 centre is tied with another Sen, Mark Stone, for tops among all NHL players with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in the month of November, including eight (three goals, five assists) in his past four games.

The potential 2019 UFA is off to the best start in his career, having not reached the 10-goal mark until game No. 40 last season. He didn't reach his current 27-point total until game 50 of last year's campaign..

Better yet, Duchene has found instant chemistry with new linemate Drake Batherson. The 20-year old has compiled five points in his first four NHL games riding shotgun with the league’s sixth-place point-getter.

Mark Stone: A+

Without donning a “C” on his sweater, Stone is the Senators’ de facto captain. On and off the ice he’s the consummate pro, often the first player to face awaiting cameras postgame. Stone’s willingness to mentor 19-year old Brady Tkachuk, taking him into his own home, is a prime example of his true value.

Brady Tkachuk: B+

Despite missing 11 games with separate injuries, Tkachuk hasn’t skipped a beat, averaging a point per game in his short NHL career to date. After scoring only eight goals at Boston University at age 18, no one was certain what to expect production-wise from the St. Louis resident.

Well, Tkachuk is exceeding early expectations, already notching six markers in 11 outings. While his playing style is comparable to brother Matthew, who toils for the Flames, Brady appears to have the potential to be the most effective offensively.

Ryan Dzingel: B

In only his third full NHL season, Dzingel is on pace to easily eclipse career highs in all offensive categories. Building off a 23-goal season in 2017-18, Dzingel is on pace to tally 30-plus, as Duchene predicted for the Chicago resident during Senators training camp.

Chris Tierney: B-

Tierney’s strength is his versatility, as he's able to play in all situations with a modicum of success. The 24-year old racked up 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his first nine games as a Sen, centring a line featuring Stone. Though Tierney’s underlying numbers have dropped off of late, mainly due to skating on the third line, he’s already tied his second-highest assist total (15) in his fifth NHL campaign.

Colin White: B-

It’s all about reps and confidence for White. In 21 games last season the 22-year old earned only six points. White has already more than doubled that number (13) in 22 games this season. Guy Boucher has also put White in a position to succeed, making him a fixture between Tkachuk and Stone of late. Four of White’s goals have come on the club’s power play, a sign the youngster is starting to find his way in the NHL.

Bobby Ryan: C+

With the addition of top-tier rookies, Ryan has dropped down in the pecking order to become a third-line winger. At 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, Ryan still holds a place on Boucher’s successful PP unit, of where almost half of his 13 points have come.

Mikkel Boedker: C

The good: Boedker posted six points in his first seven games as a Senators.

The bad: The speedy left wing hasn’t scored in 15 games, adding only six helpers. A bonus for Boedker is he’s comfortable being slotted anywhere among the top three trios.

Zack Smith: C

Considered one of the Senators' team leaders, Smith was a surprise waiver victim prior to the start of the season. The move sparked a fire in him. Smith scored the team’s opening goal of the campaign, compiling four points in his first three games. Similar to Ryan, stellar play by the club’s rookie knocked Smith down to the fourth line. A facial fracture suffered Oct. 26 caused him to miss nine games, which didn’t help matters. However, the 30-year old maintains his presence on the penalty kill.

Magnus Paajarvi: C-

Paarjarvi isn’t going to wow anyone with his offence – his only goal this season was an empty-netter. As a fixture on the PK, Paarjarvi leads all Sens, averaging 2:19 of ice time per game on the unit.

Tom Pyatt: D

Pyatt is having an odd season. Despite playing over 13 minutes per game on average, appearing in all 22 o the Senators’ games, he’s only earned one assist. In those 13 minutes, as he did last season, Pyatt leads all league forwards in blocked shots (29). He also possesses the worst even-strength Corsi (35.8 percent) metric in the NHL.

Incomplete – Drake Batherson, Max McCormick