- Ten Quick Questions

Rookie camp is underway in Ottawa today and in two more sleeps, the Senators will play the first game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in London, Ontario. Puck drop in that one is set for 1:00 PM with coverage available on Rogers 22.

In the meantime, I wanted to try something a little different with a post I call “Ten Quick Questions”. Using the handy little poll feature, I’m going to post ten questions about the upcoming season, to the SensChirp readers. Some of the questions are topics that have been discussed at length while others are meant to sort of make you think ahead to the upcoming season. A ten question quiz where there are no wrong answers.

Q1- In yesterday’s interviews both Bryan Murray and Pierre Dorion suggested that the team will not name a Captain until some time after training camp. And both seemed to at least hint that there was a chance that the team may not name a Captain at all. There are two clear options here. One is a young player with unbelievable talent that has a sort of confidence and swagger that you see from many of the young players in the league. The other option is a grizzled veteran with a ton of experience who has played his whole career in this city. Two solid candidates but two very different directions available to management and coaches. Make your choice.

Q2-Something tells me this topic will remain on the front burner until the contracts get signed. The Senators were hoping they could make significant process with these two before the season started but it seems like both negotiations have entered a holding pattern of sorts. Both players say they want to be here and management has made it clear that they want both guys to stick around. Both players will be looking for term and dollars on what really are important contracts in their pro careers. I’ll give you a third option here but I’ll admit it scares me a little bit. Who signs on the dotted line first?

Q3- One is a 19 year old fighting for a spot amongst an already crowded forward ranks. The other is armed with a one way contract and a somewhat surprising contract extension this summer. If Lazar (who has put on 10-15 pounds of muscle this off season) isn’t here he’s back in Junior for another season. If Borowiecki isn’t on the ice, he’s in the pressbox or leading the team in Binghamton but only after clearing waivers. Both players are favourites of the organization and both will be fighting for jobs against more established pros. Who plays more?

Q4- Skeptics about this year’s team wonder where the goals will come from. Two thirds of the top line are in Dallas and now the reigns will be turned over to a trio of players that were among Ottawa’s best last year. A responsible two way player in his first year as the undisputed number one centre, a UFA to be looking to earn his next contract and a talented winger armed with a new long term extension. All three will be relied on to provide offence this season. Who provides the most?

Q5- The over/under on points was set at 78.5 for the Senators this season. That seems ridiculously low and would certainly see the Sens come up short in the push for the playoffs. The East appears to be wide open again this year but there is no doubt the Senators come in as underdogs this season. Can they prove the skeptics wrong?

Q6- Offence from the wings is a question mark for the Sens heading into camp. MacArthur and Ryan can be relied on but after that there are some questions marks. Who gets the top six ice time and the chance to produce on the power play will be determined early in camp and in the regular season. A new guy entering his second season in the NHL, a veteran winger armed with a new contract or a young prospect finally ready to make the jump as a full time NHLer. Which of these three produces the most this season?

Q7- Both goalies were given contract extensions this summer. The Sens have made it clear that they like the idea of two capable starters but they also realize that their young goaltender needs to play games. The veteran seemed to be the preferred choice of the Head Coach last year but maybe that starts to change a little bit this season. The young Swede has been hunting down that starting job for the last few years. Is this the year he finally becomes the number one in Ottawa? Who gets more starts?

Q8- On a crowded blueline, these two guys are fighting for a regular spot in the line up. They split games most of last season but now there’s another defenceman in the mix in Mark Borowiecki. They could not be more different as players. A slick puck moving defenceman that can help the power play but maybe lacks the “intensity” MacLean is looking for vs. a physical defenceman that doesn’t add much offensively but can take a regular shift on the penalty kill. Who does Paul MacLean turn to more this season?

Q9- Turris is this team’s number one centre but things get a little less certain after that. Spezza is gone so the Senators will need offence by committee and a big part of that will be production from these two players. One is a young player that started last season in Binghamton and struggled at times to earn the trust of his Head Coach despite some pretty impressive numbers. The other is a free agent acquisition with a proven track record in the National Hockey League. The team will rely heavily on these two guys but who plays more?

Q10- There is no official award for this but by the end of the season it’s usually pretty clear. After a season where the team failed to live up to expectations, there seems to be a little less pressure on the Senators heading into this season. They want to be a hard working team but the reality is, if they are going to have any chance at competing for a playoff spot in April 2015, they will need their best players to lead the way. Some strong contributors left this off season but there is still a ton of talent in that locker room. Who will lead the way this season?