The Senators are on the ice for a rare evening practice and a couple important pieces are making their first on-ice appearance of this year’s Training Camp.
Fresh off a disappointing semi-final loss at the World Cup, Captain Erik Karlsson has hit the ice at the CTC and he’s been joined by Head Coach Guy Boucher, who’s running his first practice of this year’s Training Camp.
And it sounds like the intensity has picked up a little bit with Boucher calling the shots.
With camp now separated into two groups, the numbers are finally small enough that Boucher can start working on some of the systems he’ll have in place when the games start for real in a couple weeks. Not surprisingly, one of the first things he had the team working on was the power play. The top five man power play unit included Turris, Brassard, Ryan, Hoffman and Karlsson.
On paper, that sounds like a pretty dangerous combination.
Some interesting names in the forward combinations too, with offensive dynamo Phil Varone getting a look on the top line. Ryan Dzingel, who showed flashes in last night’s game against the Sabres, was skating on that second line with Brassard and Ryan. Here’s how Boucher had the forwards lined up.
Hoffman-Turris-Varone
Dzingel-Brassard-Ryan
Pyatt-Pageau-Blunden
Paul-Kelly-Neil
Clarke MacArthur, Mark Stone, Zack Smith, Curtis Lazar and Matt Puempel all missed tonight’s practice.
One interesting note on the blueline as Matt Bartkowski and Chris Wideman skated together for the first time in Camp.
Bartkowski, who’s still on a PTO, looked decent with Marc Methot the other night in Buffalo. The fact that he’s in that spot beside Wideman might suggest that at this point in the preseason, he has a slight edge on Mark Borowiecki for that LD spot on the third pairing.
Ottawa definitely had interest in Dennis Seidenberg but may have waited a little too long, as earlier today he landed a one year deal with the New York Islanders. The Sens were in the mix for the former-Boston Bruin but dragged their feet a little bit, wanting to see a bit more from the guys they had in Camp. In the end, Seidenberg jumped at the first real offer.
Here’s how the defence looked.
Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Bartkowski-Wideman
Chabot-Kostka
Claesson-Borowiecki
Earlier today, the Senators reduced their training camp roster by three players, sending Logan Brown, Maxime Lajoie and Filip Chlapik back to their Junior teams. No surprises there.
Next up for the Senators is a preseason tilt against the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night. Here’s a look at the roster expected to travel to the Bell Centre for that one.
