The opening of training camp is still a little more than a month away but some of the key storylines are already starting to develop.
On the blueline, Chris Wideman is expected to push the current collection of veterans for a spot in the opening night line up. While up front, youngsters like Matt Puempel and Shane Prince have got a taste of NHL action and will be eager to prove they can be full-time pros during Camp and the preseason.
The emergence of both Puempel and Prince could force the Senators to make a difficult decision prior to opening night. It may seem a little odd after he just played a full season in the NHL, but Senators’ Management is going to have to at least consider the possibility of starting Curtis Lazar with the Binghamton Senators.
Last year, Curtis Lazar wasn’t eligible for the American Hockey League which made the organization’s decision pretty easy. Lazar had accomplished everything he could as a Junior and was clearly ready for a new challenge. So while the Senators had the option to send Lazar back to the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League, it just didn’t make sense for his development.
The decision may not be quite so clear cut this time around.
With older prospects like Puempel and Prince knocking down the door for a look, the Senators will have to carefully consider the possibility of starting Lazar in Binghamton. There, Lazar could play big minutes, develop the offensive side of his game a little bit and really be a leader for Luke Richardson’s BSens. And obviously, the fact that he’s on a two-way contract makes him a little bit more vulnerable to demotion.
Now at the same time, Lazar certainly hasn’t looked unconformable during his time in the NHL. He was an important part of one of Ottawa’s most consistent lines down the stretch, along with Pageau and Condra, and really seemed to gain confidence as the season moved along.
The offensive production wasn’t all that impressive but his two-way game quickly won over the Coaching staff, both under Paul MacLean as well as Dave Cameron. And with Erik Condra moving on to Tampa Bay, there could be an opportunity for Lazar to take on an even bigger role on the team’s penalty kill.
At this point, I’d be surprised to see Lazar start in Binghamton.
His game progressed nicely over the course of a full season with the big club and towards the end of the season, he looked like a player ready to have more of an impact. While there are obvious benefits to a youngster honing his craft in the AHL, I really think the best place for him to work on his game is against NHL competition. Now of course that could change if one of Puempel or Prince forces Management’s hand in training camp and preseason.
What do you think? Where does Lazar start? And as a second question, what kind of offensive output are you expecting from him this season?
