While we await the first updates from this morning’s on-ice session at the Bell SensPlex, let’s take a closer look at a few of the relative unknowns participating in this year’s Camp.
Every year it seems, there are a handful of names that leave even a die hard fan wondering…wait, who?
In the busy off-season, under-the-radar roster announcements are common and it’s easy to completely miss a new player entering the organization. The Ottawa Senators had a few of those over the last couple months and most of them on July 1st when you likely had a few too many drinks to notice.
All five of these guys are long-shots to make the team but they figure to be key players in Belleville this season.
#23 Max Reinhart– The Senators were busy on July 1st only most of their moves were made with the AHL team in mind. Older Brother of Griffin and Sam, Max Reinhart a 3rd round pick of the Calgary Flames back in 2010 but never really left his mark in the Flames organization, appearing in 23 games and scoring just once. He scored at a pretty good clip in the AHL though and spent last season playing with the Cologne Sharks in Germany. At one time, he was described as a “speedy center with fine two-way instincts and all-around ability.”
#58 Ben Sexton– In the chaos of July 1st, the Senators signed Sexton to a two year, two-way contract to help give the team in Belleville a little more depth at the centre position. Sexton is from Kanata (surprising, right?) and played for the Nepean Raiders in 2007 and 2008. Last year, he racked up 19 goals and 31 points in 54 AHL games with the Albany Devils. It was a breakout year for Sexton who hadn’t scored more than 4 goals in his previous three AHL seasons. He was a 7th round pick of the Boston Bruins back in 2009. Oh and he’s the son of former Sens GM Randy Sexton.
#64 Tyler Randell– Randell played in 27 games with the Boston Bruins during the 2015/2016 season and made a pretty good first impression as an NHLer. Randell scored in his first two games in the National Hockey League, and he’d add four more goals before the season was out. Randell was a 6th round pick in 2009 and played two years of Junior hockey with the Belleville Bulls. Not shy to drop the gloves, Randell had 81 penalty minutes in his 59 AHL games in Providence last year.
#46 Erik Burgdoerfer– An undrafted 28 year old defenceman with two games of NHL experience under his belt. He made his NHL debut as a 27 year old with the Buffalo Sabres, playing in two games and averaging just over 11 minutes of ice time. The Senators signed him to a two-year, two-way contract on July 1st. He had 17 points in 52 AHL games last season.
#41- Danny Taylor– Taylor’s numbers in the KHL from last season are nothing short of incredible. He had a .930 sv% with Zagreb Medvesak (?) and a .940 sv% with Novosibirsk Sibir (?). Now I am taking his word for it that these are actual teams but those are some pretty incredible numbers. He’s played three games in the NHL (two in Calgary and one in Los Angeles) and has suited up for close to 20 different pro teams, as near as I can tell. He’s likely to get the bulk of the starts in Belleville this year as he was signed to a one year deal with a $300,000 guarantee.
