(UPDATE 10:27 AM)- Some good news for the organization this morning as they have done the expected and locked up NCAA defenceman Christian Wolanin. It’s a two year entry level contract. Wolanin is expected to join the Senators in Ottawa later this week and will likely play in NHL games down the stretch. Wolanin will wear #86, becoming the first player in franchise history to do so.
FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Unfortunately for the Ottawa Senators organization, it feels like there have been pretty regular reminders away from the rink that highlight the obvious fact that hockey is just a game. The last fews years have been filled with those moments that put everything in perspective and that make the things we discuss here on a daily basis seem pretty trivial. Yesterday was another one of those moments. There are no words that can even begin to describe the pain both Melinda and Erik Karlsson must be feeling right now. And listening to the players talk afterwards, it’s clear that it was something weighing on the entire Senators Family. Keep Erik and Melinda in your thoughts and prayers.
-It goes without saying but this was not a good performance from the Senators. They were playing a desperate Florida Panthers team and it just looked like a mismatch from the moment the puck was dropped. The team is obviously doing their best to replace guys like Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone from within but that’s pretty much impossible to do. It’s that much more difficult when goalies are only stopping about 80% of the shots.
-With Ottawa’s loss and Detroit’s win, the Senators have again dropped into 28th overall. If the Draft Lottery was held today, the Sens would have about a 9.5% chance at the first overall pick and a 28.6% chance at a top three selection. With just ten games left in the regular season, it’s going to be difficult to drop any lower than that although the 29th place Arizona Coyotes have been playing some decent hockey of late. And they’re in Buffalo to take on the last place Sabres tonight.
-It would require a lot of things to go the right way down the stretch but there is a long-shot scenario where the Senators would have an opportunity to knock the Pittsburgh Penguins out of the playoffs on the final day of the season. And do it while owning their first round pick. If you’re looking for something to root for down the stretch, the Penguins losing every single game is definitely an option. They host Montreal tonight too which has tank implications too. Go you miserable Habs Go.
-Filip Chlapik was recalled ahead of this game and again, looked like a player that is capable of playing a regular shift at the NHL level. Boucher pointed out that he still has some growing to do as a player and I can see that at times but he really seems to have the hockey sense and poise with the puck to be a successful player if given the opportunity. As the game wore on, Boucher gave Chlapik some shifts in the top six, including a few shifts on the wings with Matt Duchene and Bobby Ryan. Chlapik looked pretty good in that role too.
Boucher’s Post-Game Comments
Player Interviews
Advanced Stats
Boxscore
