While the forward combinations won’t be settled until early October, the top six is pretty straightforward.
Barring a training camp injury or surprise, the first two lines will some alignment of Kyle Turris. Derrick Brassard, Clarke MacArthur, Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan.
It’s the bottom six that remains in doubt. We talked about it a little bit in this post and suggested that the third and fourth line will be selected from a group of Jean Gabriel Pageau, Chris Kelly, Zack Smith, Curtis Lazar, Chris Neil, Nick Paul, Matt Puempel and Ryan Dzingel.
But there are two quiet off season additions that were left off that list that will come to training camp hoping to force Guy Boucher’s hand.
Neither signing came with a ton of fan fare but don’t be surprised if both Mike Blunden and Tom Pyatt make their way into the final roster discussion when training camp rolls around a little more than a month from now.
Blunden, a Toronto native, is 29 years old and has 124 NHL games under his belt. He appeared in 20 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning last year, picking up 3 goals and 5 points. He also appeared in 7 playoff games for the Bolts although it was mostly in a fourth line role. He never actually played more than 8 minutes.
Blunden signed a two year, two way deal with the Senators on July 1. At the time, Dorion mentioned that he expects Blunden to come to camp and push for a spot with the big club. It’s a long shot but having that sort of veteran presence in Camp will help push some of the younger guys hoping to make the team this fall.
Blunden’s not the only one either.
In a signing that flew so far under the radar that I’m convinced some of you are just finding about it right now, the Senators signed Tom Pyatt to a one year, two way deal way back in May. Pyatt has spent the last two seasons with Geneve Servette of the Swiss League.
Obviously Guy Boucher and Marc Crawford liked what he saw from Pyatt during their time in the Swiss League because it took the organization just two weeks to sign Pyatt after the hiring of Boucher and Crawford. Pyatt played for Boucher in Hamilton back in the 2009-2010 season and again in Tampa Bay in 2011/2012.
It’s no coincidence that those were two of Pyatt’s best years as a pro.
Pyatt has 245 games of NHL experience. And while he’s no offensive dynamo, he can certainly pitch in offensively. He had 29 points in 42 Swiss League games last year and has scored 27 times at the NHL level.
The fact that both these guys have two way contracts make them longshots to crack the roster. But having a couple extra veterans in camp will certainly put a little pressure on the the younger guys looking to make the team.
Having guys with NHL experience like Mike Blunden and Tom Pyatt will give the organization some much needed depth, in the American Hockey League and here in Ottawa, if need be.
While guys like Curtis Lazar, Nick Paul, Matt Puempel and Ryan Dzingel probably still have the inside track on NHL jobs, don’t be surprised if Tom Pyatt and Mike Blunden are part of that conversation a little more than a month from now.
