FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-As far as entertainment level goes, that was one of the better games in the last couple months. Much like the game back in Ottawa a couple weeks ago, the Senators went toe to toe with the Nashville Predators and seemed a little more willing to trade chances than they have been for the majority of the season. Probably not a recipe for success long-term but it was fun to watch. Every time it looked like the Predators might pull away, the Senators pushed back and while they lost to a team that is clearly better than they are, the effort level over the course of the sixty minutes was actually pretty good. Key turnovers by Ottawa’s best players were the difference. With the playoffs seemingly out of reach, entertaining losses might be the ideal outcome the rest of the way. The Senators dropped back into 29th overall with last night’s loss.
-One of the concerns I had about Thomas Chabot early in his time in Ottawa was his ability to defend one on one. There were multiple instances where it looked like he was physically over-matched by NHL forwards down low. Not a huge surprise for a young defenceman but it certainly looked like something he was going to have to work on. He has made significant strides in that part of his game recently. He’ll still get lost in the defensive zone from time to time but his ability to use a combination of body positioning and a good stick have greatly improved his defensive game. There’s no doubt that Chabot is an elite talent with the puck on his stick but his defensive game as come a long way throughout his first season in the NHL.
-One idea that has been floated a lot recently is that the Senators might look to add a younger goalie at the deadline. Makes sense considering the ongoing struggles of both Craig Anderson and Mike Condon. The only problem with that plan is that both Anderson and Condon are locked in for next season. So if you’re going to add a young NHL option then you have to find a way to move one of the two guys currently on the roster and that is going to be next to impossible considering the way they’ve played this season. If Ottawa does target a goalie, it has to be someone that could spend a season in the American Hockey League, which might rule out an option like Tristan Jarry in Pittsburgh. Jarry is an RFA at the end of this season and has been on the Penguins NHL roster for 19 games.
-There was a time when Mike Hoffman was believed to be the most likely player to move leading up to the deadline but it seems as though Pierre Dorion has temporarily shifted away from that idea. Hoffman was at the top of the TSN Trade Bait board at one point about a month ago and now he’s dropped to 8th. While Hoffman’s recent hot streak and chemistry with Matt Duchene is certainly part of the reason why it seems like it has more to do with the fact that teams just weren’t offering enough to make it worth while. Have to think the St. Louis Blues circle back at some point though as the deadline approaches.
-Another day, another rumour about Senators Captain Erik Karlsson. This time it was Terry Marcotte from CTV News, who usually steers clear 0f the rumour game, mentioning that several teams are expected to make a play for Erik Karlsson this week. And an added wrinkle- he mentions that the Senators may try to get Bobby Ryan’s contract included in that deal. That might be a little bit of wishful thinking on Dorion’s behalf, if that is in fact what he’s hoping to do. Not only would that drastically limit the return on Karlsson but it would also narrow the list of interested teams to somewhere in the neighbourhood of uhh zero. Contending teams just don’t have that kind of cap space at this point in the season.
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