It was probably one of the team’s biggest issues over the course of the 2015/2016 regular season.
Injuries to top six guys like Turris and MacArthur hurt. As did the team’s inability to keep the puck out of their own net. Questionable coaching decisions certainly didn’t help. Oh and a struggling power play. And an awful penalty kill. Okay, maybe there were a few issues with this team last season.
But inconsistency in the bottom six was definitely one of them.
And a quick glance at the team’s depth chart heading into the new season suggests it may still be a bit of an issue.
They are in pretty good hands with Jean Gabriel Pageau, Chris Kelly and Zack Smith but after that, there are more than a few question marks.
Guy Boucher’s challenge will be putting together a solid third and fourth line that can be counted on the drive possession and chip in with the odd goal from time to time.That leaves Boucher with five guys to choose from at the bottom of the line up.
Curtis Lazar, Chris Neil, Nick Paul, Matt Puempel and Ryan Dzingel. Of that group, Chris Neil is the only guy with a one way contract so you can go ahead and add him to the roster. Doesn’t mean he’ll be in the line up every night but he’s certainly going to be part of the team’s final 22 or 23 man roster out of camp.
Two line up spots and probably three roster openings left for Lazar, Paul, Puempel and Dzingel. And all this sort of ignores veterans like Mike Blunden and Tom Pyatt who both have a history with Guy Boucher and will come to camp looking to make a good impression.
Curtis Lazar is probably close to a lock but recent comments by Pierre Dorion sort of left the door open to a possible demotion. Nick Paul was named the hardest worker at the team’s Development Camp this summer which is an indication the organization is pretty high on him heading into the main camp.
Matt Puempel hasn’t been able to establish himself at the NHL level to this point and really has a skill-set that’s an odd fit in the bottom six. Ryan Dzingel made a great first impression last year and has the type of speed and skill you need in the bottom six in today’s NHL.
The Senators will be hoping that a couple of those options can stand out in training camp and preseason.
Injuries will strike over the course of the season and every one of these guys is likely to get a look at some point during the season. Which guys start the year on the big team remains to be seen. Assuming that Sam Gagner signing isn’t going to happen, a best guess at the bottom six on opening night.
Smith-Pageau-Lazar
Paul-Kelly-Neil
Puempel
How would you like to see Boucher line up the bottom two lines?
