With four games left in the preseason, the battle for the final spot on the Ottawa blueline is no closer to a resolution than when Training Camp started last week.
Mark Borowiecki and Matt Bartkowski have both been less than impressive in their attempt to establish themselves as the clear choice for the job. Andreas Englund has looked decent but he’s already with the AHL group so it’s hard to imagine him starting on the NHL roster. Freddy Claesson has played some NHL games but it would be a pretty big surprise if he started in Ottawa.
Once Dennis Seidenberg signed with the Islanders, there were only two veteran options left on the roster and in my opinion; neither has done enough to this point.
Bartkowski looked okay on Tuesday night against the Sabres but struggled most of the game in Montreal. With Borowiecki, the Senators know what they’re going to get and there are legitimate questions about whether or not that’s enough to be a regular in the lineup. Boro has worn a letter throughout the preseason so it’s clear these coaches still see him as an important part of this team but right now, he may be best suited for the 7th spot on the depth chart.
And that really only leaves one option left.
The 19 year old hasn’t dominated by any means but he’s clearly been the best of the bunch.
There are always concerns about rushing a prospect and it’s a legitimate in some instances. But you rarely hear fans concerned about bringing a prospect along too slowly.
Generally any time a player doesn’t pan out within expected to timelines, we tend to assume it’s because they were rushed rather than consider the possibility that maybe the player just doesn’t have what it takes. Or expectations were set too high. Or he’s filling a different role on the team. Or he’s a late-bloomer. Player development is complicated and there are countless reasons why a player may not reach their maximum potential. Rushed development is only one of those reasons.
In the case of Thomas Chabot, I find myself just as worried about him wasting a year of development in the QMJHL.
He’s clearly shown that he can dominate at that level and he’s already done the World Juniors thing. I’m not saying he’s clearly “NHL ready” now necessarily but I just question whether he has anything to gain from another season of Junior hockey.
The biggest issue I see with Chabot, and granted the sample size is pretty small, is the speed of the game. There are times when he seems to think he has a little more time to make a play than he really does. That’s normal for a kid getting his first taste of NHL hockey and I’m convinced the only way to get used to that speed, is to play games at the NHL level.
My opinion on this is somewhat selfish in that I’m just excited about the possibility of watching the organization’s top prospect compete at the NHL level. There have been flashes in the preseason where you can see just how talented this kid really is.
Right now, I’m completely sold on the idea of Thomas Chabot starting the season in the NHL and getting at least a nine game audition.
From there, a tough decision will need to be made and it’s important that everyone involved (Chabot, Boucher and Dorion) are clear about expectations and the options on the table. At the nine game mark, they can make an assessment of where he’s at and make a decision.
If it’s clearly going poorly, send him back to Junior. But I wouldn’t automatically rule out the possibility of him spending the entire season with the big club.
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