Based on everything I’ve seen out of Training Camp, the Ottawa Senators are going to win the Stanley Cup. Or they may not win a game.
More than any other year, it’s been tough to get a real sense of how things are going. Because the media isn’t allowed in the building and because the content from the team itself has been limited, there isn’t a lot to go on.
Outside of a few short zoom sessions with the Head Coach and the odd interview with the General Manager, it’s a bit of a guessing game. Line combinations have been shuffled regularly and we’re still seeing players audition in various roles.
But with the start of a new season now just five days away, it’s safe to assume that the competition is at an all-time high.
On Friday night, the Senators held a scrimmage that was a crucial one according to DJ Smith. The Coach suggested there are probably three spots available right now and as many as six guys in the mix.
And because there are no preseason games, players have to find a way to stand out.
Friday’s goal scorers included Braydon Coburn, Thomas Chabot, Austin Watson, Filip Chlapik, Josh Brown and Connor Brown. Alex Formenton added the winner in the 3 on 3. No video of course, but given everything we know about Formenton, it’s safe to assume it was on a breakaway.
Of course scoring a goal doesn’t always mean playing a good game but it’s certainly one way to get noticed.
And for a couple of those guys, Filip Chlapik and Alex Formenton in particular, they desperately need to get noticed. Chlapik has bounced around the lineup throughout Training Camp and Formenton actually found himself in the “B” group at one point last week.
The four to six man taxi squad means there are more openings than usual but the bubble guys certainly don’t want to leave it to chance.
The Senators had a full day off on Saturday but are back at it today. The next media availability with the Coach comes later today too.
This will be a crucial day for Pierre Dorion and DJ Smith as they try to make some of those difficult decisions.
There should be a few new faces at camp today as Derek Stepan, Erik Brannstrom and Tim Stuetzle are all expected to be on the ice.
This is really our first chance to get a look at the full training camp roster. How guys line up today should give us a pretty good idea of how they might line up on opening night. And for what it’s worth, Stuetzle started on a line with Derek Stepan and Evgenii Dadonov.
Time to start filling in some of these blanks…
FORWARDS
________-________-Dadonov
________-________-Batherson
________-________-C.Brown
________-Anisimov-Watson
Tkachuk, White, Stepan, Stuetzle, Tierney, Galchenyuk, L. Brown, Norris, Paquette, Paul, Chlapik, Balcers, Formenton
Kelly, Haley, Peca, Shaw, Beaudin, Sokolov, Abramov, Davidsson
DEFENCE
Chabot-Gudbranson
Reilly-Zaitsev
Wolanin-Brown
Coburn-Zub
Brannstrom
Jaros, Lajoie, Alsing, Thomson, Aspirot
GOALIES
Murray
Hogberg
Daccord, Mandolese
TAXI SQUAD
1. _____________
2. _____________
3. _____________
4. _____________
5. _____________
6. _____________
