In another sign that a new NHL season isn’t far off, the General Manager of the Ottawa Senators made a rare appearance on TSN1200 today.
The wide-ranging interview covered all sorts of topics ahead of a new season. A few things that jumped out from today’s appearance.
-The first thing that jumped out is that the roster as it currently stands is the one Ottawa will take to Training Camp. Despite having some cap space and recent suggestions that they could make a deal with a capped out team, it doesn’t really sound like it’s on Pierre’s radar.
-It didn’t take long for Pierre to steer the conversation towards the upcoming training camp and who they’ll be watching. Interestingly, not only did Dorion mention Logan Brown by name but he mentioned him first. Maybe a good sign for the now 22-year old heading into Camp. When specifically asked about Brown, Dorion called him one of the team’s “most talented prospects”.
-On Erik Brannstrom, there was a question about which side they see him on as a left-shot defenceman. Dorion said while it would be better to have him on the left side to start, he ultimately deferred to the Coaching staff. He did call Brannstrom a “foundational player” though.
-On Tim Stuetzle, Dorion stressed that the organization had no doubts about letting him join Team Germany at the World Juniors. While they are aware that it may ultimately limit his participation in Camp (and maybe in games depending on the quarantine process), the Senators felt it was an important opportunity for Stuetzle.
-Not surprisingly, the GM had some high-praise for Shane Pinto specifically suggesting that he could push for a spot once his UND season wraps up. DJ Smith apparently joked about the possibility of including him on the roster just to win draws. With his goal last night, Pinto is now tied for the NCAA scoring lead with 12 points in eight games.
-No update on Anders Nilsson’s health which isn’t a great sign heading into Camp. With the addition of Matt Murray and considering Marcus Hogberg is on a one-way deal, it would not be surprising to see Nilsson start the year on LTIR. No other injury concerns among the players already back in Ottawa.
Sure was nice to hear some hockey talk again.
You can listen to the full interview here.
