This is going to be a funny year in Ottawa.
There’s no secret what the big picture goals are for the Senators this season. While Pierre Dorion may suggest otherwise when he’s on local radio, behind closed doors, even he would admit a high pick is the most likely outcome this year.
Be competitive. Develop the young players. But give yourself a chance at a game-changing talent when the Draft rolls around next summer.
Playoffs? Not even Eugene Melnyk would bet on that.
But you know who isn’t throwing in the towel before the puck drops? The players. The coaches. Ya know, the people that actually determine the outcome of a game.
All year long, this Senators team is going to be counted out. That’s just the way it’s going to be. But all year long, the 22 guys that suit up in Ottawa colours won’t care what the experts think. Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, Colin White, Erik Brannstrom. The kids that are going to drive this rebuild won’t give a damn about what’s best for it.
They’ll want one thing- to win.
It’s going to happen to you too.
No matter how much time you spend day-dreaming about that first overall pick, when the puck drops, you’ll cheer for your team. That’s how it works. That’s how it’s always worked.
And that is especially true when it comes to opening night, when the Senators have a chance to shock the world with a win over the Leafs.
See, it was just 162 days ago that this Toronto Maple Leafs team buckled under the pressure of Game 7 at the hands of the Boston Bruins. Of course that also happened 525 days ago but in the Big Smoke, they’re hoping that it will be different this time around.
Because despite those humbling playoff experiences, the Leafs come into this season as a self-proclaimed Stanley Cup contender for the 52nd straight season.
No off-ice distractions holding them back this time. After years of failing to address the team’s defensive shortcomings, General Manager Kyle Dubas refused to be caught with his pants down this year, as he went out and acquired a young 25 year old right-shot defenceman oozing with untapped potential.
Yes indeed, Cody Ceci is finally going to get a real opportunity in Toronto. And he’ll do it on their top defensive pair. On a wanna-be Cup contender.
Just….let that sink in for a moment.
Here is how DJ Smith is expected to line ’em up in his first game as Head Coach of the Ottawa Senators.
Tkachuk-White-Brown
Duclair-Tierney-Ryan
Ennis-Anisimov-Batherson
Chlapik-Pageau-Sabourin
Chabot-Zaitsev
Brannstrom-Hainsey
Borowiecki-DeMelo
Craig Anderson, now 38 years young, gets the start in goal for Ottawa. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM.
The game is available on Sportsnet but if you’d rather skip that awful broadcast and risk a little jail time, there are plenty of illegal streams available.
Hope y’all don’t mind but I’ve taken a few liberties with tonight’s HEAD2HEAD table. My table, my rules.
Go. Sens. Go.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 0-0-0 (0 pts) | 0-0-0 (0 pts) |
| Goals For | 0.0 (1st) | 0.0 (31st) |
| Goals Against | 0.0 (1st) | 0.0 (31st) |
| Power Play | 100.0% (1st) | 0.0% (31st) |
| Penalty Kill | 100.0% (1st) | 0.0% (31st) |
| Shots For | 0.0 (1st) | 0.0 (31st) |
| Shots Against | 0.0 (1st) | 0.0 (31st) |
| Leading Scorers | Tkachuk- 0 pts Chabot- 0 pts White- 0 pts |
Ceci- 0 pts Harpur- 0 pts Spezza- 0 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Craig Anderson 0-0-0 0.00 GAA, 1.000 sv% |
Frederik Andersen 0-0-0 0.00 GAA, .000 sv% |
