With 31 games still remaining in their season, the Ottawa Senators have nothing left to play for but pride.
And based on the effort they put in on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens, it doesn’t really seem like the pride angle is much of a motivation for this group. They know where they stand right now and most of them appear content to just mail it in down the stretch.
Good news for the team’s draft lottery chances but not great news for our eye balls over the next couple months.
The Senators return home tonight to play host to one of the biggest surprises in the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Devils.
For Sens fans, you need look no further than this Devils to team to see just how quickly you can change your fortunes from year to year. The Devils finished dead last in the Eastern Conference last year, won the Draft Lottery and overhauled their team with a focus on youth and speed. No massive rebuild necessarily just a conscious effort to change the identity of their team. And it worked.
The Devils sit in second in the Metro Division and appear destined to return to the post-season this Spring. Not only are they winning games but they have quickly become one of the league’s most exciting teams to watch. Which goes against everything we thought we knew about the New Jersey Devils.
Injuries continue to pile up for the Senators as they’ll now be without Bobby Ryan for the foreseeable future. And based on some of the talk I’ve heard, it sounds like there’s a chance he may not play again this season. Mark Stone is getting close to a return but won’t play tonight. Derick Brassard and Nate Thompson are both out for tonight’s game which means Ottawa will go with 11 forwards and 7 defenceman. Max McCormick has been recalled for tonight’s game.
Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.
Hoffman-Duchene-White
Dzingel-Pageau-DiDomenico
Smith-McCormick-Pyatt
Burrows-Pajaarvi
Chabot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Oduya-Borowiecki/Claesson
Craig Anderson starts in goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM.
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 27-16-8 (62 pts) | 17-25-9 (43 pts) |
| Goals For | 2.96 (12th) | 2.55 (T-27th) |
| Goals Against | 2.88 (T-16th) | 3.35 (29th) |
| Power Play | 20.4% (15th) | 15.7% (28th) |
| Penalty Kill | 82.7% (6th) | 74.7% (28th) |
| Shots For/Shots Against | 31.4 (18th) 31.5 (11th) |
30.0 (28th) 33.2 (26th) |
| Scoring Leaders | Hall- 51 pts Bratt- 31 pts Hischier- 31 pts |
Stone- 44 pts Karlsson- 34 pts Hoffman- 34 pts |
| Team Save % | .908% (T-20th) | .899% (27th) |
| Draft Lottery % | N/A | 10.5% |
-With the trade deadline fast approaching, the talk surrounding the Ottawa Senators seems to be picking up seam. Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard, Jean Gabriel Pageau, Dion Phaneuf, Zack Smith, Alex Burrows and Johnny Oduya have all been mentioned in the rumour mill at one point or another. Pretty much half the team. It’s clear that the decisions made over the next few weeks will have a significant impact on the direction this team takes heading into next season. Of that group, Mike Hoffman is till the most likely to move but there is legitimate interest in Smith, Brassard and Pageau too.
-Last night, Bruce Garrioch specifically mentioned that the Tampa Bay Lightning have been taking a close look at the Senators for defensive help. Erik Karlsson is the obvious option even though the Senators insist he isn’t available. Apparently the Lightning still have eyes for Cody Ceci. Ceci is scheduled to be an RFA this summer and will be looking for a significant raise. If cutting cost is part of the team’s plan going forward then this would be a great place to start.
-Another name that has been coming up from time to time is Dion Phaneuf. Garrioch mentioned this morning that the Los Angeles Kings may have some interest but that is almost certainly a scenario where they would be looking to unload some bad contracts of their own. The two teams talked about a similar deal over the summer. The team hasn’t said much about it this year but apparently Phaneuf has been playing through a back injury for most of the season. Considering his health and what is left on his contract, it’s hard to imagine there is much chance of moving him before the deadline.
