It feels like training camp just started yet as of this morning, we already have a pretty good idea who has a legitimate shot at making the team out of Camp.
Head Coach Dave Cameron split the training camp into an NHL and non-NHL roster this morning and as you would expect, it has provided some pretty good insight into how the final roster is going to look.
It’s sort of a unique move by Cameron to divide up the camp so early but obviously his focus is on ensuring his NHL roster is ready to hit the ground running when the games start for real in early October.
No real surprises in the early split either as Shane Prince, Matt Puempel, Chris Wideman and Mike Kostka were the four “bubble” players to stick around with the NHL roster. It will now be up to those four guys to fight for the final two openings. Prince and Wideman seem like the favourites at this point but Puempel and Kostka are both going to get a look.
The split to an NHL group also means we get our first look at some potential line combinations for the season opener. Here’s how Dave Cameron has them lined up at practice this morning.
MacArthur-Turris-Stone
Hoffman-Zibanejad-Ryan
Michalek-Pageau-Lazar
Chiasson-Smith-Neil
Prince-Puempel-Greening
Methot-Karlsson
Wiercioch-Ceci
Cowen-Borowiecki
Kostka-Wideman
The Senators also announced the first three cuts this morning sending Marcus Crawford, Francis Perron and Filip Chlapik back to their Junior teams.
