As expected, the Rookie Tournament was essentially light work for the Ottawa Senators.
They embarrassed the Winnipeg Jets in the opener, rolled over the Montreal Canadiens in the second game and then fooled the Jets into believing they actually had a chance before stealing the game away in overtime last night.
While these three games were a good tune up for the main camp which begins in Ottawa on Thursday, it would be nice if the proud organizations in Winnipeg and Montreal could send some actual competition next time around.
The good news is when things get started later this week, the Senators will finally be facing a worthy adversary.
THEMSELVES.
Training Camp is that wonderful time of year when every professional hockey player is in the best shape of their lives (until the fitness testing anyway) and eager to prove they have put in the work during the long off-season.
And in Ottawa, Camp takes on a little extra significance with so many roster spots seemingly up for grabs.
Both Management and Coaches have made it clear that roster spots are there for the taking and young players will be given an opportunity to work their way into the line up.
Spots won’t be handed over and long-term development will be the priority but DJ Smith and the rest of the Coaching Staff will give these kids every opportunity to kick the door in and force their way onto the big team.
As is often the case though, one-way contracts and returning regulars on two-way deals gives you a pretty good sense of the locks.
FORWARDS
Bobby Ryan
Brady Tkachuk
Artem Anisimov
Colin White
Jean Gabriel Pageau
Chris Tierney
Connor Brown
Anthony Duclair
Tyler Ennis
Mikkel Boedker
So up front, that’s 10 guys seemingly locked in.
There is at least one guy on that list that could be moved to make room if necessary but as usual, there aren’t really as many spots as you might think.
Drake Batherson, Logan Brown, Alex Formenton, Josh Norris, Rudolfs Balcers, Vitaly Abramov, Max Veronneau, Jonathan Davidsson, Filip Chlapik, Nick Paul, Parker Kelly and Jack Rodewald are all basically battling it out for two or three spots.
Talk about tough competition.
Things are a little less congested on the blueline but there are still spots there for the taking.
DEFENCE
Thomas Chabot
Nikita Zaitsev
Ron Hainsey
Dylan DeMelo
Mark Borowiecki
Those fives guys almost certainly start the season on the NHL roster. Maybe not in the line up on opening night but they’ll be here.
That leaves a couple openings for the likes of Erik Brannstrom, Christian Wolanin, Christian Jaros, Max Lajoie and Andreas Englund along with off-season additions Olle Alsing and Nick Ebert.
It’s going to be interesting to see how things shake out over the next couple weeks.
Annual Golf Tournament Today. Day Off tomorrow. Medicals and fitness testing on Thursday. First preseason game in just seven days from now.
It’s happening folks. Hockey is almost here!
-Early indications from DJ Smith suggest that the Ottawa Senators will be without a Captain this year. The plan right now is to roll with three alternate captains rather than naming a permanent captain. Also, based on what Smith has said to date, it certainly sounds like they’ll have veteran guys playing that role. Jean Gabriel Pageau, Ron Hainsey and Mark Borowiecki all make sense in that role.
