In classrooms across North America, students of all ages are finally headed back to school today after what I’m sure seemed like an all too short summer.
And it will be no different for the Ottawa Senators rookies, as they gear up for the annual rookie tournament being held in London, Ontario this week. For Sens fans, it’s a great opportunity to get a look at some of the team’s highly touted prospects and a sign that the NHL season is just around the corner.
Rookie camp officially opens tomorrow with the first game coming on Thursday afternoon against the rookies from the Pittsburgh Penguins. So with that in mind, a list of six players to keep a close eye on at this short but always interesting tournament.
Cody Ceci
The Senators were thrilled when they were able to grab Cody Ceci at 15th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and continue to be excited by his progress. Ceci appeared in three regular season games with the Binghamton Senators and another three in the playoffs and by all accounts looked comfortable at that level. Ceci will get an invite to the main camp this year and has a chance to dominate in a tournament like this.
Ludwig Karlsson
Other than his extremely familiar last name, fans don’t know a whole lot about Ludwig Karlsson. The 6’2 left winger is coming off a couple successful seasons with Northeastern University and is expected to a regular with the Binghamton Senators this season. Will be interesting to see how this relatively unknown 22 year old matches up against mostly younger competition.
Curtis Lazar
When the Sens grabbed Curtis Lazar with the 17th pick in the NHL Entry Draft, it caught fans off guard a little bit. Lazar wasn’t talked about a whole lot leading up to the draft but to listen to the Sens brass talk since then, this was the guy they wanted all along. Lazar is going to be in the mix for the Canadian World Junior team this season and will also make an appearance at the Sens main camp later this month.
Jean Gabriel Pageau
I wrote about Pageau last week and mentioned that his two way contract may make him vulnerable when Coach MacLean and his staff start making the hard decisions late in training camp. Pageau burst onto the scene with a terrific playoff last season and seemed extremely motivated to pick up where he left off. There is a tendency for some of the more established guys to coast a little bit in a tournament like this but Pageau should be eager to prove last year’s magic was no fluke.
Buddy Robinson
Another player that we talked about on this site over the course of the off season. Robinson is a relative unknown at this point but some of the conversation lately suggests he could push for a spot with the NHL team in the not too distant future. At 6’5, 236 lbs, Robinson obviously has terrific size and according to scouting reports, gets around the ice pretty well.
Mark Stone
Like Pageau, Mark Stone is eager to prove he can be an NHL regular. When you consider the fact that the Senators seem to have an opening in their top six, Stone likely sees a terrific opportunity to force his way onto the roster this Fall. Stone spent another summer working hard on his skating, which has improved steadily over the past few years. He’s another guy that should dominate in a tournament like this.
You can see the full list of invite for the Camp here. The rookies from the Ottawa Senators are matched up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks.
The schedule for the tournament is as follows;
- Thursday, Sept. 5: Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa, 2 p.m.; Chicago vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 7: Ottawa vs. Chicago, 2 p.m.; Toronto vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 8: Chicago vs. Pittsburgh, 2 p.m.; Toronto vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m
-Some disappointing news leading up to this camp as one of the more interesting names on the roster will not be participating. Jarrod Maidens had a set back in his recovery from a concussion and was sent home by his OHL team, the Owen Sound Attack. There is no timetable for his return.
