Granted two preseason games is a ridiculously small sample size but the early indications suggest that the Binghamton Senators could be an offensive force this season.
Luke Richardson has clearly adopted the puck possession, get up and down the ice style that made Paul MacLean so successful in his first year at the NHL level and the early result is a BSens team that is filling the net with ease.
Coming off a 4-3 shootout win in their preseason opener against the Hershey Bears, the AHL Sens looked like a handful again last night, this time scoring a 5-3 win over those same Bears. It's always tough to get an accurate reading in the preseason when line ups are often only a portion of the full team but Bingo has looked strong through their first two preseason outings.
This time is was Jean Gabriel Pageau, Mika Zibanejad, Mike Hoffman, Jakub Culek and Andre Petersson contributing the offence.
Pageau has looked excellent through his first two pro games and really looks like a guy that could turn some heads in the AHL this season. You can see exactly why the Sens scouting staff said he was one of their most exciting picks from the 2011 draft.
Mike Hoffman, who some feel could be ready for a shot at the NHL, was a force for Binghamton, picking up four points in the win.
Meanwhile, highly touted first round pick Mika Zibanejad continued to shine offensively. After an up and down season with an awful Djugardens team last year, Zibanejad seems to be adjusting well to the North American game and looks like he could have a big year at the AHL level.
With Hoffman, Zibanejad, Pageau, Silfverberg, Stone, Prince, Petersson and Da Costa all expected to make the team, it's safe to assume offence will be a strength for Richardson's group.
Again, the sample size is very small but if the early indications are accurate, it could be an exciting season in Binghamton, New York
- Strong start for Sens prospects at the AHL level but a couple of guys playing in the CHL continue to impress as well. Matt Puempel of the Kitchener Rangers picked up a goal and an assist on Friday night and now has 5 goals and 7 points through his team's first five games. In Plymouth, Stefan Noesen has racked up 3 goals and 4 points through four games.
- For the first time since the process began, yesterday felt like a somewhat positive day on the CBA front. Gary Bettman, Bill Daly and the Fehr brothers met in Toronto in an unscheduled and seemingly surprise meeting of the two sides. The NHL and NHLPA are expected to connect again over the weekend.
