As fans await the news of a new contract for defenceman Jared Cowen, we have truly slipped into the dog days of summer.
For any hockey fan, August can be one of the most painful months. The excitement of the off season wheeling and dealing has passed and all that’s left to do is scribble down the potential line combinations over and over again. So let’s do a little bit of that today, starting with one of the most competitive positions on the roster- centre.
Having followed the discussion on this site and around the internet, I can tell you that this is the area where there seems to be the most disagreement. The Ottawa Senators have a ton of depth at the centre ice position which will make for some interesting decisions this September.
We’ll start with the easy ones. Jason Spezza is this team’s number one centre and future Captain. Go ahead and write his name in pen. Same goes for second line centre Kyle Turris. Paul MacLean is in the enviable position of having two clear cut point producing guys to anchor the top two lines.
It’s after that where it gets a little tricky.
Mika Zibanejad, Jean Gabriel Pageau, Zack Smith and Jim O’Brien are all natural centres. Again let’s start with the easy ones. Zack Smith can be penciled in as the team’s fourth line centre. Meanwhile, their recent attempts to trade him are a pretty good indication that we can leave O’Brien’s name off to the side for now.
Spezza
Turris
_____
Smith
That leaves three out of four spots full and two young guys battling for the final centre ice position. Mika Zibanejad or Jean Gabriel Pageau? Realistically both guys are going to get a look and probably both end up somewhere in the lineup.
The organization has mentioned in the past that they prefer to have Zibanejad play at centre. So does that give him the inside track? Maybe and maybe not. There’s a pretty clear hole on the second line right wing that seems to be a good option for the young Swede. In fact, watching him play I’ve always thought his skill set seemed more like that of a winger than a centre.
Despite his cult like following in the Ottawa area, I’m not sure Pageau is an absolute lock to make this team in the Fall. He has nine games of NHL experience (plus 10 memorable playoff games) and a two way contract that might make him easy to send down if he’s outplayed by someone else in camp.
With that said, if he comes in with the same effort he did during his run at the end of the season, it will be impossible to send him down. If I set the line up on opening night (and I don’t unless there is some season ticket holder perk I’m not aware of), Pageau takes the spot on the third line, and Zibanejad shifts to the wing on line two.
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Zibanejad
Greening-Pageau-Condra
Conacher-Smith-Neil
What do ya think?
