With training camp now just a few weeks away, and the Rookie Tournament coming up before that, the conversation around here will finally begin to focus back on hockey.
There are going to be a couple interesting battles that unfold in camp this year but one area that is refreshingly secure is in goal. And while both Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner will push each other for starts, the Ottawa Senators are in the fortunate position of having what may be the NHL’s best One-Two Punch in goal.
While the Sens gave up some of the organizational depth in goal when they moved Ben Bishop to the Tampa Bay Lightning at last year’s deadline, goaltending remains a strength for this team heading into the 2013/2014 season.
In Craig Anderson, the Senators have a goalie that is coming off one of the most impressive statistical seasons in NHL history. While an ankle injury kept him out for a long stretch of the lockout shortened season, the numbers Andy put up in his 24 appearances were nothing short of remarkable. His .941 save percentage and 1.69 GAA would have made him a lock for the Vezina trophy if not for the injury.
This year, Anderson will have a little added incentive as he’ll be looking to impress the Team USA staff and earn a spot on the American Olympic team. Although as a fan, I wouldn’t mind if he didn’t quite make the cut.
Behind him is Robin Lehner who is coming off an equally impressive season, particularly when Anderson went down with an injury. Lehner is absolutely ready to be a starter in the NHL but will have to earn his starts this year. The 22 year old Swede appeared in 12 games last year, posting a 5-3-4 record with a .936 save percentage and a 2.20 GAA.
Incredible numbers in a pretty small sample size.
Robin Lehner, who could also find his way on to the Swedish Olympic team, is entering the final season of his entry level contract while Craig Anderson has two years remaining on his deal.
Advanced stats will tell you it’s pretty unlikely the duo of Anderson and Lehner can maintain the pace from last season but if the team gets even close to that level of goaltending this year, they’ll find themselves near the top of the Eastern Conference come playoff time.
Barring an injury- How many starts do you see each guy getting?
- Earlier this afternoon, Nicolas St. Pierre from TVA Sports tweeted that a Sens player he spoke with believes Chris Phillips will be the next Captain of the Ottawa Senators. As much as I like Phillips, I’d be surprised and a little disappointed if they went with him. This is a great opportunity to make this Jason Spezza’s team for years to come.
- A quick update on the Cowen negotiations- While I have been mentioning all along that a short term deal seems to make sense here, a message I received from a contact last night suggests that the Sens may be a little hesitant to go with a two year deal and then have Cowen cash in big time on his next contract. But right now, Cowen’s request on a longer term deal is just too rich for the Senators. They’ll find common ground before training camp.
