With the higher expectations of the Ottawa Senators not being met last season, and having their captain bailing out on the team, every Sens fan has to be wondering what approach Ottawa is going to take this off-season and what are the new expectations for next year.
When you look down the team from forwards to goaltenders, there is, for the most part, a young core. A core that isn’t too young to lack a whole lot of experience but a core with still a fair amount of potential for a possible successful season. When it comes down to having a successful season, it doesn’t necessarily mean a Stanley Cup victory at the end, but having certain expectations met and clinching a playoff spot.
Senators Off-Season
Enough with last season and let’s start looking ahead with what the Sens have in front of them. They have Jason Spezza wanting to be traded and that can bring in some more young prospects or later draft picks. Bryan Murray seemed pretty intimate on wanting a 1st round draft pick.The deal probably could be done by now, but with plenty of other options still available for teams to nab themselves a top line center, and having already scouted out players for this years draft, I’d have to think it may benefit Ottawa to trade Spezza for a 1st round draft pick in the draft of 2015 in Sunrise, Florida.
With Spezza being out of the way, and no 1st round draft pick this year, you’d have to look down to what Ottawa has in the minors and in their system.
In that very system two names come to mind, Ottawa’s 1st round draft choice of last year, Curtis Lazar, and the upcoming Binghamton Senators forward, Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Both of these forward are loaded in potential and a very young.
Firstly, the 19-year-old Lazar is a great two-way center who can put up points. He had a successful season with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, amassing 41 goals and 35 assists in 58 games. On top of that, he had 7 points in 7 games in the recent World Junior Championship for Team Canada, while being a dynamic player on both sides of the ice. He took to Ottawa’s camp last year pretty well, and with all things considered, I’d have to think he will for sure have a spot on Ottawa’s big club this upcoming season, and may possibly play on the 2nd line for the Senators.
Secondly, 21-year-old Pageau didn’t have the best transition to the NHL from the AHL last season but showed vast improvement while in Binghamton. He tallied up 44 points in 46 games for the B-Sens and has a good shot at making a permanent spot in Ottawa in the bottom six forward group. With these two great young talents and having four 20 goal scorers last season (Kyle Turris, 26 goals, Clarke MacArthur 24 goals, a shortened season for Bobby Ryan with 23 goals, and Erik Karlsson with 20 goals), I have no doubt in my mind that this team will not struggle offensively, even without the likes of Spezza.
The defence is still very young with some great names, including the obvious Karlsson (24), Jared Cowen (23), Cody Ceci (20), and Patrick Weircioch (23), who all look to be taking steps forward in becoming better hockey players, while playing along the likes of the strong Marc Methot.
Now on the back end of things, it is the last contract year of Ottawa’s starting goaltender Craig Anderson, but that shouldn’t be much of a worry to Sens fans if they believe in the potential, in what many analysts have proclaimed, that is within backup goaltender, Robin Lehner. I believe this is the year in which we’ll see more of Lehner and to see if he can hold up the duties of being a starting goaltender in the NHL, while Anderson’s contract fizzles out.
The leadership of the squad is still in the locker room with players such as Chris Phillips, who will most likely take over as captain for the team, and the energetic assistant captain Chris Neil. This off season we may see the re-signing of Milan Michalek but won’t of Ales Hemsky.
Aside from Spezza departing, I don’t see GM Bryan Murray making too many splashes this season, as he has mentioned he likes what he has in this franchise. I wouldn’t get my hopes up on Murray signing a big name free agent or landing a big name in the departing Spezza trade. Sure, another big name, another captain is leaving, but this team still has a bright future and Sens fans should be optimistic in what they have in their favourite NHL club.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Thanks for reading! Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @M4TR1X2. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
