|
Preseason game day - Canadiens at Senators |
|
|
|
|
|
First off,some great news -
Captain Erik Karlsson took to the ice for the first time since his ankle surgery this morning, which is a great step in his recovery. Still a while from returning, but hopefully things go well and there are no setbacks, meaning they can now come up with a timetable for his return.
The Senators reach the midway point of their exhibition schedule and the last home game of the pre-season, hosting the Montreal Canadiens. It will likely be a last chance to impress for more than a handful of guys looking to nab a roster spot. Tyler Randell is on the roster for the third straight game and could be the lone Senator to participate in each of the games so far if he dresses. He brings an element of ruggedness but also has points in each of the first two games, so he might be the biggest surprise among those getting a long look. Also battling for what could be 1 or 2 spots are Chris VandeVelde, Mike Blunden, Max Reinhart, Max McCormick, Logan Brown, Filip Chlapik along with probably the other big surprise to still be in camp, 2017 2nd rounder Alex Formenton.
The Senators have also listed Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Bobby Ryan in the lineup, and the blue line feature another opportunity for the bubble guys to stake a claim to the 4-5-6 spots. Chris Wideman, Mark Borowiecki, Ben Harpur and Maxime Lajoie are listed among the seven defensemen, joining Cody Ceci, Johnny Oduya and Thomas Chabot.
Still awaiting their opportunity to make their pre-season debuts are Kyle Turris and Ryan Dzingel, and Ottawa will play their third straight game without either of their projected first and second line centres in Turris and Derick Brassard. There was some postitve news yesterday as coach Guy Boucher indicated that Turris should play the next 3 games, and Brassard is ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery and should be ready for opening night if he continues his current progression.
While he is listed on the roster along with Mike Condon and Craig Anderson for tonight's game, Boucher was asked if Andrew Hammond would get any playing time, and the coach would not commit to giving the netminder a chance to show anything before being dispatched to either the AHL or ECHL.
The Senators will probably make a bunch of cuts after the game and before the head out on the road to play the Devils in the Kraft Hockeyville game in Summerside, PEI on Monday, in Winnipeg on Wednesday and wrapping up the exhibition slate in Montreal next Saturday. (EDIT: the club moved 22 players to AHL camp, released or sent back to junior. No real surprises in the demotions, except maybe Nick Paul who has been injured and hasn't got a chance to play in a pre-season game, and Andreas Englund, who is a victim of the numbers game on the blue line but might have thought he would have been around longer. )
The Habs aren't sending the "A" squad to Ottawa, as the likes of Carey Price, Shea Weber, Max Pacioretty, Jonathan Drouin, Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher are not making the trip. Of course, preseason means nothing, but the Habs have not won a game in their previous 3 outings, sporting a 0-3-0 record.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»