This is the sixth profile on prospects expected to play for the Binghamton Senators.
Craig Schira, D, Contract: 0.545/12 (RFA)
FA 2009 (Murray), 6’0, Shoots R, YOB 1988, Spiritwood, SK
2008-09 WHL 71-16-43-59 46pim (2 fights)
2009-10 AHL 68-8-13-21 27pim (1 fight)
2010-11 AHL 67-3-10-13 18pim (2 fights)
The undersized blueliner was signed as a free agent out of the WHL in 2009 at a time when Binghamton had few blueline prospects on the roster (Brian Lee, Derek Smith, and Tomas Kudelka). It was Schira‘s fifth full season in the WHL, having enjoyed a career year playing with the likes of Jonathan Blum (Nashville first-rounder) and Brent Regner (Columbus fifth-rounder). Schira had begun his WHL career with the Regina Pats, but didn’t blossom until he joined Vancouver in 2007-08.
Like virtually every rookie, Schira found the initial transition to the AHL difficult–the speed and size of the players particularly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFwjqaJ24N4). He was the youngest blueliner in Binghamton (excluding Erik Karlsson‘s month in the minors), finishing third in defensive scoring (behind Derek Smith and Geoff Kinrade).
Coming into last season, Schira was optimistic after his rookie season, “I see myself as someone who is going to play in the NHL, I felt great. I had to get used to the speed, but after that I thought I played well” (http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/35256-Craig-Schira-joins-crew-of-young-defencemen-knocking-on-Senators-door.html). He was returned to Binghamton under new coach Kurt Kleinendorst. Unlike his rookie season, Schira found himself in more of a shutdown role and saw his production slip. He was also an occasional scratch (3 times). He played the entire opening round series against Manchester, but missed the next two rounds via injury and by the time he was healthy again there was no room for him in the lineup.
Going into this season the numbers seemed against Schira, but the retirement of Lee Sweatt (http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/08/12/no-sweatt-sens-free-agent-pickup-retires-before-camp) benefits him more than anyone else. Should the lineup stay the way it is, Schira will be a regular and has a chance to play his way up in the lineup. Any trade of a blueliner at the NHL level benefits him also. However, I won’t make predictions passed on hypotheticals. As it stands Schira‘s a bottom pairing player who is unlikely to play on the powerplay, so if he stays healthy a good season would see him produce 20 points.
Discusses his first pro season: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFwjqaJ24N4
Fights Stu Bickel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6c5oYKsVLc
Nice hit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzMEts0yjd8
Next up is Ottawa native Corey Cowick.
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