Here’s the Sunday news roundup (I’ll post my reaction to today’s game tomorrow, but for those who don’t know the Ottawa rookies beat Chicago’s 6-5):

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch interviewed head coach Paul MacLean (www.ottawasun.com/2011/09/10/q-and-a-with-sens-coach-paul-maclean).  Two interesting things to note: 1) MacLean wants to experiment with his top line, seeing a Michalek–Spezza–Alfredsson combination as something to fall back into–“That’s a place I can always go back too. I know it works. If I need that, I can always go with that, so I don’t have to start with that. That’s going to be in place if I need it. We have a lot of guys who need an opportunity to play like (Nikita) Filatov, (Bobby) Butler, (Erik) Condra, (Peter) Regin, (Stephane) Da Costa and (Mika) Zibanejad, even (Nick) Foligno. We won’t find out until we have scrimmages and games who is going to compliment one another.”  He also specified which veterans he’s talked to over the summer, “Jason [Spezza] and I sat down for about an hour the other day when he was in town and had a real good conversation. I’ve talked to Chris Phillips, Sergei Gonchar a little and I talked to Alfredsson when I got the job. As they’re coming into the rink in the last week or so, I’ve tried to spend some time with as many as I can. So far it’s been positive about what we’re trying to do and the expectations.”

-Garrioch also wrote about Corey Cowick after his strong game in the rookie tournament opener (www.ottawasun.com/2011/09/10/glory-for-corey–hard-work-pays-off).  Cowick said “The biggest thing for me was the mental part of the game. Gaining confidence. Knowing that I can play at the next level. I think physically I’m strong enough. Yes, there are things you can work on every summer, but I think the majority of my time was spent trying to get mentally stronger.”

-Alan Panzeri had a similar article in The Ottawa Citizen (www.ottawacitizen.com/ sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Goalie+Robin+Lehner+shines+rookie+game/5383218/ story.html), with this tidbit from Kurt Kleinendorst, “I think Corey [Cowick] will be the first one to tell you that he didn’t play as well as  he could. He got himself into a bad spot. But this to me looks like a positive sign that he’s coming out of it.”

-Rob Brodie of the Senators website wrote an article on Matt Puempel (senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=588160&cmpid=rss-brodie), where the rookie talked about his first tournament game, “It’s a lot faster than it is in junior, so you have to change your game knowing that and it’s just a different type of atmosphere. The first one’s out of the way and the nerves are out of the way so hopefully, today’s a little bit more of a relaxed day and I can go into a little comfort zone and get a lot more confidence.”

-Bob McKenzie tweeted about the Sens-Chicago rookie game (twitter.com/#!/ TSNBobMcKenzie), saying “Checked out OTT-CHI rookie game today in Oshawa. Stephane Da Costa and David Rundblad, as well as Mika Zibanejad, played well for Sens.”

-Kurt Kleinendorst about the game today (https://vr.shapeservices.com/listen.php?hash=d6665b453101e502dee87dbb2c5c087849cec3219ee9922f7), saying he thought Chicago dominated the first period, but gave the team credit for dominating the rest of the game.

September 11, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

With the rookie tournament a couple of hours away there are lot’s of Senators stories to cover:

-James Gordon writes about the rookie camp and the roster going forward for Senators Extra (senatorsextra.com/feature/ottawa-senators-rookie-camp-day-one-wrap/).  He has an interesting quote from Bryan Murray about Mika Zibanejad, “I don’t know that he has to be a second line centre or not, he just has to see if he can be one of 12 forwards if that be the case. It’s a big step. He played in the (Swedish) elite league though, with men and he played well, so I think that we’d like to think our league is better, our team is going to be better than it was last year by a margin and for a young guy to play on it he just has to be able to compete every day and hopefully develop along the way.”  He also has an interesting observation about Andre Peterson, “You can’t really judge a player based on one practice, but Zibanejad wasn’t the guy that jumped out at me most. He got a little fancy with the puck here and there and bobbled it from time-to-time. No, it was linemate Andre Petersson who looked particularly impressive. While small at 5’9 and about 175 pounds, Petersson showed a lot of quickness and an ability to handle the puck with confidence at high speed. He was also an annoying waterbug on a couple of defensive drills, stealing the puck from lumbering defencemen.”

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch talked to Tim Murray while naming five-rookies to watch (www.ottawasun.com/2011/09/09/5-sens-rookies-to-watch-3). Garrioch’s five are David Rundblad, Jared Cowen, Mika Zibanejad, Robin Lehner, and Stephane Da Costa. The comments on the latter were the most interesting, given how little I’ve heard from management about Da Costa this summer, “He’s gotten stronger. He’s made sacrifices to be over here: He rented his own apartment and he’s done all the things he can do to make himself better. Now, he can come to camp to show us what he can do. I expect him to have a good camp and a good tournament. If he’s not ready, I want him to show he’s close.”

-Alan Panzeri, writing for The Ottawa Citizen, talks about the chances for rookies at Sens camp (www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Murray+hopes+ Sens+rookies+tough+position/5379884/story.html).  Bryan Murray was noncommittal, but did say he would create spots for rookies if warranted.

-Rob Brodie talked to Bryan Murray about the Sens prospects (senators.nhl.com/ club/news.htm?id=588043&navid=DL|OTT|home), where he echoes Murray’s sentiments in Panzeri’s article above.

–Shane Prince is blogging for the Sens website (fans.senators.nhl.com/community/ blog/1/entry-255-prince-new-experience-familiar-surroundings).

-Former Binghamton Senator Jason Bailey has announced his retirement (www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?=personaDest).

September 10, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

Ottawa’s news this morning:

–Peter Regin tweaked his ankle yesterday, but Tim Murray confirmed he’ll be fine for training camp (www.ottawasun.com/2011/09/08/tough-turn-for-senators-at-informal-workout).

-Rob Brodie interviewed Jared Cowen (http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587963).  “I’m pretty excited to start this year. It’s pretty exciting that we’ll have a younger team. I wouldn’t say the culture is changing, but it’s a different feel around here, for sure. It’s new for everyone, so I’m pretty excited to get things going. I feel really good on the ice. This is the best I’ve felt in awhile. Any time you feel good about yourself, you play better and have confidence. Going into camp, that’ll be on my side, for sure.” And “When you’re trying to become a pro, you have a pretty good idea of what you have to work on. You get a pretty good image of yourself and what you need to be. We talk but at the same time, they’re my competition and they don’t want to give me too much.”

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch talked to Chris Phillips (www.ottawasun.com/2011/ 09/08/phillips-ready-to-be-a-leader).  The quote that stood out to me was this, “I’ve got to make sure that I help (the young) guys out. I’m going to have to make sure I can communicate more with all the young guys and be a leader.”  I don’t think Phillips meant to imply that previously he did not communicate much with younger players, but that’s how it reads.

-Pierre Dorion was interviewed on The Team 1200 this morning (www.team1200.com/ default.asp).  The main points of interest was him trying to temper the hype around Mark Borowiecki as well as saying that the scouting community give him a lot of positive feedback about Mark Stone after his participation at the World Junior camp (the most hype, he said, that he’s heard since Erik Karlsson).  He also said that Andre Petersson is the organisation’s most skilled prospect while Derek Grant is their most underrated prospect.

-Adam Proteau of The Hockey News wrote about the top ten storylines to watch in the NHL this year (http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/41682-THNcom-Top-10-Storylines-to-watch.html), which includes the Sens at #8, “Other than the presumptive first line of Jason Spezza centering Daniel Alfredsson and Milan Michalek, Ottawa’s forward group is a giant mystery. THN’S depth chart shows the second line as Peter Regin between Nick Foligno and Bobby Butler – and if that’s the way it plays out as the year begins, it could be a very long season in Canada’s capital city.”  The sentiment isn’t unique to Proteau.

–Sports Illustrated has an interesting article looking into the use of painkillers in the NHL (http://nhl-red-light.si.com/2011/09/06/does-the-nhl-have-a-painkiller-problem/?sct=nhl_bf1_a3).  It’s a very interesting read and, until recently, not something much discussed in the league.  Here’s a quote from Justin Bourne who was interviewed for it, “When you’re playing in the minors, they’re always around. You don’t have to stop. I have no idea if use is as prevalent in the NHL as they are in the ECHL, but there was certainly plenty of casual use by guys on the way up….When you talk to any hockey player in his mid-20s and beyond, a huge majority of them have endured something horribly painful that required these pills. And I mean required them. Just by nature itself, some people are hard-wired to love ‘em, some are hard-wired to hate ‘em. When you run enough pills through enough guys, it’s inevitable you’re going to hit a handful that love ‘em just a touch too much.”

-TSN’s Scott Cullen’s top-300 fantasy point projections are up (http://tsn.ca/ fantasy_news/feature/?fid=49646) and here are the Sens:
44. Jason Spezza 67-24-38-62
154. Erik Karlsson 73-12-31-43
212. Milan Michalek 68-20-17-37
242. Nick Foligno 75-15-19-34
248. Daniel Alfredsson 65-14-19-33
262. Peter Regin 72-11-21-32
265. Bobby Butler 74-17-15-32

-Updates on a former Sen and a former B-Sen: Jarkko Ruutu has signed with Jokerit of the SM-Liiga (http://twitter.com/#!/jokerithc/status/112049919132565504); Tim Spencer, who last year was sent from Binghamton to Elmira to the Florida Everblades, has signed with the Chicago Express of the ECHL (www.oursportscentral.com/services/ releases/?id=4292131).

September 9, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 1 Comment

Most of the hockey news today is understandably focussed on yesterday’s tragic plane crash in Russia.  A few other stories are worth mentioning however [The Hobbs information is incorrect–it’s from last year–the error was derived from Elite Prospect‘s Senators roster posted here http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=69]:

–Blueliner Matthew Hobbs (QMJHL 65-16-24-40) has been invited to Senators camp on a tryout basis (en.lhjmq.qc.ca/article/91-qmjhl-players-set-to-partake-in-nhl-training-camps).  Hobbs participated in last year’s rookie tournament, but it appears as though this invite is to the team’s main camp (or so I guess given that he’s not listed on the rookie tournament roster).

-Rob Brodie interviewed Mark Borowiecki for the Sens website (senators.nhl.com/ club/news.htm?id=587838).

-Kevin McGran of The Toronto Star posted the NHL’s disaster plan in light of the KHL tragedy yesterday (www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/ 1050813–nhl-has-contingency-plan-for-disasters).  The plan:
•The league requires each team to have a $1 million (all figures U.S.) insurance policy on each player.
• The “disabled team” would be allowed to negotiate to buy players under contract from other teams, with payment coming from the insurance money.
• If that didn’t fill out the roster, a draft would be held, much like an expansion draft. Teams could protect 10 players and one goalie.
• The disabled team would be allowed to take no more than one player from each of the other teams. The price for each player is $1 million in insurance money.

-The Elmira Jackals (Ottawa’s ECHL affiliate) signed three forwards: Evan Barlow (ECHL 39-18-36-54), Jean Bourbeau (AHL 44-3-5-8), and Brian Roloff (AHL 76-4-20-24), http://www.jackalshockey.com/news/team-news/three-forwards-join-jackals-090711.

September 8, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

Here’s the latest batch of Senators stories:

-Brad Emons of the Observer & Eccentric interviewed Erik Condra (www.hometownlife.com/article/20110904/SPORTS10/109040534/Condra-acquires-taste-NHL).  Besides comments about this past season, Condra also talked about his preparations going into camp: “It’s been kind of a trial (off)-season,” said Condra, who signed a two-year deal with Ottawa on July 6. “Before this year, I only played into April, but this year I played over 100 games and into mid-June. You need the rest and recuperation, but you also want to be ready for next season. It’s kind of been a trial of getting my body back into the recovery mode, but also getting stronger and more explosive for next season.”

-Tal Pinchevsky wrote an article about Corey Locke for NHL.com (www.nhl.com/ ice/news.htm?id=587692#&navid=nhl-search).  Pinchevsky calls Locke “fleet-footed”, which is ironic since his lead feet are one of his major impediments in being an NHL-regular.  Locke said “There’s a different coaching staff now and I think there’s a different mentality behind what our team will look like. Time will tell. We have to get to training camp first and you just want to impress the coaching staff and give yourself the best opportunity to make the team.”  I thought Bruce Boudreau’s comment about himself in relation to Locke was the most interesting and telling, “He’s probably as smart as any of the top NHL guys going. With the puck, he can make plays if you give him the time and the space. I was 38 in the IHL, and I still thought I had a chance [at playing in the NHL].”  The dream never dies, but I don’t see Locke making the team–he isn’t the first AHL all-star who doesn’t make the transition, nor will he be the last.

-No Senator rookie made Sports Illustrated‘s NHL rookies worth watching list (http://nhl-red-light.si.com/2011/08/26/12-more-nhl-rookies-worth-watching/?sct=nhl_bf1_a3).  The rookies mentioned are Erik Gudbranson (Flo), Jordan Caron (Bos), Zac Dalpe (Car), Andrei Lokitonov (LA), Braden Holtby (Wsh), Tim Erixon (NYR), Ben Smith and Marcus Kruger (Chi), and Jonathan Blum, Ryan Ellis, Blake Geoffrion, and Craig Smith (Nsh).  I’m not sure the list is worth commenting on, but I will say that Nashville is reluctant to play rookie defensemen (Ellis), nor is there much room on Boston’s roster for Caron.

-In the same vein, no Senator made ESPN’s list of under-the-radar players who are set to make an impact (http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/10921/under-the-radar-players-set-to-make-impact).

The Senators website has been conducting interviews with players over the last two weeks and here are the highlights:

-Rob Brodie interviewing Erik Karlsson (http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587342), who talked about the upcoming season, “I think it’s going to be exciting for everybody. I’m really looking forward to being one of the guys that’s going to look after some (new) guys, maybe. Even though I’m still young, I think I like that role and I’m really looking forward to getting the season going now.” And “I think it will be a good year for us. We have a lot of young guys, but we’ve still got the veterans we need. It’s going to be an exciting year to watch. We’ll be a fun team to watch and we’re going to play some good hockey.”

-Brodie interviewing Peter Regin (http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587528), who talked about last season “I know I can play better. Most of the guys in the room know that they can play better. So I think we’re all excited to be back and to really show that we’re a better hockey team than we showed last year.” And “You can’t have too many bad years in this league and hang around, so I have to improve myself. I’ll try to relax a little bit more and just go out and play and do my thing. I think it’ll be better if I just do that.”  About the upcoming year “If we play that kind of style [as expressed by Paul MacLean] and skate a lot, I think that will fit me well. That’ll be exciting. We’re going to be a hard-working team that skates with a lot of energy … we’ll have that energy within the group.”

-Brodie interviewing Sergei Gonchar (http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587620).  The veteran talked about the upcoming season, “It’s going to be kind of a fresh start for all of us. We’ve done a few chages since last year and last season was a big disappointment for all of us. So I think, going forward, it’s going to be a fresh start, not only for me but for all of us. With a new coach (Paul MacLean), I’m sure there are going to be adjustments and it’s going to benefit all of us, not just me.” And “The skill level on this team is very high … now we have to get on the same page and deliver.”

-Sens TV Interviewing Bobby Butler (video.senators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=122328&navid=DL|OTT|home), in which he says he’s unsure how coach Paul MacLean will be using him this season.

September 6, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

With training camp approaching the amount of stories on the Senators is expanding.  Here are the most interesting ones:

-Sylvain St-Laurent of Le Droit interviewed Robin Lehner (http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/sports/senateurs-dottawa/201108/30/01-4430226-robin-lehner-ne-cache-pas-son-ambition.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_ B9_sports_101983_section_POS1).  There’s not much new in the article other than Lehner mentioning that Tim Murray “came to me 24 hours before my first game to tell me that my turn had come. He told me we would soon see if I had the makings of a star.”   Lehner continues to believe the best thing for his development would be to stay in the NHL.

-Bobby Kelly of The Silver Seven looks at Ottawa’s rookie tournament roster (http://www.silversevensens.com/2011/8/31/2393986/senators-prospects-rookie-camping#storyjump).  He provides a little information on invite Matej Machovsky as well as (I believe) erroneously suggesting the team picked Jordan Fransoo over Craig Schira to attend.  Schira, like Mike Hoffman and others, were excluded both due to the numbers and the fact that he’s attended two prior camps.

-James Gordon of Senators Extra comes to the defence of Brian Lee (senatorsextra.com/main/lee-the-forgotten-man-but-he-deserves-better/), saying “While it seems like Lee has been around forever, he’s still only 24 years old. He stands at 6’3, 208 lbs. with fine speed and possible upside. His cap hit is a very manageable $875,000 for someone who could turn out to be a solid NHL defenceman. Is this the kind of player the Senators want to give up on now?”  I’m not sure there’s any upside left to be explored in Lee, but he can at least play without hurting the team.

-James Mirtle of The Globe & Mail talks about the Swedish movement within the Senators (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/senators-pin-hopes-on-swedish-movement/article2147972/).  Mirtle credits former scout Anders Forsberg for that as well as Bryan Murray.  I’m not sure about the origins of Murray’s Swedish obsession (Mirtle credits it to his days as GM in Detroit, but there’s no similar trend when he was GM in Anaheim).  The primary focus of the article is David Rundblad, with Randy Lee saying “Some people are going to be surprised at his compete level. He’s not that big a guy, but he competes.”

-Rob Brodie of the Senators website wrote about training camp (senators.nhl.com/ club/news.htm?id=587464).  It includes an odd quote from Murray “We all know there are certain jobs that are just there. Nobody’s going to take the job (away). But now, with the the direction we’ve gone, we’ve got some decisions to make and these kids aren’t being held back. They feel they have a chance“–is he saying jobs are open or not?  I believe the intention is to say some jobs are open, but not all jobs.  Zibanejad says “I want to give the coaches a hard decision (about whether) to keep me  here or send me back home. Hopefully, I can stay here in  Ottawa.”  Murray also comments on Filatov, “He didn’t have a great (experience) in Columbus’ organization and there were a lot of factors involved. Maybe the first factor was him playing (in the NHL) at 18 years old and the expectations that went with him going sixth overall. They’re huge and they’re out of his control. It probably wasn’t a great fit and he probably has to take some responsibility on why it didn’t work. But we’ve wiped the slate clean here. We’ve told him that we’re going to give him every opportunity to be an important player for us, to play in our six, if he can prove that he belongs there. We’re going to do the right hing and we’re not going to hand him anything. So he’s here now and he’s working out with our veteran guys, and he’s getting a good look at what it takes … to be a good pro. I’m excited to see him (at camp) and hoping for the best.”

-Jared Crozier of Senshot has a delightful interview with Shane Prince‘s sister about her brother (http://senshot.com/2011/08/31/prospect-profile-shane-prince-through-the-eyes-of-a-little-sister/).  It includes a brief scouting report at the end of it, with Crozier saying in part “He is a strong skater, good playmaker and possesses an above average shot.  He is not huge, but will get bigger in time.  In his own end he is more than adequate, as you have to be in the 67′s system.”

–David Rundblad is blogging for a local Skelleftea newspaper (it is in Swedish): http://norran.se/bloggar/davidrundblad

–The Team 1200 (http://www.facebook.com/TEAM1200) interviewed Mark Stone yesterday (August 30th) and Erik Karlsson today (August 31st)

August 31, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 2 Comments

Since my earlier article (https://eyeonthesens.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/the-binghamton-senators-roster-changes-and-potential-lineup/) the Senators have re-signed Kaspars Daugavins (Aug 3), lost Lee Sweatt to retirement (Aug 12), and signed three players to AHL contracts (Bobby Raymond, Josh Godfrey, and Jack Downing).  While we can expect a goalie to be signed for Elmira (ECHL), these moves appear to round out the AHL roster.

In my earlier look at Binghamton I mentioned the team had lost 6 of their top-10 scoring forwards, but with Daugavins back in the fold the total is knocked down to 5.  Similarly, the number of goals out of the line up has been reduced to 153 of their 255 goals (60%).  It’s a question mark whether the ECHL blueliners (Raymond and Godfrey) collectively replace Sweatt, but they provide extra depth and mean Craig Schira will be taking a regular shift.  Before I get into the lineup, here’s a reminder of who has departed:

Forwards (9)
Ryan Keller (71-32-19-51) – the UFA signed with the Edmonton Oilers (www.tsn.ca/nhl/ story/?id=370939)
Ryan Potulny (71-21-28-49) – the Sens did not qualify him and he signed with Washington (http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568219)
Erik Condra (55-17-30-47) – he signed a two-year, one-way deal with Ottawa
Roman Wick (70-20-22-42) – although qualified as an RFA, he signed a deal with his former team Kloten of the NLA (http://www.hockeysverige.se/article/12039252/wick-ger-upp-nhl-drommen)
Colin Greening (59-15-25-40) – he signed a three-year, one-way deal with Ottawa
Bobby Butler (47-22-11-33) – he signed a two-year, one-way deal with Ottawa
Cody Bass (58-6-9-15) – the Sens did not qualify him and he signed with Columbus (www.falconsahl.com/index.php?id=1801)
Zack Smith (22-7-5-12) – he signed a two-year, one-way deal with Ottawa
Jason Bailey, RW (43-2-0-2) – the former Ottawa 67 was an RFA who was not qualified; he is currently without a team

Blueliners (5)
Andre Benoit (73-11-44-55) – the UFA signed with Spartak Moscow of the KHL (http://www.spartak.ru/press/news/item6968/)
Derek Smith (71-10-44-54) – the UFA signed with Calgary (flames.nhl.com/club/ news.htm?id=569161)
Geoff Kinrade (78-6-19-25) – although qualified as an RFA, he signed with Plzen of the Czech Elite League (http://www.hcplzen.cz/clanek.asp?id=6075)
David Hale (36-2-4-6) – currently unsigned, the UFA was rumoured to be headed to Europe (http://twitter.com/#!/SunGarrioch for July 6th)
Lee Sweatt (41-5-9-14) – he unexpectedly retired without ever suiting up for Binghamton (twitter.com/#!/NortonSports/ status/102063195795111936)

Goaltenders (2)
Barry Brust (52-29-19-2, 2.53, 0.925) – the UFA signed with the Straubing Tigers of the DEL (www.tigershockey.de/page/news/ article.php?article_file=1310911270.txt)
Mike Brodeur (9-3-5-0, 2.93, 0.903) – the injury-plagued UFA is currently without a team

The additions to the roster:

Forwards (8)
Mark Parrish (56-17-34-51) – the free agent played for the Portland Pirates in Buffalo’s system last year
Stephane Da Costa (NCAA 33-14-31-45) – the college free agent was signed towards the end of last year
Pat Cannone (NCAA 39-14-23-37) – the college free agent was signed towards the end of last year
Derek Grant (NCAA 38-8-25-33) – the 2008 fourth round draft pick left Michigan State after two years to turn pro
Louie Caporusso (NCAA 41-11-20-31) – the 2007 third round draft pick completed his senior year at the University of Michigan
Andre Petersson (SEL 31-8-4-12) – the 2008 fourth round pick was signed after finishing his second full year in the SEL
Wacey Hamilton (WHL 67-20-53-73) – the captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers was signed as a free agent
Jack Downing (NCAA 36-13-5-18) – the big free agent right-winger was signed to an AHL-deal after four years at the University of Vermont

Blueliners (5)
Tim Conboy (70-0-12-12) – the free agent played for the Portland Pirates in Buffalo’s system last year
Jared Cowen (WHL 58-18-30-48) – the 2009 first round pick will play his first pro season
Mark Borowiecki (NCAA 31-3-8-11) – the 2008 fifth round pick left Clarkson a year early to turn pro
Bobby Raymond (ECHL 72-8-26-34) – he was part of Binghamton’s Calder Cup run and was signed to an AHL deal
Josh Godfrey (ECHL 49-15-12-27) – a former second-round pick of the Washington Capitals, he spent the bulk of his three-year ELC in the ECHL; he’s signed to an AHL deal

Goaltenders (1)
Mike McKenna (39-14-20-2, 3.61, 0.886) – the free agent goaltender was signed out of the Devil’s system in Albany

Players returning to the roster:

Forwards (7)
Corey Locke (69-21-65-86) – the reigning AHL MVP returns for the final year of his deal
Jim O’Brien (74-24-32-56) – the 2007 first round pick had a great sophomore campaign and will look to improve on it in the final year of his ELC
Kaspars Daugavins (73-19-35-54) – he enjoyed a fantastic playoff and, after rejecting his ELC, accepted a one-year deal that included a high AHL-salary
Mike Hoffman (74-7-18-25) – the 2009 fifth round pick will look to take a step forward
David Dziurzynski (75-6-14-20) – the 2010 free agent out of the BCHL looks to take another step forward in his sophomore year
Corey Cowick (30-1-3-4) – it was a rookie year to forget for the 2009 sixth rounder
Francis Lessard (36-2-1-3) – the veteran heavyweight will return for another season

Blueliners (3)
Patrick Wiercioch (67-4-14-18) – a rough rookie year for the 2008 second rounder
Craig Schira (67-3-10-13) – the 2009 WHL free agent’s numbers tumbled in his sophomore year
Eric Gryba (66-3-4-7) – Ottawa’s 2006 third round pick was Binghamton’s rookie of the year and is in the final year of his ELC

Goaltenders (1)
Robin Lehner (22-10-8-2, 2.70, 0.912) – the 2009 second rounder will look to build off his incredible playoff run

How players perform in training camp will have a huge impact on all the prospects (I am assuming here that David Rundblad remains in Ottawa while Jared Cowen is sent down), but here are a few reasonable predictions regarding Binghamton’s lineup:
1. Top-six forwards: Locke, Daugavins, O’Brien, and Parrish
2. Top-four blueliners: Wiercioch, Cowen, and Gryba
3. The goaltending situation is obvious: Lehner starts, McKenna backs-up

Of the remaining forwards, Mike Hoffman and Stephane Da Costa are the most likely players to fit into the top-six.  On the blueline, I believe Borowiecki and Conboy will battle it out for the other top-four position.  Given these assumptions, here’s my guess at the starting lineup:

Kaspars Daugavins-Corey Locke-Mark Parrish
Parrish seems like the most logical player to line up on the right side, although I don’t think he’s guaranteed to remain on the top line just because of his experience.
Mike Hoffman-Stephane Da Costa-Jim O’Brien
While I think Hoffman is better at center, given the makeup of the roster I believe he’ll play on the wing.  The team is also short on the right side and there’s no way Da Costa will play there, so I believe O’Brien will slide over.
Derek Grant-David Dziurzynski-Andre Petersson
This line could also have Grant in the middle.  I don’t think Petersson is effective as a fourth-liner and would be helped playing with the big bodies of Dziurzynski and Grant (both of whom are excellent playmakers).
Pat Cannone-Louie Caporusso-Francis Lessard
An interesting mix, as both Cannone and Caporusso bring skill to the table while Lessard adds physicality.  I think it will be tough for Corey Cowick to get into the lineup with all the depth at leftwing (although he’s a more physical option than Cannone), while Wacey Hamilton has more flexibility because he can play center.  I don’t believe Lessard will always be in the lineup, which will allow the scratches to rotate in.  The newly signed Downing remains a potential call-up from Elmira.

Cowen-Gryba
Not a fun combination to play against.  Not the most fleet of foot duo, but particularly in the AHL they should create some havoc.  Both are excellent defensively.
Wiercioch-Borowiecki
While one of them would be playing on his offside here, I’ll give them credit to be able to switch and beat out the veteran Conboy (otherwise I think Borowiecki slides down to the bottom pair).
Conboy-Schira
I’m not sure which is better at playing his weak side, but I believe they make a logical combination (size and toughness paired with skill).  This leaves the AHL-contract blueliners out of the lineup (Raymond and Godfrey).

How the team will perform overall is hard to say given the amount of turnover in the AHL.  The forwards are younger and smaller while the blueline is younger and bigger.  I expect the team will compete for a playoff spot with their fate locked into how their goaltenders perform.  If the organisation can land yet another good ECHL option in goal (like Barry Brust last year or Chris Holt the year before) then I like their chances.

A few related links:
Bobby Butler comments on Robin Lehner‘s growing maturity (July 15th): www.facebook.com/TEAM1200
Tim Murray calls Mark Borowiecki an NHL player (June 28th): www.facebook.com/TEAM1200
Bryan Murray says Mike Hoffman looks like an NHL player: senators.nhl.com/club/ news.htm?id=569478

August 29, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 2 Comments

Here’s a look at Binghamton’s veterans on two-way contracts.

Corey Locke, C, Contract: 0.550/12 (UFA)
4-113 2003 Mtl (Gainey), 5’9, Shoots L, YOB 1984, Newmarket, Ont
2008-09 AHL 76-25-52-77 60pim
2009-10 AHL 76-31-54-85 44pim
2010-11 AHL 69-21-65-86 42pim

The AHL’s MVP and a two-time Calder Cup winner, assistant captain Corey Locke lead the league in points and assists and is becoming increasingly dominant at the minor league level.  The issue for Locke, besides his size, is his speed.  This summer he’s working out with Zenon Konopka‘s skating coach to try to improve his speed.  There’s a good chance Locke will be called up during the season, but his primary role is in Binghamton and there’s no reason to think he won’t lead them in scoring again this year with 80-85 points.  His old Hockey Futures profile: www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/corey_locke

Mark Parrish, RW,  Contract: 0.650/12 (UFA)
3-79 1996 Col (Lacroix), 5’11, Shoots R, YOB 1977, Bloomington, MN
2008-09 NHL 44-7-6-13 18pim
2009-10 AHL 56-17-21-38 32pim
2009-10 NHL 16-0-2-2 4pim
2010-11 AHL 56-17-34-51 12pim

Parrish spent 10 years as an NHL-regular before his declining performance landed him in the AHL.  After an indifferent season with Norfolk in 2009-10, Parrish earned himself a contract with a strong year in Portland (finishing 5th in team scoring).  Known for his goal scoring, Parrish helps solidify Binghamton’s weak right side (featuring Andre Petersson and Francis Lessard).  I don’t believe Parrish is a likely call-up.  He has no development left and for a rebuilding team the organisation will want to give younger players NHL experience.  If Parrish stays healthy he should produce 60-65 points.

Francis Lessard, RW,  Contract: 0.550/12 (UFA)
3-80 1997 Car (Rutherford), 6’2, Shoots R, YOB 1979, Montreal, QU
2008-09 58-2-2-4 324pim (27 fights)
2009-10 61-2-2-4 289pim (21 fights)
2010-11 36-2-1-3 187pim (18 fights)
2010-11 24-0-0-0 78pim (4 fights)

A career pugilist, Lessard was able to return to the NHL after a five-year absence due to Ottawa’s roster-cutting.  There’s no question he will spend the year in the AHL, where he will fight and accomplish little else.  He was retained to prevent prospects like Eric Gryba from having to become enforcers.

Tim Conboy, D,  Contract: 0.600/12 (UFA)
7-217 2002 SJ (Lombardi), 6’2, Shoots R, YOB 1982, Farmington, MN
2008-09 AHL 39-1-5-6 127pim (5 fights)
2008-09 NHL 28-0-1-1 37pim (5 fights)
2009-10 AHL37-0-3-3 87pim (5 fights)
2009-10 NHL 12-0-0-0 24pim (4 fights)
2010-11 AHL 70-0-12-12 233pim (21 fights)

A physical, defensive defenceman who is coming off his most productive season since 2005-06, Conboy will help protect the younger players and the crease in Binghamton.  Given the organisation’s blueline depth he has no hope of being a call-up.  To quote an old scouting report on him, “Conboy doesn’t have much offensive upside, as he is content at staying at the redline and wait for the play to come to him, then flatten forwards who get near him. His skating is average, but he is solid positionally, and if players allow themselves to get into the open ice, they can be assured to be flattened in short order” (http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/4717/sharks2002_draft_review/).  A good year would see him putting up 10 points.

Mike McKenna, G, Contract: 0.550/12 (UFA)
6-172 2002 Nsh (Poile), 6’2, Catches R, YOB 1983, St. Louis, MO
2008-09 AHL 24-11-10-1 2.97 GAA .904 SV%
2008-09 NHL 15-4-8-1 3.56 GAA .887 SV%
2009-10 AHL 50-24-17-6 2.47 GAA .921 SV%
2010-11 AHL 39-14-20-2 3.61 GAA .886 SV%

A journeyman goaltender coming off a rough season in Albany, McKenna is playing for his sixth organisation in seven years.  He is no threat to Robin Lehner as the starter and unless the sophomore struggles I’d expect McKenna to get no more than 20-25 starts (winning half his games).

August 26, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment