Prospect Profile: Ben Blood

Ben Blood (D-L, 6’3, DOB 1989, 4-120/07)
2006-07 USHS Shattuck 63-11-25-36 144pim (ppg 0.57) 2nd d-pts
2007-08 USHL Des Moines/Indi 57-10-13-23 -8 100pim (ppg 0.40) 2nd
2008-09 NCAA N. Dakota 31-0-1-1 +3 12pim (ppg 0.03) 6th
2009-10 NCAA N. Dakota 43-5-9-14 +11 96pim (ppg 0.32) 3rd all-academic
2010-11 NCAA N. Dakota 44-2-10-12 +32 48pim (ppg 0.27) 4th
2011-12 NCAA N. Dakota 42-3-18-21 +5 73pim (ppg 0.50) 1st “A”

Ben Blood is the longest serving amateur in the organisation, hailing back to Bryan Murray’s first draft which was largely dominated by John Muckler’s philosophy (he was ranked #116 by Central Scouting).  Blood is a big, strong, defensive blueliner who is finishing his senior year at North Dakota (perhaps best known for this incident with Chad Rau, which resulted in the loss of his assistant captaincy).  He’s enjoyed a career year in points and I’m sure the Sens would like him to play in Binghamton now that his college season is over (they offered him an ELC last summer, but he rejected it to play his senior year in the NCAA).  When he was drafted Blood was thought to be a well-rounded defenseman, but his offensive output in college has remained muted so he projects as a physical, depth player.  Here’s a UND profile of Blood from earlier this season, and this is an old scouting report from Hockey Futures: “Blood has an intriguing combination of skill and size.  He is fluid and sturdy on his skates, especially considering his size.  Blood’s lateral movement and quickness is somewhat lacking, but this should improve with time.  Blood plays well in all three zones and is excellent on special teams.  His soft hands, poise with the puck, vision, and heavy, accurate slap shot make him an excellent power play quarterback.  He also possesses a quick release and precise wrist shot.  Blood has excellent hand eye coordination and has the ability to unleash a wicked one-timer when setup.  In the defensive zone, Blood is a formidable presence and shuts down players by angling them to the boards.  He is terrific positioning, especially in one-on-one situations and uses his size to effectively clear out traffic in front of the crease.  He could play a more physically, but Blood’s game is focused on being disciplined and not hurting his team with an errant play or missed body check.  Blood is also a good communicator both on and off the ice.  He possesses good leadership qualities and could be a future team leader.”  A final note, Blood‘s height is listed as either 6’3 or 6’4 (I’ve gone with the Sens website number).

March 28, 2012
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 4 Comments

Senators Prospect Review (2011-12)

While a number of Sens prospects are in the midst of the playoffs or getting ready to begin them, their regular seasons are over and it’s a good time to assess each prospect’s season and how they’ve grown or regressed.  When I say “prospect” I’m referring to those who are not playing in the NHL, AHL, or ECHL currently.  I’ll list the players in the order they were drafted (for detailed talent analysis of the 2011 picks go here).

Ben Blood (D-L, 6’3, DOB 1989, 4-120/07)
2010-11 NCAA N. Dakota 44-2-10-12 4th d-pts (ppg 0.27)
2011-12 NCAA N. Dakota 40-3-17-20 1st d-pts (ppg 0.50)

Ben Blood is the longest serving amateur in the organisation, hailing back to Bryan Murray’s first draft which was largely dominated by just-fired John Muckler’s philosophy.  Blood is a big, strong, defensive blueliner who is finishing his senior year at North Dakota.  He’s had a career year in points and I’m sure the Sens would like him to play in Binghamton once his college season is over (they offered him a deal last year, but much like Colin Greening a few seasons ago, he rejected it to play his final year in the NCAA).  When he was drafted Blood was thought to be a well-rounded defenseman (link), but his offensive output in college has remained muted and he projects as a physical, depth player.

Jakob Silfverberg (C/W-R, 6’1, DOB 1990, 2-39/09)
2010-11 SEL Brynas 53-18-16-34 3rd pts (ppg 0.64)
2011-12 SEL Brynas 49-24-30-54 1st pts (ppg 1.10)

Silfverberg was signed this year, but decided to spend a final season in the SEL to round out his game.  He lead Brynas in scoring and was named league MVP by his fellow players (keep in mind this success doesn’t guarantee NHL success–consider how dominant David Rundblad was last year in the SEL).  He has a good chance to make the Senators next year because he’s always been responsible defensively and as such he doesn’t have to crack the top-six.  I don’t think there’s doubt that Silfverberg will be an NHL player, although his ceiling is up in the air (when he was drafted opinions varied about whether he would be a solid checking center or be able to play in the top-six).  Pierre Dorion talked about him last summer, “I can tell you this guy is an NHL hockey player. He plays a north-south game, he’s strong down low, he’s got good skills and good (hockey) sense. He can play the power play, but he also plays the penalty kill. He’s a versatile player. For a European, he competes, he’s strong on the puck and shoots it well. The one thing that’s got to pick up is his quickness off the mark. If he can work on that … that’ll determine where he plays in the NHL. If that quickness off the mark can be just a tad better, he’s a top-two line player. If not, he’s a third-line player.”

Chris Wideman (D-R, 5’10, DOB 1990, 4-100/09)
2010-11 NCAA Miami 39-3-20-23 1st d-pts (ppg 0.58)
2011-12 NCAA Miami 40-4-19-23 1st d-pts (ppg 0.57)

An undersized, puck-moving blueliner, Wideman is finishing his senior year at Miami and I expect the Sens to sign him when his college season is over.  He never topped his rookie production (39-0-26-26), but consistently remained Miami’s most productive blueliner over his four year career.  As with any undersized defenseman, his quickness (decision making and speed) will determine how well he adapts to the pro game (here’s an old scouting report on him, link).

Jeff Costello (LW, 6’0, DOB 1990, 5-146/09)
2010-11 NCAA Notre Dame 44-12-6-18 11th pts (ppg 0.41)
2011-12 NCAA Notre Dame 28-5-7-12 9th pts (ppg 0.42)

Drafted out of the USHL, Costello has finished his second year at Notre Dame where.  His production remained unchanged in his injury-plagued season.  He’s a hard working energy forward who will likely finish out his collegiate career before turning pro.  Costello describes himself as “I think I’d fall as a very physical forward that likes to bang the body around. But at the same time, I have the ability to score. Not necessarily pretty goals, but I can get those dirty, greasy goals that you have to have. I like to lead by example, and really bring the physical part of the game and get a lot of that exposed out there.”

Brad Peltz (LW, 6’1, DOB 1989, 7-190/09)
2010-11 NCAA Yale DNP
2011-12 NCAA Yale 9-1-0-1 20th pts (ppg 0.11)

An off-the-wall pick, Peltz dressed for his first college games this season after being an extra player his entire freshman year.  A sniper, Peltz is a long term project expected to finish his collegiate career before turning pro.  The only scouting report I can find is from Pierre Dorion who said, “hard-working player with good sense … Didn’t play this year because of an infection. We were thinking about taking him last year … Going to Yale for four years. Will become a good college player and from there, we hope he can help us down the road.”

Michael Sdao (D-L, 6’4, DOB 1989, 7-191/09)
2010-11 NCAA Princeton 27-3-7-10 4th d-pts (ppg 0.37)
2011-12 NCAA Princeton 30-10-10-20 1st d-pts (ppg 0.66)

Picked out of the USHL as one of the best fighters in the draft, he’s continued to improve the other parts of his game each year at Princeton.  This is his third season at Princeton and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sens made him an offer to leave college early.  If his offensive game translates at the pro level he’s going to be a very pleasant surprise for Ottawa.  His coach Guy Gadowsky describes him as, “He can really shoot the puck, and he’s in even better shape: he’s definitely stronger, he’s definitely quicker, and he’s as focused on becoming the best hockey player as he can possibly be. I won’t say he’s changing – he’s still going to be a tough, hard-nosed defenceman – but he can definitely shoot the puck.”

Jakub Culek (LW, 6’3, DOB 1992, 3-76/10).
2010-11 QMJHL Rimouski 54-7-15-22 12th pts (ppg 0.40)
2011-12 QMJHL Rimouski 55-13-27-40 5th pts (ppg 0.72)
WJC Czech Republic 5-1-3-4

While he rebounded from his terrible 10-11 season, Culek did not set the world on fire in his third season in the Q.  His upside was projected as a third-line player, but whether or not the Sens retain him remains to be seen.  He’s big, but not overly physical and doesn’t possess great offensive instincts.  His future in the organisation would be as a checking center.  When he was drafted ISS said, “Culek was one of Rimouski’s better player’s night in and night out. He centered one of Rimouski’s top two lines plus played both PP and PK minutes. He finished the regular season with decent numbers. He possesses above average puck skills, puck protection and hockey sense. His skating has shown improvement from the start of the year, with added strength. He is a big project with third line upside.”

Marcus Sorensen (RW, 5’11, DOB 1992, 4-106/10)
2010-11 SupEl Djurgarden 31-14-22-36 4th pts  (ppg 1.16)
2010-11 SEL Djurgarden 7-1-1-2
2011-12 SupEl SkellefteaJ20 8-2-3-5
2011-12 Allsvenskan Boras 29-8-9-17 9th pts (ppg 0.58)

An off the wall pick, it was a rough year for Sorensen. He was signed by Skelleftea, but couldn’t make their lineup and spent time with their junior team before finishing the year on loan to Boras of the Allsvenskan.  The Sens have the same decision to make on Sorensen as they do with Culek–sign him or he becomes a free agent.  Projected as an energy forward, it will be interesting to see if the Sens keep him or not.  Anders Forsberg described him on draft day, saying “He’s a long (time) away. He’s a character guy who sticks his nose in everywhere he goes. He battles, he hits the (opponents). He just needs to put muscles on his body … he’s a raw, raw kid. We believe if we work with him well, we might get a home run. He has the potential to be a very good player. He has good hands and is a good skater.”

Mark Stone (RW, 6’2, DOB 1992, 6-178/10)
2010-11 WHL Brandon 71-37-69-106 1st pts (ppg 1.49)
2011-12 WHL Brandon 66-41-82-123 1st pts (ppg 1.86)
WJC Canada 6-7-3-10

He enjoyed a fantastic career year where he finished second in scoring (behind Brendan Shinnimin) in the WHL and was a star in the World Junior Championships.  He was signed before the season began and will be in Binghamton next year.  The year he was drafted he was projected as a fourth-line player, with Red Line Report saying, “Big winger has nice hands, but skating issues drop him on our list.  Stride saw improvement this season, but is still a problem – heavy footed and has a short stride.  Has good hands in close and a decent passing touch, but tends to be a garbage goal scorer and we’ve only seen rare glimpses of an accurate shooting touch.  Makes accurate passes and is especially adept at finding linemates in transition. Very good at protecting the puck, but skating keeps him from being able to drive the net with authority.  Despite good size and decent strength, doesn’t use the body at all.  Tends to be a bit timid in board battles and doesn’t initiate much contact.  Progress stalled this season due to broken thumb and concussion.”

Bryce Aneloski (D-R, 6’2, DOB 1990, 7-196/10)
2010-11 NCAA Nebraska-Omaha 39-2-17-19 2nd-d pts (ppg 0.48)
2011-12 NCAA Nebraska-Omaha 38-6-14-20 1st d-pts (ppg 0.52)

The Sens final pick of the 2010 draft, Aneloski played with Jeff Costello in Cedar Rapids after struggling with Providence in the NCAA.  A puck-mover, he finished his second season with Nebraska-Omaha where he lead the team in scoring and slightly improved his offensive totals over last year.  It’s safe to assume Aneloski will play at least one more year in the NCAA before considering turning pro.  He describes himself, “I think I’m a good puck-moving defenseman. I think I can make a good outlet pass. I think I can play good stick-on-stick in the d-zone and stuff like that. I’d say the biggest strength that’s come this year [09-10] has been my play in the offensive zone, just making a little bit more stickhandles, like the feel of the puck and stuff like that, and I think my shot, too, just by working at it this summer.”

Mika Zibanejad (C/RW, 6’2, DOB 1993, 1-6/11)
2010-11 SEL Djurgarden 26-5-4-9 17th pts (ppg 0.34)
2011-12 NHL Ottawa 9-0-1-1
2011-12 SEL Djurgarden 26-5-8-13 14th pts (ppg 0.50)
WJC Sweden 6-4-1-5

Zibanejad made the Senators to start the year, but lost his confidence and was loaned back to his club team Djurgarden.  He didn’t get the ice time the Sens thought he should as his team went through two coaching changes during the season.  The highlight for Zibanejad was the WJC, where he scored the gold medal winning goal for Sweden.  He will play with Ottawa or Binghamton next year.  RLR compared him to Brendan Morrow while ISS compared him to Jerome Iginla. Goran Stubb said this about him, “Mika‘s a real power forward but also has soft hands, good vision and fine skating skills. He has tremendous balance and is hard to knock off the puck. He’s very strong in the battles along the boards, finishes checks with authority and has a heavy shot that he gets off quickly.”

Stefan Noesen (RW, 6’0, DOB 1993, 1-21/11)
2010-11 OHL Plymouth 68-34-43-77 t-1st pts (ppg 1.13)
2011-12 OHL Plymouth 63-38-44-82 1st pts (ppg 1.30)

An off the radar first-round selection, Noesen shook off a slow start to lead the Plymouth Whalers in scoring and improve on his production from last year.  He was signed by the Sens during the season, but he can only turn pro next year if he makes the Sens (which I think is very unlikely).  He should dominate the OHL next year and would play for the US at the WJC.  RLR compared him to Jamie Benn while ISS compared him to Colin Wilson. Pierre Dorion said, “He’s shown that he’s a power forward type of winger who was willing to go to the net and had good skills. He made plays off the rush and he’s got a really good shot. We believe he’s going to be a guy that helps us win down the road.”

Matt Puempel (LW, 6’0, DOB 1993, 1-24/11)
2010-11 OHL Peterborough 55-34-35-69 1st pts (ppg 1.25)
2011-12 OHL Peterborough 30-17-16-33 6th pts (ppg 1.10)

Puempel‘s season was derailed by a lengthy suspension followed by a concussion.  As such, it was largely a wasted season in terms of his development.  He was signed during the season and will join Binghamton for the end of their season.  Like Noesen, he can only turn pro in the fall if he makes the Sens, so expect him to return to Peterborough and challenge for a spot on Canada’s WJC roster.  Both ISS and RLR compared him to Patrick Sharp.  The Hockey News said, “He’s not a great skater, but he has good feet and is a pretty hard worker.”

Shane Prince (C-L, 5’10, DOB 1992, 2-61-11)
2010-11 OHL Ottawa 59-25-63-88 2nd pts (ppg 1.49)
2011-12 OHL Ottawa 57-43-47-90 2nd pts (ppg 1.57)

The intense Prince was picked by the Senators at the end of the second round.  He followed up his breakout season last year with another strong season this year.  He’ll likely be signed and join Binghamton in the fall.  As an undersized forward, it will be interesting to see how his game translates at the pro level.  RLR was a big fan, saying, “We love everything about him – except his inability to stay healthy.  Plays much bigger than his mediocre size; edgy player who isn’t afraid to stick his nose in – very competitive and smart.  Biggest concern in his penchant for carrying the puck into traffic without regard for his body – takes some big hits to make plays but also ended up with a bum shoulder and a head/neck injury late in the season.  Has terrific speed and is an agile, elusive skater.  Makes imaginative passes at top end gear – excellent vision and playmaking skills.  Team catalyst has tremendous work ethic.  Blocks a ton of shots on the PK unit and starts dangerous rushes the other way, transitioning from defence to offence in a heartbeat.  His team was one of the OHL’s best with him in the lineup, and couldn’t win a game when he was out injured.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C/RW, 5’9, DOB 1992, 4-96/11)
2010-11 QMHL Gatineau 67-32-47-79 1st pts (ppg 1.17)
2011-12 QMJHL Gatineau/Chicoutimi 46-32-33-65 3rd pts (ppg 1.41)

The Sens Pierre Dorion is a huge fan of the undersized Pageau‘s, who was the dominating leader for Gatineau before a trade to Chicoutimi saw a drop in his production.  There’s little reason to doubt that he will be signed and join Binghamton in the fall.  As he’s very responsible defensively, it’s less incumbent on Pageau to score at the next level.  The Hockey News said, “Hardworking and very talented, size is an obvious handicap.”

Fredrik Claesson (D-L, 6’0, DOB 1992, 5-126/11)
2010-11 SEL Djurgardens 35-2-0-2 7th d-pts (ppg 0.05)
2011-12 SEL Djurgardens 47-1-6-7 t-5th d-pts (ppg 0.14)
WJC Sweden 6-0-0-0

A defensive defenseman, Claesson is a teammate of Zibanejad‘s and continued his strong, safe play with struggling Djurgarden this year (he was also a member of Sweden’s gold medal winning WJC team).  He might return to the SEL for another season, or the Sens may sign him and start him in Binghamton depending on how far along they think he is.  I haven’t been able to find a decent scouting report on Claesson, but the organisation has compared him to Anton Volchenkov.

Darren Kramer (C-L, 6’1, DOB 1991, 6-156/11)
2010-11 WHL Spokane 68-7-7-14 18th pts (ppg 0.20)
2011-12 WHL Spokane 71-21-19-40 7th pts (ppg 0.56)

The overage draft pick was considered the best fighter in the draft and considered a great team guy.  The Sens sent him to Spokane with the instruction to work on his skills and he responded with a career year.  He had 46 fights his draft year, but cut the fisticuffs down to 26 this year.  He will be signed and join Binghamton in the fall. Describing himself he said , “People ask me why I do it and I say ‘if I could score 47 goals, I’d do it that way. But after you get to a certain age, you see the guys get better and spots become limited on teams. So I figured out (fighting) was something I enjoyed doing and I wasn’t too bad at it, either. I started fighting and playing an energy role. But I didn’t fight just to fight. I did it for the right reasons and tried to pick my spots properly and try to motivate the team and the crowd at times.”

Max McCormick (LW, 5’11, DOB 1992, 6-171-11)
2010-11 USHL Sioux City 55-21-21-42 4th pts (ppg 0.76)
2011-12 NCAA Ohio 27-10-12-22 t-3rd pts (ppg 0.81)

The former Wisconsin Mr. Hockey winner enjoyed a strong (if injury-plagued) rookie season with Ohio State, playing with fellow Senator draft pick Ryan Dzingel.  A long term prospect, he’ll likely finish his NCAA career before turning pro.  McCormick is talented offensively and plays a physical game (link).

Jordan Fransoo (D-R, 6’2, DOB 1993, 7-186/11)
2010-11 WHL Brandon 63-6-12-18 4th d-pts (ppg 0.28)
2011-12 WHL Brandon/Victoria 71-3-18-21 2nd d-pts (ppg 0.29)

An off-the-radar pick by the Sens, Fransoo was a teammate of fellow Senators draft pick Mark Stone, but was traded mid-season to Victoria.  He improved slightly on his point totals, but Fransoo is seen more of a shutdown blueliner so they are less relevant.  He will return to the WHL next year to continue developing his game.  Quality scouting reports on him are lacking, but he’s considered a hard-working competitive player (link).

Ryan Dzingel (C-L, 6’0, DOB 1992, 7-204/11)
2010-11 USHL Lincoln 54-23-44-67 1st-pts (ppg 1.24)
2011-12 NCAA Ohio 33-7-17-24 t-1st-pts (ppg 0.72)

One of the USHL’s top scorers when drafted, Dzingel finished tied for the point-lead at Ohio State, but slowed down considerably as the season wore on.  A long term prospect, he’ll finish his NCAA career before turning pro.  Primarily a play-maker, Dzingel will need to bulk up over his collegiate career (link).

March 21, 2012
Categories: NHL Draft, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

Senators News: October 1

Today news includes Ottawa’s roster to start the season and an update on Ottawa’s prospects:

-After much delay the latest Sens cuts have occurred (link), with no real surprises: Mike Hoffman, Robin Lehner, Mark Borowiecki, Patrick Wierioch, and Kaspars Daugavins.  The difficult questions about Rundblad and others remain.

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch talked to Paul MacLean about the roster (link), with the coach saying “It’s been a good (camp). The work ethic has been really good. I like the way the team has taken direction and worked at it. They’ve done what we’ve asked them to do. We’re finding out with every game that our structure is coming (along). We’re going to keep working at it.”

-The Binghamton Senators lost their first exhibition game 4-1 to the Hamilton Bulldogs (Mtl).  Bobby Raymond had the only goal (on a setup from Corey Locke).  The only scratch was Mark Parrish.  Kurt Kleinendorst talked to Joy Lindsay following the game, “For me, the bottom line is really simple. We did a few things you just can’t do and win hockey games. Tie game, we turn the puck over in the neutral zone, and it ends up in our net. When you get outworked, you’re going to lose. Those are two of my biggest fundamentals for winning, and we failed them both. But it’s early in the season, and we have some kids that are completely new to our group. The best way to put it is it is what it is. We’re not going to make more of it than what it is.  Mike McKenna played very well. Players were spotty. Really, in the first period, we were really good. Second period, we were pretty good. But in the third period, we were awfully bad. That’s kind of what you’d expect. I gave some guys some really good opportunities … that’s what this is all about. I’m still trying to evaluate what I’ve got.”  The two teams play again tonight at 7:30 (you can listen to it on the Hamilton website, link).

-Prospect updates (the NCAA season hasn’t started, so Ben Blood, Chris Wideman, Jeff Costello, Brad Peltz, Michael Sdao, Bryce Aneloski, Max McCormick, and Ryan Dzingel haven’t played yet):
CHL
Jakub Culek (Rimouski, QMJHL) 2-0-1-1
Mark Stone (Brandon, WHL) 4-2-7-9
Stefan Noesen (Plymouth, OHL) 3-1-3-4
Matt Puempel (Peterborough, OHL) 4-2-2-4
Shane Prince (Ottawa 67s, OHL) 1-1-0-1
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (Gatineau, QMJHL) 2-0-1-1
Jordan Fransoo (Brandon, WHL) 4-0-0-0
SEL
Jakob Silfverberg (Brynas) 5-1-2-3
Marcus Sorensen (Skelleftea) 1-0-0-0*
Fredrik Claesson (Djurgarden) 7-1-0-1
*Skelleftea is trying to find a team in the Allsvenskan to loan him too

October 1, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

Senators News: September 15

Here’s the Sens news of the day along with scouting reports via McKeen’s:

-Tim Murray was interviewed on The Team 1200 yesterday (September 14) about the rookie tournament (link).  There wasn’t much new in his comments, but in summary: he said Mika Zibanejad would have to receive at least top-nine minutes to make the NHL club; thinks David Rundblad will do even better playing with better players and thinks he’s a little ahead of the other defensemen; he was happy with most of the lineup, specifically mentioning Andre Petersson, Louie Caporusso, Mark Stone, Mark Borowiecki, and Stephane Da Costa; he says there’s one blueline spot to be earned in Ottawa.

-Rob Brodie wrote an article on Colin Greening (link), whose outlook is very realistic, “I thought I was very fortunate to be up for 24 games last year, but that was last year. With a new season comes a new set of challenges and hurdles to get over. It’s all part of coming to camp. The prospect of potentially making the team out of camp is very exciting for me. I hope it happens for me, but that’s up to me right now. It depends on how I play in camp.”

–David Rundblad writes about the rookie tournament experience in his blog (link); Google translation provides the gist of what he’s saying (along with some hilarious errors), but in general he was happy with how the tournament went (but was unimpressed with how yappy Leaf rookies were).

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch provides his five-keys to the Sens making the playoffs (link). His keys are: 1) a solid Craig Anderson, 2) a healthy Daniel Alfredsson (with the assumption that means he’ll be productive), 3) buying into Paul MacLean’s system, 4) a strong performance from Jason Spezza, and 5) rebound years from Sergei Gonchar and Chris Phillips (and no, I don’t know why these two players count as a single reason).  His criteria closely echoes other commentators in regards to veterans needing bounceback years.

-The Senators training camp roster has been released (link).  There are only six players on tryouts (two amateur, four professional).  Among the tryouts only three are unsigned within the organisation and they are:
Matej Machovksy (OHL 7-13-2 2.90 .904); attended the rookie tournament
Brian Stewart (AHL 4-5-3 3.05 .891)
Maxim Gratchev (4-106 2007 NYI, KHL 13-0-0-0); played 17-games with Binghamton  two years ago (09-10)

–McKeen‘s yearbook includes scouting reports on David Rundblad, Patrick Wiercioch, Stephane Da Costa, Colin Greening, Mika Zibanejad, Robin Lehner, Jared Cowen, and Nikita Filatov.  Their analysis:

Rundblad (4.5/5) – “big, skilled, strong-shooting rearguard .. puck-control type, comfortable in possession and supported by a wide wingspang and good stickhandling skills .. quick to identify offensive openings and is a talented and accurate passer – tailors his speed and delivery .. still prone to overhandling the puck at times .. not a pretty skater – stride is short and mechanical .. uncomfortable moving backwards – generates nominal speed, while his pivots can be rough and sluggish .. compensates by patiently sustaining his positioning, but will concede the outside lane to puckcarriers .. displays good poise and shooting instincts running the power play .. keeps shots low and into areas for easier tips .. a high risk-reward type however – pinches aggressively and will forsake his defensive duties”

Wiercioch (3/5) – “talented rearguard with good puck skills and deceiving mobility .. adept on his feet .. displays good co-ordination and all-around footwork, only needing to get quicker which should evolve as his lower body strengthens .. still growing into spacious frame .. comfortable and composed in possession [of the puck] – transitions the puck well and is a strong passer with a knack for finding open seams .. gets his point shot through to the net and keeps it low .. still developing defensively – and learning the nuances of defending pro speed and strength – which will mandate better gap control and crease-area coverage .. can be slow to identify threats and establish tight checking positions .. gets drawn up ice watching for ways to join the attack .. good upside as a strong top four NHL blueliners – with the proper refinements”

Stephane Da Costa (2.5/5) – “methodical two-way playmaker with soft hands .. smooth, sturdy skater .. reacts quickly to changes – body and stick well-prepared .. talented puckcarrier, poised and skillful in possession .. makes tight, compact turns and subtle diagonal shifts to open up lanes .. accurate passer with a knack for sneaking feeds through seams .. delays his release point for an extra moment which opens up more options – and adds to his craftiness .. right-hand shooter on the powerplay, boasting a strong one-time plus an unassuming wristshot that generates surprising velocity .. neither big, belligerent or overly strong, however he is competitive and balanced – and guided by good sense and awareness .. manages the puck well thanks to a structured and responsible game – always back in proper support positions .. will fare better if he can get stronger over the summer”

Colin Greening (2.5/5) – “big, strong two-way winger .. adequate puckhandler whose prime weapon is a heavy slapshot powered by a quick release .. hard-working and diligent defensively .. deceptive skater – not overly explosive or quick off the mark, yet generates excellent top speed from a wide, sturdy stride .. plays in the hard areas – earns time on the penalty kill .. excels on the forecheck and grinding along the boards – using his thick frame to body opponents off the puck .. displays solid net-front presence – gets into shooting lanes for tips – and on top of the crease with his stick and body in good position”

Mika Zibanejad (4.5/5) – “determined two-way forward with good size and smarts .. anticipates the game well on both sides of the puck .. versatile – plays the wing and also mans the point on the power play .. talented passer and stickhandler, supported by quick, soft hands and a range upper body .. crafty 1-on1, boasting wide stick-handling range and clever moves to open up space for a heavy shot .. good developing skater .. top speed is fine, generates deceiving power from a wide, gangly stride .. startup and acceleration could be quicker .. must continue to get stronger and more balanced on his feet .. responsible – comes back deep on the backcheck and is comfortable operating in traffic .. knows how to use his body to play a tenacious physical game”

Robin Lehner (4.5/5) – “big competitive goalie .. cocky, colourful, brimming with self-confidence .. plays an energetic stay-at-home style based on positioning and net coverage .. collapses rapidly to a tight butterfly, displaying excellent vertical quickness .. makes himself look tall, filling the top of the net with an imposing upper torso .. can be hesitant to aggressively cut down angles .. gets stranded on his pads when dropping prematurely, particularly moving laterally into a butterfly .. does a good job controlling rebounds off his chest, but can give up juicy ones on low shots”

Jared Cowen (4.5/5) – “tough, strong-willed and studious .. excels as a proactive crease-clearer – knows how to use his size and strength to box out intruders .. does possess decent skills for his size and some imagination .. steadily adding velocity to a hard slapshot which stays low and on target .. good, solid skater – dextrous and strong on a wide base – but needs to keep increasing footspeed and quickness .. projects as a stout defender able to absorb pressure to clear the zone – or make an impact play with his physical tenacity”

Nikita Filatov (3/5) – “fast gifted playmaker .. fluid and dynamic on his feet with a gift for manufacturing space using speed and puckhandling .. crisp passer, excellent first touch, and equipped with an understanding of how to position his body to receive passes .. determined and stealth-like in the offensive zone .. not as diligent or as passionate defensively, tends to lose interest and stops moving his feet .. will have to make a greater commitment to developing his strength and conditioning as his slightly-built frame was clearly not prepared for NHL warfare“

September 15, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 1 Comment

Ottawa Rookies 4 Pittsburgh Rookies 0

The first game of the rookie camp is in the books and the Ottawa Senators prevailed over Pittsburgh’s rookies 4-0.  As expected, the game was sloppy and the pace slow as players got used to their linemates.  Robin Lehner started for Ottawa, while Patrick Killeen was in goal for the Penguins.  The broadcast on Rogers wasn’t terrific, as the guys calling it had difficulty figuring out who the Sens were, but I expect that to improve as the tournament goes on.

The Ottawa scratches: Jordan Fransoo (healthy) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (injury); nothing was said about Wacey Hamilton in the broadcast, so I assume he was a healthy scratch
The Pittsburgh scratches: Simon Despres, Robert Bortuzzo, Zach Sill, and Kevin Veilleux

Ottawa Forward Lines (these were fairly consistent throughout the game)
Prince-Zibanejad-Petersson
Puempel-Da Costa-Stone
Noesen-Grant-Cowick
Culek-Caporusso-Kramer

Defence Combinations (these became inconsistent after the first period)
Cowen-Rundblad
Wiercioch-Gryba
Godfrey-Borowiecki

Summary
First Period
1. Ottawa, Derek Grant (Corey Cowick, Mark Borowiecki)
Stefan Noesen actually made the pass to Cowick
2. Ottawa, Corey Cowick (Derek Grant)
Noesen touched the puck prior to Grant
Shots: Ottawa 16, Pittsburgh 12
Ottawa Penalties: Cowick took a dumb boarding call
Second Period
No Scoring
Ottawa Penalties: Caporusso took a hooking call off a faceoff
Fights: Borowiecki fought Alex Grant after levelling Paul Thompson (short fight without many punches landed); Kramer fought Jessey Astles (another short fight with virtually no punches landing)
Shots: Ottawa 11, Pittsburgh 9
Third Period
3. Ottawa, Corey Cowick (Mark Stone)
4. Ottawa, Andre Petersson (unassisted)
Mika Zibanejad and David Rundblad should have received assists on the goal
Shots: unknown (the building did not keep a shot count, but the broadcasters at Rogers did–however, they did not show it for the third period)
Ottawa Penalties: Gryba took a hooking call trying to prevent a goal
Other stats: the Sens were good on faceoffs, although Rogers didn’t show the final numbers

Player Performances
Forwards*
* I tracked scoring chances and they are included in brackets next to the player’s name
Derek Grant (3) – to my mind the best forward on the team; excellent passing (Cowick should have had a hat-trick), great shot, and was good on faceoffs
Corey Cowick (5) – scored and was physical
Shane Prince (6) – didn’t wind up on the scoresheet, but was excellent throughout
Mika Zibanejad (4) – reminded me of development camp where he provided a mix of dominance with trying to do too much (there are only so many between-the-legs moves he needs to make in a game)
Stefan Noesen (3) – his line scored three goals and he had a couple of great chances (including missing an empty net on the powerplay)
Stephane Da Costa (4) – largely invisible in the first period, he was much better afterward and had some great chances
Andre Petersson (3) – was good and played more physical than expected
Mark Stone – (3) enjoyed a solid game creating chances
Matt Puempel (2) – didn’t stand out
Louie Caporusso (0) – he took a dumb penalty, but worked hard and was strong on faceoffs
Darren Kramer (0) – tried to be physical and in-your-face, but didn’t accomplish much
Jakub Culek (2) – missed an empty net and nearly set up a Penguin goal

Blueline
David Rundblad – although he was guilty of a couple of turnovers, overall he was excellent (the Rogers broadcast team thought he was the best player on the ice besides Lehner)
Mark Borowiecki – threw the two biggest hits of the game and was good defensively
Jared Cowen – solid defensively and physically
Eric Gryba – physical and responsible; showed a little offensive flash during the 4-on-4 in the third period
Patrick Wiercioch – mostly invisible, but made a couple of great passes
Josh Godfrey – struggled defensively and didn’t accomplish much

Goaltending
Robin Lehner – fantastic

I would expect Fransoo to play instead of Godfrey tomorrow, along with Machovsky starting instead of Lehner.  If Pageau can play then I’d guess Culek will sit, while if Hamilton plays I’d think Kramer will sit.

For a different perspective on how players performed, Senshot‘s Tony Mendes analysis is here: senshot.com/2011/09/11/sens-rookie-analysis/#more-8523

Sens TV has four post-game interviews posted (video.senators.nhl.com/videocenter/ console?catid=1196&id=122640&navid=DL|OTT|home) with Stephane Da Costa, Corey Cowick, Kurt Kleinendorst, and Robin Lehner.

Both Shane Prince (fans.senators.nhl.com/community/blog/1/entry-256-prince-a-great-way-for-us-to-start) and David Rundblad (norran.se/bloggar/davidrundblad) have written about the game.

Video highlights are available on TSN (http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/#clip530059)

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

Ottawa Senators: Rookie Tournament Rosters

The Senators have released their Rookie Tournament roster (senators.nhl.com/ club/news.htm?id=587481&cmpid=rss-News).  The team will play against the rookie teams of Toronto, Chicago, and Pittsburgh in Oshawa.  Here’s the roster (invites are in italics; I’ve put a star next to those on Ottawa’s side who participated last year):

Forwards
Louie Caporusso (3-90 2007, NCAA 41-11-20-31)
Corey Cowick (6-160 2009, AHL 30-1-3-4)*
Jakub Culek (3-76 2010, QMJHL 55-7-15-22)*
Stephane Da Costa (FA, NCAA 33-14-31-45)
Derek Grant (4-119 2008, NCAA 38-8-25-33)
Wacey Hamilton (FA, WHL 67-20-53-73)
Darren Kramer (6-156 2011, WHL 68-7-7-14)
Stefan Noesen (1-21 2011, OHL 68-34-43-77)
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (4-96 2011, QMJHL 67-32-47-79)
Andre Petersson (4-109 2008, SEL 31-8-4-12)
Shane Prince (2-61 2011, OHL 59-25-63-88)
Matt Puempel (1-24 2011, OHL 55-34-33-69)
Mark Stone (6-178 2010, WHL 71-37-69-106)*
Mika Zibanejad (1-6 2011, SEL 26-5-4-9)

Defence
Mark Borowiecki (5-139 2008, NCAA 31-3-8-11)
Jared Cowen (1-9 2009, WHL 58-18-30-48)*
Eric Gryba (3-68 2006, AHL 66-3-4-7)*
Jordan Fransoo (7-186 2011, WHL 63-6-12-18)
Josh Godfrey (2-34 2007 Wsh, ECHL 49-15-12-27)
David Rundblad (1-17 2009 Stl, SEL 55-11-39-50)
Patrick Wiercioch (2-42 2008, AHL 67-4-14-18)*

Goaltenders
Robin Lehner (2-46 2009, AHL 10-8-2 2.70 .912)*
Matej Machovsky (Invite, OHL 7-13-2 2.90 .904)

The Toronto roster (http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=585936):

Forwards
Tyler Brenner (FA, NCAA 37-26-15-41)
David Broll (6-152 2011, OHL 65-13-21-34)
Sam Carrick (5-144 2010, OHL 59-16-23-39)
Jerry D’Amigo (6-158 2009, AHL 43-5-10-15)
Jamie Devane (3-68 2009, OHL 63-19-19-38)
Matt Frattin (4-99 2007, NCAA 44-36-24-60)
Mitchell Heard (Invite, OHL 66-19-29-48)
Josh Leivo (3-86 2011, OHL 64-13-17-30)
Greg McKegg (3-62 2010, OHL 66-49-43-92)
Kyle Neuber (7-197 2009 Clb, AHL 15-0-1-1)
Josh Nicholls (7-182 2010, WHL 71-34-53-87)
Sondre Olden (3-79 2010, SuperElit 33-7-15-22)
Brad Ross (2-43 2010, WHL 67-31-38-69)
Kenny Ryan (2-50 2009, OHL 63-22-38-60)

Defence
Jesse Blacker (2-58 2009, OHL 62-10-44-54)
Garrett Clarke (Invite, QMJHL 57-6-23-29)
Dave Cowan (Invite, NCAA 30-1-5-6)
Jake Gardiner (1-17 2008 Ana, NCAA 41-10-31-41)
Stuart Percy (1-25 2011, OHL 64-4-29-33)
Mike Schmidt Mike Schwindt (Invite, OHL 68-0-11-11)
Matt Stanisz (Invite, OHL 61-12-31-43)
Danny Urban (Invite, ACHA 22-14-12-26)

Goaltenders
Mark Owuya (FA, SEL 2.18 .927)
Garret Sparks (Invite, OHL 8-6-1 3.64 .890)

Pittsburgh’s roster (http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587484):

Forwards
Jessey Astles (Invite, WHL 59-3-3-6)
Brandon DeFazio (FA, NCAA 36-14-12-26)
Stefan Fournier (Invite, QMJHL 67-20-27-47)
Brian Gibbons (FA, NCAA 39-18-33-51)
Tom Kuhnhackl (4-110 2010, OHL 63-39-29-68)
Nick Petersen (4-121 2009, ECHL 40-24-33-57)
Zach Sill (FA, AHL 80-11-19-30)
Ben Street (FA, AHL 36-12-11-23)
Eric Tangradi (2-42 2007 Ana, AHL 42-18-15-32)
Daniil Tarasov (Invite, USHL 57-37-38-75)
Paul Thompson (FA, NCAA 39-28-24-52)
Dominik Uher (5-144 2011, WHL 65-21-39-60)
Kevin Veilleux (2-51 2007, AHL 66-12-24-36)
Ian Watters (Invite, OHL 68-20-22-42)

Defence
Robert Bortuzzo (3-78 2007, AHL 79-4-22-26)
Simon Despres (1-30 2009, QMJHL 47-13-28-41)
Alex Grant (4-118 2007, ECHL 14-3-2-5)
Scott Harrington (2-54 2011, OHL 67-6-16-22)
Reid McNeil (6-170 2010, OHL 62-2-4-6)
Joseph Morrow (1-23 2011, WHL 60-9-40-49)
Joe Rogalski (6-152 2010, OHL 63-7-25-32)
Phillip Samuelsoon (2-61 2009, NCAA 39-4-12-16)
Carl Sneep (2-32 2006, NCAA 42-11-17-28)
Brain Strait (3-65 2006, AHL 75-2-8-10)

Goaltenders
Patrick Killeen (6-180 2008, ECHL 19-16-2 2.87 .901)
Maxime Lagace (Invite, QMJHL 8-4-0 3.59 .884)

Chicago’s roster (http://blackhawks.nhl.com/v2/ext/CHI_RookieTournamentRoster.pdf):

Forwards
Phillip Danault (1-26 2011, QMJHL 64-23-44-67)
Christopher Didomenico (6-164 2007 Tor, ECHL 37-6-19-25)
Rob Flick (4-120 2010, OHL 68-27-30-57)
Byron Froese (4-119 2010, WHL 70-43-38-81)
David Gilbert (7-209 2009, QMJHL 52-28-23-51)
Jimmy Hayes (2-60 2008 Tor, NCAA 39-21-12-33)
Peter LeBlanc (7-186 2006, AHL 57-12-18-30)
Mark McNeill (1-18 2011, WHL 70-32-49-81)
Jeremy Morin (2-45 2009 Atl, AHL 22-8-4-12)
Philippe Paradis (1-27 2009 Car, QMJHL 59-23-30-53)
Ludwig Rensfeldt (2-35 2010, Swe Jr 26-17-19-36)
Brandon Saad (2-43 2011, OHL 59-27-28-55)
Andrew Shaw (5-139 2011, OHL 66-22-32-54)
Paul Zanette (FA, NCAA 35-29-26-55)

Defence
Simon Denis-Pepin (2-61 2006, ECHL 33-3-9-12)
Simon Lalonde (3-68 2008, AHL 73-5-27-32)
Joe Lavin (5-126 2007, NCAA 44-6-11-17)
Neil Manning (Invite, WHL 72-15-36-51)
Dylan Olsen (1-28 2009, AHL 42-0-4-4)
Ryan Stanton (FA, AHL 73-3-14-17)
Ben Youds (FA, NCAA 37-7-14-21)

Goaltenders
Mac Carruth (7-191 2010, WHL 18-7-1 3.08 .913)
Johan Mattsson (7-211 2011, Swe Jr 2.62 .930)

August 30, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 1 Comment

Assessing Bryan Murray

On April 8th, 2011, with one game remaining in a failed season, the Ottawa Senators re-signed GM Bryan Murray to a three-year deal (http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/ nhl/article/971687–senators-re-sign-gm-bryan-murray-to-three-year-deal).  The most obvious question is why?  Clearly ownership see’s Murray as the best man to rebuild the team that crumbled beneath him, but based on what?  The best way to assess that decision is to look at his record as Ottawa’s General Manager.

Bryan Murray took over from John Muckler on June 18, 2007, just six days before the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.  I’ve read criticism of Murray regarding that draft (particularly the selection of Jim O’Brien), but there’s no question that the selections were made with Muckler’s scouting staff and guided by their philosophy.

2007 Draft

Considered a weak draft at the time (for that opinion http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/ content.asp?CID=604850, for a more optimistic view http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ 2007/writers/allan_muir/06/19/mock.draft/), Ottawa made four selections, trading away their final three picks to Tampa for a fourth round pick in the 2008 draft (Derek Grant).

1-29 Jim O’Brien (NCAA, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/jim_obrien)
Finished his sophomore season in Binghamton, which was a leap forward as a pro.
2-60 Ruslan Bashkirov (QMJHL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/ruslan_bashkirov)
Playing a tier below the KHL (the VHL) where he’s likely to remain.
3-90 Louie Caporusso (OPJHL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/louie_caporusso)
Completed his senior year at the University of Michigan and will play for Binghamton.
4-120 Ben Blood (USHS, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/ben_blood)
Is going into his senior year at the University of North Dakota.

2007-08 Contracts

June 22 – Dean McAmmond – 2 years/1.4; a solid player, but his numbers dropped considerably before he was shipped out to the New York Islanders
July 3 – Matt Carkner – 2 years/0.5; normally I wouldn’t list a player intended for the AHL, but given that Carkner eventually made the team he belongs here
July 24 – Ray Emery – 3 years/3.166; re-signing the starting goalie in the Cup run seemed like a no-brainer
July 31 – Chris Kelly – 1 year/1.263; based on his strong play when Spezza and Fisher were injured
August 7 – Luke Richardson – 1 year/0.5; a depth signing
September 17 – Mike Fisher – 5 years/4.2; I thought at the time it was too much money and too much term and time hasn’t changed that opinion
October 3 – Dany Heatley – 6 years/7.5; thought to be solid signing at the time (www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=339055)
October 16 – Randy Robitaille – 1 year/0.625; a depth signing out of Russia, the Sens hoped he would provide some scoring depth (www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2007/10/ 16/robitaille-senators.html?ref=rss), but he did not.  The following season saw him playing in Switzerland
November 2 – Jason Spezza – 7 years/7.0; I liked the contract at the time and still do

2007-08 Coaches

Murray hired John Paddock, who had been his assistant the past two years and was a long time AHL coach (with a distant and lousy NHL coaching record from his days with
Winnipeg, 281-106-138-37).  Paddock got the team off to a fantastic start (15-2), but wore out his best players and the team quickly slid down the standings. Paddock was fired February 27, after two embarrassing back-to-back shutout losses, finishing with a 36-22-6 record.  Murray took over and the team barely made the playoffs where they were promptly swept by the Penguins.

While the Paddock hiring may have seemed like a logical step to Murray—a solid minor league resume  and his assistant—he was hardly the best coach available, so Murray deserves criticism for the hire (as he has suggested himself since).

Buyouts

June 20 – Ottawa waived and then bought out Ray Emery; his play was only partially the issue.  Because of his age the cost of the buyout was much less than for a player in his prime.  Emery had to go to the KHL to salvage his NHL career, which is even now in question.

2007-08 Trades

June 23 – Ottawa’s 5th (Matt Marshall; finished his third poor year in the NCAA), 7th (Torrie Jung; plying his trade for the Laredo Bucks in the CHL), and 7th (Justin Courtnall; finished his sophomore season in the NCAA) to Tampa for a 4th in 2008 (Derek Grant; after two strong seasons in the NCAA he will play in Binghamton next year). The thought here was that the following year’s draft was much stronger and
deeper and it appears as though Murray was right.  This is a win for Murray.

July 17, 2007 – Traded Peter Schaefer to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Shean Donovan. Muckler had overpaid Schaefer, whose cumbersome contract wound up being buried in the minors and then bought out by the Bruins.  Donovan was a solid soldier for Ottawa.  This is a win for Murray.

February 11, 2008 – Traded Joe Corvo and Patrick Eaves to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman. Corvo demanded a trade, so Murray didn’t have many options; Eaves just never developed enough.  Commodore turned out to be a complete bust for the Sens (and subsequently Columbus, who bought him out), but Stillman was an adequate rental.  None of the four players are still with the teams they were traded too.  Given that the trade failed to help the Sens in the playoffs, this is a loss for Murray.

February 26, 2008 – Traded a sixth-round draft pick in 2008 (6-169, Ben Smith, coming off a good rookie season in the AHL) to the Chicago Blackhawks for Martin Lapointe. Lapointe was supposed to provide grit for the Sens, but his best days were long behind him and he was a disappointment.  Lapointe hasn’t played in the league since.  This is definitely a failure on Murray’s part.

2008 Draft

Considered a good draft year (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3448428) and the selections can be said to truly reflect Murray’s philosophy.  All the players selected have been signed except for Emil Sandin.

1-15 Erik Karlsson (SuperElit, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/erik_karlsson)
Coming off his second NHL season he finished 17th in blueline scoring.
2-42 Patrick Wiercioch (USHL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/patrick_wiercioch)
Completed a difficult rookie year in Binghamton.
3-79 Zack Smith (WHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/zack_smith)
Spent most of the year with Ottawa, providing grit to the lineup.
4-109 Andre Petersson (SuperElit, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/ andre_petersson)
After two seasons in the SEL he’ll play in Binghamton this year.
4-119 Derek Grant (BCHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/derek_grant)
After two strong seasons with Michigan State University before turning pro; he’ll play with Binghamton this year.
5-139 Mark Borowiecki (CJHL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/mark_borowiecki)
Spent three years at Clarkson before signing a pro contract; he’ll play with Binghamton.
7-199 Emil Sandin (SuperElit, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/emil_sandin)
Failed to be a regular player in the SEL and hasn’t been retained.

2008-09 Contracts

March 25 – Jesse Winchester – 2 years/0.55; signed as a free agent out of college, Winchester hasn’t produced offensively as planned, but has turned into a solid
grinder
June 21 – Chris Kelly – 4 years/2.125 million; signed prior to becoming a UFA, Kelly continued to put up his usual numbers before being traded to Boston
July 2 – Jarkko Ruutu – 3 years/1.3 million; signed after reaching the Cup final with Pittsburgh, he didn’t deliver what was expected while he was here and was eventually traded to Anaheim
July 2 – Shean Donovan – 2 years/0.65; a cap friendly contract, but Donovan had nothing left in the tank and only played 90 games over those two seasons
July 8 – Jason Smith – 2 years/2.6; a bad contract for a player who didn’t have gas left in the tank, he retired before the second year of his deal
July 31 – Antoine Vermette – 2 years/2.75 million; unable to produce enough as a top six player in Ottawa, he was traded to Columbus in the first year of his deal for Pascal Leclaire and a second round pick (Robin Lehner)
September 27 – Luke Richardson – 1 year/0.5; unable to stay in the lineup, he retired November 27th
October 30 – Daniel Alfredsson – 4 years/4.875 million; an excellent contract that should see Alfie through to retirement

2008-09 Coaches

Murray hired Craig Hartsburg, who was coming off back-to-back World Junior wins.  Hartsburg had a good track record in junior, but his NHL record was mediocre (albeit more extensive than Paddock’s, 443-184-184-69).  Hartsburg was not a strong system coach and the team struggled under his regime.  Finally, on February 1st, Hartsburg was fired after accumulating a 17-24-7 record.  Cory Clouston, enjoying a strong season in Binghamton, was brought up as the interim coach.  The team responded well under Clouston and he was signed to a two-year deal.

Murray deserves criticism for the Hartsburg signing, who again was not the strongest candidate available.  The team struggled all season long and he was allowed to linger longer than was needed.  The Clouston hiring was much like the Paddock hiring–done without competition.

2008-09 Trades

June 20, 2008 – Traded their 1st round pick (Chet Pickard; highly regarded, but has struggled as a pro) and their 3rd round in 2009 (Taylor Beck; a great player in the OHL) for the 15th pick (Erik Karlsson). The Sens desperately needed an upgrade on their blueline, particularly on the right side; making a splash when the draft was in Ottawa likely helped the decision.  It looks like a clear win for Murray.

June 25, 2008 – Traded Brian McGrattan to the Phoenix Coyotes for the Boston Bruins’ fifth-round draft pick in 2009 (Jeff Costello). McGrattan’s substance abuse problems and declining effectiveness made him an asset that needed moving.  This is a definite win for Murray.

August 29, 2008 – Traded Andrej Meszaros to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard and San Jose’s first-round draft pick (previously acquired) in 2009 (which was subsequently traded to the Islanders). Meszaros and the team could not come to terms on a contract, so Ottawa did well in bringing in a solid veteran and prospect.  Meszaros never did find success in Tampa, but when moved to Philadelphia responded in a supporting role.  Since ultimately neither team got what they wanted from the trade, I’ll call it a draw.

September 2, 2008 – Traded Lawrence Nycholat to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Ryan Shannon. Nycholat demanded a trade, so Ottawa exchanged their problem for one the Canucks had (Shannon had a one-way contract the following season).  The Sens definitely won the trade.

November 10, 2008 – Traded Alexander Nikulin to the Phoenix Coyotes for Drew Fata. Nikulin demanded a trade and rather than simply losing the asset to the KHL Ottawa brought in an AHL veteran.  Nikulin struggled with San Antonio and returned to play in the KHL afterward.  Fata signed with Providence after his year in Binghamton, but Ottawa received a more tangible value than Phoenix, so it’s a win for Murray.

February 20, 2009 – Traded Dean McAmmond and San Jose’s first-round draft pick in 2009 (1-26, Kyle Palmieri; he enjoyed a solid rookie season in the NCAA) to the New York Islanders in exchange for Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli. The Sens had no room for McAmmond, so took on Comrie’s onerous and expiring contract to get Campoli on a very cap friendly deal.  Comrie subsequently signed with the Oilers, while Campoli had an up and down career with the Sens before being traded himself (the acquired pick was used as part of the trade to draft Matt Puempel).  The final assessment of the trade is yet to be made.

March 4, 2009 – Traded Antoine Vermette to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Pascal Leclaire and a second-round draft pick in 2009 (Robin Lehner). Vermette had flat-lined as a player in the organisation; the Sens had to choose between he and Mike Fisher, and while Vermette has more offensive prowess, Fisher was the tougher player to play against.  The trade (including the pick) was intended to solidify the Sens between the pipes.  Vermette has done well in Columbus, while Leclaire completely failed as a Senator.  Lehner may make Murray a genius, but in the short term this is a loss.

2009 Draft

Considered a deep and talented draft, Ottawa had its first top-ten pick since the 2005.  Players are only just starting to appear in the system, with 5 signed so far.

1-9 Jared Cowen (WHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/jared_cowen)
Finished his junior career and won a Calder Cup with Binghamton; he’ll play in either the AHL or NHL next year.
2-39 Jakob Silfverberg (SuperElit, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/ jakob_silfverberg)
Finished his second full year in the SEL, the team would like him to come to training camp, but he seems determined to play another year in Sweden.
2-46 Robin Lehner (SuperElit, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/robin_lehner)
His rookie year as a pro, he had a great run in the Calder Cup playoffs; he’ll be the starting goalie for Binghamton next season.
4-100 Chris Wideman (NCAA, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/chris_wideman)
Heading into his senior year at Miami.
5-130 Mike Hoffman (QMJHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/mike_hoffman)
Had an up and down rookie year in Binghamton.
5-146 Jeff Costello (USHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/jeff_costello)
Enjoyed a solid rookie year at the University of Notre Dame.
6-160 Corey Cowick (OHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/corey_cowick)
Had a horrible rookie campaign in the AHL.
7-190 Brad Peltz (EJHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/brad_peltz)
Could not make it into the lineup at Yale in his rookie season.
7-191 Michael Sdao (USHL, http://www.silversevensens.com/2010/5/5/1458450/a-look-at-senators-prospect)
Had a solid sophomore season at Princeton.

2009-10 Contracts

March 4 – Filip Kuba – 3 years/3.7 million; signed after a career year with Ottawa, he’s suffered repeated injury setbacks and become a lightning rod for criticism in the city
April 4 – David Dziurzynski – 3 years/0.6 million; signed an ELC as a free agent out of the BCHL; he’s coming off a solid rookie season in the AHL
July 1 – Chris Neil – 4 years/2.0 million; signed after an awful year, Neil has had an up and a down season since
July 6 – Alexei Kovalev – 2 years/5.0 million; a surprise signing at the time that failed utterly (if my memory is correct, the reaction at TSN to this was hilarious, but I can’t find the video of it); he was traded to Pittsburgh as part of the house-cleaning this past season
August 3 – Brian Elliott – 2 years/0.85; a cap friendly deal for a likeable player; unfortunately for Elliott, he lost his confidence this past season and is going to have to prove himself as an NHL player all over again
October 20 – Matt Carkner – 2 years/0.7; the career minor leaguer finally got his shot and played well
March 29 – Bobby Butler – 2 years/0.9; the highly sought-after NCAA free agent signed a deal similar to Winchester‘s in 2008

Re-Entry Waivers

October 2 – having no room for Christoph Schubert on the roster, Murray was unable to trade the big defensemen; he was picked up by Atlanta and had a decent season with the Thrashers.  He split last year between the SEL and DEL with his NHL career apparently over.

2009-10 Coaches

The first season where who was coaching was not a question, Clouston got the team into the playoffs and was generally given good grades for his performance (ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/NHL-2010-11-Season-Preview-Wrestling-with-Ottaw?urn=nhl-271127).

2009-10 Trades

June 27 – Traded their 2010 6th round pick (6-166 Drew Czerwonka) to Edmonton for their 2009 7th round pick (7-191, Michael Sdao). The Sens considered the 2010 draft to be weak and were high on Sdao, so they made the move.  Niether prospect is at a point where an assessment can be made.

July 8, 2009 – Traded Alex Auld to Dallas for San Jose’s 6th round pick (6-178 Mark Stone).  With Elliott established as an NHL player, there was no need for Auld on the roster.  Getting a tangible asset for one you no longer need is always a win.

September 4, 2009 – Traded Shawn Weller to Anaheim for Jason Bailey. A minor-league exchange of disappointing prospects; Weller was in the final year of his rookie contract, while Bailey’s continued through 2010-11.  Neither asset remains with their new organisation.

September 12, 2009 – Traded Dany Heatley and a fifth-round draft pick (5-136 Isaac Macleod) in 2010 to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and San Jose’s second-round draft pick (subsequently moved to the Islanders and then Chicago, 2-58 Kent Simpson) in 2010. Heatley had demanded a trade at the end of the season and this was the best deal Murray could get for him.  Cheechoo proved to be a complete bust and was bought out.  Murray was never going to “win” the trade, particularly with a public demand from Heatley, but Michalek is at least a tangible asset who is signed long term.

February 12, 2010 – Traded Alexandre Picard and their second-round draft pick in 2011 (subsequently moved to Edmonton, 2-46, Martin Marincin) to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Matt Cullen. Murray paid a steep price for Cullen, who played well in the playoffs, but the team didn’t win and he wasn’t retained.  While Picard wasn’t much of a loss, giving up a second round pick makes this a loss for Murray.

March 2, 2010 – Traded San Jose’s second-round pick (Kent Simpson) to the New York Islanders in exchange for Andy Sutton. Sutton never fit in with the Sens (rather like Mike Commodore two years before), and wasn’t retained, so this is a loss for Murray.

June 25, 2010 – Ottawa traded their first overall pick (1-16 Vladimir Tarasenko) to St. Louis prospect David Rundblad (1-17/09). Sens scout Anders Forsberg was very high on Rundblad, who wound up dominating the Swedish Elite League the following season.  Assessing this trade is still three or four years away.

2010 Draft

Considered a weak draft (referenced here www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2010/6/25/ 1535455/what-was-the-greatest-draft-in-nhl), the Senators had already traded away many of their picks so only made four selections.

3-76 Jakub Culek (QMJHL, http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/jakub_kulek)
Coming off a terrible season in the Q.
4-106 Marcus Sorensen (SuperElit, http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=533672)
Should be an SEL regular this season.
6-178 Mark Stone (WHL, http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/ottawa-senators/Feet+stone+hands+gold+Senators+prospect+scoring/5033116/story.html)
Coming off a fantastic season in the WHL.
7-196 Bryce Aneloski (USHL, http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1096508)
Enjoyed a strong rookie season at Nebraska-Omaha.

2010-11 Contracts

July 1 – Sergei Gonchar – 3 years/5.5; considered the best available UFA blueliner, Murray won him over with term; considered a great signing at the time (www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO4RGQUjv3c)
July 1 – Jesse Winchester – 2 years/0.75; there was still belief that he had untapped upside, but I thought a one-year deal would have been better
July 21 – Nick Foligno – 2 years/1.2; the former first-rounder looked to be on the verge of a breakout season, but instead seems to have flatlined
July 29 – Peter Regin – 2 years/1.0; after a solid rookie year and great playoff, big things were expected; instead he suffered through the sophomore jinx
March 31 – Stephane Da Costa – 2 years/1.325; the highly sought-after NCAA free agent signed a deal similar to Butler‘s in 2010

Buyouts

June 29 – Jonathan Cheechoo was bought out.  I don’t think Murray deserves much criticism here, as no one anticipated Cheechoo as being as completely finished as he has proven to be.

2010-11 Coaches

Cory Clouston was seen as an up-and-coming coach who had worked some magic to get the team into the playoffs.  Not everyone was a believer (www.thehockeynews.com/ articles/34718-The-Hockey-News-201011-NHL-regular-season-predictions.html), but the team entered the season with a lot of optimism (blogs.canoe.ca/offtheposts/ general/fearless-predictions/).  Everything went wrong for Clouston.  When his goalies played well the team couldn’t score.  When the goalies didn’t play well the team still couldn’t score.  Players were disagreeing with him publically (look at November 30th http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player-pn.cgi?441).  For a time it looked like Ottawa would be the worst team in the NHL.  With the season clearly over and a rebuild beginning, the team’s play picked up, but Clouston’s fate was sealed.  There was a lot of criticism over Clouston’s inability to communicate with players as well as his varying standards for how play effected ice time.  I believe the former trait made the latter worse.  For Clouston to get another chance in the NHL he’s going to have to find a new approach to handling NHL players.

After Clouston was dismissed the Senators looked for a new coach.  Both Calder Cup winning Kurt Kleinendorst and Dave Cameron‘s association with owner Eugene Melnik made many think they were the top contenders, but Murray ulimately went with a man he knew from his days in Anaheim–Detroit assistant coach Paul MacLean.  MacLean had spent eight years as Mike Babcock’s assistant, with previous head coaching experience in the IHL and UHL (winning the Colonial Cup in the latter lead in 2000-01).  Kleindorst had better winning pedigre (ECHL, BISL, and AHL championships to go along with his U-18 gold medal), but MacLean certainly deserves an open mind going into next season (http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=565807).

2010-11 Trades

February 10, 2011 – traded Mike Fisher to Nashville for first-round pick (1-21 Stefan Noesen) and a conditional second-round pick in 2012. The trade kicked off the rebuild.  At the time the Senators were 17-30-8 and going nowhere.  Fisher had a big contract with term left (two more years).  As seems the trend for Murray and his staff when they trade a player for a pick, they select a prospect who has some of the same characteristics.

February 16, 2011 – traded Chris Kelly to Boston for a second-round pick (2-61 Shane Prince). The likeable Kelly was better served on a team that was in contention and went on to help Boston win the Stanley Cup.  His contract (too much for a third-line center) and age brought about the move.  He has one more year on his deal.

February 17, 2011 – traded Jarkko Ruutu to Anaheim for a sixth-round pick (6-171 Max McCormick). Ruutu never found a comfort zone in Ottawa and getting something for the impending UFA was better than nothing.  Ruutu remains without a team.

February 18, 2011 – traded Brian Elliott to Colorado for Craig Anderson. The trade that gave the team hope also dashed their chances for a top-three pick.  Anderson was in the midst of a horrible funk in Colorado and needed a change in scenery, while Elliott had completely lost his confidence–he has since moved on and signed a two-way deal with St. Louis.

February 24, 2011 – traded Alexei Kovalev to Pittsburgh for a conditional seventh-round pick (7-204 Ryan Dzingel). Getting something for Kovalev was an achievement for Murray, but hardly makes up for the mistake of signing him.  This may well have been the final year in the NHL for Kovalev [he subsequently signed a KHL-deal].

February 28, 2011 – traded Chris Campoli and a conditional pick (voided) to Chicago for Ryan Potulny and a second round pick (2-48, later traded to Detroit to select Matt Puempel; Detroit selected Xavier Ouellet). Campoli was no longer in Ottawa’s plans and in picking up an AHL-asset in Potulny who would help Binghamton win the Calder Cup.  Chicago walked away from Campoli‘s arbitration award and he remains without a team.  A clear win for Murray.

June 24, 2011 – traded two second-round picks (their own, 2-35 Tomas Jurco, and the one acquired from Chicago, 2-48, Xavier Ouelette) for Detroit’s first-round selection (1-24 Matt Puempel). The Sens were high on Puempel, who they considered for the 21st overall pick, so jumped at the opportunity to get him.  Time will tell on the trade.

June 25, 2011 – traded their third-round pick (3-67 T. J. Tynan) to Columbus for Nikita Filatov. Filatov wanted out of Columbus, but there wasn’t much interest in the NHL.  I agree with Bryan Murray that acquiring the talented Russian is a fantastic gamble.  How Filatov performs this year will set the table for judging the trade.

Waivers

February 24, 2011 – picked up Marek Svatos from Nashville on the waiver wire.  Desperately in need of NHL bodies, Svatos had a slow start with the Sens, but just when his game was picking up he was concussed by Jay Rosehill.  There was never any intention of keeping him and he remains without a team.

February 28, 2011 – picked up Curtis McElhinney from Tampa on the waiver wire.  McElhinney allowed Robin Lehner to stay in the minors and he was decent as the season wound down.  There was never any serious consideration of keeping him [he signed a two-way deal with Phoenix].

2011 Draft

The draft lacked the high-end talent of previous years, but was considered to have good depth.  Because of Ottawa’s trades they had a plethora of picks to re-stock the organisation.

1-6 Mika Zibanejad (SEL, https://eyeonthesens.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/reviewing-ottawas-2011-draft/)
1-21 Stefan Noesen (OHL, https://eyeonthesens.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/reviewing-ottawas-2011-draft/)
1-24 Matt Puempel (OHL, https://eyeonthesens.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/reviewing-ottawas-2011-draft/)
2-61 Shane Prince (OHL, https://eyeonthesens.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/reviewing-ottawas-2011-draft/)
4-96 Jean-Gabriel Pageau (QMJHL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/jena-gabriel_pageau)
5-126 Fredrik Claesson (SEL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/fredrik_claesson)
6-156 Darren Kramer (WHL, www.silversevensens.com/2011/6/25/2243902/senators-select-darren-kramer-156th-overall)
6-171 Max McCormick (USHL, www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/max_mccormick)
7-186 Jordan Fransoo (WHL, www.silversevensens.com/2011/6/25/2243947/ottawa-senators-take-d-jordan-fransoo-at-186-overall)
7-204 Ryan Dzingel (USHL, http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1088894)

2011-12 Contracts

March 21 – Craig Anderson – 4 years/3.1875; far too much term for my liking, but if Anderson returns to the form he showed in Colorado in 2009-10 it’s a great signing
May 19 – Zack Smith – 2 years/0.7; the tough forward has always been a favourite of the organisation and his return was no surprise
May 19 – Colin Greening – 3 years/0.816,667; the big college grad impressed with his play and was locked up on a cap friendly contract
July 1 – Alex Auld – 1 year/1.0; willing to accept both a one-year term and a back-up role, he returns to Ottawa after a two-year absence
July 5 – Zenon Konopka – 1 year/0.7; one of the league’s most frequent fighters, he also is a great faceoff man
July 6 – Erik Condra – 2 years/0.625; impressed management with his intelligent play
July 13 – Mika Zibanejad – 3 years//1.775; his contract allows him to tryout for the team, but if he doesn’t make it he’ll return to Djurgarden for one more year
July 14 – Bobby Butler – 2 years/1.05; the sniper did enough to earn a two-year contract

As it stands, that is the complete record for Bryan Murray.  He has been the GM for four years during which he’s made the playoffs twice, hired four coaches, and seen the core of the 2007 Stanley Cup final wither away.  So, by category, here’s how I assess him (for another kind of assessment, see www.silversevensens.com/2011/6/28/2238402/ why-is-bryan-murray-still-in-ottawa-its-complicated):

The Draft: A, excellent.  The cupboard was bare when Murray took over and now it is filling up.  The 2008, 2009, and 2011 drafts were considered excellent, while 2010 remains more of a question.  The pump is primed and the Senators should have successive waves of quality players filtering into the organisation for years to come.
Contracts: C, mediocre.  Murray has struggled with contracts for older, veteran players.  His contracts while rebuilding, conversely, have been excellent thus far.
Trades: B, average.  I have his score at 11-6-8 (some of the draws are because we don’t know the result yet).  Once again, Murray seems to do better when younger assets are involved, but overall I think he’s ahead of the game in terms of value derived from his trades.
Coaches: F, failure.  So far none of Murray’s hires have worked out.
Overall: B, average.  As bad as the coaching situation has been, I think a good team does well despite their coach, so as a problem there are worse things.  To my mind, Murray has been improving in all categories, so despite the team failing this season his actions as a GM have gotten better.  The true test won’t be this season, because the Senators are going to be near the basement of the league, but instead it will be the year after–not that they will be contenders, but there should be a significant step forward.

July 26, 2011
Categories: Free Agency, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators, Ottawa trades . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 2 Comments

Wrapping up the Senators Development Camp

Yesterday marked the end of the Ottawa Senators Development Camp with the annual 3-on-3 finale.  Team Blue (Mike Hoffman, Stefan Noesen, Mark Stone, Ben Blood, Kirill Lyamin, and Ryan Dzingel) won the competition, while Mark Borowiecki was named the hardest worker in camp.  The increase in the talent of the players in the system was evident.  I’ve included thoughts on individual players below (arranged by position and age), along with links to videos and stories from the camp.  It’s worth remembering to take these camp performances with a grain of salt.

Forwards
Pat Cannone (FA 2011, Miami, NCAA) – the 24-year old did not stand out at camp; he has decent hands/shot (was a shoot-first player); will play in Binghamton
Corey Cowick (6-160 2009) – the former 67 didn’t stand out; he showed decent speed and played physical, but wasn’t able to gel with teammates in the offensive zone; will return to Binghamton
David Dziurzynski (FA 2010, Alberni, BCHL) – enjoyed a good camp; he’s a big north-south player who is great along the boards; he showed good instincts in the offensive zone; will return to Binghamton
Louie Caporusso (3-90 2007) – the Michigan graduate used to shine at these camps, but beginning last year the talent around him was catching up–this year he was largely invisible; while he has decent hands, he overhandles the puck and didn’t display separation speed; will play in Binghamton
Stephane Da Costa (FA 2011, Merrimack, NCAA) – I expected more from him; despite showing good hands, he did not stand out; will play in Binghamton
Brad Peltz (7-190 2009) – after a strong camp last year he was largely invisible; he has good speed and a shoot-first mentality; nearly got into a fight with Shane Prince in the 3-on-3 tourney; returns to Yale for his sophomore year
Mike Hoffman (5-130 2009) – dominated all the game-play I saw, reminding me of his performance at the rookie tournament last fall; fantastic skill set (hands, vision, shot) and I’ll be interested to see how that translates in September; will return to Binghamton
Derek Grant (4-119 2008) – the first camp where I really noticed him; great hands for a big man; will play in Binghamton
Nikita Filatov (T – Columbus) – only able to attend two days of camp using borrowed equipment; showed his skill, speed, and competitiveness; will play in Ottawa
Andre Petersson (4-109 2008) – despite recovering from back problems, Petersson was excellent, particularly dominant in the 3-on-3 tournament; good hands, good speed, and a great shot; will play in Binghamton
Wacey Hamilton (FA 2011, Medicine Hat, WHL) – didn’t notice him until the 3-on-3 tourney, where he showed great net drive; a competitive, north-south player; will play in Binghamton
Jakob Silfverberg (2-39 2009) – enjoyed a great camp; he didn’t always stand out, but competed hard and was a monster defensively; great shot and excellent instincts; expected to return to Brynas
Jeff Costello (5-146 2009) – he missed the scrimmage with what I presume was an injury [He did play in the scrimmage, but wasn’t very noticeable–what he missed was the on-ice practice the day before], but showed some good moves in the 3-on-3 tournament; he has good hands and drives the net; returns to Notre Dame for his sophomore year
Darren Kramer (6-156 2011) – the best fighter in the draft didn’t show much at camp beyond effort; needs to work on everything (skating, hands, etc); returns to Spokane
Ryan Dzingel (7-204 2011) – one of the least developed players at camp, he did not stand out; has decent hands; begins his NCAA career at Ohio State
Marcus Sorensen (4-106 2010) – a little less hyper than last year, he did not stand out; a hard worker who drives the net, he needs to bulk up; will play for Skelleftea
Max McCormick (6-171 2011) – showed flashes of what he is–an agitating player who goes hard to the net and into the corners; begins his NCAA career at Ohio State
Mark Stone (6-178 2010) – was invisible at his first camp last year, but was good this time around; good hands (passing and shooting) and drive to the net; needs to work on his footspeed; returns to Brandon
Jakub Culek (3-76 2010) – coming off a tough year in Rimouski, he was largely invisible; good size and hands, his decision-making is a problem; returns to Rimouski
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (4-96 2011) – had a good camp, with good speed and hands; tended to hold on to the puck too much; returns to Gatineau
Shane Prince (2-61 2011) – enjoyed a strong camp; competitive with good speed and great hands; returns to the Ottawa 67s
Matt Puempel (1-24 2011) – the organisation kept him out of the competitive portion of the camp, so he was very much invisible (he did post blogs on the Sens website however); returns to Peterborough
Stefan Noesen (1-21 2011) – a camp standout, he showed great speed, hands, and shot; returns to Plymouth
Mika Zibanejad (1-6 2011) – he had a mixed camp; showed great speed, moves, and shot, but tried to do too much (particularly when he got frustrated); either makes Ottawa or returns to Djurgarden

Defense

Kirill Lyamin (2-58 2004) – the big Russian defenseman had a solid camp; not flashy, but a good stick and was very effective in the 3-on-3 tourney; is not very physical despite a big frame; returns to Avangard Omsk in the KHL
Ben Blood (4-120 2007) – the big man enjoyed a good camp; physical and competes hard; does not have great hands; returns for his senior year at North Dakota
Mark Borowiecki (5-139 2008) – has improved every camp he’s attended and was this year’s hardest worker; a fantastic open-ice hitter, he was (again) the most physical player in camp and showed improved speed; he still needs to work on his skills; will play in Binghamton
Chris Wideman (4-100 2009) – largely invisible; a good passer and able to work through traffic; probably needs an extra step to move to the next level; returns for his senior year at Miami
Bryce Aneloski (7-196 2010) – not very noticeable beyond having bulked up; decent hands and has added physicality; needs to improve his overall game; returns for his sophomore year at Nebraska-Omaha
David Rundblad (T – St. Louis) – I expected a lot more from Rundblad, who didn’t ratchet up his intensity; great hands and puck skills; guilty of overhandling the puck; will play in Ottawa
Patrick Wiercioch (2-42 2008) – didn’t stand out and had a rough 3-on-3 tourney; smooth skater with good hands, he still needs to bulk up and get more involved; returns to Binghamton
Jared Cowen (1-9 2009) – had an average camp; physical, good stick, and showed some nice moves; needs to work on his shot; will play in Binghamton or Ottawa
Fredrik Claesson (5-126 2011) – had an excellent camp; competitive, strong along the boards and has good hands; returns to Djurgarden
Jordan Fransoo (7-186 2011) – largely invisible; looked a little shellshocked at times; needs to fill out and work on his one-on-one defensive skills; returns to Brandon

Goalies

Scott Greenham (FA NCAA) – played reasonably well, but didn’t stand out; returns for his senior year at Alaska
Adam Janecyk (FA NCAA) – was strong in the scrimmage; returns for his sophomore year at the University of Michigan
Matt O’Connor (FA USHL) – the big man is a project; was beat often upstairs and couldn’t keep pucks from going through him down low; begins his NCAA career at Boston University

Video Links
http://senators.nhl.com/index.html – the Sens site has video clips from all 7 days of the camp, including interviews with Mike Hoffman (his own clip), Jakob Silfverberg (day 6), Mika Zibanejad (day 5), Mark Borowiecki (day 3), Nikita Filatov (his own clip), Jared Cowen (day 2), and David Rundblad (day 1)
A fan’s video clips post from the 3-on-3 tournament:
Orange vs Grey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV2FvHlrdyw (this features the near fight between Peltz and Prince)
Black vs Red: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22zieZisUN4 (watch Costello turn Caporusso into a pilon)
Blue vs Grey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUZdanoPVrs
Grey vs Red (semifinal): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vAQR4uyv7Q
Blue vs Grey (final): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIE6X8PhMx0

Story Links:
Organisational comments (mentioning Rundblad, Cowen, Silfverberg, Zibanejad, Hoffman, and Borowiecki) – http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568466&cmpid=rss-brodie
Mark Borowiecki – http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/%20Borowiecki+defying+odds+rapid+development+Senators/5047852/story.html and http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/ottawa-senators/Borowiecki+defying+odds+ rapid+development/5047852/story.html
Shane Prince – http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/07/03/sens-prince-in-waiting
Max McCormick and Ryan Dzingel – http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568401
Stefan Noesen – http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/06/30/whirlwind-experience-for-sens-pick-noesen
Wacey Hamilton – http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568349
Darren Kramer – http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568061
Jakob Silfverberg – http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567898 and http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Senators+draftee+ Silfverberg+elects+stay+Sweden+another+year/5025877/story.html
Mark Stone – http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/ottawa-senators/Feet+stone+hands +gold+Senators+prospect+scoring/5033116/story.html
Jean-Gabriel Pageau – http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/ Reality+slowly+sinks+Olympiques+standout+Pageau+Senators+development/5019657/story.html
David Rundblad – http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/06/28/going-green-with-rundblad
Matt Puempel – http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150223161055670&oid=254660295467&comments
Mika Zibanejad – http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150705465750585&oid=254660295467&comments

July 5, 2011
Categories: Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 5 Comments

Ottawa Senators’ Development Camp

The Ottawa Senators have released their Development Camp (June 28-July 4) roster and schedule (http://senators.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=69924) and unfortunately Nikita Filatov was not able to come–it’s not a surprise, given that he was traded on Saturday [Tuesday update: Filatov is now expected to arrive and participate, possibly as soon as Wednesday].  Unlike in past years, there are very few undrafted players invited to the camp, but there are points of interest.

This will be the first camp for all the new draftees along with the following: high-end prospect David Rundblad; FA signee’s Pat Cannone (NCAA), Stephane Da Costa (NCAA), and Wacey Hamiltion (WHL).  A complete shock is the inclusion of long-forgotten 2004 pick Kirill Lyamin (who has a two year deal with Avangard Omsk).  Unlike the surprising inclusion of Ruslan Bashkirov last year, it’s difficult to understand why Lyamin has come to Ottawa.  Bashkirov was without a contract and had barely played the previous three seasons, so his agent arranged for his inclusion (which may have helped him land a contract in the VHL–the tier below the KHL).  Lyamin has spent his career in Russia where his progression has as a big, shutdown defenceman has stalled, but I’ve heard no rumblings of him wanting to leave.  It will be interesting to hear his story as the camp unfolds [Tuesday update: Tim Murray was interviewed on the Team 1200 and said Lyamin‘s agent had asked if he could be included at camp].  The only undrafted invites are goaltenders: Scott Greenham (NCAA), Adam Janecyk (NCAA), and Matt O’Connor (USHL).  Janecyk is the son of Sens scout Bob Janecyk.  Absent from the camp (but eligible) are Robin Lehner, Jim O’Brien, Eric Gryba, Craig Schira, and Michael Sdao.

The camp is open to the public and I encourage fans to go–it’s a lot of fun.  I’ve included information about all the players below.

Kirill Lyamin (2-58 2004) – 25, 6’3, DL, Severstal Cherepovets, KHL, 49-3-9-12
Louie Caporusso (3-90 2007) – 22, 5’9, C/LW, Uni. of Mich, NCAA, 41-11-20-31
Ben Blood (4-120 2007) – 22, 6’3, DL, Uni. of North Dakota, NCAA, 44-2-10-12
Patrick Wiercioch (2-42 2008) – 20, 6’4, DL, Binghamton, AHL, 67-4-14-18
Andre Petersson (4-109 2008) – 20, 5’10, RW, HV71, SEL, 31-8-4-12
Derek Grant (4-119 2008) – 21, 6’3, CL, Mich. State, NCAA, 38-8-25-33
Mark Borowiecki (5-139 2008) – 21, 6’2, DL, Clarkson, NCAA, 31-3-8-11
Jared Cowen (1-9 2009) – 20, 6’5, DL, Spokane, WHL, 58-18-30-48
David Rundblad (1-17 Stl 2009) – 20, 6’2, DR, Skelleftea, SEL, 55-11-39-50
Jakob Silfverberg (2-39 2009) – 20, 6’1, F, Brynas, SEL, 53-18-16-34
Chris Wideman (4-100 2009) – 21, 5’10, DR, Miami, NCAA, 39-3-20-23
Mike Hoffman (5-130 2009) – 21, 6’0, C/LW, Binghamton, AHL, 74-7-18-25
Jeff Costello (5-146 2009) – 20, 6’0, LW, Notre Dame, NCAA, 44-12-6-18
Corey Cowick (6-160 2009) – 22, 6’2, LW, Binghamton, AHL, 30-1-3-4
Brad Peltz (7-190 2009) – 21, 6’1, LW, Yale, NCAA, did not play
David Dziurzynski (FA BCHL 2010) – 21, 6’3, F/LW, Binghamton, AHL, 75-6-14-20
Jakub Culek (3-76 2010) – 18, 6’4, LW, Rimouski, QMJHL, 55-7-15-22
Marcus Sorensen (4-106 2010) – 19, 5’11, RW, Djurgarden J20, 31-14-22-36
Mark Stone (6-178 2010) – 19, 6’2, RW, Brandon, WHL, 71-37-69-106
Bryce Aneloski (7-196 2010) – 21, 6’2, DR, Nebraska-Omaha, NCAA, 39-2-17-19
Stephane Da Costa (FA 2011 NCAA) – 21, 5’11, CR, Merrimack, NCAA, 33-14-31-45
Pat Cannone (FA 2011 NCAA) – 24, 6’0, CR, Miami, 39-14-23-37
Wacey Hamilton (FA 2011 WHL) – 20, 5’10, CL, Medicine Hat, WHL, 67-20-53-73
Mika Zibanejad (1-6 2011) – 18, 6’2, C/RW, Djurgarden, SEL, 26-5-4-9
Stefan Noesen (1-21 2011) – 18, 6’0, RW, Plymouth, OHL, 68-34-43-77
Matt Puempel (1-24 2011) – 18, 6’0, LW, Peterborough, OHL, 55-34-35-69
Shane Prince (2-61 2011) – 18, 5’10, CL, Ottawa 67s, OHL, 59-25-63-88
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (4-96 2011) – 18, 5’9, RW, Gatineau, QMJHL, 67-32-47-79
Fredrik Claesson (5-126 2011) – 18, 6’0, DL, Djurgarden, SEL, 35-2-0-2
Darren Kramer (6-156 2011) – 19, 6’1, CL, Spokane, WHL, 68-7-7-14
Max McCormick (6-171 2011) – 19, 5’11, LW, Sioux City, USHL, 55-21-21-42
Jordan Fransoo (7-186 2011) – 18, 6’2, DR, Brandon, WHL, 63-6-12-18
Ryan Dzingel (7-204 2011) – 19, 6’0, CL, Lincoln, USHL, 54-23-44-67
Scott Greenham (FA invite NCAA) – 24, 6’2, GL, Alaska-Fairbanks, NCAA, 38-16-17-5, 2.23, 0.917
Matt O’Connor (FA invite USHL) – 21, 6’4, GL, Youngstown, USHL, 29-10-16-2, 3.43, 0.886
Adam Janecyk (FA invite NCAA) – 21, 6’0, GL, Uni. of Michigan, NCAA, faced one shot in one game

June 27, 2011
Categories: Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 3 Comments

Reviewing the Ottawa Senators’ 2011 NHL Entry Draft

[July 25th update: Red Line Report‘s draft analysis has come out and Ottawa was ranked as having the 3rd best draft (behind Edmonton and Florida).  “The draft was all about their aggressive trade-ups to secure players they felt strongly about.  Mika Zibanejad is the big power center they’ve lacked forever [apparently Mike Fisher was not].  For a team with no offence, Matt Puempel was a godsend at No. 24 as one of the best pure scorers in the draft.  Nobody improved as much as Stefan Noesen over the course of the season.  And Shane Prince is a first round talent stolen at the top of the 3rd round [they mean the end of the 2nd] – only available due to troubling late season shoulder and head injuries.  In the later rounds, they also tapped the draft’s nastiest enforcer in Darren Kramer.  That’s four of Red Line‘s top 36 ranked prospects, plus our best fighter.”  They also list Shane Prince as the 14th best value pick [“Clear 1st round talent in our view.  Did enough before the injuries that he shouldn’t have dropped this far, but small guys always have ot deal with durability concerns.”  All in all, very positive sentiments, unlike their review of last year’s draft.]

With the draft in the books it’s time to take a look at how the Ottawa Senators did.  Following the team’s usual pattern under Murray, they selected a Swede (two this year), over-age players (three), a player off-the-board (Fransoo), and made draft-day deals (trading picks #35 and #48 to Detroit for #24, then trading pick #66 for Nikita Filatov).  They also illustrated how much their own player rankings varied from those published (for example, taking Noesen at #21, whose best ranking I could find was Bob McKenzie’s at #33).  In total the team selected eight forwards and two defensemen.

The picks are outlined below, followed by scouting reports on each of them.

First Round
-selected Mika Zibanejad 6th overall
-selected Stefan Noesen 21st overall (Nashville’s pick, acquired in the Mike Fisher trade)
-traded two second round picks (their own at #35 and Chicago’s at #48, which was acquired in the Chris Campoli trade) to Detroit in order to select Matt Puempel 24th overall

Second Round (31 picks due to Montreal’s compensatory selection)
-35th overall pick traded to Detroit (Tomas Jurco)
-48th overall pick traded to Detroit (Xavier Ouellet)
-selected Shane Prince with the 61st overall pick which they acquired from Boston in the Chris Kelly trade

Third Round (29 picks due to New Jersey losing their’s for the voided Ilya Kovalchuk contract)
-traded their third round pick (#66) to Columbus for Nikita Filatov; Columbus selected T. J. Tynan

Fourth Round
-selected Jean-Gabriel Pageau 96th overall

Fifth Round
-selected Fredrik Claesson 126th overall

Sixth Round
-selected Darren Kramer 156th overall
-selected Max McCormick 171st overall (Anaheim’s pick acquired in the Jarkko Ruutu trade)

Seventh Round
-selected Jordan Fransoo 186th overall
-selected Ryan Dzingel 204th overall (Pittsburgh’s pick acquired in the Alex Kovalev trade)

The Players

Mika Zibanejad (C/RW, 6’2, DOB 1993, 26-5-4-9 SEL)
The second highest ranked European by Central Scouting,  Zibanejad split the year playing for Djurgarden’s junior and men’s team.  An assistant captain for Sweden’s under-18 team (where he tied Gustav Bjorklund for the team lead in points), he’s considered to be one of players in the draft closest to being NHL-ready (“Like Landeskog, he’s physically developed and capable of playing with men“, THN).  Prior to the draft Zibanejad was brought with Ryan Strome (#5 to the Islanders) and Sean Couturier (#8 to Philadelphia) to workout with the team–there’s little reason to doubt the three were the competing options for Ottawa depending on who remained at the #6 slot.  I don’t foresee the Sens rushing Zibanejad, so if he isn’t ready for the NHL he’ll be returned to Djurgarden.  Otherwise, he’ll compete with either Peter Regin as the second-line pivot or Bobby Butler on right wing.
Two things to note in the scouting reports: ISS and RLR have the exact opposite opinion of his ability to receive difficult passes; RLR and FC have the opposite opinion of his speed.  Regardless, all the comparisons are flattering and deserving of such a high pick.
The ISS Scouting Report (ranked #7): “A very intense player, Zibanejad has extremely explosive technical skills combined with great power and a determined work ethic. He applies tremendous physical pressure on the puck carrier in all zones and can really hammer opponents with his hitting ability. He displayed excellent awareness and intelligence away from the puck and is always calculating his next move. Zibanejad drives the net well and never has very much trouble penetrating the middle lanes off the rush with the puck. His hands and offensive timing could still stand to improve as he doesn’t always handle passes well and struggles to deal with bouncing pucks. NHL Potential: Two-way energy player who can fit a variety of roles including special teams and offensive situations. Style compares to: Jarome Iginla.”  They list his strengths as his intensity, passion, desire, and net drives, while his weaknesses are his backhand pass reception and shot execution.  They list his physical play and competitiveness as excellent and all his other skills as very good (besides size/strength which is merely “good”).
The Future Considerations assessment (ranked #10): “Strengths: A balanced wide leg skater who has a nice top speed that once he get it going is hard to stop or slow down. A power game and uses his strength and size to his advantage in both sides of the puck. Throws hits, has good energy and engages in battles all over the ice, usually coming out ahead. Hard to knock off the puck as he shields it with his reach and body
positioning. Sees the ice well and makes chances for himself and his teammates by driving the puck to the net or getting one of his heavy and accurate shots on net. Can handle the puck but is not really a quick stick puck dangler but instead utilizing more of the strong power moves and positioning. Plays with some compete and real desire to win. Defensively he has some room to grow but is aware most of the time and does backcheck effectively. Should be a real beast once he adds another twenty pounds of muscle. Weaknesses: Largest area that needs work in his game is his foot speed and overall quickness out of the gate. This is not considered something that will hold him back from getting to the next level but more of a small blemish to an overall impressive package and should be easily corrected. Could also use some added leg strength which will help his skating correct itself. Notes: Started off the year as a solid prospect in the books of most but it wasn’t until the month of December that he became a must see prospect. He has been compared to Mats Sundin by some in the scouting community. NHL POTENTIAL: First line offensive forward.”
Other rankings: Hockey Prospect’s #4, TSN #9, THN #11.

Stefan Noesen (RW, 6’0, DOB 1993, 68-34-43-77 OHL)
An off-the-board pick in the sense that his highest ranking was Bob Mckenzie’s at #33, the Sens were clearly thrilled to get him.  Noesen’s production in Plymouth almost muliplied by 10 this season (scoring eight points in thirty-three games last year) and clearly the Sens believe the sky is the limit.  He was tied with Robert Czarnik (LA 3rd rounder from 2008) for leading his team in scoring.  There’s no reason to doubt that he will be returned to the OHL next season to continue developing.
The assessments below are all very similar, with the only variety being projections about his upside.  THN quotes a scout “He’s very skilled, has great speed and makes plays at full speed” and then they add “Consistency is an issue“.
The ISS Scouting Report (ranked #49): “He kept elevating his game throughout the year to secure his promising ranking here at ISS for the upcoming NHL draft. Noesen is a big, physical center that plays a real hard-nosed style of game. He possesses a very good combination of physical tools; he skates well considering his size, displays soft hands and a real touch with the puck while using his size effectively. He seems to relish playing in traffic while showing a willingness to compete in all three zones. Noesen shows the odd flash of quickness and he is always moving his feet. A very unselfish player, he is aware of where his teammates are and makes good crisp passes. Excellent secondary scoring option that brings great energy to shifts. NHL Potential: Solid two-way forward can chip in offensively. Style compares to: Colin Wilson.”  They list his strengths as playing hard in all three zones, being a competitor, and having a heavy shot; his weaknesses are foot speed and keeping his feet moving.  Most of his assessments are listed as very good, with his puck skills, offensive/defensive play given a “good” and his skating “average”.
The Future Considerations assessment (ranked #45): “A hard working winger with some offensive ability. A good straight line skater who has some trouble with quick turns and his first couple steps. Nothing that will hinder him from developing but should improve with added strength and time. Is a tenacious forechecker who likes to lay the body and disrupt using physical play. Hard along the wall and drives to the net with
abandon. A very strong penalty killer who is not afraid to drop in front of shots and take a hit to make a simple clearing play. Has a good quick stick and a nice hard shot. Put up some good point totals as an opportunistic scorer this past season however his pro offensive upside is questionable as he lacks creativity and offensive instincts.  NHL POTENTIAL: Third line checking forward.”
Other rankings: TSN #33, CS #35NA, HP #36, THN #39.

Matt Puempel (LW, 6’0, DOB 1993, 55-34-33-69 OHL)
Ranked between #15 (RLR) and #29 (ISS), Ottawa traded two picks to get Puempel, who was nearly selected at #21 instead of Noesen.  A hip-injury hurt his season, but the former CHL rookie of the year easily lead Peterborough in scoring.  Like Noesen, there’s no reason to expect that he won’t be returned to junior to continue his development.
The scouting reports below include two comparisons to Patrick Sharp (ISS and RLR) along with two admonishments that he needs to improve his effort level (RLR and FC), with THN saying “He’s not a great skater, but he has good feet and is a pretty hard worker“.
The ISS Scouting Report (ranked #29): “Puempel is a left handed skilled forward that possesses a great stick and shows a high end of ability to finish. His lofty ranking here at ISS may surprise some experts however. Pure goal scorers are a highly sought after
commodity come draft day, and Puempel may just be the best sniper in this draft. Has good speed with quick acceleration. He makes a lot of smart touches with the puck and makes pretty solid decisions. He is at his best in the offensive zone, especially below the top of the face off circles. He has tremendous offensive instincts and is tenacious in offensive situations. He had to have season ending hip surgery, causing him to miss the Under 18’s, however he is expected to make a full recover. NHL Potential: Pure goal scorer with a bright future ahead of him at the next level. Style compares to: Patrick Sharp.”  They rate his shot as excellent, defensive and physical play average, competitiveness and size/strength good, and everything else very good.
The Future Considerations assessment (ranked #16): “Strengths: A goal scorer who puts up good offensive numbers. When on his game, is a force on the ice not only offensively but also with a little agitation to the opposition. Skates well with a healthy amount of speed and an extra gear that comes out when he has the puck on his stick and smells blood in the offensive zone. Shows good creativity with the puck and instinctive offensive anticipation. Possesses goal scorers hands that delivers a heavy snap shots and an accurate wrist shot with lightning quick release. Finds the sweet spots on the ice to get open for a scoring opportunity and has a willingness to go to the net looking for rebound opportunities. When he is on his game he is a threat to score every time he is on the ice. Weaknesses: Consistency is something he will need to improve if he plans on becoming a productive pro hockey player. You never knew what you were going to see in Peterborough or if you would see him at all as he went through stretches of invisibility. Needs to round out his game and work on the defensive aspect as well as his board work to really up his overall effectiveness from shift to shift. Showed that a goal scorer is not much use to a team if he is not scoring goals and that is the rut he fell into a couple times this past season. Notes: His season was an up and down roller coaster ride as he started the year with a bad back while playing at the Ivan Hlinka U18 Championship before coming on mid-season in the OHL and then missing the final month with a bone chip on his hip which ultimately required surgery to repair. He is not excepted to have any long term negative effects from his injury. NHL POTENTIAL: Top six goal scoring forward.”
Other rankings: THN #21, HP #23, TSN #27, CS #28NA.

Shane Prince (C/LW, 5’10, DOB 1992, 59-25-63-88 OHL)
The final selection of the second round, Prince becomes only the third Ottawa 67 selected by the Senators (after 2009’s Corey Cowick and 2003’s Will Colbert).  An undersized, skilled forward, Prince will return to the 67s for another year of development.
The scouting community cited below is divided along the lines of whether Prince benefitted from his linemates or vice versa (ISS and RLR); he’s viewed as a boom or bust selection.  THN cites two scouts with varying opinions, one emphasizing his results and the other saying “I’m not sure how much substance there is“.
The ISS Scouting Report (ranked #72): “Prince hasn’t enjoyed a lot of the same hype that fellow OHLer Ryan Strome has even while eclipsing him in the scoring column for part of the season. The reason for this is that scouts believe Princes stronger supporting cast is amplifying his skill set and that without this he doesn’t project as well. Ranked much higher at CSS, however ISS scouts have not been impressed by Prince’s production away from his star teammate Tyler Toffoli. Prince is the big risk/reward!” All his skills are listed as very good except his size/strength which is “average”.
The Future Considerations assessment (ranked #39): “A small but highly skilled playmaker who likes the puck on his stick. He skates real well with both impressive top speed and a nice quick jump to his first couple steps. Has soft hands that enable him to dance around the offensive zone with the puck looking for an opportunity. Excellent vision and timing on his passes. Can not only set-up a play but also shows some nice goal scoring ability as well. Does not have the ideal size and can get crunched pretty good by bigger bodies. Can play a solid defensive responsible game when needed but not always willing, preferring to stay on the attack. If game gets chippy, Prince has the tendency to become invisible and a non-factor. One heck of a good Junior player but pro upside and how his game translates to the next level is the real question. NHL POTENTIAL: Top six playmaking forward.”
Other rankings: CS #26NA, TSN #43, THN #52, HP #69.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (RW, 5’8, DOB 1992, 67-32-47-79 QMJHL)
A small forward from the Gatineau Olympiques who lead his team in scoring and impressed Senators brass with his strong playoff performance (24-13-16-29).  His rankings were all over the place (from #61 by Hockey Prospect’s to #176 by RLR).  None of the scouting material I read had a detailed report on Pageau, but RLR offers this, “Another midget with 2nd round skills, but no size“, and THN “Hardworking and very talented, size is an obvious handicap“.  He’ll return to junior to continue his development.  Other rankings: THN #93, ISS #102, CS #116NA, #159 FC.

Fredrik Claesson (DL, 6’0, DOB 1992, 35-2-0-2 SEL)
Ranked as the #27 European skater by Central Scouting, Claesson spent most of the year playing with Zibanejad‘s Djurgarden’s SEL squad (he also played with Sens draft pick Marcus Sorensen, who will play with Skelleftea next year).  He was the youngest blueliner to dress for the team.  Last year he won a silver medal at the under-18 WJC.  The organisation has compared him to Anton Volchenkov, which is high praise indeed, but he’ll return to Sweden for at least another year.  Other rankings: ISS #112 and FC #172.

Darren Kramer (CL, 6’1 DOB 1991, 68-7-7-14 WHL)
A rough and tumble player who was passed over in the 2010 draft.  Krammer made the jump from the AJHL to the WHL and turned into a glue-guy for Spokane (Jared Cowen‘s team; also coached by former Binghamton bench boss Don Nachbaur, who loves him–see the Silver Seven link below).  According to Hockey Fights he dropped the gloves 47 times this past season, so the focus in his development will be less on toughness and more about rounding out his game.  He’ll be returned for his final junior year.  Only RLR had him ranked coming into the draft (#242), calling him the best fighter available.
http://www.hockeyfights.com/players/15705
http://www.silversevensens.com/2011/6/25/2243902/senators-select-darren-kramer-156th-overall

Max McCormick (LW, 5’11, DOB 1992, 55-21-21-42 USHL)
Ranked #161 CSNA (but nowhere else), McCormick is on his way to Ohio State of the NCAA after his first and only USHL season.  He was named an all-star while leading his team in penalty minutes.  Last year he won Wisconsin’s Mr. Hockey award after posting huge numbers for Notre Dame.  A long term project, McCormick is a hard working energy forward who can fight.  He’s expected to spend the full four years in college under the tutelage of coach Mark Osiecki.

Jordan Fransoo (DR, 6’2, DOB 1993, 63-6-12-18 WHL)
Not listed anywhere that I could find, Fransoo graduated from the SMHL to join Mark Stone on the Brandon Wheat Kings.  Fransoo is viewed as a very raw defenceman that will develop slowly (the Silver Seven say he’s expected to be a physical blueliner).  He’ll spend the next two seasons with Brandon.
http://www.silversevensens.com/2011/6/25/2243947/ottawa-senators-take-d-jordan-fransoo-at-186-overall

Ryan Dzingel (CL, 6’0, DOB 1992, 54-23-44-67 USHL)
Eligible for last year’s draft, the Sens selected the Lincoln Stars leading scorer as a long term project.  He’ll join Max McCormick at Ohio State where it’s expected he’ll spend the full four years developing.  The hope is that he’ll turn into a high skill, top end player.

June 26, 2011
Categories: NHL Draft, Ottawa Draft, Ottawa Senators, Ottawa trades . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: 7 Comments

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