Competition and challenge were two of the more frequently-used words rising out of the mouths of Ottawa Senators’ brass as training camp officially kicked off this week.
Strictly speaking – according to team general manager Steve Staios – there are no givens as far as what the make-up of the Senators will be when the season opens next month in Florida against the Cup-champion Panthers. That means for the first time in a very long time, roster battles promise to be intense, and competition will be high.
There will be plenty to chew on for management and followers during the next few weeks. Here are some of the many burning questions that are surrounding the pre-season.
TOO MANY BODIES, NOT ENOUGH CHAIRS AVAILABLE?
Particularly, we’re talking about the defence here.
It’s a crowded blueline to be sure.
Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, newcomer Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, veteran Artem Zub and Nikolas Matinpalo – who enjoyed a modest breakout season in 2024-25 – all should be considered as guarantees for spots.
But – and here’s where things get interesting – we go back to that word competition. Nick Jensen is reportedly miles ahead of where he was projected to be following hip surgery. If he’s ready to go, the 35-year-old gets one of those top six appointments, and someone (Matinpalo?) checks out.
We also need to talk about Carter Yakemchuk.
“We’re extremely encouraged by the steps he has taken, but also the ceiling of the talent of the player,” Staios said to Postmedia this week.
The soon-to-be 20-year-old nearly made the big club out of camp last season. He was that good. Despite a drop in offensive numbers in the Western Hockey League last year, Yakemchuk made progress in other facets of his game; especially on defensive positioning.
Staios talked this week about where the club stands with Yakemchuk. The GM indicated it’s pretty much a wait-and-see approach and that the team wants to slide the blueliner into a spot where he can experience the most success.
That could/might/maybe/possibly line Yakemchuk up as a big-minute guy in Belleville (AHL).
Former first-rounder Lassi Thomson is also back in the fold but is likely headed to Belleville to start the year.
SPEED AND YOUTH OVER VETERAN SAVVY?
Another intriguing battle will take place on Ottawa’s top line. Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk . . . and who, exactly?
At 38, Claude Giroux’s best days reside in the past but given his resume and record of responsible play, does he slot in with the two young ones?
Or is it relative newcomer Fabian Zetterlund? The former San Jose Shark can certainly keep pace with Stutzle, but is he considered a top-line skater?
Zetterlund had a rough time fitting in after coming over at the trade deadline. With the team and the player settling in during the summer and into this fall, the potential is there for the 26-year-old to make a splash. He’s rich with speed and strength.
Old Reliable is out there too as a possibility. That’d be Drake Batherson who’s enjoyed three consecutive 20-plus goal seasons.
Stay tuned.
YEAR TWO OF TRAVIS GREEN BEGINS, DOES THAT MEAN MORE-TUNED-IN OR LESS FOR THE PLAYERS?
The late and great Pat Burns often talked about shelf-life in regard to coaching. In essence? Unless you’re Scotty Bowman or Toe Blake, your shelf-life is generally not a lengthy visitor.
After all, everyone’s heard the adage ‘hired to be fired.’
We’re not remotely close to having that conversation about Green, who enters his second full campaign behind the Ottawa bench. However, it will be interesting to see how personnel react to Green’s approach.
So far, no complaints.
Green is noted as a driver. What we mean here is he expects each and every skater to be at their best – physically and mentally – each and every game. Tough love.
From what we can gather, Green and his players are tight. Having Brady Tkachuk as a captain helps. Expectations will remain exceedingly high for the group. Tkachuk and Green are in tandem on that.
“They (the players) understand that it’s not going to get easier,” said Green on Wednesday. “It gets harder. Everyone says they want to win a Stanley Cup. It’s hard to do. It’s not easy.”
Staios said: “I like the character of this group. They’ve been challenged. They rise to the occasion. They took a step forward last year, and we’re excited to see that next step, and they know it’s going to be hard. We don’t have to remind them.”
IS BEING NON-COMMITAL ON A BACK-UP A GOOD THING, OR A BAD ONE?
This will be worth monitoring.
Linus Ullmark is the guy for Ottawa. Staios expects the veteran to suit up and start for the bulk of the Senators games . . . but . . . Ullmark’s tricky back situation in 2024-25 had him sidelined for a long stretch; a stretch that was filled in with (for the most part) Anton Forsberg.
Forsberg has since signed with LA, and the door swings open for a new back-up; a back-up the team clearly would prefer not to depend on as much as it needed to last go-round.
“Linus is a good goalie, (and we) still project him to play a lot of games, and a lot of that will come down to how he feels,” said Green. “Definitely don’t want to tax (the goalies) too much. It’s going to be a shortened season (with the Winter Olympics).”
At this juncture, that door that’s swinging open appears to be opening for a somewhat untried Leevi Merilainen. The 23-year-old Finn was effective in emergency relief last season, going 8-3-1 with three shutouts with a 1.99 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.
To be frank, there aren’t a whole lot of options behind Merilainen. Still, Green was not committed. “There’s competition for every position on the team, so if it’s Leevi, we’ll see.”
With Mads Sogaard enduring a challenging year in Belleville, at this point all indications are it’s going to be Merilainen’s job to lose.
thegrossgame@yahoo.com
Photo: Courtesy Getty Images
