Senators Training Camp Preview: Can this group end playoff drought?

Every year there is optimism. Every fall brings a sense that this is finally the season where the Senators end their playoff drought. 

So, why might this year actually be different?

It’s the makeup of the roster. And the fact they have a proven goaltender, Linus Ullmark, for the first time since Craig Anderson. (Matt Murray had credentials but was not in a good place physically or mentally his entire time in Ottawa.)

Don’t pin too much on the fact the players reported early and know they need a strong start out of the gate. They assembled early last September as well and got off to a modest start, which led nowhere. 

They didn’t have Stanley Cup winners on the roster then that they have today in David Perron, Mike Amadio and Nick Cousins. This is veteran support that the young core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson et al. could have used last season. 

Gone is the sometimes goofy (but entertaining) optimism of former GM Pierre Dorion, fired last November over the Evgeni Dadonov fiasco, replaced by the austere professionalism of Steve Staios, about as no-nonsense as they come. 

With Staios, it’s less about what he says and more about what he does. Over the past 12 months (he was hired as president of hockey operations before he took on the GM duties post-Dorion), Staios has systematically changed nearly every aspect of the hockey operations department. He has overhauled the team’s hockey personnel staff, changed most of the coaching positions and dramatically altered his roster – skewing older, grittier and more experienced. 

In trading for Ullmark, Staios single-handedly addressed the biggest need on the team, proven goaltending. That move alone should lift Ottawa into the playoff picture.

In place of more flighty defenders like Jakob Chychrun and Erik Brannstrom, he has the steady right-shot presence of Jensen filling another need. 

There won’t be a lot of jobs up for grabs at training camp. The Senators are far enough along in this lengthy rebuild that the main positions – the top three lines and top four defence pairs – are set. 

This camp will be more about setting a mood for the season. A culture. Expectations on the players as established by new head coach Travis Green, a known stickler.

These 2024-25 Senators will strive to be physical, sound defensively and an absolute pain to play against. At least, that is the goal.  

Salary cap space: $1,109,285.
GM: Steve Staios
Head coach: Travis Green 
Assistant coaches: Mike Yeo, Nolan Baumgartner, Daniel Alfredsson, Ben Sexton, Justin Peters, Michael King, Jacques Martin (senior adviser). 
Unsigned players: none
Key additions: G Linus Ullmark, F David Perron, F Mike Amadio, F Noah Gregor, F Nick Cousins, D Nick Jensen 
Key subtractions: G Joonas Korpisalo, D Jakob Chychrun, D Erik Brannstrom, F Vladimir Tarasenko, F Mathieu Joseph, F Parker Kelly, F Mark Kastelic
PTOs: D Calen Addison, F Nikolay Kulemin

CAMP BATTLES

That third D pairing: This might be the most intriguing situation to watch. With two full-time defencemen gone in Chychrun and Brannstrom, spots have opened up for prospects Tyler Kleven and Jacob Bernard-Docker. Are they ready to step in and be a regular third pairing behind the top four of Jake Sanderson, Artem Zub, Thomas Chabot and Jensen?

Kleven, at six-foot-four and 200-plus pounds, is the prototype defender the Senators want in this slot. He’s big, wields a big stick and can be physical. But is he ready for the show, on a regular basis?

With just 17 NHL games played, Kleven is still pretty raw. He’s 22 and does have 53 games of experience at the AHL level. Though he hasn’t yet scored in the NHL, Kleven could have some offensive upside. He had an eight-goal season (35 games) at the University of North Dakota, using a big shot from the point. 

Bernard-Docker, meanwhile, quietly picked up 72 NHL games last season in Ottawa and through some growing pains developed a pretty steady game. Without Kleven’s size, JBD, 24, has to use his positioning and smarts to defend. 

Behind these youngsters, the Sens are pretty thin. Veteran Travis Hamonic is tough and willing but has a lot of miles on that body. 

Calen Addison, 24, was brought in on a PTO for a look and will try to be a factor. He was -35 on a horrible San Jose Sharks team last season, but does have 152 games of NHL experience with Minnesota and San Jose. 

Otherwise it’s the likes of organizational D-man Max Guenette to jump in, until and unless Staios sees the need to bring in another veteran defenceman. 

Sorting out the bottom six: Cast a glance at the list of candidates to round out the bottom of the forward units and note the difference. In recent years, it was always unproven kids playing key roles on checking lines and the PK. Now, there are veterans like Cousins, Amadio and Noah Gregor. The energy and speed of Mathieu Joseph will be missed. But with Shane Pinto here to start the season (he is fabulous insurance at centre if Josh Norris gets hurt), and the veteran additions at the wing position, Ottawa has more experience on the third and fourth lines than we have seen for some time. 

The top six are more or less set (see projected lines below), allowing for some tinkering here and there. The bottom six names can probably be penciled in due to contracts, but Green will be moving them around during the pre-season to find the best chemistry. 

ONE PRESSING QUESTION

Can Josh Norris stay healthy?

Unless you follow the Senators, you have no idea how many people will be holding their collective breath when Norris takes his first big hit into the boards. In fact, some of the Norris issues with his shoulder have taken place in the faceoff circle, raising the question of whether or not the Senators might move this talented but injury-prone player over to the wing. 

Management needs to find out if Norris can be the guy who scored 35 goals in 2021-22 before appearing in just 58 games total the next two seasons combined. In 2022, Norris was signed to an eight-year, $63.6-million deal. In early March, Norris had surgery on his left shoulder for a third time. 

Understandably, Staios and Green have taken a cautious but optimistic tone when they speak about Norris. The GM did say that Norris is ahead of where he was last year at this point. 

“I don’t think it’s fair to put a timeline on Josh,” Staios said recently. “I think he has done everything in his power to get prepared for the season. And I think it’s all moving in a very positive direction.”

Seeing is believing. Last fall, observers watched Norris blast pucks at practice and sit out a lot of the camp scrimmages before declaring himself ready. He showed flashes of his former self before ultimately hurting his shoulder again. This is a critical season for the likeable No. 9. 

PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Brady Tkachuk - Tim Stützle - Claude Giroux

David Perron - Josh Norris - Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio

Nick Cousins - Noah Gregor - Zack MacEwen  

Extras: Zack Ostapchuk, Angus Crookshank

Defence

Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot - Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven - Jacob Bernard-Docker

Extra: Travis Hamonic

Goaltenders

Linus Ullmark     

Anton Forsberg