Cloo Cloo announced today the official lineup for the team’s starting game on October 3rd in New York. While there were no surprises, Cory hint the possibility of a trade in the conming days to relieve some room up front. Bryan Murray, the guy upstairs has pretty much been hitting the phones trying to sell some garbage invaluable players to other GM’s. Some names being thrown around are Chris Kelly, Shean Donovan, Brian Lee, and Alexandre Picard. I can almost certainly guarantee Picard is staying on the team. Not only is he actually worth something, but his puck moving skills are [...]

For those of you who don’t know yet, the Ottawa Senators sent forward Zack Smith to the Bingo Sens while placing Christoph Schubert on waivers. If Schubert clears waivers by noon tomorrow, he will also be going to Binghamton. Really, there weren’t any surprises in the cuts today. Smith lost the rookie battle with Peter Regin by leaps and bounds while Schubert never really found his groove in the pre-season. Schubie Doo always was an effective plugger but last year, he played less then half of the season which hurt his conditioning. Then, when Harts or Cloo Cloo called him [...]

After watching last night’s game on everyone’s favoriote channel, TSN2, I think that guy upstairs has already made his decisions. Coming into tonight’s game, Schubert was looking for a roster spot, and he didn’t earn it tonight. Carkner and Lee played, and while Carks pummelled Shawn Thornton in the fight between those two, he doesn’t seem like “the guy” I would keep full-time. He’s a mean nasty bastard, but his defensive play is still in the works and puck-moving pretty much kills it all. Brian Lee, another freakin’ quiet night for this guy. He was on the ice for about 19 [...]

In what should be a preview of the new Sens lineup for this season, The Sens host the reigning Northeast Division Champions—the Boston Bruins. The last pre-season game means a) the season is close to starting and b) the season is close to starting. The lineup tonight includes everyone who is expected to be a regular except Filip Kuba and Jarkko Ruutu. Also sitting out are uncertanties in Alexandre Picard, Shean Donovan, and Zack Smith. Schubert is getting a shot on the fourth line with Kelly and Neil, while Brian Lee and Matt Carkner should be motivated tonight to make the [...]

Sorry for the late final installement, but I sort of forgot about this and finally remembered I had to do this. Here now is the final part…
Scoring Predictions
Points
1. Sidney Crosby- 119 points (PIT)
2. Alexander Ovechkin- 116 points (WSH)
3. Nicklas Backstrom- 109 points (WSH)
4. Evgeni Malkin- 101 points (PIT)
5. Joe Thornton- 96 points (SJ) 
6. Marc Savard- 93 points (BOS)
7. Jonathan Toews- 92 points (CHI)
8. Jarome Iginla- 89 points (CGY)
9. Ryan Getzlaf- 88 points (ANA)
10. Ilya Kovalchuk- 83 points (ATL)
Goals
1. Alexander Ovechkin- 61 goals (WSH)
2. Rick Nash- 51 goals (CLB)
3. Ilya Kovalchuk- 50 goals (ATL)
4. Eric Staal- 49 goals (CAR)
5. Dany Heatley- [...]

The buzz around Bytown is the supposed impending trade of forward Chris Kelly. While I am sure Bryan Murray will make a move before the season starts or in the first week of the new season, I am beginning to think Chris Kelly will not go. There is a logjam on offense, yes, that’s true. But it doesn’t necessarily mean Kelly has to go. I think he will look good next to two scrappers in Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil. I now he had a down year but everybody did and I believe he can get 35+ plus points this [...]

As Peter over at Silver Seven suggests, it’s the veterans such as Shean Donovan and/or Christoph Schubert that are fighting for a job on the lineup. Murray was quoted as saying that Peter Regin is ready for the NHL and has made Mike Fisher a scoring machine. That’s good enough for me to suggest Regin’s made the aquad, and the same goes for young stud Erik Karlsson, who had a nice game last night as well. Even though many are concerned about his defensive ability, I think he will do just fine if he keeps his head up.
SheaDo will reamin [...]

Tonight, Les Senateurs head to Regin, Saskatchewan to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in what should be a battle of improved teams. The game is at 9:00 PM ET, so it’s a latie. The Bolts added Victor Hedman, Mattias Ohlund, Matt Walker, and Alex Tanguay. Pretty much the games last year in which the Sens scored plentiful on the Lightning won’t happen again. Ottawa also plays former Sen Andrej Meszaros who heads into his second season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, obviously could heat up tonight. Here’s what the lineup will be. Note Brian Elliott will play the whole game unless [...]