A Look at Our Defense

The secret to the Ottawa Senators’ success this season in my opinion has been depth on offense. Usually the regular one-line team, Bryan Murray transformed Les Senateurs into a full-blown offense which can score on all cylinders, and it really kick-started when he signed Alex Kovalev and trade Dany Heatley for some feet up front. However, we can not take anything away from the defense, which has stood up during the great streak Ottawa went through lately. Still, we can fix things, and fixing is always good.

Right now, here is how our defense is looking like. Note that Chris Campoli is injured but I’m still putting him here for conventional purposes.

Phillips-Volchenkov
Kuba – Karlsson
Carkner-Campoli

As I said previously, Campoli will likely be out for a couple of weeks after the Olympic break with a shoulder injury. No one in the minors can fill that spot, not even Brian Lee. Bryan Murray has publicly stated he will likely acquire a defenseman to fill that spot. Here’s who looks like to be candidates so far…

 Dennis Seidenberg- This is a guy I know think Bryan Murray will acquire. He’s big, a good man in his zone, asnd a power play specialist. He’s got a boom from the point which is likely one of the most accurate shots for a defenseman in the whole league. Not expensive at all and wouldn’t cost more than a player and a 2nd-6th round pick.

 Kurtis Foster- Another big guy with a cannon of a shot. He’s a bit better on the offensive side than Seidenberg and has a good grasp of the real term of defense. This is the guy I want Murray to acquire, but I don’t see him exaclty moving if Tampa Bay decides they have a shot for the playoffs. Wouldn’t cost a dime.

 Jordan Leopold- A Panthers D-Man who is a bit underrated in my mind but has troubles in his own zone. He lives for the PP and can help a team instantly on special teams. Also a pretty good penalty killer from what I have heard and seen. Cheap on the money side and could be brought in for not much.

 Jan Hejda- Newcomer on to the screen and will likely be moved since Columbus has no shot of making the big ticket and Hejda’s a UFA by season’s end. Plays a lot like our own Anton Volchenkov and has playoff experience and Game 7 in the Cup Finals experience, something Ottawa needs. Wildcard here and I would absolutely love it if they can get him.

The main question however is, is Bryan Murray interested in acquiring an offensive defenseman, or a defensive defenseman. My answer would be both, and it looks like he’ll grab a guy who has experience in the playoffs and who the Sens can rely to in pressure time.

By the way, my little “Other Way Around” post worked! Now I’ll have to do the same thing right until Canada’s final game! Go Slovakia!