Ottawa Senators Over-Under – Curtis Lazar

Last year I played a little game of Over/Under with some of the Senators players, picking a stat and trying to predict whether the player in question would be over or under the number I set.  I had fun with it last season, so over the coming days I will play it again.

Today I will take a look at one of the most intriguing and possibly important stats for Senators prospect Curtis Lazar.

The stat I will look at is Games Played, and the over/under I will use is 9.5.

Lazar is in that netherworld where he really has nothing left to gain from Junior, and there is a question as to exactly how ready he is to play in the NHL. All signs point to him playing a role in Ottawa this season, but contract issues with other players and roster limits means he needs to be in the top 9 for him to justify staying.

There is little doubt that Lazar will break camp with the Senators, and will get his games in real live competition.  However, the 10 game mark is where the season kicks in and he would lose a year off his entry level deal and his contract would officially kick in.

So the question is, will Lazar make the 10 game mark or will he get sent back to the Edmonton Oil Kings prior to that 10 game mark.  Is he better served playing 5-7 minutes a night if that is what he earns, or is he better off dominating the WHL again and possibly captaining Team Canada on home ice as it tries to stop a World Junior gold medal drought?

My pick would certainly be OVER.  I think Lazar is ready for prime time, and will be a solid contributor who will force the coach to play him at least 13-15 minutes if not more.  Everything about him says character, and he won’t wilt in the spotlight.

Make your guesses by commenting below!