Five Reasons To Be Optimistic About The Ottawa Senators This Season

Mar 22, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Senators 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

1.  A healthy and mentally re-born Erik Karlsson

After his injury in February 2013, Karlsson had to spend the majority of the summer of 2013 rehabbing instead of putting the normal training regimen in.  The result was spending a year of turmoil after some of his best friends and mentors on the team left (Daniel Alfredsson, Jakob Silfverberg and Peter Regin) as well as his short-lived marriage breaking up. Add this to the fact that his ankle still never felt 100% and that can explain why he went on such a roller-coaster ride last season and despite putting up 70 points looked at times like he couldn’t give a crap.

Karlsson has come into this camp with a completely different mindset and seems to have matured over the summer.  He has expressed that he is 100% healthy and seems much more engaged in what is going on.  That can only mean good things for Karlsson personally and the Senators on the whole, and there could be a return to the Norris Trophy acceptance platform next June.

Mar 22, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Jared Cowen (2) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Senators 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

2.  Jared Cowen‘s step forward

Like Karlsson, Jared Cowen spent last summer rehabbing his hip instead of his normal training regimen.  Cowen seemed to take a huge step backward last season, and was the target of most of the ire from the fan base despite the fact that the entire blue line struggled.

From the past history of the player and the fact that he is still just 23 and not near his prime years.  Perception is everything and despite the fact that his numbers were better across the board than they were in his rookie season where he was so impressive, expectations were almost impossibly high.  Whether fair or unfair, Cowen shouldered the burden of expectation.  I was among those hard on him, and really he can’t get worse than he was last season.

If he can come back with the mobility he had before his hip injury and have some confidence going forward he should give the Senators more confidence in him and that will help the team.

Apr 2, 2014; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson (41) is unable to stop a shot on goal by the New York Islanders on a powerplay in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

3. Craig Anderson, underdog

There is no denying that Anderson was less than stellar last season, and I would (and did) argue that he was terrible.  However, as streaky as Anderson has been in his career, he has traditionally played his best hockey when there were no expectations on the team.  From the great purge of 2011 when he first joined the club and the Senators started this rebuild, to the Pesky Sens, Anderson shone in those situations.  When there were some expectations, Anderson seemed to wilt under pressure and didn’t perform as you would expect.

Well, expectations are relatively low even in the most optimistic fans’ eyes, and that is where Anderson tends to excel.

Nov 12, 2013; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators coach

follows the action in the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Flyers defeated the Senators 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

4. The return of the real Paul MacLean

After winning the Jack Adams trophy in 2013, MacLean was on top of the coaching world.  Then, something happened and when he came back in the fall of 2013, he was almost a completely different coach, and not in a good way.  The affable individual who seemed to get the most out of his team was gone and replaced by a bumbling man who seemed to buy into his own press and almost every decision he made was beyond questionable.  It was almost like he had switched places with his famous doppelganger on some nights.

This was addressed by Bryan Murray at the exit meetings and stated that MacLean needed to get back to the way he was.  If he didn’t have a three year contract about to kick in and the Senators weren’t the Senators, I’m not sure MacLean would get the chance to get that mojo back.

Mar 25, 2014; Sunrise, FL, USA; Ottawa Senators right wing Mark Stone (61) skates in the third period of a game against the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

5.  Youth Movement

There are only 2 players left on the club from the Stanley Cup Finals appearance – Chris Phillips and Chris Neil, and there are only 4 players over 30 on the roster.  From Karlsson to Kyle Turris to Bobby Ryan, the next era is entering their prime, with another wave of youth (Curtis Lazar, Mark Stone, Cowen, Cody Ceci) not far behind.

Whether it be this year or next, there will be some serious competition for roster spots and playing time, and that can only help the Senators in the long run.

Apr 13, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ottawa Senators center Kyle Turris (left) and left wing Clarke MacArthur (16) and defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) stand for the national anthem before playing the Pittsburgh Penguins at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Senators won 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

While many of these reasons for optimism rely on a drastic turnaround from the club that was on the ice (or behind the bench) last season,  you can always rely on the phrase, “it can’t really get much worse now, can it?”