It may just be August but the 2017-2018 NHL season will be on our hands before we know it. Training Camp will start in September and all the players will be brought together as they prepare for another season. With August as a down month in the NHL I thought this would be a great time to preview each of the players on the Ottawa Senators for next season.
If you missed it here’s our last preview!
Ottawa Senators: Fredrik Claesson 2017-2018 Season Preview
Chris Widman is an interesting player for the Ottawa Senators. He made a name for himself in the AHL for his offensive capabilities. However, it hasn’t seemed to translate to the NHL. In 76 games last season he had just 12 points. However, his did have four in 15 playoff games which is an improvement. On the third pairing he doesn’t get as much ice time as his teammates. In fact on average he played the least amongst the Sens’ six regular defenceman.
A One-Way Game
Despite his lack of ice time, Wideman generally performs well in offensive situations and was third amongst Sens’ defenceman in powerplay ice time. However, despite his offensive skills he is prone to lapses in judgement when in defensive situations. These lapses in judgement resulted in him being benched in favour of players such as Claesson and Harpur for part of the playoffs.
Fortunately for Wideman it seems likely that his spot in the lineup should be secure for new. The Sens only have three right handed defenceman and Wideman is one of them. As a result he should be the go to guy on the right side for the third pairing. However, if he falters Boucher may opt to play someone on their off-side.
Next: Ottawa Senators Greatest Players: #23 – Chris Kelly
Fighting For His Spot
Motivation has never been an issue for Widman. After all he was a late pick who didn’t make the NHL until he was 25, but if he ever needed motivation he has it this season. Wideman is entering the final year of his first one-way contract and will want to prove that he deserves another one. The Ottawa Senators have a lot of depth on defence now and if Wideman doesn’t perform there’s no guaranteeing that he gets another deal. He’ll be aware of that and should enter the season with the realization that his career could be on the line.