Ottawa Senators: One Month Until Puck Drop Season Preview
Today marks one month until the season opener for the Ottawa Senators. On October 5th the Ottawa Senators will travel to Washington to take on the Capitals. With just one month until puck drop, how will the Sens look on opening night?
This past season the Ottawa Senators had one of their most successful seasons to date. They first defeated the Boston Bruins in game six of round one off an overtime winner by Clarke MacArthur. They then took their postseason magic to the Big Apple where they dispatched of the New York Rangers in six games. In the Eastern Conference Finals the Ottawa Senators would face-off against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. The series was back and forth with each team having the lead in the series and different points. It would go to double overtime of game seven, but unfortunately the Penguins would win the series and go on to win the Stanley Cup. After such a successful season, what can be expected for this season?
Minimal Changes
The Sens have managed to keep much of their roster intact. The most significant losses were Marc Methot and Viktor Stalberg. Although Chris Kelly and Chris Neil also left they weren’t in the lineup very often and are less significant.
To fill the void on defence left by Methot, the Sens acquired veteran Johnny Oduya. However, there is also prospect Thomas Chabot waiting in the wings to make the lineup. At forward the Sens brought in Nate Thompson to fill the fourth line center role. Prospect Colin White will also be making a push to make the lineup.
With the roster virtually the same for next season it’s natural to expect the Sens to have a similar season. However, it’s not always that simple. The East has become much more competitive in recent years, and the Atlantic is getting stronger as well. The Tampa Bay Lightning when healthy can compete with any team in the league. The Montreal Canadiens are a question mark but with Carey Price should be in the mix for the division title. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to improve on a very strong first season with their young guns. There’s also the concern that Boston, Florida, and Buffalo could take steps forward. The Atlantic will be very competitive.
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Stiffened Competition
Despite this competition I’m of the belief that the Ottawa Senators will finish in the top three in the Atlantic. Last year was not a fluke and the Sens are still a very strong team. However, with the division and conference so competitive nothing is guaranteed. The Sens will have to fight to the wire for every spot they can get.