After the Ottawa Senators were crushed by the score of 9-2 by the Montreal Canadiens last night there were rumours that this would ruin the chances of some young players to make the team. Evidently this turned out to be true as Thomas Chabot was assigned to Belleville today.
Thomas Chabot was sent down to Belleville along with Ben Harpur following the decimation of the Ottawa Senators last night. Chabot along with much of the lineup had horrendous showings. As a result the coaching staff and management believe that Chabot isn’t quite ready yet.
A Dissppointing But Correct Decision
Although this may be disappointing to both Chabot and Sens fans, it actually makes sense for the team. Defencemen often take longer than forwards to develop and at the age of 20 Chabot would be entering the league at a very young age. He will benefit greatly from playing a full year of pro hockey in the AHL. After a full year playing pro hockey he will certainly be ready to make the team next season barring a monumental setback.
Too Many NHL Decision
In addition to Chabot needing more time to develop it also makes sense for the Sens given their situation on defence. The Sens, although not star studded have too many NHL caliber defencemen. If Chabot were to make the lineup it would mean one of Fredrik Claesson or Mark Borowiecki would have to play in the AHL. As it stands right now one of them will have to be the seventh defencemen.
Current Defence Crop
Right now the top six for the Sens will likely be: Erik Karlsson, Johnny Oduya, Dion Phaneuf, Fredrik Claesson, and Chris Wideman. Mark Borowiecki would then serve as the extra and seventh defenceman.
Next: Ottawa Senators Finish Pre-Season With Crushing Loss To Montreal
Better Long Term Decision
Sending Thomas Chabot down to the AHL may be disappointing short term but its smart long term. He will be able to play a bigger role in the AHL and develop into a better defenceman. Chabot still has the potential to be a superstar in the NHL, he just needs a little more time to develop. It won’t be long before he is playing for the Ottawa Senators.