With the Ottawa Senators beginning their pre-season this evening against the Montreal Canadiens, there is never any love lost between these two divisional rivals. The NHL has consistently had rivalry games during the pre-season, and that has led to some shenanigans over the years, especially within the Atlantic Division. So, with the first game set for puck drop Monday night, there are several things fans will want to keep their eyes on.
The Eklund, Cozens, Zetterlund connection
Since the beginning of the offseason, it was an expectation among fans that new arrival William Eklund would be playing with Tim Stutzle, and so far, that hasn’t happened. Eklund has been playing with Dylan Cozens and former teammate Fabian Zetterlund during training camp, and they’ve found some really strong chemistry. Of course, Zetterlund and Eklund were dynamite together in San Jose, and Travis Green had heard about it. But playing with Dylan Cozens as his centre provides an interesting dynamic, as Green may view Eklund on that line as the driver of the play and the setup man. Cozens had 28 goals last year, and Zetterlund, even in his diminished role, had 17. Eklund’s playmaking ability has been brought up a number of times throughout training camp, and with two goal-scorers, he has options to feed.
Samuel Ersson’s Senators debut
According to Senators on-air host Jackson Starr, Ersson looks to be the starter for the game against the Canadiens. This will be the first look Senators fans get at the Swedish netminder as he hopes to have found a fresh start here. Ersson was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the offseason and signed to a two-year deal. Last season with the Philadelphia Flyers is one that he wants to forget, as he was third-worst in save percentage league-wide among goalies with more than 10 games played. Ersson has the tools to be a successful goaltender, and Ottawa hopes to help him right the ship.
What version of Andre Burakovsky will they get?
The Senators acquired Andre Burakovsky in the offseason in a much-maligned trade for the winger. Last season, Burakovsky struggled, producing only 33 points in 75 games for the Chicago Blackhawks. Despite those small point totals, Burakovsky started the season red-hot with 22 points in 30 games. He was unfortunately concussed after the hot start and was never able to find his form again. Burakovsky’s career best dates back to his time with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, when he had 61 points, and if he’s able to find some of that form with the Senators, the team will be very happy.
Will Yakemchuk play every game to see if he can stick?
Carter Yakemchuk has the biggest year of his career ahead of him this season. The 21-year-old defender will be battling it out for a regular spot in the lineup with Nikolas Matinpalo on the third pairing. Yakemchuk’s offence is undeniable with how well he is able to move the puck and use his booming point shot, but what it’s going to come down to is his defensive prowess. According to Belleville head coach Andrew Campbell, Yakemchuk made significant strides in his defensive play last season, and, as fans saw, his offence was already there when he played for Ottawa. Because he doesn’t need to clear waivers to be sent to Belleville, Yakemchuk will need to have a great showing in order to stick around.
Add us as a preferred source on Google