For the Sens, there isn't a whole lot of unknown at this point.
I've had some emails from readers asking about the possibility of signing another free agent before the season starts but I really can't see it. The team wants to make sure there are roster spots available so young guys have opening to fight for heading into camp.
The timing would also be a little odd as you would think this is a move Murray would have made awhile ago if he really did want to add another veteran to the line up.
There will be plenty of competition in training camp this year without the addition of another veteran forward.
- The opening of training camp is now just around the corner and the Sens will kick off their rookie camp this weekend. We should see the Sens roster announced early this week.
- The Binghamton Senators have been active the last couple weeks adding a few players to their roster. Included in the mix are forward Jack Downing and blueliners Bob Raymond and Josh Godfrey.
- The debut article from our new contributor will also come early on this week. Tom is going to take a shot at projecting how the Sens blueline will shake out during Training Camp.
- You can also expect a contest at some point this week. I'll be giving away a pair of tickets to the home opener against the Minnesota Wild. Stay tuned for details on how you can get your hands on those tickets.
this will be one of the most competitive camps the Sens have had in a very long time.
Really aside from the top 3 forwards, and maybe 3 D-men and 1 goalie, everyone one else will be battling for any of ,a role on the team, making the team, earning another contract, last chances.
Up for grabs is second line forward slot, with a mix of
Foligno
Regin,
Butler
Filatov
Greening
Condra
Da Costa
Then there are players battling to prove they belong,
Winchester
Zibanejad
Peterson
Rundblad
Cowen
Carkner
Lee
It will be very interesting how it all pans out, but I am very sure there will be surprises and dissapointments .
it will be a very interesting and unpredictable year.
I truly believe that with stability and confidence in nets, some of these young kids will shine, and others will bounce back, I know I sound optimistic, but we should be better than last year, the question is how much better?
Spezza as well.
Starting off the season against the powerhouse Detroit... will be a big test for this basically young team. Let's hope whatever system McLean has is up and running by then. They have practices and 7 pre-season games to learn it.
I can't see a line of Filatov-Spezza- Butler trying to go up against Zetterberg - Datsyk - Holmstrom (if that is Detroit's top line)... YIKES.
3 weeks tomorrow for my first pre-season game...
Off topic... Wash is now considered one of the favourites to win the Cup. Just imagine if they did.. then pick 1st overall (pick from Colorado) and take Yakupov... the rich get richer...
Iknow you are aware of the problem, but again I canot see comments without writing one first, just thought I would let you know
Elliott has been easily replaced. The young guys can replace Campoli, Kovalev, Ruutu pretty easy. The issue is replacing Fisher & Kelly... that's the problem.
I think most people are prepared to accept a mulligan for last year, but there are far too many players on the roster with question marks against them, some because they are young, some because they are old, some because they are changing their game and some because they need bounceback seasons.
What should be a given for this season is that we have a roster full of players wanting to perform every night and play with drive and heart. If we see that I think the rational ones amongst the fan base will accept where we finish (wherever that may be).
For the first time in many I think we can safely say that we will be a better team next year than this. 2012/13 is a more important season for this club than next season. In many ways this season is a stepping stone.
Good points. I will be satisfied with being hard to play against. Competing hard every game. Young guys progressing. But I do expect some bad nights... but there will be some exciting nights.
I do take the way they played down the stretch in some part as to how those young guys play this season. Some people don't... but I do..
I can hardly wait.
But they played well, you can bet that if the likes of Condra and Greening had been garbage down the stretch we would be hearing all about how useless they are. Generally speaking I think some have been too quick to dismiss their performances, but others seem to forget that, for the most part, those 20 performances are not as important as the next 20.
I can cope with our team not being as good as some others, I find it a lot more difficult to accept lack of effort and heart and too often last year that's what it looked like we were watching.
SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU WOKE UP WITH A DOSE OF CLARITY.
Great points and I think most of us are on the same page.
Fans expecting this team to push for the playoffs or be way better can actually have a negative impact on the fan base.
"I think you know who you are..."
Reality is there is no better time to be a Sens fan, we are at the beginning of a process that will be exciting without the pressurss of expectations...
He isn't going to get beaten by speed or brute strength and accordingly I could see them using him to shut down some of the power forwards in the league.
Ask any Leaf fan who their starter will be for the next 5 years and they will undoubtedly say James Reimer. Ask any Sens fan and they'll tell you that its crazy to make assumptions like that based on 25 games played with no pressure. Are we no better than they?
Plenty of examples of this just last year
Derek Smith
Daugavins
Cody Bass - best example, tell him that there is no pressure
Jim O'Brien
Roman Wick
David Hale
they all had a chance and are back in the AHL making approx $500 K less
I'd say that is a lot of pressure IMO
Made the Yahoo hockey league we were talking about so you guys can join.
League name: Senschrip Draft
Password: 1234sens
Anyone else can join if interested. Tentative draft date Sept. 29 at 8PM. Can be changed.
Thanks!
You guys can go ahead with this one, but I plan on opening up one as well before the season gets started.
Ahh k cool I didn't know that. I'll cancel it as your official draft will obviously be better.
I've never lacked clarity.
I also give them the benifit of the doubt that they can play really well until the prove otherwise, I expect them to win a lot of games and take it to other teams Vets, but if they do not I will not be disaponted.
I would rather watch an exciting young team give 100% team and lose than a big contract floater 80% coasting old group.
I hope Rundblad takes some minutes from Gonchar as I hope Gonchar was tired a lot of nights.
I remember him half ass skate back for the puck and have a young guy jump him from the other team and blast by him and take a shot on net.
I hope Gonchar has the 100% every shift like Alfie and the young guys and I hope it rubs off on him.
Same with Phillips, other than being a good old boy he was worse than Kuba in the stats.
He also has a hard shot.. just has to be a little more accurate. A remember seeing a video of a goal he scored in Bingo last year that went through the net..
I also remember seeing him make a great play for the O-Sens last season that saved a goal against... so he is good defensively as well.
Also a big body who's not afraid to stand in front of the net. Something this team did not have the last couple of years... Neil excepted.
Also, anyone familiar with SportsNet? I get the regular SportsNet East/Ontario, but not SportsNet Sens... can I get JUST that channel added on, or do I have to buy some ridiculous package?
must... see... all... games... this... year...
I know it's on the Team 1200... but not sure about television.. unless it's Leafs TV which I don't think we get here?
I was thinking the same thing...
I don't think the roster is out yet but Zibanejad will be there for sure.
2-Filatov Regin Alfredsson
THAT should be our top 2 line pairings.
M-S-B have chemistry and are balanced.
Filatov SHOULD NOT be HANDED line 1 with Spezza passes. Hell no. This kid has to start earning things. Put him on line 2 with speddy play maker Regin and veteran hard worker Alfie.
As for the bottom 6 it consists of Greening, Smith, Condra, Konopka, Neil and Foligno.
In the AHL Greening-Smith- Condra had great chemistry. None of these 3 players are below the age of 23, so they arent very young rookies. However in the nhl i dont think these 3 will be as effective. They may need more experience and to be set apart on lines with more experience.
3-Greening Smith Neil
4-Foligno Konopka Condra
As for defense...i don't know what will happen. But I want Cowen and Rundblad in, Lee and Kuba out.
1-Phillips-Karlsson
Has chemistry, DONT put a rookie on the top pairing to start.
2-Gonchar-Rundblad
Rundblad is excellent at both ends of the ice and he and Gonchar will be a great offensive threat.
3-Cowen-Carkner
Of course Cowen would also get minutes on pk and late period shutdown situations to add to his minutes. But start him on the physical 3rd line with Carkner.
By the end of the year i want to see Cowen and Rundblad getting regular ice together though.
What was Phoenix thinking? I still don't think the Flames are going to go further than the 1st or 2nd round but Feaster is starting to look like a genius getting rid of Kotalik and Langkow to free up $7.5 million in cap space.
Somebody tell Murray to get Garth Snow on the phone now!
No, that isnt a problem
1) I'm pretty sure I get that channel (for a fee) alone, without buying a pointless package.
2) Even with it, we're still 1 game short...
you need to go right to the source, someone call Charles Wang.
Feaster will get the Flames turned around or at least started in the right direction.
You take a look a HF boards today ..You have some haters bud there taking shots at you !! At your lack of sources except twitter and hf boards and your new website design
Yep, I've heard that before. Not sure what people expect in August but I'm doing my best. There have been some issues with the site though, no doubt about that.
For example, and I know this has come up before, the comments section is hit or miss when it comes to seeing the comments. Worst part? It's sporadic.
Bottom Line Chirp...Your reputation is as solid as ever. Your site does need fixing though.
Chirp, I sincerely appreciate your site and all of the work you do to keep it up and running, especially these days!
Haters will hate...I'm off to click some ads...speaking of which, that Nissan webpage that shows up once you click on it is really cool. I've never seen a web design like it :)
Still looking at my options heading into next season.
According to this montreal journalist, the Islanders are interested in Kuba to fill in their defense but also to reach the cap floor....
http://blogues.cyberpresse.ca/lnh/2011/08/30/la-defensive-des-islanders-de-new-york-a-besoin-de-renfort/
Please don't tease me.. The Isles do have a history of taking our garbage though...
why the 2nd? to make sure they take him
Compared to Gonchar, Phillips, Karlsson, Rundblad, Cowen, and Lee he is garbage.