SENATORS DITCH CHAOS FOR CLASSIC
FRANCHISE HOPES OFF-ICE ISSUES HAVE BEEN SETTLED AS OUTDOOR GAME LOOMS
Friday morning at Lansdowne Park, the Ottawa Senators will skate onto the ice in frigid temperatures to warm up for their muchanticipated outdoor game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Given what took place Wednesday in Ottawa, there should be a little bit more confidence in the Senators’ camp.
Not only should they be excited about playing outdoors for the first time in team history, the Senators also should have an extra bounce in their step after Wednesday’s 3- 2 home- ice win over the New York Rangers. In addition, the day included word from Ottawa’s two decision makers that the organization has the right people in place to turn the season around.
While general manager Pierre Dorion told reporters before the game that coach Guy Boucher and his staff weren’t going anywhere, owner Eugene Melnyk exclusively told Postmedia in an email Wednesday he feels the Senators have the right duo in charge to get this ship headed in the right direction.
“He has the grit and the passion to do what is right for the club and right or wrong — he takes the applause and the boos,” Melnyk said of Dorion. “He does an excellent job. I am pleased with his performance.”
Melnyk added he believes Boucher and the staff are doing a “terrific job” and is confident the Senators can get back on track to push for a playoff spot.
While the Senators were participants in the 2014 Heritage Classic against the Vancouver Canucks at B.C. Place Stadium, rain that day forced the closure of the roof and they brought in fake snow to fill the infield. So it really wasn’t an outdoor game except for the fact it was called one.
There will be more than 36,000 fans on hand Saturday at Lansdowne to witness this game against the Canadiens, making for a massive occasion. But with a victory, the Senators would suddenly sit only five points behind the Bruins for the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Division with plenty of hockey left to play if Boston lost Thursday and did so again Saturday.
As Dorion noted during his news conference Wednesday, there’s “no quit” in the Senators and he’s confident the club can find its way back into the playoff race because the group of players assembled have yet to perform up to their expectations.
Since word leaked Saturday the Senators had asked captain Erik Karlsson for his no- trade list and Postmedia reported Monday Dorion was open for business after Saturday’s 5- 0 loss in San Jose, his phone has been ringing off the hook from counterparts looking to make a deal.
Dorion has to determine whether he wants to strike at the core of the team with a move or add without sub- tracting to see if that might be what the Senators need to get back into playoff position. At this point, it would appear that both scenarios are on the table.
The belief in league circles is Dorion wouldn’t mind being able to move a roster player to acquire somebody younger that might have upside potential. The key targets in trade discussions have been winger Mike Hoffman and defenceman Cody Ceci along with centres Jean- Gabriel Pageau and Derick Brassard, a playoff performer.
In a perfect world, Dorion would like to make a move before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze kicks in Tuesday. Since the world is far from perfect and making a trade can be nearly impossible at times, the Senators may have to wait until after the holiday season to try to make a change or two.
Between now and then, Dorion does have the option of calling up players from the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville, Ont., or putting players on waivers for re- assignment. At this juncture, all options are on the table and Dorion has already declared he’ll listen to offers on every player — including Karlsson.
It’s hard to think of a scenario in which the Senators would deal Karlsson during the season and they’ll more likely sit down with him next summer to see exactly what he wants on a contract extension, then make a decision. The top candidate on the radar of several teams is Hoffman because he can score goals.
A win buys Dorion time to decide on a direction the Senators want to take, but the issue of 20- year- old defenceman Thomas Chabot needs to be settled immediately after he was a healthy scratch Tuesday for the 3-2 loss in Buffalo.
The atmosphere — especially with the losing and the baseless talk of an imminent sale of the team — had become a little chaotic before Melnyk and Dorion did their best to calm the waters Wednesday.
Now it’s up to Boucher and the players to determine if the vote of confidence they’ve been given can rally the troops to get things headed in the right direction.
Dorion’s next move will be determined by the results on the ice.
I AM PLEASED WITH HIS (PIERRE DORION’S) PERFORMANCE.