Veteran VandeVelde tries out for Senators
The Ottawa Senators already have a dozen forwards signed to guaranteed NHL contracts and Boston College star Colin White is among the top prospects hoping to win a spot out of training camp.
But that won’t stop the Senators from taking a look at other proven NHL veterans.
The Senators announced Monday that they have invited Chris VandeVelde to training camp on a professional tryout contract.
VandeVelde, 30, scored six goals and nine assists in 81 games with Philadelphia last season. Primarily used on the fourth line and as a penalty killer during his career, he has 18 goals and 30 assists in 278 NHL games with Philadelphia and Edmonton.
“We just felt we wanted as competitive a camp as possible and we’re bringing in (another) NHL body to see what he can do,” said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. “We still have some (training camp) room and he’ll compete with some of our younger kids to (try and) make our team.”
Dorion says it’s possible the Senators could sign “maybe one or two more” forwards to PTO contracts.
The Senators will open training camp with medicals and tests on Thursday.
Centre Derick Brassard, recovering from shoulder surgery, is not expected to receive clearance for contact for the next few weeks.
That presents a potential opportunity for someone to earn a spot. VandeVelde, and any other veteran forwards brought in, will be battling players such as White, Max McCormick, Chris DiDomenico, Tyler Randell, Ben Sexton and Mike Blunden. BROWN A STANDOUT IN TORONTO: Dorion, meanwhile, was raving about the play of 2016 first round pick Logan Brown at last weekend’s rookie tournament in Toronto.
Brown had an inconsistent, injury-plagued 2016-17 season with Windsor in the OHL and the Senators weren’t impressed with his play at the club’s development camp in June.
“He really showed us that one day, he’ll be one of our top two centremen,” Dorion said of the six-foot-six Brown. “I don’t think it will be this year, but whether it’s next year or in the next few years, we know we have something special there. I think his work ethic through the tournament really showed.” DEPTH IN GOAL: Dorion also has high hopes for goaltender Marcus Hogberg, the club’s third round draft pick (78th overall) in 2013.
“His play at the rookie tournament showed us that, I think, we have someone who really has a chance to be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL one day, as long as he continues on this trend.”
The Senators, however, have a logjam in the crease. Barring injury, Craig Anderson and Mike Condon will start the season in Ottawa.
Dorion says that Danny Taylor, a former Los Angeles Kings draft pick who has spent the past two seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, has a guaranteed spot with Belleville in the AHL. In addition, Andrew Hammond still has one year and $1.5 million remaining on his contract and Chris Driedger remains in the organization.
It’s possible that Hogberg could begin the season in the ECHL.