NEW START FOR RUSSIAN WINGER
Fresh off a flight, Namestnikov gets right to work with his new Senators teammates
A few of his new Ottawa Senators teammates tapped the boards to welcome Vladislav Namestnikov as he stepped on the ice Tuesday morning at Canadian Tire Centre.
After all, they want him to feel at home in his new home.
Less than 24 hours after being acquired from the New York Rangers by general manager Pierre Dorion in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2021 and minor-league defenceman Nick Ebert, Namestnikov, 26, left the Big Apple, landed in Ottawa and headed straight to the rink to take his first twirl with his new teammates.
Skating alongside centre Artem Anisimov and winger Connor Brown, Namestnikov has a couple of days to get familiar with his new surroundings before making his debut against the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues Thursday at home.
This move wasn’t unexpected and it’s an opportunity for a new look. The deal was completed at around 7:45 p.m. Monday and Namestnikov was on the first fight from Newark, N.J., Tuesday morning so he could take part in practice.
“It’s a fresh start for me,” Namestnikov said after the club’s skate. “It’s a young team here with lots of potential. I’m really excited. I got to meet all the guys here (Tuesday) and it’s great to get going.
“I know a couple of the guys, so it’s not that difficult. Hockey players are usually welcoming, so it’s not a big deal. I’ll just take it day by day and see how things turn out. I’m just excited for the opportunity.”
The reality is Namestnikov had a good idea a move was going to happen sooner or later. He wasn’t even sure if he’d make it to Rangers training camp in September because there had been a lot of discussion about him being moved by general manager Jeff Gorton when the youth movement started last season.
“There were a lot of factors that went into it,” Namestnikov said. “I feel like they’re going in a little different direction, but I’m just grateful to get another opportunity here in Ottawa.”
An unrestricted free agent, Namestnikov, who had 11 goals and 31 points in 78 games with the Rangers last season, is going to get a good opportunity here to show what he can do. You can bet coach D.J. Smith is going to use him on the power play and a big reason the Senators like Namestnikov is the speed he’ll bring to the game. That’s why Smith likes the acquisition.
“He’s a player that can play in all situations and he’ll get that opportunity,” said Smith. “He’s done that before and his game has come around. He was an offensive player in junior and I watched him play. He’s really learned to play the defensive side of the game in the NHL. He has some speed and some quickness and he’ll make us a better team.”
A lot is being made of the fact the Senators have four Russians on their roster now. The club added blueliner Nikita Zaitsev from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anisimov from the Chicago Blackhawks in the off-season. Winger Vitaly Abramov, acquired in the deal that sent Matt Duchene to Columbus, was called up from Belleville Monday.
The Senators just want everybody to contribute and have confidence.
Namestnikov spent a lot of his youth in North America and moved to Salt Lake City when he was a newborn. His father, Evgeny, was a player in the Vancouver Canucks organization before the family moved back to Russia when Namestnikov was nine years old. He joined the OHL’s London Knights in 2010 and has been in North America since.
He makes his off-season home in Michigan and works out regularly with Senators defenceman Christian Wolanin. His uncle, former Detroit Red Wings great Igor Larionov, has also helped Namestnikov a lot with this journey and knows playing in this country will be different.
“Canadian fans are passionate and it’s fun to come here,” said Namestnikov.
It just so happens Namestnikov and Anisimov have played together on the same line with the Russian national team.
“He’s an awesome centre, he’s reliable and he’s easy to play with. He can read off me and I can read off him,” said Namestnikov. bgarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter: @sungarrioch
It’s a fresh start for me. It’s a young team here with lots of potential. I’m really excited. I got to meet all the guys here.