Sens hopefuls have a lot to prove at rookie camp
There will be a familiar sight at the Canadian Tire Centre Saturday morning when some Ottawa Senators hopefuls hit the ice for the club's development camp.
Here's five faces to watch as these development-rookie camps get started:
1. Mads Sogaard, G, No. 37 (2019 NHL draft): Before last season got underway, Sogaard, 20, signed with a team in Denmark and stayed there until that schedule was completed. He suited up the club's AHL affiliate in Belleville to finish the season and was impressive.
Sogaard finished with a 7-0-0 record to close out the year while posting a .917 save-percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average during his short stay with Belleville. The belief is Sogaard has the chance to push Filip Gustavsson for the starting role in Belleville under coach Troy Mann this season.
2. Ridly Greig, C, No. 28 (2020 NHL draft): He'll likely rejoin the Brandon Wheat Kings at some point, but Greig has the opportunity to make a strong impression in the next week.
After starting the season with Belleville, Mann was vocal about the fact the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League should work out a deal to have special player status. Junior teams wouldn't like that idea because they're about development and a skilled player like Greig helps sell tickets since people want to see him before he moves on.
3. Egor Sokolov, RW, No. 61 (2020 NHL draft): This is a player who has had to battle the odds his whole career and has met the challenge at every level. Passed over the 2019 draft, chief scout Trent Mann saw Sokolov playing with Cape Breton Eagles and opted to take him last October.
Signed to a rookie deal, Sokovlov suited up for 35 games with Belleville last season and made a strong impression on the coaching staff. He works hard, he's smart, he scored 15 goals and had 25 points in 35 games. Sokolov isn't afraid to get involved so that should bode well for him going into camp.
The Senators have an opening on the right side on the third line and Sokolov is viewed as someone who should be able to push for that spot in camp.
4. Lassi Thomson, D, No. 19 (2019 NHL draft): This will be an opportunity for Thomson to put himself on the map.
The Finnish blueliner was a firstround pick but in a way he's flown under the radar since the club selected him. That's partly because he spent parts of two seasons with Ilves Tampere after playing one year with the WHL's Kelowna Rockets. Thomson spent last year with Belleville and made the adjustment to the North American game.
The Senators toyed with the chance of giving him an opportunity to suit up for an NHL game at the end of the season but it didn't work out in the end.
5. Angus Crookshank, LW, No. 126 (2018 NHL draft): After spending three seasons at the University of New Hampshire, Crookshank has made good progress and is ready to make the next step. He finished last year by suiting up for 19 games with Belleville and he has plenty of people in the organization who strongly believe he will play at the NHL level down the road.
Crookshank had five goals and 16 points last season with Belleville so he was nearly a point-a-game player.
Crookshank isn't afraid to get his nose dirty to win battles for the puck. If you think about it, he's the type of player Smith loves and could put himself in a position to be a call-up if the club needs help during the season.