Defencemen face new pressure

Someone asked Senators general manager John Muckler, who coached those Edmonton Oilers 20 years ago, if the 1980s were back.

“Exactly,” Muckler said, hopefully.

It’s far too early to judge teams, or even the way the game is to be played, but Sunday did nothing to discourage opinions about the Senators being much better positioned than the Leafs for the new rules and the salary-cap limitations.

“ You hope you got it right,” Muckler said. “I think these rules will benefit our club. They’re going to let the skill player play.”

Among the many interesting developments to watch this season is how goaltenders and defencemen will hold up. With their equipment shrunk and their range limited, goalies are going to rely on their defence like never before. As Redden says, “ You’re going to have to get on your horse and get back there” to play pucks in the corner.

“I don’t mind the rules,” Redden said. “It is going to be tough on us, but the way I play, I try to be in a good position. And that’s going to be more important than before because if you’re not in position, you’re going to draw a penalty.

“I think we’ll still be allowed tie-ups in front. The competition committee includes people who have played the game, so I don’t think they want to take that away. But, if you’re hanging all over a guy, it’s going to be called.”

It’s a lot to swallow all at once. Not just the new rules, but the transition in who’s playing it. Mark Messier, Scott Stevens, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis and Vincent Damphousse have all retired.

It’s pre-season, and the kids always get opportunities to show they can play, but it’s telling that a 23-year-old named Bochenski is an early Ottawa scorer, while, in Chicago, they’re talking about a two-goal performance by a guy named Bourque — winger Rene Bourque. Other exhibition scorers include Mike Richards, Corey Perry and Mike Zigomanis.

“ I hope so because I’d like to be a part of it,” Bochenski, the rookie scoring leader in the AHL last season, said when asked about the new wave of players replacing the old guard.

“ A lot of the names I followed growing up are gone now. Names like Spezza and Heatley are the ones people are going to be talking about 15 years from now in that same way.”

And the name Bochenski?

“We’ll see.”