Wingels ready to capitalize on new opportunity
Ex-Sharks forward plans to bring ‘aggressive, speed game’ to Ottawa
Tommy Wingels will try to make himself at home in his new home.
While the Senators were enjoying Wednesday off as they prepare to face the Calgary Flames tonight at the Canadian Tire Centre, the club’s newly acquired winger was downstairs in the dressing room getting sized up with equipment and trying to get up to speed on life with Ottawa.
Dealt to the Senators by the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in exchange for minor-league forwards Zack Stortini and Buddy Robinson along with a seventh-round pick, Wingels made the trek here and he’s excited about the opportunity to get a fresh start with a team trending toward a playoff berth.
He’s expected to make his debut against the Flames. The club sent forward Casey Bailey back to Binghamton of the American Hockey League on Wednesday in anticipation of having Wingels in the lineup.
“I’m very excited,” said Wingels, who played college hockey with Ottawa blue-liner Chris Wideman.
“I know a couple of guys here and to join a team that plays the way they do here, that has the identity that this team does, it’s very exciting. I’m very happy to be here.
“I’m excited we play (tonight) and ready to get going.”
Wingels was preparing to suit up Tuesday night for San Jose in Winnipeg when he got the call in the afternoon from Sharks GM Doug Wilson that he’d been dealt. This was no surprise because his role in San Jose had changed.
“I had sensed something coming for a little bit here,” Wingels said. “To find out where you’re going to go and the fact it actually happened, you think it might happen, but when it (does) there’s still emotions that you go through for you and your family.
“You don’t know where you’re going to go, but when you find out it’s a team like the Senators, how good a team they have here and the kind of guys they have here, it makes it that much better.”
The Sharks didn’t have a spot anymore for Wingels, who is making $2.6 million in the final year of his contract. They agreed to pay 30 per cent of his salary in the second half of the season.
Wingels, who is married and has a young daughter, knew his role had slipped in San Jose and that’s why he understood the writing was on the wall.
“You can sense where your role is as they want to adjust to some younger players,” Wingels said. “I have nothing but great things to say about being there. I enjoyed my six-plus years. I loved everything about it. My family did.
“We’re ready to move on. This is a new opportunity and a new
journey for us. The three of us are extremely excited.”
Yes, this will be different. He was taken by the Sharks in the sixth round (No. 177 overall) in the 2008 NHL draft and grew up with the club.
“I don’t know if it stings,” he said. “It’s bittersweet. It’s the only thing you know. It’s the team that drafted you, it’s the team that groomed you through your development years and you go through all of that with the same core group.
“It’s certainly a lot of mixed emotions and a lot friendships that you made over the years. It’s tough to say goodbye to them, but fortunately I had some time yesterday to do that.
“That’s in the past. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of the guys (today).”
Wingels said he can’t try to recreate himself.
“Bring what I can. I like to play a physical, aggressive, speed game,” Wingels added. “I like to forecheck hard. I like to chip in with some goals and that’s kind of the identity they have here. They like to ... play well defensively and don’t cheat for offence, but try to score goals.
“It’s exciting to come into a team that has that kind of identity, a team that has the personnel they have here and the players that move the puck like they do. It’s a well-built team and I’ll try to add what I can to that.”
I know a couple of guys here and to join a team that plays the way they do ... it’s very exciting. I’m very happy to be here.