COLIN ON THE WHITE TRACK
Prospect to start in Binghamton
Colin White will make his American Hockey League debut Wednesday night with the Binghamton Senators at home.
That doesn’t mean he won’t make his NHL debut this season as well.
After signing an amateur tryout Sunday, the 20-yearold Boston College prospect has ended his NCAA career, and though he hasn’t signed an entry-level contract with the Senators there’s a strong chance that will happen as Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion and assistant Randy Lee study all options.
First, the Senators want to see how White, drafted No. 21 overall in 2015 by the club, performs in Binghamton. And don’t be surprised when Ottawa locks up a playoff spot if the organization revisits the possibility of bringing him up once a contract is agreed on.
Dorion will go see White make his debut while Lee is headed to St. John’s for the weekend to see Binghamton play there.
“We just felt, his group and our group, that this was the best opportunity in this window of time we had to get him to play pro hockey, and this is how we’re going to go about it,” Dorion said Monday.
There is no question the Senators are high on White but they want to see what he can do at the AHL level before deciding whether they’re going to play him in a game this year. Signing him to a contract would give the club some much-needed depth up front when the playoffs roll around.
At this juncture, White would have a difficult time being a regular under coach Guy Boucher. The Senators acquired Alex Burrows and Viktor Stalberg at the deadline which means there isn’t much room for White. But the Senators want to find a way to fit him in if possible.