Chabot named captain for Canada at IIHF tournament
Thomas Chabot is Captain Canada.
The Ottawa Senators’ top defenceman was named the captain of Team Canada’s entry at the IIHF world championship that begins Friday in Helsinki.
The 25-year-old Chabot is part of a leadership group that includes Montreal’s Josh Anderson, PierreLuc Dubois of the Jets, Winnipeg ’s Adam Lowry and New Jersey’s Damon Severson.
Ottawa coach D.J. Smith is an assistant on head coach Claude Julien’s staff and would have played a role in helping to choose the Senators’ alternate captain to wear the C. This is the third time in his career that Chabot has suited up for Canada at this tournament.
“It is always special to be able to wear the Maple Leaf, and it is a true honour to be named captain for the world championship,” Chabot said. “Our entire team is excited to play for Canada, and we will represent the country with pride as we look to defend last year’s gold medal.”
Senators winger Drake Batherson is also on the club’s roster along with veteran defenceman Nick Holden. Canada will have a big challenge in its first game Friday afternoon when the club tries to shut down Ottawa teammate Tim Stuetzle and the squad from Germany.
GEARING UP FOR MEETINGS
The Ottawa scouting staff will gather May 23 at the Canadian Tire Centre for their annual meetings to prepare for the NHL draft being held July 7-8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
It has been two years since general manager Pierre Dorion, assistant GM Peter MacTavish, chief scout Trent Mann and the rest of the staff have been in the same room together because of the pandemic.
The timing of the meetings has been set so the Senators can be ready to do more homework at the NHL combine, which is being held June 1-6 in Buffalo.
With the No. 7 pick and 11 selections overall, Mann noted in an interview with Postmedia on Wednesday there’s going to be some strong arguments.
There’s been no shortage of debate about who might be available for the Senators with the seventh selection.
The highly respected Craig Button, a former NHL GM and TSN’s director of scouting, had the club taking forward Cutter Gauthier of the U.S. National Development Team program. Button says is power winger with size and skill.
“There’s going to be some heated discussions, there always is, about this No. 7 selection, who we really want and who we’re willing to pick,” said Mann. “That’s why I’m really looking forward to the meetings, just for that purpose.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
Mann and the staff are looking forward to having face-to-face interviews plus fitness testing at the NHL combine. Rob Mouland and Jeremy Benoit, the club’s strength and conditioning coaches, will be on hand in Buffalo to help with player evaluations.
Interviews with prospects were done by Zoom the last couple of years and there wasn’t much in the way of fitness testing, unless it was provided by the agent.
THE LAST WORDS
Even if the Senators don’t move the No. 7 selection for immediate help, that doesn’t mean the club won’t make a deal.
The Senators have lots of prospects in the organization and one of those could be dangled to help the club get the help it needs to push for a playoff spot next season. Not all the players in the organization will have the opportunity to play in Ottawa.
“There’s all kinds of scenarios that will come into play. We’re at the point in the rebuild where it’s not shocking that Pierre is saying he’s listening. He has to legitimately listen to see if there’s something he can get that’s going to help us this year and in the near future.”