Sens sign top-prospect Colin White
DETROIT — After hitting the skids on the road to the playoffs, the Ottawa Senators had help waiting for them upon their arrival in the Motor City.
Senators GM Pierre Dorion signed top prospect forward Colin White to a three-year entry-level contract Sunday and the 20-yearold could make his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings Monday night at the Joe Louis Arena with the club trying to halt its four-game losing skid to pen the final week of the season.
Only a week after White, who finished his NCAA career at Boston College last month, signed an amateur tryout agreement and reported to the club’s AHL affiliate in Binghamton, the Senators agreed to grant the No. 21 overall pick in 2015 his wish to play in the NHL and maybe he can help spark a struggling offence.
Assistant GM Randy Lee came to an agreement with White’s Bostonbased agent Kent Hughes lateSatruday and the paperwork was done Sunday here. Dorion said it’s up to coach Guy Boucher to decide if White, who will wear No. 82, will play Monday but the organization had no issue with burning a year on his entry-level deal.
“This was based on performance,” Dorion told the travelling Ottawa media at the club’s downtown hotel. “He wanted to show us he could play at the pro level and he definitely showed us with the short sample in the three games he displayed.
“Guy has no pressure to play him but we hope, at some point in time, he will get in our lineup.”
While they were making their way here, the Senators dropped to the final wildcard spot and are ranked No. 8 in the East. They have two games in hand on the Boston Bruins — and face them Thursday in Beantown — but the Senators have fallen three spots in the last 24 hours after a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night.
No, the Senators aren’t expecting White to be a saviour, but they hope he can help. The expectation is he’ll take Ryan Dzingel’s spot on the roster. Ottawa is 2-5-3 in its last 10 games and the Senators have scored only 17 goals in that stretch.
Initially, it’s believed the plan was for White to sign his deal and burn a year on his contract next weekend, but the picture changed. He had three points — including a goal — in three games with Binghamton on his ATO and has impressed management.
White, who made the long trek here Sunday from St. John’s, N.L., after playing back-to-back games this weekend, was thrilled.
“It’s been crazy. I’m really excited for me, and my family. I’m really excited to have this opportunity to come (here),” said White, who is eligible to play in the playoffs. “I definitely wanted to go to Binghamton and try my hardest.”
White, a Hanover, Mass., native, said if he plays he believes his parents will make the trip here from Boston but isn’t sure what to expect.
“I just met the coach (Boucher) about five minutes ago so it’s nothing too crazy right now if I get in the lineup but I’m just excited to be here and work my hardest,” White said.
Perhaps, White can bring an injection of youthful enthusiasm especially with the club struggling with injuries to captain Erik Karlsson along with top defencemen Marc Methot and Cody Ceci down the stretch.
“If he was a defenceman I’d be happier right now,” Dorion said with a smile. “I think the way he plays the game, he’s such a smart player, he brings a high level of intensity and drive. He can definitely help our team if he was ever to play.
“We can’t forget what everyone else has done for us so far this year — as far as the players that have played for us. At the same time, I think he can see how we do things here and it can only prepare him as best as we can for next year.”
Yes, there will be a perception that this is a desperate move by the Senators because of the club’s struggles, but Dorion said that’s not the case.
“It’s the complete opposite,” Dorion said. “It’s very well-thought move for the simple reason that we wanted to see if he could help us.
“It would have been a move out of desperation if we had signed him without seeing him play pro games. It was a well-calculated move. I felt it’s something as the head of hockey in this organization, I felt it was a very smart move. Colin White’s character impressed me a lot because he decided to forego his college career and take a chance on his pro career and it paid dividends for him.”
Now, the Senators hope it will pay dividends for them as well.
The New York Islanders will have to continue their late-season playoff push without captain and leading scorer John Tavares. Tavares hurt his left hamstring in a 2-1 win against New Jersey on Friday, and coach Doug Weight says there’s no expectation he can return before the Islanders close their season against Ottawa on April 9. Tavares leads New York with 66 points and is second with 28 goals in 77 games. The Islanders filled Tavares’ roster spot by calling up centre Connor Jones from the minors.