Page 35 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 132
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www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #132 January 2024 35
Ottawa Senators… Another Troubling Season
trade clause. This outcome led goaltending for them. The Sens time to be in the present and take
to the dismissal of GM Pierre also possess some solid prospects a positive step towards relevancy.
Doiron. The new team owner, in goaltender Mads Sogaard, a The Senators are a team with
By Brad Robertson Michael Andlauer, appointed young 6’7” giant, developing in a bright future and one can only
team president Steve Staios as the Belleville in the AHL, along with
interim GM. More recently, former F’s Zach Ostapchuks and Roby hope that progress can be made
now. The Ottawa hockey market
Senators coach, (and their most Jarventie. Defencemen Tyler
successful,) Jacques Martin, was Klevin and Lassi Thompson are deserves that. The team has been
brought in to act as a consultant also ones to keep an eye on. built through successful drafts
for the current coaching staff. A and the addition of key pieces,
Coach Jacques Martin is now
few weeks later, coach DJ Smith 71 years old and not the long from the unloading of former star
and assistant coach Davis Payne. defenseman Erik Karlsson, (Sens
term answer, but he may be what
Jacques Martin was then named this group needed at this point in acquired Josh Norris, a first round
interim coach along with former time. His calling card has always pick they turned into Tim Stutzle
Sens great, Daniel Alfredsson, and others). Let’s see how the
been that he’s a well prepared and
acting as an assistant. season plays out for them and if
experienced coach that is capable
The Sens blue line has once of getting teams to play a sound, they can possibly get on a roll and
ell, it’s almost 2024 and
Wthe Ottawa Senators find again been plagued by injury woes defensively structured, game. make a dash for a wild card spot.
themselves in last place in both as top D Thomas Chabot is out The team has lacked that under They have their work cut out for
their division and conference, once long term with a leg injury. D men DJ Smiths tenure. It’s youth and them, but it’ll be an interesting
again. This season was supposed Artem Zub and Erik Brannstrom inexperience showed but it’s now fifty games for sure!
both were out and have recently
to be different. It was supposed
to be the season they took a step returned, but the Chabot absence
towards the playoffs, something is a big one. Other than that,
though, the team is now relatively
they haven’t participated in since
the 2016-17 season. That isn’t healthy and need to turn this thing
around.
the case at the moment, and they
find themselves 13 points out of a The Senators have a fantastic ✔
playoff spot with fifty games to go. core that many franchises would
✔
Can they turn it around and make love to possess. Up front they are
✔
a push for a wild card spot??? led by young stars Tim Stuetzle,
The season began with two off Drake Batherson, Josh Norris,
ice issues that impacted the team. and captain Brady Tkachuk. Ridly
First off, young top prospect, Greig has found his way into
the lineup as well. Solid veteran
Shane Pinto, was suspended by
the NHL for violating league rules forwards Claude Giroux and
regarding gambling. Secondly, Vlad Tarasenko are contributing.
the team was fined and lost a The defence is anchored by Jeff
future first round draft pick for Chychrun. Young Jake Sanderson
is gaining valuable playing
being found guilty of not being
✔
forthright in the 2022 trade of experience and is expected to
Evgeny Dadonov to the Vegas blossom. The off season free agent
✔
Golden Knights, where the signing of goaltender Joonas
league punished them for failing Korpisalo hasn’t paid dividends
yet, but he has the experience
to notify Vegas at the time of the
trade of Dadonov’s 10-team no and pedigree to provide solid
