OTTAWA — It will be an episode of Survivor for the Senators this weekend.
From the blue line to the fourth line, there are roster spots up for grabs heading into their final two pre-season games in Detroit against the Red Wings Friday, and at home against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night.
The games will decide who’s in and who’s out.
“That’s part of hockey, that’s part of life, there is always a moment where you have to perform. And for some guys, it’s now,” said coach Travis Green.
The first major decision will be whether 2024 seventh overall pick, defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, makes the team. Yakemchuk has broken on to the stage, leading his team in scoring during the pre-season with five points in three games. Using his skill and physicality to drive play, the 19-year-old has become an impact player immediately.
“Guys who are here are here for a reason,” Green said. “They are not here to just put in time and win a trip with the Senators.”
Instead of winning a trip, Yakemchuk looks poised to win an NHL job if he maintains his strong play on the weekend.
Yakemchuk’s rise has left once-secure players—namely, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Travis Hamonic–on the outside looking in, battling for the final spot on defence.
Bernard-Docker’s play was characterized as “alright” by his coach while the veteran Hamonic has looked pedestrian playing the majority of his minutes with Ottawa’s defensive star Jake Sanderson.
The potential dilemma for Senators general manager Steve Staios is whether to focus on Yakemchuk’s long-term development or purely on winning for the here and now. After years of slow starts, the Senators desperately need to get out of the gate strong.
Due to his draft status, Yakemchuk is only eligible to play in the NHL or in junior hockey: he cannot play in the AHL for the Belleville Senators. Staios could let Yakemchuk start the season on the Senators and play nine NHL games before sending him down to junior to avoid burning a season off his entry-level contract.
Up front, the Senators will have decisions resulting from Josh Norris‘ return to the lineup on Tuesday. Norris’ insertion was cause for optimism: he looked sharp, created a flurry of chances, and tallied an assist. He also took face-offs, which was a concern because of his recovery from a second left shoulder surgery that kept him out of the lineup through the start of training camp despite practicing with the team. Another strong performance on the weekend would build confidence for the regular season.
Norris’ health and output will have a significant domino effect on the rest of the Senators’ offence. To begin with, Norris’ return means that feisty Ridly Greig has moved over to the wing, which is not where he prefers to play.
“Definitely not an easy one,” Greig told Sportsnet.
Additionally, if Norris produces as a second line centre it pushes Shane Pinto into place as the third line centre.
“As a coach you like having a lot of guys that can play centre for two reasons, A: if there are injuries and B: if you want to change things up,” Green said.
Green isn’t a coach who feels the need to maintain consistent lines, so we could see an array of different combinations in the final two pre-season games as players fight for positions on the roster.
On the fourth line, only Noah Gregor seems secure on left wing following a good training camp. Jan Jenik, Zack Ostapchuk, Nick Cousins, and Adam Gaudette will be fighting for the two remaining roster spots.
Gaudette, a veteran of 220 NHL games, has improved his stock, scoring in back-to-back pre-season games.
“He understands that for him to play, he’s going to have to be responsible in a certain role and provide something more than scoring,” said Green.
Ostapchuk, a second-round pick from 2021, is a more defensively responsible centre who brings size and some scoring ability. He scored 17 goals in 69 AHL games last season, his first season out of junior.
“He fits the mold of what you look for in a forward, playing centre,” said Green.
Meanwhile Jenik, a free agent signing on a two-way contract, also had a hot start with four points in his first pre-season game at centre. He provides a very competent presence at both ends of the ice.
Cousins may have the inside track for the right wing job, but it’s not secured. A fourth liner his entire career, he is a physical and hard-nosed player, prized attributes by both Staios and Green. He also just won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, which is valuable experience on this young roster. However, Gaudette is also shooting for that spot.
The final audition begins Friday against Detroit, but the more anticipated game is Saturday against the Montreal Canadians, which has the potential to be a tense affair after Tuesday’s venomous contest between the same two teams. Greig made a late hit on Kirby Dach that was followed by Arber Xhekaj’s retaliatory late and high hit on Tim Stutzle.
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk immediately fought Xhekaj after his hit on Stutzle. Both Tkachuk and Stutzle left the game with injuries after the brouhaha.
“Obviously the Timmy hit was a little bit outrageous,” Greig said, “but I’m not sure why they felt like they needed to do that. But if it was for me, it’s a little bit interesting, because it was a two-minute minor. But yeah, I guess they were just pissed off.”
To make matters worse, later in the game defensive stalwart Thomas Chabot left the game for “precautionary reasons”.
Green provided an update on all three players Thursday, saying he isn’t “overly concerned” about the status of his three stars who each participated in practice, while cryptically saying that “most of the three” players will play in one of the Senators’ final two pre-season games.
Tkachuk and Stutzle spoke to the media Thursday, reiterating that they are healthy and took precautions when leaving the game against Montreal. Both downplayed the chaos in the game, but were not happy about the situation.
“Obviously a little upset,” said Stutzle, who was wearing a tinted visor at Thursday’s skate. “It was definitely dangerous. I think if a play like that happens it’s always on both the players. I gotta do a better job to protect myself.
“In the end I got lucky I didn’t get seriously hurt. It could have been way worse.”
How heated that game gets could depend on which players get into both lineups.
“I don’t really want to make it a big thing, bigger than it is,” Tkachuk said. “We’re just going to move on and focus on getting ready to finish out the pre-season hard and get ready to start off on the right foot.”
After Ottawa opens the regular season at home next Thursday against the Panthers, they’ll go to Montreal Saturday, Oct. 12 for another meeting against the Canadiens.
Linus Ullmark, meantime, had a calming effect in the game with a beautiful glove save late in the third period, flashing a mischievous smile at Jake Evans after snatching a goal away. Ullmark will look to make it three straight excellent starts to begin his Senators tenure when he plays in one of the final two pre-season games.
