GDHQNHL15_2pg-Ottawa Senators 2

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Former first round draft pick Jared Cowen will be looked upon to step up his game and fortify the defense. After struggling with injuries the previous season, Cowen looked lost at times last year and was unable to use his big frame and physical style to affect the game. It was 20-year old Ottawa native Cody Ceci that did stand out. Although he only played in 49 games for the Senators and wasn’t expected to make much of an impact, Ceci forced his way onto the roster with his defensive skills and a game winner in the Heritage Classic. Both Ceci and Cowen will have the benefit of long-time veteran Senator Chris Phillips. Although he doesn’t have the skills he once possessed in his youth, Phillips can be a tremendous asset to the team, which will look to inexperienced players such as Patrick Wiercioch and Mark Borowiecki to play valuable defensive minutes. Goaltending Goaltending was supposed to be a strong point for the Senators, but that did not play out in 2013-14. Coming off of a spectacular lockshortened season where his .941 save percentageand 1.69 GAA led the league, Craig Anderson was poised to take Ottawa on another run to the playoffs. But his stats dropped drastically along with the play of his defenders and on the heels of a tough playoff series with the Penguins. Anderson’s .911 save percentage and 3.00 GAA were his worst performances since the 2005-06 season. But fans were comforted by the fact that goalie-in-waiting, Robin Lehner, was in the wings. Unfortunately, his numbers were even worse in the 36 games he played. Ottawa showed faith in both goalies by giving them each a threeyear contract extension in the offseason, and the front office has made it clear that there’s an open competition for playing time. They’re confident that having two goalies worthy of a number one spot is a good problem to have. Power Play The Ottawa Senators’ power play finished in the middle of the pack last season. An 18.5 percent success rate ranked them 14th in the NHL, but it’s not a new concern for the Senators. Last season was the best season the unit has had since 2008-09. Replacing Spezza will, of course, be the major issue. He has nine power-play goals in 75 games last season and he scored 90 goals and 362 power-play points in his eleven year run with the Senators. It’s more responsibility for Karlsson as he transitions into the face of the team. He set up many of the plays finished by Spezza from the point, assisting on 26 power-play goals. Those plays will mostly end up on the sticks of MacArthur, Turris and Ryan. The three forwards combined for 20 power play goals last season and that number should go up this year. Penalty Kill The team’s penalty kill was dreadful last season. Just one year removed from being the stoutest team in the league, Ottawa’s kill rate fell to 80.9 percent and ranked 22nd in the NHL. To compound the problem, Ottawa was completely undisciplined and served far too many penalties. Their 320 times shorthanded and 61 goals allowed both ranked secondto last in the league. Head coach Paul MacLean has vowed to turn the unit around and the first glimpses into his plan include using Ryan on the penalty kill. Ryan has expressed interest in finding his role with the team, and this could give him a chance to get more ice time. Erik Karlsson Andre Ringuette/NHL/Getty Images The acquisition of Legwand will also give a bit of new energy and leadership to the group. Defensemen Methot and Cowen will contribute again, and both MacArthur and Turris play a significant role in killing penalties. Prediction With Erik Karlsson on the blue line, the Senators have a chance to win every night. Unfortunately, their defense is not good enough as a whole to sustain that. But if Craig Anderson plays better and the team continues to rack up the points, the Ottawa Senators will be competing for a wild card spot this season. Scoreboard 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 PLAYOFF FINISH DNQ Conf SF Conf QF DNQ Conf QF REGULAR SEASON 37-31-14 25-17-6 41-31-10 32-40-10 44-32-6 POINT TOTAL 88 56 92 74 94 SHOOTOUT RECORD 7-7 4-4 6-4 2-5 5-5 GOALS SCORED 236 116 249 192 225 GOALS ALLOWED 265 104 240 250 238 POWER-PLAY % 18.5 15.9 18.1 17.5 16.9 PENALTY KILL % 80.9 88.0 81.6 83.7 84.3


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