Postgame- Dany Heatley arrived! Well for at least 38 seconds and that's all that matters. Ottawa's stud sniper proved to be the game breaker, we've known him to be.
Add Heatley's 38 second appearance with a strong effort by Foligno, Shannon, Lee, and Campoli was just enough to edge out the wounded Canadiens.
The Canadien's looked in control for the majority of the game, and were well on their way to a win as the mighty French-Canadian crowd started their Soccer-Based chant, only to watch their team lose quicker than their ridiculous Ole Ole chant ended.
This has been a defining moment every time it happens. I absolutely love watch Montreal lose when the fans chant Ole Ole, because I have no idea how and why a Spanish soccer chant is being used in the NHL. If any Habs fan can explain why a proud NHL franchise is using a Spanish chant to celebrate with, I would love to hear the reason.
It's not a shot at all Habs fans, just the one's that think "it's their chant"
But more importantly, the Sens won tonight!! I would be upset at ruining a potential draft position but we're not going to get a top 4 pick, and everyone outside of the top 4 (with-in the top 12) is relatively interchangeable. Of the 4 games left, tonight’s game and Saturday’s game, were the 2 must win games for the Sens to finish 'respectively'.
Pregame-
The Sens are in Montreal looking to secure their first win of the year at the Bell Centre.
Tonight the Sens can slow down the Bleu Blanc Rouge playoff train, and even salvage a respectable season series. (Currently 1-2-2)
Auld will get his 3rd straight start in net, and the Sens will ice the same line-up again, meaning Donovan will be watching from the press-box.
Ottawa will get a bit of a break as Markov, Schneider and possibly Andrei Kostitsyn will be out of the line-up. The playoffs don't exist for the Sens but it doesn't mean they can't mess with the standings and enjoy a win down the stretch.
The big story in Sensland right now, is whether or not Heatley is going to 'show-up' for any more games this season. He just seems to be coasting to the end, while Shannon and Foligno have stepped their game considerably and will likely be key pieces for next season.
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Not the biggest news, but still really good news - Pascal Leclaire has resumed skating and is working with the coaching staff and trainers to SLOWLY get back into his high-calibre form.
He is also going to travel with the team for the rest of the season, including Montreal tonight.
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As promised, I have assembled an overview of the Sens prospect pipeline. Obviously I can't possibly see every prospect in action everygame, so I've used 2 websites as 'outside' scouting.
All Sources used have been credited
Just a disclaimer, if you are upset or curious as to why a prospect is missing from this list, it is because the fall under 1 of 3 categories.
- European, has no intention of coming over to the N.A. unless promised an NHL roster spot.
- Talent has severely dropped and/or age to production ratio is brutal.
- Already seeing NHL time i.e. - Foligno, Lee, Zubov, Regin and Shannon.
Draft Posistion/Year - Name - Age - Height/Weight - Current team - Stats - Profile - Outlook
15th overall, 2008 Erik Karlsson 18 5'11", 165lbs
Vastra Frolunda 45GP - 5g 5a - 10pim
Karlsson is having a stellar season. Everyone knew that the slick Swede had solid offensive skills, but after an outstanding showing at the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, there is no doubt that Karlsson is Ottawa’s top prospect. Karlsson was named to the tournament all-star team, and named the best defenseman overall.
Back in the Swedish Elite League, Karlsson’s play has improved noticeably. Receiving decent time on the power play, though limited in other situations, he has scored five goals to go along with five assists in 44 games. Most of his points have come in the latter half of the season. It is a far cry from when he was demoted to the farm club when he was struggling early in the year. He played seven games in the Allsvenskan, with one assist.
Karlsson’s strengths include his amazing skating ability, and offensive awareness. However, he could stand to be more cautious in his decisions with the puck while skating through the neutral zone. He will also need to fill out his 5’11, 165 lbs frame in order to make the jump to the NHL. While he is probably another year away from the NHL, Karlsson’s future looks very bright. - HockeyFutures.com
Top Pairing, Puck-moving defensemen. 1-2 years away
42nd overall, 2008 Patrick Wiercioch 18 6'4", 185lbs
Denver University 36GP - 12g 23a - 26pim
One of the highest risers on the list this year, Wiercioch has been quite the success story this season. Originally intent on attending Wisconsin beginning in 2009-10, after another year in the USHL, Wiercioch was offered a spot at the University of Denver for this season, and took it. In 28 games, Wiercioch has compiled 11 goals and 30 points, leading Denver’s blueline in scoring while holding his own in the defensive end. He is also fourth in overall scoring among defensemen in the NCAA.
Wiercioch’s strong season resulted in an invitation to Team Canada WJC selection camp. While he failed to make the cut, the fact that he was invited when he went into this season on hardly anybody’s radar is a solid accolade on its own. Wiercioch is still at least another year away from turning pro, and needs to fill out his 6’4, 180 lbs frame. He could also stand to work on his skating stride, but that could simply be him adjusting to playing in his body after having a major growth spurt just before he was drafted. Expect to see Wiercioch seriously contend for a spot on Team Canada’s blueline for the 2010 WJC. - Hockeyfutures.com
Top 4 Offensive defensemen. Likely a year away, apparently staying in the NCAA for 2 more years.
79th overall, 2008 Zack Smith 21 6'2", 202lbs
Binghamton Senators 73GP - 21g 23a - 109pim
Smith earned a one-game call-up with Ottawa earlier in the year, and could challenge for a full-time spot in the NHL next season. His feistiness, and willingness to crash the net would be welcome in Ottawa. However, with Zubov and Regin ahead of him on the depth chart, Smith may have to play another year in the AHL before getting his chance. - HockeysFuture.com
3rd line/energy-line player, has tools to be a 2nd line center. Despite Hockeyfutures assessment, Zack Smith looks poised to make the jump to the NHL next season
109th overall, 2008 Andre Petersson 18 5'10", 177lbs
HV71 Jrs./HV 71 36GP - 24g 31a - 28pim (Jrs.)
Petersson is a one-dimensional offensive player. A magician with the puck with plenty of slick moves in his repertoire. He loves to challenge the opposing defenseman and is good one-one-one. Petersson is a natural scorer, but at the same time delivers crisp passes. The only knock here, is that he sometimes is a bit too puck happy, and should pass more. What makes him even tougher to stop, is the fact that he is an above average skater with good acceleration and agility.
The major knock on Petersson is his defensive game, work ethic and consistency. He does not back-check enough and is always focused on contributing offensively instead. Also, if he could bring his A game each night, he would be able to be an even more productive player. Sometimes he does not seem to be inspired and hangs with his head. When on top of the game, however, he is a player that can do the unexpected and win a game for his team. Enormous potential. - Eliteprospects.com
Top line scorer, has an enormous upside and untapped potential.
119th overall, 2008 Derek Grant 18 6'3", 190lbs
Langley Chiefs 57GP - 24g 39a - 44pim
Big Fish in a puddle, the BCHL doesn't get much coverage by scouts, but Derek had a strong showing for Canada West in the U17's and was drafted based off that.
AHL Lifer, has a lot of potential but development may be hinder by continuous play in the BCHL.
139th overall, 2008 Mark Borowiecki 19 6'2", 190lbs
Clarkson University 33GP - 1g 1a - 24pim
Hasn't seen much Ice-time in his freshman year, spends a lot of his time playing against 3rd/4th lines in low-risk situations.
Currently in a bad situation, looks like a ECHL lifer at best.
199th overall, 2008 Emil Sandin 21 5'10", 181lbs
Brynas IF 53GP - 6g 11a - 6pim
Sandin is a technically skilled player that is strong on the puck. A good playmaker that is valuable on the power play unit. He has pretty quick feet and works well. Not very big, but delivers a good hit once in a while and plays with good intensity and fore-checks hard. A team player. - Eliteprospects.com
2nd line player. Already looking like a late draft steal. Very comparable to a Mike Fisher/Mike Comrie. Signed with Brynas till 11/12 season, so a long-term prospect to watch unless Ottawa can pull him from Sweden. Keep an eye on him as he continues to develop.
29th overall, 2007 Jim O'Brien 20 6'2", 190lbs
Seattle Thunderbirds 63GP - 27g 35a - 55pim
After a solid rookie campaign in the WHL that saw him finish with 21 goals and 55 points, O’Brien went into this season with the expectations of being one of Seattle’s go-to players offensively. While O’Brien has been consistent, scoring 51 points in 54 games, he’s hardly been spectacular offensively. He has however maintained his excellent two-way play, as shown by his +12 rating, the second highest on his team.
O’Brien earned a spot on Team USA’s WJC roster, playing mostly on the third line. He showed excellent speed, and a lethal slap shot, while playing well in his own end. O’Brien will turn pro at the end of Seattle’s season, and should spend the 2009-10 season in Binghamton honing his skills. At this point, O’Brien seems more likely to turn out to be a Mike Fisher type player: and excellent third liner who’s rock solid in his own zone, while showing some scoring touch. Second-line potential is still there, but it seems unlikely that he’ll reach that level. - HockeyFutures.com
2nd line center. Very similar to Mike Fisher, however personally I think Hockeyfutures.com is overly harsh on O'Brien who has really evolved this season on a lacklustre team. Has 1 assist in 3 games so far in the AHL
60th overall, 2007 Ruslan Bashkirov 20 5'11", 185lbs
Khimik Mytischi 2GP 0g 0a - 0pim
A talented sniper with an impressive scoring touch, Bashkirov has also impressed with his aggressiveness and competitiveness. He has an above average top speed and excellent agility, though he does need to continue to work on his skating stride. Bashkirov protects the puck well and is a deft stickhandler. He plays the game with an edge to the point where it sometimes detriments his team. Along with learning to play a more consistent and disciplined game, Bashkirov needs to get more involved as he has a tendency to stand around at the perimeter. -Hockeyfutures.com
Touted to be a reliable 2nd line player, Ruslan mysteriously has almost no playing record this season. If anyone has better info on him, please e-mail it to me.
90th overall, 2007 Louie Caporusso 19 5'10", 185lbs
University of Michigan 41GP - 24g 25a - 30 pim
With many of the team’s veterans leaving after last season, there was an offensive void left on Michigan’s roster, and Caporusso has filled it with no difficulty. Currently sitting at second in the NCAA in goal scoring with 22, and tied for sixth overall with 40 points, the small, speedy forward was named to the final 10 candidates for the Hobey Baker award as top NCAA player. - Hockeyfutures.com
Top 6 forward potential. Likely to play at least one more season of NCAA hockey, before making the jump to NHL/AHL.
120th overall, 2007 Ben Blood 20 6'3", 212lbs
University of North Dakota 31GP - 0g 1a - 12pim
Blood has an intriguing combination of skill and size. He is fluid and sturdy on his skates, especially considering his size. Blood’s lateral movement and quickness is somewhat lacking, but this should improve with time. Blood plays well in all three zones and is excellent on special teams. His soft hands, poise with the puck, vision, and heavy, accurate slap shot make him an excellent power play quarterback. He also possesses a quick release and precise wrist shot. Blood has excellent hand eye coordination and has the ability to unleash a wicked one-timer when setup.
In the defensive zone, Blood is a formidable presence and shuts down players by angling them to the boards. He is terrific positioning, especially in one-on-one situations and uses his size to effectively clear out traffic in front of the crease. He could play a more physically, but Blood’s game is focused on being disciplined and not hurting his team with an errant play or missed body check.
Blood is also a good communicator both on and off the ice. He possesses good leadership qualities and could be a future team leader. - Hockeyfutures.com
Ben has all the skills and untapped potential to become a legitimate NHL defensemen. He is currently buried in depth at UND, but next season he should become a top pairing for the school. Next season will give Sens fans a better indication of his potential.
68th overall, 2006 Eric Gryba 20 6'3", 214lbs
Boston University 43GP - 0g 5a - 100pim
At 6’4, 215 pounds, Gryba can utterly destroy opponents with hits. Gryba did not lay down Scott Stevens-calibre hits every night, but every now and again he used his size and timed a hit just right to stand up an opponent at the blueline, while skating backwards, with earth shattering force. That said, Gryba still must improve his skating. He needs more acceleration backwards and could use more strength in his legs to generate a more powerful stride forward. Along with a bit more power, Gryba needs quicker feet for better agility and better acceleration. - Hockeyfutures.com
Slated to be a solid 4th/5th defensemen. Very likely to make the jump to the AHL next season, and is very likely to become a Anton Volchenkov style D-man.
121st overall, 2006 Pierre-Luc Lessard 21 6'0", 179lbs
Baie-Comeau Drakker 66GP - 10g 41a - 60pim
A very quick, and offensively-gifted defensemen. Pierre has some how remained under the radar despite impressive numbers on a bad team.
Despite offensive upside, Pierre will likely end up being buried in the depth of the system because of the extra year of major-junior.
211th overall, 2006 Erik Condra 22 6'0", 202lbs
Notre Dame 40GP - 13g 25a - 34pim
Condra has been a model of consistency while playing for Notre Dame in the NCAA. He’s led his team in scoring in each of his first three seasons, and is in the midst of doing so once again. Condra has also been a leader for the Fighting Irish, being named captain in this, his senior year. Uses his speed and hockey smarts to get to the net.
After having such consistent success at the NCAA level, it would be surprising to not see Condra turn pro after his season at Notre Dame comes to a close. Depending on how far Binghamton’s playoff run goes, Condra could join Binghamton late in the year. Condra has some scoring upside, but is more likely to become a third liner with some scoring ability. - Hockeyfutures.com
Borderline 2nd liner. Because of Ottawa's shallow depth on the RW, Condra has both the potential and opportunity to become a reliable top-6 forward.
136th overall, 2005 Tomas Kudelka 22 6'3", 190lbs
Binghamton Senators 71GP - 7g 16a - 62pim
Kudelka is an offensive defenseman with a good package of size, speed, and skill. He is still prone to occasional turnovers, but has demonstrated a good sense of when to jump into the rush. He is a good puck-handler and displays excellent awareness on the ice. A smooth skater, Kudelka takes advantage of his above-average speed and agility. He is fast backwards and has solid lateral movement to go along with his good balance.
He is an offensive-minded rearguard and is poised when moving the puck. Kudelka uses his reach effectively and is adept at distributing pucks smartly. He makes occasional bad decisions with the puck though, he is positionally sound and doesn't tend to make mistakes in that aspect. Kudelka doesn't hesitate to fire his solid shot, which is quite accurate. He can stand to put on some weight. - Hockeyfutures.com
He has unlimited potential and seems to have no ceiling on his abilities, it's only a matter of time before he is a regular NHL'er. Tomas Kudelka has been a personal favourite of mine since we drafted him and has become the poster boy of consistency.
135th, 2003 Mattias Karlsson 23 6'3", 227lbs
Binghamton Senators 67GP - 8g 41a - 49pim
Karlsson has shown that he has great skills with the puck, and that he can man the point on the power play. He can also handle himself in the defensive end, as his 6’3, 228 lbs body allows him to play physically when called upon. If he improves his foot speed, which is sorely lacking, he should get a long look in training camp next season to make the NHL. - Hockeyfutures.com
Mattias is having a break-out season with Bingo, even making the AHL all-star game. If Mattias and Bryan Murray can work out a new contract and keep Mattias in N.A. Expect to see Mattias in a Sens uniform next season as a member of the 3rd pairing.
Obviously you can draw your own conclusions from this, but I'd say the Sens need to find a few more forwards and a young goalie more than another 2 or 3 defensive prospects.
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If you wanted your own electronic copy of the the Pipeline breakdown or the "Top 20 +" list, just send me an e-mail or PM with your e-mail and I will gladly send you a copy. (If you had problems reading either list, they are much easier to read in their spreadsheet format)
Also if you feel, I've unjustly left out a player, let me know who and why, and if you have a valid reason I'll add him to the list.
Mark Christopher
[email protected] 
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