Kevin Francis: Sens training camp/Fanfest/Hockey Nation Live Podcast Tonight!

Kevin Francis: Sens training camp/Fanfest/Hockey Nation Live Podcast Tonight!
- Kevin Francis

Like the name of the teams !!

All 3 need to be in the organization for good! 2/3 so far, Alfie will come

Team groupings are interesting.

Looks like they have been set up to facilitate a rapid cutdown to more manageable numbers within a few days of camp opening up.

Thinking you can easily take one goalie, two Dmen and three forwards from each group after Saturday's double header against the Leafs.

Sens insist they are committed to avoiding a bad start. Can't spend too much time fooling around with pretenders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcbKh3S41-A

link for tonights podcast

Ridly Greig wont start training camp.

I'm looking for Mark Kastelic to take the 4C spot and one of Thomson or Brannstrom to beat out Zaitsev. Given that Parker Kelly is on a one way, I'd like to see him in the AHL - I love the energy but not the penalties and the results.

So it looks like Formenton is being sat on until the hockey Canada finishes up their investigation, what’s that mean for Batherson?

I mean, if you’re keeping one, why not keep the other?

So it looks like Formenton is being sat on until the hockey Canada finishes up their investigation, what’s that mean for Batherson?

I mean, if you’re keeping one, why not keep the other?
- CooCooKaChoo

This past week speaks volumes about what Dorion knows. He signs Motte and has refused to speak about Alex all summer. He goes out of his way not to mention him by name when resigning players. The fact that Batherson is at camp tells you Dorion and the Sens were told he is in the clear and not one of the 3 players that are majorily involved in this. Otherwise, Drake wouldn't be at camp either. Dorion's silence tells you all you need to know about Alex. Then you sign 2 more forwards to PTO's. Let's face it guys, Formenton is probably in a huge amount of poop but nobody wants to say it.

I'm looking for Mark Kastelic to take the 4C spot and one of Thomson or Brannstrom to beat out Zaitsev. Given that Parker Kelly is on a one way, I'd like to see him in the AHL - I love the energy but not the penalties and the results.
- SensFan25

Give me Kastelic too, let the youth play and he showed he belonged last year. Gambrell on the other head was a healthy scratch too much when the team was short all year due to injuries and covid, but they re-sign him. Go figure.

If anyone has yet to listen to Kevin on that podcast, you should. The last 2 weeks he gave more stories and info on the Sens than any media member in this market. Nice work Kevin.

I'm looking for Mark Kastelic to take the 4C spot and one of Thomson or Brannstrom to beat out Zaitsev. Given that Parker Kelly is on a one way, I'd like to see him in the AHL - I love the energy but not the penalties and the results.
- SensFan25

I wouldn't hold my breath on Kastelic... especially with just 16GP in the NHL, and if there's any truth to the Formenton issue. It's a pretty simple matter of asset management, and who is waivers-exempt and who isn't. None of Gambrell, Kelly, or Hawryluk can be sent to the AHL without clearing waivers, but Kastelic can. Given the relatively limited impact of a 4th line role and the marginal difference between the current NHL upside of any of those players, why risk losing a depth player right out of training camp? Plus, I think you'll see them sign Brassard as well. There's just too much of an injury risk with Pinto for them to go into a critical season without any kind of experienced depth at C.

Generally folks on Sens threads have been patient in respect of the unfolding Hockey Canada story and how it might specifically impact Ottawa players.

If anyone is impatient with the lack of communication from the Sens front office it is important to keep the story in perspective, First, this is important enough that the league (direct from Bettman on down) will have adopted and is enforcing a "no comment" rule for everyone, including ownership, management, coaches and players. Second, the team's lawyers will have vigorously advised that any comment in any direction will likely deeply offend one interest group or another and must be avoided.

Even if they have an agreement with Formenton for a contract, the league would likely insist that it not be announced or registered until the investigation has been concluded. To move forward would appear to be prejudging the outcome of the investigation.

We should not dismiss the attacks on Connor McDavid for him merely saying Hockey Canada had been good to him and he was proud to have played for Team Canada.

So, I was surprised that Smith actually said as much as he did in terms of being hopeful of having Formenton back and working on the penalty kill.

Team C looks strong.

So it looks like Formenton is being sat on until the hockey Canada finishes up their investigation, what’s that mean for Batherson?

I mean, if you’re keeping one, why not keep the other?
- CooCooKaChoo

Batherson got a contract before the organization was aware of his possible involvement in the WJC incident. Innocent until proven guilty, you let him play. But it works the opposite way with Formenton - guilty until proven innocent. Signing the player before the investigation is concluded, in hindsight of what occurred, wouldn't be appropriate. The only players who might have been involved that were signed this off season all unequivocally said they weren't involved in the incident at hand (eg Thomas, Gadjovich, Mete). Formenton remained silent, as did Batherson. If Formenton had arb rights, he may have gotten a one year deal as I doubt the Sens would want to give up on a player with his skill set, though more likely the team would have asked him to waive those rights. The fact he doesn't have arb rights gives them a clear buffer to wait and see what happens with the investigation. All said, Batherson's status with the team is still very much up in the air depending on what the investigation reveals - he remains with the team because he is under contract. Had Batherson been an RFA, he'd also still be unsigned.

Wonder if the news about Couturier's re-injury plus the the general pessimism around the Flyers this year might be a reason for them to consider trading Ristolainen, in order to secure some valuable picks/young assets? It's definitely the right year for them to do a minor burn-down, given the high-level of competition in their division, plus the Connor Bedard lottery prize. Also, they only gave up a 1st/2nd pick to acquire him from BUF, so it's not like a 1st/quality D-prospect wouldn't be a potentially enticing offer.

Or, if you assume PHI doesn't have patience for an actual re-build, and instead want to go full-crazy train shake-up... how about a 3-way deal with CHI, where PHI gets Seth Jones (who just seems like an obvious fit in PHI), OTT gets Ristolainen, and CHI gets Zaitsev plus a major haul or picks/prospects from both OTT/PHI as part of their scorched-Earth rebuild. Incredibly unlikely, but it would certainly be a major splash all-around, and build on the major rebuild trade that CHI-OTT did earlier in the summer.

So many Sens fans picking up on the positive vibes coming off the team.

Lots of the things to be positive about.

In the excitement of the last few months I to forgot to say I love this team.

Back on the Chychrun front, there have been suggestions that he may have now formally requested a trade from ARI. Not sure this changes much, but it may apply some pressure for some kind of resolution.

Back on the Chychrun front, there have been suggestions that he may have now formally requested a trade from ARI. Not sure this changes much, but it may apply some pressure for some kind of resolution.
- khawk

I talked about it last night on the podcast, first to report it. He absolutely has!

Ethan Bear

https://thehockeynews.com...tors-linked-to-ethan-bear

The Locked On Senators podcast was suggesting that they've declared that Josh Norris was the person who came into training camp in the best condition, with honourable mentions to both Mark Kastelic and Jake Sanderson. It's undeniably impressive for Sanderson to arrive in camp in that kind of condition, given the injury issues last season.

Ethan Bear

https://thehockeynews.com...tors-linked-to-ethan-bear
- Kevin Francis

that you be typical Dorion to go dumpster diving behind a store rather than going into the store to get a actual top 4 D....

at this point i am convinced dorion is keeping all the prospect to replace expensive, current players in a few years

that you be typical Dorion to go dumpster diving behind a store rather than going into the store to get a actual top 4 D....

at this point i am convinced dorion is keeping all the prospect to replace expensive, current players in a few years
- Mithos

I watched press conference and came to opposite conclusion. First, Dorion said he would rather act now (not wait) to deal for a quality D addition. Second, he also said that the Sens still have good cap space available. Third, he was purposely evasive talking D combinations saying it would work out. Fourth, he wants to be a playoff contender and buyer at the trade deadline.

If he wants to be a playoff contender he needs to upgrade the top 4 before the season starts.

https://www.tsn.ca/NHL/vi...anada-sexual-assa~2526878

Batherson speaks about the 2018 Hockey Canada Investigation. Largely a no comment, but first time for him.

Nothing from Forementon still.

Generally folks on Sens threads have been patient in respect of the unfolding Hockey Canada story and how it might specifically impact Ottawa players.

If anyone is impatient with the lack of communication from the Sens front office it is important to keep the story in perspective, First, this is important enough that the league (direct from Bettman on down) will have adopted and is enforcing a "no comment" rule for everyone, including ownership, management, coaches and players. Second, the team's lawyers will have vigorously advised that any comment in any direction will likely deeply offend one interest group or another and must be avoided.

Even if they have an agreement with Formenton for a contract, the league would likely insist that it not be announced or registered until the investigation has been concluded. To move forward would appear to be prejudging the outcome of the investigation.

We should not dismiss the attacks on Connor McDavid for him merely saying Hockey Canada had been good to him and he was proud to have played for Team Canada.

So, I was surprised that Smith actually said as much as he did in terms of being hopeful of having Formenton back and working on the penalty kill.
- spatso

wont something please think of the Ottawa players, the league, Mcdavid and the penalty kill...the real victims in this -spatso