And so it begins.
One of the most eventful off-seasons in Ottawa Senators history is about to evolve into one of the most anticipated regular-season campaigns in years.
Things started gradually, with the Senators rookies gathering on Thursday for a morning skate before heading to Buffalo for a rookie tournament against three of Ottawa’s Atlantic Division rivals – the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres.
The tournament opens Friday for the Senators, with a 3:30 pm ET game against the Bruins rookies at the LECOM Harborcenter. On Sunday at noon, the Sens meet the Habs rookies and on Monday at 1:30 pm, their tournament wraps up with a game against the host Sabres.
Troy Mann, head coach of the AHL Belleville Senators, will coach the rookie Sens, assisted by David Bell, Ben Sexton and goalie coach Justin Peters.
Mann will have some strong players on his bench, led by defenseman Jake Sanderson, expected to be a high-profile addition to Ottawa’s 2022-23 roster. Sanderson, a standout for the University of North Dakota, suffered a string of health issues last season, and had his season cut short by a hand injury that required surgeries. Sanderson, a fifth overall draft pick of the Senators in 2020, has been skating in Ottawa for weeks and looks ready to go in Buffalo.
Forwards Shane Pinto and Ridly Greig are also rebounding from injuries and are on the tournament roster, although development coach Shean Donovan told Le Droit the latter might not play at the tournament. Mads Sogaard is the top goalie prospect for Ottawa.
Pinto, who made the Senators’ NHL roster last year as a 20-year-old rookie out of camp, suffered a shoulder injury after just five games and did not return to action.
In ideal circumstances, Pinto and Sanderson would both have been in Ottawa’s lineup late last season. Instead, the rookie tournament is a nice way for the former UND teammates to ease their way into NHL pre-season action later this month.
Greig’s injury was much more recent. A very effective center for Team Canada at the recent World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Greig took a hit during quarterfinal action against Switzerland and missed the final two games, including the gold-medal win for Canada.
Greig can also score, as he demonstrated to the world in Edmonton.
Fans will also be eager to see winger Tyler Boucher in action, throwing his weight around in Buffalo against other rookies trying to make an impression. Boucher, who left Boston University mid-season to join the Ottawa 67’s, was a robust player for the OHL team and will likely be there again this year. Boucher, the son of former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher, was the Senators’ 10th overall draft pick in 2021.
The best of Ottawa’s rookies will be invited to the NHL team’s main camp, which begins Sept. 21 at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Rather quickly, the Senators’ pre-season schedule kicks off with a pair of games in Toronto against the Maple Leafs on Sept. 24.
Fans can’t wait to see their Senators in action, after a summer in which the team added forwards Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat to their roster and extended center Tim Stützle with an eight-year, $66.8 million contract.
Ottawa Senators 2022 rookie tournament roster
Goaltenders: Kevin Mandolese (Atlanta – ECHL, Belleville – AHL), Jakob Robillard (Sherbrooke – QMJHL), Mads Søgaard (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL).
Defensemen: Xavier Bernard (Atlanta – ECHL, Belleville – AHL), Jorian Donovan (Hamilton – OHL), Maxence Guenette (Belleville – AHL), Tomas Hamara (Tappara U20 – SM-sarja, KeuPa – Mestis, Tappara – Liiga), Zachary Massicotte ( Shawinigan – QMJHL), Ben Roger (London – OHL, Kingston – OHL), Chandler Romeo (Hamilton – OHL, Sarnia – OHL), Jake Sanderson (North Dakota – NCHC).
Forwards: Tyler Boucher (Boston University – H-East, Ottawa – OHL), Angus Crookshank (Did not play), Philippe Daoust (Saint John – QMJHL, Belleville – AHL), Ridly Greig (Brandon – WHL, Belleville – AHL), Roby Jarventie (Belleville – AHL), Carson Latimer (Edmonton – WHL, Prince Albert – WHL), Zakary Lavoie (Mississauga – OHL), Viktor Lodin (Timrå – SHL, Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Kyle McDonald (Windsor – OHL, North Bay – OHL), Jacob Newcombe (Chicoutimi – QMJHL), Zack Ostapchuk (Vancouver – WHL), Shane Pinto (Ottawa – NHL), Milo Roelens (Sherbrooke – QMJHL), Reid Valade (Kitchener – OHL), Dalyn Wakely (North Bay – OHL).
Schedule
Friday, Sept. 16: Boston vs. Ottawa, 3:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, Sept. 18: Ottawa vs. Montreal, 12 p.m. ET
Monday, Sept. 19: Buffalo vs. Ottawa, 1:30 p.m. ET
(All games in Buffalo)