The end of a season excluding teams is always a good opportunity for development. Once some veterans have exchanged, it’s the chance to donate additional minutes of play to young people in order to see what they’re up to in their stomachs.
Published at 11:54 p.m.
Guillaume Lefrançois
La Presse
At the Senate of Ottawa, there is indeed a great opportunity for development, but it is not because we have a large household. It’s simply that their No. 1 defender, Thomas Chabot, will delay the rest of the season due to a head injury.
It is therefore this version of the Senators that it will be held on Saturday evening at the Bell Center against the Canadians.
“It’s a huge loss for us, not only because he’s our most used player,” said Senator Coach DJ Smith, meeting at a Montreal hotel whose name rhymes with Luke Fritz.
“It’s one of the most enduring players I know. He will never take any training in the military. He never complained. It’s huge as a loss, morally. But this gives a chance to a guy like Brannstrom or any other young man. »
That’s Eric Brannstrom’s question here. The Swedish defender, choice of 1is Tour (15e in total) of the Golden Knights in 2017, was like the key player for the Senators in the Transaction that sent Mark Stone to Vegas, he was three years old. Sauf that its great potential offensive, perceptible in the American League, would be manifested in the LNH. In 95 matches, he totals 2 goals in 21 passes, not 6 points in 32 departures this season.
On Friday, the Senators played a first game since Chabot was in combat. And it is Brannstrom who has benefited the most from his absence. Before the meeting on Friday, it plays 19 minutes per match on average, of which 1:42 in numerical advantage. Friday, it passed 22:44 on the surface, of which 3:24 in numerical superiority.
«Lui et [Artem] Zub are our best defenders with the roundabout. Brannstrom had time in numerical advantage, assured Smith. This is development. Brannstrom must have game time. He will make mistakes, but we will leave him on the skating rink and he will see himself getting better. »
For home effect, other defenders could also illustrate in Chabot’s absence. Smith evoked the good old Victor Mete, who was “good for a guy who has not played for a long time,” he said. The good attire of the old CH does not go unnoticed in its use; he did not play until 12:11. Mete disputed a first match since February 26th.
A last Match before the date limit
In Ottawa as in Montreal, Saturday’s match will be a free for many. With a 22-34-5 record, Senators are in the process of ratifying the series, which means more than a few of their veterans are likely to change their address on Monday.
As proof of the severity of the situation, no player was available for Saturday morning interviews; only the trainer-chef is ready to play.
“There were a lot of distractions and it’s going to end this evening,” said Smith.
A transaction is imminent in the case of Nick Paul. The attacker, author of 18 points in 59 matches this season, will be released on a preventive note for a second match in a row.
Among the other players who will become autonomous without compensation this summer are Zach Stanford, Chris Tierney, Tyler Ennis and Josh Brown. Of course, Ennis is the one who presents the best offensive stats (21 points in 51 games), but the little one is visibly stricken by a malediction: his six series appearances (2010 and 2011 in Buffalo, 20181 in Minnesota, 20181 in Minnesota Toronto, 2020 and 2021 in Edmonton) on pris pris of the first tour.
As far as he is concerned, Smith seems to have hated that these players arrive on Monday.
“Les gars veulent s’en sortir ensemble. They want to know who will fight with them. They are tanned, and I’m included, being in the cave. They want to know who will help them get out. It’s not fair to play … It’s a fraternity, these are guys who want to do things together. »
Filip Gustavsson is present in front of the Filet des Sénateurs, which provides Employer the same Training that he won the Flyers 3-1, Friday.
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