With the discussion leaning towards expected point production, it's only fair to plug Sportsnet's Chris Nichols latest fantasy hockey column since he spends a significant portion of it covering some Senators players like Kovalev, Erik Karlsson, and Elliott/Leclaire. (Ed. note: Plus he has the added benefit of having a sweet last name.)

For the past few weeks, the struggle to find pertinent and entertaining Senators news stories has reminded me of last summer's Dany Heatley situation. Like an honest Heatley explanation, nothing seems to be forthcoming. Unless yesterday's news that Rick Wamsley has been hired as the team's new goaltending coach quenches your thirst for Senators information. (Ed. note: Frankly, it saddens me. That's not to say that I have anything against the guy who's best known for being a throw in in that infamous Douggie Gilmour to Toronto trade. It's just that with Wamsley's hiring, it essentially puts an end to the John Stevenson Bad Hair Era in Ottawa. RIP - July 28th, 2010.)

In a one-sport town like Ottawa it's been unquestionably difficult to fill the pages and appease this city's hockey starved fanatics. It's the days like these that really makes me wonder whether this offseason has been one of the worst from a coverage perspective in team history. If last summer was the Summer of Heatley, this year it's the Summer of Refurbished Associated Press Clippings. The same mundane stories seem to get recirculated from the mainstream media, to the forums and alternative media websites. When much of the offseason focus is drawn towards the incumbent fourth liners and the prospects who are trying to push them for a roster spot, it's no wonder that stories like the Jason Spezza trade request and Fisher/Underwood are getting so much run. There's simply not that much else to discuss...

It's for this reason that it has become clear that in retrospect, last summer's Heatley saga came as a blessing in disguise. No, not for the fans who had to endure watching their city and franchise have their images be dragged through the mud by a selfish malcontent who refused to leave the comfort of his Kelowna home. Thanks to the powers of social networking, the internet and the general dickheadedness of most (if not all) Maple Leaf fans, we had to endure the wrath and teasing that comes naturally when a star player wants to leave the market. And after years of watching the likes of Chara, Hossa, Havlat, Heatley and Randy Robitaille leave, Sens fans have justifiably been very sensitive about having Ottawa labelled as a city where no one wants to play.

So although this summer's been generally devoid of drama and storylines, fans should be loving it. However, for the writers or anyone who attempts to cover this team on a consistent basis, it's been agonizing. I miss the fact that last summer, for every day and in seemingly every publication, there was some content worthy of discussion. 

Thankfully, with each passing day, we're this much closer to the start of training camp. And with the official announcement that Kurt Kleinendorst has taken over the head coaching duties for the Binghamton Senators, everything seems set. The roster and the coaching staffs are in place. \(Ed. note: And if you needed further evidence that the hockey season is almost here, Twitter fiend, Dany Heatley Speedwagon has demonstrated that he can write more than 140 characters.)

With everything lined up, perhaps there's no better opportunity to present my list of 20 reasons to be excited about the Senators for the 2010/11 season.

Without further ado...

1) Milan Michalek's ACL

It's not often that someone would get excited about the return of a player coming off major knee surgery. However, Milan's no ordinary player. He stated this week that he has resumed skating and he firmly believes that he will be ready for the start of training camp. What makes matters interesting is that Milan had a hard time skating on two legs last season. Whenever he would carry the puck into the offensive zone, he had a tendency to inexplicably fall on his own accord. Imagine what he can do on one leg? The combination of unintentional comedy and frustration that will come from Milan's return is going to be off the charts. I can't wait.

2) Contract Years

With their contracts set to expire on July 1st , 2011. The trio of Alexei Kovalev, Chris Phillips and Pascal Leclaire are headed towards important seasons. In the case of Phillips, he'll be counted upon to be a steadying presence on the blueline. Will the loss of his former defensive partner - Anton Volchenkov - to free agency adversely affect him? Will he be able to transition smoothly to his new partner? Will he take a hometown discount to remain a lifelong Senator?

Given the circumstances, many will lazily look at Kovalev's impending unrestricted free agent status and say something along the lines of, "He's a Russian entering a contract year. Of course he'll be better this season."  Looking past his free agent status, a deeper look at Kovalev's numbers reveal some consistency. In four of the past five seasons, Kovalev has put up a varying 65, 84, 65 and 49 total points. However, in these same seasons he's produced 32, 35, 31 and 35 even strength points respectively.If the addition of Sergei Gonchar can help return Kovalev to his previous power play point norms, there's reason to assume that he can turn into the prominent power play specialist that this team needs. And if he doesn't, whatever. He's gone at the end of the year anyways and management can use the $5 million in cap savings to improve the team.

Between his performance against the Penguins in the Stanley Cup quarterfinals and the aforementioned hiring of Rick Wamsley, I may have some naive beliefs that he can return to the form that he once exhibited during that one glorious season in Columbus. Naturally, this belief will leave me once Leclaire inevitably hits the IR for the first time this year with some minor injury. Regardless, this season may be one of Leclaire's final opportunities to establish that he can be a reliable number one starter in the league.

3) Chris Kelly's Hockey IQ

I have to admit, I'm never going to be the president for the Ottawa chapter of the Chris Kelly fanclub. Mainly for the reason that his IQ, much like Mike Fisher's heavy shot or Wade Redden's first pass, is vastly overstated. It's just one of those things that the mainstream media love to talk about. I call it the Gord Wilson effect. I can't help but feel like almost every NHL team has a checking line center like him. Or maybe the over saturation of the topic has made me take his hockey mensa for granted. Regardless, he deserves some sort of credit for carrying Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil to one of their most productive seasons ever.

Which leads me to...

4) Chris Neil and Jarkko Ruutu

Gritty. An unnerving ability to get under the skin of their oppenents. These two third liners have a lot in common. Yet, despite these similarities, these players have some important differences. For one thing, Chris Neil never has any idea for why he is the recipient of a penalty call. Every call against Neil ends with the infamous Chris Neil Penalty Face. (Ed. note: A mixed look of incredulty and confusion. Like he just found out that he made a terrible financial investment. The result? Priceless.) Ruutu, on the other hand, often heads off to the box smiling. Proud of what the referee didn't see him do. On the ice, you know exactly what you're going to get from Neil -- veteran leadership and those raising the roof gestures that come after each one of fights on home ice. With Ruutu, you never know what he's capable of doing out there. Whether he's biting fingers or inciting Adam Mair, I wonder how Luke Richardson lives with himself knowing that it's a joke that Ottawa has to protect Ruutu all season long.

5) A Fixed Power Play

For anyone who watched the majority of the team's games last season, one of the most frustrating things to watch was the ineptitude of the power play. (Ed. note: Or Ryan Shannon's inability to put the puck in the net.) With a 16.9% success rate, the Senators finished the season tied for the 22nd worst rate in the league. There's some hope that the continued development of Erik Karlsson and the inclusion of Gonchar can dramatically improve matters. If not, maybe Greg Carvel, who has exhibited an uncanny OJ Simpson'esque ability to escape judgment, will eventually be held accountable.

6) More Carrie Underwood

...because I could totally dig more Don Brennan Sun exclusives. 

7) The Media
Ah, the local media. The bane of many a Sens fan's existence. Case in point: The Ottawa Sun's sports editor, Tim Baines, felt compelled to write this entry on his own blog in response to the criticisms that his newspaper received over the course of this summer. (Ed. note: Thank you to whomever felt compelled to plug our podcasts in Tim Baines' comment section.) In some circles, the the media members of this fair city are portrayed as villains for some of the stories and angles that they sometimes pursue. Is it fair? Probably not but I do get a kick out of it.

8) Eugene Melnyk

Last season, The Euge criticized Jim Balsillie for the way that he tried to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and get into the NHL's version of the gentleman's club. The season before he encouraged anybody that says we should blow up this organization should get their own bomb and blow themselves up.

It all begs the question: What will The Euge say this season?

9) Mike Fisher

If Mike was a NFL player, he's likely the kind of toolsy player who would have seen his draft stock soar during the combine workouts that take place before the Entry Draft. Size and speed? Mike has both. Strength? Fish has it in spades. The Wonderlic test? He somehow managed to wheel Carrie Underwood. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here.

Unfortunately, Mike's never been able to put it all together. He's forever been a tease of talent. It's the reason why Bryan Murray gave him that big contract following the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. Like Murray, we all expected him to get better and get to that 30 goal and 60 point thresholds that he should be capable of. Take last year for example, Mike had set himself up to shatter his previous high in points. (Albeit, he still did post career marks.) Early in the year, the game had slowed down for him. He was holding onto the puck that extra split-second and allowed himself to make the smarter and better play. However, towards the latter stages of the season, he reverted into that robotic player that we've all grown accustomed to. You know, the one who skates down the wing as quickly as possible. Then he puts everything into his shot. Which almost always misses high and wide. Without skipping a beat, Fish skates into the corner to retrieve the puck and either hits the defenceman with as much force as possible to create a turnover or chases the puck possesor down the length of the ice... and repeat.

Every year I keep thinking that maybe this will be the year that Mike breaks out. Fortunately if he doesn't, there's always next year.

10) Peter Regin

Without any leverage, Regin essentially had to come to terms with what management was offering before his arbitration hearing. Inked to a two-year, $1 million per annum deal, we can now enjoy the next two years knowing that we have a cost effective offensive contributor who can play on the top line. Will Regin be able to continue the play that he exhibited in the playoffs? Will his highlight reel goals translate into more production? Regardless, he's the best homegrown offensive forward that this organization has drafted since Jason Spezza.

11) Alfie!

The captain's point production has dropped for the third consecutive season, but that doesn't mean he's done. As the consummate team player, when he's not contributing on the ice, he's ensuring that Erik Karlsson is tucked in past past bedtime. Am I concerned that his willingness to play through significant injuries (Ed. note: like last year's sports hernia) will take its toll? Absolutely, but that doesn'tmean that I'm not going to stop tuning in to watch him play.

12) The Eastern Conference

Has anyone else noticed that the rest of the Eastern Conference hasn't really improved much? Besides the expected improvements from young teams that are building from within (Ed. note: the Isles, Lightning, the Leafs and to a lesser extent, Atlanta.), no team in the East has resolved the question marks that stemmed from last season. Philadelphia still lacks a goalie. Washington's roster is riddled with flakes. Pittsburgh continues to surround its number one center with two bad wingers that makes Ottawa's old Ministry of Offence line look good by comparison.

13) An Offensive Blueline

"It’s great to block shots but I would like the other team to block shots. And you do that by having the puck, helping your forwards get the attack going and by being creative, particularly from the (defence)." ~ Bryan Murray

Gone are the physical prowess and shot blocking ability of Anton Volchenkov and Andy Sutton. I'm sure at some point this season, I'm going to miss their qualities. However, I can tell you right now, I'm not going to miss them doing their best Omar Khadr impersonations and pass the puck around like it's a grenade.

In their place, an emphasis has been placed on a quick puck moving style that should help facilitate the transition game. Sergei Gonchar and a healthy Filip Kuba will assume A-Train and Sutton's roster spots. Add in growth and maturity of Erik Karlsson, who's entering his sophomore year, can only help. (Ed. note: Please no sophomore slump. Please no sophomore slump. Please no sophomore slump.)

Although this summer's moves do leave the team a little light in the grit and physicality department, it's indicative that Bryan Murray and the rest of the braintrust feel that it's cheaper and easier to acquire a defensively inclined blueliner than it is to overpay to retain the services of Volchenkov and Sutton. Whether this philosophical change will positively impact the team's success on the ice, remains to be seen, however, this change in direction of the blueline has me intrigued. At the very least, there should be hope that this new up-tempo style will translate into a more entertaining style that sees the team score more goals. And if it doesn't, the blame will lie directly on management's shoulders.

14) December 2nd

Sometimes it's a little hard to believe that we cared this much about a player who plays the game like he's the right-winger on a table top hockey game. Skating in straight lines. Avoiding the corners. Useless once the puck is out of the offensive zone. Dany Heatley, what a beaut. It's weird how when he left, it struck me that for a player who lit the lamp quite as frequently as he did, we never really knew a thing about this guy. Players like Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher, Chris Phillips, Marian Hossa... I feel like I know these guys and what they're all about. With Heatley, I never had the same connection. As the December 2nd date approaches, the amount of animosity and media coverage is going to be incredible. And that's before we experience the crowd reactions and the game outcome. Hopefully he's healthy enough to play when the time comes around.

15) Filip Kuba

If Filip Kuba were on the dating market, he'd clearly be in the friend zone. He's not the kind of player who you're going to lose a lot of sleep over if he leaves town. (And for good reason.) Despite his relative size (6'4", 226 lbs.), he rarely asserts himself physically against the opposition. Instead, he relies upon strong positioning and he can best be described as one of those players who does things well but nothing exceptionally well. He's the kind of player who people can often take for granted very easily. He's like a third or fourth starter in a baseball rotation. A Jeff Suppan if you will. He may never be a flashy or dominating player, but at least you can count on Kuba to log meaningful minutes on the second pairing without it really ever hurting the team.

16) Jason Spezza

With Jason Spezza, there's always a littany of factors surrounding him. Take last offseason for example when I predicted that by trading Dany Heatley, Jason's dependency on his right-winger would diminish and cause him to develop into a more complete and dynamic center that this team needed. As Ottawa's highest paid player, expectations are always exceedingly high for the number one center. Will he be able to make the players around him better? Will he stop overthinking and investing so much energy into wondering how he is portrayed and focus more on hockey? If he can avoid the nagging back injuries that have plagued him, can he put together his best season? Can he do all of this while everyone's holding their collective breath until the first instance when Jason turns the puck over to see how the fans and media react? Will they come down on him harshly? Or will some early season success create a groundswell of support that could push a Keep Spezza Rally to over 15 gatherers? Now that his NTC is in full effect, how Jason handles the criticisms moving foward is paramount to this team's future success.

So for a player who so desperately wants to be the man, Spezza has a real opportunity here. If he can put all of these distractions behind him and become the player that we all expect him to be (Ed. note: Stevie Yzerman. Hello!), he can forever change his reputation. If he can't and decides to follow in the footsteps of Dany Heatley, he would simply be reinforcing the stereotypes that have plagued him his entire career. Either way, I'll be watching.

17) Bryan Murray

Regardless of how you feel about Ottawa's general manager, you can't deny that he can surprise you with a trade or signing. Unfortunately, like most NHL GMs, his transactions have come with some mixed results. Although it'll be some time before we can properly evaluate whether or not it was prudent to move high draft picks for the likes of Chris Campoli, Mike Comrie, Andy Sutton and Matt Cullen, the acquisition of David Rundblad already looks like it's paying dividends. Considering that the player who St. Louis drafted with Ottawa's 16th overall selection, Vladimir Tarasenko, has apparently signed a contract to play in the KHL.

Even if you can't overlook some of Murray's mistakes, it's difficult to ignore the fact that through some strong drafts and some inexpensive collegiate free agents, on paper, this is the best collection of depth that the Senators have seen at the professional level (Ed. note: both NHL and AHL) in years.

18) The Cupboard Is Full

With the amount of depth and prospects who are on the cusp of cracking the big squad's roster, one of the most prevalent stories heading into camp is the expectation that the likes of Patrick Wiercioch, Bobby Butler, Roman Wick, Jared Cowen, Robin Lehner, Eric Gryba, David Hale, Corey Locke and Cody Bass (Ed. note: remember him?) will push some of the incumbent veterans. (Ed. note: And who knows? Maybe Jim O'Brien will make an appearance.)

Like in every season, injuries are bound to occur. But unlike in years past, we no longer have to worry about filling the void with John Muckler remnants like Josh Hennessy.

As an aside, I'm excited about the possibility that Jared Cowen could make a case for himself at camp. By all accounts, he had a strong rookie development camp and now that's he's more than a year removed from his ACL surgery. Prior to his injury, he had the pedigree of being an expected top five draft selection and now that he's had a summer to do the proper strength and conditioning on his healthy knee, more should be expected of him. With Chris Campoli having signed a one-year contract, a defenceman roster spot is only being kept warm for him.

19) Cory Clouston

With any coach, you're going to have your armchair cynics. It's not uncommon to find fans who critique his constant line juggling or the handling of the goaltenders. But you can't ignore Clouston's results. Since being promoted to the head coaching position, he has gotten them. Even in light of last year's injuries and the loss of a two-time 50-goal scorer, Clouston managed to lead his club to a 5th place finish in the Eastern Conference. With any luck, he'll have Ottawa competing for the Northeast Division crown.

20) ...Because There's Nothing Else to Talk About?

We live in Ottawa. What else is there to get excited about? Public transportation? A new mayoral election? The return of CFL football? Help me out here.

Written today by Michael Sharp on Sharp on the Sens,

On Aug. 23, I will begin my new job writing for and editing magazines in the publications department of the Humane Society of the United States. It's the right move for me at this time, and I'm looking forward to the new challenges it will present. It's always been a goal of mine to someday return home to the greater Washington area, closer to my family, and I was excited to find an opportunity there that allows me to continue both writing and covering a subject that I'm passionate about.

On behalf of everyone at The 6th Sens, I just wanted to take the time to congratulate Michael Sharp on his new job position. Through his work, Michael kept us informed with what was going on down on the farm and he even took the time to make an appearance on one of our podcast episodes. I would like to take this time to wish Michael all of the best moving forward with his new pursuits.

Considering how well the Ottawa Sun's Digital Rountable has gone, it's with a tepid enthusiasm that I welcome you to the first of  monthly Senators blog roundtables featuring Bobby Zijiac (Alabama Panda) from SenShot, Peter Raaymakers from the Silver Seven, SLC from Five for Smiting and myself. Each month, one of these aforementioned people will choose five questions for the panelists to answer and this month, it was Bobby's turn.

Viewer Warning: None of the following was made while operating a motor vehicle and yelling obscenities at a female driver.

Yeah... here it is.

1.Give me your delayed reaction on the Sergei Gonchar signing? Fair or foul? Do you like the contract or do you think it's too long for a person of that age?

Peter, Silver Seven: I still like the Sergei Gonchar signing. Is it longer term than I'd like? Yeah. Is it more expensive than I'd like? Yeah. But Gonchar was one of the best offensive defencemen in the league last season, so I think it's a risk worth taking. Even with some decline in his abilities, Gonchar can still provide--and he should definitely give us a huge powerplay boost. It's tough to predict who he'll be playing with, but he'll most certainly teach Erik Karlsson a lot about controlling a powerplay in the NHL, and that will be great for the kid's development (especially after we saw last season that Karlsson isn't a defensive liability, either). It does concern me that I'm using many of the same justifications for the Gonchar signing as I did for the Alex Kovalev signing a year ago, but not too much.

SLC, Five for Smiting: My delayed reaction to the Gonch is pretty much the same as my immediate reaction: Um...yay? His (potential) impact on Karlsson's learning curve makes me absolutely moist not to mention the instant upgrade to the PP. BUT...I can't help but worry about the overall softness of the D now that A-Train and Sutton (apparently) are gone. It's all well and good for The Bryan to say "I want other teams to block our shots for a change", but I have this recurring nightmare of Colby Armstrong or Kris Versteeg turning 55 into a long red smear on the forecheck before playing keep-away for ten minutes. My head says this was an awesome signing (if one year too long). My gut says one of the kids Pete mentions damn well better make the team out of camp to add some testicular fortitude, or we're screwed. I can't help it. It's Pavlovian.

Bobby, SenShot: For me, signing a top flight offensive defenseman was Bryan Murray's top priority all along. He was able to snatch the best one on the market by the name of Sergei Gonchar. Although I'm a tad bit frightened with his defensive play in the Montreal series, his contract is understandable and he should be able to earn every penny of it. Watch out for Gonch and Alex Kovalev next year on the Power Play.

Graeme, The 6th Sens: For all of the power play inefficiencies for the past few seasons, I'm surprised that Gonchar's addition hasn't been more well received by the Ottawa faithful. Whether or not you feel that the contract may have been one year too long for a player of Gonchar's age, it was a necessary evil that ensured that he'd leave a Conference rival to sign in Ottawa. And at $5.5 million per annum, it's fair dollar for a player who is going to be playing top pairing minutes.

Peter: I'm happy with the Chris Campoli signing, though. It's a little more than I was expecting, but I really liked what I saw from Campoli towards the end of last season and into the playoffs, and it's such a short contract that it just gives us an opportunity to see if his hernia-ridden season last year wasn't an indication of his potential. It's a small price to pay (relatively speaking) to find out what we gave up a first-round draft pick for. And he's still a restricted free agent after this season, anyway.

SLC: Now that the deal is done, I can say absolutely and without doubt or prejudice that Murray overpaid. $1.4M for a small, relatively soft (see?? DING! Told ya. Can't help it) kid with a decent if not great first pass is too much and sure as hell not worth the first round pick we gave up to get him. Frankly, I wouldn't have been all that heartbroken to see him walk. That said, the length of the contract should tell us something about Murray's intentions and/or true faith in Campoli. May as well make the cheque payable to "Dude keeping the seat warm for Jared Cowen".

Bobby: Chris Campoli has never found that "something" that Bryan Murray traded a first-round pick for. However, I like this signing because it's only one-year and for a guy like Camper $1.4 million is at most reasonable. However, I'm not as excited as I was with the Foligno and Regin signings.

Graeme: From questioning whether or not it was prudent to move a 1st round pick in a deal for Chris Campoli and Mike Comrie, to questioning whether or not he's even worthy of having a Senators' blogosphere roundtable question devoted to him, it's funny how far Campoli's stock has fallen. Having signed a $1.4 million deal, I can live with the fact that he's inevitably keeping the seat warm until one of Ottawa's heralded blueline prospects is ready to make the jump.

3. The off-season has surrounded this Jason Spezza drama for the Ottawa Senators. Do you think it was just hardball for Bryan Murray, or did Spezza actually contemplate leaving Ottawa?

Peter: I don't think it was hardball from Bryan Murray, and I don't think it was Jason Spezza genuinely wanting to leave town. I think it was an emotional reaction to the continuing unfair treatment from Senators fans, and it was blown into a huge controversy thanks to some irresponsible and sensationalistic yellow journalism from the Ottawa Sun. I don't think it was ever the big issue that it was presented as. SLC: Oh, for Christ's sake, can we please stop talking about this?? Please? Two worthless gasbag Cox-wannabe typists had so much fun with the Heatley soap opera last summer that they needed something to recapture the contact high of actually being taken seriously during the off season and turned a molehill into the world's biggest ass pimple. I have no doubt Giggles complained to Murray about the booing. I have no doubt Murray listened with a sympathetic ear. And I have no doubt that Murray knew trading a League wide top-ten centre for the equivalent of a bag of pucks and another Cheechoo would cost him his job. Jason isn't, and never was, going anywhere.

Bobby: Personally, if Jason Spezza really wanted to leave Ottawa, he would have asked for a trade. He didn't, though, and that's why I believe Jason is fully committed to winning in Ottawa. The Bryan really just wanted to scour the market for some good offers, but we all know how the Dany Heatley trade came out. You never get fair value for a top-flight forward such as Spezza.

Graeme: The whole Jason Spezza angle has been blown out of proportion. Regrettably, too much of Bryan Murray's private conversation with Spezza became public knowledge. Whether or not you buy into Don Brennan's belief that Bryan Murray's candour was contrived to punish Spezza, I'm inclined to believe that Murray took up Spezza's offer and examined the trade market to see if it'd be beneficial to the organization and it wasn't. It's too bad we can't send this to minors where we can bury non-story like it is Wade Redden's cap hit.

4. Down on the farm team, there should be a huge battle for the No.1 goaltender position between Mike Brodeur and Robin Lehner? Who's your early favourite to win the job?

Peter: I think Mike Brodeur and Robin Lehner will probably split duty in the AHL. Lehner is a blue-chip prospect, and the Senators' brass won't allow him to spend most of the season sitting on the bench. On the other hand, Brodeur is only one year removed from an AHL All-Star season; he won't take kindly to being benched too often, either. If (when?) either Pascal Leclaire or Brian Elliott sustain an injury, I think it's more likely Brodeur will ride the pine in Ottawa, while Lehner playing top dog in Bingo. If not, they'll probably be 1A and 1B on the farm.

SLC: Unlike Pete (who, I should add, is a much better person than I [Ed. note: Probably not. -PR), I have no qualms about bruising the tender sensibilities of career minor league journeymen. For better or for worse, Gigantor is the (latest) designated franchise saviour for the next ten years, and as such needs as much time and as many games between the pipes in Bingo as he can handle. He's done all he can in junior and letting him ride the pine in the A in order to spare Mike Brodeur's feelings wouldn't be doing the big club any favours down the road. Of course, having said that, Lehner will be given the job, Mike will demand a trade and five years from now he pulls a Timmy Thomas and fries our ass 4-0 in the Final with three shutouts for...say...Edmonton.

Bobby:  I would love to see Robin Lehner steal to job under Mike Brodeur's nose, and even though I can't make a prediction before Binghamton gets a new coach, I believe the victor will be Brodeur, but by slim margins. Simply, he has more experience in net and offers more to the team than Lehner will, for now.

Graeme: Interesting battle here. The Golden Swedish Saviour who is destined to end almost two decades of Ottawa goaltending mediocrity or that guy who gets way too much credit for kick-starting Ottawa's 11-game winning streak last season. Ultimately, I expect the two to split the duties evenly as the new Binghamton coach tries to balance winning now with putting Lehner in the best position to succeed at the NHL-level.

5. Give me your predictions for the rest of the off-season. Will Ottawa sign anyone or trade anyone, or will they stay pat?

Peter: I think Ottawa will stick with their current lineup through the off-season, at least until training camp starts. If Jared Cowen or Patrick Wiercioch (or maybe even Eric Gryba) makes waves in camp, I imagine the Senators will probably try to trade one of their defenders (my money's on Brian Lee, although he could still have a good training camp) or perhaps even waive someone, similar to what happened with Christoph Schubert at the beginning of last season.

SLC: With everybody under contract, I'd have to say what you see is what you get, barring any truly mind blowing revelations coming out of camp (and even then, there are too many one way contracts on the roster to make even that a possibility...go ahead, tell me why Jesse Winchester shouldn't be replaced by Zack Smith). I'll go with Pete here and put Lee in slot 1 and 1a on the trading block.

But at the end of the day, when you think about it most of the arguments around next year's team revolve around fourth line wingers and sixth D-men. And that's a pretty awesome problem to be having, isn't it? Damn. Drop the puck already.

Bobby: I'm in the belief that Ottawa still needs to sign one more Top-Nine Forward, but with the recent re-signings, they only have less than $2 million left in cap room, which isn't good enough. So, they won't get anyone on the free-agent market, but I could see them clearing some space on D and move a guy like Brian Lee or even Filip Kuba.

Graeme: My prediction for the rest of the offseason? No more moves, unless they're of the 2-way contract variety. It looks as though management wants to retain as many assets as they can until camp starts to promote the whole competition from within philosophy. Unlike in years passed, the depth in Ottawa means that there aren't many (if any) roster spots up for grabs. I'm hoping this leads to an incredibly competitive camp that sees some of Ottawa's heralded prospects seize the opportunity and push the veterans. And even if some of the blue-chippers can't crack the opening day lineup, the competition to be the first emergency call up should be intriguing sub-plot to the season.

Now that former Senators blueliner, Andy Sutton, has signed a 2-year contract with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks worth $4.25 million, you can officially cue the bellyaches and moans from the bleeding heart Senators fans. You know, the same kind of fans who shaven't gotten over ScotiaBank Place being situated in Kanata instead of at Lebreton Flats. In the next few days, I expect something similar to the following sentence to become en vogue:

"At almost $2.0 million per season, why didn't Bryan Murray let Chris Campoli and Ryan Shannon walk for nothing and re-sign Andy Sutton?!? Murray misses the boat... again."

Obviously there are some concerns now that Mount Sutton has moved on. Without his and Volchenkov's presence, Ottawa's blueline lacks a discernable physical threat. (Ed. note: Although Matt Carkner's a fine pugilist, he not a feared open ice hitter.) And in Filip Kuba's absence, the player who provided us with the memorable "Are you an expert?" quote, proved to be a valuable defensive partner for Erik Karlsson. 

Despite what Sutton brought to the table, he ultimately lacked the footspeed to keep up with the elite forwards of the Eastern Conference. Simply put, the man moves slower than a Kyle Wellwood bowel movement. (Ed. note: There's a reason why Greg Carvel's diagrammed whiteboard plays would never represent Andy Sutton's X movement.) At risk of using a small sample size to illustrate his shortcomings, the Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup with Pittsburgh showcase everything that was Andy Sutton. After his infamous hit on Jordan Leopold (the physical), Sutton was affected psychologically and reverted, out of fear that he would draw a penalty, into a passive style. (Ed. note: It's almost akin to the arguments made in Zdeno Chara's walk year. With the exception that Chara was a dynamic two-way workhorse who could log 25-30 minutes of ice-time per game.) Once this physicality was removed from his game, Sutton strictly became a large obstacle in front of the net who was devoted exclusively to blocking shots.

For the next few days, it's going to be intriguing to see whether the same cynical criticisms of the Gonchar addition, are made of Sutton. For his age and price, could Ottawa afford to give an aging defensive blueliner a multi-year contract? Personally, I'm not convinced. Especially when it would not only cost the team more dollars, it would also create one less roster spot for a promising young prospect in the fall of 2011.

For the second consecutive day, another one of Ottawa's restricted free agents signed on the dotted line before his arbitration case was heard. Yesterday it was Peter Regin and today it was Chris Campoli's turn. By agreeing to terms with management to a one year $1.4 million deal, it likely signifies the last one-way contract that Bryan Murray will extend to a player before training camp opens up this fall.

According to CapGeek.com, with that cap hit, Ottawa now a little under $1.3 million in cap space to address their roster. Considering that Murray has historically opted to preserve a bit of a cap cushion, barring a trade, it looks as though management will preserve the status quo and use training camp as an exercise of competition from within.

Getting back to Campoli...

In an interesting development, he revealed to Steve Lloyd and the rest of Team 1200's Healthy Scratches that he played with a hernia injury last season and underwent corrective surgery approximately 8 weeks ago. Via Twitter, Lloyd tweeted that his injury makes you look at his year differently. It's too bad that Twitter limited Lloyd to 140 characters because I would have liked him to elaborate a bit. Personally, I'm not too sure why the injury cause one to look at his season differently. In light of his injury, I thought Campoli played better in the second half. Whether or not his improved play and willingness to play through a painful injury is enough to warrant consideration that Campoli is anything better than a 5th or 6th guy on a middle of the pack team is up for debate. (And I'd like to hear your thoughts.)

More importantly, the organization has taken Brian Lee's number. They've blocked him out of a roster spot. Why's he still here?

When Peter Regin's agent, Bjarne Madsen, spoke out to a Danish TV station and suggested that his client could be in line for an offer sheet similar to the $50- million deal that the Sabres' Thomas Vanek received in 2007 from the Edmonton Oilers, my first reaction was to make the Chris Neil Penalty Face. You know, the one that combines confusion and pain as one tries to overcome the mental anguish that comes with trying to wrap your head around the idea. Granted, I was trying to figure out how silly Bjarne Madsen could secure a Vanek-like offer sheet when Kevin Lowe is no longer allowed behind the wheel of a NHL ship. Hell, I doubt that Glen Sather would be dumb enough to make that kind of move. (Even if he does bury Wade Redden in the minors for the duration of the 2010-11 season.)

Fortunately, after the CNPF and some subsequent laughter, my gut instinct kicked in. Although Regin had put together a respectable playoff performance against the Penguins in the first round and seemingly found some comfort on Ottawa's first line alongside Jason Spezza, the Dane only posted a paltry 29 points in his rookie campaign. Albeit, it may have been the prettiest 29 point season in Senators history but players aren't awarded strictly on the quality of their production. Regardless of how he scored, all his goals look the same on the team stats page or in the boxscores.

Even though he's a promising young talent, Regin had no leverage in negotiations. The threat of playing overseas or signing an offer sheet never really existed. The threat of a Vanek'esque over was nothing more than a facade by an agent who was trying to create his own leverage. Maybe next time, he'll aim lower by referencing David Backes.

According to the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch (via Twitter), Regin's contract is a two-year pact worth $950k in its first year and $1.050 in the second. For the mathematically challenged, that's a $1 million dollar cap hit for a player who may continue to play leftwing on Ottawa's first line. Not bad. Not bad at all... but hardly surprising.

There's something to be said about Jason Spezza. When the man puts in the effort, the results improve dramatically. If you were to use one word to describe Spezza's career with the Ottawa Senators, that word would be growth. Whether it's making a concerted effort to improve on the defensive side of the game or using the past three weeks to nail his first public response since word leaked that he wasn't pleased with the critical treatment that he received from the fans and media, he entered this man's league as a boy and he's now a man with a boyish giggle. If only he could learn how to perfect the Elliotte Friedman look of gravitas when he knows that the cameras are on him...

Anyways, I digress...

Yesterday's address was everything that you could have hoped for as a fan. He said the right things and he said them with assertion. Even though I assume that Jason replayed yesterday's statement over and over in his head and had some help from his representatives and the Senators organization, his 6 minute speech was rehearsed but it was good enough for me.

“Going forward, I’ve got no problem talking about it today, but I’ve got a no-trade now, I’m here, I’m committed and I don’t plan on talking about this again. This isn’t an ongoing thing. I’m focused on winning here now, I’m focused on becoming a better player."

Hopefully it isn't an ongoing thing. Despite what some others may believe.

A Thought On Nick Foligno

Now that Nick Foligno has resigned with the Ottawa Senators -- to the tune of 2 years, $2.4 million -- questions pertaining to his contract will now be replaced by questions as to where he fits in. Ironically, Foligno's placement in Ottawa's lineup is dependent upon where another one of Ottawa's remaining RFA's fits in. Even though Peter Regin hasn't come to terms on a new extension yet, it's going to be interesting to see whether or not Cory Clouston elects to keep Regin on the wing or revert him back to his natural center position.

Although Regin demonstrated that he could put up some points centering a line with Alexei Kovalev, much of the Ottawa Interwebs are abuzz with the way that he ended last season playing the left wing on a line with Jason Spezza. If Clouston decides to keep Regin and Spezza together, Milan Michalek will likely land on the second line and Jarkko Ruutu will find himself alongside Chris Kelly and Chris Neil on the third line. It's hard to imagine that management would be willing to absorb Foligno's $1.2 million cap hit to play him on the fourth line with Jesse Winchester so I wouldn't be surprised if Bryan Murray evaluates this littany of bottom six forwards during the preseason and addresses the situation with a trade.

Like ripping off a band-aid, tomorrow has the opportunity to open up old wounds. If you are wondering what I'm  talking about, tomorrow is the Direct Energy sponsored Jason Spezza Celebrity Classic that takes place at Clublink's GreyHawk Golf Club. While the tournament annually raises money for the Ottawa Senators Foundation in support of Roger's House, the event will also allow the local media to have access to Ottawa's first line center for the first time since his no-trade clause kicked in at midnight on July 1st.

It's a good thing that Spezza's well versed in deflecting questions with laughter. Considering how the weeks leading up to July 1st have unfolded, tomorrow has an opportunity to be get awkward and reintroduce us to questions that we, as fans, had begun to repress. Is Jason happy here? Did he really ask for a trade? Is he angry with the way that Bryan Murray and management divulged information from his exit interview? Will Jason be able to trust the media? Is he going to re-evaluate how he's going to handle his relationship with them? If his displeasure with their treatment of him continues (Ed. note: And the fans' treatment as well.) , will it eventually lead him to publically announce that he wants out?

Whether or not the ongoing relationship between the Senators' first line center and the local media will receive more fan attention than Mike and Carrie Fisher remainds to be seen. However, there's no disputing that it's going to be one of the more intriguing sub-plots to follow as the season unfolds.

Starting tomorrow, the circus is in...

Quickies...

Nick Foligno has signed a two-year contract extension. Allegedly.

Hockey's Future has published their review of Ottawa's 2010 Entry Draft. Even though Ottawa only had five selections in this year's draft, the write up for each draft pick is relatively lengthy. If you're interested, you can check it out here.