Ottawa Senators More likely to Open Common Season with Ostapchuk and MacEwen on Roster, Inserting Gaudette and Jenik on Waivers

With Monday’s 5 pm deadline to submit their remaining opening roster, the Ottawa Senators have a number of necessary selections to make to finalize their group.

This afternoon’s 2 pm deadline to place gamers on waivers added some intrigue and perception into how the Senators’ roster may shake out. The communications workforce formally introduced at this time that forwards Jan Jenik and Adam Gaudette had been positioned on waivers.

These selections are fascinating as a result of the extensively held perception is that these two gamers performed their means onto the Senators’ opening day roster. In 5 preseason video games, Gaudette led the Senators in targets with 4. His 5 factors had been tied for the second-highest quantity behind Carter Yakemchuk’s seven.

Wanting on the Senators’ five-on-five shot and goal-based metrics on NaturalStatTrick, when Gaudette was on the ice, the workforce scored 75 % of the targets (GF%) and generated 51 % of the pictures (CF%). Based mostly on the information, the Senators outperformed the anticipated targets for (39.9 xGF%) when Gaudette was on the ice. The centre additionally gained 60 % of his attracts. He additionally possesses a wonderful shot that could possibly be featured on the second energy play unit, distinguishing him from the options vying for a fourth line position.

Jenik had a wonderful first recreation towards Toronto by recording one purpose and 4 factors in his debut. The manufacturing immediately fuelled Brandon Bochenski comparisons for his unanticipated preseason manufacturing, however Jenik’s manufacturing fell off after that. These had been his solely factors in his six preseason appearances. Though his offence waned, Jenik exhibited agitating tendencies and a capability to get below the opposition’s pores and skin.

By way of the underlying metrics by way of NaturalStatTrick, the Senators generated 46.5 % of the pictures (CF%), 66.7 % of the targets (GF%), and 51.0 % of the targets (xGF%). One of many blemishes of Jenik’s candidacy for the fourth line centre position was that he solely gained 37.5 % of his faceoffs throughout the preseason.

If each gamers clear waivers, the participant may be recalled and carried on the roster for 10 video games or 30 days, after which he’ll want waivers once more to be returned to the minors. These placements could possibly be the group benefiting from the congestion of gamers placed on waivers at this time. Getting these gamers by way of would afford the group extra flexibility to cycle gamers between the NHL and AHL lineups for the following month.

If Jenik and Gaudette are destined for Belleville, they made good representations of themselves in camp and stay one cellphone name away. Their potential demotions would sign that the 2 Zacks – Opstachuk and MacEwen – have made the opening roster. MacEwen’s addition to the roster wouldn’t be stunning. He performed 30 video games for the Senators final season and is a popular teammate. His willingness to drop the mitts is an appreciated attribute that endears him to his coaches and teammates.

The presence of Ostapchuk is a shock for me. Listed at 6’4″ and 206 lbs, he has a big physique that definitely suits the group’s philosophy of including extra dimension to the underside of the roster.

In 4 preseason video games, Ostapchuk contributed a purpose, an help and 4 pictures on purpose whereas averaging 15:16 of ice time per recreation per NaturalStatTrick – which apparently ranks forward of the 14:31 and 12:08 that Gaudette and Jenik averaged, respectively. It is usually price noting that Ostapchuk completed third in total shorthanded ice time on the workforce throughout the preseason, so the teaching employees might view him as an necessary a part of the penalty kill.

It’s a small pattern dimension of knowledge, and the preseason is riddled with questions on roster high quality and the standard of competitors. Nonetheless, it’s price mentioning that Ostapchuk had a few of the worst shot and goal-based metrics for the Senators throughout the preseason. When Ostapchuk was on the ice, the workforce generated 34.8 % of the pictures (CF%) and 34.7 % of the anticipated targets (xGF%).

Drafted by the Senators within the second spherical of the 2021 NHL Draft, Ostapchuk does have pedigree. The identical pedigree I believed would work towards him in making this roster. With only one skilled season below his belt, I assumed the Senators would return the waiver-exempt Ostapchuk to Belleville to proceed his growth.

He had a formidable rookie season within the AHL, tallying 17 targets and 28 factors in 69 video games. And, with the Senators’ prime three strains wanting first rate on paper, Ostapchuk’s minutes could also be restricted on the fourth line. It could elevate questions on what’s greatest for his growth shifting ahead.

Ought to the Senators ship Jenik and Gaudette to Belleville and maintain Ostapchuk and MacEwen as their twelfth and thirteenth forwards, the group could have the pliability to hold eight defencemen on the roster. A kind of defencemen ought to be the well-regarded Carter Yakemchuk.

I’ve already exhausted why the seventh total decide from the 2024 NHL Draft warrants an prolonged alternative to indicate he can play on the NHL stage, however at this time’s roster information is promising.

The bar to be higher than the options defensively isn’t exceptionally excessive, however together with his capacity to maneuver and shoot the puck, there’s a probability he may also help this hockey membership win video games. They can provide Yakemchuk a window upwards of 9 video games earlier than administration decides whether or not to return him to junior. Ought to he play in a tenth recreation, the group will burn the primary 12 months of his entry-level contract.

Contemplating their playoff aspirations and the expertise of the groups projected to complete in entrance of them, the Senators’ margins are small. If the promising younger participant represents an improve on the gamers round him, the Senators owe it to themselves to seek out out.