2009-10 NHL preview: Ottawa Senators

At this point in our NHL preview we have gone through the six teams that are complete train wreck disasters, and moved onto the teams that just have a few issues here and there. This brings us to the Ottawa Senators who believe they have found the right man to be their new coach in Cory Clouston. He was able to guide the Sen’s to a 19-11-4 record after taking the lead reins from Craig Hartsburg. While they did not make the playoffs they certainly have the skill on the roster to do just that in 2009, after they resolve their biggest issue.

That issue is what to do with Dany Heatley? Heatley has demanded a trade and then reportedly blocked the team’s attempts to deal him to the Edmonton Oilers. While Senators General Manager Bryan Murray has acted fast to shore up his roster should Heatley not return, that doesn’t exactly settle the issue. Murray went out and signed Alex Kovalev to take Heatley’s spot at Right Wing on the top line should he be traded away.

The biggest challenge for this team is to find some secondary scoring. While Daniel Alfredson and Jason Speeza play on the top line, along with Heatley, they scored over half of all the Senators goals. That is not a recipe for success in the NHL of today. Everywhere else the Senators seemed well balanced having a few offensive defensemen, mixed in with a few heavy hitters.

Additions- G Mike Brodeur, RW Alex Kovalev, and C Martin St. Pierre

Subtractions- G Alex Auld, D Brendan Bell, RW Danny Bols, D Drew Fata, and F Greg Mauldin