On with the show, this is it for the Ottawa Senators.
The rehearsals are over and the Senators will begin the chase for a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After making the playoffs last spring, coach Travis Green believes the Senators won’t sneak up on anybody.
“We got some respect last year,” Green said following the club’s skate at the Canadian Tire Centre. “We’re building towards having a target. To have a target on your back, you’ve got to prove you’re a contender for a Stanley Cup.”
But the Senators don’t want to just go back to the National Hockey League’s big dance — they want to set their sights higher. The club has raised the bar with its goals.
“I haven’t set any personal goals for myself,” Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk said. “There’s just one goal in mind for everybody in this room and that’s the Stanley Cup.”
You have to dream big, but the challenge will be difficult with a compressed schedule because of the break in February so that National Hockey League players can attend the Winter Olympics in Italy.
The Senators will start the season on the road with stops in Tampa and a visit to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers across the Sunshine State on Saturday.
Then, they’ll head back to Ottawa for the home opener on Monday against the Nashville Predators at 1 p.m.
By then, if he hasn’t already suited up on the road, the Senators should have winger Drake Batherson back from a pulled muscle he suffered on Sept. 24 in training camp.
Defenceman Tyler Kleven, who injured his ankle crashing into the boards in the club’s first exhibition game on Sept. 21 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, is a different story. He skated with the group, left early and didn’t make the trip to Florida.
Batherson participated in most of the club’s 45-minute skate on Wednesday, but left early to get treatment. He told reporters he won’t play in Tampa, however he hasn’t ruled out facing the Panthers and will almost certainly play against the Predators.
“I’ve gotten a lot better over the last few days,” Batherson said. “It felt nice to be back on the ice with the guys. That’s what you miss the most. We’ll just take it day by day. I don’t think tomorrow is a possibility, but possibly on Saturday or the home opener.”
Batherson’s absence meant that the top two lines had centre Tim Stutzle between Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund, while Dylan Cozens was in the middle of David Perron and Michael Amadio. Shane Pinto was with Ridly Greig and Claude Giroux.
The fourth line was made up of veteran Lars Eller — who will make his Ottawa debut — along with Kurtis MacDermid and winger Nick Cousins is back for his second season.
An area to watch on Thursday is the club’s blueline. Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the summer, Jordan Spence skated as an extra with Kleven before he left the ice. Donovan Sebrango was in the third pairing with Nikolas Matinpalo.
We didn’t anticipate Spence starting his career with the Senators in the press box, but this may be nothing more than coach Travis Green wanting size on the blueline when facing the Bolts. Plus, nobody can argue that Sebrango had an excellent camp and deserves to play.
“He’s improved,” Green said of Sebrango. “He’s a young defenceman who got more opportunity with Kleven being hurt. He’s a physical, tough guy. People don’t talk about his skating and skills, but he’s worked on his game a lot.
“He’s looked comfortable in the games.”
The expectation is that goaltender Linus Ullmark will start two of the club’s first three games. This is the first time in franchise history that the Senators have opened the year against the Bolts.
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The Senators are taking an all-business approach to the season.
“It’s a whole new year. It’s a great group of guys and we’re ready to show what we’re about,” Tkachuk said. “I feel like I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling a tad bit of nerves as well.
“It goes without saying that this is a perfect opportunity for us. I’m excited and nervous, but those are all good energies that we can channel in the right way.”
The Senators had to work hard to make the playoffs last spring and they know how difficult it was to get there. The first goal is to get back to the post-season, then the Senators can concern themselves with the next steps.
“When you win enough to make the playoffs, you know the recipe and we’re excited to do the same this year,” Giroux said.