OTTAWA SENATORS
They aren’t much fun: Epic trades, free agent gambits, locker room tempests and vibrant personalities are almost unheard of. The players are business-like, the coach barely a cipher among so many loud-mouthed peers. Even last season’s ownership crisis drew little more than a shrug at ice level.
All the Senators do, it seems, is run an assembly line of dazzling young hockey players who grow into NHL stars. Almost every move works like a charm, including their rare trades: Zdeno Chara and Jason Spezza for Alexei Yashin looks embarrassingly lopsided; starting goaltender Patrick Lalime came from Anaheim for next to nothing.
The organization’s quiet efficiency translates on the ice. Ottawa is sometimes accused of plodding through nights of dull, safe hockey. But the sensible game plan conceals an overload of speed, strength and puck juggling that leaves most defenders bewildered. If they weren’t so passionate about defense, the Senators could probably score at a pace to recall the NHL of the 1980s.
Ottawa is the popular pick to win the East, and it’s hard to demur. They will tinker a little: someone likely moves from center to left wing to make room for Spezza, and there is talk of finding another veteran defenseman. The contract dispute with on-the-cusp Martin Havlat is a nagging, but hardly debilitating problem.
Trouble: No significant injury trouble last season, and almost all the best players had best-ever years. That sort of thing rarely happens two years running, so how will the Senators react when all the breaks don’t go their way?
On the Spot: In a town that seems to breed 30 and 40-goal scorers, center Radek Bonk has been merely competent. A below-average season will inspire plenty of trade rumors and put more pressure on Spezza to grow up fast.
The Forecast: A minor step back from last year’s 113 points is possible. The Senators are among a handful of teams who will spend the season positioning themselves for April.
The Call: 1st in the Eastern Conference.
Who's in:
Defenseman Peter Smrek (trade from Nashville)
Right winger Denis Hamel (free agent from Buffalo)
Who’s Out:
Goaltender Mathieu Chouinard (free agent to Los Angeles)
Right winger Joey Tetarenko (free agent to Carolina)
Forward Magnus Arvedsson (free agent to Vancouver)
2002-03 Regular Season Numbers:
Payroll:
$30,315,000 25th overall
(Hockey News, November 15/02. Bonuses not included.)
- Record: 52-21-8-1 for 113 points.
- At home: 28-9-3-1.
- On the road: 24-12-5-0.
- Finish: 1st overall, 1st in the Eastern Conference, 1st in Northeast Division.
- Goals for: 263 (3.21 per game), 3rd overall.
- Goals against: 182 (2.22 per game), 5th overall.
- Goal differential: Plus-81, 8th overall.
- Power play: 21.2 percent, 2nd overall.
- Penalty kill: 84.9 percent, 10th overall.
Goaltending:
- Patrick Lalime, 67-39-20-7, 2.16 GAA, .911 SV PCT, 8 SO.
- Marin Prusek, 18-12-2-1, 2.37 GAA, .911 SV PCT, 0 SO.
- Ray Emery, 3-1-0-0, 1.41 GAA, .923 SV PCT, 0 SO.
Leaders:
- Scoring: Right winger Marian Hossa, 80-45-35-80.
- Power play points: Marian Hossa, 80-14-19-33.
Right winger Daniel Alfredsson, 78-9-24-33. - Game-winning goals: Marian Hossa, 10.
- Ice time: Defenseman Wade Redden, 25:24 per game.
- Plus/minus: Defenseman Zdeno Chara , plus-29.
2002-03 Playoff Numbers:
- Round One: Defeated New York Islanders 4-1.
- Round One: Defeated Philadelphia 4-2.
- Conference Final: Lost to New Jersey 4-3.
Goaltending:
- Patrick Lalime, 18-11-7, 1.82 GAA, .924 SV PCT, 1 SO.
Leaders:
- Scoring: Right winger Marian Hossa, 18-5-11-16.
- Power play points: Marian Hossa, 18-3-6-9.
- Game-winning goals: Center Todd White, 2.
Left winger Marin Havlat, 2. - Ice time: Defenseman Wade Redden, 25:28 per game.
- Plus/minus: Three tied at plus-4.
