It';s hard to believe that only two seasons ago, the Ottawa Senators were just
one goal away from the Stanley Cup Finals. Entering last season, hopes were
high for the club after the deep playoff run. That hype was fueled when the
team acquired Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche, although it came at
the cost of veteran Kyle Turris and both a first- and third-round pick in the
2019 NHL Entry Draft.

The team didn';t execute, though. Captain Erik Karlsson was recovering from an
offseason ankle surgery and wasn';t 100 per cent for most of the year. Losing
Mark Borowiecki to a concussion and Chris Wideman to a torn hamstring depleted
the defence corps. They ended up plummeting down the standings, finishing
second-to-last in the NHL.Erik Karlsson (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Making things worse, the club';s goaltending duo of Craig Anderson and Mike
Condon performed below average, ranking second-to-last in save percentage in
the NHL.

This season, the team';s core of Karlsson, Duchene and Mark Stone are all
pending free agents. The group will also be seeing an influx of youth with
numerous players looking to make the jump this year, including 2018 first-round
 pick Brady Tkachuk. With team owner Eugene Melnyk announcing his plans for a
rebuild and a multi-year plan to get the organization back on track, this team
is likely to see a large overhaul this season.

There are many other questions heading into the season. Will Erik Karlsson
still be a Senator by the end of the season? Which young players will make the
cut? Can Anderson and Condon bounce back?2017-18 Record: 28-43-11, 67
points (7th in Atlantic Division, 15th in Eastern Conference, 30th in NHL
standings)Offseason MovesMikkel Boedker (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Key
Roster Additions

Mikkel BoedkerPaul CareyChase BalisyMike McKenna

Key Roster Losses

Mike HoffmanAlex BurrowsFredrik ClaessonChris Driedger

2018 NHL Entry Draft

Brady Tkachuk (1st round, 4th overall)Jacob Bernard-Docker (1st round, 26th
overall)Jonathan Tychonick (2nd round, 48th overall)Jonathan Gruden (4th round,
 95th overall)Angus Crookshank (5th round, 126th overall)Kevin Mandolese (6th
round, 157th overall)Jakov Novak (7th round, 188th pick)Luke Loheit (7th round,
 194th overall)

Organizational Changes

The biggest change in the Senators organization this summer was highly
publicized. Assistant general manager (AGM) Randy Lee stepped down from his
post. In May, Lee was arrested in Buffalo for allegedly harassing a teenager.
Lee is accused of rubbing the shoulders of a 19-year-old male shuttle bus
driver and making crude comments to him at the NHL combine in Buffalo.

After being suspended by the organization in June, Lee resigned in August to be
 with his family and to focus on the court case, to which he has pleaded not
guilty. Lee had been with the team since 1995 as a video coach, working his
way up to the director of hockey operations in 2009 and then the AGM in the
2013-14 season.

The organization has yet to fill Lee';s position of AGM and general manager of
the team';s AHL affiliate in Belleville. On top of the numerous questions
regarding personnel on the ice heading into the season, this is another
unresolved issue that the team will need to solve as training camp approaches.

Randy Lee has resigned as assistant GM of the NHL's Ottawa Senators and as GM
of the AHL affiliate in Belleville. He had been on suspension by the team
following an incident at the pre-draft combine in Buffalo in June. Full story
to follow. pic.twitter.com/NRFoHGFfS3

- Ottawa Citizen (@OttawaCitizen) August 21, 2018

In less dramatic headlines, the Senators hired former player Chris Kelly as a
development coach for the club. Kelly played for the club after being drafted
by them 94th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play 845 games
in the NHL with Ottawa, the Anaheim Ducks and the Boston Bruins. Kelly comes to
 the team with a record of success, winning a Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011,
a gold medal with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in 2017 and captained Team
Canada to a bronze medal at the 2018 Olympics.

The club also hired three new scouts, as the team may look to rebuild in the
very near future.ForwardsProjected Lines

Bobby Ryan - Matt Duchene - Mark Stone

Brady Tkachuk - Jean-Gabriel Pageau -Colin White

Mikkel Boedker - Logan Brown  - Ryan Dzingel

Zack Smith - Tom Pyatt - Magnus Paajarvi

*Injured: Marian Gaborik, Clarke MacArthurJean-Gabriel Pageau

Jean-Gabriel Pageau is about to take the jump to a leader on this team. The
25-year-old is entering his fourth full season on the team, playing parts of
three seasons before that. Over 329 games with the Senators, Pageau has amassed
 59 goals and 130 points. His best year came in 2015-16 with 19 goals and 43
points. With Pageau playing on a line with Brady Tkachuk or Mikkel Boedker, he
may look to pass those totals this season.Jean-Gabriel Pageau (Marc
DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

Whether Pageau sets new career highs or not, the centreman will be embracing
the role as a leader on the team for the numerous young players. In a recent
interview with the Ottawa Sun, the Ottawa native said, "I have been around
long enough now to know what is going on and how it is in the room. We have to
stick together."

He went on to say that the team will have a chip on its shoulder this season.
The Senators will be looking to prove the many critics wrong who believe they
will be awful in 2018-19. Pageau will be a member of the group that will lead
the charge to make the team successful while helping the prospects make the
jump to the NHL.Mikkel Boedker

One of the newest members of the Senators, Mikkel Boedker will be attracting a
comparison all year to the skates he';s filling. Acquired in the trade that
sent Mike Hoffman to the San Jose Sharks, the Dane will likely disappoint if
he';s being compared to Hoffman. Hoffman had over 50 points in each of the last
 three seasons, including one with 61 points in 2016-17. Boedker has only
crossed the 50-point plateau once, back in 2013-14 when he had 51 points. He
did finish last season with 37 points, but that was on a much better San Jose
team.

While he won';t be the team';s new Hoffman, the 28-year-old can be a great
asset on the team. If Brady Tkachuk and/or Colin White can solidify themselves
on the top two lines, Boedker will likely fit on the third. A 20-30-point
player on a third line will be great for a team that finished 25th in the NHL
in scoring last season.

The other reason for Boedker being a positive addition to the team is his
veteran leadership. The 2018-19 season will be his 12th in the NHL and with the
 influx of youth in the organization, just like Pageau, he will be a leader to
the young players coming up to the big club.Colin White

Along with Brady Tkachuk, Colin White will be leading the youth movement in
Ottawa. With Melnyk';s announcement of a rebuild, this season will see the club
 start to hand the reins over to the younger players. White has already played
with the big club, playing 23 games over the last two seasons, including 21
last year.Colin White (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

White had found some chemistry with Duchene, with both players discussing how
much they enjoy playing with the other. While Duchene and Mark Stone will
likely be on the top line, it seems likely that Duchene and White may get the
opportunity to build on their chemistry, especially if the Senators decide to
put more faith in the young players coming up in the organization.

While White only has six points with the Sens, he played as the captain at the
rookie tournament and seemed like he was going to make the NHL club last season
 before breaking his wrist. As White looks to enter his first full season on
the Ottawa roster, he should be a bright spot in what looks like a dark season
in the nation';s capital.DefenceProjected Pairings

Thomas Chabot - Erik Karlsson

Mark Borowiecki - Cody Ceci

Christian Wolanin - Chris Wideman

Extra: Ben HarpurMark Borowiecki

Much like Pageau, Mark Borowiecki is ready to be a leader and take over this
team. The shutdown defenseman spoke out in an interview recently about the
state of the team, and how they need to move on.Related: Senators Ready for a
Change in Leadership

"There are certain things we can actively try and change as a group; if we are
just going to sit here passively and say, ΓÇÿWe need the culture to change,'
well, the culture doesn't just change," he said. "It changes because we have a
group of guys that rally together and say, ΓÇÿThis is the way it's going to be
done,' that this is how we expect them to come in and handle their off-ice
issues.

"It's time for us as a somewhat veteran leadership group to come together and
do that."Mark Borowiecki (Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

The candid interview shows that Borowiecki isn';t content with another bottom
of the NHL finish. The defender wants to be a part of turning the club around
and getting them back on track. With him as a leader in the dressing room, the
29-year-old will look to lead the culture change in Ottawa and set up the
culture for the youth movement coming up through the ranks.Chris Wideman

Chris Wideman played in only 16 games last year for the Senators before a
hamstring injury that required surgery sidelined him for the year. Leading up
to his injury, Wideman appeared ready to break out in his role as a puck-moving
 defenseman. Entering his fourth year with the club, what he hopes is a full,
injury-free season, this could be the year that the St. Louis native comes into
 his own.

He will likely be on the third line, perhaps seeing time on the second
depending on how Ceci bounces back this year. If Karlsson ends up getting
traded out of Ottawa, he will be a very prominent piece on the Senators'; back
end. He has yet to put up big points in the NHL, but during his time with the
AHL';s since-relocated Binghamton Senators, Wideman put up 51 and 61 points in
his last two seasons there. If he moves up the depth chart, the Senators could
see a big jump in Wideman';s point totals.Chris Wideman (Photo by Richard A.
Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

If that is the case and Wideman surpasses his previous career-highs of six
goals and 17 points, the Sens may come out winners here. Wideman re-signed with
 the Senators this offseason to a one-year, $1-million contract. This will be a
 make or break year for the defender, as the organization will need to see him
improve if they decide to keep him in the organization for the
long-haul.Christian Wolanin

While it might have come from injuries, Christian Wolanin was called up for his
 first 10 NHL games last season. This season, he will look to become a fixture
on the back-end for the club. 10 games is a small sample size, but the defender
 collected a goal and two assists and showed flashes of what is to come. More
impressive, his Corsi-for was 53.63 per cent, the best of any Senator defender.
 While this would likely lower over a full season, it';s very promising for the
 club.

The 23-year-old isn';t guaranteed anything though. If Karlsson is traded away,
his spot on the lineup is much more likely. If he remains, he';ll have to fight
 for it. Troy Mann, the incoming coach of the Belleville Senators and coach for
 the rookie tournament, had nothing but praise for the young defender and has
faith in him sticking in the NHL.

"The Wolanin kid, I think, is excellent," said Mann. "I don't foresee seeing
much of him in Belleville. I thought he looked great."

If Wolanin makes the cut come October, the offensive defenseman will likely see
 time on the powerplay. During his three years at the University of North
Dakota, he put up 72 points over 109 games. That kind of production could be
just what the defence corps needs both at even-strength and on the powerplay
unit behind Karlsson and Chabot.Goaltending

The goaltending in the 2017-18 season was less than ideal for the Senators.
Craig Anderson went 28-25-6 with a save percentage (SV%) of .898 and a
goals-against average (GAA) of 3.32. Mike Condon wasn';t any more helpful,
going 5-17-5 with a .902 SV% and 3.25 GAA. Not exactly what you need from
either your starter or your backup.Craig Anderson (photo: Amy Irvin)

At the end of the season, amid all of the Hoffman drama, the 37-year-old
Anderson seemed to have had enough and requested a trade out of Ottawa. As that
 hasn';t happened yet, the goaltender recently came forward telling reporters
that he hopes to stick with the Senators, saying "I've got no interest in going
 anywhere else as long as we can clean up what was going on this summer."

Anderson is entering the first year of a two-year deal worth $9.5 million,
which is likely why the team couldn';t move him this summer. For now, Anderson
is still a member of the Senators and will need to bounce back this year if the
 team is going to have any chance in improving on last season. The team';s
starting goalie has career averages of 2.76 GAA and a .914 SV%, and this past
season';s numbers were some of the worst in his career. Ottawa is hoping that
this was just a down year for Anderson and that he regains form in 2018-19,
rather than their goalie of the last eight years starting to show his age.

The goalie situation is one of the question marks as the season moves forward.
For now, there';s no mistaking that Anderson is the starting goaltender. His
contract may be hard to move at the high cap-hit and due to his age, but the
Senators will likely still be looking to move Anderson if the season is lost
and they find a willing partner.Breakout Player: Thomas Chabot

In 2017-18, Thomas Chabot was one of few bright spots on what was a season to
forget in Ottawa. The 21-year-old came in for his rookie season and put up 25
points in 63 games, ending up playing on the top line with Karlsson. Whether
Karlsson remains on the team or not, Chabot will be the Senators biggest
breakout player in 2018-19.Related: Senators' Chabot Looks to Build on Rookie
Year

With Karlsson on the team, Chabot is the number-two defenseman. He';ll play
top-line minutes and be a fixture on the powerplay. In his sophomore season,
it';s not hard to see the young player cross the 40-point mark. If Karlsson is
traded, the 18th overall pick in 2015 instantly becomes the club';s top
defender and will be forced to step his game up.Thomas Chabot (Marc
DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

For Chabot';s growth, having Karlsson on the team to mentor him and play with
him is definitely the better option. The Sainte-Marie native told reporters
about the team captain, "I learned so much from watching him work. He's
talented at everything he does. Even his own teammates, we sometimes can't
believe the plays that he makes. He's a mentor to me, I'm trying to model my
playing style after his."

Another year with Karlsson would do wonders for Chabot';s career, but if the
team moves him, the young defenseman will take over the team';s end zone.Player
 With Most to Prove: Cody Ceci

Cody Ceci is entering his sixth season with the Senators, after being the 15th
overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. He was homegrown, being born and raised in
 Ottawa, even playing four years with the Ottawa 67';s. He has yet to really
live up to the hype that surrounded him when he was selected six years ago.

That was no different this past season. Playing all 82 games, Ceci collected
only five goals and 19 points. His career high came back in 2015-16 with 10
goals and 26 points. He has yet to really find his offensive stride. While
Chabot should take over the offensive aspect if Karlsson is traded, Ceci will
need to help make up that difference as well, likely moving to the top line
with Chabot.Cody Ceci (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

Ceci has become the target for many fans'; anger after last season. He hasn';t
been the offensive force that many thought he would and his defensive game
hasn';t been where it needs to be - he was on the ice for a league-leading 121
goals against last season. The defender will get a chance this season to prove
himself to the organization. A restricted free agent this summer, Ceci and the
Senators went to arbitration. The deal ended up being a one-year, $4.3-million
contract.

While he is a workhorse, averaging 23:20 minutes last season, the rest of his
numbers aren';t where they need to be. This will be a make or break year for
Cody Ceci, as he works to prove that the $4.3 million he was awarded is money
well spent.The Key Prospects

The team will likely start the season with Tkachuk, White, Wolanin and Logan
Brown in the lineup. After that, the Senators are lucky enough to have a great
number of young talent that they can call up. If the season goes how most
believe, with the team falling to the bottom of the standings and possibly
parting ways with Karlsson, Duchene and others, then the 2018-19 season should
see a great number of prospects get the call this season.Related: Brady
Tkachuk Signing With Senators

White, Wolanin and Brown have already shown that they can keep up in the NHL,
and should start the season on the club. As for Tkachuk, he made the choice to
sign with the Senators this summer after being drafted fourth overall in June.
He will likely play at least the nine games he can play without burning a year
of his rookie contract and then the organization will decide what';s best. If
he';s anything like his brother Matthew, who made the jump full-time to the NHL
 his first year, expect the young player to stick with the team.Brady Tkachuk
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

After those four players, Alex Formenton is the next forward who could see big
league time. The 47th pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Formenton had 48 points
 in as many games last season for the London Knights. He also helped Canada to
a gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Championship (WJC), collecting four
points in seven games. The Barrie native could even prove himself in training
and fight for a spot on the Senators opening roster.

Another forward who could be called up is Drake Batherson. Through 122 games
over four years in the QMJHL with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and
the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada last season, Batherson has 137 points. Add 45
 points in 33 playoff games and that looks like the Senators have an offensive
threat coming up through the ranks. The 20-year-old played on Team Canada with
Formenton for the 2018 WJC, scoring seven goals in the seven games.

Both Formenton and Batherson, along with Tkachuk, impressed at the NHL Rookie
Showdown games versus the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs on
Sept. 7 and 8, winning both games. The Showdown showed a lot of promise for the
 young players.

As for defence, Christian Jaros will likely be the first defender the team will
 call-up this season if needed. He has already seen NHL action, playing in two
games in 2017-18. While not an offensive threat, Jaros projects to be a solid
stay-at-home defenseman that should compliment Chabot and Wolanin in the years
to come for the team.

Finally, goalie Filip Gustavsson looks to be the goaltender of the future for
the Senators. The 55th overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Pittsburgh
Penguins, Gustavsson was traded to Ottawa in February as a part of the Derick
Brassard trade. The Swedish netminder will start the season in Belleville and
probably won';t see NHL time this season, as he still needs some time to
develop.Season Outlook

The rebuild is starting in Ottawa. After a quiet summer where not many
questions were answered, Eugene Melnyk announced the multi-year plan that will
see the prospects start to take over this team. He even pointed out, "This
coming year, we're going to have 10 out of the 22 players [that] are going to
be new - meaning they are either rookies or maybe they played under 10 games
last year," explained Melnyk. "And then the following year, it's going to go up
 to 15 of the 22 - maybe 16. So that's a total turnover - which is what exactly
 should be in a rebuild."

The Senators currently have 11 players under contract for the 2019-20 season.
Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Chris Wideman will all become
unrestricted free agents. Colin White, Cody Ceci and Christian Wolanin will
become restricted free agents. What happens during this season will set the
course for the future of the team and according to Melnyk, it looks like this
may be the last season in Ottawa for many of the team veterans.

The most pressing issue is what will happen with Karlsson. Whether he is traded
 or re-signs, management needs to sort out the future of their captain so it
isn';t weighing over the team for another year. After Karlsson';s fate has been
 decided, the rest of the pieces should fall into place. Duchene has publicly
said that he';ll wait to see what happens with Karlsson and Stone before
deciding on his future, but he is intrigued by free agency after watching
Tavares test the waters this summer.Matt Duchene (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)

While the contracts and futures of a large portion of the team will be talking
points for the season, the on-ice play definitely will be too. The Senators are
 projected by many to be bad this year. After falling apart last season, one
season removed from a deep playoff run, it';s not looking good in Ottawa for
the coming season.

Losing key players like Clarke MacArthur, Marc Methot and Johnny Oduya after
the playoff run certainly didn';t help and the team was never really able to
replace them. This season, those players are still not replaced after a quiet
offseason and now Mike Hoffman is gone as well. As discussed, Mikkel Boedker is
 no Hoffman.

Craig Anderson didn';t get any younger this summer either. If his play doesn';t
 improve drastically this season it will be a very tough year for the team.

As bad as it may get, there are numerous players that the team can be
optimistic about. Chabot, Tkachuk, White, Brown and the rest of the young
players are starting the youth movement in Ottawa. It takes time, but there are
 some very good pieces coming up through the system for the Sens. The Senators
will need to acquire a first-round pick though, after trading their';s to
Colorado in the Duchene trade (What a time to start a rebuild, with another
team having the pick that could take potential franchise player Jack Hughes).

All of that being said, the team could shock the hockey world this year. Look
no further than last year with the Vegas Golden Knights, making the Stanley Cup
 Final in their inaugural season. The beauty of hockey is that you never know.
The team currently has elite talent in Karlsson, Stone, Duchene and has some
excellent young players. If Bobby Ryan can find his game, Anderson bounces back
 and everything falls into place, the team could surprise.

Duchene said it best when discussing the upcoming season.

"We should have a chip on our shoulder after last year. We';re a lot better
hockey team than we showed and we can be a lot better hockey team than people
are giving us credit for."

However, all signs point to that not being the case in the nation';s capital.
There are too many questions around the team that have been left unanswered
this offseason, and problems that have yet to be fixed. The young players on
the team show promise for the future, but Senators fans should brace themselves
 for another tough year in Ottawa.2018-19 Record Prediction: 26-44-12, 64
points (8th in Atlantic Division, 15th in Eastern Conference, 30th in NHL
standings)

The post Ottawa Senators 2018-19 Season Preview appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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