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Ottawa Senators Hire Anthony LeBlanc

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The Ottawa Senators are less than two months removed from their very public divorce with former CEO Jim Little, who had only been on the job for 54 days. That dismissal came with very different explanations, including Little’s recounting of a tense phone conversation with owner Eugene Melnyk. Today, Little’s replacement may have been found as the Senators have hired Anthony LeBlanc as president of business operations.

LeBlanc, a former RIM/BlackBerry executive, has previous experience in the NHL after serving as the CEO and co-owner of the Arizona Coyotes from 2013-17. He left that position when Andrew Barroway bought out the minority shareholders and took over as sole owner of the Coyotes (he has since sold the team). Going from the Coyotes to the Senators is a homecoming for LeBlanc however, as he is an Ottawa native and used today’s announcement to profess his long-time fandom of the franchise:

I am thrilled to be appointed to the position of President of Business Operations with the Senators. Having been a diehard Senators fan since the Sens rejoined the league, this opportunity is truly an honour. I look forward to working closely with the entire staff as we prepare for an exciting chapter in the history of the Senators. I am confident that my experience in the NHL, as well as my sales and marketing background in the technology sector, will be put to good use here in the National Capital Region.

The business side of the Senators front office has been in flux for years, with many executives moving in and out quickly. Perhaps LeBlanc will be the one to find his footing and help turn the organization around financially—whenever they are allowed to return to the ice.

Shane Pinto Will Return For Sophomore Season

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Though it may come as no surprise to those who have followed him this season, Shane Pinto has officially informed the Ottawa Senators that he will be returning to the University of North Dakota for his sophomore season, according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. Pinto, like several other high profile college players that have decided to return in recent weeks, indicated that abrupt ending to the season was “the biggest thing” affecting his decision.

The 19-year old Pinto was the 32nd overall pick in 2019 and a player that could have easily climbed into the first round. The 6’2″ center had just scored at more than a point-per-game pace in the USHL and has obvious NHL upside. He showed off that upside at the World Juniors where he recorded seven points (trailing only Trevor Zegras for the Team USA lead) and at UND where he scored 16 goals and 28 points as a freshman. He was named the NCHC Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia chimed in on Twitter, indicating that the Senators had expected Pinto to return and further his development at UND. With that in mind, he’ll be a name to watch next spring when the college season is over as a potential early signing.

Prospect Notes: Tychonick, Stockton, Senators

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When Johnny Tychonick was selected 48th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2018 he was a high-flying defenseman that had just put up 47 points in 48 games for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and was ticketed for stardom at the collegiate level. Unfortunately that stardom never came in two seasons at the University of North Dakota, where Tychonick was buried on the depth chart of one of the nation’s strongest programs.

Now, Tychonick has entered the transfer portal and will take his talents to the University of Nebraska-Omaha according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. The 20-year old defenseman told Schlossman that the UND coaching staff is helping him try to be eligible to play for Omaha next season, where he would be starting his junior year. The Senators will continue to hold his exclusive draft rights while he remains in college.

  • The Stockton Heat have signed three undrafted free agents to AHL contracts, inking Greg Moro to a two-year deal, Noah King to a one-year deal and Koletrane Wilson to a one-year deal. Moro, 25, just finished his senior season at Clarkson University, recording seven points in 32 games. The 6’4″ defenseman is an Alberta native who played in the SJHL and AJHL before going the college route. King, 20, broke out this season for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL, scoring 40 points in 64 games. That total was more than double the combined amount King had registered in his other three CHL seasons. Wilson, another 20-year old defenseman, registered 33 points in 62 games for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL, while racking up penalty minutes as a tough, physical presence. All three players will bring a healthy dose of size and strength to the Heat blueline next season.
  • The Ottawa Senators are focused on the NHL Entry Draft, whenever it happens, and the three first-round picks they own this year. GM Pierre Dorion spoke with reporters including Wayne Scanlan of Sportsnet, explaining that just like fans of his team he too is using a lottery simulator daily to fantasize about where his top two selections will land. The Senators of course own San Jose’s first-round pick, which means they could potentially pick first and second overall, but Scanlan writes that the executive believes the top-20 will all be “strong NHL players.”

Ottawa Senators Sign Kevin Mandolese

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The Ottawa Senators have added another interesting goaltending prospect to the organization, signing Kevin Mandolese to a three-year entry-level contract. Senators GM Pierre Dorion gave his thoughts on the new goaltender:

Kevin worked hard this past season to become one of the top goaltenders in the QMJHL. He’s positionally sound, has good lateral mobility and has proven adept at reading the play. Since being drafted, he’s been diligent about understanding what he needs to do both on and off the ice to be ready to be a pro goaltender. He’s shown an ability to make timely saves and, with more seasoning, should have an opportunity to secure wins for this team in the future.

Mandolese, a sixth-round draft pick from 2018, could have become an unrestricted free agent this summer but instead will sign with the organization that drafted him. The 19-year old recently completed an incredible season with the Cape Breton Eagles, posting a 26-8-1 record and a .925 save percentage that led all qualified QMJHL goalies.

The huge step forward that Mandolese took this season is promising for his professional future, which will likely start next season with the Senators organization. Ottawa is creating quite the pipeline of goalie prospects, with Marcus Hogberg, Filip Gustavsson, Joey Daccord now Mandolese all having bright futures.

Jonathan Aspirot Signs With Ottawa Senators

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After an up-and-down rookie season, undrafted defenseman Jonathan Aspirot has done enough to earn an NHL contract. The Ottawa Senators have signed Aspirot to a three-year, entry-level deal, following his rookie campaign with the Belleville Senators of the AHL. Senators GM Pierre Dorion explained the signing:

Jonathan is a player, with credit to our amateur scouting staff, that we’ve kept tabs on since he was a development camp invitee in 2018. He’s long demonstrated great hockey sense and exceptional determination to the point where he became a regular among Belleville’s defence corps last season. His progression has collectively indicated to our hockey staff that he has become a legitimate NHL prospect.

The 20-year old Aspirot was never drafted out of the QMJHL after struggling to even find a consistent position at the junior level. Playing both defense and forward for the Moncton Wildcats, he has seemingly made the transition full-time to the blue line in Belleville and that’s where his potential future lies in Ottawa. That led to 16 points in 44 games for the baby-Sens, clearly enough—when paired with his defensive awareness and tenacity—to earn a contract. The second season of his two-year deal with Belleville will be voided in favor of this entry-level NHL contract.

For a rebuilding club like the Senators, lottery tickets like Aspirot are worthwhile investments as they try to find inexpensive NHL talent. While stars like the ones the team drafts this year will lead the next window of competition in Ottawa, Aspirot and others will have to fill in the depth chart.

Senators Unsure If Borowiecki And Nilsson Could Return If Play Resumes

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  • If NHL regular season action resumes, many teams will be getting key injured players back which could make for quite the compelling stretch run. However, the Senators aren’t certain if they’ll be able to have defenseman Mark Borowiecki (ankle injury) or goalie Anders Nilsson (concussion) back in the fold, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  Head coach D.J. Smith noted that while both players are doing better now, the fact that they’re unable to be put through the paces on the ice makes it tough to assess their recovery.  While Nilsson is signed and the presumptive starter for next season, Borowiecki is a pending unrestricted free agent and could benefit from getting back and showing he has fully recovered.

Jacob Bernard-Docker Returning For Junior Season

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The curtailed NCAA season seems to have had an adverse effect when it comes to NHL teams signing their top collegiate prospects. David Farrance recently announced that he would be returning to Boston University for his senior season thanks to some unfinished business, and now Jacob Bernard-Docker is making a similar decision. The Ottawa Senators draft pick has told the organization he intends on returning to the University of North Dakota for his junior season, according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald.

Bernard-Docker told Schlossman that the “way the season ended didn’t sit well” with him and his teammates, likely a good part of the reason why other UND players like Jordan Kawaguchi have already announced they will be going back for another year.

The 19-year old Senators pick is a highly-coveted prospect and one that has only continued to improve since he was the 26th overall pick in 2018. He registered 25 points in 32 games for UND while also suiting up for Canada at the World Juniors, where he took home the gold medal. His defensive ability was polished by the end of his freshman year, but only improved even further with quicker decision making and crisper outlet passes this season.

Bernard-Docker’s not going to be the next Erik Karlsson for the Senators, but his game seems perfectly fit to be the kind of long-term partner the team desperately needs for Thomas Chabot. Erik Brannstrom, another highly-touted young defenseman in the system is much more offensive and could potentially feast on easier minutes.

For now, those roster dreams will have to wait as Bernard-Docker returns to UND for some unfinished business of his own. The Senators will have to try and convince him to sign next time around.

Mark Kastelic Signs With Ottawa Senators

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The Ottawa Senators have signed one of their 2019 draft picks, inking Mark Kastelic to a three-year entry-level contract. Kastelic spent the 2019-20 season with the Calgary Hitmen as an overage WHL player, meaning he’ll be able to go right to the AHL later this year. Senators GM Pierre Dorion explained just why the team has signed Kastelic:

Since being drafted just last June, Mark has worked hard to earn this contract. We were pleased to see how he progressed in his overage season in Calgary, where he served as Hitmen captain for two consecutive seasons, and where he was on track to post his most productive major junior season. He’s a solid two-way centre who shows strong attention to detail in his play.

Kastelic, 21, wasn’t picked in his first two years of draft eligibility but after an outstanding 2018-19 season with the Hitmen which saw him score 47 goals in 66 games, the Senators took a chance on the hard-working forward. Standing 6’3″ 220-lbs he’s almost as big as his dad Ed Kastelic, who played 220 NHL games with the Washington Capitals and Hartford Whalers, racking up 719 penalty minutes in the process.

The captain of the Hitmen for the past two seasons, Kastelic now represents a depth addition for the Senators but it is hard to count out some future NHL time. He’s scratched and clawed to earn himself a big-league contract, now he’ll have to work even harder to climb the ranks.

Stretch Run Storylines: Ottawa Senators

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the coming weeks, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Atlantic Division with Ottawa.

Many experts had the Ottawa Senators finishing dead last for another season with a team that is in a full rebuild and so far very few stars to speak of. The team also fired its head coach Guy Boucher and replaced him with young coach D.J. Smith and was continuing with plenty of questions surrounding the team and the issues that always seem to arise with the franchise. However, the Senators didn’t look like the worst team in the league — granted they were the second worst, but at the same time, the Senators looked like a team that was improving and the long-term outlook of the team suddenly doesn’t look as bleak.

Draft Lottery

Just a year ago at this time, the draft was a sore spot as the Senators had traded away their first-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche for Matt Duchene. They had the best odds of giving the Avalanche the first pick in the draft. Instead, the odds went with them at the draft lottery as Colorado emerged with the No. 4 pick — still a good pick, but not as bad as a media relations disaster as it could have been had Colorado emerged with either of the top two players in the draft in Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko.

Suddenly one year later, the tables have turned. The Senators now have two lottery picks themselves. They have their own first-rounder (second-best chance to win the first-overall pick) and the San Jose Sharks’ first-rounder as part of the Erik Karlsson trade. With a dismal season, the Sharks are handing Ottawa the third-best chance to net the first-overall pick. Between those two lottery picks, the Senators have a 25 percent chance to walk away with top pick Alexis Lafreniere. Even if they don’t net the top pick, the draft is loaded at the top of the draft with up to 10 franchise-changing players, meaning that no matter where Ottawa lands, they are adding two stud prospects at the draft this year.

Goaltending Questions

With the contract of long-time starter Craig Anderson ending this offseason, the team finds itself in an interesting situation regarding their goaltending situation. The 38-year-old Anderson is a long-shot to return after a season in which the veteran allowed a 3.25 GAA and a .902 save percentage in 34 appearances. The team does have Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg as potential replacements, but neither dominated last season. Nilsson, who dealt with injuries for a large chunk of the season, appeared in 24 games with a 3.18 GAA and a .908 save percentage, while Hogberg fared well in 20 appearances with a 3.12 GAA and a .904 save percentage. While neither showed any dominance, the team has to decide what they intend to do. Do they look at either netminder as a future starter?

The team may have to consider signing a goaltender to fill that starting role, whether that is a long-term fixture in net or a temporary replacement. There are a number of interesting goaltenders who will be available this offseason, including Braden Holtby, Robin Lehner or Jacob Markstrom. The question is whether Ottawa is willing to spend some money in order to add that piece. Of course, the other question is whether to free-agent goalies would want to go to Ottawa anyway with all the turmoil that has surrounded the franchise in previous years.

Rebuild Moving Into Next Phase?

The rebuild has been underway for a couple of years now and the team has gotten some quality play from some of that youth that the team has added with the draft picks its used with its many draft picks and trade acquisitions over the past few years. The team has been extremely cautious with many of those young players as they have put an effort in keeping many of them together this past year with the Belleville Senators. The AHL franchise was the top team in the North Division and looked to be heading for an interesting playoffs before the season was suspended. However, many of those talents are close to being ready to join the NHL club next season.

Players like Joshua Norris, Drake Batherson, Erik Brannstrom and Rudolfs Balcers look ready for full-time roles next year with several others not far behind, including Alex Formenton, Logan Brown, Vitaly Abramov, Filip Chlapik and Christian Wolanin. Developing that youth will be critical for an impressive full rebuild.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ottawa Senators Announce More COVID-19 Cases

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The Ottawa Senators have announced that four more members of their organization, including three players, have tested positive for COVID-19. That takes the total for the Senators organization up to six, and means that seven NHL players have now tested positive; five Senators and two members of the Colorado Avalanche.

The Senators also announced that “all test results have now been received, and all those who tested positive have recovered.” Hailey Salvian of The Athletic confirms that color analyst Gord Wilson, who disclosed last week that he had tested positive, was not one of those included in the announcement today.

Of note, the Senators and Avalanche played in San Jose on consecutive nights after the county of Santa Clara recommended against large gatherings. The Senators also played in the Staples Center two nights before the Brooklyn Nets—who had multiple players test positive—and were followed by the Avalanche. Obviously there is no way of telling exactly how or when the virus was transmitted to the Senators players at this point.

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