OFFENCE
Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
Vermette - Fisher - Winchester
Foligno - Kelly - Neil
Ruutu - Bass - Schubert
Extras: McAmmond, Donovan
As mentioned, the oft-dismissed “one line” is not just any line, it is the number one scoring line over the past three seasons.
It is often suggested that if you can just shut down that line you're going to be OK. True, but that is the case with virtually every team in the NHL, shut down their top players and they are likely not going to win.
However, considering that despite this very obvious opponent game plan of shutting down Heatley, Spezza and Alfredsson, they still were the top scoring line in the NHL last season, so what does that say about how easy such a task is?
Look for Spezza and Heatley to both have big seasons as they have both come to camp looking for more responsibility (killing penalties, etc.) and want to play more of a leadership role. Dany Heatley was just named assistant captain by coach Crag Hartsburg, filling the vacancy left by Redden.
As for the remainder of the forwards on this “one line team” there are multiple 20-25 goal threats such as Vermette, Fisher and Kelly. Vermette in particular has the skills to put up 30 goals, and with the extra time he will see this season on the second line, that number should be in reach.
Another interesting stat for the doubters, the Ottawa Senators had the second highest scoring top six forwards in the NHL last season, behind only Detroit—so much for no secondary scoring.
This is a point that really bugs me—secondary scoring. With the exception of a very elite group of teams such as Pittsburgh and Detroit, very few NHL teams have this elusive “secondary scoring” unless they are putting first line players on their second line (as Ottawa has experimented with in Alfredsson).
As for role players, Ottawa has them in abundance, and they have become far more difficult to pay against.
Jarkko Ruutu, Chris Neil, Cody Bass and Christoph Schubert are some of the hardest hitting, most annoying players in the league. The Sens lost their resident tough guy in McGrattan, but he could barely skate anyway and was usually a healthy scratch. The tough guys Ottawa has now can all drop the mitts if necessary but can also skate, forecheck and pot the occasional goal. Neil has already shown that he is poised to come back strong from a 2007-08 campaign that was one of his worst.
The Sens also have some wily veterans up front in Deam McAmmond and Shean Donovan, both of whom can play an aggressive style and provide some on-ice leadership.
And there are a couple of young guns who are poised for breakout seasons in Nick Foligno and Jesse Winchester. Foligno in particular has looked great in preseason, scored a highlight reel goal on Montreal last week and could also join the 20 goal club with some increased ice time.
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