Top Five Questions Surrounding the Ottawa Senators

5. Can Fisher, Spezza, and Alfredsson 'bounce back'?

In 2008-09, Mike Fisher, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson's point totals declined. Some of this was attributed to the defense-first system that new coach Craig Hartsburg instituted. All three will need to bounce back for the Senators to return to the playoffs.

Alfredsson was also coming off of a serious knee injury. However, doubts will persist over a player that is now 36 and has played a dozen seasons in the NHL. Alfredsson was played on various line combinations last season in an attempt to balance the scoring and he benefit from less experimentation this season.

Mike Fisher may have been distracted by his budding romance with Carrie Underwood. Fisher had a hat trick in one game of the preseason and has played on a line with Alex Kovalev, which should help.

Jason Spezza may have been affected most by Hartsburg pushing him to be more defensively responsible. Spezza improved his defensive play last season, but his offensive production declined. Spezza played mostly with Dany Heatley, and if there was any personal friction (hinted at by Heatley in his post-trade comments), he may benefit from one less distraction. Other teams focused on checking Spezza and Heatley and it was usually effective.

4. Defense

In the Jacques Martin years, the Ottawa Senators were known for their excellent defense. The team was able to carry goaltenders like Patrick Lalime, who would let a higher number of soft goals in. Those days are gone. When the Senators made their run to the Final in 2007, Wade Redden and Joe Corvo started many plays, while Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov were an outstanding shut-down pair.

This season, the Sens are looking for more offense and physical play from their defense. Young players Erik Karlsson and Chris Campoli, it is hoped, will help to move the puck and Matt Carkner will bring a physical and fighting presence to the defense. Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov are expected to carry the load to shut down opposing forwards and are solid, but have not played like they did in '06-07.

The '09-10 Senators should be solid on defense, but they hope to do better. Help may be coming in '10-11. First round pick Jared Cowen was returned to junior and the Sens will look for his big presence next season.

3. Secondary Scoring

If there is one theme to outside criticism of the Senators since their Finals run, it is the lack of secondary schooling. Basically, the team relied on the 'Cash Line' of Heatley, Alfredsson, and Spezza.

In the '06-07 season, other players like Mike Fisher and Mike Comrie, and even Chris Neil had career seasons. And the 'Cash Line' had an outstanding season on the power play. The team also had stronger puck-passing ability on defense, enabling the forwards to get away quickly.

This year, the Senators have added Kovalev, Milan Mihalek, Jordan Cheechoo, and Peter Regin. While Regin has shown he can play well with Kovalev, Mihalek and Cheechoo will still have to find a niche with the Senators.

Last year, the third- and fourth-lines rarely contributed offensively, and the Senators are hoping for production from players like Nick Foligno, Chris Neil, and Jesse Winchester. If Carkner stays with the the team, he may give Neil's hands a rest from fighting and a chance. Neil has shown he can be effective on the power play.

The Senators scored only 13 goals in their six preseaon games, with six coming in one game against Montreal. The jury is still out.

2. Alex Kovalev

Alex Kovalev has perplexed hockey watchers for several seasons now. Considered one of the most gifted players of the past 20 years, Kovalev still has outstanding skills, although his skating speed has declined. The Senators are hoping to get the player who had the 'up' season of his first season in Montreal after an unhappy exit from New York, and not the player who was a distraction in the final half of the '08-09 campaign.

Kovalev, like many players, plays better on teams where he is not the primary offensive threat, and doesn't draw intense defensive scrutiny He has not shown that he can carry a team, but he can be outstanding when other teams can't concentrate on him. Under pressure, Kovalev has outstanding ability to avoid being checked, but he ends up holding onto the puck, giving the other team time to set up defensively.

The Senators hope that they can develop two offensive lines to give other teams difficulty in checking, and Kovalev has played well with speedy rookie center Regin and converted centreman Mike Fisher in the preseason. If the line of Michalek, Spezza, and Alfredsson can develop some chemistry, the Kovalev-line may more opportunities to attack the offensive line quickly.

1. Pascal Leclaire

When the trade for Leclaire came about at the trade deadline in 2009, the consensus opinion is that Leclaire may be the best goaltender the Senators have ever had, although the Sens did have Domenik Hasek for most of the '05-06 season.

The biggest question will be Leclaire's durability. The Senators may need to rely on backup Brian Elliot to spell Leclaire off for rest. But if the Sens are not scoring, they may overplay Leclaire in the search for wins.

They will need him to play his very best, especially in the early regular season, which it appears, the Sens will need more time to gel offensively, and the Senators will need Leclaire to keep the scores close. Leclaire has played well in the preseason, lessening concerns about his injury recovery.

Now the Sens will need him to stay healthy.