Tagged: Ottawa Senators

david-dziurzynski

Ottawa Senators look to be tearing a page from Los Angeles Kings‘ playbook on how to win a Stanley Cup with their recent pair of forwards recalls, plus one defenseman.

6’3″ 204 lbs. 3rd year, undrafted left wing David Dziurzynski(22) gets recalled from affiliate Binghamton Senators along with other big guy Derek Grant to infuse some size and energy up front and hopefully match the same magic as they push towards the postseason seemingly much like the Kings did when they called up a pair of large frames that became assets in their Cup run.

The injury bug and a few slow starting forwards also likely influenced the decision to bring up the duo at this point in the season.

They are also not the only team using this same strategy.

In the final season of his 3-year entry level deal, he hasn’t put up numbers that scream to the parent club that they need to bring this player up now, but some of the intangibles look to be in the right place: increased penalty minutes, good on ice rating and it also helps that he looks to be having a career year in the assists category, so maybe his stars are aligning.

In his first 2 NHL games, the 23-year old skated an average of 15 shifts and 11:30 of ice time.

He took 3 shots in the pair of contests and was a -1 in a winning and losing effort.

His minutes increased from his first game to his second and now it’s just a question of will this logic work a second time.

8th year, former New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#12 overall), gigantic right winger Hugh Jessiman(19) signed a one-year, two-way deal with Ottawa Senators for the 2012/2013 season.

He (and every other eligible player) was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators to start the new campaign.

The 6’5″ 233 lbs. mammoth has only ever skated in a pair of NHL games a couple of seasons ago with Florida Panthers.

He’s played 455 AHL regular season games with 7 different teams and last season posted a career high 27 goals and 44 points with Lake Erie Monsters and Abbotsford Heat.

By all accounts he should be a power forward that is impossible to move from the front of the net and a consistent 20+ goals, 20+ helpers forward.

In 25 games so far this season the 28-year old has 6 goals and 4 assists.

Hugh Jessiman

Ben Blood (44)

Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#120 overall), rookie defenseman Ben Blood(44) has been making the one hour drive between affiliates Binghamton Senators and Elmira Jackals more times than he even thought possible in the first two months of the season, and more trips are likely on the horizon for his first year pro.

Since the start of the 2012/2013 season he has been reassigned and recalled 8 times playing 17 games in the ECHL and 4 in the AHL scoring no points yet in either league.

He also skated 4 games with the Baby Sens last season when his college career wrapped up.

His intimidating 6’3″ 232 lbs. presence and ability to make the opponents’ players suffer in the attacking zone, combined with good on ice accountability makes him a worthy asset for either squad.

The 23-year old signed a 2-year entry level deal that keeps him in the prospect pipeline through next season.

If he can add some offensive upside as he did in his college career, he’ll be one big, well-rounded skater for either Sens‘ team.

Ben Blood

Ottawa Senators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#39 overall), Swedish-born right wing Jakob Silfverberg(33) is leading their AHL affiliate Binghamton in scoring through the first quarter of the 2012/2013 season with 6 goals and 8 assists in 19 games played. He’s also a +3 plus/minus on a team that is climbing to the top of league standings after a so-so start.

Signed to a 3-year entry level contract the 6′ 197 lbs. forward would have competed for and likely played in the NHL for his rookie season, if the lockout didn’t derail that possibility.

The 22-year old has always connected on the scoresheet in his home country and is continuing that trend in the North American pro ranks.

Jakob Silfverberg

 

 

mika-zibanejad

Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#6 overall) Swedish-born center, Mika Zibanejad(93) started his pro career at age 18 in the NHL last season but was returned to Djurgardens of the Elite League to finish out the year.

In 26 games, the youngster posted 5 goals and 13 assists.

He’s listed at 6’1″ 200 lbs. but doesn’t play a very big and aggressive game.

He’s easily more of a scoring and playmaking finesse skater.

Now 19 years old, to officially start his pro career while the show sits idle, Ottawa has reassigned him to play in the AHL with Binghamton.

He’s appeared in 7 contests and has dished a pair of helpers but has yet to tally one of his own.

More time in the gym as the season progresses and this kid will be a threat.

12-year, double drafted (Ottawa Senators 1995 & Colorado Avalanche 1997) defenseman Brad Larsen head coached his first (preseason) game for Springfield Falcons after being named to the position back in May of this year.

He served as the team’s assistant coach for the last couple of seasons after wrapping up his pro skating career with 55 games for Portland Pirates in 2010. The then 32-year old connected for 13 goals and 14 assists and equaled an AHL career high +9 plus/minus.

The 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner appeared in 294 NHL games (19 goals, 29 assists) with Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers, the only two teams he played for.

In the AHL, he skated in 384 games scoring 96 goals and 120 assists.

He lost the preseason opener 4-1; get the L out of the way before it starts counting. To be fair, their opponent Providence Bruins had more A-lister on the squad, while the Falcons fielded more of a training camp tryout lineup.

 

5th year defenseman Tyler Eckford(7) will slide over to skate with his third team in three seasons signing a two-year, two-way deal with Ottawa Senators for the 2012/2013 season.

After spending his first three seasons with New Jersey Devils, mostly with their farm team in Albany/Lowell, he hooked up with Phoenix Coyotes on a one-year contract and skated in a career high 75 AHL games with Portland Pirates, scoring a personal best 10 goals.

He was never recalled last year, as he was for 7 games over 2 seasons with the Devils. He tallied one assist in 3 and 4 game stints.

Whether he earns an occasional spot on the Sens‘ blue line seems to lie for the upcoming season with the player, as there may be an opening for him to potentially fill. Regardless, he should help the team’s affiliate in Binghamton shore up their defense for the next couple of years.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. almost 27-year old plays a tough, aggressive game but seems to lack a bit of the knockout punch in his play he needs to use more of.

See related posts: 8/19-11 and 4/13-10

The big man that has been guarding the blue line for Binghamton Senators for the last couple of seasons, Eric Gryba(2) re-signed with the parent club, Ottawa Senators through 2014 on another two-way contract.

He was originally a 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft (#58 overall) but has yet to see any NHL action.

The 6’4″ 222 lbs. defenseman had AHL career highs in 2011/2012 with 73 games played, 5 goals, 15 assists and 20 points. His unfortunate -13 plus/minus was on the worst regular season team in the league.

Just one season prior and he was playing in his rookie campaign for the Cinderella B-Sens‘ squad that won the 2011 Calder Cup Championship.

At only 24 years old he could get a look in the show with continued good play and some injuries, but he’s going to need to elevate his overall game.

Undrafted mini-might, 2nd year center Stephane Da Costa(24) re-signed for 2012/2013 on a two-way contract with Ottawa Senators.

He made the NHL team out of training camp but lasted only 22 games (3 goals, 2 assists isn’t too bad) before being reassigned to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators.

In 42 games, he was able to strike for 13 goals and 23 assists, which was good enough for 5th on team scoring.

The 23-year old is listed at 5’11” 180 lbs. but looks a lot smaller on the ice than that.

Still, he has the ability to put up some numbers and with a little muscle and grit should be able to hang in the show (for at least a bit).

He is Paris, France born, which is an odd little player fact.

 

 

9th year veteran center Martin St. Pierre(39) heads back to Rockford IceHogs for the 2012/2013 season. He signed a one-year AHL contract to rejoin the team for another season.

The 5’9″ 187 lbs. forward led  Springfield Falcons in scoring last year, as he has with any of the 4 other league teams he skated with, including the IceHogs in ’07/’08.

Undrafted, the almost 29-year old has always been an effective spark plug for whatever AHL club he’s played with, averaging over a point-per-game. In 440 regular season contests he’s rung up 125 goals and set up another 344 for a total of 469 points.

He’s also played in 38 NHL games with three different teams and struck for 3 goals and 5 assists.

Rockford may get the help they need from him to get back into the playoff picture.