Bruce Garrioch

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : GARRIOCH: Senators prospects go winless, but gain experience with main camp set to open GARRIOCH: Senators prospects go winless, but gain experience with main camp set to open Author of the article: Article content It was a long way home for the Ottawa Senators rookies from Buffalo on Monday night. Advertisement 2 Article content GARRIOCH: Senators prospects go winless, but gain experience with main camp set to open Back to video The Senators wrapped up the six-team Prospects' Challenge with a 4-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday afternoon at the LECOM Harbourcenter and closed out the tourney with a winless 0-3 record, but now some of this group will get ready for the opening of main camp. Only a small portion of the 27 players that took part in the three-game tourney for the Senators will be invited to be part of the club's camp that will get under way with medicals Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre and then the first on-ice session Thursday. After getting knocked off 9-1 in the opener Friday against the New Jersey Devils, the Senators bounced back with a much better effort in 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. The reality is the results don't mean much because this is all about getting experience for these young players. Advertisement 3 Article content “This is huge (for these players),” Ottawa assistant GM Ryan Bowness said Monday from Buffalo. “It's a long summer, you're thrown right back and you get to play three games, get your touches, confidence and timing back so that you're ready to come main camp. “These kids that are here, come main camp have to take that as a positive, and they have to carry it over into next week.” One player that will be under microscope is defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, the club's first-round pick in June's draft. He'll get the chance to skate with the National Hockey League players for the first time in his career and it's a chance for him to see where he measures up. He had 30 goals and 71 points in 66 games with the Western Hockey League's Calgary Hitmen last season. Yakemchuk tied up Monday's game 1-1 by chipping in down low to fire it home in the second period. Advertisement 4 Article content “His instinctual play is very noticeable,” Bowness said. “For an event like this, the first game everybody wasn't comfortable with the systems and stuff like that, but with him you could see the instincts he has. “He has poise with the puck, the little plays he makes with the puck, he got better as the first game went on and he carried that over into the second game. We're anxious to see improvement. The biggest thing that stands out for me is the way he sees the ice and the plays he has the ability to make.” One player that wasn't able to suit up in the rookie tourney was Belleville goaltender Leevi Merilainen. He suffered a lower-body injury before the Senators left Ottawa and the decision was made that a lengthy bus ride may not be the best idea. Advertisement 5 Article content Bowness said he doesn't anticipate that Merilainen will be out long. HALLIDAY MAKES AN IMPRESSION One player we're going to have to keep an eye on is centre Stephen Halliday. He left Ohio State University last spring, signed with the Senators and made his presence felt while suit up for the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville. A fourth-round pick, he had two goals and seven points in seven playoff games with Belleville. He earned the trust of coach David Bell and that's pretty impressive for a 22-year-old with no AHL experience. Halliday scored a goal in the club's loss to the Penguins. “Bell did a really good job with him because he didn't hand him everything right away,” Bowness said. “He started him on the fourth line, gave him some secondary power play and let him get comfortable a bit. That was big for him because he really quickly learned the pro game. Advertisement 6 Article content “Come playoff time, he was one of our best forwards. That series against Cleveland (in Round 2) he was outstanding. The offensive instincts are there, and he was great on the power play. The difference from when he got to Belleville to when he left, it was almost like two different players.” Making that transition can be difficult, but you have to think Halliday has an opportunity at this camp to put himself on the radar screen of Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, along with senior VP Dave Poulin as a possible call-up during the regular season. Halliday is going to need more time in the AHL, but you can make a name for yourself with a strong camp. “He sees the game so well,” Bowness said. “His offensive instincts, the way he handles the puck, the poise and the way he protects the puck with his body, he just has good hockey sense. He doesn't get phased by anything out there. He plays his game and plays with confidence. “He just goes out there and performs. He was at the point last year where our veteran guys (in Belleville) were asking Bell if they could play with him because they saw the impact he has on the game.” Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : GARRIOCH: Senators prospects go winless, but gain experience with main camp set to open Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

The Ottawa Senators missed the playoffs for the seventh straight spring last season. Article content

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : When will the Ottawa Senators win the Stanley Cup? When will the Ottawa Senators win the Stanley Cup? Author of the article: Article content The Ottawa Senators missed the playoffs for the seventh straight spring last season. Advertisement 2 Article content When will the Ottawa Senators win the Stanley Cup? Back to video But hope springs eternal and, after an off-season of change, the Senators are confident when the tickets are handed out to the National Hockey League's big dance in April, they'll have a booked a seat. A lot needs to go right for the dream to become reality. People often say it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish, but in the case of the Senators, both of these hold true. The Senators need to get off to a good start to make sure they don't take themselves out of the mix so early that the rest of the season is meaningless. There's a fine line and the Senators need to handle it without feeling the pressure. Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, has put his stamp on this team with the hiring of head coach Travis Green and several roster changes. Advertisement 3 Article content The time has come for this core to make the next step. STATUS TODAY The Senators are built around a core that is led by captain Brady Tkachuk, but Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris and Ridly Greig will play big roles. The reality is these guys need to learn how to win and it has to happen this year. By all accounts, they should have a good opportunity with the changes made by Staios in the off-season to get to the next level. Veterans David Perron, Michael Amadio, Ben Cousins and right-shot defenceman Nick Jensen were added to the roster. Of course, the biggest acquisition was goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins in a deal which sent the underachieving Joonas Korpisalo to Beantown. Advertisement 4 Article content Staios couldn't roll back with the same crew and hope everybody improved. He didn't like the way this roster was constructed. The veteran players should take some of the pressure off winger Claude Giroux. The Senators feel like they've add stability to the roster and they hope that rubs off on the young players. If it does, then this team should be improved. REASON TO BELIEVE The focus is on Ullmark. The Senators had zero consistency with their goaltending last season and that has to change for this club to make the playoffs. Ullmark is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $5 million US and will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, so he needs to have success as well. The 31-year-old Ullmark had a lot of success with the Bruins. He finished with a 22-10-7 record last season with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .915 save-percentage. He also played a key role in winning a Vezina Trophy two years ago. Advertisement 5 Article content Based on personality alone, Ullmark is just what the doctor ordered. He's a breath of fresh air, what you see is what you get, he has a good sense of humour and he doesn't take anything too seriously. He even says he never gets too high and never gets too low. You want a goalie that is on an even keel because it helps with confidence. If that can rub off on the rest of the players and he can help Anton Forsberg have a better year than last season, the Senators will be in a good place. REASON FOR SKEPTICISM The Senators missed the playoffs by 13 points last season, which means they need to make a huge improvement. One thing we've learned is that all 32 teams feel like they're better heading into this year and the Senators are no different. Green has his work cut out for him because he has to ensure that this group learns to play away from the puck as well as it does offensively. Advertisement 6 Article content The most over-used word in Ottawa is accountability. It feels like it's a buzz word to be honest. Former coach D.J. Smith held players accountable, he just didn't do it publicly. Green will do the same in his role and he can always control the message through ice time. The Senators forwards have to play a two-way game plus Jensen needs to fill a void on the right side on defence. The veteran blueliner will have a lot of pressure to be a strong partner for Chabot and together they'll have to make each other better. You can't just flip a switch and be better defensively, but that has to be the case for the Senators. PROSPECT PIPELINE The Senators hadn't had a first-round pick for two years until they took defenceman Carter Yakemchuk from the Western Hockey League's Calgary Hitmen in the draft this past June. Advertisement 7 Article content He has a big year ahead of him and should suit up for Team Canada at the IIHF world junior championship in Ottawa during the holiday season. Zack Ostapchuk was solid in Belleville last year and should be ready to make the jump to the NHL along with defenceman Tyler Kleven. They both helped the club's American Hockey League affiliate to the second round of the playoffs Goaltender Mads Sogaard has to push for more playing time in Ottawa during training camp and then needs to carry the load in Belleville. He's a strong prospect for this team, but has to show that can stay healthy and play at this level. It's going to be interesting to watch him. SALARY CAP SITUATION The Senators don't have a lot of wiggle room under the cap after signing Cousins. It will be tough for them to add at the deadline, but they could send salary to Belleville to make room. Advertisement 8 Article content We'll find out soon enough if this is money well spent. Their young players make a lot and they have to carry the load. POSTMEDIA PREDICTS The Senators will win the Stanley Cup in three years. POSTMEDIA EXPLAINS Talking about a Stanley Cup and the Senators feels far-fetched. How about they make the playoffs first? That's how everybody feels here. But the clock already is ticking on this young core and new owner Michael Andlauer knows the next three years are pivotal if this team is going to have success. You don't have players forever anymore and loyalty isn't what it used to be. If Ullmark can carry the ball, Norris can stay healthy and Sanderson becomes the defenceman everybody expects, then maybe another Tkachuk will lift the Stanley Cup over their head. At this point, though, a playoff game in Ottawa for the first time since 2017 would be a nice step in the right direction. Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : When will the Ottawa Senators win the Stanley Cup? Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

Travis Green will start a new chapter Thursday morning. Article content

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : ONE-ON-ONE: New coach Travis Green ready for next challenge with Ottawa Senators ONE-ON-ONE: New coach Travis Green ready for next challenge with Ottawa Senators Author of the article: Article content Travis Green will start a new chapter Thursday morning. Advertisement 2 Article content ONE-ON-ONE: New coach Travis Green ready for next challenge with Ottawa Senators Back to video While the Ottawa Senators will hold medicals and smile for the cameras as training camp gets under way Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre, the work will begin in earnest Thursday when the club's new head coach makes his first on-ice appearance. Green, along with assistants Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Yeo, Nolan Baumgartner, Ben Sexton and video coach Mike King plus assistant Josh Mallory, have been in the office for weeks preparing for camp. Fifty-six players will report for camp Wednesday. “We're really excited,” Green told Postmedia on Tuesday in a pre-training-camp interview. “I know everyone on our staff is ready to go, we've been preparing for awhile and we can't wait to get on the ice.” Hired by the Senators on May 7, this is Green's second job as a full-time head coach in the league. He spent nearly five years behind the Vancouver Canucks bench from 2017-2022. He also had a brief stint as the interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils last spring after Lindy Ruff was fired. Advertisement 3 Article content Green's expectations for this group going into camp aren't that difficult. “First, it's to show up in shape,” Green said. “You have to show you put in the work this summer to either make the team, be a better player than you were last year and, most importantly, you've shown a commitment level to make our team improve.” This roster will be a lot different than the one Senators iced last year. Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, has made a lot of changes. Yes, captain Brady Tkachuk leads a group that includes dynamic centre Tim Stutzle along with Josh Norris, Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Ridly Greig and alternate captain Thomas Chabot, but there will be a lot of new faces around them. Advertisement 4 Article content Green doesn't believe that finding out where everybody fits will be an issue because these players have made it clear that they're tired of the losing and want to win. “There's been a lot of changes and there's a lot of new players, but every team is a little bit different that way with the number they add,” Green said. “That's just part of an NHL training camp, it's different year-to-year and I don't see that as a challenge. “We've got a group that's hungry to win, they have a burning desire to win and, not only that, they understand from speaking with all of them individually what their role is as far as helping this team and making us better. They're prepared to make the next step.” In fact, the players embrace the changes that Staios has made. Advertisement 5 Article content “Every NHL camp has a buzz around them, but I can tell this group is hungry to get going,” Green said. “They're excited about it, but they're also a little bit on their toes. Sometimes the unknown is a good thing for players. With a new coaching staff, you're not quite sure how things are going to run. “We've had a lot of good dialogue with our players for the past few months, but I think they're just as eager to get on the ice as we are to get going coaching them.” The Senators are hopeful that addition of veterans Michael Amadio, David Perron, Nick Cousins, Nick Jensen and Linus Ullmark will play a key role in helping this group reach the next level. The reality is the Senators young core needs to learn how to win. “It's important when you have players who come from other organizations — that were part of winning organizations — understand it's one thing to talk about winning and it's another to be committed to the process and understanding what it takes to win,” Green said. “When you have players around that have done that or come close to it, that helps group internally.” Advertisement 6 Article content It should also help alleviate some of the pressure on veteran winger Claude Giroux to be a strong leader at all times. “Claude has been one of the only older players on the team. He's still a good player at his age, he's hungry to win and he's proud to be from the area. It's going to help a lot of people from our team, not just (Giroux). It's going to help Timmy, Brady, it's going to help the group as a whole,” Green added. Naturally, the biggest addition is Ullmark. He should be able to solidify a net that hasn't been the same since the club opted to let Craig Anderson walk away at the end of the 2019-20 campaign. The Senators have tried several options, including Matt Murray, Cam Talbot and Joonas Korpisalo, but nothing has worked. Advertisement 7 Article content Ullmark doesn't have to be superhuman, he just has to make the necessary stops to give this team confidence. If he does that and the Senators play well in front of him, then it will give Green the opportunity to have the kind of success the fan base here has been waiting to witness. “Anytime you can get an elite goalie, it's going to help your team,” he said. “Elite goaltenders aren't easy to find and they're not easy to produce. The fact that Steve went out and made a trade for Linus, and speaking him about his excitement level to be here, with his competitive nature and desire to win, is going to help our group in many ways.” Green and his staff have a difficult task ahead of them. This team has missed the playoffs for seven straight years. The heavy lifting has been done through all the losing to gather the young core, but the expectation is that the Senators will either make the playoffs or at least push for a spot. Advertisement 8 Article content The players know what to expect from Green. He has spoken with the whole roster through the course of the summer. The players will be split up into three groups and training camp won't be easy. “They're hard. We want the pace of our team (to be high). We want to play fast, we want to play aggressive and in order to play that way you've got to be in shape and you've got to be used to practising that way,” Green said. “Getting a little bit uncomfortable with the pace of play and the intensity level is important. You have to practice how you play is a cliché, but when you get used to doing things a certain way you're going to do them more often.” With the changes made by Staios, you can't pinpoint many openings on this roster. The fourth line has to sort itself out, but it would appear Noah Gregor will be in the middle. Two young players that will push for spots in the bottom six are forwards Zack Ostapchuk and Angus Crookshank. Advertisement 9 Article content The expectation is the biggest battle will be for playing time in the third pairing on defence. After spending a year in the American Hockey League, Tyler Kleven will likely make the jump to the NHL, which means he'll push Jacob Bernard-Docker and Travis Hamonic for a spot. Defenceman Calen Addison, 24, who suited up for 72 games with San Jose Sharks last season, also will be a name to watch. He's here on a professional tryout and is pushing to earn a contract. “Part of the excitement is being on the ice with the players,” Green said. “You watch players on video and it's not the same as being on the ice with them or standing behind them to watch mannerisms or smaller details in their game. “The beginning of camp is just going to be on the ice with some of these players that a lot of people talk about and we watch, but now we'll get a chance to actually see how they play and how they respond to coaching.” Advertisement 10 Article content He's here to help the players. “It's a partnership with the players,” Green said. “In today's world, open dialogue and communication (are important). It's our job to get the best out of our players and help them along. I truly believe you coach each player individually to get the best out of each player.” Green knows the coaching staff and the players are both aligned in their goals for this season. “I wholeheartedly believe that these players are ready to take another step in their development and that development is winning,” Green said. “But everyone wants to do that in the whole NHL. There's a commitment level to do that and you have to be open and honest with yourself as individuals and players. Advertisement 11 Article content “You have to assess where you have to better and where you need to get better and that comes from coaches talking about it and the players going out to perform. That's going to be the ground floor as to where we're going to start with our team identity and how we want to play.” The work begins in earnest Thursday. TRAINING CAMP ROSTER Five goaltenders, 2023-24 team(s): Anton Forsberg (Ottawa – NHL), Leevi Merilainen (Allen – ECHL, Belleville – AHL), Michael Simpson (London – OHL), Mads Sogaard (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Linus Ullmark (Boston – NHL). Twenty defencemen, 2023-24 team(s): Calen Addison (Minnesota – NHL, San Jose – NHL), Matthew Andonovski (Kitchener – OHL), Jacob Bernard-Docker (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Thomas Chabot (Ottawa – NHL), Jeremy Davies (Rochester – AHL), Jorian Donovan (Brantford – OHL, Saginaw – OHL), Gabriel Eliasson (HV 71 – Swe. Jr.), Maxence Guenette (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Tomas Hamara (Kitchener – OHL, Brantford – OHL, Belleville – AHL), Travis Hamonic (Ottawa – NHL), Nick Jensen (Washington – NHL), Tyler Kleven (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Nikolas Matinpalo (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Filip Nordberg (Växjö J20 – Swe-Jr., Muskegon – USHL), Filip Roos (Rockford – AHL, Chicago – NHL), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa – NHL), Donovan Sebrango (Allen – ECHL, Belleville – AHL), Djibril Toure (Sudbury – OHL, Windsor – OHL), Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary – WHL), Artem Zub (Ottawa – NHL). Advertisement 12 Article content Thirty-one forwards, 2023-24 team(s): Michael Amadio (Vegas – NHL), Drake Batherson (Ottawa – NHL), Wyatt Bongiovanni (Manitoba – AHL, Belleville – AHL), Tyler Boucher (Belleville – AHL), Xavier Bourgault (Bakersfield – AHL), Jake Chiasson (Fort Wayne – ECHL, Bakersfield – AHL), Nick Cousins (Florida – NHL), Angus Crookshank (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Philippe Daoust (Allen – ECHL, Belleville – AHL), Lucas Ellinas (Kitchener – OHL), Adam Gaudette (Springfield – AHL, St. Louis – NHL), Claude Giroux (Ottawa – NHL), Noah Gregor (Toronto – NHL), Ridly Greig (Ottawa – NHL), Stephen Halliday (Ohio State – Big-10, Belleville – AHL), Matthew Highmore (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Hayden Hodgson (Ontario – AHL), Jan Jenik (Tucson – AHL, Arizona – NHL), Nikolay Kulemin (Salavat Yulaev – KHL), Zack MacEwen (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), Josh Norris (Ottawa – NHL), Zack Ostapchuk (Belleville – AHL, Ottawa – NHL), David Perron (Detroit – NHL), Oskar Petersson (Rögle BK – Swe. Jr, Rögle BK – SHL, Belleville – AHL), Garrett Pilon (Belleville – AHL), Shane Pinto (Ottawa – NHL), Jamieson Rees (Springfield – AHL, Charlotte – AHL, Belleville – AHL), Cole Reinhardt (Belleville – AHL), Tim Stützle (Ottawa – NHL), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa – NHL), Keean Washkurak (Springfield – AHL). Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : ONE-ON-ONE: New coach Travis Green ready for next challenge with Ottawa Senators Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

The sun is shining on a picture-perfect fall September morning in Ottawa as Michael Andlauer strolls into Al's Diner on Clyde Avenue. Article content

'I wholeheartedly believe that these players are ready to take another step in their development and that development is winning'

If they haven't put pen to paper on an agreement by Friday to build a new rink at LeBreton, they are prepared to extend the deadline, but both sides feel the optics of that wouldn't be good.

'We're here to win. This group in particular, at this point in time, I want to see them take that next step.'

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Ottawa Senators open camp with an eye towards playoff spot Ottawa Senators open camp with an eye towards playoff spot 'We're here to win. This group in particular, at this point in time, I want to see them take that next step.' Author of the article: Article content It's time for playoff payoff in the nation's capital. Advertisement 2 Article content Ottawa Senators open camp with an eye towards playoff spot Back to video The goal for the Ottawa Senators is simple this season as they prepare to hit the ice Thursday for the first time under the watchful eye of new head coach Travis Green and his staff at the Canadian Tire Centre as training camp shifts into high gear. After being poked, prodded, physically tested and photographed on the first day of camp Wednesday, the Senators aren't making any bones about the fact they want to return to the National Hockey League playoffs for the first time since 2017. Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, was asked if he wants this team to challenge for a playoff spot? “Absolutely,” he said. “We're here to win. This group in particular, at this point in time, I want to see them take that next step. The belief and the confidence comes from some of the players that we've brought in to support this core group of players. Advertisement 3 Article content “But certainly this group has now been through a lot together, I can sense the maturity and I've got full belief that they're going to take a step forward.” Staios addressed the team on the eve of camp and his message surrounded having the right mix in the dressing room. “It's an over-used term, but I talked about the culture,” Staios said. “Our players are starting to see and sense a bit of a different attitude. There's a bit of a different feel around our group. That's really emphasis. “Culture is just a word, but you've got to live it every day. I do believe our players who have been here understand that now. Certainly, with the additions and the type of players that we brought in will add to that.” Captain Brady Tkachuk leads a group that includes dynamic centre Tim Stutzle along with Josh Norris, Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Ridly Greig and alternate captain Thomas Chabot, but there will be a lot of new faces around them. Advertisement 4 Article content Staios rolled up his sleeves and made several changes during a busy off-season. The club acquired goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins in a blockbuster move in June, but also added veterans David Perron, Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins and Nick Jensen. The club is hoping the veterans will help take the Senators to the next level. “The tangibles will come with how we perform,” Staios said. “There's a sense of professionalism and maturity. Watching these players come in early and seeing their commitment and fitness level, I guess that's where I'm drawing that believe that they've made that next step.” Now, it's up to Green to help them get there, but he knows that's not going to happen on the first day of camp. The players are split up into three groups and those will be changed throughout the course of camp with the season opener set for Oct. 10 against the Florida Panthers. Advertisement 5 Article content “You can't get everything done right away,” Green said. “There's always a lot of talk about structure, teaching and, of course, we'll have that in our camp, but for me it's a little about the mindset of how we want to play, how we want to be perceived and the identity that we want to have. “I'm looking for (Thursday's) practice to be competitive, high-paced with good execution and attention to details. We want to be a team that's very competitive and not only once in a while, but consistently.” A lot of eyes will be on centre Josh Norris. He's expected to be a full participant in training camp after the third shoulder surgery of his career in February. There has been some talk he may be shifted to the wing, but the plan is to use him in the middle. Advertisement 6 Article content “It's his natural position. He's had success at this level at that position so I think to start it's important to put him at that spot,” Green said. “Just in my conversations, without knowing him in the past, he seems very confident, excited to get going and mature as well. “We've had honest conversations about where he's at physically, mentally, and we'll continue to have dialogue with him to see where he's at. There's always bumps and bruises along the way, especially when you're coming off injury, and we'll monitor it daily to assess what he needs to get ready for the home opener.” The best way to put Wednesday at the rink was that it was “refreshingly boring” and normal. There were no players waiting to get a new contract in place and Green is new on the job with most of his staff so he'll be given the opportunity to get this group headed in the right direction. Advertisement 7 Article content The focus in this camp will be on finding out where everybody fits to make sure they're ready for opening night. “There's going to be competition everywhere,” Green said. “Everyone who's mainstays in our group, but there is competition for certain spots up front and on our back end. For me, the best guys play and whoever is playing well is going to play.” That will sort itself out through camp. Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Ottawa Senators open camp with an eye towards playoff spot Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings