Since taking over as general manager of the Ottawa Senators, Steve Staios recognized the need to create more balance on his roster. One clear imbalance, he felt, was the lack of veteran leadership. With a still very young core, he set out to surround them with a few more vets who bring a winning pedigree.
Last summer, for example, he acquired a pair of thirty-somethings in Nick Jensen and David Perron, among others, to help support Claude Giroux in the veteran leadership department. This summer, he added veteran centre Lars Eller in free agency.
But the challenge with players in their mid-30s is always this: you’re never quite sure how many miles their bodies have left on them. Slowdowns and breakdowns are just a matter of when, not if. The Senators were reminded of that over the summer, and announced this week that both Jensen and Eller will miss at least the start of camp due to injuries.
Jensen played through the second half of last season with a hip problem that required surgery in the spring. At Wednesday’s media availability, Sens head coach Travis Green sounded optimistic about Jensen’s recovery but was careful not to commit to a timeline for his return.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he's skating with the group in the next week," Green said. "But he's progressing nicely."
Will he be ready for opening night?
"It's too early to tell that," Green said.
Fans have long suspected Jensen might be questionable to start the season, but the bigger surprise came on Wednesday when the Senators announced newcomer Lars Eller will also begin camp on the shelf.
According to the team, Eller had a minor abdominal procedure at some point in the offseason. Staios didn't seem too fazed by the issue, suggesting Eller will merge into camp sometime soon. However, it's worth noting that the team has a history of downplaying things – 'things are fine, nothing to see here' – when providing updates on injuries.
On the bright side, the team's oldest players – Giroux and Perron – are fully healthy heading into camp, and both have arrived with something to prove. Last season, Perron’s first in Ottawa, was partially derailed by injury along with a family issue. He finished with just 16 points in 42 games and will be eager to show the fan base more this year. Giroux, meanwhile, still put up 50 points, a solid total, though his 0.6 points per game marked his lowest output since his early years in the league.
Can these two bounce back at 37? Or is this the year that two fabulous NHL players with over 1000 games in the league get passed on the depth chart by younger guys? And what of Jensen and Eller? How long before they're game-ready? And when they are, can they return to their usual form?
Even if the outcome is positive in all cases – and the Sens say they think it will be – these players are all sunsetting and don't have contracts for next year. So any return to health and improved productivity will be, at best, temporary.
Father Time eventually gets up in everyone's face. The Senators are simply hoping he can hold off for a year or two so they can milk the last ounce of hockey these players have in them.
By Steve Warne
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