Naturally, the preseason games don't count, but you can always count on them for storylines.
With most of the Ottawa Senators roster locked into place coming into camp this year, the battle for depth positions is drawing attention through the first three pre-season games. Seeing which bottom-six forwards emerge, who makes the bottom pairing, and a first look at the goalie tandem are intriguing stories to follow.
Goaltenders
Coming off a double MCL injury, there were many questions surrounding Anton Forsberg’s game. Being such a unique injury, it was hard to predict how he might bounce back. Well, some of those concerns were alleviated when he started the first preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, stopping 36/38 shots in a 3-2 win.
On the other hand, Joonas Korpisalo got his first pre-season start as a Senator. Although he was able to make some impressive saves, he allowed four goals on 21 shots and looked a little shaky on the game-winner. Fans shouldn't put too much stock into the pre-season performance behind a less-than-ideal lineup, but it's something to keep an eye on as he gets more starts.
Additionally, Mads Sogaard has been arguably the best goaltender so far, stopping 36/39 shots against the hardest competition in Toronto. He's expected to start the year in Belleville where he will get plenty of playing time to further develop.
Fourth Line Battle
Egor Sokolov and Jiri Smejkal have impressed in similar ways. Using their big bodies in the offensive zone, they've been able to make things happen and not look out of place. Both will be in tough to make the team, but if it were on pre-season merit alone, both look considerably better than their competition.
Fans were concerned when Zack MacEwen was signed that his enforcer-type play style may end up being a detriment and those concerns were at least partially validated. In Montreal on Wednesday night, MacEwen was penalized for a reckless hit on Kaden Guhle, and while it's still very early, he hasn't shown very much yet.
Parker Kelly is another candidate fighting for one of these spots. At this point, he's been outplayed by many of those around him. He continues to use his energy to fly around the ice, but his lack of production should make him a healthy scratch more often than not.
Bottom Pairing
Travis Hamonic signed a two-year, $1.1 million (AAV) contract this past summer to be a sixth or seventh defenseman on this team – a questionable move given the young talent in the organization and his declining performance as a 33-year-old. Against Montreal, Hamonic had a rough showing taking out his goalie on the first goal and getting beat wide several times on attacking entries. However, with a full NMC, Hamonic is not going anywhere.
Looking to take time from Hamonic this year is Jacob Bernard-Docker. The former first-rounder has been okay but hasn't knocked down the doors by any means. And he's still making mistakes. Having a one-way contract, JBD will be on the Ottawa roster unless he's waived or traded. However, he has not guaranteed himself any ice time.
Lassi Thompson is likely headed back to Belleville for another year, slotted behind at least seven one-way contracts on the backend. He hasn't stood out yet, but he has been better than JBD. His two-way game appears to be further along and with an offensive upside, he should get NHL games if/when there are injuries.
Erik Brannstrom had an opportunity to play as the top defenseman against the Montreal Canadians and looked okay. Like fans saw last year, he excelled at moving the puck both with clean passes and his great skating. Having Brannstrom on the bottom pairing makes him expendable and an option to be moved to sign Pinto.
In the Senators' preseason, key battles for depth positions have emerged. Anton Forsberg's strong return from injury is promising, while Joonas Korpisalo struggled in his debut. Egor Sokolov and Jiri Smejkal have impressed in the battle for fourth line jobs, contrasting Parker Kelly’s energy and Zach MacEwen's enforcer style.
The fight for the bottom pairing D jobs features Travis Hamonic, whose performance raises concerns; Jacob Bernard-Docker, still finding his footing; Lassi Thompson shows some potential, and Erik Brannstrom may be expendable.
Preseason performances will continue to shape the final lineup decisions, impacting the Senators' depth for the upcoming season.
