The Senators have been split into two groups for the first three days of training camp — meeting for scrimmages the past two — but with a short preseason looming, Travis Green says the time is nearing for one main group to skate together.
That means crunch time has begun for roster hopefuls like Stephen Halliday, Carter Yakemchuk, Sammy Blais, Philip Tomasino, Ben Hutton, and Hoyt Stanley to prove to Green beyond a reasonable doubt that they deserve to be on the opening night roster come October.
“Guys are here to win a job, whether it's to start the year or at some point during the year. I think it's always been that way, when you come to camp and try to impress. As long as I've known, every player gets excited about training camp, and every player wants to make the team,” said Green after both groups practiced on Saturday.
“You know, some guys maybe know they're going back to junior, or maybe they know they're a little bit on the outside looking in, but they still want to impress. At the end of the day, you are what you are, and if you don't have that competitive nature in you, you're probably not going to make it anyway.”
Green said that he isn’t surprised about the physicality he’s seen throughout the first three days of training camp, as those roster battles take shape, but some players are taking notice.
“Everyone’s trying to make the team, everyone’s got an aspect that they’re good at. Some guys are more physical, and it was showing in practice today, for sure,” said Tyler Kleven.
“I think that there’s a spot on our roster that a physical player needs to fill. I like the physical aspect of our game, I think every team needs a couple guys that can throw around the body, and I think that it starts from even our top guys, like Timmy and Drake, who are throwing around the body, they’re playing hard, and that’s leadership. I think everyone needs to buy into the physical aspect and be a hard-working team, and I think we’ve showed that so far.”
Stephen Halliday, who spent half of last season in the NHL and is pushing to make it a full season this year, looked like he was following that lead on Saturday. He was making full use of his 6-foot-4 frame during the scrimmage.
“The compete [level]’s been great, we’ve done a lot of battle drills, just a shorter training camp this year, so trying to get back into game shape quicker,” said Halliday.
Halliday got to work this summer after signing a two-year, $1.075 million AAV extension in early May. He spent most of it training with Matt Nichol (Senators Director of Player Health and Performance) in Toronto, with trips to Muskoka to train with Sam Gagner (Senators Director of Player Development) and Montana to train with Jake Sanderson.
“It was great that they thought that high of me to give me a one-way contract. I tried to take the summer super serious, train the right way, and then obviously trying to come into camp and show that I want to make the team and show that I worked my bag off this summer,” said Halliday.
“They said show us that in the summer, that you want to be a part of this team full-time, and work on your game. Obviously, I dedicated a lot of the summer to that. I’m not from Toronto but wanted to be with the best gym guy in the world in my opinion, Matt Nichol. I spent all my summer with him, working with guys like Tom Wilson on the rack beside me, going up against a lot of really good players in the gym too, so I just tried to get better in that aspect.”
Meanwhile, Yakemchuk was also in Muskoka this summer training with Gagner, Halliday, and Dylan Cozens. As he attempts to make the Senators out of camp for the first time, he’s been staying with Ridly Greig.
“I said he was all good to stay this year as well, but he’s been a lot of fun to host,” said Greig, who hosted his fellow Albertan the year before too.
“He definitely looks a lot more confident out there, he’s making a lot of plays, his skill looks good, but especially off the ice, he looks a lot more comfortable as well. It’s nice to have Carter at the house.”
Yakemchuk is also drawing upon lessons from Jake Sanderson, who he has been paired with over the first three days of camp.
“He looks great. I've actually really enjoyed playing with him, and I feel like we're kind of building some chemistry early, which is awesome,” said Sanderson.
“Yeah, he definitely feels more comfortable this year. You know, he looks in great shape. He's even he's even talking to me out there too. I think that's just him maturing and growing out of his shell.”
“I feel like my third camp now, just being more comfortable on the ice and trying to be more vocal out there, call for pucks, so yeah, I think we’ve been playing well together,” said Yakemchuk, who added that he feels a big difference from his first training camp.
“Just being a younger guy, there’s a lot of established NHL players on the ice, coming from junior, it’s a lot of guys you’ve watched on TV, and being on the ice with them, sometimes you’re just a bit quieter, but I feel like I’m kind of coming into my own a bit and being more vocal.”
Travis Green said after practice that he had high expectations for the 20-year-old entering training camp, but that he’s still impressed.
“Feels more, looks more comfortable. Looks like he's worked hard over the summer, which is important. We talked the other day in this room [about] how hard the best players in the world work, and sometimes the young players have to learn what it takes to be a really good NHL player, and not just a really good player, but an everyday player.”
