Senators Articles: Senators better after Bonvie deal
January 26, 2004

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Press Connects.com

Senators better after Bonvie deal

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- Charlie Stephens doesn't talk about it. Never has, and probably never will.

"It was a one-time incident," was about all he said Saturday morning after his first practice with the Binghamton Senators. "It's all over. It's all clear."

And on this, let's be clear: The Senators got the better of this week's Stephens-for-Dennis Bonvie swap with the Colorado Avalanche, regardless of Bonvie's popularity or what Stephens did in that Wal-Mart parking lot in Harrisburg, Pa., on March 5, 2003.

It was early morning, about 3 a.m., when Stephens, then a rookie center with Colorado's AHL club in Hershey, and his brother were arrested for allegedly beating and kicking a man in an altercation that had spilled over from a nearby bar. They were charged with simple assault, simple assault by mutual scuffle and disorderly conduct (all misdemeanors), arraigned and released on $10,000 bail.

The matter was settled without Stephens missing a game.

But something's been missing from Stephens' game ever since. At the time of the fight, he had 16 goals and was a month removed from playing in the AHL All-Star Game. In the next 20 games, he scored once, and after going nine games this season without a point and not responding to coach Paul Fixter's challenges, he was exiled to the lower minors for what Stephens calls "motivation."

Bonvie had seemingly lost all motivation to play for an organization that was never going to put an aging enforcer on its NHL roster, regardless of how tough he's been for 12 seasons in the minors. So he left the Senators without permission on Dec. 20, earning an indefinite suspension and a one-way ticket to take his hefty, two-way contract to his 13th pro team.

Clearly, both men needed an address change, but the Senators got the one more likely to change his fortune, too.

Stephens, 22, is eight years younger than Bonvie, has played in the NHL as recently as Nov. 22, and barring another scoreless stretch like he had early this season, is no stretch to get back there. He's big (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), talented enough to have averaged 26 goals in four junior seasons and versatile enough to play center or right wing on a Senators team that can use offensive help.

"Last year I felt like I had a great year," Stephens said. "I know what my abilities are when I play with confidence."

Stephens sounds confident now that he is out from under Fixter's discerning (too discerning, maybe?) eye. He also appears quiet and well-spoken, and on first impression, offered nothing that would leave you with the impression that his legal trouble last March will be a recurring problem.

Bonvie, increasingly disgruntled over not getting a greater chance to play for Ottawa, had become a problem here. After setting the AHL's all-time penalty-minute record last season, he seemed to feel he deserved a more permanent NHL roster spot than he'd been given by Edmonton, Chicago, Pittsburgh or Boston, none of whom called him up for more than 28 games in a season.

But you can't teach an old dog new tricks and Bonvie's brought the same bag of toys to the table for more than a decade. He has worked hard to earn his reputation as the gold standard for minor-league tough guys and a fan favorite in at least a half-dozen AHL cities, and wasn't going to contribute more for Ottawa than he did any place else.

"You hear people from other sports say this all the time, but I think we got more athletic," Paddock said. "We got a guy that's big, that's got some skills and has the potential to help the organization, whether that's in Ottawa or here with us. I think it's a good move for the organization as a whole and a good move for us."

Paddock remembers Stephens, a self-described "power forward who's got some offensive ability," from last season, specifically his one-goal, one-assist performance in a pre-Thanksgiving game in Hershey. And the Stephens he saw Saturday night against Rochester was a close facsimile.

"That's the kind of player I remember him being," Paddock said after captain Chris Kelly dished off to Stephens for an empty-net goal with 1:26 left in the 3-1 victory over the Amerks. "Of course, the big thing is can he maintain it."

Even if he can't, even if things don't start looking up for the player with the greatest upside in this trade, the Senators still come out the winner for taking such a small risk to find out.

Lauber covers pro hockey for the Press & Sun-Bulletin and can be reached at slauber@pressconnects.com