B-Sens top 6 could be best in the East Division

To make such a strong claim, I think you truly have to believe in the players, the coach and the system. The system that the Ottawa Senators would like all it’s players to follow is simple and different from years past, even different from 2011 when the B-Sens won the Calder Cup. Talented forwards should do one thing when entering into the offensive zone, attack the opposing goal-tender. The years of “dump & chase” is not what the Senators want talented players on the farm in Binghamton to do anymore.

Sure, you have to cycle the puck from time to time, that’s always been apart of well defined offensive attack, but sending the puck down into the corner and just grinding away, does not put pressure on the goal-tender or generate good opportunities anymore. Instead, it just wears down the forwards and allows the other team’s defense to dictate play in their own zone.

With good depth in the Ottawa Senators organization, the Sens have more then enough forwards in the system that can provide secondary scoring on the NHL level with graduates from Binghamton or now call-ups that will be able to enter a game in the NHL and provide like how Jean-Gabriel Pageau stepped up last season to help the Sens in the playoffs.

This pre-season it’s possible that Stephane Da Costa may have as well earned a position with the big club filling in for an injured Jason Spezza (slight groin injury) and with the upcoming demotion to Binghamton for Jim O’Brien. Da Costa has spent much of his pro-career in Binghamton not really sure if he would get a serious look the Sens organization but after listening to Sens management and adding some much needed weight along with increasing his compete level, Da Costa may have earned a ticket that will not include a trip back to Binghamton, NY & the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Binghamton’s top 6 forwards could truly be by the end of the upcoming season, the best in the East Division. Let’s take a look at the potential top forwards who could start for Binghamton this Saturday, October 5th vs. the Syracuse Crunch at the arena.

• Matt Puempel LW:
• Puempel was a point-plus machine in 3 out of the 4 years in the OHL and producing most of those points in the form of goals. 119 goals out of the 213 points he scored in major junior is too impressive to be overlooked just because it wasn’t pro and add that to his 2 goals of the B-Sens 6 goals in their 0-3 playoff sweep by the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins shows his comfortableness shooting the puck and playing in big moments on the top 2 lines.

• Mike Hoffman C:
• Hoffman has played now 3 season in Binghamton and in the last 2 seasons has shown some serious growth. Though the point production has not been there after coming out of the high scoring QMJHL, Hoffman possesses and has shown his extremely talented puck handling skills & ability to fool any goal-tender in the league with his quick shot. Slotting Hoffman in between two talented goal scorers in Puempel & Stone could increase his value for the B-Sens & the Sens on the overall depth chart.

•  Mark Stone RW:
• In 54 games for the B-Sens last season, Stone had 15 goals & 23 assists disappointed essentially everyone from fans to the management in Ottawa, but no player that played in Binghamton last season showed more upside than Mark Stone. Not only does Stone show signs of quick, soft hands but the ability to put the puck on the stick of anyone who has a better shot to score then himself. With 2 100+ point seasons in the very competitive WHL with the Brandon Wheat Kings, there is no doubt in my mind that Stone will be less likely to have a soft-more slump, yet lead the team in points and potentially in the American Hockey League as well.

Shane Prince (LW), the demoted Jim O’Brien (C) & Andre Petersson will likely round out the second line for the B-Sens and all three are players who can score plenty of big game goals in the AHL. Prince’s 18 goals last season was a pleasant surprise but after watching everyone of the 65 games that Prince played last season, Prince possesses the work ethic and the hockey sense that should allow the 2nd year pro to increase his goal potential to possibly 30 this season. Andre Petersson spent the majority of last season out with an injury after a rookie season that had as much turmoil and promise all rolled into a 44 point in 60 games rookie campaign. Putting Prince & Petersson on the same line with a veteran center-man like Jim O’Brien could spell bad news for opposing East Division defenses. O’Brien if sent to Binghamton after he cleared waivers on Saturday will make his NHL salary (650K) in the American Hockey League and if another team does not pick up the 5th year pro to play in the NHL, the former Calder Cup champion with the B-Sens will likely be determined to use his time in Binghamton to impress another NHL team by racking up big points with Prince & Petersson.

Nothing is guaranteed in the American Hockey League and yes Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre & Hershey picked up alot of quality AHL veterans to help with scoring & to replenish as they do from year to year. What Binghamton has over the rest of the division is a Coach who will let them play but will demand defensive responsibility, ton of playing time together which creates chemistry on a team that goes a long way to putting points on the board and probably the most offensively gifted young crop of forwards in the East Division.

The only thing is, the B-Sens have to prove me right now. And that will start in 5 days.