Ottawa Senators Should Add Another Claude Giroux Type This Offseason
TSN Hockey Analyst Jamie McLennan joined Jay Onrait on SportsCenter and was asked what he thought the biggest need for the Ottawa Senators this upcoming offseason was to end the playoff drought.
** NHLRumors.com Transcription
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Jay Onrait: “One of three appearances on this show by our NHL analyst Jamie “Noodles” McLennan, which is a terrific thing for you, the viewer, and for me because I love talking to Jamie, especially about the Senators. You covered the Senators so much. You call a lot of their games buddy.
They’re gonna miss the postseason for the seventh consecutive year. You look at Steve Staios and company and our old buddy Dave Poulin, what’s the number one thing you feel that this management group has to do this offseason to make sure they don’t miss the playoffs for an eighth straight here.”
Jamie McLennan: “First and foremost, they don’t need to panic because I do believe they’ve got some great pieces in place. What you need to do is add around it and continue to help these young players get to that next level
They have an unbelievable leader in Claude Giroux, a veteran guy who is 36 years old, who still has the game and is still bringing it, so you need more Giroux types. I’m not saying you know superstars like Claude Giroux, but guys who maybe play a little bit farther down in your lineup, but one has pedigree, have respect in the room, and maybe you fill out your third and fourth line with one or two of those guys and one on the back end as well.
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It’s amazing how veteran guys will settle things down. They’ll show the guys the younger players that are still learning on the job, maybe the tricks of the trade on and off the ice. You know you have players like that. Travis Hamonic is a 33-year-old defenseman; unfortunately, he wasn’t in the lineup enough. So you need somebody who could still contribute, but be great mentors for some of these young players to get to the next level.
That would be the focus for me. A couple of those guys that can add to the depth of your group certainly contribute but be great mentors and leaders on and off the ice.”
Onrait: “This is a seven-year playoff drought, as I mentioned, and that is the longest drought in the Ottawa Senators franchise history.”