Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is refusing to get too excited a few weeks into the season, but he’s finding it hard to contain his expectations and believes his team has all the tools it needs to keep its winning streak going finish.
The team last made the playoffs in 2016-17 and after another disappointing year, made some changes that could turn things around. When forward Alex DeBrincat went to Detroit to play with the Red Wings, Dorion got his hands on veteran Vladimir Tarasenko and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. With the presence of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Thomas Chabot and several others on the roster, the best is yet to come, the CEO believes.
• Also read: Babcock’s hours in Columbus counted?
• Also read: A first game this weekend for Connor Bedard
• Also read: Wild: Marc-André Fleury’s heir knows what awaits him
“All the pieces are in place now. The majority of our young core has long-term contracts. We believe we are practically there. “I see a lot of good things for this club, not just this year but for many to come,” he told the Ottawa Sun newspaper. We are at a point where there will be hope for many years to come.”
“Given the end of our season last year and the changes in the goalkeeper position, the trade for [Jakob] Chychrun [l’hiver passé]“, the arrival of Tarasenko and the signings of our boys, I think our fans will be very pleased to see how efficient and competitive we will be,” he also explained. Hopefully we don’t suffer any major injuries.”
A fight that will be arduous
However, Dorion wants to remain cautious about the 2023-2024 campaign. Competition remains fierce in the Atlantic Section and the Senators will need to get off to a good start while avoiding hospital stays to secure a playoff spot. Having been six points away from the target last season, they have every reason to believe in their chances.
“A few years ago I got into trouble when I said the reconstruction was over. This isn’t quite what I wanted to mention, but sometimes you get caught. “People are talking about the show, except I don’t want to make any bold predictions,” he said. I want to see our team play in training camp. Many teams in the Eastern Conference have improved. »