Is it playoffs or bust for the Ottawa Senators? 

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L2R101.com Thanks for the time. What are the expectations? Is it a playoffs or bust type of year?

First of all, my name was pronounced perfectly and I've been butchered over the years, so very well done. You know what? It is playoffs over the year, Adam. I think after missing the playoffs for six to eight years, the expectation here with new ownership and the changes made in the offseason is that this team will take the next step. And the next step means getting to the postseason. The young players have had an opportunity to develop. They've had a chance to learn what it takes to play in the National Hockey League. They've been allowed to make mistakes, but this team has made changes, not the least of which was signing Jonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets over the course of the summer to a five-year, $20 million deal.

And the expectation is he will stabilize in that. They used seven goaltender last year. And the feeling is that Brady Kuchak, Tim Stutze, and guys like that should be able to help this team turn the corner. They're a little banged up coming into the opener, especially down the middle.

How do they compensate for that? Well, you know, I think this whole, for lack of a better word, situation with Josh Norris has taken everybody in the organization by surprise. Josh Norris suffered a shoulder injury.

I want to say it was October 24th last year against the Arizona Coyotes. He saw several specialists, and instead of having surgery, he opted to go the rehab route. He returned in January, played three games, and then had surgery.

That was eight months ago. The belief was he would be up to speed coming into training camp. There were some red flags in January. He was here to play in a kind of a Canadian Tour Pro-Am here, and he said at that point that he hoped to participate in the latter part of training camp in exhibition games. He would be ready for the start of the regular season. Well, tonight's the start of the regular season, and Josh Norris isn't ready. I think there's a lot of frustration, not only for the player in that he's not ready eight months after shoulder surgery, but also on behalf of the organization because they never saw this coming. They expected him to suit up for four or five exhibition games. He did not.

He missed them all. Now, as a result of the cap issues and their other center, Shane Pinto, unsigned, they're going to be a man short tonight because Zach McEwen has also got an upper body injury. He suffered in their last preseason game Saturday. So, you know, it's not a good way to start the year. Let's put it that way.

This is Zach from The Sun, who writes the best Sunday column in the country, I'm reading, on what used to be called Twitter. He joins us here as we get ready for the Canes and the Ottawa Senators. This is probably the best blue line that Ottawa has had really in this run, in this run of non-playoff seasons.

I mean, not just the Chabots of the world, but adding Jacob Chikrin last year during the trade deadline and all of that. It just looks like they are primed on the back end. Yeah, it really does. And you're right.

It's probably the best blue line they've had since Eric Carlson left, right at the start, in September of 2018, if you think about it. You know, you look at... Don't take if you're allergic to Sotictu. Serious reactions can occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections, including tuberculosis. Sotictu can lower your ability to fight infections. Don't start if you have one. Serious infections, cancers including lymphoma, muscle problems and changes in certain labs have occurred.

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Call 1-888-SOTYKTU to learn more. At this rebuild, and that's been the area that they've been hit hardest by. You know, their top four though is solid with Jacob Chikrin and Thomas Chabot, and you know, the second period with Jay Sanderson and Art of ZOOB also looks solid. You know, Sanderson is coming off a great rookie season. He looks like the kind of player who is going to make an impact at this level for several years to come. They've got him under contract for what they consider a reasonable contract.

He's going to be able to eat minutes. You know, look, at some point or another, Jake Sanderson is going to take over the number one defenceman role on this team. But I think that Thomas Chabot, who's yet to play a playoff game since he arrived in Ottawa, sees this as a tremendous opportunity himself to help get this team there. And I think that if they can improve their play defensively and give up less great opportunities on their goal tenders, and I don't think they're going to have a problem scoring goals. One of the issues they've really had over the course of the last two or three years is keeping the puck out of their net.

But if they can do that, then they are going to have success. Power play hasn't been a problem for Ottawa. Scoring has not been a problem for Ottawa. Keeping the puck out of their net has really what the Carolina Hurricanes do better than anybody else, is keep the puck out of their own net.

Final thing for you, Bruce Gariok from the Sun in Ottawa. If I asked you, tell me what the Senators' best quality is, what is it? I think the best quality is the young players. And the fact that their core, Brady Tkachuk, Tim Slitsud, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris when he's healthy, and Jake Sanderson, and to some extent Thomas Chabot, they've grown up with them. And they've all got the opportunity this season to graduate. And graduate into the playoffs. And I think that is the best quality. All those guys can be better.

And if they are, this team will make the playoffs. Well, I hope to see you in the playoffs, sir. I appreciate your time, Bruce. And good luck to you and the Senators and the best Sunday column in the country. Alright, have a good day. We'll talk to you soon. Take care. You gotta follow Bruce on X at SunGariok. Appreciate his time.