Senators’ SR VP of Player Development Pierre McGuire – Accentuates the Positive

The Senators main training camp opens September 22 – a mere four weeks away, while rookie camp opens one week prior.

Before you know it, the team will hit the ice September 29th in front their hometown fans for the first time since March 5, 2020, when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs in a preseason tilt.

However, between the present and main camp, there’s plenty of unfinished business for Senators general manager Pierre Dorion.

Restricted free agents Drake Batherson and Filip Gustavsson remain unsigned – as does Brady Tkachuk.

Senators’ fans and the hockey world are waiting to see if the 2018 fourth overall selection signs a short=term bridge contract or inks a long-term deal.

There’s also been chatter of the club seeking a top-six centre or right wing. The Senators GM relayed this during the offseason on more than one occasion, as has owner Eugene Melynk. Anticipation grows daily, but expect this situation to come to fruition sooner than later.

The team definitely wants to have the majority of their roster settled in the days before camp opens. Due to the pandemic last season, the Senators were still adding players into the mix during camp. The lack of player cohesion was one of the key reasons contributing to a poor start to the 2021 campaign.

The Senators have added defenseman Michael Del Zotto and Nick Holden to the fold, and Victor Mete avoided arbitration – signing a one-year deal, but that’s it other than inking two-way contracted players, Andrew Aggozino, Dillon Heatherington, Kole Sherwood.

Since Mete’s signing on August 4, there’s literally been no outgoing news from the club.

So when senior vice-president of player development Pierre McGuire took to the airwaves on TSN1200 Wednesday, Senators’ fans were looking for any tidbit to glom onto.

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Highlights included:

How the position came to be

“It’s (Ottawa) where I wanted to be. There were other teams interested in me going there. I made a decision after NBC didn’t get the rights back to go back into hockey management. You know how close I was a couple fo times, and there were actually jobs I didn’t accept, I could’ve taken, but I made a long-term committment to NBC. But once they were no longer in the game as player on the hockey stage in the States, I went to my wife and asked for her blessing, and she gave it to me.”

“Mr. Melnyk called me out the blue, because I was considering going to another team. And I’m so grateful for that phone call. It was on a Friday before Father’s Day Sunday. From that point on, we we’ve been in pretty much constant communication except maybe the last week, where I think he’s taking pity on me because he knows I’m moving.”

“Believe it or not, Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final, it was a Wednesday – I signed my contract the afternoon of that day. You know how hard it is to keep your mouth shut when you sign a contract, Mr. Melnyk said that is not to be told to anybody. I couldn’t tell anybody. I flew home on Thursday. Told my wife that it was done and we’re moving. She put the house on the market right away, and I actually drove to Canada on Friday after getting a Covid test Thursday afternoon after I landed. Then spent time in Tremblant (Quebec). Met Pierre Dorion Sunday for four hours at my home at Tremblant and the press conference was Monday.”

On Brady Tkachuk contract negotiations and blue line additions

“What I can tell you is a lot of things, I’m not going to talk about negotiations publicly. I think it’s really important, and I learned my lesson when I was in the media because I did negotiate a lot of huge contracts when I was in Hartford with Christopher Pronger, Geoff Sanderson, Andrew Cassels, Pat Verbeek, Johnny Cullen. These were huge contracts in those days. I never talked about it publicly. I learned that from Brian Burke and Craig Patrick, so I think it’s appropriate not to talk about contract negotiations in public, but I can tell you this – a lot has gone on. The addition of Nick Holden has been huge for our organization. We’re really excited to welcome Nick and his family, his wife and four children to Ottawa.”

“I’m really excited about the signing of Michael Del Zotto. No one really talks about this, last year in Columbus, he was the only plus-player on their defense last year. And he was logging big minutes. Don’t forget you had a situation where Zach Werenski had injuries. Seth Jones had injuries. Michael was kind of a go-to guy. A lot of people didn’t watch Columbus play, but I can tell you, he had a tremendous year last year. We’re really excited about that.”

On Senators youngsters

“I can give you pretty good training reports on all our players, but in particular, Shane Pinto who I’ve been tracking pretty much regularly. He’s been training on Long Island.”

“Brad Berry, Pinto’s coach at UND said we don’t have to worry about his conditioning or compete levels. Everything I’ve followed up on speaks to that. We’re really excited about Shane. The second time around is usually a little harder as players let their guard down. We’re really excited about Shane – a feather in the cap to Shane.”

“Nick Paul – I haven’t spoken with Nick yet. But from everything I am able to discern, he’s had a phenomenal summer.”

“I’ve been on touch with Colin White, and I know he’s had a proactive summer. There’s a lot I can say that’s really positive about our group right now. I’ve heard so much about all our players, but those are the ones I know a little bit more about right now.”

“I’m so pumped about this. I think the future is so bright for this group. Pierre Dorion, (assistant gm) Peter MacTavish, and the amateur scouts and the pro scouts, led by Jimmy Clark – those guys had a plan four years ago. I’m just jumping on it a little bit late, that’s all.”

On last season’s progression

“I think it’s no secret, we needed to be more robust in goal. I think that was very apparent. As the season went along, we got better in goal. I think we needed to be more stout in our own zone. I think that clearly got better as the season went along. There’s a lot to like about how the season ended. One of the players, I know people are aware of; Josh Norris had a tremendous year, consistent from start to finish. Drake Batherson had a tremendous year, 17 goals. Everybody focuses on Brady – they should. Brady is a tremendous talent, an important player for our organization in short term and long term. But there were a lot of players involved.”

“But what I really appreciated was the way the coaching staff didn’t mail it in on the team. (Head coach) D.J. (Smith) didn’t mail it in. Jack (Capuano) didn’t mail it in. Davis (Payne) didn’t mail it in. Those guys were really stern in making the players better. One of the things that’s overlooked in the league today because the kids are getting fast-tracked so quickly due to the salary cap; is the internal development at the NHL level. And I used this example with Mr. Melnyk – I said look at the Minnesota Wild. Look at the development of Jordan Greenway this year, Joel Eriksson Ek this year and Jonas Brodin. Go track where they were a season ago and where they were at the end of this year. The internal growth of those three players, in particular, drove that team into the playoffs. And they almost pulled a resounding upset in the playoffs against Vegas. They could’ve won that series. If Brodin and Carson Soucy didn’t get hurt, they may have won the series. It went to seven games. i That’s what I love about our staff. They’re good at skill development. They’re good at building our players up.”

On viewing Jake Sanderson, Tyler Kleven, Leevi Merilainen this summer

“I went out to Detroit (for the Summer Showcase) earlier this summer with (development coaches) Shean Donovan and Jesse Winchester who do such an awesome job with our development program. It was even close, Jake Sanderson was the best player there – Sweden, Finland, USA, it wasn’t even close. And Kleven stood out. Both of those guys are going to be major players for Team USA at the World Junior. I’d be shocked if Sanderson weren’t captain of the team.  I got to tell you in Kingston (Ontario League), they got a real good goalie in Leevi Merilainen. He was probably the best goalie. He was representing Finland – another tribute to our scouts. He was probably the best goalie at that camp in Michigan.”

When can we expect more moves?

“We’ve had two very strange years. Last year at this time we were just in the second round of the playoffs. Once the playoffs ended for teams, managers, scouts. coaches were working. They weren’t working iwth players. They were working with scouts, trying to get another season in. Then, obviously the season started in January. I can tell you, it’s been so off-kilter for everybody, I think the last two and a half weeks, I’ve never seen it so quiet in all my years. I think we’re looking at things starting to percolate Monday. Then I think you’ll start to see a bit more action around the league – not just with Ottawa, but with other teams.”

Did McGuire give Senators’ fans a nugget of an impending move in the coming days? Read into this however you will. However, it’s clearly evident, there’ll be movement soon enough.

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