By Antonio Borrelli

Ottawa - What is going on with this team? Second last in the East. How? Is this a dream? Is it time to panic? Some fans may think so.

Somehow, after adding to their top six, adding a top four defenceman, a back up goaltender and depth players, the Ottawa Senators find themselves in second last place in the Eastern Conference, seven points out of a playoff spot. The Sens have started the season with a record of 4-9-1 through 14 games, the opposite of what many fans thought might happen after a stellar off-season. The Sens have the least goals for in the East, second lowest in all of the FNHL. With guys like Matthews, O’Marra, Dawes, Lindholm, Cliche and the addition of Stalberg, you think scoring would be the least of their worries. As you can see, each of these guys is under-performing, but it’s even worse than scoring goals. Each of these guys is a minus player, with O’Marra somehow leading the pack at -9.To make things worse, there is not one player on the 20 man roster in the plus! This is just hard to fathom.

“We just aren't playing our game. We know we are better than this, and it will be up to us to get back to where we should be. Each of us believe we have the team to compete for a championship. We just have to continue to put the work in and everything else will fall into place for us” O’Marra said after Friday’s game.

Coach D.J. Smith feels the same way but believes there is still work to do. “Chemistry just isn't there and that is something that takes time. When you bring in new guys, especially impact players like Stalberg and Goncharov, it takes time for these guys to adjust to a new team, learn new systems and get comfortable with their new teammates. It will come and when it does the league won't know what hit them.”

The Senators next game is Monday night in Nashville. The Predators have started as expected so the Sens are in for another tough one. No one said it would be easy.

4/6/2020 - 356 words