Ottawa Senators 2014-2015 Season Preview: Captain Karlsson Leads New Identity

Some big names on the backs of the jerseys have changed, but the pressure remains on the Ottawa Senators in the nation’s capital. Can new captain Erik Karlsson deliver?

Ottawa Senators 2014-2015 odds:

Stanley Cup Odds

Odds to make Stanley Cup playoffs: No. -255 

Over/under regular season points: 80.5

What’s new

Who’s in

David Legwand, Alex Chiasson, Nicholas Paul, Carter Camper, Aaron Johnson. You probably know just two of these names and may not know the others by the end of this season either.

Who’s out

Jason Spezza, Ales Hemsky. Those are two names everybody knows. They just happened to make up two thirds of Ottawa’s top line last year.

The skinny

For the second year in a row, the Ottawa Senators head into camp with major identity issues. Two years ago captain Daniel Alfredsson left town in a messy breakup and last summer the team caved to captain Jason Spezza’s trade request. Today, they did the only logical thing an handed the “C” to superstar Erik Karlsson. It’s a lot of responsibility for someone so young, but he’ll be a good leader with that youth going forward.

Betting forecast

Despite stretches of uninspired play and upheaval in the dressing room, the Senators actually won 37 games last year. That’s no small feat. This year, they’ll need to be a gritty, defensively sound squad with strong goaltending to get back to that neighborhood.

Overview

Kyle Turris is the team’s No. 1 centre, whether he’s ready or not. He very well could be, though lack of depth up front will mean he faces off against the opposition’s shutdown line every night. That could be very, very bad. Craig Anderson is in a battle with Robin Lehner for ownership of the crease and that should help both netminders. Getting Erik Karlsson into camp healthy and another year removed from his Achilles injury is another bonus because he will need to lead the offence from the blue line while improving in his own end for this team to have any hopes of a playoff spot.

Betting Preview

It’s hard to see where the goals will come from in the lineup. Karlsson will be a force on the power play but this team could struggle against the majority of the Eastern Conference five-on-five. The best-case scenario for Sens supporters is that the team finally buys into a defence-first mentality. The free-wheeling days in Ottawa are over. This team could be a solid under bet, at least early in the season. You just don’t replace talented point-producers like Spezza and Hempsky overnight. Expect the Sens to finish in 10^th place in the East, under the 80.5 season point total.