TKACHUK A NO SHOW

Sens open training camp with major absence:

Brady Tkachuk was noticeable by his absence as the Ottawa Senators released their training camp roster Tuesday morning.

While Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was hopeful to have the 22-yearold Tkachuk signed to a longterm contract extension before the players report for medicals Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre, life will go on without him as the club prepares to hit the ice for the first time Thursday.

As the Senators and Tkachuk's agents Craig Oster and Don Meehan of Newport Sports continue to try to find common ground to get a deal a contract in place, coach D.J. Smith and his staff have to prepare this team for the season opener Oct. 14 against the Toronto Maple Leafs so they'll work with the players here.

The lines of communication between Dorion and Tkachuk's agent will remain open while he skates with Vancouver Canucks RFA'S Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson

at the U.S. National Development Team facilities in Ann Arbour, Mich.

Remember, anything can change with one phone call and there's a willingness on both sides to get a deal done so that doesn't mean it can't come together quickly. Neither the Senators or Tkachuk's team want him to miss camp.

There will be 54 players in camp and the Senators are expected to confirm Wednesday that all their players/staff are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Tkachuk isn't here, but he's included in that group.

The Senators will have six goaltenders, 18 defencemen and 30 forwards in camp. Smith is splitting them into three groups and, of course, everybody will be watching to see how the club makes its line combinations with Tkachuk unavailable. Naturally, that's a big hole to fill.

Unless there's a last minute change of heart — and that can always happen — this space noted earlier this week to expect Nick Paul to start on the top line with Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. It's a move that makes sense because he's a reliable forward who can play up and down the lineup.

There are some interesting

decisions to make in the middle because, at this point, Norris is the No. 1 centre and there's no reason based on

his body of work last season that will change. Behind him, there's plenty of guys who will be trying to push for

playing time.

The Senators didn't even have Chris Tierney pencilled into this group when the season

got under way but with little trade value, he's back and, by all accounts, determined to push for more time.

If that's the case, he'll be in the mix for the second line with Colin White and Shane Pinto.

Pinto wasn't supposed to play in the club's 4-3 rookie game win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday in Brossard, Que., but an injury to centre Phillipe Daoust pressed him into service. Pinto was impressive and that should bode well for him heading into this camp with some confidence.

Centre Logan Brown signed a qualifying offer on the weekend and will be at camp. If he can stay healthy in camp, then he has a chance to show he can earn some playing time in the middle and, even if that's not in Ottawa, then maybe it's elsewhere because the club has to waive him to send him down.

Forward Angus Crookshank is listed among the 54 players, but suffered what appeared to be a knee injury Monday that will keep him out long-term.

The competition on the back end should also be intriguing to watch.

Smith wants to start Thomas Chabot with Artem Zub in camp to see if that duo can work. The thinking is the club would like to play Chabot a little bit less so he's more effective at both ends of the ice. If this club is going to be successful, Chabot has to be more involved in the offence.

That means veterans Michael Del Zotto and Nikita

Zaitsev will make up the second pairing.

Acquired in the trade that sent Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights, defenceman Nick Holden will be part of the third pairing with Victor Mete. The expectation is Erik Brannstrom, Josh Brown and Jacob Bernard-docker will be among those pushing for playing time.

Yes, there's going to be plenty of eyes on Brannstrom. He was brought in from Vegas in the trade for Mark Stone and we'll see if he has gotten stronger over the summer. If he has, then that will help in his ability to push for a spot in the NHL.