Music: {allcanada} SENS FOCUS ON KIDS, FUTURE

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

{allcanada} SENS FOCUS ON KIDS, FUTURE

The Ottawa Citizen describes how Bryan Murray was in the arena corridor talking shop with reporters when Pierre Dorion came bolting through the door of the upper perch at the Sensplex.

"You guys just missed the goal of the tournament," said the Ottawa Senators director of player personnel. "(Mika) Zibanejad broke in alone and roofed it on (Robin) Lehner … while you guys are out here talking about free agents."

By now Dorion was wearing a wide grin, enjoying the jab, his point made about the enthusiasm he has for Ottawa's young talent — not just Mika.

This was the scene upstairs at the Bell Sensplex, management back dealing with the Senators future, a day after doing what they could to take care of present needs with moves on July 1.

We can't say for certain that Murray, the Senators general manager, believes his club is stronger after saying goodbye to Filip Kuba, Nick Foligno, Matt Carkner, Zenon Konopka and Matt Gilroy while welcoming defencemen Marc Methot and Mike Lundin plus forward Guillaume Latendresse. The Senators did, after all, strike out on the Justin Schultz bidding, after coming close to winning the heart of the much-hyped, and much sought-after, free agent college defenceman.

This we do know.

The Senators are ever-bullish on the young talent, of all shapes and sizes, that was on display to a packed Scotiabank ice surface at the Sensplex on a holiday Monday morning. After the players were finished their 3-on-3 tournament, many ventured outside into the sunshine, still in hockey gear, to sign autographs.

Another successful development camp was officially in the books.

"The more you do here, the less you have to do on July 1. And on July 1 you've got to overpay to fill a hole," Randy Lee, the Senators director of hockey operations and player development said in an interview prior to the so-called 'free-agent frenzy' of Canada Day. "That's just the nature of the business. And if we can get our own assets, develop them and make sure they're good people, sign the right guys, it can put you in a good position."

Murray concurs, which was why, while reporters were asking him what else he might do during this free agency period, he shrugged and motioned to the rink and said: "The focus is on the kids right here."

Adding any more veterans could keep a couple of worthy prospects out of the picture for another year, and Murray, assistant GM Tim Murray, Dorion and Lee don't want to do that.

"We've got to leave a spot or two open for them," Murray said of the youth corps.