After two successive trips to the Bogart Cup Finals, Ottawa Junior Senators General Manager and Coach Martin Dagenais is aiming to return again this season and hopes the third time will be the charm.
After taking the Carleton Place Canadians to seven games in the 2016 Finals, the Junior Senators fell to CP in five games last spring, with all four losses coming by a single goal. Nevertheless, Dagenais’s team enhanced its status as one of the top teams in the CCHL by winning its fifth consecutive Yzerman Division crown.
This time around, Ottawa returns nine key players as it prepares to host the Fred Page Cup next May. With veterans such as forwards Isaac Anderson and Elie Boulerice, and 6’4 defenceman Cameron White back, among others, the team will have plenty of veteran leadership.
The Junior Senators are known for their commitment to team defense—Ottawa had the lowest goals against in the league in 2015-16 and second lowest in 2016-17—and with White, Craig McCabe, Adrien Bisson and late-season acquisition Devon Daniels back, the blue line promises to again be formidable.
At the other end of the ice, however, fans can look forward to a decidedly more offensive approach. During the off-season Dagenais acquired Nick Lalonde from the Cornwall Colts and picked up Owen Guy from the Kemptville 73’s.
“We already had some good offensive players and now we’ve added a couple of guys who can really shoot the puck,” Dagenais said. “When you have a chance to obtain players like them, you have to go for it. I had the opportunity to coach both of them for Team Canada East. I know they’ll fit right in and also add to our leadership.”
When asked if he picked up the additional firepower for the Fred Page Cup, Dagenais said no.
“Obviously they’re good players and they’ll help us in the Fred Page Cup,” the Ottawa GM/Coach said. “But right now we’re not looking at that. We want to win the Bogart Cup. That’s our goal. When the Fred Page comes around we want to go in through the front door.”
With a solid lineup at both ends of the ice, the one question mark for the Junior Senators is in goal. Ian Andriano, arguably the best netminder in the CCHL, has moved on to play NCAA D-1 hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Dagenais and his staff have their eyes everywhere and are confident the goalies they have brought in will get the job done.
“Actually, I think our goaltending will surprise some people,” he said. “Yes, they’re young, but they’re very talented. I think our coaching staff as well as our veteran players will really help them along.”
The Junior Sens coaching staff again includes Jamie Mayo, Chris Kushneriuk, Stephane Levere and veteran trainer Gerry Savage also returns. In addition, Ryan Garlock has been added as an assistant coach, and Stuart Battrick as the team’s video coach. Dagenais, Mayo and Levere are all teachers and they plan to make greater use of video to highlight or emphasize specific aspects of play.
In addition to the coaching staff, the Junior Senators many volunteers help contribute to a family atmosphere throughout the organization, which helps breed success on the ice.
“All of those things have helped us to keep winning and staying near the top and that does help with recruiting,” Dagenais said. “What it all comes down to is doing things the right way, being respectful of the players, wanting the players to be respectful to the people around them. We have a lot of school teachers on our staff so there are certain values we want our players to have. It’s not always easy because it’s a lot of work. Our name is very good—and that could change in an instant—it’s tough to stay at the top. We feel if you do things the right way, the support will be there and the players will develop on and off the ice, and the wins will come.”
