For members of the Ottawa Junior Senators, the memory of their most recent league championship may seem a distant one.
The team is in a different place this season, with new ownership, coaching and roster changes. But coaches and players have not given up on extending their championship streak.
In the end of the 2022-23 season, the team won the Bogart Cup and were crowned champions of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL). The victory was the team’s fourth consecutive championship. They played in the Centennial Cup ultimately losing in the semi-finals to tournament champion Brooks Bandits.
“Every guy was proud of the effort we gave that game,” said returning player and current captain Jacob Winsor.
It was one of the best results that the CCHL has in recent history.
While the Jr. Senators enter the 2023-24 season as champions, they are far from the favourites to win the Boggart Cup this year.
Former owner Martin Dagenais sold the team to Chris Martin in the summer to take a head coaching position with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
A regime change brings uncertainty. This year’s roster is very different to those of the last few seasons. The current team is young with only three players returning from last year’s championship squad.
The young roster is led by a new staff including Head Coach Charles Lavigne and assistants Peter Campbell and Jeff Fox. Former assistant coach Stuart Battrick is general manager.
Despite all of the changes, the Ottawa Jr. Senators have high expectations for themselves season. By relying on hard work and defensive acumen the team believes they can compete with any team in the league. They plan to do everything they can to continue the organization’s prior success.
Defence wins championships
However, early in the season Ottawa struggled with the ups and downs that are expected of an inexperienced team. They started with a 3-2 record in their first five games, but went through a slump at the beginning of October where they lost five games in a row.
“Having that struggle at the beginning of the year showed us what it takes to win,” said Lavigne. “Are you willing to shorten your shifts? Are you willing to play in the defensive zone?”
Ottawa emerged from that dismal streak to win their next five showcasing their potential.
The team also made three key acquisitions. Connor Shibley was a part of the 2022-23 team, but decided to start the season with the Jersey Hitmen of the National Collegiate Development Conference within the United States Premier Hockey League. When things did not work out in the U.S. he returned to Ottawa.
Anthony Menard returned after missing the beginning of the season. As a 20-year-old defenceman Menard brought experience. He was joined by Jacob Renaud-Viau, another 20-year-old defender who started the season with the Gatineau Olympique of the QMJHL.
“Getting two of the better defencemen in the league back, as well as Connor Shibley, was a big boost to our roster,” said Battrick. “It gives everyone else a little bit more confidence.”
The team subscribes heavily to the old saying offence wins games; defence wins championships and have loaded up on strong defenders. They feel that their core of Winsor, Menard, Renaud-Viau and team-leading scorer Mathis Bedard is one of the strongest in the league.
It is augmented by four capable younger players: Thomas Barney, Kaleb Dietsch, Charles Poudrette and Michael Gallary.
“Championships are won from the goal line out,” said Battrick. “Scoring comes more naturally and more easily than defending your net.”
The team’s system frustrates their opposition and helps win tight games, they believe.
“When we struggle is when we veer from the game plan and go on our own page,” said Lavigne. “The way we find our way back to success is when we come back to our game and play within the system we put forward.”
In this type of system offence is expected to spring from solid defensive play.
“The way we are structured goal scoring is going to happen if you play a sound defensive game.” said Lavigne. “We are going to be in good positions to force teams into mistakes and take advantage of it.”
Ben Albright is one of the players who is enjoying success within the Ottawa system. Albright occupied a depth role for the Rockland Nationals last year and is enjoying a more prominent position with the Jr. Senators.
“The simple play is always the right play,” said Albright. “We get inconsistent when we try to make pretty plays … We need to rely on each other and know we will be in the right spots.”
Growing as a team
As of Dec. 15, the Jr. Senators were tied for fifth in the Yzerman division of the CCHL.
For Winsor and the rest of the leadership group the process is much more important than the results. The younger players needed to learn what was expected of them on this team and the ways they needed to adapt to CCHL hockey.
“We were able to show them the way just like our vets last year showed us.” said Winsor. “They are catching on and a lot of them are improving.”
The Jr. Senators understand that mistakes are a necessary part of growth. What they hope to achieve is a process by which their team learns from the mistakes that occur along the way. The five-game slide in October is one such example.
“It was a learning moment. Players had to understand that if you want to be consistent at this level and beyond you have to play within the system,” said Lavigne. “If you bring in the U18 or prep school habits where you can kind of do things on your own you will pay the price.”
While the team has an eye on the end of the season, they also know they can’t let looking ahead slow their progress in the weeks to come.
“We want to make sure that everyone gets their reps,” said Lavigne. “Right now, we are just trying to iron out the things that we are missing.”
As the captain of the team Winsor emphasizes the idea that growth can only be achieved when paired with hard work.
“Whether it’s practice, workouts or a game it’s 100 per cent all of the time,” said Winsor. “Every week this team is getting better and better. I think the thing that defines us as a team is hard work and our structure.”
Ottawa was eight points behind first-place Navan as of Dec. 13, still easily within sight of the playoffs. The team is hoping the development and work will come together at the right time.
“We don’t want to peak in November, we want to peak in March and April,” said Lavigne. “When we get to playing meaningful hockey at the end of the year, that’s when we are going to put the pedal to the metal and be a very hard team to play against.”
