Farmer's Almanac: Ottawa Robbing the Cradle

Well, it has been an interesting few weeks in Bingo, has it not? First a goaltending shuffle and now a coaching change. What lays ahead for both the Ottawa senators and their farm team remains to be seen, but we'll bring you up to date on what has transpired thus far in this week's edition of The Farmer's Almanac.

One administrative note: The heading for each game recap will now link to the official AHL score sheet, for those of you who into that kind of thing. I find it tedious relaying stats to you, the reader, when essentially all I am doing is re-typing what is already available in a more visually pleasing format. Should there be overwhelming public outcry, I will revert to posting the stats myself.

Thu, Jan 29th 2009 - Binghamton 2, San Antonio 1.

Notes: Martin Gerber was the game's first star, stopping 37 of 38 shots and keeping his team in the game. This was Gerber's first game in the AHL since clearing waivers. Marc Cavosie and Derek Smith had goals for the B-Sens. Then Binghamton coach Cory Clouston had this to say: "They turned it up and we went into a defensive shell and that's not usually what we want."

Fri, Jan 30th 2009 - Houston 3; Binghamton 2

Notes: Binghamton stormed out to an early lead, going up 2-0 in the first 11 minutes. Their effort level dropped off after that, and the Aeros scored the game tying and winning goals in the third. As far as I can tell from fan reaction, the feeling after this one was that the last two goals Houston scored were soft. Defenceman Mattia Karlsson on the loss: "After the first period, we didn't play at all... I am not surprised we lost tonight, they really outworked us." Zack Smith and Greg Mauldin scored for Bingo, while recent Ottawa call-up Ryan Shannon had two assists.

Sat, Jan 31st 2009 - Binghamton 4; Springfield 2

Notes: The team woke up at 5 AM to fly out of Houston, and made it back to Binghamton for 4 PM. That they played the game to its completion is an accomplishment in itself. Newly signed Derek Couture contributed 2 goals and a fight. Couture has certainly made an impression to date, registering 2 goals, 2 assists and 9 penalty minutes in his first four games with Binghamton. Greg Mauldin and Drew Fata had the B-Sens' other goals. Ilya Zubov potted two helpers to boot.

Wed, Feb 4th 2009 - Binghamton 4; San Antonio 3

Playing against the Rampage for the second time in the span of a week, Binghamton took care of business yet again. Tomas Kudelka, Zack Smith, Cavosie, and Josh Hnnessy all scored, while Drew Fata added two helpers. The game marked malcontent Alexander Nikulin's return to the city from which he insisted on being traded. Kudelka got into a bit ox a mix up with Nikulin, resulting in offsetting Roughing minors. When asked about the incident, Kudelka said: "That guy didn't want to be here. We don't want guys that don't want to be on our team. So maybe it was a little message." The game was a chippy one, with 112 penalty minutes handed out between the teams, including ten fighting majors.

Spotlight - Changes in Binghamton

With video of players - other than those chronicling fights - becoming increasingly difficult to find, I decided to switch gears for this week's edition of the Almanac and focus on the biggest issue currently affecting the Binghamton Senators: the pillage of their team that has been set in motion by the parent club.

Fans of the Binghamton Senators are becoming a bit frustrated with the management of the parent club, and justifiably so. The baby Sens looked to be an AHL contender during November of 2008. They had a strong defensive core led by Brendan Bell, Mattias Karlsson, and Derek Smith, and Brian Lee. Goaltender Brian Elliott was poised to build on the moderate success he had last season as he was showing well. The forward core, led by Denis Hamel, Peter Regin, Ilya Zubov, Ryan Shannon, and grinders Cody Bass and Zack Smith, was decimated by injuries but persisted in getting the job done. Coach Cory Clouston was popular with the players, and had the B-Sens firmly in playoff contention. Things were looking mighty rosy.

Things have changed substantially since then. Ottawa's affiliate has lost two of their top three defencemen in Lee and Bell, their game saving goaltender in Elliott, and have missed at least one key forward most of the season due to call-ups. Bass has been lost for the season to an injury he sustained while playing in Ottawa. Clouston's promotion yesterday cost the team their head coach, leaving the team without several key pieces to the success they've had this season. The team has stayed competitive through the turmoil that has befallen the roster, but the challenge of adapting to a new leader behind their bench in the middle of the season will be the biggest hurdle they have had to overcome this season.

The men who run the parent club are completely within their rights, both written and unwritten, to make use of the assets they have in the AHL. They pay the bills for these players, and they need to evaluate the talent they have in order to plan for next season. However, you do have to feel for the fans in Binghamton. It is by all accounts a passionate hockey market, and this is the first season since the lockout that they have really had something to get excited about.

Ottawa has replaced a few of the assets they appropriated from the farm, sending black-sheep Martin Gerber down to the New York town to keep the team's playoff hopes intact, at least between the pipes. Furthermore, they have been reluctant to borrow any of Binghamton's top forwards for too lengthy a time frame, as only Bass (12) and Zubov (10) have games played totals in the double digits with Ottawa . Ottawa's recently fired Assistant Coach Curtis Hunt will take over as the Head Coach in Binghamton. Michael Sharp spoke with B-Sens GM Tim Murray about the decision to offer Hunt the job, and here is what Murray had to say.

He's been a head coach his whole career, basically. And I think Bryan's philosophy is one that he's spoken of often with me over the 16 years or whatever we've been together, that head coaches are head coaches, and assistant coaches are assistant coaches. That's not to say he did anything wrong here as an assistant coach, but he's been a head coach in the Western Junior Hockey League, and he did a good job there. And now the opportunity presents itself, and we have an opening there. And it's somewhat convenient. But he has been a head coach, and we feel comfortable that if he took the job, that he could do a good job.

- Tim Murray

One is left to wonder why the Murrays, given their stated philosophy, chose to hire Hunt in his original capacity within the organization at all. The full skinny on Hunt can be found here.

None of Binghamton's personnel are voicing any complaints at this point, but given that they are all competing for an NHL job, why would they? Nevertheless, this situation has to be frustrating for those who play and/or cheer for the Binghamton Senators.

Binghamton currently sits 5th in the AHL's Eastern Conference with 56 points in 47 games played.

Farmer's Almanac: All-Star Karlsson Does it All for B-Sens

You're in for a double-dose of Almanacky goodness this week (I have been busy with school, sue me) as we cover the B-Sens through the period that saw tumultuous reign, brief exile, and subsequent return of one Martin Gerber. Off the ice, there are rumours floating around that this could be the last season the Senators prospects will spend in Bingo. The conjecture posits that that Rangers are seeking to return to Binghamton, and that the Senators are moving their operation to Syracuse. The Columbus Blue Jackets - who are currently the affiliate for the Syracuse Crunch - are rumoured to be setting up shop in nearby Cincinatti. Binghamton ownership vehemently denies the rumour, but apparently a lot of people are talking about it. Check out this blog entry by Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin columnist Michael Sharp for more.


Fri, Jan 16th 2009 - Binghamton 6; Wilkes-Barries/ Scranton 4
Key Contributors
Peter Regin - 2G, 5 SOG, -1.
Shawn Weller - 1G, 1A, GWG
Ilya Zubov - 1G, 2A, +1

Key Stat - Goaltending
Martin Gerber - 43 SV, 4 GA
John Curry - 25 SV, 6 GA

Notes: Gerber played well in his Binghamton debut, keeping the B-Sens in a contest where they were badly outshot. B-Sens coach Cory Clouston on Gerber's maiden voyage: "Sometimes he didn't get a lot of help from us. You know, he hadn't practiced in a long time, so it was good for him to get a game like that under his belt, where he's got a lot of shots. I thought at times he just looked a little bit shaky, but overall, he was probably our best player..." Zack Smith (2A) Danny Bois (2A) and captain Denis Hamel (1G, 1a) also had multi-point nights.


Sat, Jan 17th 2009 -Bridgeport 3; Binghamton 1
Key Contributors:
Danny Bois - 1G, 2 PIM, -1
Denis Hamel, 0P, 7 SOG, 6 PIM.

Key Stat - Goaltending
Martin Gerber - 26 SV, 3 GA
Nathan Lawson - 29 SV, 1 GA

Notes: Gerber was out-duelled by undrafted goaltender Nathan Lawson. Clouston on the team's effort: "I think we played better (Saturday) than we did (Friday in a 6-4 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). We had some breaks around the net last night, and tonight we didn't. I thought that it was a very even hockey game. They just capitalized on a couple bounces around the net on rebounds, and tonight we didn't."

Wed, Jan 21st 2009 - Binghamton 3; Philadelphia 0

Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon - 2A, 2 SOG, +2
Marc Cavosie - 1G, 1A, +2
Zack Smith - 1G, 7 SOG, +1

Martin Gerber - 32 SV, 0 GA

Key Stat - Shots on Goal
Binghamton - 41
Philadelphia - 32

Notes: In his 3 starts, Gerber was 2-1-0 with a 2.37 GAA and .935 sv%.

Sat, Jan 23rd 2008 - Albany 4; Binghamton 1
Key Contributors:
Josh Hennessy - 1G, +1, 2 SOG
Ryan Shannon - 6 SOG

Jeff Glass - 26 SV, 4 GA

Key Stat - Power Play
Binghamton - 0/8
Albany - 3/8

Notes: Michael Sharp describes this one as a close game where Binghamton's effort fell off the rails due to a five minute stretch of futility at the beginning of the thrid period. the B-Sens were tied with the River Rats after 40 minutes, but gave up 3 goals in the first five minutes and nine seconds of the third with two of those comming eight seconds apart. Binghamton never managed to put together a reply.


Sun, Jan 24th 2009 - Hamilton 5; Binghamton 3
Key Contributors:
Josh Hennessy - 2G (1 PPG), 3 SOG
Ilya Zubov - 1G, 1A, 3 SOG
Matt Carkner - 2A, 5 PIM, +1

Key Stat - Goaltending
Jeff Glass - 18 SV, 4 GA
Cedric Desjardins - 32 SV, 3 GA

Notes: Jeff Glass was pulled after allowing his aofrementioned allotment of goals. He had been crusing along nicely through the first two periods before giving up two goals in nine seconds for the second striaght outing. Backup Mitch O'Keefe stopped all five shots he faced in relief. Clouston was at his wits end with his Jeff Glass: "We need Jeff and/or Mitch to step up. I mean, people talk about opportunities, you can't get much better of an opportunity than this... Jeff has to come up with a big save."


Spotlight - Mattias Karlsson
Position: D
Shoots: Left
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 228 lbs
Birthdate: April 15th 1985
Hometown: Orebro, Sweden
Drafted: 2003 4th Round, 135th Overall

With the All-Star break having just wrapped up, it seems a fitting occasion to shine this week's Spotlight on the only Binghamton Senator to attend the festivities - 23 year-old Mattias Karlsson. Karlsson is a product of Sweden, having played the bulk of the last four years in the Sweden's Tier-2 pro league, AllSvenskan. In 117 regular season games in the league, Karlsson recorded 21 goals and 37 assists to go with his 146 PIMs. Karlsson has played sparingly in the Swedish Elite League. Oddly enough, his longest stint in the league came when he was 18, playing 39 games for Bryans IF Galve, recording no points. His best season to date in Swedem came with Bofors IK of AllSvenskan in 2006-07 when he registered 11 goals and 21 assists in 44 games, earning him an entry level deal with the Senators.

Karlsson was invited to the Senators' main camp in the fall of 2007, and assigned to Binghamton to start the year. Karlsson was dealt a blow in the pre-season when he suffered an injury, and was unable to earn a spot in Binghamton's regular defence corps. He was encouraged to Sweden after playing only two games in the AHL, where he split last season between Bofors and Bjorkloven of the AllSvenskan and Farjstads of the SEL. He finished the year in the SEL recording 2 goals and 2 assists in 12 regular season games, and a goal and a goal and 3 assists in the playoffs. While Karlsson was disapointed to be sent back to Sweden, Cory Cloutson insinuated the demotion was not a reflection of Karlsson's ability "The fact that he had hurt himself. ... Really had no time to condition. Skated for, I think, five or six days up in Ottawa. Came down here, had one practice, and then had to play. And just, it was a real tough situation for him."

Karlsson has caught fire in his first full year in North America. He is playing on the power play and killing penalties, and has arguably become the team's number one defenceman in the wake of Brian Lee and Brendan Bell being called up to Ottawa. He has accumulated 4 goals and 25 assists in 38 games, and was chosen to represent the PlanetUSA side in the 2009 AHL All-Star Game. He recorded 3 assists, and allegedly scored a goal that he was not credited for.

Karlsson has a big frame, uses it to put weight behind a rather impressive slapshot. He placed thrid in the hardest shot event in the AHL All-Star Skills Competion, clocking in at 94.9 mph. Karlsson is an offensive minded defenceman at heart and apparently has a willingness to play a physical game. Clouston gave a brief scouting report on Karlsson in a feature article last month.

"He's got to work on his foot speed, but what he makes up with a lack of his foot speed is his positional play. And he's a big strong guy, so because he's in good position, he's able to make guys go around him and go through him. And he's able to muscle guys off the puck."


But that's one thing he's really got to work on, is his foot speed. And then, over the next couple years, if he can really work on that ... he's got a real bright future ahead of him. Because he's been able to adjust to the North American game very quickly." - B-Sens Coach Cory Clouston

The only video of Karlsson I could find was him taking his pre-game warm up. Oddly enough, there are several videos consisting solely of Karlsson's pre-game routine on YouTube. I included a longer one if you care to view it, but you really don't get much of a sense of how he plays the game.

Farmer's Almanac: Glass Doesn't Break

Hello Internet,

In case you have not already been asked 471 times today: Cold enough for you? Remember to wear layers, I worry. Something to warm you up: Fresh from the Senate Committee's Binghamton bureau, it's another edition of the Farmer's Almanac!

Well, as you likely know by now, Brian Elliott has been recalled to Ottawa, leaving the Binghamton Senators with the legendary tandem of Jeff Glass and Mitch O'Keefe to tend goal. Thus far, the results have been surprisingly passable.

The winds of change rustle amongst the branches in a wintery up-state New York as Martin Gerber will arrive in Binghamton tomorrow. Gerber will presumably start in Binghamton's goal Friday against Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton. While he will surely be disappointed to have lost his job in the NHL, Darth can take solace in the fact that he is now a legitimate threat between the pipes again. Sorry Marty. You seem like a nice guy but you aren't an NHL No. 1. Cheer up, though. I bet those 11.1M American Dollars will go a long way in Russia next year. I hear the gas is cheap and they don't care if you buy an alarm clock.

Fri, Jan. 9th 2009 - Wilkes-Barrie Scranton 4; Binghamton 2.
Key Contributors:
Peter Regin - 2A, +2, 2 SOG
Denis Hamel - 1G, +1, 5 SOG
Greg Mauldin - 1G, +1, 6 SOG

Jeff Glass - 31 SV, 3 GA

Key Stat - Power Play
Binghamton - 0/5
W-B/Scranton - 2/4

Notes: The entire B-Sens team called themselves out after this one

Sat, Jan. 10th 2009 - Binghamton 4; Rochester 2
Key Contributors:
Denis Hamel: 2G, 2A, 7 SOG
Greg Mauldin - 1G, 2A, 7 SOG
Peter Regin - 3A, +3, 3 SOG

Jeff Glass - 23 SV, 2GA

Key Stat - Shots on Goal
Binghamton - 46
Rochester - 25

Notes: Binghamton's top line of Hamel, Mauldin, and Regin was dominant and this one, combining for 10 points. They kept up a hot streak in to this one, amassing 17 points in 3 games as a group. The win was Jeff Glass' first in 10 tries dating back to October.

Wed, Jan. 14th 2009 - Binghamton 4; Rochester 1
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon - 3A, +1
Denis Hamel - SHG, +1, 4 SOG
Zack Smith - 1A, fight.

Key Stat - Goaltending
Jeff Glass (BNG) - 36 SV, 1 GA
Chris Beckford-Tseu (ROC) 24 SV 3 GA

Notes: B-Sens Coach Cory Clouston on the game: "I thought we were pretty sloppy tonight, to be honest... We played well at the start, and then we just lost our focus. ... Give them credit, they didn't quit." On Glass: "I thought he played very solid. I'd have to say that might be his best game of the year so far, and definitely something to build on. And he's a hard critic on himself, so I'm sure he'll look at some of the saves, and some of the video, and make adjustments and move on from here."

Spotlight - Jeff Glass
Position: G
Catches: Left
Height: 6-2
Weight: 182 lbs
Birthdate: Nov 11 1985
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Drafted: 3rd round, 89th overall, 2004


Glass played his junior hockey with the Kootenay Ice of the WHL where he had a very successful career. In 143 games with Kootenay, Glass went 75-47 and posted a 2.16 GAA, .918 sv% while shutting out his opponent 17 times.

Glass' best season with the Ice came in 2004-05 when he was paired with current B-Sens coach and then Ice head coach Cory Clouston. Glass compiled a 34-11 record, 1.76 GAA, .932 sv% and 8 shutouts in a league where netminders often have a tough time. His heroics helped the Ice to a first overall finish in "The Dub." The playoffs were a disappointment for the team, but the Calgary native went 10-6 with a 2.28 GAA .916 sv% in the WHL playoffs, leading the Ice to the Western Conference Final before falling 4-2 to the Kelowna Rockets. Glass walked away with the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL's best goaltender and earned ADT CHL Goaltender of the Year Honours to boot.

Most people will remember Glass as the backstop to arguably the best WJC team of all time. Glass shared a dressing room with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Dion Phaneuf, Brent Seabrook, Bryadon Coburn, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Patrice Bergeron (quite the team, eh?) and did not look out of place. Some critics bemoaned that Glass was the weak link on the team, and never had to do any real work because of the all-star cast he had playing in front of him. Nevertheless, Glass went a perfect 5-0 at the tourney, and looked like he was destined to have an NHL career.


Glass has struggled since turning pro. He spent most of the 2005-06 season in the ECHL and posted so-so numbers. His career numbers with Binghamton have not been strong, though Glass did show some improvement last season, posting a .913 sv% and 2.88 GAA and 2 shutouts in 45 appearances with a bad Binghamton team. He has struggled so this year while serving as Brian Elliott's back up. Glass is 3-7-2 with a 3.68 GAA and .895 sv% this season. Glass summed up his thoughts on his struggles in a recent article in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, believing much of his troubles have to do with a lack of routine playing time.

"I think I struggled a little bit not being able to play every night. And maybe having a good game or a bad game, and wanting to get back in there, and having to wait weeks to do that...To be perfectly honest, the hardest part for me was every game I got into, the first period I felt like I was adjusting... Whether I played good or bad in the first period, I didn't ever really feel comfortable. ... It wasn't so much the frustration of not getting to get back in again (right away), as it is, when I did get in, I maybe over-thought the first period. Or it just took me a while to get warmed up. And then once I settled into a groove it was either too late, or it felt like we were always chasing. So that was the hardest part for me." - Jeff Glass

Seeing as Glass has been thrust into the spotlight in Bingo this week, the time seemed right for a profile. Glass is shaping up to be a bit of a disappointment as an NHL prospect, but there is still time for him to turn things around. The Senators organization showed faith in Glass last summer, re-signing him to a one year deal, though their patience may wear thin after this season. Glass figures to back up Martin Gerber for the forseeable future. He really has no NHL prognosis.

NHL.com was being difficult, so the only video I could find of Glass was this appearance he did on MTV's Cribbs... What? You say it's a spoof for the B-Sens' website? Well the production is just so good I would never have known! Honestly though, unless you are trying to kill six minutes, don't waste your time.



Apparently Jeff does a lot of his "best thinking" when he is constantly moving between every room in his house and his car

Farmer's Almanac: Holiday Wrap Up

There’s a bit of catch up to play in this week’s instalment of the Almanac. We’ll bring you up to speed on the last two weeks in the Holy B-Sens Empire. The big story this week has been recently profiled goaltender Brian Elliott. Since the last edition of the Almanac, Elliott has been red hot, posting a 1.40 GAA and a .958 sv% while going 4-1-0. Elliott’s heroics were enough to earn him December’s AHL Goaltender of the Month honours. While I am still sceptical as to how well Elliott projects as a full time NHLer, the improvement he is showing is encouraging, especially in light of the big club’s current struggles. One thing Elliott has going for him is that the bar has been set low by his predecessors. As long as Elliott wakes up on time for practice, keeps his road rage in check and puts up decent NHL numbers, he will lay claim to the title of “Best Goaltender Developed by the Ottawa Senators.” No pressure there. Elliott currently sits 1st in the AHL in wins, 2nd in sv%, and 6th in GAA.

Fri, Dec 26th 2008 – Binghamton 3, Syracuse 2 (OT).
Key Contributors:
Denis Hamel – 2G, OT Winner, 11 SOG
Mattias Karlsson – 3A, 2 SOG, -1.
Matt Carkner – 3A, 4 PIM, Even

Brian Elliott – 61:22, 32 SV, 2 GA

Key Stat – Power Play:
Binghamton: 3/8
Syracuse: 1/5

Notes: Binghamton took 35 shots on Blue Jackets 2004 3rd Rounder Dan Lacosta. Ryan Shannon scored Binghamton’s first goal.

Sat, Dec 27th 2008 – Binghamton 4, Hershey 1
Key Contributors:

Danny Bois – 1G, 1A, Even
Derek Smith – 1G, 1A, +1
Peter Regin – 1A, +1, 4 PIM

Key Stat – Goaltending:
Brian Elliott (BNG) – 59:49, 43 SV, 1 GA
Michael Neuvrith (HER) – 60:00, 20 SV, 4 GA

Notes: Newcomer Aaron Clarke, in his second ever AHL game, scored the winner for Binghamton on his first goal in the American League. The win snapped Binghamton’s 16-game losing streak in Hershey.


Sun, Dec 28th 2008 – Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton 6, Binghamton 3
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon – 1G, 3 SOG, Even
Jim Mackenzie – 1G, 2 SOG, Even
Denis Hamel – 1G, 2 PIM, -3.

Jeff Glass – 59:11, 33 SV, 5 GA, 1 ENG

Key Stat – Shots on Goal:
Binghamton – 14
W-B/S – 39

Notes: Jeff Glass couldn’t duplicate Brian Elliott’s heist from the previous evening. Glass is now 1-6-2 on the year with a 4.20 GAA and .882 sv%. When asked about his struggles after the game, he said “This is as frustrated as I've been in my career.”

Tue, Dec 30th 2008 – Binghamton 5, Syracuse 2
Key Contributors:
Tomas Kudelka – 2G, 1A, 3PPP
Peter Regin, - 1G, 1A, 2PPP
Zach Smith – 2A, 7 PIM.

Brian Elliott – 59:29, 23 SV, 2 GA.

Key Stat – Special Teams:
Binghamton – 4/9, 1 SHG
Syracuse – 2/8

Notes: This game featured no even strength goals by either team. Derek Smith also recorded 2 assists. This was a chippy affair, with four fights and 78 minutes in penalties.

Wed, Dec 31st 2008 – Albany 2, Binghamton 1
Key Contributors:
Danny Bois – 1G, 3 SOG, Even

Brian Elliott – 58:41, 35 SV, 2 GA

Key Stat – Shots on Goal by Period:
Binghamton – 1st: 11 2nd: 3 3rd: 16
Albany – 1st: 12 2nd: 19 3rd: 6

Notes: The B-Sens fell asleep in the second and nearly survived, allowing the game winner with 40 seconds to play in the middle frame. They outplayed the River Rats in the third, but couldn't make up the two goal deficit.

Fri, Jan 2nd 2009 – Binghamton 4, Houston 0.
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon – SHG, 1A, +2
Peter Regin – 1G, 2 PIM, +1
Josh Hennessy – PPG, 2 SOG, +1.

Key Stat – Goaltending
Brian Elliott (BNG) – 59:26, 21 SV, 0 GA, SO
Nolan Schaefer (HOU) – 56:37, 19 SV, 3 GA, ENG

Notes: The shutout was Elliott’s second of the year, the first coming against Albany on Dec. 13th. Marc Cavosie scored Binghamton’s other goal.

Spotlight: Ryan Shannon
Position: C/RW
Shoots: Right
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 178 lbs
Birthdate: Mar/02/1983.
Hometown: Darien, CT
Acquired: Trade, Sept 2nd 2008 (from Vancouver for Lawrence Nycholat)

That Shannon has made it as far as he has in hockey is somewhat of a success story. Generously listed as 5’9”, Shannon was passed over in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Shannon was a point per game player his final three seasons with NCAA Boston College, and was offered a contract by the Anaheim (then Mighty) Ducks following his Senior year at BC in 2005.

The Connecticut product immediately rewarded the Ducks by posting 86 points (27G, 49A, +30) in 71 games as a rookie pro with the Portland Pirates in 2005-06. He also tallied 11 goals and 11 assists in 19 playoff games with the Pirates that season. The next year he earned a job with the Ducks out of camp, but did not meet expectations and spent a handful of games in the AHL with the Pirates. He struggled to regain his form from the previous year while in the AHL.

Shannon split 2007-08 between the Vancouver Canucks and their AHL affiliate the Manitoba Moose. Shannon became property of the Canucks after being traded for Jason King and a conditional 2009 3rd-round pick. Shannon played 27 games in Vancouver, recording 5 goals and 8 assists, but failed to attain a point per game pace in his 13 contests with the Moose.

Sens GM Bryan Murray acquired Shannon in the days leading up to training camp for career AHL defenceman Lawrence Nycholat. The 2005 Hockey East All-Star was cut from Ottawa’s training camp, but has regained his offensive touch in Binghamton this season. Shannon leads the team with 26 points (10G, 16A) in 25 games. He has posted an assist in 2 games with Ottawa.

Shannon’s NHL prognosis is unclear. He has struggled with injuries throughout his pro career, and has been inconsistent when called upon to produce points. He may be the kind of player who is an excellent AHL scorer that never makes a meaningful impact in the big show. Nevertheless, expect to get a long look at Shannon in Ottawa this March if the big club’s fortunes don’t turn around. He has decent speed, and can be very creative with the puck as he possesses plenty of skill. Plus he has that nifty shootout spin move, which might be useful to the shootout-challenged Senators - provided goalies don’t discover an antidote.

Farmer's Almanac: B-Sens Keep Rolling; Daugavins Back to Junior

Hello Internet,

Here's hoping your holiday was free of alcohol fueled family disputes that linger on without really reaching any form of meaningful conclusion, and that the avarice of you and your loved ones was at least temporarily sated. Today we set out to exchange that which was not to our exact specifications and seek out the bargain by which we may relieve ourselves of the 30 dollar gift certificate we got from our aunt. On this fine Boxing Day, as a belated Christmas offering I present to you the greatest gift of all: My written work! Here's the week that was in the cosmopolitan metropolis that is Binghamton, New York.

Fri Dec 19th 2008 – Binghamton 3, Syracuse 2 (SO)
Binghamton squeaked out a narrow victory in the shootout Friday, achieving perfection on the penalty kill for the fourth straight game. Goaltender Brian Elliott was once again strong in goal, stopping 30 shots. Elliot also stopped 4 of 5 shootout attempts, bringing his professional shootout record to 8-2. The B-Sens got goals from tough guy Danny Bois and Latvian national Kaspars Daugavins. Jeremy Yablonski fought Crunch enforcer Jon Mirasty at the end of the second period in a marathon so I included it below. Josh Hennessey and Denis Hamel scored in the shootout, giving the B-Sens a 2-1 advantage over the Crunch in the tiebreaker. The Senators face the Crunch twice more between now and the New Year.



Sat Dec 20th 2008 – Binghamton 4, Bridgeport 1
The Baby Sens held a one goal lead after a defensive first 40 minutes. Binghamton put Bridgeport away in the third, scoring three goals to the Tigers’ one. Several B-Sens had multi-point games. Zach Smith(1G, 2A, +3) led the way, while Brian Lee (2A, +2) and Matt Cavosie (1G, 1A, +2) had a deuce on the score sheet. Former Sound Tiger and usually defensive minded Drew Fata notched two goals against his old teammates. Brian Elliott, remaining hot, stopped 21 of 22 shots to get the win. The B-Sens penalty kill went 6 for 6, giving them 29 straight successful kills.

The boys from Bingo will try to earn their 5th win in 6 games tonight when they face Syracuse at home. The team will have plenty of opportunity to work off that Christmas turkey, as they visit the Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton Penguins tomorrow night and then travel to Hershey for a matchup with the AHL leading Bears on Saturday.

Profile – Kaspars Daugavins.
Position: LW
Shoots: Left
Height: 5-11
Weight: 204 lbs
DOB: May 18th 1988
Hometown: Riga, Latvia
Acquired: 3rd round, 91st overall in 2006 by Ottawa

This is Daugavin’s third season in North America, since he came over to play Canadian Major Junior to try to fast track to Ottawa. Daugavins showed well during his first two OHL seasons with the St. Michael’s Majors. Daugavins notched 18 goals and 42 assists and 64 PIM while going -18 in 60 games as a rookie in 2006-07. He played for his native Latvia in the 2007 World Championship in Moscow, recording 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 games. The Latvian lamp lighter showed more of a goal scoring touch last season, ending up with 40 goals and 74 points while posting a +11 and 42 PIM. He once again competed for Latvia at the 2008 WHC in Halifax. In 6 games he registered no points and was either injured or benched, as he didn’t play at all in Latvia’s last 5 periods of the tournament.

Daugavins’ pro career has been puzzling as well. He played with Binghamton at the conclusion of both his seasons with the majors, compiling 2 goals and 1 assist in 14 games. While that slow start could likely be attributed to rookie jitters, Daugavins only managed another 2 goals and an assist in 23 games this season. He was sent back to the OHL’s Majors on Wednesday which, considering he is 20 and will be playing as an over-ager, is not an encouraging sign. It doesn’t look like Daugavins projects as an NHL talent at this point, and an AHL career might even be a stretch at this point.

Daugavins has shown flashes of skill over his career, but keeps it simple as demonstrated in the clip below. He has also been willing to drop the gloves at the junior level.

Farmer's Almanac: Elliott Leads Sens to Two Weekend Victories

Hello Internet

Thanks for popping by to visit. It's cold outside; I hope you brought a sweater.

Binghamton Senators Goaltender Brian Elliott is the focus of these weeks edition of the Farmer's Almanac. He earned the honour (a term I use loosely) by stopping 74 of the 75 shots he faced in victories over the Portland Pirates and Albany River Rats.



Fri Dec 12th 2008- Binghamton 2, Portland 1
Elliott was the unequivocal star of this contest. The B-Sens were outshot 42-28, but Elliott kept them in the game with some brilliant play, highlighted by 17 third period saves to preserve the victory. Binghamton coach Cory Clouston was critical of his team's effort, saying he felt his squad was out of sorts, and succumbed to effective neutral zone play by Portland. Clouston singled out Elliott as a bright spot, letting the media know the former Wisconsin Badger was his team's best player that night. The offense came from the club's top line of Peter Regin (2A) Greg Mauldin (1G, 1A) and Lachute, QC native Denis Hamel (GWG, 1A.)

Sat. Dec 13th 2008 - Binghamton 3, Albany 0
Elliott picked up where he left off against the struggling River Rats, posting a 33 save shutout in the victory. What made the shutout effort all the more striking was Eliott’s role in killing off nine Albany power plays - including five consecutive third period penalties - behind the AHL’s worst penalty kill. Mauldin and Hamel had goals for the Senators, while former Anaheim Duck Ryan Shannon added an empty netter.

SUPER IMORTANT UPDATE JUST IN OH MY F***ING GOD!
Wed. Dec 17th 2008 – Philadelphia 3, Binghamton 2 OT
Just moments ago the B-Sens fell to the Phantoms for the second time in as many weeks, picking up a single point in a 3-2 overtime loss. Give the Senators credit though, as they overcame the 2-0 deficit staring them in the face as they walked down the tunnel during at the first intermission. Cory Clouston must have given a rousing speech in the dressing room, as Binghamton peppered Phantoms goaltender Michael Teslak with 18 second period shots en route to tying the game. Brian Elliott surrendered the OT winner 1:28 into the extra frame, giving him 21 saves on 24 shots. While that stat line isn’t particularly noteworthy, Elliott was again the club’s best penalty killer, helping them snuff out four consecutive third period penalties, including a 30 second 5-on-3 opportunity. Danny Bois and Josh Hennessey scored for Binghamton.



Spotlight- Brian Elliott

Position: G
Catches: Left
Height: 6-2
Weight: 202 lbs
Birthdate: 1985-04-09
Hometown: Newmarket, Ontario
Drafted: 9th round, 291st overall Ottawa 2003



Many Sens fans have high hopes for this Newmarket native given the lofty numbers he put up with the Wisconsin Badgers of the NCAA. Elliott had the starter’s job his last two years in Madison and had quite the respectable stat line during that time. Many projected big things for Elliott after a banner 2005-06 wherein he had 27-5-3 record to go with 8 shutouts, a 1.55 GAA and a .938 sv%. Elliott demonstrated champion pedigree, playing a key role on a team that won the NCAA Division I National Championship. He significantly raised his game during the playoff portion of the season, recording 4 shutouts late in the season.

One potential red flag is that Elliott’s 2006-07 season, while still impressive, was a statistical step back from his previous campaign. Elliott went 15-17-2 while capturing another 5 shutouts and posting a 2.10 GAA and a .923 sv%. Criticisms of Elliott’s performance in 06-07 can be tempered by the fact he backstopped a significantly weaker Badgers team than the one that won the Frozen Four. Elliott was frequently praised for his consistency and rebound control during his time at Wisconsin.

Elliott’s pro career got off to a rocky start. He played 8 games with the Baby Sens following his Senior year at Wisconsin, posting a 3-4-0 record, a 4.24 GAA and an .886 sv%. However, Elliott improved significantly upon those numbers in 07-08 while playing on a bad B-Sens team. He posted a 2.81 GAA and .915 sv % in 44 appearances with Binghamton last season. Elliott drew positive reviews in The Hockey News’ Future Watch 2008, wherein he was named as a potential starter who needed a little work on his positioning and angles.

Elliott is off to a good start this year. Entering tonight’s contest, he sported a 2.58 GAA and 919 sv%. It’s nice to see that Elliott is capable of stealing games at the AHL level, a skill that the NHL Senators have desperately needed throughout their history. I’m not sure what to make of Elliott. His numbers are such that he could either be a strong NHL talent, or a journeyman 1A goalie. I wouldn’t expect the overall quality of his play to be much higher than Patrick Lalime was able to offer. This is one instance where I hope my analysis is wrong. Considering Elliott was drafted in a round of the NHL Entry Draft that no longer exists, he is already a success story for the Senators' development system.

Elliott will likely be with the Senators full time within the next two years. Martin Gerber’s contract is up this July, and Auld’s expires in 2010. The Senators have never been big players in the free agent market, and have traditionally failed to fill their goaltending need, but this year’s free agent class is strong. The likes of Niklas Backstom (Minnesota,) Nikolai Khabibulin (Chicago,) Martin Biron (Philadelphia,) Dany Sabourin (Pittsburgh,) and Tim Thomas (Boston) are available among others. Where Elliott plays next season will likely hinge on whether Bryan Murray acquires a proven puck stopper this July. When he does make the team, Elliott will likely be brought along as a backup, playing a 25-game rookie season before being given a chance to start.

Elliott allowed one goal on 29 shots in his one NHL appearance against the Atlanta Thrashers October 9th 2007. Here are a few snippets of his work from that night.

Farmer's Almanac: B-Sens and Danish Dynamo Drop December Duece

G'day Folks,

Time for our henceforth weekly update on the last seven days in the exciting and glamorous world of the Binghamton Senators. This past weekend was a rough one for the B-Sens, as they dropped both of their games despite the fact several key contributors returned from injuries.

Fri. Dec. 5: Bridgeport 6, Binghmaton 5 (SO)
Friday's home contest saw the Senators fall to AHL's most puzzlingly named team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. A slow start cost the B-Sens in this one. Brian Elliott was pulled at the 15-minute mark of the 1st after allowing three goals on six shots while Jeff Glass stopped 20 of 22 in relief. Elliott has been solid this season, and was probably distracted by the team's name (Seriously, what the hell is a "Sound Tiger"? A shiny nickel to anyone who can explain.) The Senators otherwise put forth a solid effort, out shooting Brdigeport 51-28 through overtime. The team battled back from deficits of 2-0, 3-1, and 5-3 to force the extra frame, Ryan Shannon scoring the equalizer with 26 seconds left in the third. Several Baby Sens had big nights offensively in the losing effort: Peter Regin scored two goals and added another in the shootout, Josh Hennessy had a goal and an assist, while Ilya Zubov and defenceman Tomas Kudelka each added a pair of helpers. The New York Islanders affiliate took over in the shootout though, scoring on three of their four chances to win it 3-1.

Sat. Dec. 6: Philidelphia 5, Binghamton 2
Saturday's contest was a little more lopsided. The B-Sens fell behind 3-0 early on, meaning it was Jeff Glass' turn to get the hook 15 minutes in, after he surrendered three goals on 12 shots. Elliott was solid the rest of the way, stopping 14 of 15. The Phantoms added an empty netter with 51 seconds to play to seal it. Zubov and Mattias Karlsson had the goals for the Senators, both assisted by Shannon.

Spotlight: Peter Regin
Position: C
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-1 Weight: 185 lbs
Birthdate: 1986-04-16
Acquired: 3rd round, 87th overall in 2004.
Hometown: Herning, Denmark

Regin's first North American season has been trying. He`s missed 12 of Binghamton's 25 games this season with concussion and shoulder problems. However, he is now healthy and has tallied 4 goals and 3 assists in his first 13 games on this side of the pond. Regin is coming off a breakout 2007-08 in the Swedish Elite League, where he registered 14 goals and 40 points in 66 games, good for 3rd on the team and 26th in the SEL. Regin is a highly skilled forward who has an outside chance to one day play in Ottawa's top-six group. Regins's biggest assets are: speed, puck skills, shiftiness, and puck possession.

Regin is starting to impress within the Sens organization. During training camp, Regin drew the following praise from B-Sens GM Tim Murray, "He's just been impressive. ... He looks to me like an NHL hockey player." Binghamton coach Cory Clouston commented on Regin's play recently in The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin:

"He's getting used to the pace and intensity of the game, and the style of the game ... The skill is there, and I think now he's starting to get his timing, and getting more familiar with the style of play." -Cory Clouston

Here's a little taste of what Regin can bring to the table

Farmer's Almanac: Bell and Zubov Sprouting

Michael Sharp has a pretty solid interview with Ottawa's assistant GM – and Binghamton Senators GM – Tim Murray up on his Binghamton Senators Blog. I check it out frequently, and it’s one of the better AHL blogs you’re going to find. It’s updated frequently, Sharp is responsive to fan feedback, and he often has interviews with the team’s players. In it, Murray touches on the big club’s future plans for Brendan Bell and Ilya Zubov.


I thought Bell played well the last couple games. He certainly hasn’t looked out of place on the Sens’ power play, though Hartsburg had him playing on the 2nd unit by the end of Saturday’s game against the Rangers. While for many Bell’s most memorable moment in a Senator uniform is a brutal turnover that led to a (bad) goal against Martin Gerber in a pre-season game, Murray sounded pleased with what he’s seen so far:

"He's played three pretty good games for us. So, right now he brings a little bit of what we don't have, and that's skating ability, handling the puck, passing the puck, and shooting the puck. And I think that's probably what we were lacking on our back end. And those were the things that he certainly brings to the team. If he can continue to keep it simple and safe in his defensive end, then he has a chance to stick here." -Tim Murray

Pretty nonchalant, but an endorsement none the less. Personally, I’d like to see Bell stick around for a few more games.

I was also impressed with Ilya Zubov during his four-game call-up. He was inches away from his first NHL goal Thursday against Montreal, and the line he was on with Nick Foligno and Cody Bass gave opposing defences trouble on both Thursday and Saturday. Furthermore, Zubov has been lights out this year in Bingo, leading the team in scoring. The B-Sens GM offered a pretty ringing endorsement:

"He got on our second power play, and he played pretty well. His work ethic was obviously much better than last year. His conditioning is much better. He's put in the time. He's put in the time to make us notice him. He produced also then at the American League level to make us notice him.
We consider him a top prospect...I don't know the timetable. I think he's an NHL player, a full-time NHL player. So if that's part-way through this year, if that's next year, I can't really answer that." -Tim Murray

Murray also hinted that Uncle Bryan is shopping some of Ottawa’s roster players in his search for that elusive “puck moving defenceman” . Murray frequently made mention of the possibility that the club might move either a forward and/or a defender or two or off the roster for “a top-end defenceman”. Check out the full article for more.