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Well, in the short time he’s been here, the 67’s have learned a thing of two about the veteran of exactly 100 games with three different teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

He is 5-5 ... on his knees. Upright he stands 6-6. He grows to 6-9 on skates and he covers a lot of net.

After just three games, the Trudeau name is also found among the top 10 goalies in the Ontario Hockey League, something the 67’s haven’t had since Petr Mrazek. He has averaged 32 saves a game through three starts and his save-percentage is .914, comparable to Mrazek’s .917 in his final year in 2011-12.

In essence, Trudeau gives the 67’s a fighting chance every night he plays, and that’s something they didn’t have last year.

Oh, and his English is better than advertised, something Trudeau could not have said in his rookie year in 2010-11. He started in Moncton, N.B. as a fifth-round draft pick before being traded to Cape Breton at Christmas. He had to learn English or go hungry.

Trudeau is also nobody’s fool and takes his game very seriously. He could be the difference between the 67’s moving toward their goal of becoming the most-improved team in the OHL or just repeating what transpired in 2012-13.

Bryne had hoped to take a European goalie in the import draft, but when the Canadian Hockey League nixed that in an effort to keep the CHL jobs for North Americans, Plan B became to find a goalie who was already out there and could play.

That player never emerged, so the 67’s were forced to start the season with the duo they had when they spiralled out of control to the bottom of the OHL: The likable overage Clint Windsor, unable to take the net and run with it, and 18-year-old Jacob Blair, the local product more suited for 20-25 games and not ready to be No. 1.

It wasn’t a good message to the rest of the team, being unable to improve the weakest position.

Enter Trudeau, who already had his plane ticket bought to head to the Central Hockey League in Quad Cities, Illinois. If Byrne hadn’t made the call, Trudeau would have flown there Friday.

Byrne first heard of Trudeau from a contact who saw him at the Vancouver Canucks development camp in the summer.

The Canucks told Trudeau to go back to junior. Only the phone wasn’t ringing, not even in Val d’Or, where he finished so strong last season.

“I trained all summer, but all the jobs in the Q got filled at the draft,” said Trudeau, who will soon sport an old Patrick Roy-like mask. “I expected to go to Val d’Or’s camp but they didn’t invite me. They had made their choice.

“Then Chris phoned my agent, my agent called me and I was pretty excited. I didn’t know much about the situation here other than this was a big year to develop the team again and I just knew this was where I wanted to go.”

Oddly enough, Trudeau gets his height from his mother, Isabelle Tetreault, who is 6-2 and a women’s basketball legend at Concordia

University

going back to the late 1980s.

Trudeau remembers being 6-2 as a 14-year-old, then shooting up four more inches in a hurry, which might explain why he was passed over his first time through the minor midget draft.

His body had to catch up to his talent, which sometimes still plagues him today.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2013

719594 Ottawa Senators

Senators prediction panel: Game 1

by James Gordon

on October 4, 2013

The Ottawa Senators kick off their season with a game in Buffalo against the Sabres. Which team will come out on top? Our prediction panel weighs in.

Ottawa Senators (0-0-0) at Buffalo Sabres (0-1-0)

James Gordon (@SensReporter), Citizen Sports/SenatorsExtra Editor

Senators 4, Sabres 3

For a little while, Senators vs. Sabres appeared ready to surpass the Battle of Ontario as the best rivalry in the now-defunct Northeast Division. That was a long time ago, kids.

Record last season: 32-26

Exact scored predicted: 3

Wayne Scanlan (@HockeyScanner), Citizen Hockey Columnist and defending panel champion

Senators 5, Sabres 2

In the past 10 years, Buffalo’s HSBC Arena (now First Niagara Center) has more or less been the friendly confines. With the Sabres in the midst of a large rebuild, I don’t expect that to change, although the Senators would be wise to pay attention Friday.

Record last season: 40-18

Exact scores predicted: 3

Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes), TSN 1200 The Drive host

Senators 4, Sabres 2

Anybody who tries to have a justification or solid rationale behind their pick on opening night needs help.

Record last season: 31-27

Exact scores predicted: 3

Graeme Nichols (@6thSens), writer/editor, The 6th Sens blog and podcast

Senators 4, Sabres 2

The Sabres can name two captains but they can’t double their talent level.

Record last season: 32-24

Exact scores predicted: 2

Steve Lloyd (@TSNSteveLloyd), host, In the Box on TSN 1200

Senators 3, Sabres 1

The Sens are one of only four teams that have yet to play a game. That means we’ve all had enough of talking about Spezza’s groin, Ryan’s ability to fit in, Da Costa….yadayadayada. After three hard practices, this team is champing at the bit to get going. They take advantage of a Sabres team still trying to forge a new identity.

Record last season: 32-25

Exact scores predicted: 2

Peter Raaymakers (@silversevensens), writer/editor, Silver Seven Sens blog

Senators 4, Sabres 2

The Ottawa Senators FEARLESSly head into Buffalo to take on the Sabres, and thanks to a two-goal night from Cory Conacher, they leave town with a couple of points in the bank.

Record last season: 32-26

Exact scores predicted: 4

Jeremy Milks (@BlackAcesOtt), writer/editor, Black Aces blog

Senators 3, Sabres 2

If there’s one thing we’ve been able to count on over the years, it’s the Senators domination of the Sabres. I don’t think Buffalo fans will enjoy Bobby Ryan any more than they did Daniel Alfredsson.

Record last season: 38-20

Exact scores predicted: 4

Eric Doty (@BonksMullet), writer/editor, BonksMullet.com and founder of SensMOTB

Senators 4, Sabres 2

It’s truly an honour to have been selected to predict for the Senators Extra organization. All I can do now is go hard to the keyboard, throw shots at Steve Lloyd, and give 110% better predictions than Mendes. The chance of noted Sabre-slayer Daniel Alfredsson making a pass through Buffalo without having an impact on a game is next to zero. Given that Alfie was held off the scoresheet in Detroit’s 2-1 victory over the Sabres on Wednesday, it would be unwise of me to predict anything other than Alfie’s lingering presence handing Ottawa the win. After a long-winded opening ceremony, Ottawa scores early when Buffalo gets off to a sluggish start.

Record: 0-0

Exact scores predicted: 0

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2013

719595 Ottawa Senators

Too many penalties early on sink 67's

Ottawa was better in third period, but damage was done

By Don Campbell, Ottawa CitizenOctober 4, 2013

Hounds 4, 67's 1

Sean Monahan can still draw a large cheer at the big rink in Kanata, no matter its name. Even from almost 1,000 kilometres away in the U.S. Capital. And even with almost noone in it.

Unfortunately, the Ottawa 67's teammates Monahan left behind have more trouble getting the fans to put their hands together.

On a night their leader was making his NHL debut in Washington wearing a Calgary Flames jersey, the 67's put themselves behind the eight-ball with minor penalty after minor penalty in falling to the Sheldon Keefe-coached Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in front of a meagre turnout of just 1,561 at the Canadian Tire Centre Thursday night.

Two power-play goals by the Hounds and another short-handed were the difference and the most exciting moment for the small crowd came partway through the first when in-house announcer Dan Mooney told them Monahan had picked up an assist on the Flames first goal of the season.

After that, it was pretty much all Greyhounds, though the 67's came to life outshooting the Hounds 14-3 in the third. They just couldn't convert on any of five power-play chances - three of them late - against a stingy Matt Murray in the Soo net.

"Every time we seemed to get it going we took an other needless penalty," said 67's head coach Chris Byrne. "We continue to put ourselves down in a hole that way. We started great. The kids were excited. They want to do well. We just need to show more composure from the start.

"I thought we had a ton of chances but then we had to keep killing penalties."

The penalty margin was 5-2 to the 67's disadvantage over the first 40 minutes and if it only seems it's like that every time they play, it's because it is.

The 67's go right back to work Friday night in Kingston and it's hard to tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Less than 48 hours later, they have another home game Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. against the Peterborough Petes as the 67's just try and keep close to the pack in the East Division.

Super rookie Travis Konecny opened the game's scoring with his third in five games just over eight minutes in.

But the 67's couldn't set the pace and the Greyhounds struck with a power-play goal by Patrick Watling and a goal by Andrew Fritsch 1:50 apart and never looked back.

Tyler Gaudet made it 3-1, again on the power play, banking one in off a 67's defenceman 14 minutes into the second.

Jared McCann scored short-handed on a breakaway with three minutes to play to ice it.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2013

719596 Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators knock off Sabres in season opener

By Don Brennan ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Friday, October 04, 2013 10:01 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, October 04, 2013 10:16 PM EDT

BUFFALO - Always quick with a quip, former Buffalo broadcaster Harry Neale had some kind words for his old friend Rick Wamsley in the elevator during the second intermission at First Niagara Center Friday night.

"Obviously," Neale said with a smile, "you've coached both those goalies."

Wamsley, of course, is just the mentor of Senators puck stoppers, not those in Buffalo colours. But while he had a chuckle at Neale's remark, smiling somewhere else had to be Dan Bylsma.

The coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins will also be the bench boss of the U.S. team at the Olympics in Sochi. And he had to be more than happy with the performances put on by Americans Craig Anderson of the Senators and Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres.

The two candidates for the national squad engaged in a brilliant dual before Erik Karlsson one-timed a pass from Clarke MacArthur through Miller's legs with 95 seconds left in the game to give the Senators a 1-0 victory in their season opener.

"I was thinking we were headed for a 20-man shootout," MacArthur said.

Anderson wound up making 35 stops for the shutout, while Miller blocked 45 attempts.

While Anderson had a brilliant effort, he was passing on the praise to Karlsson.

"Karl is our superstar," Anderson said. "We love him. You know what you're going to get every night."

The way Miller was playing, Anderson knew he couldn't make a mistake.

"When you watch the other guy at the other end make big save after big save, it just kind of gives you a little fire under your butt to return the favour," Anderson said. "It's one of those battles you enjoy to be in.

"In baseball, (pitchers) need run support. In hockey, goalies need goal support. Your job as a pitcher or goalie is just to make sure your team is in there at the end."

The Senators power play was 0-for-3 on the night, blowing a couple of opportunities before the game was six minutes old.

The Sabres, who were 0-for-7 with the man-advantage in their opener against Detroit, failed to take advantage of four chances against the Senators.

Karlsson showed Norris Trophy form with some big defensive plays, including a dive to knock the puck off Thomas Vanek's stick during a breakaway early in the third period.

"He's the one and only," Anderson said of Karlsson. "He may get out of position, but he's so fast and so smart that he's able to get back and make huge plays for us. If he doesn't work as hard as he did, he doesn't get back and maybe Vanek scores there and we lose the game."

Anderson's most spectacular save was a glove snag off the stick of rookie Zemgus Girgensons late in the third.

One of the best saves Anderson made in the second period was off Drew Stafford, who was wearing a smart Kyle Turris on his back as he took a low shot at the corner. Down but not completely out, Anderson managed to get a pad on the puck.

Another was off Vanek, on one of far too many odd-man rushes for the Sabres. Anderson's body was contorted as he somehow held his ground long enough to block the one-timer.

The Senators left immediately after the game for Toronto, where they take on the 2-0 Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre Saturday night.

THREE STARS:

Craig Anderson (OTT) Stops everything fired his way, including a game-high nine shots from Thomas Vanek.

Ryan Miller (BUF) A full game's worth of saves in the first alone, as Miller duels his fellow U.S. Olympic team hopeful at the other end.

Erik Karlsson (OTT) Thwarted Sabres chances in his own end and provides the game's only goal.

THUMBS UP: Sens come out firing with all sorts of chances created on all four lines. The combo of Turris between MacArthur and Conacher finding immediate chemistry.

THUMBS DOWN: After peppering the Sabres net with 46 shots, the game is still up for grabs until the final 95 seconds, with most shots coming from the outside and few second-effort chances.

TURNING POINT: Karlsson scores the game's only goal after Turris shows nice patience in the offensive zone, with MacArthur finding Karlsson with a crisp cross-ice pass.

FIRST PERIOD: Senators come out with guns blazing, with Wiercioch nailing the post on early power-play... Anderson makes a huge save on Vanek slapshot... Sabres get 24 second 5-on-3 with Anderson swallowing up an Ehrhoff slap shot... Flynn robbed in front by Anderson... post-to-post save on Vanek on a Sabres 2-on-1... Pageau stopped on a shorthanded break... Sens outshoot Sabres 23-16.

SECOND PERIOD: MacArthur shows off his soccer skills on the PK after handing his lumber to stick-less Phillips... Smith fires one into the crest with Neil crashing the crease... Spezza gets a chance and Ryan is hauled down on his way to the rebound... Anderson covers up quickly after Gryba gives it away in front of Sens net... Vanek robbed yet again. Sens hold 10-9 edge in shots.

THIRD PERIOD: Karlsson races back in time to sweep the puck off Vanek's stick as the Sens give up a 2-on-0... Anderson comes up huge as Vanek loads up again on a Sabres 3-on-1... Conacher misses wide on a prime setup... Wiercioch stopped on a 3-on-2... Miller makes an unbelievable toe save on Condra with a wide-open net... Anderson flashes the leather on Girgensons... A perfect play finally beats Miller with Karlsson getting the goal. Sens outshoot Sabres 13-10 in the period and 46-35 in the game.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.05.2013

719597 Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators simply trying to survive tough start to season

By Don Brennan ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Friday, October 04, 2013 09:26 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, October 04, 2013 09:38 PM EDT

BUFFALO - Gary Bettman and his people finally allowed the Senators to start the regular season like everyone else on Friday night.

Not only were the Senators, the Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders the last teams to play Game 1, but with six on the road (including a gruelling four-game trip to California and Arizona) before Ottawa's first on home ice, it's clear Bryan Murray or Eugene Melnyk did something to tick off the schedule makers.

They play 'em one at a time, of course, but if you told the Senators Friday morning they'd be 3-3 when they finally opened at the Canadian Tire Centre Oct. 17, they'd happily take it, right?

"If you can come back from that .500, I think you're not ultimately satisfied, but you're OK," winger Bobby Ryan said hours before making his regular season debut with Ottawa. "You're getting back to your comfort zone and you're at a .500 level.

"But I think our expectations are going to be to win four or five. That's what you should be feeling going in to that trip. Obviously, the travel is tough on that (Western) side. You're flying up to come back to go over. It's not easy by any means.

"I think these (first) two games aside, we're just going to look at it as a four-game road trip. Go on that one and try to get three games out of that."

Maybe, but I still think they should be ecstatic with 3-3 when, judging by the first period against the Buffalo Sabres Friday, they could also start 1-5.

Not that they were outright horrible during the early going at First Niagara Center, but against a young team that could very well end up with the first overall pick in 2014, I expected them to be up by three at the intermission.

If not for Craig Anderson, they could have been down by three.

BETWEEN PERIODS

A conversation with our new favourite Sabre in the team dressing room following the morning skate was interrupted when Patrick Kaleta jumped up and walked over to greet the muscular, long-haired dude who had just walked through the door. It was WWE star Rob Van Dam. "I started watching wrestling when I was younger," Kaleta said later. "I'd go over to my grandparents' house and myself and my gramma, that was our thing, wrestling. We'd call each other every time it was on and figure out what was going to happen, what was going on. She unfortunately passed away a few years back, but I still try to continue the tradition. I think it's pretty fun." Van Dam, who was born Robert "Rob" Alex Szatkowski 44 years ago in Battle Creek Mich., was in town to promote a pay-per-view event this weekend ... Friday's Senators-Sabres tilt was only the second hockey game he had ever seen live. Try and guess which part of the sport most appeals to him. "I like watching the fights," RVD said in a world exclusive with Cheapseats. "It's always exciting, watching them go at it until they hit the ice, and the ref breaks it up. I like that." Told of the age-old debate of whether fighting should be banished from the game, RVD said he was not surprised. "It's a valid concern," he said of the potential for serious injury. "That's what's entertaining about watching it ... it's like, oh my god, this is allowed?"

"I had a friend that was a referee. He told me that the rules were for them not to break it up unless they go down and hit the ice. If they're standing up, let them go. I was like, wow that's amazing. That kind of made me pay attention a bit more. It goes against the way of thinking that they actually accept that is part of the game. It's like trying to hit the puck into the goal, trying to punch the guy's face out before he gets you. Love it."

STARTS AND STOPS

In case you have yet to notice, Shawn McKenzie has taken over from Ian Mendes as Sportsnet's reporter on the Senators beat. When Mendes tweeted Friday afternoon that he was hosting his first pre-game show on TSN 1200 and would open it with the usual Bob McKenzie segment, Shawn had to chime in. "Good host, bad guest," he retweeted. Bob, of course, is Shawn's dad ... It was Jim Watson, not Gilbert Perreault, who scored the first goal in Sabres history. I wouldn't have bet that at a casino ... Great night Thursday at Bada Bing sports bar in downtown Buffalo. The Bills game was on one TV, Major League Baseball playoffs on another, and NHL hockey on yet another. Plus, through Twitter, I was also able to get updates from the final game of the New Brunswick senior baseball championship. The Chatham Ironmen defeated the Fredericton Royals 8-3 to claim the title. Coaching the Ironmen was Greg Morris, father of Senators director of communications Brian Morris. Batting sixth in the Royals lineup was former major leaguer Matt Stairs.

BITS AND BYTES

Eric Gryba shaved once after the playoffs, and once more in July. He hasn't taken a razor to it since. "I liked it and I'm keeping it," he said of a beard that now has to rank as one of the most impressive in the NHL. "There's really no rhyme or reason behind it, it's just one of those things where I always wanted to grow a beard and I'm finally old enough, it's thick enough." ... Not all the Sabres can grow a beard. Three of them are still teenagers. They call themselves the youngest team in the league, and I'm going to take their word for it. "They're excited to come to the rink every day," defenceman Mike Weber said after the A.M. skate. "When I think back to the first time I played in the NHL, seven years ago, you're excited to be here ... as you get older sometimes it turns into maybe a job. The young guys are still treating it as the game they love. That kind of feeds and bleeds into the other guys. We feed off that energy too." ... Sabres coach Ron Rolston said he had Big John Scott in the game because "we're just going lineup to lineup." Maybe he thought the Senators would be dressing Matt Kassian.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.05.2013

719598 Ottawa Senators

Binghamton Senators coach Luke Richardson ready for second season with AHL club

By Aedan Helmer ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Friday, October 04, 2013 07:44 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, October 04, 2013 07:50 PM EDT

A whole new set of challenges awaits Luke Richardson in his second season behind the Binghamton Senators bench.

Last year at this time, two weeks into a protracted NHL lockout, the B-Sens weren't just the only show in town -- they were the only option for burgeoning talent like Mika Zibanejad, Jared Cowen, Robin Lehner and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

Once the NHL season resumed, Richardson could only watch and wave goodbye as each one boarded a bus bound for big-league dreams in Ottawa.

With the B-Sens set to begin the AHL season Saturday against the visiting Syracuse Crunch, the team's top two centres -- Zibanejad and Jim O'Brien -- both spent significant time in the NHL last season.

A full complement of players on the cusp of reaching that next level -- Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Mark Borowiecki, Derek Grant and Dave Dziurzynski -- have already made their NHL debut.

"Last year the guys were all here and they all knew they were going to be here, so I had a great chance to start on a positive note and build those relationships," said Richardson.

"The best thing in my favour now is that I know these guys and they trust in me to be truthful with them. I may not always have the right answer, but at least we can communicate and we can work together to get right back on track so they can reach their dream."

Richardson has put in some face time with each of his charges, and said there's no issue with bruised egos or sour attitudes.

"They all had some disappointment, but they've all had success here, too," he said. "The practices have all been upbeat, they realize we're here to help them get to that next level, and there's been no sulking or guys dragging their butts around on the ice."

That's exactly the attitude management will be looking for when the inevitable call-ups are made, and no one needs to look any further for an on-ice example than Borowiecki.

"Everyone's pretty positive right now," he said. "It always stings a little at first, you're a professional and your goal is to play in the NHL and it sucks getting sent down, but pouting is not going to do anything for you. You have to make the most of it."

Besides, with Bingo's first five games against divisional foes in the Crunch and Norfolk Admirals, who accounted for the past two Eastern Conference titles, there won't be much time to sit around and sulk.