Travis Green says Senators should be prepared for a tough training camp

Published Aug 29, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Travis Green Green will be introduced as the 14th bench boss in franchise history as early as Wednesday. Photo by Icon Sportswire /PNG

The Ottawa Senators should be ready to pay the price in training camp.

Coach Travis Green never promised this place would be a country club when he was hired to take over the Senators in late-May and, with the start of camp set for Sept. 18, he reiterated Wednesday that the players should be ready to work hard on Day 1 of camp.

Speaking at the club’s “Meet the Coach” luncheon with 250 season-ticket holders at the Canadian Tire Centre, Green told the crowd he has met with all of the players on the roster and has set out for them what he expects if the Senators are going to make the next step.

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“With access to what players have in the off-season, the type of game that I want to play and our team wants to play, the level of work and aggressiveness that I want out of our group, you need to be in shape,” Green said. “You need to be conditioned to play that way, and play that way for 60 minutes.

“I don’t think there’s any excuses in today’s world to come to training camp and (you’re) not in great shape. I’m going to push our group to make sure that they’re ready for Game 1. And the best way to be ready is to come to camp in shape.”

Camp will be a test for the returning players and the youngsters pushing for a spot on the club to show they can handle the demands that Green will put on them on a daily basis.

“Training camp will be hard for part of it. That’s the best way to get into shape is to skate hard,” Green said. “Our guys know it’s not going to be easy, but it’s not a punishment thing either. It’s not something that’s going to bury the players. A lot of teams have hard training camps.

“Most of them are actually hard. They’re never easy. You talk about the Florida Panthers and Paul Maurice is known for the same thing with a couple of hard training camps. It’s going to be hard and the players know that, it’s just to make you better.”

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Centre Josh Norris, who has been skating in Ottawa for the past week, is fully recovered from the shoulder surgery he had last February and Green is confident he’ll be ready to be a full participant in camp.

“He’s doing great. His summer conditioning is going along as expected and he’s in a great frame of mind right now whenever I’ve spoken to him,” Green said. “The expectations are that he’ll be ready for camp.”

A ticket holder asked an interesting question to Green concerning the “X factor” for the Senators heading into the season.

He noted in his discussions with core players like captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto and Norris that all want to help this team make the next step.

“I’ve gotten to know the group now. I’ve had a lot of conversations, I’ve been around them in person as well and if I could pick one thing that has pleasantly surprised me is the hunger of the group,” Green said. “This group is hungry to win, but everyone says that.

“I believe they’re committed to the winning process as well. They’re willing to look themselves in the mirror and decide what part can they play in getting better? Everyone says they want to win here, but you’ve got to improve if you want to win.

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“I haven’t had one guy that has come to me said, ‘I want to come back and be just as good as I was last year.’ That’s not what we’re looking for. We’re looking for guys who want to be better next year. If you’ve been here seven, eight or nine years, you’ve to be better next year.

“Our group is hungry to win, but they’re also able to self-evaluate and understand they need to be part of the solution, part of us getting better and they own that.”

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BRINGING IN A CHAMP

The Senators made one addition to the roster by signing winger Nick Cousins, a Belleville native, to a one-year deal worth $800,000 US on Wednesday.

Cousins, who won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in the spring, had seven goals and 15 points with the club last spring. He suited up for 12 of the club’s playoff games.

A five-foot-11 centre, Cousins is considered a pain to play against and will give the club an edge it needs on its fourth-line. The 30-year-old Cousins has made stops with Philadelphia, Arizona, Montreal, Nashville and Florida during his NHL career.

GM Steve Staios reached out to Cousins on July 1, but he wanted more term and money then. With camp around the corner, he wants to get ready to play and this was the best option.

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