NHL: Sens Simply Offensive

The Ottawa Senators have seemingly scored at will this season, powered by arguably the league's most dynamic line in Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley. Joined by Martin Havlat, back from suspension, the Sens steamrolled the Buffalo Sabres 10-4. We have notes on the big four plus reviews on mammoth defender Zdeno Chara and rookie blueliner Andrej Meszaros.

Daniel Alfredsson, RW, Ottawa

Captain getting a chance to skate on top unit as a defensive conscious for Spezza and Heatley .. plays an outstanding two-way game .. small yet able to win battles and knock players off the puck .. displays keen anticipation skills in all three zones .. crafty and elusive stickhandler .. makes beautiful saucer, touch passes in limited space .. used to defend two-man-down situations as his positioning is impeccable, never overcommits and maintains perfect gaps .. also the catalyst on the powerplay in creating scoring chances - it all starts with him .. constantly in the slot to unload a shot .. competitive, always wants the puck and never gives up on a play .. demands the best from himself at all times - showed his frustration after missing an opportunity even with the score already 4-0 .. constantly moves his feet and his strong work ethic rubs of on teammates .. possesses a gift for getting open and separating himself from the defense just enough to remain in scoring positions .. scored on a pair of breakaways .. elected to shoot each time, but first unsettled the goalie with a slight hesitation move .. speed is not blinding yet still very effective for the style of game he plays .. doesn't need top-end speed as he seems to know exactly where to be and what to do at all times .. delivered a four-goal, six-point effort after Coach Murray moved him to the first line .. on pace to earn Hart Trophy consideration and is arguably the best two-way player in the world today.

Dany Heatley, LW, Ottawa

Really benefits from playing with Jason Spezza as the duo have developed sensational chemistry .. acts more like the line's finisher as both Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson look to constantly feed him and take advantage of his monster one-timer .. really gets everything behind his shot in a style reminiscent of Brett Hull - knee bend and all .. possesses very deceptive speed and is able to stickhandle at top gear .. hungry for goals, likes to follow his shots to the net - buried a goal by following up his own rebound and staying with the play .. keeps his stick on the ice at all times and knows how to keep his body prepared to accept passes, which frequently come his way .. displays remarkable in-close finishing skills, able to make deft moves in tight quarters and get his shot off in a hurry .. passes sometimes go astray as he is more focused on being the shooter .. still needs to improve defensively, namely on being more assertive in eliminating his man from plays .. at times, allows his man too much room to operate .. averaging nearly two points per game and should crack the 100-point mark with ease at this pace.

Jason Spezza, C, Ottawa

The ultimate playmaker on Ottawa's explosive top line .. offensively gifted, rushes the puck expertly and is able to survey his options to make the best play available .. delivers probing passes that spring teammates into prime scoring positions .. almost drags the puck around players as he exploits his height and long reach .. very shifty in the offensive zone - makes little turns at the last second to buy additional time for himself .. quick hands and wrists .. his skating is average but he really pushes down and has a long stride which helps him cover more ice in a shorter time .. needs to keep working on improving his speed .. displays superb vision and hockey sense though becomes rather predictable at times as he always seems to looking for a pass .. rarely shoots but exhibits power when he does .. struggles defensively.. puts up big numbers now but will need to pay more attention to defensive detail come playoff time .. often the first player to leave his zone and also the first one into the offensive zone even when the puck hasn't clear his zone safely .. despite his defensive deficiencies, he is still very equipped for the new NHL .. his skill set is one of the best in the league and he is undoubtedly a much more complete player than when he first arrived .. Ottawa's coaching staff deserves top marks for developing him into a premier center.

Martin Havlat, RW, Ottawa

Three words describe his play: DY-NA-MIC .. returning from a five-game suspension for kicking Boston's Hal Gill, he fired four goals and was named the game's first star .. incredibly fast skater with explosive outside speed .. caught up to Max Afinogenov in the defensive zone despite starting two strides behind .. played a decent two-way game and was very active on the forecheck .. defenders must be extra cautious due to his ability to sneak up behind with his blazing speed and steal the puck .. feisty winger, plays bigger than he is .. displays solid offensive instincts and an ability to turn even the most experienced defenders inside-out and score highlight-reel goals .. top-notch one-on-one individual skills .. boasts a terrific shot including an accurate backhander .. very aware of his position on the ice and how much space he has to operate .. makes quick shifts with his body, shoulder dips, head fakes, wrist fakes or will assume a wide-legged stance to give a false illusion of passing before roofing the puck .. an offensive threat every time he stepped on the ice .. plays the perimeter but will attack the offensive zone as he can accept a pass without breaking stride and take a full head of steam to the net .. his concentration level peaks in scoring areas .. will use his teammates however tends to go it alone at times .. can be volatile and shows signs of immaturity still as well .. needs to learn how to sustain composure and not let opposing checkers get under his skin .. there's certainly plenty of financial incentive here to perform well given he's only on a one-year deal.

Zdeno Chara, D, Ottawa

Biggest defender in the league .. adapted smoothly to the new NHL .. toned down his physical presence due largely to the fact that he'll draw infractions simply because of his size .. takes a fair bit of abuse which goes unnoticed .. amazingly, his size isn't a liability on the ice and in fact is what makes him so effective .. very adept at eliminating his man from the play by closing the gap and angling off shooters .. able to steer most wingers to the outside .. shows good footspeed most times as well as great mobility for a player of his stature .. plays the point on the PP and is able to sustain pressure long enough on the boards to allow his forwards to come in and retrieve the puck .. mammoth reach and smart body positioning make it nearly impossible to get the puck by him - and he's equally tough to dispossess .. rarely panics and sees the ice extremely well .. able to make neat little passes out of the zone when in trouble .. Ottawa's well-coached system provides good support from the forwards who are usually in perfect lanes to accept his outlet feeds .. plays mainly with Chris Phillips in what is arguably the best tandem in the league .. very supportive of each other, quick to cover missed assignments .. always able to get a stick on a forward to hinder their progress or throw off their concentration for a split second .. Chara logs approximately five more minutes than any other player on the team, and for good reason - he's that good.

Andrej Meszaros, D, Ottawa

Slick-skating rookie defenseman displayed decent puck skills .. naturally still playing second fiddle to many of Ottawa's established defenders but is seeing a regular shift on the second powerplay unit .. should see a steady rise in confidence with the puck as he already shows unique offensive instincts .. able to make good passes out of his zone .. must be mindful not to throw the puck up the middle as he has a tendency to rush his decisions when pressured by extremely aggressive forechecking .. however this habit should correct itself as he gets adjusted to the speed of the NHL game .. appears to be a bit smaller than his generously listed height of 6-foot-2 .. plays more of a finesse game at this stage and needs time to mature as a physical entity .. struggles to contain forwards effectively down low still though this will also improve with experience .. despite losing position at times, he is blessed with excellent recovery powers .. his skating abilities keep him in a regular rotation on one of the NHL's elite teams.

Ice Chips

The Sabres suffered a huge blow when they lost the services of Ryan Miller for four to six weeks with a broken thumb. The goaltending issues remain unresolved as neither Mika Noronen nor Martin Biron have established themselves in Miller's absence. Biron let in three goals on the first six shots while Noronen didn't fare much better and was yanked prior to the third after surrendering four goals on 17 shots … The steady and consistent play of Daniel Briere was one of the few bright spots for the Sabres. His speed really helped break down the Ottawa defense, while his ability to hurl himself into danger areas and make pinpoint passes resulted in a three-point night. His strong play early this season is generating serious Team Canada Olympic consideration … Tim Connolly continues to fine-tune his game and is returning to the form that made him a fifth-overall selection in the '99 draft. He was flying around the ice, creating a number of opportunities with his speed and powerful shot, however he must work on getting his shots away quicker … About the only area the Sabres managed to compete on this night was in the fight department as impressive rookie Paul Gaustad got the better of Brian McGrattan, who had earlier won a clear decision over Andrew Peters.