HAMILTON – The Hamilton Bulldogs hope a new-look roster will help them put a three-year playoff drought behind them.
After finishing 13th in the American Hockey League’s 15-team Western Conference a season ago, the Bulldogs have made a number of changes ahead of Saturday’s season opener at Rochester. The moves — on paper, at least — appear to give coach Sylvain Lefebvre a deeper lineup than in his previous two seasons at the helm.
"Even the guys that we cut, we feel strongly that they can help us out during the season if needed," Lefebvre said in a recent interview. "That’s great, and it gives me options as a coach for power-play and penalty-kill units and line combinations. But we’ll have inner competition also, and that brings the best out of people."
Hamilton struggled to find the back of the net a year ago, with the second-lowest goal total in the AHL (182). The team has overhauled its forward ranks with former captain Martin St. Pierre, former first-round draft pick Louis Leblanc and veteran Mike Blunden among those released.
Many of the new players come with pro experience at both the AHL and NHL levels. There are also some promising prospects in the mix.
The Bulldogs signed centre T.J. Hensick, a veteran of 112 NHL games split between Colorado and St. Louis, while new wingers Jake Dowell and Drayson Bowman boast 333 games of NHL experience between them.
Last weekend, the Bulldogs’ parent organization in Montreal dealt goaltender Peter Budaj and forward Patrick Holland to the Winnipeg Jets for winger Eric Tangradi, who will begin his season in Hamilton.
The veterans will be counted on to insulate Hamilton’s young forward prospects, including second-year pros Sven Andrighetto and Christian Thomas, who impressed management during the Canadiens’ recent training camp.
Montreal’s final cut last Tuesday, forward Jacob de la Rose, will also begin his season in Hamilton. Lefebvre said the young Swede, a second-round draft pick in 2013, has already impressed his new coach with maturity that belies his 19 years of age.
"He has poise and great positioning," said Lefebvre. "You see it in his puck decisions and puck placement and his defensive zone coverage."
Hamilton should be able to ice four competitive forward lines, a rarity in the AHL.
"On paper, this looks like the best team I’ve been on," said Hensick. "I’ve been really impressed with some of the young guys’ skill level throughout camp and I think we have four really solid lines.
"Look at a line like Dowell, (Gabriel) Dumont and (Maxime Macenauer). All three of those guys have been in the NHL. Not many teams are going to throw that out on the third or fourth line."
Defensively, Hamilton will be without Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi, who are playing with the Canadiens. But the Bulldogs will bring back an experienced core on the blue-line, anchored by returnees Greg Pateryn, Davis Drewiske and Darren Dietz.
That group was bolstered in the off-season by the additions of rookie Mac Bennett from the University of Michigan and Magnus Nygren, who played 16 games in Hamilton last year before returning to Sweden to play with Farjestad of the Swedish Hockey League.
Six-foot-eight defenceman Joe Finley, who Lefebvre refers to simply as a "presence," arrived in Hamilton as a free agent after two seasons in the New York Islanders organization.
There will be fresh faces in Hamilton’s net this year, as reigning AHL all-star Dustin Tokarski is serving as a backup to Carey Price in Montreal.
In his place, NHL journeyman Joey MacDonald will get the start for the Bulldogs on Saturday. The 34-year-old goaltender will play a dual role for Hamilton as both a starter and mentor to rookie Mike Condon, who makes the jump to the AHL after a successful season in the ECHL.
Condon finished with a league-high .931 save percentage in 39 games last season with the Wheeling Nailers, leading them to the second round of the ECHL playoffs.
For a young goaltender trying to find his feet at a higher level, Condon said MacDonald is a perfect partner.
"Joey is the best," said Condon. "He’s a great guy off the ice and he’s a guy who’s seen and done everything, played in every league. He’s got a ton of funny stories as well.
"He’s a proven NHL goalie, and to be able to pick the brain of a guy like that is invaluable."
Condon, like Hensick, said he likes what he sees so far from his new teammates. But he cautioned that a lot could change once the puck drops on the new season.
"Everyone thinks that their roster looks good before the season," he said. "We’ll see what everyone looks like when the bullets start flying."
