Nikita Filatov News

“The other guys have played better,” MacLean said Tuesday morning ahead of his team’s match-up against the Minnesota Wild. “Nikita is making some great strides in the organization in the way that he’s approached it.

Filatov added an assist through his first two games as a Sen but hasn't taken the leap as a reliable two-way player. Coach MacLean is hoping this benching will help him improve in his own end.

One that has potential, though, is the threesome of Colin Greening, Jason Spezza, and Nikita Filatov. Spezza had some history with Greening last season and he has now played a couple of pre-season games with Filatov.

Filatov gets his first legitimate chance to succeed in Ottawa. The enigmatic winger potted only six goals over 44 NHL games which were spread out over three seasons. Expect him to thrive with a change of scenery, which would make him a sleeper at his current price tag.