Ottawa Senators Prospect of the Week – Jan Jenik

Thankfully, Jenik has remained relatively healthy since then, and with every game he’s looked more confident and capable of making big things happen. In 36 games, he had a respectable eight goals and seven assists. Although he wasn’t producing at the level he was with the Tuscon Roadrunners, he was a reliable two-way force who could contribute at either end of the ice, which earned him two games with the Senators.

But everything fell into place last weekend against the Bridgeport Islanders. In a game that quickly got away from the last-place Islanders, Jenik flexed his playmaking prowess, moving the puck skillfully through Bridgeport’s porous defence. His first came on the power play in the second half of the first period, picking up the drop pass from Xavier Bourgault before sending it to the wide-open Tyler Boucher, who sniped home Belleville’s second goal. Jenik then rinsed and repeated on Belleville’s next four goals, finding perfect lanes to send a strong pass. The game ended 6-1 in favour of Belleville, and Jenik’s five assists earned him the first star.

The next night went very similarly. Belleville walloped the Islanders 6-1 again, but this time, Jenik scored a goal and added two assists. Although he only managed to claim the game’s third star behind Malcolm Subban and Jeremy Davies, he was named the AHL Player of the Week.

With 15 games remaining before the Calder Cup Playoff, Jenik’s breakout couldn’t have come at a better time. Belleville is two points outside of a playoff spot, but two big wins over the weekend have put them much closer to the Cleveland Monsters, who are on a four-game losing streak. If Jenik can keep up his incredible playmaking, the Senators may both their pro and minor league teams in the playoffs for the first time in years.

Senators Honourable Mentions & Check-Ins

Unsurprisingly, several B-Sens had productive weeks. Bourgault, Angus Crookshank, and Maxence Guenette each scored two goals in two games, while Stephen Halliday added two assists and Boucher scored his first goal since Jan 3. Leevi Merilainen stopped 20 of 21 shots on March 14 to secure the win against the Islanders and now owns a 13-7-5 record in the AHL. Even newcomer Tristen Robins got in on the action, putting up two assists over the weekend. Injuries have been a problem lately, but with most of the team healthy, they have a chance to surge into the last spot in the North Division.

After a blazing-hot start to the season, Lucas Ellinas has cooled off. Last week, though, he added another goal and an assist to his impressive tally. The Kitchener Rangers forward now has 20 goals and 37 points in 48 games and is another prospect to watch as a potential dark horse next season.

In the NHL, Tyler Kleven has been looking much better recently. He scored his third goal of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 11, then against the Boston Bruins on March 13, he scored his second goal of the week, giving him the first point streak of his career. He also was one of the Senators’ best possession players, finishing the game with a 66.7 Corsi For Percentage, and had some of the lowest shot attempts against. It has been great to see the Senators firing on all cylinders since the trade deadline, but it’s just as encouraging to see Kleven take another big step forward in his development.

Tune in next week to see which prospect stood above the rest.