It was only a practice but it marked the beginning of an era.
The American Hockey League Belleville Senators gathered for the first time at the Mackay Insurance Arena at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre yesterday. Most of the team including coach Kurt Kleinendorst have been at the Senators NHL camp in Ottawa for the last week. They arrived in Belleville Saturday night and have had little time to explore their new home for the next 7-8 months. Kleinendorst says others will arrive later in the week.
Kleinendorst says the American Hockey League Senators have to follow the coaching plan established by the parent NHL team in Ottawa.
Twenty-one year old defenceman Andreas Englund spent most of last season with the Binghamton Senators but did appear in 5 games with Ottawa. The 6’4″ 200 pound Englund was a 2nd round pick of the Senators in 2014. Englund says transitioning from an NHL camp to the AHL isn’t a big problem.
The B-Sens will practice at 10:30 every day this week as they prepare for exhibition games this Saturday and Sunday in Laval. The games will be broadcast on CJBQ at 2:45 both days.
