Michalek

Regardless off how well new Ottawa winger Milan Michalek fits in with the club — and it sounds like former Senators winger Martin Havlat has done his part to make sure his pal can get comfy — the Sens are going to have to do a number of things to make up for the loss of potential 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley this season.

Some of that missing offense might come from the defense, where guys like Brian Lee, Alexandre Picard, Erik Karlsson and Chris Campoli are going to be expected to complement the shutdown pair of Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov.

“As far as puck-moving defencemen, we’ve got some pretty good skill back there … but we’ve got to make sure the physical play is there, as well,” head coach Cory Clouston told the Ottawa Citizen.

Regardless of how the Sens do it, there’s no doubt they’re better for having defused the Heatley situation before camp opened and now can get back to playing the type of hockey that made them an improved team after Clouston took over. As Wayne Scanlan described today in the Citizen:

“Clouston’s aggressive forecheck had young players, many of whom played for him in Bingo, and veterans playing with more conviction than the team had shown in months.”

I’m not writing the Sens up as a divisional title contender, but they should be a harder two points, especially if they rally around the trade and try to prove that they can succeed without Heatley.

Elsewhere around the division:

•Toronto defenseman Mike Van Ryn bulked up for this season.

•The Buffalo Sabres picked up their practice intensity with a scrimmage.

•Tomas Plekanec wants to play like the 2007-08 version of himself this season for Montreal.

•The Leafs are going to need more offense, and John Mitchell might be able to provide it.