Wayne Scanlan

Having three goaltenders on the Senators roster was a bit like cramming three large, padded men into a phone booth.

Comfortable it was not.

Senators general manager Bryan Murray finally put and end to the discomfort, sending prospect Robin Lehner back to AHL Binghamton Tuesday while Ben Bishop remains in Ottawa to back up red-hot starter Craig Anderson, now 2-0 on the season.

“It didn’t make any sense to have three people here and two not playing very much,” Murray said. “We know Robin has a great future in this game, and I think for him to go play, get lots of starts, will be beneficial in the long run for him.”

In his reaction to the demotion, Lehner used the P-word, for politics, but it shouldn’t be interpreted as a parting shot by a goaltender who used to be a bit of a hot head.

“It’s part of a process, and there’s politics involved,” Lehner said, in a taped interview sent by the hockey club, after the dressing room was closed to media for the day. “I’m happy and I’ll keep on going.”

We assume by “politics,” Lehner meant that his two-way, entry level contract made it easier, and cheaper, for the team to keep him in the AHL while Bishop and his one-way deal remain in Ottawa. The speculation is that Bishop gets shopped in a trade this season while Lehner finds his way back to the NHL, another step in his progression as the Senators ‘goalie of the future.’

It’s not as though Lehner has nothing to look forward to in the AHL. Next Monday, he will represent Binghamton on the AHL Eastern Conference All Star team, coached by B-Sens head coach Luke Richardson.

“I’m looking forward to the All-Star Game next week, it’s going to be a great opportunity for me and a lot of fun,” said Lehner, a second-round Ottawa draft pick in 2009. In the meantime, he can reconnect with “the boys in Bingo,” he said.

“Bingo is warm in my heart, too, so, I’ll go down there and keep on working and see where my next opportunity comes.”

There was a time when the 21-year-old Lehner, known for emotional displays on an off ice, might have thrown a fit over his demotion. Those days are passed, further mitigated by the 6-4 Swede’s growing sense that his NHL future is looming.

After seeing him leave, Murray called Lehner “a bright young man with a bright future.” Senators staff have been impressed with the newfound maturity and fitness levels of Lehner this past fall.

“When something happens for him to step into the NHL, he’ll be a very capable goaltender,” Murray said.

Will that be soon? The Senators have the type of goaltender stable other teams might covet. Bishop, 26, a 6-7 native of Denver, was acquired from St. Louis last February in exchange for a second round draft choice. Bishop had been a third round draft selection of the Blues in 2005. While Biship’s arrival provided instant depth at the goaltender position, it also served as a wake-up call to Lehner, who rededicated himself to earning an NHL spot with Ottawa.

Blame the lockout for the Senators taking the unusual step of having three goalies here for last week’s mini-camp and the first two games of the season. Because Anderson had not played during the lockout, there was consideration given to starting either Lehner or Bishop, who had played well in the AHL.

As it turned out, Anderson showed up in mid-season form, based on the club’s 4-1 win in Winnipeg Saturday and Monday’s 4-0 shutout of the Florida Panthers. Heading into games in Sunrise, Fla. and Tampa Bay Thursday and Friday, Anderson lugs such gaudy numbers as a 0.50 goals-against and .983 save percentage.

Anderson said on Tuesday that he is not surprised at his strong play.

“Everybody expects you to come out and do your job,” Anderson said. “I expect nothing less from myself, and I made sure I did what I needed to do to be ready to go.”

The back-to-back games in Florida, with the Pittsburgh Penguins here on Sunday, opens a door for Bishop to play, although Anderson is ready for a heavy workload.

“I would say I’m well rested,” Anderson said, smiling. “I had four, five extra months off.”
Interviewed prior to the news that Lehner was going down to Binghamton, Bishop said he and Lehner are both fired up to see some game action after two weeks of facing NHL shooters in practice and scrimmage only.

“Everybody wants to play, so when you’re practising so long you start getting real antsy,” Bishop said. “I think we’re both ready to play. We played a lot at the start of the year, so, the sooner the better.”

Bishop’s return to an NHL crease should come soon. Head coach Paul MacLean said that with three games in four nights from Thursday to Sunday, including the incoming Penguins, Anderson will probably get a night off.

“I would think at some point in time we’re going to have play another goalie,” MacLean said during a briefing session that preceded the Lehner move.

For now, “another goalie” means Bishop.

Down the road – stay tuned.

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Tags: Anderson, Bishop, goalies, Lehner, Senators