Milan Michalek Hoping To Surge Back For Senators

By Catherine Silverman | Nov 27, 2014

Sep 24, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators forward Milan Michalek (9) skates by Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Christoppher Gibson (35) after scoring the winning goal in the shoot-out at the Air Canada Centre. Ottawa defeated Toronto 4-3 in an overtime shoot-out. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

The Ottawa Senators are hoping that Milan Michalek has spent his last game in the press box

After twenty games and only two goals, the Ottawa Senators decided that Milan Michalek needed to shake things up a bit.

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He got his first taste of what it’s like to underperform this season as a healthy scratch, watching his teammates win 3-2 in the overtime shootout over the St. Louis Blues from his perch in the press box. For a former sixth overall draft pick, that’s not a good thing.

Head coach Paul Maclean confirmed that Michalek will be back in the lineup on Friday — but has the 29-year-old Czech winger lost his touch?

Younger brother to Arizona Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek, Milan was presumed to be the star of the two siblings. While Zbynek went undrafted in the NHL, Milan was taken in the first round by the San Jose Sharks; fast forward to the 2011-2012 season, and he’s scoring 35 goals in a single season.

The 2013-2014 season only saw 17 goals in 82 games played, though, and the younger Michalek was a -25… so when the first quarter of the season saw him record only two goals and five assists, he was given a ‘wake-up call’.

"“After the first 10 games you sort out what your best team is,” MacLean told the Ottawa Sun. “The second 10 games you try to play your best team to see what happens and after the third 10 games you need results.”"

With all three years of a $12 million dollar limited trade contract still ahead of Michalek, it’s almost certain the team hopes he’s found his touch again. If not, though, the Senators are looking for a playoff appearance — and keeping around a player who’s underperforming that badly doesn’t seem like the way to do it.

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