The Binghamton Senators are 9-8-2-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) and are eighth in the American Hockey League Eastern Conference, which is a great way to begin the season after last year. In the 2006-2007 season, Binghamton was the proud home of the worst team in the entire AHL, as the Sens finished the season with a 23-48-4-5 record and posted a mere 55 points. This year’s improvement is due to the return of Denis Hamel, who spent last season floating around the NHL from team to team. Hamel announced his return to the Senators organization on July 6, 2007.

In the 2005-2006 season, Hamel led the AHL in goals and set a Binghamton Senators record for goals in a season with 56. He currently holds the B-Sens franchise records with 124 goals and 236 points coming into this season. However, he has recorded only 31 points in 192 games in the NHL. His transition to the NHL’s game speed was hindered back in 2000 when he suffered a severe knee injury, which affected his ability to skate at the level that the NHL requires in today’s game.

This season Hamel has 18 points in just 20 games for the Sens and is tied for the league lead in goals with 12. He is playing like the leader he is and has gotten Binghamton up to the level it should be playing at. But he hasn’t done all of the work by himself: goalie Jeff Glass has stepped his game up to a different level from last season.

Last season Glass was dead last in the AHL with an abysmal 4.11 goals against average, and he was second to last with a .888 save percentage. Also, his 9-24-2 record was the worst in the AHL. However, this season is a completely different story. Glass leads the AHL in both goals against average and save percentage. He has almost surpassed his win total from last season already with a 7-4-1 record.

Hamel and Glass have the Sens playing at a different level, and the pair will likely appear in this year’s AHL All-Star Game, which is being hosted Broome County Arena in Downtown Binghamton on Jan. 27 to 28. The skills competition will take place the night of Jan. 27 and the game will be held on the following day. It will be a great opportunity for Binghamton University students to come down and show their support for hockey ‘ last season’s skills competition and All-Star game did not disappoint. The weekend of the game is the first weekend back from winter break, so come down to the arena, sit back and watch some great hockey.