Sterling Predictions: Fredrik Claesson vs. Mark Borowiecki

Q: Which is more likely: Fredrik Claesson plays 20 or more games, or Mark Borowiecki is a healthy scratch for 20 or more games? Bonus: predict the number of games played for each.

Trevor: Even though Mark Borowiecki was the captain for the first game of the pre-season, I get the sense that he won't really fit in well to Boucher's system. I'll say it's more likely Borowiecki gets scratched for 20+ games. Claesson games: 15. Borowiecki scratches: 31.

Ary: Hard question! I think it’s more likely that Claesson plays 20 or more games, because Borowiecki seems bound to the 3rd pair unless he’s injured. Most NHL teams use around 9-10 D in a season and Freddie requires waivers. Thus, it seems likely that he’s the first fill-in option on D for the squad.

Callum: Not looking at the possibility of injury - although the style of play Mark Borowiecki puts forth is more susceptible to bruises and broken bones - I don't see how Borowiecki won't play 70-plus games this season. He's popular with management, the players and it seems like the coach, too. In my projection of the Senators' defense corps, I also don't have Claesson in the top seven. So this one is hard. I'll say that because of injuries around the defense, Claesson plays 20 or more games. And I'll add on the Borowiecki plays 79.

Peter: Given the inevitability of injuries and the apparent fact that--barring Thomas Chabot sticking around--Claesson is seventh on the depth chart, I'll say he's likely to play at least 20 games. But honestly, both of these options could easily happen.

NKB: I actually don't think it's a question of Claesson vs. Borowiecki -- the player who is a real threat to Boro's long term playing time is Thomas Chabot. Boucher hasn't fallen all over himself to praise Boro, unlike his predecessor, so I'll lean towards him seeing the healthy scratch list 20 times.

Ross: I don’t see Steady Freddie getting 20 games, because guys like Thomas Chabot and Patrick Sieloff Andreas Englund seem to be the team’s future and will likely get looks. I don’t see Borowiecki being a healthy scratch for 20 games, though with the style he plays, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him miss a few with injury. I’ll say Claesson gets 12, and Borowiecki is scratched for 5.

Ian: I don't think either will happen. With his hard-nosed style, I think that Boro might get banged up and keep him out of a couple games to give him a total of 73 games. Meanwhile Claesson will play 12 games.

Michaela: I don't think Claesson will be the most likely candidate to crack the line up on the blue line (Thomas Chabot has a better chance). From what we know about Boucher, Borowiecki won't fit with his system. It's more likely to see Borowiecki scratched more 20 games. Claesson plays 15 games, Borowiecki get scratched for 27.

Which is more likely?