Sens GM hoping to keep Lazar in the fold

Player subject of trade inquiries

Pierre Dorion praised Curtis Lazar’s performance against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

Now, some would suggest with a week remaining until the trade deadline, maybe the Ottawa Senators’ general manager was just trying to pump up the value of one of the assets the club could deal before next Wednesday at 3 p.m.

But Dorion said he met with Lazar’s agent, J.P. Barry, last Friday in Toronto and the top priority is to keep the club’s top pick in 2013.

“That meeting was more about his role,” Dorion said Wednesday. “I think both Randy (Lee, assistant GM) and myself have said that the coach is going to decide the minutes of the players. It’s up to the players to earn their minutes.

“Curtis having mono, going to (Binghamton) and being a bit behind the eight ball since the start of the year, he probably hasn’t found his niche with our team. Now he’s getting a really good opportunity and hopefully he can keep on improving his minutes, but it’s going to be up to him. Definitely last night was a sign in the right direction.”

Since that meeting, there have been a few trade calls about Lazar, but, let’s face it, he doesn’t have a whole lot of value.

“I’ve gotten calls,” Dorion said. “A lot of my counterparts are easy to deal with, (and) some have been harder. Some try to fleece you and some don’t want to offer much.

“Curtis is a good NHL player and will be a good NHL player, so we have to be careful if we ever go in that direction.

“Our first choice with Curtis is to keep him with this team, all the work we’ve done to develop him, and to be part of hopefully a playoff team and hopefully more in the upcoming years.”

The decision by the 22-year-old to have his agent meet with Dorion was gutsy. The belief is that Barry told Dorion Lazar’s first choice is to be in Ottawa, but, if he’s not going to get the chance to play a larger role, then it might be best if he was traded.

“When you’re a younger player … let’s face it, when Curtis was a junior player, he was one of the best players in the world,” Dorion said. “You’re not captain of a (Canadian junior) team that wins a gold medal if you’re not that good a player, and he’s a leader,” Dorion said.

“When you play with men it’s a totally different story. The NHL is the toughest league to play in and you have to prove yourself.”

Our first choice with Curtis is to keep him with this team, all the work we’ve done to develop him, and to be part of hopefully a playoff team.