The Ottawa Senators are looking to build upon a 94-point season last year that resulted in a first-round exit, and part of that is deciding who their top-six forwards will be. They have five. The last spot has been a tough battle between Nick Foligno and Peter Regin. They’re competing for the left-winger job beside Mike Fisher and Alex Kovalev. While Regin was the popular choice before the pre-season began, Foligno has made a strong case and may snipe the job away from Regin.

Foligno is a gritty player who isn’t afraid to give up his body. He proved it last January when he broke his leg while blocking a shot. He missed a month and a half of hockey. As a first-round pick by the Senators in 2006, a lot has been expected from Foligno that has yet to show itself, but the potential hasn’t faded. As the son of former Buffalo Sabre Mike Foligno, hockey is clearly in the family genes, and if Foligno doesn’t earn a spot on the second line, he’ll certainly be ready to take another guy’s spot at a moment’s notice.

Regin, on the other hand, is expected to be a big part of Ottawa’s upcoming season. The top-six forward position is his to lose, and he knows he has a fight on his hands for it. He was one of the better Senators during last year’s playoff loss to the Penguins. He scored three goals in six games. It’s now up to him to carry that momentum through to the upcoming season and prove that he can be a full-time second-liner.

With the Senators’ third line already established, whichever of Regin and Foligno that doesn’t get the second-line job will see a significant reduction in playing time, which could make it even harder for him to earn a promotion. But it’s still a good problem for the Senators to have; a guy waiting in the wings like that. The guy who claims that second-line position is going to have a lot of pressure to perform, because he; and everybody else will know that the other guy wants it just as much.