Binghamton Senators to hold 2014-15 training camp in France

[WolfMan]

The Binghamton Senators are taking their training camp to France.

Along with the Syracuse Crunch, the B-Sens will spend eight days in Lyon, France’s third-most populated city located southeast of Paris, as guests of the Lyon Hockey Club Lions of the Magnus League, the top tier in France.

The Crunch recently announced a season-long partnership with the Lyon Hockey Club and invited the B-Sens given their strong working relationship in an effort to strengthen the teams’ and the American Hockey League’s brand in an international setting.

“The opportunity to hold our training camp in France is one that we’re looking forward to for a number of different reasons,” said B-Sens general manager Randy Lee. “With three games in just over a week, the schedule provides more than sufficient time for both competition and the chance to experience French culture, while also offering some unique team-building opportunities for the group.”

The B-Sens will arrive in France on Sept. 29, and will play three exhibition games, two against the Crunch and one against the Brûleurs de Loups (Grenoble) of the Magnus League, before returning home on Oct. 7.

The B-Sens full pre-season schedule is listed below with eastern times:

• Oct. 2: vs. Syracuse Crunch at Patinoire Charlemagne Arena, Lyon, 2 p.m.

• Oct. 3 or 4: vs. Brûleurs de Loups at Patinoire Pôle Sud Arena, Grenoble, 2 p.m.

• Oct. 5: vs. Syracuse Crunch at Patinoire Charlemagne Arena, Lyon, 2 p.m.

“We’re thrilled to add some international exposure to our brand, the American Hockey League and to our existing rivalry with the Crunch,” Lee said. “The inclusion of opposing a French club team in Grenoble not only demonstrates our desire to provide players with opportunities they may not receive elsewhere, but will also provide a good measuring stick for coaches and management ahead of regular season play.”

Stephane Da Costa, the Binghamton Senators’ Most Valuable Player this past season, is a Paris native but may not be with the team. He is a restricted free agent and is a candidate to make the Ottawa Senators roster out of training camp if he does re-sign.