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While he finished with eight goals and 29 points in 82 games with Toronto last season, Brown is only two years removed from a 20-goal campaign with the Leafs in 2016-17. He has been on the top line with Colin White and Brady Tkachuk during camp and there’s belief this is a group that’s going to be given every opportunity to find chemistry.

Brown feels he can play a big role in helping the Senators get where they want to be.

“Anywhere you play you want to cement yourself as a core guy,” Brown said in an interview during camp. “That’s what I’m going to try to do here and I’m going to do my best to fit in.”

Brown’s role had changed under Toronto coach Mike Babcock and it was a big reason why he was part of the deal to the Senators. Smith, who spent the last four years in the Leafs’ organization, feels if Brown is given the right role then he can be an offensive player for this team and also be responsible at both ends of the ice.

He could read the situation and felt his days with the Leafs may be numbered because he’s making $2.1 million this season with Toronto trying to make room to sign restricted free agent Mitch Marner.

“I was at a wedding so it was a bit of a shock but I did think that something might be coming and I didn’t think my future in Toronto was cemented or certain,” he said. “I knew with the salary cap going on there, and just with the kind of role I was being used in, I knew that I was the kind of guy that would have been easier to move.

“I was honest with myself and honest about the situation so I wasn’t too shocked.”