VANCOUVER — Senators general manager Pierre Dorion wore a smile Wednesday morning as he met with the media at the club’s downtown hotel.

With two points under his belt after the Senators’ 3-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night at the Rogers Arena, Dorion is buoyed by the fact the players are getting the message from new coach Guy Boucher and his staff to try to take the proper steps to have consistent success.

“It’s definitely our most complete game of the season,” Dorion said. “The way we came out, I really feel the guys are really getting the system now.

“The way we come out in the first, we were a bit flat in the second, but how we played in the third we gave up five shots and less scoring chances. This process, we weren’t going to go 82-0 and we weren’t going to give up 10 shots every game. It’s a process. It’s a more difficult process.

“You always want to get to the finish line as quickly as possible but through the first six games we’ve seen, at times, where we’ve been really good and, at times, where we’ve been overthinking. That’s going to happen when you implement a new system. I feel even though we haven’t been perfect, I feel we’re headed in the right direction. That’s very encouraging for our team.”

Dorion noted he just wants the fans to be “patient” because he believes this is a work in progress and it’s going the right way.

That doesn’t mean Dorion isn’t sniffing around and speaking to other GMs to see what’s out there. He just isn’t in a hurry to make any moves because he wants to see the kind of progress this group can make together.

“We want to see what the players can do under this coach and this system,” Dorion said. “We have a good idea where we are and where we’re headed. We’re going to face some adversity. Nobody liked the way we played against Tampa (Saturday) but I loved the way we bounced back in the second period.

“There’s going to be ups and downs. We’re going to run into injuries through the course of the year but I think it speaks to the resilience and our organization but we’re going to be fine. We’re always looking to improve. Over the past week, it’s been one of my busiest weeks just talking to various GMs about what’s out there and what’s going on. It doesn’t mean we have to make a deal. As long as we feel we’re headed in the right direction, we’re going to keep on going.”

One area where the Senators will likely make a move down the road is with blueliner Thomas Chabot. The 19-year-old has only suited up for one of the club’s first six games because the staff has been pleased with the way the six defencemen dressing every night have performed.

The Senators won’t let Chabot sit forever but they don’t feel it’s the worst situation to have him on this road trip. He’ll get to know his teammates and the Senators will give him the opportunity if there are injuries. Chabot earned the right to be here based on his performance in camp.

“He was within our seven best defencemen in camp,” Dorion said. “At this time of the year, when juniors are settling in, it’s not the worst time in the year of the year for him to be here and practising and going on his first real road trip and seeing how the pros do it.

“It can only help him down the road in seeing how things are done and putting the extra effort in but at a certain point in time he’s 19 years old and he needs to play. We could hit injury tomorrow and he’s here with us until the end of the year. Maybe a guy’s level of play drops off and he gets in the lineup but that’s up to the coaches. At some point in time, we’re going to make a decision.”

If Chabot goes back to the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs that’s not the worst decision either. He will get a chance to play for Team Canada at the world junior championship at Christmas and Saint John is a strong team.

“There are great possibilities (for Chabot),” said Dorion, who noted the coaching staff in Saint John has worked hard to help develop Chabot. “If he goes, he’s not going back to bad circumstances. It could be positive but I think we should focus on the present and go about it that way.”

And, it’s easy to smile when you’re successful.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter: @sungarrioch