Let's tackle these one at a time.

"Last year, New Jersey's defense stayed healthy for two months," coach Jacques Martin told ESPN.com. "The only guy missing a playoff game was (Scott) Niedermayer, who was suspended. We lost (Wade) Redden before the playoffs. You don't control those factors. Teams will tell you you need a lot of depth.

"If they lose Stevens, I'm not sure they win the Stanley Cup."

The injury bug hasn't been kind to Ottawa on the blue line thus far. Currently Ricard Persson (ankle) and Sami Salo (shoulder) remain out – Jason York is due to return from the flu – and when considering that teams play six defensemen most of the time, one-third of the corps is a big hit.

Martin's coaching history provides him with some interesting perspective on the term and concept of "experience" when it comes to NHL success. He spent more than five years in the Quebec-Colorado organization and watched that team transform itself into a champion.

A major lesson learned? If you can't develop experience in-house, trade for it.

"Probably, my most important experience were my years in Quebec," said Martin of his time as an assistant with the big club and head coach of the then Cornwall Aces of the AHL. "We have some assets, but we're very young. The reason they (Avs) won the Cup was because they converted some of their assets into some great experience. Getting Patrick Roy and Mike Keane from Montreal -- for Martin Rucinsky, Andrei Kovalenko and Jocelyn Thibault – meant solid goaltending and solid leadership. We're working on that."

	Lalime is already one win shy of his career high of 19 he set last season.

That's a good segue into goaltending. No one confuses Patrick Lalime with Roy – although Lalime's a big goalie from Quebec who grew up idolizing the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. But Lalime (18-10-2, 2.15 GAA) has been solid all season, fueling the sentiment that the Senators might hang their proverbial playoff hat on Lalime instead of making a risky acquisition like they did with Tom Barrasso last season.

"I think we have a chance (at the Cup). And that's all you want," said York. "You have to have a lot of things going for you. From watching other teams – I've never won one – you have to avoid major injuries and have to have fantastic goaltending. Usually the best player is their goalie. He's (Lalime) had a great first half. ... I was always confident with him back there, even last year when he didn't play as much."

Lalime has never started a postseason NHL game. But even Roy, Ed Belfour and Martin Brodeur had to start somewhere – they weren't born with playoff experience.

As much as the goaltending, however, critics of the Senators point to a lack of toughness when handicapping Ottawa. York said Andre Roy plays his role just fine, and that the Senators' toughness shouldn't be measured by whether they go toe-to-toe with all of the NHL tough guys.

"Coach preaches toughness as when you go into the corner, make sure you come out with the puck," York said. "A lot of defenseman have trouble with them (Radek Bonk, Marian Hossa et al), and I'd rather have them."

The financial component is the one question without an easy answer. And it affects everything else.

The Senators play in a relatively small market, and the front-office must deal with the Canadian dollar. That affects how active Ottawa can be in the trade market.

"We (GM Marshall Johnston and Martin) have a lot of discussions, but we have to operate within a budget," Martin said. "That is sometimes a restraint. Marshall has made some moves for economics."

In the end, Martin's dream must be this: he wakes up in March and Johnston has traded for a Roy-type stopper (goalie), a Keane-like forward (experience, toughness) ... all without increasing the team's payroll.

Or, the Senators can just see how good they can be as is – which isn't half bad if you look in the standings.

Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com. He can be reached at brian.shactman@espn.com.