Before Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray decides to acquire another forward in the days leading up to the trade deadline, he's going to have to decide what he thinks of Jim O'Brien's audition.

If Murray thinks the 23-year-old O'Brien can permanently handle the job of being a third-or fourth line forward, the need to acquire another forward will be less pressing (not to mention cheaper, since O'Brien carries a salary-cap hit of just $816,667).

However, if Murray doesn't, then he'll likely have to make a move, for two reasons.

First, because it doesn't appear as if Jesse Winchester, who has now missed 28 games and two months with a concussion, will be back any time soon.

And second, because Zenon Konopka doesn't bring much more than the ability to get into staged fights and take penalties.

He was scratched for the sixth straight game against the Capitals. If history is any indication, players like Konopka rarely hit the ice during the playoffs.

So far, which is a good sign, coach Paul MacLean has no complaints about O'Brien.

"He's a right-handed faceoff guy who works real hard," he said.

"He knows how to get around the rink and he does what we ask him to do."

Asked whether this is O'Brien's chance to turn a part-time job into a full-time NHL gig, MacLean stickhandled a bit, though not without lauding O'Brien's work.

"Well, I think it's his chance to play," said MacLean.

"He's come up and, with the injury to Jesse Winchester, we felt there was the need for that person. He was the obvious choice and, to this point, he's done a good job.

"Now what that turns into we'll find out at the end of the year and into the future. But to this point in time, he's done a real good job for us."

O'Brien said it's a bit unsettling not knowing how long he's going to be here, and it brings added pressure, but he's trying not to think about it.

"I'm just going out there and treating every game as a tryout," he said Wednesday morning.

"For me it's just day-to-day, so I have to keep showing up, working hard, and playing good. Good things usually happen when you do that."

PHILLIPS READIES BREWPUB

Ottawa Senators defenceman Chris Phillips has at least another two years of hockey in him, which is how long his current contract lasts.

But under construction at the corner of Iris and Greenbank in Ottawa's west end is the project he hopes keeps him busy when life after hockey finally does arrive: a microbrewery that will bear his nickname, The Big Rig.

He and his partners expect to open the brew pub in May on the site that has housed various past venturese.

"No matter what happens hockey-wise, I'll be back here," said Phillips.

"It's basically home now - so this will be something to work with and have fun with when hockey's done.

"We've had a lot of talks, and a lot of ideas have been thrown around with the partners I'm involved with, and we're getting closer to that day now, so, yeah, it's going to be exciting."

NORRIS NOD FOR KARLSSON

No matter what you think about Erik Karlsson's defensive abilities (and he was plus-14 going into Wednesday's game against the Capitals), he's certain to get some votes for the Norris Trophy, simply because the leading scorer among defencemen doesn't get ignored.

For the 21-year-old Swede, who is only in his third year, getting nominated would be a considerable accomplishment. But he's mature enough to recognize that defenceman such as Nicklas Lidstrom and Zdeno Chara are in a different league.

"People talk about it, and by that I mean (the media)," he said on Wednesday morning.

"It's something that's very fun to hear, but it isn't even in my thoughts right now.

"Obviously you want to improve, and that's one of the main things I want to do and never be satisfied with what you've accomplished so far.

"I always want to play better and better and hopefully I can do that for the rest of my career."