Cheechoo in nation's Capital.

Jonathan Cheechoo is hoping a change of scenery will help him become a feared National Hockey League sniper once again.

The 29-year-old, from Ontario's Moose Factory Cree Nation, had spent his entire NHL career with the San Jose Sharks. For the first time in a decade, however, Cheechoo will be playing his home games in Canada. That's because he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in early September in the deal that saw Dany Heatley join the Sharks.

Cheechoo was once considered among the NHL's best players. He scored 56 goals during the 2005-06 season and captured the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy, annually presented to the NHL's top goal scorer. Cheechoo, however, has since seen his offensive production decline every year since then and he has come nowhere close to hitting the 50-goal plateau. He dropped down to 37 goals during the '06-07 season and then had 23 goals the following year.

As for last season, Cheechoo had just 12 goals in 66 regular season games with San Jose. And he scored just once in six post-season matches as the Sharks were upset in the opening-round of the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks.

Cheechoo last played for a Canadian team during his junior days. He spent three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Belleville Bulls. During his final season with the Bulls, during the 1999-2000 season, he proved why he was a solid pro prospect as he collected 91 points, including 45 goals, in 66 games. The Sharks had selected Cheechoo in the second round, 29th over-all, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.