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Looking ahead to this up coming hockey season, one team fans will be keeping a close eye on are the underachieving Ottawa Senators.
After reaching the Stanley Cup finals two years ago, the Sens who were a lot of people’s favorites to win the cup this past season, got off to a phenomenal 15-2 start and had people believing in them until unexpectedly the roof caved in.
Ottawa, who in April barely scraped into the playoffs before getting eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, have made quite a few changes this summer. “I’ve lost some good friends in the last couple of months,” Sens forward Jason Spezza said last week. “I think we expected it.” “Anytime you lose out early you expect it.”
Veteran Ottawa defenceman Wade Redden who has been in the nations capital since coming over from the New York Islanders in 1996, and one of the more popular players, wasn’t resigned and as a result bolted to the New York Rangers.
Another face who won’t be back is their goalie Ray Emery who suffered through a below par injury riddled season. Once looked upon as a promising goalie of the future, Emery will be playing in Russia this coming season.
Other faces not returning include veteran second liner Cory Stillman who was traded to Ottawa at last February’s trading deadline and went on to produce some essential secondary scoring with 19 points in 24 games.
There were various rumors about a lack of chemistry in the Sens dressing room, so to help address the issue, GM Bryan Murray brought in some gritty veteran leadership in defenseman Jason Smith and forward Jarkko Ruutu.
“Jason is a good leader who plays hard,” said Spezza about the former Philadelphia Flyer captain. “Jarkko plays pretty hard and is pretty gritty.” “I think that’s what Bryan was kind of looking for our team to add and felt like we needed.”
Question marks still surround this team who as Murray pointed out at the conclusion of last season needs more scoring.
Strength of their goaltending will be a constant debate as Martin Gerber who won 30 games but was often inconsistent last year will be the number one netminder. Gerber, who won a Stanley Cup as a backup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005, was average at best in last springs playoff defeat.
With the alteration in team chemistry, Ottawa will be looking to prove that last year was just an abbreviation.
Coaching the team is another huge off- season acquisition in Craig Hartsburg. This former Minnesota North Stars All Star defenseman coached the Canadian World Junior in the last two years to back- to- back gold medals at the World Junior Championships.
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