It is a game that is more than 25 years in the making.
Tonight, set against the beautiful back drop on Parliament Hill, the Ottawa Senators will host their first real Alumni Game. Team Alfredsson, captained by the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, takes on Team Phillips, led by a player that has played more games in a Senators jersey than any other player.
If you’ve been a fan of this team for a long time, it really doesn’t get any better than this.
Okay, maybe the quality of hockey does. Considering that most of these guys haven’t really laced them up in years and that the temperature at puck drop is expected to feel like -18, the pace will likely be pretty subdued.
But the memories that will come rushing back as we watch so many familiar faces skate around with that old Sens crest on the front of their sweater will be something pretty special.
What a gang, #Ottawa Senators Alfie vs Philips pic.twitter.com/y8rpat6jwg
— Magnus Arvedson (@arved71) December 15, 2017
Picture Alexei Yashin, cutting to the middle of the ice with that turtleneck flapping in the wind, and unleashing a wicked wrist shot just over the goalie’s pad.
Imagine Mike Fisher hustling into the offensive zone, shorthanded, and ripping a quick snap-shot high glove (or three feet over the net).
Or Martin Havlat, using a burst of speed to split the D and then giving the goalie a quick little head fake and sliding it five hole. Or passing it off to Shaun Van Allen.
Chris Neil with a head of steam, catching a poor unsuspecting defenceman with his head down behind the net.
Alexandre Daigle with a completely unexpected spinorama.
A long stretch pass by Wade Redden. Magnus Arvedson grinding along the boards down low and finding Radek Bonk open out front. A glove save by Ron Tugnutt. A kick save by Patrick Lalime.
A one-timer from the half-wall from Daniel Alfredsson. Yea, this is gonna be fun.
Last night, I spent an embarrassing amount of time putting together some line combinations for tonight’s tilt. Here’s how I, and I assume Jacques Martin or Rick Bowness, would line them up.
TEAM PHILLIPS
Havlat-Van Allen-Neil
Murphy-White-Smolinski
Smyth-Cunneyworth-Lambert
Redden-York
Phillips-Laukannen
Vial-Pitlick
Kyte
Tugnutt
Leclaire
TEAM ALFREDSSON
Daigle-Yashin-Alfredsson
Arvedson-Bonk-Fisher
Zamuner-Robitaille-Donovan
Hamel-Boschman
Maciver-Kuba
Leschyshyn-Bell
Lalime
Rhodes
The game is available on Rogers 22 in Ottawa. Or you can head down there in person. Free admission but the place only holds 1,000 people.
Loading …
