To be the best, you have to beat the best. Ya know, Ric Flair may have been on to something.
The Carolina Hurricanes have hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup and in the process, served a reminder just how far the Ottawa Senators still have to go. And just how painful that journey might be. The Hurricanes went through years of embarrassing playoff failures, seven in total, before finally “learning what it takes to win”. It doesn’t mean the Sens need to copy that exact path but it’s a humbling indication of just how hard it is to win that damn trophy.
The good news is with that dramatically weird hugging of the Stanley Cup by Rod Brind’Amour, the NHL offseason is officially upon us. And our Dear Sens have wasted no time in taking big steps towards building a winner.
Or kind of easing into things.
Late yesterday afternoon the team announced that they have signed Norwegian forward Eskild Bakke Olsen to a one-year entry-level contract. EBO, for short.
The bronze-medal winner at the recently completed World Championships is 24 years old, is a right shot centre and has been playing in the Swedish Elite League, where he racked up an impressive 32 points in 51 games this past season. He also had five points in 10 games with Norway at the World Championships.
EBO had a couple years remaining on his existing SEL deal which means a buyout was required to make this happen.
Organizational depth is the name of the game here.
And so it begins. Nick Cousins wants to come back, Jordan Spence might be available for some reason. Claude Giroux has at least one more season left in him and Brady Tkachuk has a podcast.
Buyout window, NHL Draft, a Free Agent Frenzy and a couple winners in the FIRST Cup competition all on the horizon. One season is over but another is just beginning.
If the Eskild Bakke Olsen has taught us anything it’s to remain buckled at all times.