- Pageau Leads Senators Over Sabres, Anderson Notches 200th Win

-If that was Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s last game as an Ottawa Senator, and it wasn’t, then he is certainly going out with a bang. But he isn’t. This was a night where we saw the best of Pageau. A career-high four points, effective at both ends of the rink, tenacious on the forecheck and the first one back in the defensive zone. And a smiling face to help raise the banner of a former teammate. Sounds like the type of guy the Senators should want to hang onto. And they do.

-On February 18, 2011, the Ottawa Senators made a trade and it was a deal that caught most of us off-guard. Not only was it surprising that the Senators found a way to move Brian Elliott but it was strange that they would acquire a pending UFA goalie in return. Craig Anderson rolled into town, and with his Avalanche mask still in tow, he shutout the Toronto Maple Leafs in his Sens debut. The rest, as they say, is history. Last night, Craig Anderson notched his 200th win in a Sens uniform and further solidified his standing as the best goalie in franchise history. It’s most likely that Craig Anderson is playing his final games as a Senator. Then the organization will begun the difficult process of finding the same stability that he has provided in goal for the last 10 years.

-He was a competent defenceman during a period where such a thing clearly stood out on the Ottawa blueline. If you sit there and reminisce about all of Dylan DeMelo’s best moments as a Senator, there is a damn good chance every single one of them will be social media related. And that’s why yesterday’s reaction is a first-ballot hall of fame worthy meltdown for the ages by Sens fans. We’ll look back on it a year from now and laugh, at ourselves. This is not another high-priced free agent walking out the door, this is not a star player that got away and this is not an indication of a team that refuses to spend to keep its top players. This is a depth defenceman, with zero goals and no contract, being flipped at the deadline. This is standard operating procedure. Govern yourselves accordingly, Sens fans. Think it’s safe to assume that most of us were thinking a 2nd round pick might be possible in a DeMelo trade but I think it’s also safe to assume that most us overrated DeMelo’s value around the league. All the best to Dylan in Winnipeg though. May they miss the playoffs and tumble in the standings at an alarming rate.

-There was something almost surreal about last night’s ceremony that I can’t quite put my finger on. Our past, our present and our future all under one roof. All the good, bad and hopeful parts of this franchise gathered together. Brady Tkachuk sitting on the bench with Daniel Alfredsson standing behind him. Thomas Chabot looking on while Chris Phillips had his number raised to the rafters. Eugene Melnyk in the rink only a camera pan away from thousands of empty seats on a night that should have been a guaranteed sell out. It was like every moment, every high and every low, was jammed into a single space. It was a reminder of the way we all used to feel about this hockey team and glimpse of what might be possible in the future. And Mel Gibson was there too.

-On the ceremony itself, it was so perfectly Chris Phillips. Simple and straightforward. No flash, no flare. Just a well-deserving player surrounded by the people that helped him get to this moment. To be honest, I’m a little bit surprised how this whole jersey retirement has made me feel. I knew it was coming and really wasn’t thinking much about it. A fitting tribute to a loyal Senator and a high point in an otherwise dreary season is all I was really expecting. But as the tribute video rolled and Phillips walked down that tunnel of former-teammates, it was just an overwhelming rush of memories that came flooding back. Another one of those moments that reminds me how much I have invested in this team over the years and how no matter what happens, that emotional attachment will always be there. Kudos to the Ottawa Senators for a first-class night and once more, congratulations to Chris Phillips on an incredible and well-deserved achievement. The number four is where it belongs.