FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-When you make a list of ways your season can end, a result like last night’s has to be pretty high on the list. Actually, next to winning the Stanley Cup, an overtime win over a rival might be the second best way to end a season because most of the other options involve your season ending in a loss. Despite the desperate attempts by the Sportsnet crew to downplay Ottawa’s performance, this was more of the same from the Senators. Puck dropped. Then they worked harder. Plain and simple. Hard work has been a hallmark of this team under DJ Smith only now they have a ton of talent to go along with it. It’s a damn shame this is only a 56-game season because this Senators team might actually be the best team in the Division. This team is going to be a serious problem for the rest of the league next year.
-How can you not root for a guy like Parker Kelly? The undrafted 21-year old took a less than conventional path to the National Hockey League but it was one defined by hard work and determination at every turn. And while his name doesn’t always come up on the list of young players pushing for a spot with the NHL team, it’s worth noting that Sens Management (and Dorion especially) never misses an opportunity to sing his praises. And that’s because he’s one of those players that just never takes a shift off. Aggressive on the forecheck, a pain in the ass to play against and now, humming along at a goal a game pace at the NHL level. He only played 7:32 last night but he certainly made the most of the opportunity. He’s going to push for a spot with this team next year.
-Elliotte Friedman dropped an interesting note during the second intermission of last night’s game suggesting that the Ottawa Senators have already made some progress on new contracts for two of their RFA defenceman. According to Friedman, Pierre Dorion has laid the ground work for extensions with both Artem Zub and Victor Mete. With a busy off-season coming up, it would be great to see the Sens cross a couple items off their list right off the bat. Victor Mete has been a great find for the Senators and certainly looks like a guy you can pencil into next year’s lineup. Meanwhile Artem Zub has been one of the best stories of the year. A complete unknown out of the KHL, Zub has seamlessly transitioned to the NHL game and quickly become one of Ottawa’s most reliable defenceman. Getting him locked up to a reasonable deal would be a huge for the Senators.
-As the final horn sounded on the season finale, it was impossible not to have the mind drift ahead to next year though. Everything beyond the first month of the season suggests this team has turned the corner and the last month or so leaves the impression that they’re ready to push for a playoff spot as early as next season. And then for many years after that. Young, impact players throughout the lineup. More exciting prospects on the way. And another high pick coming later this summer. After three ugly seasons, the Ottawa Senators are back. And it extends beyond the on-ice product. Reading the comment section and scrolling through Sens Twitter- it’s clear that fans are ready to turn the page. After a seemingly endless period where everything skewed towards the negative, you get the sense that the market is ready to embrace this team. And when the CTC opens up again in October, it’s time to pack that rink again. Like the good ol’ days.
-In a year where nothing else made sense, it was the Ottawa Senators that were a constant of sorts. A reminder of what normal used to look like and a distraction from what normal means these days. And that’s why this year, more than any other in recent memory, there is this strange sense of sadness as the season comes to an end. Not the heartbreak of a playoff loss obviously but just the feeling that, man…I’m gonna miss watching this hockey team. The good news is unlike the last few years, the Senators kept it exciting right until the bitter end. If you’re the type of person that still uses a calendar, you’ll be happy to know we’re already half way through the month of May. Draft lottery next month. Expansion/Entry Drafts and free agency in July. Training Camp a couple months after that. They’ll be back before we know it!
Smith’s Post-Game Comments
Player Interviews
Advanced Stats
Boxscore
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