On July 5th, the Ottawa Senators lost Daniel Alfredsson- a player labeled by many as the face of the franchise.
But on that same day, they acquired a player that has the potential to have just as big an impact on this team. Bobby Ryan was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in a deal that sent Jakob Silfverberg, Stefan Noesen and a 1st Round pick West and on Wednesday, the newest Senator made his first official visit to the Nation’s Capital.
In case you missed Ryan’s whirlwind of a day, you can catch up with his interviews here- He was on CTV Morning Live, the Team 1200 and spent the afternoon at the Bell Sensplex signing autographs and meeting with the local media.
Aside from being impressed with the patience Bobby Ryan showed on what seemed like an incredibly busy day, you had to like what Ryan had to say during his interviews. The 26 year old is clearly thrilled to be a part of this organization and much like when the Sens acquired Turris from Phoenix; Ryan seems like a player that will thrive on the change of scenery.
From the moment he was acquired, Sens fans had concerns about his contract. With just two years left on his deal, fans began to fret about the possibility of losing Ryan to free agency in a couple years. Obviously that’s a possibility but in his comments yesterday, Ryan definitely seemed open to the possibility of making Ottawa his home, long term.
There's no rush to get this done just yet but this will obviously be a priority for the team over the next season and a bit.
Ryan said he has already talked to Jason Spezza on a couple of occasions and the two plan to skate together during the off season to begin developing chemistry that will be so important early in the season. Ryan is likely going to start the season on the team’s top line with Spezza and Milan Michalek.
Losing Daniel Alfredsson hurts. He was a player that meant so much to this city and this team and he won’t be forgotten anytime soon. With that said, adding an elite winger like Bobby Ryan- a guy who wants to be an Ottawa Senator- certainly helps soften the blow.
Welcome to Ottawa, Mr. Ryan.
