Over the weekend, former-Ottawa Senator and fan favourite Ray Emery passed away at the age of 35.
Today, the hockey world continues to mourn the loss of a great goalie, a Stanley Cup champion and one of the game’s most interesting personalities.
Emery spent the first five seasons of his pro career in the Senators organization, appearing in 134 regular season games and another 30 in the post-season. Fans in Ottawa will forever remember Emery as the goalie who backstopped the team to their only appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals.
While Emery’s time in Ottawa maybe didn’t last as long as some expected, it’s clear that he had an impact on the fan base.
Looking back to those years, it’s amazing how many of the team’s most memorable moments had Ray Emery at the centre of them. The brawl in Buffalo stands out above them all.
Hearing yesterday’s tragic news sent a lot of us on a trip down memory lane.
Those teams that Emery played on were some of the most entertaining in the history of the franchise. In many ways, Emery’s personality and confidence defined the Ottawa team that went to the finals in 2007. It reminded me of a time, pre-social media and pre-SensChirp even, when I just watched hockey and watched the Ottawa Senators because I loved it. Ray Emery was a huge part of that.
Eugene Melnyk released a statement following yesterday’s news. And this article from Ian Mendes on Emery’s time in Ottawa is a must-read.
Thoughts and prayers are with Ray’s friends and family during this difficult time.
