Some random thoughts on the end of the Senators' season:
It was, all and all, a pretty good year for the Senators. They missed the playoffs a year ago. Their highest-paid player hijacked last summer with a silly trade demand.
It was a distraction for everyone on the team, and it cast a lot of doubt about the stability of the team. Was this a star jumping off a sinking ship? The answer, obviously, no. The ship was fine.
Milan Michalek was a good addition to Ottawa. A good honest player with good skills. It's unfortunate for Ottawa that injuries sunk his season. Healthy, he would have helped against Pittsburgh.
The Leclaire for Vermette trade? Leclaire had a tough year. He showed great strength of caracter in the playoffs. He never complained about being relegated to backup. And given a chance to play in the playoffs, he was fine. I liked the trade when it was made. I still like it.
I listened to much of the post-game show on Team 1200. The anger of past playoff failures wasn't there. That's good. Senators fans should feel good about this team. They were beaten by a solid team featuring the best player in hockey.
The effort was solid. The foundation on this team is good. Leclaire should be fine in nets. Karlsson will be a stud on defence. They'll need to find some skill upfront. The coach is strong. There are few who know more about hockey than Bryan Murray. The team is in good hands.
Finally, Daniel Alfredsson - he played hurt with a muscle pull in his stomach. The man has incredible character. You watch him play, how much fun he has on the ice. You wish he could keep doing it forever.
