It will be another difficult off-season for general manager Bryan Murray who has holes to fill in his lineup and not a lot of money to get it done.

We may have seen the last of Anton Volchenkov as an Ottawa Senator. He is one of the toughest players in the game. Volchenkov is an unrestricted free agent and could be in line for a multi-year deal worth $5 million a season. Any team would love to have him. At $5 million a year? Too much for a guy who's bound to break down early because of all the hard miles on his body.

He matched his career best this season…four goals. Murray understands the danger of over-paying for a player who offers little offense. If Volchenkov is prepared to leave money on the table, he will stay. From the tone of Murray on Monday, it sounds like Volchenkov's days in Ottawa are winding down.

Surprisingly, forward Matt Cullen may be a better bet to remain a Senator. He was a trade deadline pickup and a good one. Cullen is an American who has never played for a Canadian team until now. It is a different kind of pressure when hockey is number one. He loves it. And Murray loves what he brings to the team. Cullen is a character guy. He was among the team's best forwards in the playoffs. The fit seems perfect.

Daniel Alfredsson will undergo surgery soon to repair a sports hernia. I've had the injury and the surgery. It's amazing that he played through it and played so well even though it was clear that he was hurting. He will be good to go next season.

Finally some thoughts on Jason Spezza. The Senators have until July 1 to trade him. Don't look for him to be going anywhere. Spezza is an amazing talent. Unlike what many fans want to think, Spezza tries and he cares. The blind passes are a problem. They may always be part of what he does.

But to shop Spezza, you'll be in Dany Heatley territory…getting low return for a world class player. When Spezza is on the ice the Sens are dangerous. Without Spezza, the Senators become a very ordinary team. Like it or not, you need star players like Spezza to win.

- Terry