It was one of the most tumultuous days in Ottawa Senators history. After 17 years with the Ottawa Senators, captain and face of the franchise Daniel Alfredsson decided to leave the team.
The 40 year old Swede cited his desire to win a championship before he retired as his main reason for leaving the only team he's ever played for. Almost as fast as free agency opened, Alfredsson inked his first contract with a team other than Ottawa, signing a one-year, $5.5 million dollar contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
With a big hole in their lineup, and an even bigger hole in the locker room, Senators General Manager Bryan Murray signed free agent LW Clarke MacArthur and executed a trade for Anaheim Ducks RW Bobby Ryan to help replace Alfredsson.
Losing the heart and soul of your team in the morning, and adding a top line winger by the afternoon?
Talk about an emotional roller coaster of a day.
Now that the dust has settled, my tears have dried, and I can write about this topic without sobbing uncontrollably, we take a look at how Alfredsson's departure marks the end of one era, and the beginning of another.
Daniel Alfredsson can not be replaced. The man has been an icon in Ottawa for years and his impact in the community is second to none. He stuck with the team through awful seasons, endured trade rumors, and was a lightning rod for criticism early on in his career.
"Alfie" as he is known among Senators faithful, has been the embodiment of the Ottawa Senators since he put on their jersey. For almost as long as the team as been around, Alfie has been there almost every step of the way.
Not anymore.
Tempted by his fellow countrymen (Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Niklas Lidstrom, Jonathan Ericsson) and the suave skills of Red Wings General Manager, Ken Holland, Alfie saw an opportunity he could not pass up.
Just like that, Alfredsson is gone. It wasn't the departure the fans wanted or management wanted, but it still happened. There have been many rumors and speculation as to why Alfredsson chose not to resign with Ottawa that range from money, pride, a chance to win, problems in the negotiating process, etc. One day, maybe we will find out the truth as to why he left, but until then, the only thing you can do is move on.
Now, the team looks to life A.A (After Alfie) and it begins with year one.
The arrival of Bobby Ryan gives Ottawa their first legitimate scoring winger since the days of Dany Heatley. At 26 years of age Ryan hasn't hit his peak yet and will look to do so along side Ottawa's top center, Jason Spezza. A top line of Michalek-Spezza-Ryan gives the Senators their first legitimate top line since...dare I say it again...Dany Heatley's time in Ottawa.
Ryan may not be a 50 goal scorer but he has put up four consecutive seasons of 30 goals (last season being an exception due to the lockout) and will line up nicely with Spezza who is one of the best playmakers in the game today.
His addition not only makes Ottawa younger, but deeper and more skilled. As much as Alfredsson is/was loved by those in Ottawa, anyone who would take a 40 year old Alfredsson over a 26 year old Ryan is out of their mind.
Adding to the depth of the team is the addition of LW Clarke MacArthur who will likely join C Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad on the second line. MacArthur is a former Toronto Maple Leaf who is switching sides in the Battle of Ontario. Known for being one of Toronto's better puck possession forwards, his game should fit well with that of head coach Paul MacLean who preaches that very puck possession game.
The two additions in the top six allows second year player, Cory Conacher to play on the third line where he can use his speed and grit to his advantage against lesser competition. Conacher had a strong start to the 2012-2013 season playing along side Steven Stamkos in Tampa Bay, but his offensive production slowed down by the end of the year. Experiencing a full training camp with the Senators will help the small forward. Conacher is known for his speed, tenacity and strong work ethic that can lead to an improved campaign under a full year of MacLean.
Perhaps as important as the addition of Ryan, having a healthy Erik Karlsson could be the difference for the Senators. Last season there was debate around the league as to whether or not Karlsson was the best player in the league. Not on Ottawa, not the best defenseman, but if he better than Sydney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. That is the kind of year the 23 year old Swedish defenseman was having before his achilles was torn due to an *ahem* incident....with former Pittsburgh Penguins
When Karlsson returned sooner than expected from injury, it was clear that he was not playing at 100% of his abilities. Having Karlsson completely healed and rested will be imperative if Ottawa is to have success without Alfredsson.
On July 5th, the Senators became a different hockey team. Whether the difference is good or bad will be determined during the season, but I believe that this young and skilled team is a better team than the one that went to the semi-finals last year. Losing Alfredsson hurts the Senators, but the changes made to the club after they lost him looks like they could make a better team than when Alfie was there.
One of the most interesting stories of the upcoming season will be how the Ottawa Senators respond to the loss of their former captain. If I had to bet on it, I would say the Senators use Alfredsson's departure as a rallying point to prove their former captain wrong. Alfredsson said this team wasn't ready to win a championship and that it would take years before they could. Ottawa has taken some good strides in the last two seasons and I fully expect them to prove Alfredsson wrong and show the hockey world how good this young team really is.
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