Ottawa Senators GM John Muckler spent his money on Wade Redden, pictured, and let stalwart Zdeno Chara walk. (Phllip MacCallum/Getty Images)
Backgrounder | 2006-07 NHL season
Ottawa Senators
Last Updated Fri., Sept. 29, 2006
Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports
2005-06 Result: 52-21-9, 1st in Eastern Conference (lost to Buffalo in second round).
Arrivals: G Martin Gerber, D Joe Corvo, D Tom Preissing, LW Dean McAmmond, C Alexei Kaigorodov.
Departures: G Dominik Hasek, D Zdeno Chara, RW Martin Havlat, D Brian Pothier, C Bryan Smolinski.
Offence: Ottawa was an offensive juggernaut last season, leading the NHL with an average of 3.8 goals per game. The Senators should be able to approach that level of production in 2006-07. True, Bryan Smolinski's 17 goals and Martin Havlat's nine tallies are gone to Chicago, and Zdeno Chara took his 10 power-play goals to Boston. But Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza are still around and should again form the NHL's most potent scoring line. If 20-goal scorers Peter Schaeffer, Antoine Vermette and Patrick Eaves can build on their strong 2005-06 campaigns, Ottawa should continue to light lamps at an alarming rate.
Defence: With his top two defencemen up for rich free-agent contracts over the summer, Senators general manager John Muckler chose to sign team plus-minus leader Wade Redden to a two-year, $13-million contract and let Chara walk to Boston for five years and $37.5 million. The loss of the six-foot-nine Chara left a large hole, but Muckler acted shrewdly in replacing him with fellow 29-year-old Joe Corvo, who inked a four-year, $10 million deal after piling up 40 points last season for the Kings. Muckler also bolstered his blue-line by acquiring 27-year-old Tom Preissing, coming off a career-best 43 points with the Sharks.
Goaltending: Dominik Hasek played brilliantly last season, finishing second in the league in both goals-against average and save percentage. Problem was, he didn't play enough. An abductor injury suffered at the Olympics felled the Dominator for the season, forcing Ottawa to marry its playoff fortunes to unproven backup Ray Emery, who allowed several soft goals in the Sens' second-round defeat to the Sabres. Loathe to again roll the dice with the 41-year-old Hasek, Muckler signed erstwhile Hurricanes starter Martin Gerber to a three-year deal. Though he lacks Hasek's brilliance – and six Vezina trophies – Gerber, 32, is a solid veteran who should at least give Ottawa a better chance of getting a full season from its No. 1 goalie.
Coaching: Following nine stifling seasons under ultra-conservative Jacques Martin, the Senators offence enjoyed a coming-out party last year as new coach Bryan Murray encouraged his team to capitalize on the NHL's new scoring-friendly rules. Murray – who has advanced past the second round once in 11 playoff appearances as an NHL bench boss – didn't do much last spring to shake his tag as a playoff lightweight as the Senators again fizzled in the post-season. Realizing no amount of X's and O's could have healed Hasek, Muckler elected to give his coach another shot. But if Ottawa again underachieves in the post-season, it could be Murray's last.
Scott Morrison's take: There are some who have suggested that the Senators' best days are already behind them. It remains to be seen, of course, if that assessment is accurate, but this much is: the combination of the new economics in the NHL and the same-old results in the playoffs did lead to some major changes in the off-season.But not all the changes were welcomed.
Martin Gerber will fill the goaltending void left by the departure of Dominik Hasek. (Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
The biggest loss, in all senses of the phrase, is Chara, who departed because the Senators couldn't afford to sign both him and Redden. Also gone is star winger Martin Havlat and reliable Bryan Smolinski, because of salary cap issues; goaltender Dominik Hasek, who was effectively gone last February; and defenceman Brian Pothier.
While the Senators did add some nice replacements, starting with Gerber in goal and Preissing and Corvo (injured) on defence, they have major boots to fill.
Now, with the likes of Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson up front, the Senators will score aplenty, but the offence will be a little more centralized and Havlat's skills will be appreciated in absentia.
Defensively, they will still be solid, but Chara will be dearly missed. He consumed a ton of ice time, was rock solid and provided a meanness they sorely lack.
The combo of Gerber and Ray Emery in goal is better than most pairings they've had in years, but is it good enough?
Put it this way, the Senators will be a serious contender again, no question, but whether the best is yet to come or has already been is anyone's guess.
