WRAPPING IT UP
Andrew ‘Hamburglar’ Hammond packs his bag as the Senators cleaned out their lockers on Tuesday. Hammond, one of the NHL’s feel-good stories of the year, becomes a free agent along with some teammates, some who will return next year and some who won’t.
Understandably, the Senators “kids” got all the glory.
In the historic stretch drive to qualify for the post-season on the final day of the regular, season, the 20-somethings got it done for the Senators, led by their Norris Trophy candidate Erik Karlsson, 24, in his first year as team captain. Karlsson will join rookie teammate Mark Stone, a Calder Trophy finalist, at the NHL Awards show in Las Vegas.
General manager Bryan Murray often remarks that the NHL is becoming more and more “a young man’s game.” It is practically a franchise slogan — the future is bright, because the team is young.
So, what now for some of the Senators veterans, several of whom played bit parts or no part in the stretch run? Veterans like Chris Phillips, Chris Neil and Colin Greening. Forward David Legwand played most of the games, but became a healthy scratch for half of Ottawa’s playoff games. Erik Condra, a subject of trade rumours at the deadline, played brilliantly in a mentor role for young linemates Curtis Lazar and J.G. Pageau, but is an unrestricted free agent on a team with a lot of younger players to re-sign.
Goaltender Craig Anderson saved his best hockey for the end — his four playoff starts, one of which was a 1-0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens, but depending on what the club is able and willing to do about pending UFA Andrew Hammond and injured Robin Lehner (still feeling concussion effects), the club could have a logjam in goal. The Senators are also pursuing college free agent goalie Matt O’Connor.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Hammond says, of his situation.
Just to make things more interesting, Anderson, 33, does not have a no-trade clause in his contract.
“I think I will let fate handle it,” Anderson said Tuesday, as players cleaned out lockers and held exit meetings with management. “I’m very comfortable with my abilities and the way I’ve played. I love it here in Ottawa. It’s been home. This is where I really found myself (as a player).”
Anderson says his only consideration is to “come here ready to go in training camp, be in the best shape I possibly can and earn my ice time.”
He’s not the only veteran under contract anticipating next fall.
Phillips, 37, a Senators alternate captain, didn’t play a game past the Feb. 5 night when he broke Daniel Alfredsson’s record for games played as a Senator. Game No. 1,179 had people wondering it if would be his last.
Last week Phillips underwent back surgery, very similar to the operation Alfredsson experienced toward the end of his career.
The procedure helped free up nerves that were sending sensations down his leg and weakening the leg muscles.
Phillips said he is expecting four-to-six weeks to recover but plans to start training before that.
“According to doctors, they’ve fixed the problems and I’ll be able to have myself ready to go,” Phillips said.
Phillips played through the pain leading up to the recordbreaking night. When he rested afterward, and the pain got worse, not better, “that’s when I figured out we have to do something here.”
As much as Phillips turned into a fan, he says it’s a lot easier to be part of it.
“It’s definitely more comfortable being out on the ice. And I plan on getting back there next year,” Phillips said.
Phillips, Neil, Legwand and Greening (a healthy scratch for most of the season) all have contracts for next season. Neil missed about half the season with injury. Defenceman Jared Cowen, just 24, was a healthy scratch down the stretch and in the playoffs. Few imagine that all of the above will be part of the picture in September.
It will be interesting to see what Murray has to say about his roster when he meets the media Wednesday, but it’s likely he will try to make some moves at the NHL entry draft in June and into the summer.
As a budget team, the Senators face the dilemma of trying to be respectful to veterans, but also clear room for younger players, several of whom require contracts.
INJURY TOLL
Among the injuries cited on cleanout day:
Marc Methot has a hip flexor and will probably need surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow.
Clarke MacArthur also has a hip flexor.
Mika Zibanejad suffered a bruised kneecap in Game 1 of the playoffs, an injury that kept him from accepting Sweden’s offer to play in the world championships.
Erik Karlsson has an undisclosed injury that he says limited his play but does not require surgery. “It happened later in the season and I didn’t really have time to rest,” Karlsson said. The Swedish Olympian will also skip the worlds. “It’s just been getting worse and worse. As of right now I just need some time off to let it calm down and go from there.”
Defenceman Mark Borowiecki has a sports hernia that may require surgery.