Extension of CBA may help Anderson lengthen his career
That loud sigh of relief you heard Monday when the announcement of the extension of the collective bargaining agreement through the end of 2021-22 campaign came from Craig Anderson.
While the 38-year-old Anderson may be heading into the final year of his contract with the Ottawa Senators, he’s hopeful if he can prove he can still play and contribute this season then he’ll be back in the league next year.
He doesn’t believe that would have even been a remote possibility if the players had elected not to vote to extend the CBA and a lockout possibility loomed next September.
“I don’t see why not,” said Anderson, when asked if he could see himself in the league beyond this season. “It’s early to speculate because my focus has to be in the now and in the present, but right now it’s good news the NHLPA have agreed to continue to play.
“That helps my status obviously. There’s no way at 39 years old I could endure a lockout period but knowing the league is going to continue next season, that’s motivation for myself to go out there and at least give myself the opportunity. By playing well now, I can give myself that confidence towards the end of the year that, ‘Hey I had a great year, I can still do this and I want to do this’ then we can approach that bridge.”
Anderson will make the start against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre and is expected to play two periods before prospect Joey Daccord takes over. The belief is Anderson will get less playing time this year, but he’s not ready to hand over the net to Anders Nilsson just yet.
“You earn your ice time,” he said. “You come in, you put in the work, you play hard for your team and if you give them a chance to win every night, you’re going to play more. As far as putting a number on it, it’s too early to tell and it’s too soon to even consider that. We just want to take it game by game.”
LIGHTENING THE LOAD
The Senators can’t take everybody when they head to Vancouver on Sunday morning, so 10 more players were sent packing Friday.
The Belleville Senators will open their training camp Sunday night, so the parent club sent forwards J.C. Beaudin, Michael Carcone, Mark Kastelic, Jack Rodewald and Andrew Sturtz along defencemen Jonathan Aspirot, Nick Ebert and Hubert Labrie to their AHL affiliate. Carcone and Ebert need to clear waivers before being assigned.
Defenceman Maxence Guenette was sent back to the Val d’Or in the QMJHL while Tristan Scherway, who was on a tryout from Bern in the Swiss league, was returned to his team.
Coach D.J. Smith told reporters Friday there will be more changes Saturday because ideally, the Senators would like to take 30 players to Vancouver. Right now, the Senators have 42 players (five goalies, 12 defencemen and 25 forwards) in camp.
“Ideally we’ll have three goalies and 27 players, it might be one more or one less, but that’s kind of where our head is with that,” Smith said.
The Senators would like to play something similar to the opening night roster next Saturday at the Bell Centre in the rematch against the Habs. bgarrioch@postmedia.com