Senators in limbo as free agency arrives
PHILADELPHIA — In National Hockey League circles, Canada Day effectively becomes New Year’s Day.
July 1 is the dividing line between last season and next season. It’s the time for NHL teams to commit to resolutions for big changes, bringing in new players in the hopes of a healthier future. It’s also the time to officially say goodbye to the players whose contracts expire and who choose to move on, aiming for a brighter financial picture or what they perceive as a better chance for success somewhere else.
At least that’s the way it’s supposed to work.
For the Ottawa Senators, the transition isn’t so smooth.
With no closure on where and when — dare we ask if ? — captain Jason Spezza is traded, it’s a cloudy picture for Senators general manager Bryan Murray as free agency arrives.
In the Senators perfect world, Spezza would have been dealt at the NHL draft for a package of players and prospects that the organization could sell as the next stage for the franchise. But when a possible deal with Nashville fell through because the Predators were on Spezza’s 10-team no-trade list, the Senators are in limbo.
As a result, there’s plenty of uncertainty about the nor- mal free agency decisions on what holes need to be filled, how wide owner Eugene Melnyk is willing to open his wallet and how to proceed with players who have one year remaining on their contracts.
That latter group includes Bobby Ryan, Clarke MacArthur, Marc Methot and Craig Anderson. After Spezza’s wish for a trade — the speculation is he made the request after failing to receive a commitment the team was willing to spend more freely in pursuit of the Stanley Cup — those four are watching closely to see the next direction of the franchise.
“I don’t know, and that’s the problem,” Murray acknowledged, when asked about whether Spezza’s situation will affect his free agency options. “Always part of your decision is what can you spend and where does it fit and what do you get in return for a certain player. If you don’t know that, it’s harder.”
The Senators did leave the draft floor Saturday with high hopes for Andreas Englund, a physically imposing, no-nonsense, no-offence Swedish defenceman whom they selected 40th overall Saturday, but he’s probably two or three years away from having an impact in the NHL.
Murray acknowledged that his inability to move Spezza is “disappointing for him and disappointing for me.” Still, he insists he won’t give in to a weak offer simply to wash his hands of the matter.