Ottawa Senators

Let's face it, the NHL All-Star game has been less than exciting these past couple of years. There's no hitting, no defence, the goalies give up a lot of the easy goals and the players are only skating at half the pace they normally do. Can you blame them though? It is an exhibition game right in the middle of the season, when you are focusing on helping your team get to the playoffs.

Daniel Alfredsson will finally rejoin the Ottawa Senators after a seven month layoff.

Tonight the Senators play their third preseason game at home against their long-time rival the Montreal Canadiens.

With the NHL season starting next month, the Ottawa Senators will begin their 20th season as a reborn franchise.

After missing the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, it appears that the Stanley Cup aspirations the Senators had for 10 or so years prior have come to an end. The rebuild is officially underway in Canada's capital.

Remember when the Ottawa Senators were the class of the Northeast, let alone the class of the Eastern Conference? Probably not, due to the fact that the Senators are now set for a major rebuild.

Ottawa is entering the 2011-12 NHL campaign with very low expectations in competing for the Northeast Division, let alone competing for a playoff spot. The rebuild is on in Ottawa, and it is getting done the right way. 

From the moment the Ottawa Senators acquired Craig Anderson from the Colorado Avalanche, Senators' fans have been under the impression that it was a great pickup.

“What a steal!”

"Great move!"

“Bryan Murray stole Craig Anderson!”

Well fans, once again, it was a terrible move.

Why?

Let me spell this out in plain English—the Ottawa Senators got played.

They got absolutely played.

The Ottawa Senators signed impending free-agent goaltender Craig Anderson to a four-year deal today. The deal is worth $12.75 million dollars.

The extension may come as a surprise, since Anderson has never really been a standout in net. Sure, he's been a solid goaltender in his career, but never anything spectacular really.

However, so far in 10 games in net for the Senators, Anderson has better numbers than he has had all year. In Colorado, before being traded, Anderson was 13-15.

What a great year it has been to be a Senators fan.

Seriously.

The last three years? Now those were tough—watching overrated millionaires go through the motions for 82 games only to miss the playoffs or be discarded by the Penguins in the first round.

Prospects, draft picks, for the first time in years, the future is bright for the Ottawa Senators.

Realistic Sens fans, this is what we’ve been waiting for!

Here’s a list of the top 10 things the Senators need to do to become Stanley Cup contenders.

The Ottawa Senators are feeling that veteran defenseman Chris Phillips is a necessary cog for their future rebuilding plans.

The 32-year-old Phillips signed a three-year contract extension late Sunday night to remain a Senator. The deal is believed to be for close to $9 million.

No one ever wants to get branded as the worst of their profession but it is inevitable that in every job, some are very good and others, well, not so much.  In the midst of one of their worst seasons in franchise history, Bryan Murray, GM of the Ottawa Senators, has to wear the dunce cap as the worst General Manager in the National Hockey League.  Not even Mad Mike Milbury could top what Murray has done to Senators Nation.  

The Ottawa Senators have made their second deal in as many days, sending goaltender Brian Elliott to the Colorado Avalanche in return for goaltender Craig Anderson.

This deal is rather confusing as the Sens are now rebuilding, having sent a young goaltender who has been rather good in times away, receiving a goaltender that is going to be an unrestricted free agent at year's end.