Poor Daniel Alfredsson...you've got to feel for the old boy.
Sure, it looks like he's going back to the playoffs, but he knows in his mind that this is going to be an uphill battle -- even moreso than usual. He's done everything in his power to be a proper face for the Ottawa Senators (minus some snafus here and there than only his haters like to obsess about). The man even gets booed in his own building on a regular basis.
So if this season ends up being a disappointment, what harm would it do to start thinking about doing him a solid, and trading him to a contender so he can get the Cup he so richly deserves? Hell, there's nothing saying it has to happen at the beginning of the year -- $7 million next season is a lot for most teams to handle. But perhaps as the trade deadline nears next March, Alfie will be interested to re-think that no-movement clause. And when it's all done, he can be traded back (as Ottawa is filled to the brim with killer prospects) and have a nice shiny ring to show off when he picks up his takeout at Baton Rouge. Win-win for everyone, right?
Go ahead and chew on that. Memo to David Shoalts: You'd be obliged not to swallow.
Posts
I'm just going to go ahead and assume this is some kind of April Fool's shenanigan and not a blatant attempt to rip out my heart and stomp on it.
Yeah. That's what I'll do.
Senators Lost Cojones
11:20 p.m.
All of this, "trade player X to a contender" stuff ignores one thing - how do you define a contender? Parity is such now that pretty much any of the 16 teams who get to the playoffs could make a run. It is also worth noting that not every guy is willing to make the trek to another team - Mats Sundin at the end of his Leaf days comes to mind.
Finally, cap considerations make it tough for guys on a contract like Alfie's to ever be a rental.
Dennis Prouse
12:47 a.m.
"I'm just going to go ahead and assume this is some kind of April Fool's shenanigan..."
Yes, dear. Nothing to fear. I figured it was pretty obvious, especially once you got to the last line.
The Universal Cynic
2:35 a.m.
April fools joke or no, you don't want to lose someone for nothing at the end of a contract.
If the team is mediocre next year, there's no harm in asking Alfredsson to take a Raymond Bourque and take his chance elsewhere. I'll respectfully disagree with Dennis on the fact any of the 16 teams can make a run. Boston isn't winning the Cup. Columbus wasn't going to beat Detroit last year. Ottawa likely isn't making it this year, or LA or Colorado.
Alfredsson will retire a Senator and that'll be good for him. You have to hope though, that the team will eventually have the wherewithal to trade depreciating assets for newer talent as needed, once it matures in age and philosophy.
Anonymous
11:34 a.m.