I Stand Corrected

When free agent Claude Giroux was signed by Ottawa, I was indifferent at best.

I was no Giroux fan and didn’t see why I should be. I didn’t see why the Senators would want him in their lineup. Ottawa Citizen sports reporter Bruce Garrioch insisted at the time the trade would “reinvigorate the Senators brand”, an opinion at which I roundly scoffed. From my perspective, there was no way the signing was all that.

 

I admit now, Bruce nailed it.

 

Giroux has been fun to watch because I get the feeling he’s been having fun. His competitive fire and effort are in plain view every game and he seems to be a good complement to the young stars on the team who I have enjoyed watching for the last three or four seasons.

Through the pandemic and into now, it has been fun to watch the young guys fly around the ice.

 

Stutzle (39 goals 51 assists), Batherson (22 goals 40 assists), Norris, Pinto (20 goals 15 assists) are talented and play with zeal.

Captain Tchachuk (35 goals 48 assists) is a glowing credit to the team on and off the ice.

Jake Sanderson (4 goals 28 assists) is smart and cool with the puck, and just so effective without it.

Even Kelly never took a shift off.

 

Chabot, to me, doesn’t always play like he cares. Maybe I’m wrong. 

 

It’s thoroughly disappointing that the Senators didn’t make the playoffs, but how are you supposed to make the playoffs when your goalies give up…

 

Two goals on seven shots.

Four goals on eleven shots.

Two goals on two shots.

Seven goals on nineteen shots.

 

Does any of this ring a bell? Is it a gigantic alarm bell? It should be.

 

Now and then, goalies for the Senators have played some absolutely stellar games but, overall, the goaltending this season was shoddy; sorrily inconsistent.

 

I’m looking forward to next year and I’m hoping the same names will be in the lineup. Go Sens Go!

 

BTW - in case you’re wondering how a Montrealer became a Sens fan, you’re welcome to read my September 25, 2010 blog, titled “You Can Keep Kovalazy”. 

 

I was happy for Claude Giroux and the team when he tallied his 1000^th point at the end of the season, becoming the 96^th NHL player to reach that milestone.

 

As far as his signing by the Senators is concerned, I stand corrected.