Well, here it is, after a week of allowing the dust to settle on their 2014-15 season, it is time to start to look back on what happened before we begin to look ahead at the season to come.
What a roller-coaster ride this season was. Here are just a few of the highlights and lowlights of the season:
The GOOD
* Two Senators being nominated for season ending awards - Erik Karlsson (Norris) and Mark Stone (Calder). Both had incredible second halfs, leading to their nominations. Karlsson proved that with the right partner he is indeed all-world, and Stone raised eyebrows not only with his scoring ability but his play without the puck. [EDIT: Hammond was also nominated for the Masterton Award, making it 3 nominees...thanks to reader PeskySens for pointing that out]
* Andrew Hammond's amazing run - two months of unbelievable, unthinkable, unimaginable and last but not least, improbable hockey from the least likely source. The Hamburglar took the city, and the entire hockey world for that matter, by storm. Whether it ends up being "flash in the pan" or is maturation of a career journeyman who just needed a chance, it doesn't matter. What he accomplished is a once in a lifetime event.
* The Comeback - It wasn't all Hammond, because the team as a whole played much better down the stretch as a group. The Senators set a league record for overcoming the biggest deficit (14 points) and qualifying for the playoffs.
*Emergence of the Kids - The Senators building process showed some results, with Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Cody Ceci, Patrick Wiercioch, Matt Puempel, Curtis Lazar and Shane Prince all making an impact at some point in the season. That list could have been longer, but plans to get more prospects some NHL playing time changed down the stretch with the Senators continuing to close the gap.
*11 back in the fold - Daniel Alfredsson came back to the city and retired as an Ottawa Senator, signing a one-day contract with the club and taking the pre-game skate with his former team. He was also given a key to the city in the waning days of the season. He also attended game 5 in Montreal and 6 back in Ottawa, leading to speculation that he might be ready to join the Sens front office in the near future.
* Cameron's Chance - Dave Cameron took over behind the bench in December, and although it took some time for the results to show up on the scoreboard/in the standings, his up-tempo game better suited the players he had at his disposal.
*Anderson Step His Game Up - It was a tough first half for the Senators and Anderson in particular. He did what he could to keep his team in the hunt but consistency and uneven play in front of him derailed that. When he finally did come back in game 3 of the playoffs, he was in Beast Mode, although it wasn't enough to overcome the 0-3 hole they got themselves in, he was on top of his game and gives the Senators options heading into the off-season
The BAD
* Health Scares/Sad Off-Ice news - Not one but two members of the Senators front office were battling cancer. Both GM Bryan Murray and assistant coach Mark Reeds fought valiantly against the disease. Unfortunately on the eve of the playoffs Reeds lost his battle and passed away. Murray has been more successful with his treatments to the point where he will remain in his position and remain hands-on for the foreseeable future.
* Robin Lehner - Expectations were high (perhaps too high), but Lehner's play was uneven and he failed to grasp his chance to take over the role of the Senators #1 stopper and prove he is the goalie of the future. He is still young enough to step into the role in time, but you could sense the frustration in himself when things didn't go right. Add to that the season-ending injury that allowed Hammond to step in and go on his ridiculous run and you have a write-off of a season.
*Cowen Stalled - Jared Cowen took his place as the target of the Senators fans, and he didn't do enough to get the target off his back. I'm not sure what it would have taken to get there, but it certainly wasn't enough, and a sports hernia injury that essentially ended his season is the latest in a long line of setbacks that have his future in question.
* Bobby Ryan's Cold streak - Ryan, who should be Ottawa's best forward, went on a career cold-streak late in the season, scoring in just one of his last 18 games and in just 2 of his last 26. It wasn't just lack of goals, it was points as well, as he had just 3 points in his last 16 games. This lack of production from their highest paid forward makes the team's run to the playoffs even more spectacular.
* Paul MacLean Canned - Depending on where you sit, this could be put in either the Good or the Bad. The likeable coach was given the chance to recapture his pre-Jack Adams personality but early on in the season it was apparent that it wasn't going to work and he was dismissed in mid-December.
* Showing Their Age - It is no coincidence that the Senators run came at about the same time that veterans Chris Phillips and Chris Neil were both sidelined with injury. Loyalty is one thing, but once these two vets were replaced with younger, quicker legs in the lineup, Cameron could install his game plan and his players could execute it. Both must come to the realization that if they are going to remain in Ottawa it will be as part-time players as their careers wind down.
* Bad goals at Bad Times - the lasting legacy of the playoff defeat at the hands of the Habs will probably be, other than a quick whistle, the goals that shouldn't have gone in. It happens to every goalie, but there were at least 3 back-breakers that resulted in the final demise of the team. That, and not taking advantage of the Game 1 circus and the opportunity it presented.
Over the next little while I will look at each player individually and recap the season they had and maybe a glimpse of what to expect in the future.
All in all, this is a year that will go down as a learning experience. The new system that was put in place and should be tweaked going forward looks like it might work, and with a couple of changes and growth from within this is a team on the rise.
That is what I will take from this season, and I am sure there are other points that I missed, but those are my lasting impressions.
Who knows what next year will bring?