Silver Nuggets: Sense of Loss
We've lost more than one fan favourite over the years.
Tonight, Senators fans will get a good dose of salt rubbed in their off-season wounds. And that's the best case scenario. We will be reminded of what we lost, and there is no avoiding it. But it's not the first time we've seen our team face a beloved former player on the ice, even if this is the worst one yet. There have been a few others that have cut deep.
Zdeno Chara only spent four seasons with the Senators, but the big man with the blistering slapshot made a lasting impression on fans in Ottawa. When it came down to choosing between him and Wade Redden, hindsight is pretty clear that the team made the wrong choice. The reception fans gave him at the 2012 All-Star Game was on par with that given to active Senators players participating, only being dwarfed by... well, you know who. Chara is the only one on this list not to have been drafted by the Senators.
Marian Hossa spent seven seasons with the Senators, before being moved to Atlanta in the trade that brought Dany Heatley to Ottawa. He lead the team in scoring in his last 2 seasons, and during the second deepest playoff run in franchise history. He filled the scoring void after Yashin left, and was far less of a jerk about it.
Mike Fisher never had the on-ice success of Chara or Hossa, but was certainly another fan favourite. Ten full seasons and part of an eleventh, he seemed to have a determined air about him in just about every game he played. Off the ice, he was probably the most active player in the community the Senators have ever had. I hear tell that he was "dreamy" as well. His goodbye letter to Sens fans was icing on the cake.
All in all, there are 262 former Senators players. Other than Alfie, who do you miss the most?
Sens Links
- The Senators Extra prediction panel is full of pessimists today [Senators Extra]
- The folks over at Bonk's Mullet have their first round table discussion, all about Daniel Alfredsson [Bonk's Mullet]
- Alfie knows where to draw the line in his household [Senators Extra]
- Remember Melnyk filing a grievance over Heatley's $4m bonus in 2009? They've finally reached a settlement [Sportsnet]
- Alfredsson on facing the Sens for the first time [Senators Extra]
- NHL.com has a preview of tonight's game in Detroit [NHL.com]
- Patrick Wiercioch scratched tonight, along with Matt Kassian and Jean-Gabriel Pageau [Ken Warren via Twitter]
NHL Links
- Lars Eller puts his foot in his mouth [Puck Daddy]
- NHL teams are adopting advanced stats, and quickly [SBNation]
- Changes to NHL Central Scouting this season [Sportsnet]
- Linesmen told to be more active in stopping fights when the players take their helmets off [TSN]
- Chris Boyle tackles the "white unicorn of #fancystats" - shot quality [Sportsnet]
- Jaromir Jagr has played a lot of hockey [Fire & Ice]
- Alex Ovechkin off to his best start ever [SBNation]
Who, other than Alfie, is your most-missed former Senator?
| Zdeno Chara | 93 |
| Marian Hossa | 88 |
| Mike Fisher | 33 |
| Other (name them in the comments) | 13 |