An NHL playoff berth, even one that was there and gone before fans and coaches alike could truly appreciate it, is nothing to scoff at for the Ottawa Senators.
Sure, it didn't amount to much other than an unceremonious ousting by the Montreal Canadiens in just six games, but it's still something to be proud of for an Ottawa franchise that few thought would even sniff the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Senators that unexpected postseason spot won't help answer any the myriad questions currently facing the franchise.
Andrew "Hamburglar" Hammond - he of the wonderful nickname and 20-1-2 run - is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. With Robin Lehner's status up in the air and Craig Anderson the de facto starter - maybe - will GM Bryan Murray - whose own status is up in the air - let Hamburglar walk and keep both Anderson and Lehner?
"Lehner hasn't been seen a lot since he suffered a concussion after a collision with Clarke MacArthur and Carolina's Jay McClement in mid-February," writes Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun. "Teams are going to call about one of the club's goalies and the Senators will have to decide if they want to deal or sit still to bring everybody to camp. Given Lehner's current status, it only makes sense to keep Anderson here and resist calls for a deal while the club is also trying to sign Boston University free agent Matt O'Connor."
That makes sense, but as Garrioch himself notes, Anderson's $4.25 million extension is set to kick in. The Sens currently have approximately $57 million in cap space committed to 18 players for next season. That leaves $12-$13 million for the rest of the restricted free agents like Alex Chiasson, Mika Zibanejad, Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and whoever else Murry and the team look to bring in.
Of course, trades are possible as a means for creating cap space and, per Garrioch, Jared Cowen seems a prime candidate to wind up elsewhere by the initial puck drop next season.
"Cowen is still young which means he'll be a good bargaining chip if the Senators want to make a deal. Several teams called on him at the deadline and Murray didn't want to make a trade but he's not going to keep him sitting in the stands so Cowen could land somewhere else."
Cowen, making $3.1 million and with two years left on his deal, lost his lineup spot to Patrick Wiercioch shortly after the NHL trade deadline and was never able to wrest it back from Wiercioch, who seems to have firmly entrenched himself as a starter.
Colin Greening seems another candidate for a trade or, should that route prove ineffective, a buyout. Veteran David Legwand's status must be addressed as well.
In slightly better news, Senators fan-favorite Daniel Alfredsson seems set to join the front office, though no one is yet sure in what capacity.
"The belief is the former Senators captain will join Ottawa's front office in some kind of role at some point or another," writes Garrioch. "He spent some time a couple of months ago looking at all aspects of the hockey operation, including scouting. Owner Eugene Melnyk and Murray have both maintained the door is open if Alfredsson wants to begin the next phase of his life in the front office."
Per Garrioch, the likeliest outcome is probably a senior vice president role where Alfredsson can get an opportunity to see the entire operation and decide from there if it's a path he'd like to tread further down.
