The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

No last minute heroics, no come-from-behind-goals, no miracle recovery from a 3-0 series setback and the season of the Ottawa Senators is now done. And I don't think anyone can question the better team had come out ahead and will be moving on to round 2.

The effort was disappointing. At least in game 3 I saw effort (well, for 40 out of 60 minutes) but there was none to be found this time, and the continuing parade to the penalty box continued. Another power play goal resulted (Pittsburgh has just been money on these man-advantages) and only two goals were needed this time to win.

Now without question, Bryan Murray will have to make some moves to improve the team for next season. Owner Eugene Melnyk (assuming he doesn't go to jail) is still a rich man with an ego and he still wants to bring a Stanley Cup to Ottawa, and this result is unacceptable to him. But what moves should be made?

It's easy to point fingers to the big guns who didn't deliver in these four games like Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza and demand this team be blown up, but you have to look at what they've done over their careers and not solely what's transpired in the last four months. Dany Heatley has been a consistent goal scorer, a multiple all-star and 50 goal scorer. Jason Spezza finished in the top 5 in scoring this year and, like Heatley, first in scoring in last year's playoffs. I believe they can rebound from this disappointing finish and come back to form next year.

If anything needs to be fixed, it's defence. Wade Redden will not be resigned, putting in back to back seasons which he underachieved at a staggering $6.5 million a year salary. Mike Commodore was a disappointment, Luke Richardson is likely going to retire (as he should), Andrej Meszaros had a horrible year. Brian Lee might turn out to be a good addition to the blue line, but he's only 21 and he may or may not pan out. Murray will have to figure out how to fill these holes as the free agent market is quite bare this year. Phillips and Volchenkov were solid and I think should stay.

This is the first time I'm actually pretty at ease with the loss, as they played pretty bad towards the end of the season and were expected to lose these playoffs. Past years they were usually favourites or at least expected to make it competitive, but it wasn't the case this time. That's okay...you can't always have a winner year after year. But I look forward to next season and will cheer on the Sens again, like I always do.