Ottawa Senators: 4 takeaways from eventful week in Ottawa

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The Ottawa Senators may be well and truly out of the playoff race, but there has still been a lot going on recently. We share four takeaways from an eventful first week in March.

Pretty much since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, the Ottawa Senators have been on a slow, steady journey towards the conclusion of the regular season. With likely no playoff hockey to look forward to, it was understood the team would put themselves in the best possible position for the NHL draft in June.

However, the first week of March has been unexpectedly eventful, which has at least made things more interesting for those who follow the Senators.

Let’s count down our four takeaways from a hectic start to the month:

4) Senators fire CEO Jim Little

Compared to recent seasons, the 2019-20 campaign had been a relatively quiet one for the Senators. Fans had accepted their team was going through a rebuild and while there was little to no hope of challenging for the playoffs, at least the effort was seen on the ice most nights.

As it turns out though it had been almost too quiet in Ontario, so of course owner Eugene Melnyk decided to inspire some headlines. As reported by The Canadian Press via The Globe and Mail, Jim Little was fired on Wednesday after lasting just 54 days as CEO.

According to the Senators, Little was fired due to conduct that was inconsistent with the core values of the Ottawa Senators and the NHL. There had been speculation in recent weeks that Melnyk and Little weren’t getting on well, but this news still came as a surprise to a lot of people.

For his part, Little released a statement advising there was a disagreement with Melnyk on Valentine’s Day, which included the former swearing at the latter. Little apologized, but as is now clear, the damage was done.

If we look at this firing as an individual event, you can almost understand why Little was let go (although it seems likely there was more involved in this decision). In most careers, if you’re not getting on with your boss and you swear at them, there is a good chance you’re going to be shown the exit door.

However, when you consider Melnyk’s reputation/history, there is going to be plenty of criticism. As pointed out by Ian Mendes of TSN, this is the same guy who fired the popular Cyril Leeder.

In addition, the well-respected Tom Anselmi quietly vacated his position as president and CEO of the Senators after just one year. The question now is where do the Senators go from here?

The one possibility that will fill people with dread is what happened last time the franchise was in this position. Prior to Little being hired, Melnyk effectively took on the role of CEO.

For the sake of the franchise, you have to hope the 60-year-old does not make this decision again. At this point, he arguably has little credibility or respect left among the majority of fans in Ottawa

Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images /

3) Ron Hainsey may well be back next season

Ron Hainsey is an enigma to many and polarizing to others. As an example, for everyone who raves about his ability to regularly log big minutes, there are just as many people who say he’s too soft.

Hainsey has always had the key attributes you look for in a blue liner — such as size, mobility and versatility — but has often been frustratingly inconsistent during his career. And yet he has still lasted 17 seasons in the NHL and has a resume which includes a precious Stanley Cup win with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

When the 38-year-old landed in Ottawa prior to this season, it was tough to predict what to expect from him. However, he has proved to be a reliable member of the team, serving as an alternate captain, providing invaluable leadership and even leading the Senators in plus/minus rating.

When taking all of this into account, it’s entirely possible Hainsey will be back in Ottawa next season. As reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, coach D.J. Smith is pleased with how the veteran defenseman has played.

“On a daily basis, he deals with (Thomas Chabot) and he’s got him playing really well. He’s teaching these guys and that’s like having an extra coach. “That’s something we’ll discuss with Pierre (Dorion), but in saying that he’s done a phenomenal job and he’s done exactly what we brought him here to do, to provide some leadership, some stability and help Chabot grow, and I think he’s done that.”

While this is theoretically good news for Hainsey, you still have to factor in what he actually wants to do. After all, he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, while also allegedly contemplating retirement.

In this respect, it will be up to the Senators to persuade the 2000 13th overall draft pick that returning to Ottawa is a worthwhile decision. Given that the team will likely not contend again in 2020-21, you imagine they will have to improve on his current contract of $3.5 million.

2) Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Islanders lose thriller in Ottawa

Jean-Gabriel Pageau was an extremely popular person in the Senators’ locker room and with fans alike. As such, a lot of people were understandably disappointed when he was moved to the New York Islanders at this year’s NHL trade deadline.

As such, when Pageau returned to Ottawa on Thursday night he received a lot of love. As per Lisa Wallace of The Canadian Press via CBC, a video tribute was shown during the first television timeout in the opening period and the fans chanted his name, which he genuinely enjoyed:

“The appreciation from the fans, my ex-teammates on the bench was really touching. There was a lot going through my mind and I was trying to stay focused on the game. Obviously, I can thank everyone now and turn the page and focus on the rest of the season here.”

This was where the goodwill ended, however, as the Senators fed off the energy in the building that had not been there for most of this season. It resulted in one of their best performances of the season and an unlikely but thrilling 4-3 win over a free-falling Islanders team struggling to remain in a playoff position.

To give you some idea of how unexpected the result was, the Islanders beat the Senators 4-2 and 4-1 in the two previous encounters this season. In fact, this was Ottawa’s first win against them since December 2017.

As previously noted, if nothing else the Senators have played hard all season, but the game against the Islanders also showed some genuine mental fortitude. Twice they came back from being behind, with their second goal even coming when they were on the penalty kill.

Craig Anderson was excellent between the pipes with 37 saves in a much-needed performance after losing his three previous starts. It was also Anderson’s 201st win for the Senators and he was named as one of the game’s three stars.

As long as the Ottawa Senators had still won, you get the feeling the home crowd would have been happy enough if Pageau scored. In any event, he was treated with class on Thursday night and that is what mattered most.

1) Coronavirus continues to cause concern for many

There was a reasonable chance the Senators’ game in San Jose against the Sharks on Saturday was going to be canceled. In fact, as reported by The Canadian Press via TSN, it was recommended all large gatherings in the county where SAP Center is located should be canceled.

As of Thursday, 20 people had tested positive for coronavirus in Santa Clara County. In this respect, it was no surprise the announced attendance for the Shark’s home game that night was a season-low 14,517.

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Despite all this, however, the decision was made to go ahead with the game between the Senators and Sharks. No matter how much advice is given, no matter how many precautions are taken, the risks are still evident.

In fact, as per Rick Westhead of TSN, the NHL’s decision to reject the Santa Clara County department of public health’s recommendation to postpone the Sharks’ game on Thursday has been met with criticism. Several infectious disease experts have advised indoor venues such as NHL arenas are ideal breeding grounds for the spread of coronavirus.

At this time it is a fine balancing act between taking the necessary precautions and not overreacting. Fair or not, critics will undoubtedly argue that the NHL is prioritizing money and profit over the well-being of people.

Sports leagues and tournaments on other continents have been playing games in empty stadiums, or canceling events altogether. It seems like only a matter of time a similar fate happens to the NHL and other sports leagues in North America.

The problem is that you no longer have to have traveled to countries like China or go on cruise ships, to catch the infection. As reported by Roni Caryn Rabin of The New York Times, community transmission of coronavirus is now taking place.

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While the debate over what commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHL should do continues, it is worth noting that it soon might not even matter. Speaking to Westhead, Dr. Isaac Bogoch of the University of Toronto suggested coronavirus will become so widespread, it will be irrelevant if fans are banned or games are canceled.

What stood out for you most from the start of the month for the Ottawa Senators? What is your take on Melnyk’s decision to fire Little? How concerned are you by coronavirus? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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