Dress rehearsal over: Senators finally entering new era under Andlauer, Staios
Finally with the coaching staff they wanted and a roster dramatically changed, the Senators’ 12-month dress rehearsal is over. Under Michael Andlauer and Steve Staios, a new era is emerging in Ottawa.
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Last season was supposed to be the dawn of a new era for the Ottawa Senators under incoming owner Michael Andlauer.
But was it really? Or was it a 12-month dress rehearsal for the real launch this fall?
It feels that way.
Andlauer didn’t even have formal NHL approval as owner of the club when the 2023-24 training camp opened. Remember him surreptitiously speaking to fans and media while waiting for the rubber stamps to land? He was the owner-in-waiting. And waiting.
Oh, and Andlauer inherited more of a mess (Hello, Dadonov trade debacle, greetings Shane Pinto gambling suspension) than he ever dreamt possible. Slowly, Andlauer and his new organization got to peek behind the curtain and shake off the cobwebs and mildew.
On the very day he was formally welcomed to Ottawa by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Andlauer made one of his best moves — reinstating former president and franchise co-founder Cyril Leeder. Leeder and his business team continue to work on a new arena project while in the meantime making life better for fans attending games at the Canadian Tire Centre (crazily, now one of the oldest rinks in the NHL).
Longtime ally Steve Staios was brought in to head up hockey operations and picked the top choice for general manager — himself.
Already on a short leash, head coach D. J. Smith was fired just before Christmas. Jacques Martin, with his deep roots in the organization, was a great fit as interim coach but we all knew he was a placeholder until a proper search could take place for a new bench boss.
The players thought themselves to be playoff contenders, but that, too, was clearly going to be put off. All of it, just a prelude to getting down to business.
And now it’s all in place. As the team held open houses this week and last to launch their new season, the Senators have the coaching staff they wanted, headed by Travis Green, and a roster dramatically altered, beginning in goal with the newly acquired Linus Ullmark.
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With Nick Jensen added to the blueline as a right-shot defenceman and new forwards David Perron, Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins and Noah Gregor, this should be a grittier, more competitive group than Ottawa fans have seen in many years.
The young core of players led by captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle and Thomas Chabot have some big brothers now. Uncle Claude Giroux won’t have to do all the mentoring by himself any more.
Understand, Staios isn’t about to go prattling on about playoff expectations. That is not his style.
But this calm and reserved GM — think Steve Yzerman in his manner of comportment — does speak about more immediate expectations. He believes that his team will be competitive and professional every day.
Green is expected to set a clear and hard-nosed standard for what it means to be an Ottawa Senator this season.
“There won’t be any grey area,” Staios says.
While Ullmark is in the final year of his contract, don’t expect an extension to get done any time soon.
Staios wants his new No. 1 goalie to get settled in with his young family into the Ottawa community and this hockey organization before there’s any talk about a new contract.
Ullmark is in total agreement on that front.
Not since Craig Anderson have the Senators had a goaltender who could be a calming presence and a team leader in the way that Ullmark can.
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He is fun to listen to, Ullmark. And what a route to Ottawa. He started in Buffalo, a franchise that has been in rebuilding mode seemingly forever, kind of like the Sens. And then he was in Boston, with a team expected to win every single night — fans getting antsy over a two or three game losing streak.
“I think that helped me handle the pressure,” Ullmark says.
Ullmark confirms what we all suspected — that it’s the consistency and accountability level of an organization like the Bruins that separate it from a club like the Sabres, trying to get there.
Perhaps Ullmark’s travels, picking up a Vezina Trophy along the way, were just a prelude to something special here in Ottawa. He will have a familiar partner in old Swedish pal Anton Forsberg as a backup.
As Ullmark says, “it’s kind of nuts” that a couple of kids from Sweden could play together across the pond, separate for ten years (they were a Modo tandem in 2013-14) and then reunite in the NHL, “the best league in the world.”
With his Hub street cred, Ullmark will help change the culture in that Sens dressing room.
As affable as he is, Ullmark is as competitive as any surly goalie you could find.
“We all play to win,” he says. “We don’t play for fun.”
A winner like Ullmark and Stanley Cup champions like Perron, Amadio and Cousins will raise the level of accountability around the Senators. Although, Ullmark says he won’t be telling forwards and defencemen how to play.
“I’m playing a different sport,” says the goalie.
Isn’t that the truth.
Ullmark will lead simply by being the goaltender he’s been these past several years.
Small wonder that Ottawa fans are as excited as the Senators braintrust to get going.
Farewell, 12-month dress rehearsal.
Hello, new world for the Senators and their fans.
“We feel like we have our feet under us,” Staios says.
To borrow from the great Doris Duke song, “Feet, start walking!”
