by Willard King

Created on: September 07, 2008

Senators Bolster Blueline

The Ottawa Senators have dealt hold out Andrea Meszaros to the Tampa Bay Lightening. In exchange the Senators have vastly improved their already formidable defense, getting thirty one year old veteran Filip Kuba. Who stands at 6'5 225 lbs, a durable player who is also a positive personality in the dressing room. The big Czech has only missed eight games in the last two seasons, averaging over thirty points in each of the last two seasons.

Also coming over in the trade is a young local player from Quebec, Alexandre Picard. The 22 year old defensemen comes to the team with big upswing potential, he is young and hasn't had the opportunity to play a lot of games. The third round pick by the Flyers was first on the team in points for the Phantoms for defensemen, and ranked 7th in the league. The Lightening had acquired Picard in a trade with the Flyers last season for Vaclav Prospal and future considerations on Feb.25, 2008.

The Senators are also getting a first round draft pick, from the Bolts but most likely will be the San Jose 1st rounder acquired in trade. So with the 2009 draft looking to be talent heavy the Senators are going to have the option of keeping the two first round picks or possibly trade the two picks for a higher pick, possibly a top five prospect. So with the current blue line looking stacked with solid and proven players, there should not be as much pressure on goaltenders Martin Gerber, and Alex Auld.

The Senators have both toughened up and managed with some shrewd trading, too insure a bright future both on ice and in the draft. With this off seasons new acquisitions the team should have no trouble regaining its former poise, and continue to challenge for top spot in the league, and to make a real push in the playoffs. This is the best looking team on paper the Senators have put forth in years. With the young talent seeing some ice time, the team is only getting stronger. With the depth at the minor league level the Senators can choose to work with the talent, or if the need arises the have the picks and young prospects to make any other moves should they need too. After bringing in Alex Auld to help shore up the goaltending, we might see some of Brian Elliot this season, who is being groomed as the team's future starter.

Brian Murray has received a lot of flack in the past concerning his decisions in regards to free agent signings, trades or lack of action in his attempts to get rid of Gerber or problematic Ray Emery last season. The locker room now has an abundance of upbeat positive personal, with formidable leaders Jason Smith, Chris Phillips, and the team captain Daniel Alfredsson. The young talent coming up has great leadership to follow, gone are the troubling Ray Emery and hold out Andrea Meszaros. The team looks too have put behind it the problems of negative locker room influence, as we witnessed it destroy the team last year in a horrible finish, to what had started as a promising season.

With the preseason only a month away, the players are getting geared up for a trip to Sweden to play in front of Alfredsson's family and friends. The games will be shown on Sportsnet for Ottawa Senator fans, who wish to get a look at the team playing overseas.

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