As training camp arrives the Ottawa Senators prepare for another season. With much of their lineup in flux due to injuries the one position that seems set is in goal.
Generally speaking, one year before player’s contracts are up is when it begins to draw media attention. Especially if they are a star forward, defenceman, or starting goalie. Craig Anderson will be entering the final season of his contract. However, it is not a concern that he will re-sign with the Ottawa Senators. Anderson stated that he wants to finish his career in Ottawa. The only question left is, how much gas does he have left in the tank?
Anderson will enter the 2017-2018 season at the age of 36 and with one year left on his contract. Normally this is an age when players begin to consider retirement. However, goaltenders often play on different timelines from skaters. It isn’t uncommon for a starting goaltender to play into his late thirties and early forties. Anderson was a late bloomer and as a result his body has likely seen less damage over the years. This could allow him to play a few years longer than expected.
With Anderson likely still capable of playing for a few years, Condon set to be his replacement, and a strong prospect in Hogberg the goalie situation has never been this good in Ottawa. For years the Ottawa Senators struggled to find a starting goaltender. They had their years with Lalime and then one year with Hasek, but after that there was a half-decade where stability in goal was something Sens fans couldn’t remember. Now it’s one of the luxuries the Sens have become accustomed to.
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Anderson has already established himself as the greatest goalie in Ottawa Senators history. However, if he stays to the end of his career he is setting up a legacy that will be difficult to beat by any successor.