Five Thoughts for Friday: The Cycle of Summer Emotions

As the summer rolls in, hockey fans find themselves in a familiar routine of reflection and recovery. Some of us are licking our wounds from another lackluster season, while others are still riding high from an exhilarating year. But this moment of reflection quickly passes by as we prep for the off-season and wonder how to set our expectations for the upcoming season.

For Ottawa Senators fans, the off-season often comes with a bittersweet blend of hope and skepticism. Each year, we hold on to any sort of optimism, only to see our hopes shattered when the puck drops. This season was supposed to break the mold; this off-season was meant to be different. And yet, despite the changes, there's an undeniable lack of enthusiasm in the air.

It feels like we're in a state of emotional limbo, unable to fully embrace the excitement for what's to come. Perhaps it's the weight of past disappointments that has tempered our ability to get truly excited. So, today I look at the five emotional phases we've been cycling through this summer as Sens fans.

Disappointment

Let's be honest, not many Sens fans were thrilled with how last season wrapped up. Sure, there were some bright spots, but they were overshadowed by a slew of issues. Long-term injuries to key players, Shane Pinto’s suspension, dreadful goaltending, and overall lackluster performances left many of us relieved when it was finally over.

The disappointment didn’t stop at the final whistle. Once again, it felt like our marquee off-season acquisition from the previous year wasn’t satisfied. Just as with Vladimir Tarasenko, Jakob Chychrun seemed to use the Sens as a mere stepping stone to a "better destination." How is it that even when we do manage to attract some high-end talent, they just come with every excuse to not want to commit here? With DeBrincat he admitted to being lazy in Ottawa and subtly indicated that he wanted to go home all along. With Chychrun, it was a messy season and things just didn't work out. Why can't this team ever prove that we can be a legitimate hockey destination?

Frustration

Having a star player want out after just one season is tough, but seeing it happen two years in a row is a real gut punch. It left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. But that's the business of hockey, and we had to move on. Good defensemen are a hot commodity, so when you have one to trade, the expectation is that it will significantly improve the team. No matter how you feel about the Chychrun trade, it simply didn't measure up. This trade was reminiscent of the Dorion era, a frustrating era we thought we had moved past.

Fans were also eagerly anticipating a change in coaching. Our frustrations with DJ Smith had been loud and clear, yet seemingly ignored. With several promising candidates available at the end of the season, Sens fans had high hopes for a fresh start. Instead, the new management chose one of the most unpopular names, someone who didn't seem to fit what the team needed. Does Green deserve a chance to prove himself? Absolutely. But it's fair to say his hiring dampened the excitement from the very start of this off-season.

While hockey moves are part of any off-season, the sheer determination of this team to shuffle around everyone but keep a player like Travis Hamonic is astounding. As someone who was one of the most frustrating players to watch all season, it felt like finding a way for him off the team would be the natural first move for management. Yet here we are, losing two good defensemen but watching Hamonic survive.

Joy

Sens fans haven’t had many moments of pure joy lately, but the acquisition of Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins brought a wave of happiness we hadn’t felt since the signing of Claude Giroux. This trade might just be the highlight of the summer, and Ullmark’s performance could be the key factor in determining how the Sens fare this season.

With uncertain draft picks, underwhelming signings, and tough goodbyes, the extension of Shane Pinto came at just the right time. Fans were still riding high from the Ullmark trade but needed another boost. Losing Shane Pinto wasn’t an option, especially after feeling his absence last season. While a bridge contract isn't ideal, it made perfect sense, and most fans were just happy to have him back in the fold.

Heartbreak

When Steve Staois stepped in as GM, he did what any new GM would do: put his mark on the team. But the way he went about it felt brutal. It was like he surveyed the fans, identified their favorite players, and then put those players on the chopping block. I'm honestly surprised Thomas Chabot and Josh Norris were spared.

Why did Mathieu Joseph need to go? Was trading Erik Brännström necessary? I’m still recovering from both of these moves. Then, he turned his attention to some of the prospects we were most excited about, even if it was just to see them for a game or two. Change isn’t always bad, but when it feels like all the fun parts are being stripped away at once, it becomes an emotional drain on an already exhausted fanbase.

While we've survived worse hockey heartbreaks, this off-season felt like there was more letting go than we had planned for. The worst part is I don't feel we needed to let go this much, will it really make this team better?

Optimism

No fan wants to root for a team to be terrible just to say, "I told you so." We all want to be proven wrong if it means seeing our team win a championship. It's human nature to hope for the best, even against all odds. And in fairness to Steve Staois and the new ownership/management team, this time around, feelings of optimism aren’t entirely misplaced.

Some of us are banking on Linus Ullmark to save the team, while others are hoping for a full, healthy season from Josh Norris to elevate our offense. And then there are those holding out hope that Travis Green will surprise us all with his best coaching work yet. Whatever the reason, having a hopeful mindset going into any season is crucial.

As Sens fans, we’ve seen some of the darkest times, where many lost hope and turned apathetic. So, even though it’s hard to shake off the skepticism and anxiety of another unknown season, it’s refreshing to have something to look forward to.

Fans are caught between frustrations with an off-season that feels like it should have gone better and the desire to be excited about the future. For the first time in a while, the fanbase seems a bit disorganized in their emotions. It's not the summer of Dorion, nor a "Melnyk Out" season; it's a season of uncertainty where we don’t quite know how to feel or what to expect.

As we spend the rest of the summer navigating these phases of emotion, let’s hope that after the puck drops in the fall, we’ll all be in a more defined and happier state of mind.

Maybe this time around, we can survive the month of November!