The Legacy of #6: He's Gone, He's Finally Gone

Written by Nichols

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 10:58

It's ironic that my favorite story concerning an Ottawa Senators player involves Wade Redden. Considering how much I have loathed Redden for the past 3 to 4 years, I'm still finding it tough to imagine that he won't be back next season. Considering I've thought the past two seasons would be his last in Ottawa, I almost choked on my lunch during the Sens post-playoffs press conference when Bryan Murray said that he had already contacted Wade's agent asking how much money he'd be looking for to return to Ottawa next season. After a few moments I realized that this was probably just a PR move and Murray did say that Wade's representatives had not returned any calls.

Anyways, I digrees, back to the story. It was told to me via my cousin Dick and it centered around post-game festivities outside O'Connor's Pub in the Kanata Centrum. After one of the Sens-Leafs tilts from a few years ago, my cousin parked his car in the parking lot and walked towards the bar. As he approached the bar entrance, a Leafs fan was taking a leak into a planter outside of the bar. Interestingly, Dick wasn't the only one approaching the front door. To set the scene: the Leafs fan was finishing up, and out of the shadows walked Wade.

Leafs fan: "Hey Wade, suck my d#@#!"
Wade: "Sorry, I choke on small bones."

Regardless of how funny this story is, I haven't been this excited to see a player leave the organization since Shaun Van Allen retired. Amazingly enough, Vanner represents my second favorite moment with a Senators player. Two years ago, on the St. Patty's day weekend, a group of my friends bought tickets to see the Sens play the Bruins in Boston. After the game, we walked outside of the TD BankNorth Arena and found ourselves near the player's parking lot. Shortly thereafter, Vanner walked out onto the street.

Me: "VANNER!!!"
Vanner: Walks down the street, back turned to the four of us. Raises his arm and gives the ol' slight wave of the hand as he walks off down the street.
Me: "You f#$#ing suck!"
Vanner: Puts head down and disappears into the distance.

Considering my disdain for Wade, I couldn't have envisioned a more fitting way to end his tenure with the Sens. With a minute left in game four against the Pens and with Gerber on the bench for an extra skater, Wade panicked while trying to keep the puck in at the Pens blueline. Instead of throwing the puck into the corner on his forehand, Wade sent an errant, fluttering backhand pass into the slot where it was gloved down, taken the length of the ice and deposited into the Sens' yawning cage. Not only was Redden's gaffe the perfect ending to a remarkable second half collapse by the Sens, it also added insult to injury.

Within this past year, Wade has publicly vetoed two potential deals to two different Western Conference teams. The latest instance occurred shortly before the Sens dealt Eaves and Corvo to the Hurricanes for Commodore and Stillman. When the media went to Wade to ask him why he refused to discuss any potential trades, Wade responded by saying that he felt compelled to stay here because he thought he had a better opportunity to win a Stanley Cup in Ottawa. Is it fair to think that Redden was naive enough to think that he could win a Stanley Cup here for his swan song? Not only did our team win only 18 of the final 48 games, Ottawa got bounced from the first round of the playoffs by losing four straight games to Pittsburgh.

Thankfully, Wade Redden wore the 'A' for the team and led by example. His leadership apparently rubbed off on the likes of Spezza and Heatley who spent many games looking listless on the ice. If Wade really wanted to veto a trade and remain here, the least you could have expected was for him to play hard and show passion in his final season. As fans we were rewarded with his worst statistical numbers since his rookie season. Can you say Wade "Regression"? You know he had a bad year when the last memories of the guy will be his lacklustre, soft and timid play.

Thanks Wade!

Even with the injuries sustained by the Sens, this was a team was awful down the stretch. By refusing to discuss any potential prospective trade, Redden will leave this offseason and the Sens won't receive any compensation. Forget the fact that the Sabres received Steve Bernier and a first-rounder for Brian Campbell. Forget the fact that John Muckler is drunk off his horse while laughing in some Irish pub in Buffalo. Forget the fact that Zdeno Chara was nominated for the Norris Trophy this season. Sens fans, take solace in the fact that Redden will pack his bags and head to the more physical Western Conference where his soft and indifferent play will be exposed and overpaid. In a salary cap system in which teams cannot afford to lock up significant money in underachieving players, it is safe to assume that whomever signs Redden will ultimately pay the price with their job.