Dave King of the Ottawa Post decided it was about time to do a follow-up to his last article on Mike Bell, the GM of the Ottawa Senators.
King tries to get Bell's thoughts on the year up to date, signings, and where the team stands as of now. Here is what he had to say.
Dave King: Thank you again for accepting to answer some of our questions. All of Ottawa is eager to know if more moves are to come since the trade deadline is close.
Mike Bell: Well Pat, in all honesty, this team has been built for the playoffs and the ultimate goal which is to win the Stanley Cup. We like our team at the moment; 3 very solid lines, very solid defensively, and our goalie playing like a Vezina candidate. We added Patrice Bergeron, a pure centerman with lots of experience for just that reason, the playoffs. We are still looking to tweak some changes so don’t be surprised if a trade happens until the deadline.
Dave King: Now we have gotten the news that you have signed Jordan Binnington for another 3 years. How did the negotiations go?
Mike Bell: First and foremost, it was a priority of mine to re-sign him long-term. I believe that to be a winning team and a successful team you need a solid netminder and from the moment we traded for him last year, he has been just that. So, we are extremely happy to have signed him long-term. Negotiations went very smoothly. His stats this year are very solid and among the best in the leagues, especially in the win column.
Dave King: What’s next for Ottawa?
Mike Bell: We like where the team is at the moment, so not looking to break that momentum too much. Mitch Marner has been playing like an All-Star ever since we traded for him from Chicago this year. Playing with Sean Monahan, our top C man has been a great 1-2 duo for Ottawa.
Solidifying our d-corps was also a top priority and adding Dougie Hamilton has been a key factor in where we are now in the standing. And let’s not forget future superstar Jamie Drysdale who on his 1st pro year stint has not disappointed with his +12 and 13 points.
Exciting times are coming in Ottawa. Extremely proud of this team and what they have accomplished up to now!
Stay tuned for a follow-up after the trade deadline. It's an exciting time indeed in Ottawa!
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