Few players have been better than Alfredsson, who had surgery last summer to relieve the pressure of a pinched nerve in his back. He is truly healthy for the first time in years, but more than that he’s been rejuvenated by the youthful core of players who have made things so much more enjoyable. The Senators play music all the time now. After games, on the bus, on the plane. Guys such as Alfredsson and Chris Phillips neither know it nor care for it, but they know exactly what it represents. This is now a team where the veterans don’t have to do all the heavy lifting. The younger players are not only accepting responsibility, they’re thriving on it. They’re also taking a more prominent role on the roster and making it easier for the veterans to see some hope where there was little of it before. “It feels fun to come to the rink,” Alfredsson said. “Before games, we have a good feeling in the room and we haven’t had that in a few years. It’s been a real grind for us.”
