Craig Anderson and his family were able to overcome a lot of adversity last season.
Anderson was away from the team for a while because his wife was diagnosed with cancer. When he returned to the lineup, he provided the Senators with some strong goaltending, which helped get them to Game 7 the Eastern Conference Final.
Unfortunately, the Senators fell just short in their quest for a berth in the Stanley Cup Final, but the best news of all is that Anderson’s wife, Nicholle, is now cancer-free.
This season is the final year of Anderson’s contract with the Senators. The two sides haven’t talked about an extension just yet, but it sounds like the veteran isn’t planning on going anywhere else.
“One hundred per cent,” Anderson said when asked if he wants to finish his career in Ottawa, per The Citizen. “I think going back to when I came here seven, eight years ago, it’s one of those things where Ottawa has been a home for me since I got here. Welcomed me with open arms. I’ve set some pretty good roots here, as far as just getting used to the town, getting used to the fans and really enjoying my time here. It’s something that I enjoy playing for the city and for the Ottawa Senators.”
The 36-year-old posted a 25-11-4 record with a 2.28 goals-against-average and a .926 save percentage in 40 games during the 2016-17 season.
Anderson’s contract comes with a $4.2 million cap hit, so it’ll be interesting to see what the final number looks like on his next deal.
“I know his agent is going to come into town at some point in time, during the first month or during camp,” GM Pierre Dorion said. “We’ll sit down. Usually, when you sit down with people, you have a really good opportunity to get contracts done.”
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--The Senators are going to need another big season from Craig Anderson