Alex Burrows having dream start with Senators

Mar 7 2017, 10:08 pm

Alex Burrows must be loving life with the Ottawa Senators.

The former Canucks winger has three goals and one assist in three games since joining his new team at the trade deadline last week.

Not only has Burrows excelled on an individual level – he’s playing with Derick Brassard and Mark Stone on the Senators’ top line – Ottawa is 3-0 since the trade.

Burrows’ new coach Guy Boucher is already a fan of the gritty former ECHL forward. After many people in Ottawa criticized the trade at the time, you have to think a lot of Sens fans are a bit happier with Burrows now.

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Boucher said it best after Burrows’ two-goal debut on Thursday: “Wonder what [Sens fans] think of the trade now?”

Boucher has described Burrows’ fit with the Senators as “seamless.” Canucks fans can’t be surprised by this.

Ottawa is discovering why Vancouver fell in love with Burrows during his 12-year stint with the Canucks.

The ultimate team guy, whether he’s playing on the first line or the fourth line, Burrows won’t complain about his role or his ice time.

Aside from the goals – which are a bonus for the soon to be 36-year-old, let’s be honest – his leadership is a welcome addition to a young Sens team with playoff aspirations.

“Already on the bench he was already starting to do his thing,” Boucher said following Burrows’ debut performance. “He gets the shot for the first goal. (He scored the) second goal. But he blocked shots, he had some huge hits. He’s just a relentless guy. And everything he does, he does with everything he’s got. And that’s contagious. That’s what we needed.”

Burrows, who’s also playing on the power play, is helping Ottawa to a playoff spot. Their win on Monday against the Bruins (that has to make Canucks fans smile), pushed the Sens four points up on Boston for second in the Atlantic Division standings. They’re also now just four points back of the Montreal Canadiens, with two games in hand, for first in the division.

Canucks fans shouldn’t feel regret over the Burrows trade – given his age and the fact that Vancouver is rebuilding, he didn’t fit into their future plans – rather they should feel happy for the likely future inductee into the team’s Ring of Honour.

Burrows has a new lease on life with the Senators, making new fans while making Bruins fans (more) miserable too.

What else could you ask for, except maybe, a Stanley Cup.

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