Elliotte Friedman urgently warns “This is not over” in Senators’ cheating allegations fallout

Thursday spiralled quickly for the Ottawa Senators. What began as unverified and anonymous rumors circulating on social media about the personal lives of several players escalated into a full-blown organizational crisis, capped off by an emotional team response and a lopsided loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

“This is not over,” Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman warned Friday on his 32 Thoughts podcast.

He opened the show with his take:

The rumors, which were posted by an anonymous account that has since disappeared, prompted Senators general manager Steve Staios to release a strongly worded statement condemning “trolls and disturbed individuals” and accusing outside forces of attempting to destabilize the team.

According to Friedman, that response was both understandable and risky. Now the statement is hard to ignore and some fans and pundits strongly believe the Senators should have stayed silent. Now, they have allowed it to become a talking point.

Still, Friedman believes the organization felt it had no choice and are saying loud and clear that they’re backing their players.

“They’re defending their players and making it clear they support them,” he explained, adding that the situation crossed a line because specific players, and their families, were being named.

“If I’m a player on the Ottawa Senators and I’m named there, I’m walking into the organization and saying, ‘Get me out of here. I did not sign up for this,’” Friedman said. “If my family was involved, I would say, ‘Get me out of here right now.’ That is too much.”

Of course, once the allegations came out, trade rumours immediately emerged, and I mean, I feel like no one could blame the players for wanting out when their private lives are getting mixed up in this. It’s about losing and winning. Not this.

The emotional toll was evident hours later. Ottawa, playing the second night of a back-to-back on the road, was overwhelmed 8–2 by the Avalanche. Friedman noted the result felt inevitable.

“The Senators’ minds were anywhere but on that game tonight,” he said. “They had no chance, no chance in that game, and you could see it very quickly.”

The night grew even stranger when, in the middle of the blowout, the Senators announced a contract for veteran goaltender James Reimer. A move likely tied to depth concerns and the continued absence of Linus Ullmark, who has been away from the team for personal reasons and was referenced as the main culprit in the online rumors.

“It throws a nuclear bomb into your organization,” Friedman summarized. “I can’t imagine how bad a day it was for them. And the ting too, they’re on the road, the players aren’t with their families. You don’t sign up for that. If it were me, I’d be marching into the offices the next day, and saying NO.”

What comes next remains unclear. But as Friedman seems to be hinting at, the fallout in Ottawa may only be beginning.