Northeast Division: Auld expected Bruins’ success

Auld

BOSTON — Some folks around the NHL might still not believe that the Boston Bruins are in first place in the Eastern Conference and about to wrap up the conference’s top seed.

Ottawa Senators back-up goaltender Alex Auld, who spent the better part of  last season serving in the same capacity for Boston, is not among the surprised observers.

“I think it’s surprised some people, but I wasn’t surprised having been in that room last year,” Auld told TheBruinsBlog.net after his team’s morning skate today at TD Banknorth Garden. “I really feel that last year was the start of what they’re doing this year. And there’s a lot of good friends over there. I believed in what they were preaching last year and the way guys bought into it. And this year is just the carryover of that. We’ll see what it means at the most important time of year, but definitely it’s an important franchise for the league and it’s great to see the resurgence of it.”

Unfortunately for Auld, he didn’t get to continue with the resurgent Bruins, who already had Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez under contract this season. So after he posted a 9-7-5 record in 23 games for Boston last season, he left for a two-year free-agent deal with the Sens. This season has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the 28-year-old, who has a 13-17-6 record and 2.52 goals-against average entering tonight’s game with the Bruins. The Sens’ early-season commitment to the since-departed Martin Gerber and then the emergence of rookie Brian Elliott have shifted Auld in and out of the club’s plans.

“Me personally, it’s been kind of a crazy year. From not playing, to playing every night, to not playing very much again,” he said. “That can be tough. I don’t know how to put it into words exactly, but I’m just trying to stay positive and battle through it and stay ready.”

For the first time since 1996, Ottawa will not be in the Stanley Cup playoffs. However, the Sens postseason absence won’t be for lack of trying in the second half. Since Feb. 7, the team is 16-8-2. As Auld knows well from his time in Boston, a turnaround could be in the near future.

“You see that story everywhere around the league nowadays. It’s competitive, but also no one — for the most part — stays down very long,” said Auld. “We have a good organization here and good ownership and people that believe in doing things the right way. And this year’s sort of, with us, it’s kind of a carryover from the slide the year before. Maybe it took a little bit longer than some people thought to break out of that funk. But I think with some of the changes we made, things are looking in the right direction.”

So Auld knows that his season will be done on April 11. Before he puts all his focus on 2009-10, he’ll watch some playoff action. And his rooting interest might drift a little south of where it normally would lie depending on how the series unfold.

“I’ve always traditionally hoped for the last Canadian team. But obviously the more friends you have around the league, it’s obviously great to see guys have a chance — guys you know — and obviously there’s a ton of guys in (the Boston) room that really deserve to play for a Cup let alone win it. So we’ll see.”