We all know that the Ottawa Senators had themselves a monster summer.

They traded for Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot. They signed hometown boy Claude Giroux. They offloaded the Matt Murray contract. They extended Tim Stützle and Mathieu Joseph. They're about to get a full season from Jake Sanderson. They're maybe in the final stages of getting that long-sought new arena lined up.

These are all solid steps forward. Collectively, they represent something resembling a great leap. Fans are absurdly optimistic about what it all means, and it's hard to blame them. After so many years in the absolutist of darkness, even the faintest sliver of light is going to be thrilling. And this summer, Pierre Dorion turned on a floodlight.

The question that has to be asked, however, is what it all means in actual practice.