Fargo - Ottawa Senators defenseman Brian Lee had every opportunity to make waves in the locker room or make his disappointment known to any reporter with a pen and paper.
The former Moorhead High School and University of North Dakota standout stayed positive.
At one point early this season, Lee was held out of the lineup for
25 consectutive games as a healthy scratch. During that time, he was placed on waivers by the Senators and the team attempted to trade him.
Lee kept his mouth shut, kept his eyes on the ice and kept his mind on getting back into the lineup.
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And when he finally got his chance, Lee proved he belonged in the NHL with a transformed game.
"I think development-wise, this was the best season I've had as a professional," said Lee, the ninth overall pick by the Senators in the 2005 draft. "I think I took big steps at the end of the season, playing against the top lines and playing more minutes. Early on in the season was probably one of the lowest points of my career."
Lee, 24, had no points in seven games when he was waived on Nov. 30.
Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray then attempted to trade Lee, but nothing materialized.
Lee's confidence at that point could have been at an all-time low.
But his frustration never boiled over, and he continued to work hard.
After Lee spent 25 games in street clothes, the Senators gave him the opportunity to play against the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Dec. 16.
He played well in his home state. He was reinvigorated.
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Lee later began to play more regularly. By the end of the year he was playing about 20 minutes a game.
Lee developed chemistry with defensive partner Chris Phillips, and the duo became Ottawa's shutdown pairing.
Phillips and Lee did well against the oppositions' top scoring lines.
Somewhere along his journey, Lee morphed into a physical force.
"I think I've probably evolved," Lee said. "I've seen and heard the way they want me to play. It's a little more physically. I did that the last part of the year and I feel strong on the ice."
Lee finished the season with three assists and a plus-minus rating of minus-10 in 50 games.
Ottawa fired third-year head coach Cory Clouston when the team ended the year 32-40-10 and missed the playoffs.
The Senators haven't hired a replacement.
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Lee said Murray had expressed pleasure over his play at the end of the year.
Lee is hoping to contribute more in the final season of a two-year deal with Ottawa.
"It's tough to carry over your confidence from one season to the next," he said. "But I'm going to work hard over the summer and throughout the fall to have my game ready."
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Heath Hotzler at (701) 241-5562.
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