Senators General Manager, Bryan Murray, stated that he is not done making deals leading up to the March 4th NHL Trade Deadline. Currently talks are underway with both UFAs Neil and Kuba to see if there can be a reasonable contract offer for either. Additionally Murray is seeking to resign RFA Comrie who returned to the Senators from the Isles. If the Senators are looking to trade then they will first look at who can leave Ottawa for nothing come summertime.
CHRIS NEIL
As a strong, aggressive and multi-facetted player, Chris Neil is high on the trading block right now. Many teams are rumoured to have been calling looking for his rugged dependability as something to bring to a possible cup contending club. Neil has not been a success for Ottawa the past couple of years because of the changing role requirements placed on him. When the Sens went all the way to the Stanley Cup and lost, Neil was a new father with a new role. He went from being the club’s bruiser to being a deep checker who can chip in on plays. Since then he shifted back to an aggressive checker under Paddock and with Hartsburg he was asked to drop the mitts more often than use them on the stick. If Neil and Murray do not come to terms on a deal then Neil may be shipped out. If and when he is shipped to a different club Neil will most likely be asked to return to his 2006/07 roll and the Senators will be watching from the Links while Neil continues on to a potential cup.
What is Chris Neil’s current market value? Not very high. He can garner a mid-second round pick as he is right now as opposed to what clubs will ask of him. There are some people believing we have a Chris Neil style player waiting on the Injury Reserve in Cody Bass though. Personally I wouldn’t bank on a kid who had his season come to a dead stop from a shoulder injury. More importantly it is the nature of the injury that alarms me. I am more concerned Bass is more like Eaves and less like Neil.
FILIP KUBA
After acquiring Kuba from Tampa Bay he has become a solid blueliner for the Senators. However, there are a few rumours swirling that he may end up traded this year if he chooses to wave his No Trade clause. Murray and Kuba are currently negotiating a long term deal because Kuba enjoys playing here and has no intention of leaving. The only reason why he would go is if both sides could not come to an agreement and it all depends on the NTC or an offer sheet in the summer. Murray is, obviously, going to want the NTC waved over the waltzing out of the capital for nothing.
MIKE FISHER
More often than not I hear two names pop up about possible trades fans want and do not want to see. First is Mike Fisher. Most people want to see Fisher leave the Ottawa Senators it seems and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. He is a mobile player who can usually pot in a fair share of points while being the club’s top energy guy. Just got scored on? Throw Fisher back on the ice and get some energy from a few great hits. Just got a goal but want tempo? Throw Fisher on and see if he can’t nab another one. There is more to a hockey player than stats. If (big if too) Fisher is traded then he is most likely only going to get a mid-to-high end pick in the late first to early second round; maybe. Perhaps a young unsung talent, but otherwise, Mike’s place is here in Ottawa.
JASON SPEZZA
Yup, Spezza. Listen. Spezza is a talented young center, but he is a liability on the ice as much as he is an asset. He often cannot and will not play well without Heatley whereas Heatley has proven in the past to play fine with any talented center willing to shovel him pucks. Spezza’s cocky attitude both off and on the ice has been noted over the years and sooner or later it will catch up with him. However, why Spezza is such a great idea in my books is because of his trade value. If Murray is trying to signal that this is a rebuild year then unloading some cap space for younger more mouldable talent is the way to go. Spezza can be moulded still, but Clouston is going to have to ride him hard (if permitted) and correct him at every mistake. So far Clouston has done that, but I am not entirely sold on Spez’s future with Ottawa. It feels as though he has been mailing in this season knowing the Sens will not make the play offs.
IN THE END
No matter what happens between now and the trade deadline, Murray needs to make some key and bright decisions. If he makes a bad trade now his career is fated to end. If he does not make a trade at all he is going to be lynched by the fans. After twelve years of making the playoffs the Ottawa Senators fans want to have a cup. We got inches from it once and since then the team, at its nucleus, has not been the same. Either it has to change or something huge has to be done to spark them.
- W
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
May I have some ice cream with my humble pie?
I am absolutely astonished. You might remember when Clouston was hired on as our coach I was certain that was the end of the season. I was dead certain that the Ottawa Senators would not respond and they would fall off to obscurity. Well, so far, it appears that I have a slice of humble pie coming my way.
Although a four game streak usually does not rank high on my list of amazing accomplishments, it is how the Sens got there. Home and home wins over the Sabres – one from a shootout the other from domination on the ice – tickled me red, white, black and gold again. Then there was the wild game against Minnesota!
IT’S A COME BACK KIDS!
I didn’t get to watch the game, but I checked the score at the end of the first period and I sighed deeply. How disappointing to hear a three goal deficit. My wife even came in and pointed out how poorly the Senators have played from behind. To my total amazement the Senators came back from three goals down and beat the Wild to the tune of 5-3. That win proved to me that not only do the Senators have the ability to overcome this adversity, but that the new coach was the right decision.
CLOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT OFF
Yup. There we go. My first cliché about Clouston’s name... I figured I’d get that out of the way quickly. The Senators have played great hockey as of late. Clouston’s philosophy is one of offence and even the once fading away Dany Heatley has rebounded and started contributing again. The Ottawa Senators are poised to become a playoff spoiler for a number of teams and by the end of the month they could have leapt from 12th in the conference to playoff contention.
Playoff contention ... I said it. Can I have some ice cream too?
If you look at the teams the Senators play between now and March 1st, you can’t help but feel optimistic.
Feb 16 – Predators: 11th in the west
Feb 17 – Avalanche: 15th in the west
Feb 19 – Canucks: 5th in the west
Feb 21 – Canadiens: 5th in the east
Feb 24 – Hurricanes: 9th in the east
Feb 26 – Sharks: 1st in the west
Feb 28 – Maple Leafs: 11th in the east
Of these teams the obvious issue will be the Sharks. However, even might Boston had issues containing the Senators and the Sens had yet to fully turn the corner since Clouston’s hiring. If the Senators are able to pick up five wins in this schedule they will likely leap into 10th spot in the standings or so. Seems like a big feet to consider? Well, the Predators and Avs should pose as good tuning games when you get down to it. Although the west is a close race in points (in the under 70pts bracket), the Preds and Avs are unlikely to change momentum and get back into the hunt entirely. The Canadiens are another team that the Senators will need to exploit. They are destined for greatness, but it appears that this isn’t their year. As for the Leafs, well, the Sens have played horribly against them this year. However, they were never permitted to play a run and gun kind of game ... the sort of game the Leafs back end cannot stop. That leaves the ‘Nucks, Sharks and Canes. I think that the Canucks and the Sharks will be the true test of this club. The Canes are good, but the Nucks are starting to prove to be a powerhouse in the west.
Either way... I’ll admit it. I may have been wrong about this whole Clouston thing. I am happy to see Murray didn’t pull the trigger on any deals too. He is now in a position of strength if he feels the need to redo his club because he waited until they were playing better hockey. Perhaps now should simply let the team ride and focus on resigning some of the RFA/UFA market? We’ll have to see.
- W
Although a four game streak usually does not rank high on my list of amazing accomplishments, it is how the Sens got there. Home and home wins over the Sabres – one from a shootout the other from domination on the ice – tickled me red, white, black and gold again. Then there was the wild game against Minnesota!
IT’S A COME BACK KIDS!
I didn’t get to watch the game, but I checked the score at the end of the first period and I sighed deeply. How disappointing to hear a three goal deficit. My wife even came in and pointed out how poorly the Senators have played from behind. To my total amazement the Senators came back from three goals down and beat the Wild to the tune of 5-3. That win proved to me that not only do the Senators have the ability to overcome this adversity, but that the new coach was the right decision.
CLOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT OFF
Yup. There we go. My first cliché about Clouston’s name... I figured I’d get that out of the way quickly. The Senators have played great hockey as of late. Clouston’s philosophy is one of offence and even the once fading away Dany Heatley has rebounded and started contributing again. The Ottawa Senators are poised to become a playoff spoiler for a number of teams and by the end of the month they could have leapt from 12th in the conference to playoff contention.
Playoff contention ... I said it. Can I have some ice cream too?
If you look at the teams the Senators play between now and March 1st, you can’t help but feel optimistic.
Feb 16 – Predators: 11th in the west
Feb 17 – Avalanche: 15th in the west
Feb 19 – Canucks: 5th in the west
Feb 21 – Canadiens: 5th in the east
Feb 24 – Hurricanes: 9th in the east
Feb 26 – Sharks: 1st in the west
Feb 28 – Maple Leafs: 11th in the east
Of these teams the obvious issue will be the Sharks. However, even might Boston had issues containing the Senators and the Sens had yet to fully turn the corner since Clouston’s hiring. If the Senators are able to pick up five wins in this schedule they will likely leap into 10th spot in the standings or so. Seems like a big feet to consider? Well, the Predators and Avs should pose as good tuning games when you get down to it. Although the west is a close race in points (in the under 70pts bracket), the Preds and Avs are unlikely to change momentum and get back into the hunt entirely. The Canadiens are another team that the Senators will need to exploit. They are destined for greatness, but it appears that this isn’t their year. As for the Leafs, well, the Sens have played horribly against them this year. However, they were never permitted to play a run and gun kind of game ... the sort of game the Leafs back end cannot stop. That leaves the ‘Nucks, Sharks and Canes. I think that the Canucks and the Sharks will be the true test of this club. The Canes are good, but the Nucks are starting to prove to be a powerhouse in the west.
Either way... I’ll admit it. I may have been wrong about this whole Clouston thing. I am happy to see Murray didn’t pull the trigger on any deals too. He is now in a position of strength if he feels the need to redo his club because he waited until they were playing better hockey. Perhaps now should simply let the team ride and focus on resigning some of the RFA/UFA market? We’ll have to see.
- W
Friday, February 6, 2009
So.... Now What?
Last night the Ottawa Senators hosted the hottest team this year in the Boston Bruins. Although a valiant third period would eventually bring a point out of the contest, the Bruins went the distance in a five round shootout to defeat the Senators. For that one period, however, the Senators were starting to play as a team.
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
Mathematical elimination from the playoffs is no longer a what if, but rather an unavoidable inevitability. Even if the Senators were to get to the playoffs it stands to reason that the Bruins would eventually go the distance and knock them out of the race within the seven game slate. What we saw last night could be coach Clouston’s philosophy coming together, but also could easily be a bunch of players trying to play for their jobs. I tend to believe the latter more than the former, but one period does not make a career.
BLOW IT UP?
I have long sat on the side lines and bit my tongue. I have held out hope that this team would actually produce for us and I am very sceptical about making major moves; they tend to come back and bite us in the rear. However, I think the window of opportunity got a new screen, some locks to keep it shut and just in case someone attached shutters to ensure that we wouldn’t get through it. The time has come to make some serious moves ... and Bryan Murray’s mettle will be tested.
WHO SHOULD FIND A NEW HOME?
Murray has already stated that there are only a few players who are safe. We know automatically that Alfredsson is in no threat of being trade bait. We also know from Murray’s track record that the young kids like Elliott, Winchester, Regin, Shannon, Lee and perhaps Bell (lesser so the last two) will remain as Ottawa Senators. What fans will need to come to grips with is that Heatley or Spezza will be the corner stone of trade talks this month leading to the deadline. It does not mean Murray will trade them, but he will entertain calls for either of them. However, if I were going to pick between Heatley or Spezza I would trade Heatley. Spezza infuriates me to no ends with his stupid passes, but Clouston is already riding him about it. Heatley, however, still insists on going to the high slot with his stick up high waiting for the one timer. He does not skate into the play up or down ice, but rather trails it until he finds a piece of ice he can hang out on until the play comes to him. Heatley, however, still holds a great value despite his slump of a season this year (by comparison to his 50 goal years) and thus could help us package a deal for a up and coming star player. Forwards like Neil, Schubert, Kelly and Donovan more than likely will generate some interest as well.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO BIGWILL?
I would hate to be in Murray’s shoes this year. However, if given a chance I would start selling some parts to bring in some picks and prospects. I would officially write this season off and build a younger team around Clouston if he is going to be our guy. If we look back at when Martin was our coach he too had a younger core to work with. However, Martin was not very good at getting players past the development level and into the winning champion format. I would focus on the 2-3 years ahead of the team and focus on creating a secure nucleus again that will go for it again at the end of a rebuild. I do not think our defence is mobile enough and that people will be swapped around in those roles. That the forwards are too spread out in assignments and talent to be effective beyond a period or two of glimmering hope once a week.
No matter what my opinion is, or the rumours other bloggers post are or the journalists who are both aloof and close to the team happen to be writing about, we are all of the same opinion; something has to happen.
- W
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
Mathematical elimination from the playoffs is no longer a what if, but rather an unavoidable inevitability. Even if the Senators were to get to the playoffs it stands to reason that the Bruins would eventually go the distance and knock them out of the race within the seven game slate. What we saw last night could be coach Clouston’s philosophy coming together, but also could easily be a bunch of players trying to play for their jobs. I tend to believe the latter more than the former, but one period does not make a career.
BLOW IT UP?
I have long sat on the side lines and bit my tongue. I have held out hope that this team would actually produce for us and I am very sceptical about making major moves; they tend to come back and bite us in the rear. However, I think the window of opportunity got a new screen, some locks to keep it shut and just in case someone attached shutters to ensure that we wouldn’t get through it. The time has come to make some serious moves ... and Bryan Murray’s mettle will be tested.
WHO SHOULD FIND A NEW HOME?
Murray has already stated that there are only a few players who are safe. We know automatically that Alfredsson is in no threat of being trade bait. We also know from Murray’s track record that the young kids like Elliott, Winchester, Regin, Shannon, Lee and perhaps Bell (lesser so the last two) will remain as Ottawa Senators. What fans will need to come to grips with is that Heatley or Spezza will be the corner stone of trade talks this month leading to the deadline. It does not mean Murray will trade them, but he will entertain calls for either of them. However, if I were going to pick between Heatley or Spezza I would trade Heatley. Spezza infuriates me to no ends with his stupid passes, but Clouston is already riding him about it. Heatley, however, still insists on going to the high slot with his stick up high waiting for the one timer. He does not skate into the play up or down ice, but rather trails it until he finds a piece of ice he can hang out on until the play comes to him. Heatley, however, still holds a great value despite his slump of a season this year (by comparison to his 50 goal years) and thus could help us package a deal for a up and coming star player. Forwards like Neil, Schubert, Kelly and Donovan more than likely will generate some interest as well.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO BIGWILL?
I would hate to be in Murray’s shoes this year. However, if given a chance I would start selling some parts to bring in some picks and prospects. I would officially write this season off and build a younger team around Clouston if he is going to be our guy. If we look back at when Martin was our coach he too had a younger core to work with. However, Martin was not very good at getting players past the development level and into the winning champion format. I would focus on the 2-3 years ahead of the team and focus on creating a secure nucleus again that will go for it again at the end of a rebuild. I do not think our defence is mobile enough and that people will be swapped around in those roles. That the forwards are too spread out in assignments and talent to be effective beyond a period or two of glimmering hope once a week.
No matter what my opinion is, or the rumours other bloggers post are or the journalists who are both aloof and close to the team happen to be writing about, we are all of the same opinion; something has to happen.
- W
Monday, February 2, 2009
The undercoating of that bus is starting to get dirty...
While watching the Washington Capitals completely dismantle the Ottawa Senators this weekend I went through several stages... First was my worry stage. I thought that Elliot had been playing good hockey recently, but I was concerned that he would be exposed. Apathy soon followed when exactly that happened and he was pulled from the net with Auld taking over. Next came amusement when Ovechkin notched another hat trick and then annoyance when Heatley brought the team within two and kind of seemed uninspired or unimpressed with it. Dean Brown, announcing that night, thought that the Senators had really poured it on in the third period, but I disagree. If this were November then I would have nodded my head and compliment Deano in his assessment. Sadly the back end of the season is well underway and the Senators poured it on with an early season rise rather than a late season fervour. Yet, nothing compares to how I felt today when I read the news about Coach Hartsburg.
HARTSBURG HAS BEEN FIRED
There, I said it nice and clear. I whined and complained when he was rumoured to be our coach that he was the wrong guy for the job. My hopes and intentions were for Pat Burns, but the poor guy is fighting cancer ... again. With Hartsburg out that leaves the position to Murray to sub in or Cory Clouston, the Binghamton Senators head coach or a third alternative like Pat Quinn... Talk about a real piss off.
I have already stated why Quinn would be bad, but I am going to say it again in brief. We just fired a guy who has the same philosophy as Quinn with as much actual success as him as well. Forget it. Now what about Cory Clouston? He has similar experience in the minor leagues as Hartsburg did, but he is Bingo’s coach now. He came in to replace Cameron when he went back to the St. Mike’s Majors ... yadda yadda yadda. Let’s be honest. Another minor league coach in Ottawa would not help this ship. Worse than that it will not help Binghamton in the least ... Every time that Ottawa has had a coaching rotation it seems Binghamton has as well. If we want our picks and prospects to develop into solid players we need a solid coach down on the farm!
WHAT’S NEXT?
At the start of the season the word was accountability. This would be the new philosophy for the Ottawa senators after there was some barn burning done. Murray decided that instead of developing talent and dealing with problems he would simply fire them under a bus and hope for the best. It started with Paddock ... John Paddock was, by all accounts, the bulldog for the Ottawa Senators. He was a prick with the media, but was intimidated by the spotlight when he shifted from assistant coach to head coach. Although he knew the players from his time in Bingo as a coach there the transition didn’t go well for him and the team slumped. He was the first to go.
After the horrible season last year Murray continued throwing people under the bus, but moved to players. Ray Emery, our once golden boy between the pipes, was chucked for attitude rather than given an attitude adjustment. Easier to get rid of a problem than it is to confront it ... Several free agents were let go and our back end disappeared. Hate him or not, Meszaros, though a horrible defensive player was a decent opening pass player and the Senators have missed him. I personally thought he was overrated, but neither Picard nor Kuba have made up for that one pass despite the point totals from power plays and slappers from the blue line.
Anyway, before I go on too much of a rant here, that bus is getting pretty full and all eyes are now on Murray. Firing Hartsburg was not the answer. Yeah yeah. I know. I said he was a bad choice for this job, but let’s roll back to accountability. Who put this team together? Who was it that decided to turn Ottawa into a coach-killer? Who was it that has been secure in his job despite these blunders? With Hartsburg fired it has singled that the Senators are truly done for the season and either the UFAs are gone and we bring up Bingo kids (and Clouston) or a fire sale (that means home town discount guys would be in the way of the moving bus) with a new head coach for next year.
Lastly ... who would I see as a coach in Ottawa? John Tortorella. Yup. I said it. However, Torts is a smart guy. He would want a few stipulations if he came in. One he would need impunity for how he is going to coach and what he says. And two he would need some sort of assurances that come this time next year he too doesn’t befall the axe.
HARTSBURG HAS BEEN FIRED
There, I said it nice and clear. I whined and complained when he was rumoured to be our coach that he was the wrong guy for the job. My hopes and intentions were for Pat Burns, but the poor guy is fighting cancer ... again. With Hartsburg out that leaves the position to Murray to sub in or Cory Clouston, the Binghamton Senators head coach or a third alternative like Pat Quinn... Talk about a real piss off.
I have already stated why Quinn would be bad, but I am going to say it again in brief. We just fired a guy who has the same philosophy as Quinn with as much actual success as him as well. Forget it. Now what about Cory Clouston? He has similar experience in the minor leagues as Hartsburg did, but he is Bingo’s coach now. He came in to replace Cameron when he went back to the St. Mike’s Majors ... yadda yadda yadda. Let’s be honest. Another minor league coach in Ottawa would not help this ship. Worse than that it will not help Binghamton in the least ... Every time that Ottawa has had a coaching rotation it seems Binghamton has as well. If we want our picks and prospects to develop into solid players we need a solid coach down on the farm!
WHAT’S NEXT?
At the start of the season the word was accountability. This would be the new philosophy for the Ottawa senators after there was some barn burning done. Murray decided that instead of developing talent and dealing with problems he would simply fire them under a bus and hope for the best. It started with Paddock ... John Paddock was, by all accounts, the bulldog for the Ottawa Senators. He was a prick with the media, but was intimidated by the spotlight when he shifted from assistant coach to head coach. Although he knew the players from his time in Bingo as a coach there the transition didn’t go well for him and the team slumped. He was the first to go.
After the horrible season last year Murray continued throwing people under the bus, but moved to players. Ray Emery, our once golden boy between the pipes, was chucked for attitude rather than given an attitude adjustment. Easier to get rid of a problem than it is to confront it ... Several free agents were let go and our back end disappeared. Hate him or not, Meszaros, though a horrible defensive player was a decent opening pass player and the Senators have missed him. I personally thought he was overrated, but neither Picard nor Kuba have made up for that one pass despite the point totals from power plays and slappers from the blue line.
Anyway, before I go on too much of a rant here, that bus is getting pretty full and all eyes are now on Murray. Firing Hartsburg was not the answer. Yeah yeah. I know. I said he was a bad choice for this job, but let’s roll back to accountability. Who put this team together? Who was it that decided to turn Ottawa into a coach-killer? Who was it that has been secure in his job despite these blunders? With Hartsburg fired it has singled that the Senators are truly done for the season and either the UFAs are gone and we bring up Bingo kids (and Clouston) or a fire sale (that means home town discount guys would be in the way of the moving bus) with a new head coach for next year.
Lastly ... who would I see as a coach in Ottawa? John Tortorella. Yup. I said it. However, Torts is a smart guy. He would want a few stipulations if he came in. One he would need impunity for how he is going to coach and what he says. And two he would need some sort of assurances that come this time next year he too doesn’t befall the axe.
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