Playing to your strengths

Biggest news in Senators land right now has got to be the entirely unexpected success that Cory Clouston has had since taking over the head coaching mantle. Throw into the fire that was the Ottawa Senators terrible season so far, Clouston came in with confidence and excitement, and that has visibly transferred to the players under him. You've got to wonder, though, why has he been so successful (so far, at least, by going 4-1-1) where three other coaches failed?

I think it has a lot to do with playing to the team's strengths. John Paddock failed last year because, according to GM Bryan Murray, he didn't do enough to get himself and the team ready to play every night. He overused the CASH Line to start the season, and lost the dressing room at some point. He wasn't able to regain the room, and the team couldn't gain any semblance of consistency. So Murray canned Paddock and went behind the bench himself, but to no avail; the team continued to plummet, and Murray's one big trade did nothing to help when they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.

Craig Hartsburg came in this season with plenty of fanfare. He was absolutely convinced that this team, even without truly elite defencemen, just needed a defensively responsible system to play within to compensate. He forced square pegs into round holes, telling offensive players to play defence instead. And, to be honest, I did think that was what the team needed. We had weak defence and weaker goaltending (this was before Brian Elliott saved us), but good offensive firepower. The unintended effect of this, though, was that offensive players, particularly Daniel Alfredsson, tired themselves out in defensive work and others, such as Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, looked lost at times in a system that just didn't work for them. That's not to say Hartsburg was a bad coach, he was simply a coach who wasn't right for the team and wasn't able to change his approach to suit its players.

Clouston's has been tremendously different, though. He's reinstituted the run-and-gun style that these Senators have had their most success with, and the players look like they're having fun with it. Ottawa is still a team with good speed--especially on the second, third, and fourth lines--and a hard forecheck as has been practiced takes the pressure off Ottawa's defence and puts it on the opposition's. And, with a goaltender who by all appearances may be able to steal a game (or at least preserve a game) in Elliott, the inevitable defensive gaffes won't be as costly as they once were. This may not be a team that will win games with stifling defence, but they might be good enough to outscore their opponents--which is a lot more exciting than games were earlier in the year.

The new coach has also given a new life to a few of Ottawa's prospects, whom he was familiar with in Binghamton. Brian Lee (now playing with Filip Kuba after Clouston (rightfully) reunited Anton Volchenkov and Chris Phillips) continues his solid play, but that started before Clouston came around. But Clouston has placed Nick Foligno in a second-line role position with the opportunity to succeed, and Foligno has responded well. He's used Brendan Bell effectively, limiting his even-strength ice time to that against weaker opposition and maximizing his powerplay time. He brought up Ryan Shannon, who rejuvenated the Senators' second line and has also been seeing powerplay time on the point.

It's still very early in Clouston's career. The last six games have been impressive, but it remains to be seen whether the players are only relaxed because they now have no expectations, or whether they're still running on the wake-up call that a coaching change represents. As a few more games are played, though, we'll start to see the real team come about--hopefully it will look like the one that's played the last six games rather than the one that was around for the year prior to them.

Murray next to go: Paddock

According to TSN, John Paddock has suggested that Bryan Murray hasn't assembled a team good enough to compete in the NHL, and is the next in line to be fired. His words, according to the report:

"I think now he's next in line," Paddock told the Courier-Post. "We were 14 games over .500 when I was fired. They're seven under now. Somebody needs to take responsibility for that. Whether the coaches he hired and fired were good or not, they're his players and they're either not playing good or can't play, one or the other."

[...]

"The players are not very good, that's the problem," Paddock told the Courier-Post.

I have two questions: First off, after having moved on to a new AHL coaching job and likely trying to leave his Senators' experience in the past, why the hell is Paddock choosing this time to speak out on the issues of the team? It doesn't seem to make any sense.

And secondly, is there one person who doesn't think Murray is next on the firing list, if things don't get better? I think that's pretty much the only thing people agree on with regards the Ottawa Senators right now. Whether or not he'll get to take the team through the next draft is one thing, but owner Eugene Melnyk certainly has laid his expectations at the feet of Murray, and it's up to Murray to make it work.

And one final point, about his statement that the players aren't very good: It's still early, but Cory Clouston has gotten them to play pretty well. This group is, most would agree, even less skilled than the team that Paddock had to work with, and the same one Craig Hartsburg had to work with. So maybe it's not only that the players--as a 20-man group--aren't good enough, but maybe Paddock, and Hartsburg, hadn't motivated them properly to play within a system that works to their strengths.

We will see how things go, certainly, but the timing and content of these comments don't reflect well on Paddock.

Never break up the Pizza line... ever

In light of the Sens' 5-1 win over the Atlanta Thrashers, it has become overwhelmingly obvious that the line of Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson should never be broken up. They are the engine that propels the Senators offensively, and much pieces of an engine, they don't work well unless they're in the same place at the same time (don't ask about the time I forgot to put the brakes back on my '94 Honda Accord).

Has any experiment where those three players were dispursed to different lines led to success? Bochenski, Winchester, Ruutu, Foligno, Neil... has any player in recent memory filled in well in Alfredsson's absence?

Until Bryan Murray acquires another scorer, the Senators will live and die with their top line. Replacing any of Spezza, Heatley, or Alfredsson simply demonstrates this point. Craig Hartsburg, do not break them up again this season, don't even try it.

Sure, John Paddock demonstrated that playing the top line too much leads to failure -- so don't do that. But trying to create secondary scoring by splitting the only line that produces offence has only led to one result: losses. Let's not go down that route again. This season, those losses could result in the Sens missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Paddock lands on his feet in Philly

The Philadelphia Flyers hired former Sens head coach John Paddock as head coach of the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms on Thursday. And I say good for Paddock, who took a lot of heat--whether eanred or not--for the Sens' rapid decline last season.

Paddock (whose first name is apparently Alvin) rejoins the Philly organization after playing with then in the late '70s through 1980.

Good luck, Alvin.

Building "character" in the dressing room

A lot is being said in the fallout of the Ray Emery buyout, and the subsequent trade of Brian McGrattan hasn't put any water on the fires of discussion about the Senators' team dynamics. The Ottawa Citizen is calling it an "image overhaul", but I don't think that's accurate. You don't solve an image by sending people away; you solve a reality be getting rid of the problem. So I would be inclined to agree with Alanah McGinley of Kukla's Korner in her analysis of "The Bryan Murray Show" as little more than a deflection tactic, using buzzwords like "accountability" and "character" to avoid discussing real problems.

While reading the Citizen's coverage of the trend today, some quotes from Murray had me wondering what it was we were dealing with before Emery and McGrattan were dumped:

"I want a team of real character people," Murray said, watching the club's younger players and recent draftees go through the second day of an arduous development camp at the Bell Sensplex. "I definitely want good people in the room to clear up that perception. Fans are influenced by what they read and hear, and we want to keep good people.

"Obviously, we're looking to make the team better and get in better shape in that area."

What is it we are dealing with, Bryan? This was obviously never simply a perception. Murray's comments have acknowledged that there have been problems in the dressing room, and that the two most recent transactions were measures meant to defuse the bomb that blew up the 2007-08 season before it could do any damage to the 2008-09 season (man, I am on a roll with the metaphors right now!).

If you ask long-time Senators fans for a common denominator that exists between the three biggest departures from the roster to date this season (McGrattan, Emery, and Wade Redden), they won't quote their abilities to fight. I've got no proof, and have no right to make accusations, but the fact remains that all three have been linked with off-ice shenanigans, at least in rumours. I'm not trying to lend credibility to the rumours, I'm simply acknowledging that they exist.

Those long-time Sens fans may also remember an "image overhaul" intended to clean up the attitude in the dressing room from years ago. This one involved André Roy, and the affects his decisions or outlook may have had on who was at the time a very promising developing Wade Redden. Despite being a fan-favourite, Roy was traded for Juha Ylonen in order to clean up the dressing room, so we were told.

It deserves to be discussed that McGrattan and Emery were two of the best friends of much-maligned (at least this summer) Jason Spezza. Although Spezza's apparent disinclination to seriously address the immaturity in his game--a hesitancy to back-check consistenly, a refusal to stop making no-look backhand passes--has not been linked to the deals, he needs to grow his game. And his old friends, evidenced by their on- and off-ice attitudes, were not promoting that maturity. Firing John Paddock and bringing in Martin Lapointe to stop the cancer proved insufficient, so Murray must have believed that the tumour was a lack of work ethic--given form in Emery and McGrattan, and perhaps others--and had to be cut out.

Time will tell whether or not these moves will work as intended. Another very interesting point raised in the above-linked story on Kukla's Corner is the media in Ottawa, and why these stories--which are apparently known by everyone--are never reported. Is it a refusal to use anonymous sources? Give me a break--it's obvious that in his rumour-reporting, Bruce Garrioch has no problem with quoting the anonymous. Is it wanting to stick to the on-ice news? Last year was evidence that off-ice problems make on-ice news. Is it an unwillingness to bite the hand that feeds you? Well, if you're afraid to report the truth out of fear for the repercussions, journalism might not be you true calling.

The Rumour Mill: Free agency preview

This might be a premature free-agency preview with July 1st more than two weeks away, but I figured I'd give my take on the current Sens' roster, the holes that need to be filled, and some players I'd like to see be signed to fill them.

I'm looking mostly at free agents in this preview, but with rumours in the Ottawa Sun suggesting the Senators might be wheeling-and-dealing on draft day, there might be some established NHLers or young prospects coming in to fill some of the spots I'm going to go over.

Here's a projected lineup for the start of the season, based on players currently under contract:

Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
Foligno - Fisher - _____
McAmmond - _____ - Winchester
Schubert - Bass - Neil

Phillips - Volchenkov
_____ - _____
Nycholat - Lee

Gerber
Emery

And now, to get in to the needs:

FORWARDS

1. Second-line winger: GM Bryan Murray has been looking for a second-line winger for two years, going through Mike Comrie and Cory Stillman while looking. It would be great to sign Marian Hossa, but I don't think that will work if the Sens want to stay under the salary cap. Stillman was a pretty good success, aside from an injury that slowed him down, and he demonstrated a good rapport with second-line centre Mike Fisher, which is a great sign.
   Even with Stillman, however, there is still a weakness on that line, and I'm sure Murray would like to upgrade from Nick Foligno to find a better scoring forward for the line. I think the hope is that newly-signed college prospect Jesse Winchester, with his size and offensive abilities, can step up and produce with Fisher and whoever else is on that line. Markus Naslund would be great to see--he'd probably love to play with Alfie--but he's very expensive, so the Sens might be looking for a cheaper alternative, like David Vyborny, Mark Recchi, or Mike Johnson. And I might be alone in this, but I'd love it if the Sens to could sign Sean Avery. He can take an internship at Ottawa Living magazine.
   
2. Third-line centre: Obviously, Antoine Vermette is technically still an Ottawa Senators' asset, and could very well be re-signed for a pretty good price. I don't think Murray is ready to give up on the Vermette Experiment, especially considering his special-teams ability.
   If Vermette isn't back, the Senators have a few prospects in Ilya Zubov, Alexander Nikulin, and Peter Regin who I'm sure will get long looks and good opportunities to step up and fill this roster spot. Zubov and SputNik are older and now have a year of AHL experience and at least one NHL game under their respective belts, so one of them could very well get in. If so, Ottawa would have a finesse third-line after a pretty hard-checking second line, which is an interesting swap, but it could very well work with the speed that would be involved from Dean McAmmond and Jesse Winchester. If neither of these three are able to crack the big team's lineup, I would imagine one would be traded to get some more asset(s) on the farm team, rather than three skilled centremen.

Overall, I think the forward corps looks pretty good, but there's definitely room for improvement. I think Murray would like to pick up depth, especially enough to allow him to bump Christoph Schubert back to defence, where he's desperately needed.

DEFENCE

1. Two defencemen: I'm not even going to try to classify the Sens' needs as for a 'number three' defenceman or a 'number five' defenceman or whatever. I think it's pretty obvious that Brian Lee will be back on the Senators blueline after an impressive showing in the playoffs, and Larry Nycholat has a one-way contract and has earned a spot on the big Sens after an all-star worthy performance in the AHL.
   Andrej Meszaros is still around, and the Sens would be in the wrong if this blue-chip prospect was allowed to walk. I do believe that Murray will bring Meszaros back, even if it's just for a one- or two-year contract. And, although he had a tough go at the start, I think Mike Commodore is worth bringing back.
   I think every GM in the league is looking to sign Brian Campbell in the off-season, and Murray is certainly no exception. Reports are that he's going to throw everything he can at Campbell, but I'm not optimistic that's going to be enough, considering the salary pressures the Senators are currently under.
   After Campbell, there isn't much in the way of puck-moving defencemen. Rob Blake would be awesome, but I don't think he's leaving Los Angeles unless it's for Colorado. Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit are two names that come up as next-best-behind-Campbell conversations, so they'll be given looks. I think the Sens should take a look at Dick Tarnstrom; although he's soft, he can quarterback a powerplay, and he led the Penguins in scoring in the year 1 B.C. (Before Crosby, that is). Karel Rachunek was good while he was here, as well, and I don't try to hide the fact that I'm a Rachunek fan. I'm not sure how much he likes the idea of coming back to Ottawa, though.
   
2. Defensive depth: This isn't a hole that shows up on the depth chart above, but the Sens are seriously lacking in defense in Binghamton if Nycholat and Lee are both on the big team. Tarnstrom could be signed as depth, if he's willing to accept a two-way contract. No matter what, assistant GM Tim Murray is going to have a lot of work in signing young or middling defencemen. I won't go over names, but it'll be a task of the younger Murray to find needs and ways to address them.

The Sens are in decent shape defensively, but definitely need depth to fill out the D corps. Thank goodness Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov are such bargains, because it's great to have their steadying presence on the roster and on the ice.

GOALTENDING

According to the depth chart, the Sens have two NHL goalies. But Ray Emery will not be back next season, and I think that there are a lot of ways to upgrade Martin Gerber, even. I'm far from certain the answer lies in either Jeff Glass or Brian Elliott, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Nor do I think a goaltender that may be drafted this year could step in right away.
The free agent goaltender crop is slim pickings. Olaf Kolzig, Jose Theodore, and Cristobal Huet are all out there, and any one could be good, but they could also be abysmal failures. There's the prospect of running with an all-Swiss duo of Gerber and David Aebischer, which would be hilarious if nothing else, and would make a huge fan club amongst the hockey circles in Switzerland (especially if Streit was brought in on defence). I like both of Johan Hedberg and Alex Auld, but neither of them could be starters, and would at best be tandem-starters.

COACHING

Hello, assistant coach? We need one. These rumours of bringing John Paddock back are hopefully hogwash. Nothing personal, but I think we need to move on. I have a feeling that Peter DeBoer's trip to Barbados was a last-ditch effort to talk him into accepting an assistant coaching role, but that's just a personal inkling. I'm anxious to see the other names, though, and whether the successful candidate is one of Craig Hartsburg's people or someone Murray wants to bring in.

That article really made itself grow quickly. Congratulations on making it to the end. Let me know if there are names out there you think warrant a good look from Murray, or who you'd sign were you in his place.

Paddock reflects on Rayzor-gate

John Paddock spoke with the media today, notably about how he would have handled the whole Ray Emery situation differently.

''I should have pulled him off the ice in some of those practices where he wasn't working.''

Emery's work ethic has often been questionned. But more importantly, when he came back from his wrist injury, Ray Emery expected to be handed the number one job right away. That's when the shit hit the fan, if you will, for Emery, the team and Paddock's job.

As Mike Milbury said repeatedly during TSN's trade deadline coverage, part of a head coach's job is to keep his players' focus in check. The Emery situation became a distraction for the team, and Paddock quite simply couldn't handle it.

It's nice of Paddock to admit to his mistake, even though it's too late, obviously. It further proves to me that the right move would have been to go with one of Martin Gerber or Ray Emery and run.

Apparently, Bryan Murray was very close to dealing for Nikolai Khabibulin, but the Russian keeper's back problems put a stop to talks. Maybe it would have been a good move to put Emery on waivers, the way Brian Burke did with Ilya Bryzgalov.

Paddock gone, and Low goes with him

As you've probably seen all over the place, John Paddock has officially been fired. Something that wasn't predicted was the simultaneous axing of Assistant Coach Ron Low. GM Bryan Murray will take over as interim head coach, and there have been no announcements as to a possible replacement for Low.

This whole thing would have been better if the players would have worked with Paddock's system, because it's obviously nothing personal and I'm sure Murray would have loved to keep it the way it was.

No pundits have speculated future possible head coaches when the hiring begins next year. It will likely be candidates that were discussed before the Paddock hiring, including Kevin Dineen and Randy Cunneyworth. And, although I really don't like him, you have to think Bob Hartley is a possible shit-disturber to come in next season.

In the meantime, though, Murray is jumping back there. A lot of the players are probably happy to have him back, and move back to the style that worked so well last season. One thing that really helps Murray is that he's built this team to his own liking; it may have been a failing of Murray to pick up players suited to his own style instead of ones that would have fit Paddock's style. But now that Murray's back there, nothing matters.

Murray's long-term intention will probably be to reinstate a game plan to use the Sens' skill and speed in a 2-1-2 system, where two forwards forecheck and the third hangs bck to support the defence. It will simultaneously allow defenders to take the chances that they were able to take last season. In the meantime, though, it might not be a bad idea to play a trapping 1-2-2 system to get the Sens out of the funk we're in. I guess we'll find out soon, though.

Note to NHL teams: watch out.

EDIT: Apparently Paddock has also been given the opportunity to remain with the organization, and will take some time (until the season is over) to consider his options. It is uncertain at this time what type of opportunity it would be, whether as an assistant, an AHL coach, a scout, or if it is simply a formality that Paddock will simply not take that opportunity. More will come in the future, I'm sure.

Role reversal: Player throws the coach under the bus

Well, this is new.

In the Ottawa Sun today, Chris Stevenson quoted an anonymous player--presumably an Ottawa Senators' player--calling out head coach John Paddock for his coaching tactics. Speaking of apparent burnout on the top line, the player said, "I could have told you this was going to happen back in October".

Earlier in the season, Paddock has named players who he felt weren't performing well enough, calling them out in the media. It doesn't seem that he has been doing as much naming of late, however. On this blog, and especialy on Black Aces, we've mentioned that that technique is destructive and unprofessional, and it seems Paddock may also have come to that realization.

For a player to do so, even under anonymity, is equally as unprofessional. Maybe even more so; a player is supposed to respect the authority of the head coach, and not take digs at him. Especially not when it looks like the coach is on his way out. Approach him behind closed doors, approach the general manager and offer your criticism, but don't tell the media you how right you were and how wrong he was.

If Paddock is sent packing, or steps back into his role as an assistant, I wish him all the best. Even if head-coaching isn't his thing, he has had success and popularity as an assistant coach. And he's a nice guy when he's not behind the bench.

Time is ticking for JP

After being embarassed (and shut out) in a second straight game, and only a minor deal happening in Sens land, it's hard not to think John Paddock's job is on the line.

The Bruins just blew Ottawa out of the water, beating them 4-0 in Boston last night. A very, very average effort from just about everyone on the team. When Martin Gerber gives Anton Volchenkov 'the look', as if to say 'come on man, what are you doing?' when he inadvertently screened his keeper on Boston's third goal, trying to block Zdeno Chara's shot... it tells you something about the kind of atmosphere there must be in the Senator's locker room.

TSN's NHL experts all seemed to agree that now would be the right time to finally hit the so-called 'panic button'.

When even players admit that a coach has 'lost the dressing room', it's very hard to not think something's going to be done. Sens fans can only hope Bryan Murray pulls the plug (and takes over himself) before it's too late.

The dust settles on the trade deadline

The feeding frenzy that was the 2008 trade deadline has passed; 25 trades, 45 players, 23 draft picks. Although it was probably very busy in terms of telephone calls for GM Bryan Murray, he didn't actually do much of consequence. The one and only acquisition, as mentioned earlier on this blog, was that of right-winger Martin Lapointe.

The pick-up of Lapointe was obviously a move to add a veteran who, according to pundits, is not afraid to speak with teammates in a respectful manner to try and get the best out of them; in other words, a player-coach. He will see limited ice time, likely on the fourth or possibly third line.

There were a lot of players rumoured to be in the Senators' sights over the course of the days and hours leading up to the trade deadline. Goaltending was a position a lot of fans wanted to see addressed, but Murray must have decided that going with Ray Emery and Martin Gerber was as likely to succeed as picking up a rental like Olaf Kolzig or Nikolai Khabibulin.

On defence, the acquisition of Brian Campbell was probably not meant to be. Even if the Sens were willing to match the price of a key offensive prospect and a first-round pick, Buffalo was probably hesitant to trade their best defenceman to a divisional opponent. It was likely impossible to get Adam Foote, because he said he'd only go to Colorado, but a powerplay specialist like Marc-Andre Bergeron--who went to Anaheim for a third-rounder--would have been a boost to the struggling powerplay.

Offence was a gong show. It would have been nice to have picked up Tuomo Ruutu, but Lapointe was a solid gritty pickup. I'm not convinced that Sergei Fedorov would have done anything for the Sens. And with the price that Pittsburgh paid for Marian Hossa, the Sens were likely out of the running once the Penguins stepped in. Marcel Hossa might have been a nice addition to the Mike Fisher line, but he was likely only traded to Phoenix as a part of that blockbuster.

In the day, the Eastern Conference got much weaker. Stars including Brad Richards and Brian Campbell went west, with no one of that calibre returning to the east. The team that loaded up the most was probably Pittsburgh, but that team was never lacking in goal scoring. The bigger problems were defence and--although Ty Conklin has done well so far--goaltending, and adding Marian Hossa didn't help those problems. His ability to step up in the playoffs is also unproven, so the pickup might not even help them in the playoffs. And they lost a popular player in Colby Armstrong who got under opponents' skin as well as an up-and-coming centremen in Erik Christensen.

The biggest change may still be to come, however. As stated over on Black Aces, Murray hasn't given a vote of confidence to head coach John Paddock. Although it's impossible to know how he will do in the playoffs, he has given me very little reason to believe that his tactics are good enough to get this team through the playoffs. So maybe the change behind the bench will be the most effective at getting the Sens winning regularly again.

Paddock firing a 'foregone conclusion': TSN

Brent Wallace of TSN just reported on TSN TradeCentre '08 that the Senators' firing head coach John Paddock may be a 'foregone conclusion.'

Wallace went on to state that Paddock has lost the dressing room, or at least segments of it, and cited the three players who have requested trades--Ray Emery, Martin Gerber, and Joe Corvo--as proof of that.

More to come.

When a good team loses, the coach is to blame

The Senators just lost 5-0 to the Maple Leafs. This is ridiculous. I didn't watch the game, thankfully, but I've seen enough of the Senators' recent games to sense the disturbing trend of a lack of motivation and interest. It falls on the coach to make sure the team is playing as well as it can on the majority of nights, if not every game.

Toronto, by all accounts, played well. In the same way a coach is to blame when a good team loses, a coach is also to be commended when a bad team wins; Paul Maurice deserves credit for getting his team to look past all the distractions (the captain being asked to accept a trade and refusing, four others following suit, being basement-dwellers far out of a playoff spot, having no idea if/when you'll be traded, and so on) and putting forward an organized effort to beat the Sens.

John Paddock deserves no such praise. The Senators started the season 16-3, and I'm beginning to think that has a lot more to do with players wanting to get another chance at the Stanley Cup than it has to do with anything Paddock did or has done. Since then, the coach has proceeded to build complacency and fatigue with top-line players who are overplayed and improperly utilized, frustration with third- and fourth-line players who are drastically underplayed and put in destructive sitautions, and disenfranchise both goaltenders to the point that neither is in the mental state to lead this team. When players fail to do what Paddock thinks they should do, he calls them out publicly instead of examining whether or not his tactics are appropriate.

The repertoire of responses Paddock has is very small and very ineffective. Calling players out has proven completely useless, and in fact may be counter-productive. When that doesn't work, Paddock continually plays the likes of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley, or Jason Spezza until fatigue makes them ineffective. Or he just completely screws with line combinations with the faint hope that somehow, some way, something will work. But it doesn't.

The Senators had every reason to be motivated for tonight's game. It was against the provincial rival, even if that rivalry has faded in recent seasons. It was the night after getting knocked out of first in the East after something crazy like 138 days. It was the last game before the trade deadline. It was a few nights after a significant come-from-behind, third-period victory against the Penguins. But it was an embarassing, forgettable, regrettable outing for the entire team.

Heads need to roll. More accurately, one head needs to roll. Even if another player is added by tomorrow's trade deadline, the most important change might be a change behind the bench. Paddock might not even be a bad coach, but the bottom line is that the team is not responding to him, so a change has to be done to get the players playing their best again. It's unfortunate that GM Bryan Murray seems to have a close personal relationship with Paddock that complements his professional one, but as the general manager he needs to make the changes that will help the team win. And getting rid of Paddock seems to be the biggest and most effective change he can make at this point.

JP breaks his own rule

Coach John Paddock has decided to go against his own rule of 'you win, you're in' with his goaltenders, opting to give Ray Emery the start tonight against the Flyers.

In a way, I think it's a good thing. I cannot remember the last time a cup-winning team went into the last stretch of the season without knowing who their number 1 keeper was going to be. In fact, the only example I can think of is that of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the year after they won the Cup. Said Lightning team lost in 5 games to the Sens in the first round.

I am still unsure who really is a better goaltender. But I think it is crucial for the team to rally behind the one guy and stop this pointless competition.

"Ray Emery will start tonight breaking John Paddock's rule of 'win and you're in', as Emery was the loser Saturday vs New Jersey. Paddock says neither goalie was happy with the arrangement and he challlenged them at practice on Monday to just go out and stop the puck."
-TSN

Again, Paddock shows off his awesome diplomatic skills by using such well-weighed words... But it's the result that matters, and at the end of the day (and hopefully at the end of tonight's game), the Sens will be better off.

Where we stand: Last year to this year

The Sens are in the stretch run now. While Bryan Murray is looking for more additions to fill out the roster in preparation for the playoffs, there are already a few changes that can be argued to have strengthened or weakened the team. After making it to the Stanley Cup Finals last year, how does this year's roster stand up to last year's? While some of these were not straight-up deals, here is a comparison of players who, at this point, will be on the roster come playoff time:

Now: LW Cory Stillman

Then: RW Mike Comrie

• This is a tough call. Comrie's speed offered a lot to that second line, but Stillman comes in with the potential for clutch scoring and much more playoff experience. They play a similar style, but the six points Comrie scored last year should be replicated by Stillman should the Sens progress in the playoffs (knock on wood).
• Verdict: Now. Although it's still early, I'll give Stillman the benefit of the doubt.

Now: D Mike Commodore

Then: D Joe Corvo

• Also, it's such recent news that you're probably bored hearing about it. We lost a speedy, puck-controlling defencemen who is great on the powerplay but could be prone to defensive liability--although he was solid in the playoffs. In place we have Commodore, a punishing defenceman who's limited offensively but makes it unpleasant for opposing forwards to hang around in front of the net. He'll be a valuable presence physically and shot-blockingly in the playoffs, but our powerplay might feel a pinch.
• Verdict: Now. It's a tight race, but if Murray can acquire another puck-mover then Corvo's absence will be softened. And the presence Commodore brings come playoff time should be pretty valuable, especially if it allows D Wade Redden to take a few more offensive chances.

Now: RW Randy Robitaille

Then: LW Oleg Saprykin

• Since the Stillman acquisition, Robitaille has been relegated to fourth-line minutes, which is probably a good place for him to be. While his quickness is not as good as Saprykin's and he's not as willing to work in the corners, Robitaille has the ability to add a scoring dimension to the fourth line of Shean Donovan and Chris Schubert, which is valuable in the playoffs.
• Verdict: Then. With the minutes the fourth line plays under John Paddock it's negligible, but Saprykin seemed to have a little more gusto. If Robitaille steps it up come playoff time, though, this verdict could very well change.

Now: C Shean Donovan
Then: LW Peter Schaefer

• This is a strange comparison because the expectations for each of these guys is completely different. Where Schaefer was expected to be a second-line player, Donovan is expected to be a third- or fourth-liner. Donovan's numbers aren't as good as Schaefer's, but neither is his ice time. While Schaefer was occasionally good offensively and could kill penalties like nobody's business, he couldn't be relied upon in clutch situations. Donovan hasn't been given a shot at PK, but he did it last season, and he's a decent player for the 10 minutes or less he plays in a night.
• Verdict: Then. Just because Schaefer looked good on a line with Mike Fisher and Comrie, coming reasonably close to a second scoring line in the playoffs. If another second-liner comes in to off-set the hole on that line, then Donovan's position as a role-player will be valuable.

Now: D Luke Richardson
Then: D Tom Preissing

• Richardson brings a lot of experience to this team. He's recently spoken of how this is the time the team needs to really pick up their socks, and he showed he's ready to do so with a two-point effort in the last game against New Jersey. Scoring is just an added benefit, because Richardson's real role is to offer leadership to young players--hopefully Andrej Meszaros will benefit from their pairing--and to play a physical game in limited ice time. However, it remains to be seen if Richardson will last through the playoffs, and whether or not he will be the odd man out if the Sens acquire another defenceman. Preissing, on the other hand, was underappreciated for what he brought to the team throughout the season in 2006-07. He scored two important goals, and was an extremely good sixth defenceman.
• Verdict: Then. But that's a shallow judgement; it's difficult to know what immeasurable intangibles Richardson is bringing to this team off the ice.

Now: Distracted G Ray Emery, Flustered G Martin Gerber
Then: Focussed G Ray Emery, Supportive G Martin Gerber

• Maybe this is changing. Hopefully this is changing. But there is no way you can say Emery's play this season has been anywhere near where it was last season. It might be the contract he's been awarded, or the inability to get motivated, but Emery's play has fallen off. No matter what happens anywhere else in the lineup, if a goaltender doesn't step up, this team won;t likely last long.
• Verdict: Then. Obviously.

Now: Coach John Paddock
Then: Coach Bryan Murray

• With the other changes being rather subtle, this might prove to be one of the biggest changes in the approach to the playoffs. Murray was a much more confident coach, and seemed to know what his players were thinking at all times. From a complete outsider's perspective, Paddock seems to be unable to challenge his players positively, and some individuals have fallen off as a result. Also, although this is changing, the two individuals approach ice time very differently; Murray was ready and willing to play his fourth line, while Paddock seems hesitant and overplays the first and second lines as a result.
• Verdict: Then. But there is no way to know; Paddock's approach may be tailored to the playoffs, and our experience of it during the regular season is misinformed. I hope that's the case, but I have my doubts.

Now: GM Bryan Murray
Then: GM John Muckler

• Murray isn't afraid to make big moves. While he's stated he isn't interested in removing any more players from the lineup, he is obviously willing to do anything that will make this team better. The chief criticism of Muckler is that he only made small deals, and wasn't able to pick up players that could take the Sens over the top (see this post). His confidence in the roster he had, however, was admirable.
• Verdict: Now. Murray's willingness to make more trades might enable this year's team to address all the areas where there has been a step backwards (mainly defence and goaltending).

Who needs secondary scoring? Sens 6 Habs 1

In the 13 games that either Dany Heatley or Daniel Alfredsson--or both--were injured, I'd forgotten how much the Senators' CASH line could dominate a game. Just 22 seconds into Saturday night's game against Montreal, I was reminded. And then, just over a minute later, another reminder. And then again three minutes after that. You get the picture. By the time the fat lady sang (the national anthem in Vancouver; at least it looked like a fat lady), the Sens had absolutely massacred the Canadiens 6-1, and (more importantly, some would say) won me $5 from a friend.

Jason Spezza looked incredible, and scored his first career hat trick plus three assists to bring himself within two points of the NHL scoring lead. Alfredsson scored twice plus three assists, to tie Alexander Ovechkin for the league-lead with 73 points (additionally, Alfie's scored 14 points in his last three games; not too shabby). Heater scored once, added three assists, and now has seven points in the two games since returning from his shoulder injury. When all was said and done, the line had combined for all six goals, nine assists, they were +12, and had 12 of Ottawa's 29 shots. Simply amazing.

Alongside the heroic story of the CASH line reuniting was a pretty darn good game for Ray Emery. Don't let the 6-1 score fool you, this game could have been close. Rayzor came up big with some key saves to keep the Sens pouring on the offence, stopping 33 of the Habs' 34 by the end of the night. Say what you will about John Paddock's "win and you're in" philosophy, it seems to have brought the best out of Emery--even if it took a few games. I guess it's this kind of play that makes his off-ice shenanigans a little more palatable.

Also Lost in the Flood (Bruce Springsteen reference; great song) of goals was a decent game by Wade Redden. Maybe Bryan Murray should ask him if he'll waive his no-trade clause before every game, so Reds will get pissed, play well, and kick some young kid's ass. Especially notable about that fight was that, despite the fact that Redden smoked Sergei Kostitsyn with an uppercut, he only suffered a two-minute minor penalty. To quote Kenny Wu of Mighty Ducks 2 fame, "Two minutes? Well worth it."

There were Ottawa two points NOT scored by the big line: Anton Volchenkov and Joe Corvo each had one assist. Defensively, Volchenkov blocked five freakin' shots. Offensively, Corvo's assist was the hundredth of his career. Both had good games.

Sens play 20 minutes against Habs, lose 4-3

Well, that was a frustrating loss. Made more frustrating by the fact that had Ottawa continued the momentum of the first 2 minutes of the game, there could have been a victory. Or if the team had played the first forty minutes as well as the third period, it would have been a different story.

There's no way John Paddock can call out Jason Spezza for his play against Montreal. I don't know why he did, as it likely served no purpose aside from making guys hate him more, and a playmaker like Spezza needs play-finishers to be effective. Tonight, though, he scored a nice goal, got an assist, and finished +1 overall.

The difference was probably special teams, as it so often is. After Chris Kelly scored to give Ottawa and early lead, the two consecutive penalties really took the wind out of the Sens' sails, especially the second one where Andrei Kostitsyn scored to tie the game. The Sens got a little down after that, and a sick passing play ended with Tomas Plekanec giving Montreal a 2-1 lead.

Martin Gerber probably should have had at least one of the two second-period goals, if not both of them. Mark Streit shot a rocket from the blue line that Joe Corvo may have tipped, but it was stoppable. Plekanec' second goal of the game was banked in off The Gerber, because he was cheating in anticipation of a cross-crease pass.

Things picked up in the third, and I wish the whole game was like that. The Sens outshot the Habs 12-4, and both Spezza and Antoine Vermette got Ottawa to within one. Randy Robitaille and Kelly both got stoned by Cristobal Huet, and the Sens ran out of time on the comeback If Ottawa can play like the third period on Saturday, then there's a chance for a victory to restore our lead in the Northeast Division; if Daniel Alfredsson's able to return to the lineup, all the better. Oh yeah, and there's a game against Florida in the meantime, on Thursday night. The only reason I'm not tremendously disappointed is that the Panthers beat the Leafs 8-0 tonight, but the Sens had better watch out if Florida runs with that.

Note about Alfie: A friend saw Alfredsson at the airport on Monday night, and casually said, "So, are you going to be ready to go tomorrow, Daniel?" Alfie said no, but that "He'd get [the Canadiens] on Saturday." So there you go.

Did Ray Emery ask to be traded?

"Trade Emery" from Flickr user blix613

There are conflicting statements as to whether or not Ray Emery asked to be traded at some point during the season. Ray Emery himself denied the speculation, but if you watch the interview, there appears to be some hesitancy in offering his answer. He was careful when answering the first form of the question: "No, I didn't ask to be traded at the end of December" (emphasis added) and didn't seem to know what to answer in when asked if he'd ever requested a trade, eventually answering "No."

General Manager Bryan Murray suggested that Rayzor did think a trade was his best solution, however;

"He [Emery] thought that there was maybe a situation elsewhere that he would fit better and it could work for him, but in my last couple conversations it's been the opposite. He told me that he certainly wanted to be here, he liked this group of people, he even told John [Paddock] and I that he respected what we had to do yesterday, so that's a step forward for him."

So it remains an interesting situation, to say the least. Murray has openly stated that he spoke with other teams about goaltending, implying a possible trade of either Emery or Martin Gerber. If Emery did ask to be traded, I can't say I would blame him.

Emery has had a difficult time getting motivated this year, and he's admitted as much. He has lost the starting job, and hasn't given the team any reason to give it back to him; the only reason he's gotten repeated opportunities have been the struggles of The Gerber to maintain consistency. He has been run roughshod over by the media, which has likely hurt his motivation further; why bother trying to impress a group of individuals who continually label you as an embarassment?

It seems highly unlikely that Emery can have a meaningful future with the Ottawa Senators. Fans are very tired of his lack of motivation, and for good reason. The media, as mentioned over on Black Aces, seem hostile because Emery doesn't give them what they want. Management is disappointed because they've rewarded him with a 3-year deal for $9M, and he hasn't responded positively. Perhaps most importantly, though, is that Emery has likely exasperated and offended his teammates, where there is little reason for them to trust him as a teammate.

At this point, however, there are few ways to go. Ottawa fined Emery almost $15k for his lateness, which seems appropriate (if a little underwhelming), and they won't be suspending or demoting him. His behaviour and mixed results in games bring his value down in an already tepid goaltending market, so it's unlikely he can be traded for anything remotely resembling what we believe to be his market value. It seems we'll be running with the two-goalie system and hopefully this time around, Emery gives his training and play the work it needs for him to regain the top-goalie billing he earned in the last two seasons. If not for his present teammates, then in order to make himself a tradeable player so he can get a fresh start in another market--one with significantly less media exposure.

Postscript: Regarding the "Trade Emery" photo: Ottawa is awesome. What an eclectic town... graffiti, but it still all has to do with hockey. I guess that's why people want to get us called Hockey Country. Thanks to blix613.

Emery fails his team again

From the Ottawa Sun:

Ray Emery is going to have some explaining to do.

The Senators goaltender, who has had his share of time management issues this season, showed up at 4:04 p.m. for the team’s 4 p.m. practice at the New York Islanders' practice facility.

Senators coach John Paddock didn't let Emery on the ice. The club is believed to be considering its options - including a suspension.

Players were given the option of meeting the team in Long Island rather than travelling back to Ottawa for the club’s 1 p.m. charter.

Last month, Emery was told to leave Scotiabank Place by Paddock after sleeping in and showing up five minutes before a practice.

It's time for Paddock to cut the foreplay and make a decision. I don't care if he's suspended, sent to the minors, traded, whatever; his behaviour is unacceptable from a professional whose only job is to show up for practices in reasonable shape and play competitively in games. Emery hasn't been making practices--and has barely been competitive in those he's made--and although I can't make a statement about his physical shape, he hasn't been good enough for followers of the team to forgive his behaviour (he's below .500 in winning percentage).

The excuse he's apparently offered is that he thought the practice was at the Nassau Coliseum, not the practice facility. Too bad. If that is the case, it still demonstrates an underlying lack of preparedness, commitment, and simple ignorance. It reeks of self-obsession.

If Martin Gerber is the best goalie available, live or die with him. If he isn't the best goalie available, get a new one. If Brian Elliott isn't ready to go, get a new backup. Second and third chances are long past, it's time to move on.

For the sake of covering both sides of the story, I'm sure Ben will post the other side of this Emery debate.

Searching for answers

I didn't write a blog about the Sens' 6-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. There wasn't much to be said, it was a bad game that the Sens deserved to lose.

An interesting statistic graces the front page of the Ottawa Citizen today: In the first 19 games of the season, the Sens were 16-3; in the 29 games since then, the Sens are 14-11-4, less than a .500 winning percentage.

The fact that the Sens are still in first place in the East is a testament to how amazing the start of the season was, but that amazing start is far removed in the mind of most Sens fans. The nagging questions we've all been asking are what has happened since then, and how the Sens can get back to their winning ways.

Although this collapse cannot be placed squarely on the shoulders of one individual, you have to wonder what role John Paddock has in this dilemma. A lot of the problems start in nets, and by not choosing one goaltender to run with, Paddock has made both goaltenders worse. Ray Emery has not been given the consecutive starts he needs to get into a groove, and Martin Gerber has been unceremoniously pulled from games--the loss to the Flyers is a key example, where the result was not the fault of the goaltender--and hasn't been given reason to believe he'll be the starter. As the head coach, Paddock needs to make a goaltending decision and stick with it; both goaltenders can be good once they're given the opportunity.

In that story from the Citizen, Paddock seems to be asking the same questions we are all asking.

Why are we not playing harder? I think it's a matter of just raising the level of urgency and understanding that level of urgency has to be maintained.

-John Paddock

Once again, the head coach needs to have a handle on these problems. If the team is suffering from a lack of urgency--and I'm still a little fuzzy on what that phrase means--a coach needs to find a way to instill it into his players, and work off internal leadership to have the team work itself out of a rut.

The injuries to Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson (although Alfie will be back tonight against Florida) have come at an inopportune time when the Sens started to look pretty good, as seen in the 3-2 victory over Detroit. And that is inconvenient to the efforts to turn the slump around. However, just about any coach with a top line of Heatley, Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza can win a game, especially when those three elite players are surrounded by the depth that Ottawa has. The challenge comes in having the team win when some of those players are not in the lineup, or are not playing at their best. And this is a challenge that Paddock has failed to answer.

There is a limited number of things a coach can do when a team is not playing hard enough. Paddock doesn't have control over the actions on the ice of a player like Antoine Vermette; he can't simply say, 'Antoine, go and score!' and have it happen. What a coach needs to do is establish a system the players can buy into and give the players the tools and the opportunities to play that system.

On a personal level, it's no secret that Paddock is a huge fan of the physical aspect of hockey. He needs to adapt his mindset to the assets of the Senators, however. Ottawa doesn't have players like Steve Downie or Scott Stevens, no matter how much Paddock wishes we did. Instead, we have Chris Neil--effective in small doses, but often prone to taking penalties while trying to draw them-- and Anton Volchenkov--much more effective for his positional play and shot-blocking ability than his bone-crushing hits.

More importantly, though, Ottawa has speed. Enough speed to break the trap when teams try it, and enough speed to outskate any team in the league. Almost to a man, the Sens are a fast team; Vermette, Dean McAmmond, Chris Kelly, and Shean Donovan are a few players whose speed can kill opposing teams, and even role-playing forwards like Cody Bass and Christoph Schubert are fast when they need to be.

So Paddock needs to adapt to the assets the Sens have. He needs to give the CASH line the ice time they need to be effective, but he can't over-use them; they will become worn out before the end of the season, and other players will suffer from their lack of ice time. And the players need to look at themselves in the mirror, and reflect on the run the Sens put together during last year's playoffs; if they want to get their again, every single person will have to step up their game. If they want to go that one step further, there's another step they'll have to get to.