An asshole is born; Sharks beat Sens

Great series of comics called Itch (Danieldraws.com) really seem to sum up my feelings this morning... because I totally called it.

The Sens got torn up by the Sharks last night. Dany Heatley got 2 assists and Patrick Marleau had two goals. So, you know who's really responsible for this loss, don't you? That's right! Wade Redden! (Who nixed a trade for Marleau a few years ago with his NTC).

...and why is Mike Brodeur in net? Man... a lot went on last night. Off to work!

Around the boards: Game-used tutu, and Redden's legacy

See? Sens fans have a sense of humour. This, a hilarious fake-hockey-card from Puck Daddy's ongoing fake-hockey-card contest, is funny. Funny because Daniel Alfredsson isn't afraid to dress up as a ballerina for Hallowe'en. And funny because Alfie is among the least 'pansified' elite players in the league (to borrow a term from Mike Milbury). Pre-tire number 11 already.

*****

There were a couple lineup changes for tonight's game against the Colorado Avalanche. First off, Brendan Bell will be dropped from the lineup to give Alex Picard a slot on defence. Not sure how one sort-of-bad-game means that Bell's four or five preceding good games weren't good enough, but it should be good to get some fresh legs in the lineup tonight. It wouldn't be right to keep Bell out for too long, he's earned a spot on the powerplay.

Secondly, Alex Auld is going to make the start. He had a shutout last night against Nashville, and a couple periods of shutout hockey a couple nights before in Minnesota--he's earned a start. It's a bit strange to have him playing back-to-back in difficult circumstances (time zone change, air quality/elevation in Colorado), but we'll see how it goes. If I had to bet, though, I'd wager that Brian Elliott will still get most starts for the remainder of the season.

*****

It would be unfortunate if the legacy of Wade Redden becomes that of an overpaid and underperforming New York Ranger who plays out his contract in the AHL, rather than remembering the success that the former Senators defenceman had earlier in his career. But that seems to be just what Larry Brooks of the New York Post, who called the Redden signing "the worst in the history of the NHL, if not in the history of hard-cap pro sports," seems to think. From Brooks' column:

"It's bad enough that the only way out for Sather is if he can muster the courage to 'fess up to Jim Dolan and explain that, sorry, but the Garden is going to have to pay Redden $31M to play minor-league hockey in Hartford the next five years in order to remove him from the cap - think Sather will still have a job for life following that hypothetical conversation? - but it's worse that this albatross has become Tom Renney's Folly, as well.

"There may not have been more of a downer this season than seeing the head coach send Redden out to the point to start the power play in Florida Friday night with the score tied 1-1 and 4:05 to go in regulation. Redden had no business being on the ice in that situation. He lacks decisiveness and vision. His shot is weak. It bangs off teammates' bodies 35 feet away from the net more often than it gets through."

It was certainly a terrible signing, and it was based on such ridiculous optimism that Redden could return to his old form that it's laughable. Calling it the worst signing in the history of the NHL may be hyperbole (Remember Alexei Yashin's 10-year, $90M contract with the New York Islanders?), but it certainly makes the Senators look good for bowing out of the bidding war (despite the need for a puck-mover of some sort) instead of making a crippling long-term decision.

The worst part is that no one can blame Redden for accepting the 6-year, $39M contract--but he's going to have to live with the fact that he's not living up to the unfounded expectations unless by some miracle his play turns around.

*****

A five-game winning streak, and the Sens have made up two points and one spot in the push for the playoff spot. Then again, I guess no one said it would be easy.

But maybe with Montréal resorting to old friends (Mathieu Schneider) and benching or demoting current players (Alex Kovalev and Sergei Kositsyn, respectively), maybe their free-fall is far from over. Not that I'm trying to rub it in, or anything. We understand your frustration, Habs fans; we're (hopefully) coming off of a calendar year of it. Plus Toronto will be selling soon, Pittsburgh's a basket case, and Buffalo's without Thomas Vanek for a month, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm not going to get my hopes up for a playoff spot, but hopefully the Sens make it one hell of a ride. Even if they finish ninth or something, with the reported depth of this year's draft class, the Sens could get a pretty darn good prospect with their own pick, and maybe a half-decent one if Bryan Murray holds onto the San Jose Sharks' first-rounder that was acquired in the Andrej Meszaros deal.

The Ottawa Boo-Bird (Boobirdicus canadensis)

Sens Army is bitter these days.

Alexei Yashin started Ottawa's bitterness with his tremendously self-involved mid-contract renegotiation demands, and Sens fans let him know just how well-liked he was when he returned to the lineup, and every time he returned with the New York Islanders after that. Nowadays, other players are feeling (or hearing) Sens Army's anger, from Zdeno Chara (after walking away from a team that helped him develop from a sideshow attraction on Long Island to an elite defenceman) to Wade Redden (who, after receiving a standing ovation for all the good he did in town, had the boos rain down on him for [we assume] refusing to waive his no-trade clause twice and then walking away in the off-season) and, now, Joe Corvo (who demanded a trade because he wasn't a fan of Ottawa's small-town atmosphere and incredibly invasive hockey interest). And that's just with former Senators, there are plenty of others (Chris Pronger, Sidney Crosby, and lots more, I'm sure).

And the attendants to Scotiabank Place have no qualms booing current players, when they appear unmotivated or have an impotent powerplay opportunity. It's been happening a lot recently, and, after spending so much money to get in to the building, fans have a right to do so.

The 6th Sens blogger Graeme Nichols thinks booing Redden is a reflection of Ottawa fans "smartening up". SENS Town blogger Steve thinks it's high time Sens Army lets Corvo know that he didn't have it so bad.

This post is really just a observational thing, really. And I'd be interested to know who Sens Army enjoys booing the most, and how they feel about booing former heroes Redden and Corvo.

We're all boring: MacGregor

Last Friday, The Globe and Mail's Roy MacGregor wrote an article about the decline of the creative player in the history of the Ottawa Senators. Focussing the article on Jason Spezza and the hard time Ottawa's number one centre has been getting in this fine city of late, MacGregor went back through history using the examples of Alexandre Daigle, Alexei Yashin, Wade Redden, and Joe Corvo to prove that Ottawa hockey fans hate creativity:

"The reality is that fans in this government town have a hard time warming to hockey players who gamble, or take chances or dare to be creative.

"In the early years of the modern Senators, when chances were rendered irrelevant because the team wasn't going to make the playoffs anyway, they turned on Alexandre Daigle for his blind passes. They later turned on Alexei Yashin for several reasons, among them his penchant for hanging onto the puck and trying to go through entire teams — twice if possible.

"More recently, they turned on defenceman Wade Redden — a community-oriented young man who loved the city — because, well, he kept chancing long passes to breaking forwards that didn't exactly work out each time he tried them.

"And they turned on defenceman Joe Corvo — who made no bones about disliking his time in Ottawa — because he kept jumping up into the play and vacating the post he would have been attached to if the Senators were a table-hockey team rather than an ice hockey team.

"Try the dickie-dickie-doo in Ottawa and they'll run you out of town if they don't all work out."

Let's go over the individual circumstances of each player MacGregor suggests we chased out of town based on their failed dickie-dickie-doos:

1. Daigle: You're kidding, right? Daigle had a good rookie season, but dropped off significantly after that. He just didn't seem to be interested in committing to the rigours of being a full-time NHLer. After failing in Philadelphia, Minnesota, and an acting career, Daigle went to Switzerland to play a more relaxed brand of hockey.
   
2. Yashin: I think it was more the constant contract disputes that made us angry at Yashin, more than his risk-taking. You know, holding out on a contract and demanding it be renegotiated really isn't going to endear you to Ottawa fans.
   
3. Redden: Was never chased out of town. Redden wasn't re-signed after his contract came up, because he's just not a $6.5M player. And when he came back to Ottawa for the first time, you'd think he was Ottawa's city-wide hero based on the ovation that he received.
   
4. Corvo: Maybe instead of blaming Ottawa fans you should look at Ottawa media for the reason why Corvo left town. Particularly Ottawa Sun beat writers, who dubbed him 'Uh-Oh' Corvo and were merciless in their criticism, Corvo demanded a trade. Despite the fact that he didn't like the city, he remains popular with a lot of fans here.

There are plenty of fans who are unnecessarily harsh in their criticisms of Spezza, but--and I've said this before--offensive creativity and defensive responsibility aren't mutually exclusive. Most criticism Spezza receives is just overzealous demands that he be the best player he can be, by making creative plays when the time is right, and being responsible when he needs to be. Daniel Alfredsson is the best example of this in Senators history; he'll mess around with the puck, even on a penalty kill, but he'll make sure he doesn't screw up. And on the occasion he does make a mistake, Alfie is the first one back to help make up for it. That's all were asking from our skilled players.

EDIT: I e-mailed this post to Roy MacGregor, and he was nice enough to send me this response:

"That's great, Peter. The beauty of sports columns is that they are just good fun and fodder for debate. I welcome it. But you'd have to admit if you listen to the idiots who call in to the Fan 1200, they seem to despise anyone who thinks there should be creativity in the game.
"Best,
"Roy"

"Good" bye Wade

Final thoughts on Wade Redden:

Sure, everybody loves Wade's charitable causes (such as buying a suite for charity at each Sens game) and he played heroically in the playoffs after his mom died, but this guy's career fizzled over the past two years and he left no question in the "Who should the Sens sign: Redden or Zdeno Chara?" debate from a couple years ago.

Not only that, Reds refused to waive his no trade clause at the trade deadline last year though he knew that he wouldn't be returning to Ottawa. Even my attempts to divorce him from the team couldn't get him to go.

And to the Rangers and their incredible $6.5 million per year contract: Quite a risk... at least you get a suite out of it.

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.

Report Card on Sens Defence

2 Luke Richardson
Peter says:

• C+
• Started the year strongly, highlighted by a one-punch knockout against Brandon Dubinsky. As the year went on, however, his speed (or slowness) became a factor, and he was scratched for the playoffs. His leadership may have been good, but it didn't help the team.
• Won't be back for next season.

Ben says:

• B+
• Did everything expected of his this year and more. Played significant minutes for an old guy, but according to the playoffs, didn't bring the leadership needed.
  

4 Chris Phillips
Peter says:

• A-
• The Big Rig played the way he plays. Reasonable physically, and pretty good at shutting guys down. He looked good with Anton Volchenkov at the start of the year, and once Mike Commodore started playign well he looked good with Phillips. His leadership will be counted on for next year.
• At only $3.5M, he's a bargain.

Ben says:

• B
  
• Definitely a bargain, but did not have nearly the impact that he did last year in the playoffs. This could be because he didn't play with Volchenkov as much.

6 Wade Redden
Peter says:

• F
• Terrible. You could probably count the number of good games he had on one hand. Maybe even the number of good plays he made on one hand. If Redden really wanted to be back with this team next year, he sure didn't show it in his play.
• Won't be back next year.

Ben say:

• 'Nuff said.
  

14 Andrej Meszaros
Peter says:

• C+
• Started poorly, but played pretty well once Bryan Murray stepped back behind the bench. He had a decent playoff. His puck-moving and powerplay abilities are even more valuable on the Sens since they've lost Tom Preissing, Joe Corvo, and--in all likelihood--Wade Redden over the course of two years.
  
• He's got too much potential to give away. Unless he's traded for a rarer commodity (part of a package for a franchise goaltender, say), the Sens should try and re-sign him for $2.5-3M, if they can.

Ben says:

• C+
  
• We should have expected more from Meszaros this year, and he didn't really deliver. An underwhelming season, but hopefully the exception in his Sens career.
  

24 Anton Volchenkov
Peter says:

• A+
• Amazing. The man is an absolute warrior.
• Maybe the best deal in the league at $2.5M per year.
  

Ben says:

• A
  
• I would almost give him our #1 defender spot at this moment. Not because he's great, but others did not play as well. Can't fault him for that.

44 Mike Commodore
Peter says:

• C+
• Commodore looked terrible when he first got here, but once he started learning the system he looked better. Although he can be slow, a full year under whatever system the Sens employ next year would be beneficial, and he's a pretty solid playoff player.
• If he'll sign for $2M or less, I'd like to see him around for another year.
  

Ben says:

• D+
• Looked slow throughout the regular season and the playoffs. Did not really make an impact on the team. We didn't even see much of a hair or beard 'fro. It would be a risk to keep him around, but not nearly a Hasek-level risk. I say do it.

55 Brian Lee
Peter says:

• B-
• The General played well in the few months with the team. He's really benefited from his time in Binghamton, and I'm only expecting better play for next season. He may even step into the top-four, if everything goes his way.
• Still on his rookie contract.

Ben says:

• A+
• Although he resembles a zombie, I must say that Lee is the great hope for the Senators' defensive corps. No one could have asked more of Lee this year. He showed Redden how Redden used to play.
  

Sens played like shit: Report

This series was nothing short of a disgrace. In my mind, this loss was far more shameful than any playoff loss to the Leafs in modern Senators history.

There was no spark or motivation driving the Sens this playoff. From the start of game 4, there was not the same energy that gave the Sens a chance to win game 3.

It was painfully obvious that their best players were not motivated to perform. Though Daniel Alfredsson's round-1 return was indeed heroic, it seemed that his team expected him to win the series single-handedly.

Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley were barely noticeable on the ice. This led Bryan Murray to play Antoine Vermette and Dean McAmmond (deservingly) late in the game.

From TSN.ca

Martin Gerber's play has been solid for the Senators, but TSN hockey analyst Darren Pang believes he's got a serious flaw.

...He's not a great goaltender?

Certainly the whole team screwed the pooch throughout the series... including Gerber. He was barely in the net for the Penguins second goal. The Pens hit two posts and got numerous second chances from rebounds.

Couple weak goaltending with porous defence and invisible offence and you've just defined the Ottawa Senators 2007-08 playoffs.

Oh, and to end it on a nice note: Goodbye Wade Redden. I hope you die.

Game 3: A hell of a hole

After a 4-1 loss on Monday night, the Sens have a hell of a hole to dig their way out of if there's any hope for us in Sens Army to make this ride last significantly longer. With the series now 3-0 in favour of the Penguins, the Sens would have to make history and become only the third team to recover from three games down to win a series. The key is to take the series one game at a time, however; it's a lot easier to win one game than it is to win four, so start with that.

This game was not nearly as one-sided as the scoresheet would indicate. The teams were neck-and-neck through the first two periods, with Ottawa outshooting Pittsburgh 14-12 in the first and the Pens responding by outshooting the Sens 13-12 in the second. In the third, though, the Pens scored twice in the first 90 seconds, and Garry Galley described it the best in saying it appeared the Sens just weren't ready to start when the puck dropped.

Despite the loss, a lot of Senators had very good games. For the first 30 minutes of the night, Nick Foligno looked absolutely amazing, and he was rewarded when he scored a really nice goal to kick off the scoring. Strange as it is to think, that might have been the turning point. The Sens looked to really step back a bit after the goal, culminating with the game-tying goal by Maxim Talbot just a few minutes after Foligno's marker. The Sens never seemed to get back the tempo they had in the first period after that.

Although his goals-against average remains 4.00, Martin Gerber had a decent game. He wasn't the same as he was on Friday, but he made some clutch saves while the Senators were struggling with defensive coverage early in the game. He stopped 34 of 38 shots, and it would be hard to blame him for any of the goals, although perhaps the first one was stoppable.

On the whole, Mike Commodore had a really solid game. He was really hard on players, doing all the behind-the-scenes physical play that you can get away with in the playoffs, and he was even making smart passes and appropriate pinches. Wade Redden had a pretty good game, too, probably his best effort so far (better late than never, I guess). It goes without saying that Anton Volchenkov played exactly as advertised, and he is just the kind of warrior every player wishes they could be.

In the forward ranks, not a lot of players looked amazing. Positively, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza appeared to have more jazz to their game, but they still have to outscore the top players on the Penguins for the Sens to win any games. Role players like Shean Donovan and Dean McAmmond also played the kind of games they had to, and did some great work while killing penalties.

The best player for the Senators tonight was Daniel Alfredsson. He had more impact than any other Senators' player in the game, led the team in shots on net with four, and played over 17 minutes despite the obvious fact that he's nowhere near 100 per cent healthy. More importantly, he made a huge point to the rest of the players on this team's roster: lead, follow, or get out of the way. When he was killing off a 5-on-3, I was amazed with the incredible leadership. Pretire #11.

A lot of fans will complain about the refereeing. Some of it might be warranted. The Sens too nine penalties (including a double-minor), and Pittsburgh took four, and I have a hard time believing the Pens were that innocent. The frustrating part of the calls, as Steve Warne of the Team 1200 elucidated in the post-game show, was when scrums around the net after the whistle, the refs only called a Sens player for a penalty. The most disappointing call in the game, though, was when Ottawa was on a powerplay mid-way through the third, and Heatley was given a double-minor by the back referee for high-sticking when Jordan Staal lifted his stick to get the puck. Although these penalty calls were deflating for the Sens, I don't think refereeing was the difference in the game.

The most disappointing Senator player, to me, was Chris Neil. I was really hoping that he would make up for an off-year by really stepping up his play in the playoffs, but he's been a liability on the whole. In tonight's game, he took three absolutely useless penalties (two for roughing and one for cross-checking), and that's unacceptable against an offensively powerful Penguins team. Including the six minutes tonight, Neil has taken 22 minutes so far in three playoff games. I'm not going to call for heads to roll, but he's got a lot to prove if he wants to stay with this team.

As I listen to the post-game show, there are laments for the season that was. As disappointing as this game three loss was, the Sens are still in the series. For the Sens to win game four, all they need is a little puck luck, some friendly refereeing, and for the best players to play their best. At this point, there's no reason for the Sens to leave anything in the tank, because it's the most literal of 'must-win' situations. I'll be at game four, and I'll be cheering as loud as I can.

And I promise if I see Gary Roberts around the arena, I'll cripple him.*

*not a real promise

Game 1 aftermath

I'm trolling the internet for some perspective on last night's game.

Good news:

• Some say Martin Gerber's not playing too poorly. His remarkable glove save in the third period was Highlight-of-the-night-worthy.
• Anton Volchenkov is probable for game 2. The shot he took to the face only caused a cut. When I was watching the game, I heard a fellow game-watcher say "orbital bone". I cringed.
• Jim Hughson doing play-by-play for a Sens game?! I must have died and gone to heaven! Or Bob Cole must have died and gone to hell.
  

Bad news:

• The Sens hardly ever win game 2. You'll hear all about that on Friday.
• The CBC still (and forvever) has a man-crush on Gary Roberts. Despite being thrown out of the game in the third period, he was able to be tracked down for a post-game interview.
• Cody Bass was born and raised to kick ass. I love the fact he's not afraid to take on anyone. He nearly jumped through a referee to get at Roberts.
• Brian Lee had 17 minutes of ice-time. Pretty darn good for a rookie. He even hit people. Still not body-checking people: Wade Redden - 18 minutes of ice-time - $6.5 million.

I really wish the next game was on TSN. Damn Canadian socialistic public broadcasting policies!

Game 1: Did you expect it to be easy?

The eternal optimist in me wants to focus on the positives, but let's get the shitty stuff out of the way first.

The Sens looked like a team that was missing some of their best players tonight. The team didn't flip the effort switch until the third period, where they began to follow my advice: If you can't play well, play dirty.

The well-deserved frustration boiled over late in the game and the Senators began to play rough. Good! Next game, start this in the first period. Get in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin's face and let them know that you'll be coming after them all game.

I was happy to see Wade Redden drop the gloves. Get riled up for God's sake. Do not go quietly into game 2. Let the Penguins know that they're in for a fight. Hopefully, this attitude will translate into aggressive forechecking and maybe, a goal.

There appeared to be no leaders on the Senators in game 1. Dany Heatley was jawing at Crosby quite a bit, but he did not come lead with an offensive spark. Randy Robitaille accompanied Jason Spezza and Heatley on the top line, but none of these three players had an impact. One of the players I did notice, however, was Christoph Schubert. Playing smart, physical hockey I hope whatever advice he got from Bryan Murray is passed onto the rest of the team.

Well, I guess I'm not an optimist. Let's hope that game 2 can turn me into one. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to seeing Ray Emery in game 3. (That comment is only half sarcastic).

Penguins line-up, Sens defence update

You can find the Senators' lineup tracker in the left bar. This is the Penguins lineup for tonight.

Dupuis - Crosby - Hossa
Malone - Malkin - Sykora
Ruutu - Staal - Kennedy
Roberts - Talbot - Laraque

Orpik - Gonchar
Whitney - Scuderi
Letang - Gill

Fleury
Conklin

Bryan Murray told TSN that the defensive pairing of Chris Philips and Anton Volchenkov would be reunited to take on the Malkin line. That means Mike Commodore and Wade Redden (if God doesn't answer my prayer and render him temporarily paralyzed) will make up the second pair.

Plenty of motivation for Senators

Going into the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Ottawa Senators have no shortage of motivation. From no respect in the media to no respect from the opponents, the list goes on.

First off, no one in the media is giving the Senators a speck of respect, and many are predicting a cakewalk for the Penguins. Maybe the Sens have made this bed; the way this team has been playing they don't really deserve much credit. But they way we all know they can play, and the way they have played at times this season, and the penchant for players like Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley, Cory Stillman, Chris Phillips, Chris Neil, Dean McAmmond, Mike Commodore, Christoph Schubert, and Antoine Vermette to step up their game when the going gets tough is enough to at least give the Sens a shot at making some waves in the series.

As if that wasn't bad enough, there's the possibility that Pittsburgh chose their opponent. Although fans of the Penguins are vehemently denying this, the scratching of Sidney Crosby if the regular season's final game, and the lacklustre performance by the rest of the squad in that 2-0 loss to Philadelphia, all with the Eastern Conference regular-season title on the line, smells a little funny to me. The mentality, as pundits and Sens coach Bryan Murray has suggested, is that the Pens preferred Ottawa's style to the punishing play of the Flyers, so they made it happen. If that's true, there could be some unpleasant surprises in store for the Pens.

On an individual basis, plenty of players have a lot to prove, and it starts in the net. Martin Gerber has been knocked for his unreliable play for the last six weeks, and especially for his unproven playoff record. If he steps his game up a notch and steals a game or two, he makes a great case for himself; if not, he might have a hard time finding a job for next season (as the Sens might simply buy him out).

After that, Wade Redden has had a forgettable two seasons, and he's playing for a contract for next season. If he really wants to stay in Ottawa, he's really going to have to pick up his play and lead by example--and make his breakout passes count without turning over the puck.

Staying on the blue line, Commodore has been tagged since Murray picked him up as a playoff warrior, and most people have looked past his struggles in the regular season by looking forward to the playoffs. If he fails to step it up when it counts, it won't look good on him or the general manager.

Moving up to the forward ranks, both Heatley and Spezza can go a long way in earning the long contracts they've both been signed to. The team's slide was suspiciously timed shortly after those two were signed to their multi-million dollar, long-term deals, and both of those players need to show that it wasn't a mistake.

Randy Robitaille and Chris Neil have had terrible seasons. Robitaille hasn't been the producer he was expected to be, and he's getting one last chance to play on the top line; if he does nothing in the first 20 minutes of the game tonight, count on him being bumped down to the fourth unit in favour of a physical presence beside Heatley and Spezza. Neil hasn't been the pest presence he's suited to be, except for the annoyance Sens fans feel when he takes penalties instead of drawing them. Not to mention his offensive fall-off, Neil really needs to prove himself this playoff run.

Although Robitaille is probably playing for a job next season, Vermette is playing for a big pay increase. If he can finally prove once and for all that he has the ability to step into a second-line centre role and continues to play like he did in the final two games of the regular season, he's due for a doubling or perhaps tripling of the salary he's making right now.

However you cut it, the possibility is there, and the Sens have plenty to prove. All they have to do is make it happen.

I hate you, Mark Bell

The Sens beat the Leafs 8-2 last night. As important as that win was for the Sens' playoff hopes, if it comes at a cost of Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher then it might be all for nought. A playoff run without those two players, even if they're only gone for the first round, might end long before we'd all like it to.

While Fisher's leg injury looked to be more the unfortunate fallout of a normal-looking hit, Alfredsson went out after a dirty hit from Mark Bell in the first period, which gave Alfie his 'upper body' injury (although hopefully not a concussion) as well as knee problems. The Bell his has been called an elbow to the head, but you'll have to watch it to judge for yourself whether or not it was legal.

Everyone is speaking in terms of a clean/dirty dichotomoy, which isn't the issue, in my opinion. No matter how you cut it, this was a dirty hit--as was the hit Chris Neil threw on Chris Drury last season, which everyone is comparing it to. They were both blind-side hits to players in vulnerable postions, which resulted in injuries.

The real issue, however, is the legality/illegality of the hit. If you do believe that Bell's elbow was contained, and it appears it was, then the hit shouldn't have been an elbowing penalty. It was, however, a blatant intent to injure. Yes, players aren't trying to make friends and they are trying to make their opponents feel a bit of pain, but there is a difference between knocking a guy down or knocking a guy off the puck and intentionally trying to injure a player. It all comes back to the respect factor that retired players continue to say is lacking in today's game.

More important than the intent to injure, however, was the fact that this was a hit to the head. A fourth-line player with nothing to offer the league but bad public relations laid a devastating hit on a perennial all-star winger. The league wants it's skilled players to showcase their abilities, and they can't have hacks like Bell throwing hits to the head--whether the hits are with their elbows or their shoulders. If the league really wants to cut down on injuries, they need to cut down on hits to the head.

Plus Bell decided that injuring the captain wasn't enough; he had to go after an assistant captain, too. After the hit on Alfredsson, Bell threw his stick into the feet of Wade Redden while Reds was chasing down an icing call. Bell was nowhere near being able to beat Redden to the puck, and he lashed his stick out directly into Redden's feet, knocking the defenceman down hard into the boards with a trip. Whether or not you like the way Redden's been playing this season, he still eats all sorts of minutes and is valuable for the Sens' team. Another gutless play from a guy running around with the confidence of a full face-shield protecting him fom any repercussions.

I understand that it was most important to get the two points on the night, I was a little disappointed someone didn't go after Bell once the game was out of hand. Although it's difficult to punch a guy wearing a cage, it offers a pretty handy place to get a grip on him and toss him around a bit. If Mike Commodore had grabbed the mask and tried to rip it off, then fed Bell's injured chin a few shots, it would have been a little easier to swallow this morning. But I guess we get to live with the fact that Bell's probably just frustrated that he'll get his in the slammer.

Lee recalled, Redden out?

The Ottawa Senators today recalled defenceman Brian Lee, who just returned from injury, from the Binghamton Senators today. According to TSN.ca, Lee "will play tonight" against the Buffalo Sabres, but Wade Redden is a game-time decision after suffering an injury when he tripped himself and smashed face-first into the boards.

Either coach Bryan Murray knows that Redden won't play, or he has been planning to insert Lee in place of Luke Richardson. I assume, however, that it's a measure to replace Reds in the lineup. Which is appropriate, because Lee will be expected to replace--at least partially--the loss of Redden in the off-season.

I am now 99.9% certain that Redden won't be back next year, so I'm just going to assume that Lee will take his spot. Or Andrej Meszaros will take Redden's spot, and Lee will jump into Meszy's role.

A crushing defeat: Habs 7 Sens 5

I love how well this photo illustrates the crushingness of tonight's loss...

Wow. Just... wow. I can't believe how ugly those first two periods were. And more frustrating was how well the team played in the third period. Why not just play that way all game long? I have to admit, I was watching the game with some friends, and I stopped watching once it was 6-1 and watched a few episodes of The Office. The American edition. Steve Carell is hilarious. We checked back with 10 minutes gone in the third, and it was 7-4. So we watched the rest of the game, which ended 7-5. A lot better than the 7-1 score going into the third.

I'm pretty sure this loss wasn't because Chris Kelly and Dean McAmmond were out, even if those two are valuable contributors. If it was, we're in trouble for a while. I hope Cody Bass plays tomorrow, because he's a Kelly-esque hard worker.

Is it wrong that I laughed when Wade Redden trip himself and smashed into the boards behind the net? He's a great person in the community. He gives a lot back to the city. He might be a good leader. But he's been terrible for most of the last two seasons. His tripping and smashing into the back boards, turning the puck over to the Habs for an easy goal, is a microcosm of the season we've seen from him: a complete disaster. At this point, I don't think Bryan Murray would want him back even if Reds agrees to sign for $1.5M or something ridiculous.

Where the hell did Randy Robitaille learn to play that hard? Maybe we should scratch him every other game, so he always feels he's got something to prove. NHL.com only gave him one hit, but I saw one shift where he had at least two, and he finished with two assists and was +2 on the night.

The Sens' powerplay was terrible. Eight powerplays, including a 5-3 in the third that could have made it a tie game, but they bombed. I'm not sure what the problem is. Certainly frustrating is seeing Jason Spezza or Dany Heatley trying to stickhandle through the neutral zone, have the puck knocked back, and havign to regroup and try again. Although dump-and-chase on the powerplay is ugly, it might be necessary. Puck movement in the offensive zone--when it is eventually gained--is usually fine, but shots don't get through. The powerplay's been clicking the last few games, but not tonight.

The floodgates have opened offensively for Mike Commodore! The man has two assists in the last two games. Outstanding. Also of note: Martin Lapointe got a goal and an assist and now has five points in 12 games with the Sens. Andrej Meszaros shot 13 towards the net, even though 5 got blocked on the way. He's continuing to improve, despite his -2 rating tonight, and he might be priority number one this off-season.

The goaltending situation got a little cloudier. When Martin Gerber allowed three goals in the first period, including some poor ones, and Ray Emery came in for the second, I thought there was some drama. Then Emery allowed four goals in the second, including some poor ones, and it addressed no concerns. Then Murray announced that Gerber would start again tomorrow in Buffalo, and it might be his last chance to prove he can be the starter. Although Emery will be tagged with this loss, Gerber has played poorly in three of the last four.

I don't know what else to say. The CASH line combined for 6 points, with Daniel Alfredsson getting three assists. Although Heater's Drive for Fifty campaign is getting less likely, his two goals tonight brough the season total to 39, so six games to score eleven more goals.

Tomorrow's game against the Sabres can go a long way in helping me forget tonight's. But right now, the assignment I have to write--which is due tomorrow--will be extremely difficult due to all these distracting questions about my team's playoff hopes. Do the Sens have no consideration for the lives of their fans? So selfish.

Too close for comfort: Sens 3 Blues 2

Hey, it was a win, right? Right? I guess it all counts for two points. But if that's how the Sens play for the rest of the season and the playoffs, it will likely be a short post-season.

The biggest problem for the Sens was defensive coverage. Both of St. Louis' goals were of defensive gaffes, where a cross-ice pass forced Martin Gerber--who played well and had little to no chance on the two goals--to stretch out, but was unable to stretch far enough. The first one was all thanks to Wade Redden, who gave the puck away and then gave up his check (Jamal Mayers), and it was Mayers who tipped the puck in.

I don't know that Redden had a bad game, though. He had three or four terrible shifts, though, and they were really terrible, so it made his whole game seem abysmal. Also struggling on defence was Mike Commodore, again, but there are signs that show he's on the verge of coming around. One good sign was a decent pairing of Commodore and Christoph Schubert, which is an experiment I maintain Bryan Murray should try for a game or two. Luke Richardson could probably use some rest, anyway.

Speaking of Schubert, he had a solid game whether at defence or on forward, and I'm not just saying that because of the goal he scored. His goal was huge, though, and that fourth line of Schubert with Dean McAmmond (who had a beauty pass for Schubie's goal) and Shean Donovan (whose forechecking never seems to cease) is turning out to be just as useful as the fourth line Murray constructed in last year's playoffs. Which will be valuable. On defence, Schubert--who was playing with Redden on the powerplay--actually looked really good controlling the puck along the blue line with the man advantage, and when he was killing penalties with Commodore he looked positionally solid.

Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov played as reliably as they seem to do on every night, and both finished +2 in less ice time than they usually have to play (largely thanks to Barret Jackman's four stupid penalties). Volchenkov blocked three shots, and added an assist for good measure.

The best defenceman of the night, though, was Andrej Meszaros. He threw two huge hits (and three total, according to NHL.com), played more ice time than anyone else on the Sens, threw two shots on net and blocked a Blues shot, too. His powerplay control was great, and he was bumped up to the first power-play unit alongside Cory Stillman for good reason. He appears to be regaining the form of his rookie season (knock on wood), and it couldn't come soon enough.

Well, enough about defencemen. (If you couldn't tell, I was once a d-man, which is why I talk about them so much.) Now I'll move onto forwards. This is going to be a long post, I guess. It's because it was the first game I've seen in quite a while.

I'll start off with Randy Robitaille. He wasn't bad tonight; he was just Randy Robitaille. Which means he shied away from all physical play, was soft on the forecheck, controlled the puck well but was unable to make time and space that he needs to make plays. When he plays alongside Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, those two are rendered less effective in the offensive zone because the opposing team can allow Robitaille some leeway and focus on checking Heater and Spezza more. And in the first period especially, it was evident that the two marquee guys on that line were getting frustrated. Robitaille's role on this team is quickly diminishing with the acquisition of Stillman, and I have a feeling he might be the odd-man out when Chris Neil is ready to return.

Part way through the game, the CASH line was reunited, and it seemed to reinvigorate Daniel Alfredsson. It's obvious that he benefits greatly from playing with Spezza and Heatley, and those two use his skills well. And while playing on a line with Stillman and Mike Fisher, Alfredsson looks a little out of place; those two have a chemistry that is independent of Alfie, and I think that Neil might fall on the second line with Stillman and Fisher when he does return. Speaking of Fisher, he played incredibly, despite the fact that he had no points. On his way to recording a game-high seven hits, Fisher suckered Jackman into a penalty, and then the former rookie of the year (why did he ever win that?) Jackman took an unsportsmanlike penalty, to boot. A team composed of six Christoph Schuberts on defence and twelve Mike Fisher's on forward would be a lot of fun to watch.

The third line was outstanding. I'm not sure what it is, but Martin Lapointe seems to have changed the play of Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly, and I think this line is really making a case to get themselves a lot of bonus ice time at even strength situations. While Lapointe's skill set is limited, he has a pretty good shot, and his speed and tenacity on the forecheck mean a lot of pucks get coughed out into open spaces, where Vermette or Kelly are often buzzing around and are able to pick them up. This line was the best through two periods, maybe through the whole game. While I'm unsure about Lapointe's role on the powerplay, he sure is a sucker for punishment--he must have taken a dozen cross-checks while standing in front of the net in the second period.

The fact that nine different players registered a point for the Sens is a good sign to me. Although it was only Hannu Toivonen in nets at the other end, the knowledge that each line has the potential to contribute offensively was a huge part of last year's team's success, and is a necessary asset going forward.

One final note: I never gave Eric Brewer much credit, but he was the most effective St. Louis player during the game. And Paul Kariya was invisible except for a couple of shifts in the third period. And that's probably enough rambling "insight" for one day. I'm sorry if it was too long. If you think it would be more effective to write in bullet-point format, let me know.

I thought we were on a winning streak...

The Sens got spanked by the Hurricanes 5-1 this afternoon, in a game that will probably throw the whole town back into 'Let's fire everyone and run away' mode.

Obviously, not the team's best effort on offence or defence. Martin Gerber made plenty of saves, but still managed to send every rebound towards the stick of a Carolina player... maybe hold onto those next time?

Antoine Vermette especially aggravated me as I watched the game. He seemed to want to make the highlight reel every time he touched - and lost - the puck. Stupid decisions like this, and Jason Spezza's inability to dump the puck into the opponent's zone, made generating offence difficult.

Joe Corvo scored three goals and made Bryan Murray generally look like an ass for trading him, but I'm sure he'll give away that many pucks leading to opponents' goals in the next few games. Such is the nature of Joe Corvo.

Stupid penalties and a walking disaster named Wade helped the Canes secure their lead in the third. Nearly the entire team can be faulted for the penalties in this game, but there's only one Redden; the man who can fall in the offensive zone, but still back-check hard enough to scoop the puck out from behind Gerber.

Can we have a do-over in this Chara-or-Redden deal? I'll would still take Stillman over Corvo.

Sundin won't be a Senator (or anything but a Leaf)

According to TSN.ca, Mats Sundin has refused to waive his no-trade clause. And good for him. A no-trade clause isn't something a player earns just to waive when he's asked; it means that player has the ability to choose whether or not to be traded.

It would have been nice to have him on the Senators, don't get me wrong. Despite the fact that he's never won a Stanley Cup, Sundin is playing some amazing hockey right now. He would look great on a line with Daniel Alfredsson, and if Peter Forsberg hasn't actually thrown in the towel on a return to the NHL we'd have one hell of a Swedish contingent on this team.

Leafs fans can take this one of two ways. They can see the fact that this player chose to stay in their city and play for a shitty team that once again won't win the Stanley Cup instead of accepting a trade to a contending team and maybe win a Cup. Or they can see it as a selfish move by Sundin to avoid a couple months of adjustment for the franchise's long-term gain. Personally, I think they should take it the first way; he's just a team guy.

Fans in Sens Army had a similar scenario when Wade Redden refused to waive his no-trade clause. The difference is that while Sundin is having a great year, Redden is having a forgettable one. Which makes it a lot easier for fans to rag on a guy who has given a lot back to his community, and has given all he has to the team for his entire career.

Franchise players are hard to find. The Senators are lucky to have players like Redden, Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Mike Fisher willing to play their whole careers in this city. And the Leafs, much as I hate to say it, are lucky to have Sundin--it's a lot harder to commit to a losing team than it is to a winning one.

How Heatley got his groove back

Sens win! Take that doubters.

Senators fans got what they asked for this game, with a struggling Ottawa team digging in their heels and pulling off a 4-3 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It looks like Dany Heatley has found his scoring touch (at least for one game), and Daniel Alfredsson, after a game to forget, scored a triumphant goal to win the game.

The Pens were taking the game to Ottawa through much of the first and second periods. Only after fighting through these periods and barely holding onto the game did the Ottawa Senators find their groove.

Ray Emery had a hot and cold game, occasionally making big saves, but then following those up with awkward laying-on-the-ice-and-struggling-to-get-up tactics. But all that matters, I think, is that the Sens have stuck with a goalie.

Strange coincidence this game: Nothing bad to say about Wade Redden, and Chris Kelly looked like... well... Redden on the ice today. Also, Mike Commodore had a great game from what I saw... I just think we could have used Joe Corvo in that overtime.