The Rumour Mill: Is Bryan Murray in trouble?

With all the calls from fans to fire Bryan Murray, you'd think he was already gone. But is it likely that owner Eugene Melnyk will fire the man he made general manager two summers ago? If things keep going the way they're going right now, I don't think it's unlikely--Melnyk isn't one to take a missed playoff lightly, especially since he's willing to spend to the cap to win. And, with Brian Burke now available and (apparently) looking to come to eastern Canada, there's a proven replacement available.

According to Scott Burnside of ESPN.com, Ottawa is one of a few options that Burke may have as he's looking for a new job. Here's what Burnside said:

"How would that be for irony? Burke's Ducks beat the Bryan Murray-coached Ottawa Senators in the 2007 Stanley Cup finals, a series that cost then-Ottawa GM John Muckler his job. Murray, who succeeded Muckler as GM in Ottawa and preceded Burke as GM in Anaheim, has his hands full in Ottawa with cap issues and depth of talent. Owner Eugene Melnyk is a mercurial sort, and Burke might be right up his alley. Again, not necessarily fair, but eminently possible for a team that looks to be life and death to make the playoffs."

Personally, I'm of the opinion that the problems with this team extend beyond signings that Murray has made, but I'm not sure how they can be solved. If nothing changes on the ice, though, something will have to change off the ice.

(via James Mirtle's "From the Rink")

Speechless: Isles 3, Sens 1

Another disheartening loss for Senators and Senators fans. I don't really know what to say... I can't figure out what to attribute this loss to. The best guess I can make is that the Senators were outhustled on the night. The Islanders got to the puck first, won puck battles, made the simple plays and drove to the net. So the Islanders won 3-1, and the Senators continue to search for answers.

On defence, Filip Kuba opened the scoring with a goal on the Senators' first shot of the game, one of only five they had in the period. It wasn't pretty; the Islanders outshot the Sens 16-5 in the period. It doesn't make sense that the Senators, after all that has happened in the last few days, could come out so flat to start the game, but they looked overwhelmed by the Islanders.

Kuba, for one, had a great game offensively. Although he got pick-pocketed on the penalty kill when Trent Hunter scored the game-winning goal, he was all over the place in the offensive zone. I can't count the number of times he jumped into the zone, and he finished with a game-high eight shots on net (!) in 25:35 of ice time. Would have been nice to see another goal, but he--along with a bunch of other Sens players--came up against a pretty solid goaltender in Joey MacDonald.

Kudos also has to go to Shean Donovan, who responded to a promotion by creating some chances, and to Nick Foligno, who responded to a demotion by creating some chances. And to Alex Auld, who once again kept the Senators in the game through the first period.

Two Senators players had particular intensity on the night: Mike Fisher and Daniel Alfredsson. Each were credited with four hits, and Fisher in particular just looked pissed off. They obviously want to break the slump, and want to do what they have to in order to get it done. Midway through the third Fisher ripped a shot that chimed the post, the Sens' best chance of the third. Alfie had five shots for the Sens, second most after Kuba, and had an assist on the goal.

The Sens went 1-for-7 on the powerplay, and are 1-for-16 on their three-game losing streak. After starting the season so hot on the powerplay, you have to wonder what's happened. In the third period, when the Sens were awarded a five-minute powerplay to end the game, the powerplay was so chaotic it was impossible to keep track who was where; four forwards (Fisher, Alfredsson, Dany Heatley, and Jason Spezza) and Kuba were just all over, trying to power the puck in the net. It didn't work, and there was too much trying to force things, and taking shortcuts instead of following all the necessary steps.

The Sens just had no business in that game. It was a disjointed effort, players seemed to be everywhere and yet nowhere, and the Islanders were able to keep their game simple to win the game. One thing commentator Garry Galley said that stood out was that the Senators are under so much pressure now they're thinking too much, and they can't do the things that should come naturally. I think that's certainly true, to a degree, and a lot of players are holding their sticks too tightly. Something's got to give, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Game day: Sens v Isles

The Senators hope to rebound from their... umm... un-pretty loss to the Montreal Canadiens tonight when they begin a home-and-home series at Scotiabank Place against the Islanders. It's on Sportsnet locally, and the TEAM 1200.

The only roster change is Ryan Shannon joining the big team after Jarkko Ruutu was suspended, and reports are that Shannon will play alongside Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley on the top line (was I the first to predict this?). I think it's a good move; you've got to put players, especially younger ones, in situations where they will fit and where they can excel, and Shannon is definitely a scorer. It also means the line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jesse Winchester, and Mike Fisher, which has been playing well, is preserved. That leaves, in all likelihood, Chris Kelly centring Antoine Vermette and Nick Foligno on the third line, which has the potential to be dynamic and defensively responsible, and a fourth line of Dean McAmmond and Shean Donovan with Chris Neil (although Foligno and Neil might be swapped).

Alex Auld is in nets, as it should be. Martin Gerber will get his chances later on, but there's no sense screwing with goaltending when there are other problems which are more pressing.

Keep an eye on the powerplay tonight. I have a feeling that Shannon will be on the second unit, at least, but there are more problems with that line--and especially with the defensive pairing of Chris Phillips and Christoph Schubert, who don't look at all comfortable together on the point. With a much weaker penalty-killing unit on Long Island, though, the Sens might have a bit more luck. Just watch out for Dick Park, who is awesome.

It should be interesting to watch the game tonight. Hard work wasn't the issue against Montreal, the players just weren't on the same page. With a bit more intensity (the kind we heard about in practice yesterday) as well as some more systemic play and solid defence, there's no reason Ottawa can't manhandle New York (who are the worst team in team in the league, statistically speaking, even if they're only four points behind Ottawa).

And, just to update any interested parties on Binghamton, captain Denis Hamel and enforcer Jeremy Yablonski should return to the lineup, according to Bingo blogger Michael Sharp. So, although they'll miss Shannon's offence, they'll get a boost from a couple of veterans.

Alfie's pissed

According to the Ottawa Sun, Daniel Alfredsson expressed his frustration in practice today by smashing a pane of glass with his stick. Apparently Dany Heatley also had a "heated discussion" with Chris Kelly, and then Heater had a long talk with Craig Hartsburg. You can watch a video on SUN Video here (but don't expect to see the glass actually get smashed).

This is all second-hand information from Bruce Garrioch, so I don't know how 'heated' the discussion was, or exactly what precipitated Alfie's outburst (apparently it was because the team couldn't complete a drill). But I'm not sure it's a bad thing; at least it's some emotion. The team is obviously searching for answers after a pretty thorough beating at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. Given some criticisms about Alfredsson's leadership or hesitance to make his feelings known, I think everyone knows where he's at right now.

In his search for answers, Hartsburg scrambled the lines today in practice:

Heatley-Spezza-Foligno
Winchester-Fisher-Alfredsson
Donovan-Kelly-Vermette
Ruutu-McAmmond-Neil

Obviously Jarkko Ruutu is now suspended, and it's unclear where callup Ryan Shannon will fit into the lineup. Given his defensive lacking and offensive flair, I think Shannon might pull right up onto a line with Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out for sure.

It was also announced today that Alex Auld will be in nets again on Thursday against the Islanders. He's earned at least a few starts with how he's been playing.

Will Ruutu get suspended? UPDATE: Yes, he will

Should Jarkko Ruutu get suspended for elbowing Habs' pest Maxim Lapierre to the head? Anyone who hasn't seen the hit, here it is:



I don't know what will happen. I have a feeling that given the league's emphasis on eliminating hits to the head Ruutu might get some sort of punishment, but I haven't heard any word yet.

Further on Ruutu, should he get any trouble for mocking the Canadiens faithful last night? Some people were disgusted by his antics, Glen Kulka on the TEAM 1200 being one notable name. I think it was hilarious. Waving to the fans as they booed him off the ice; what did they expect?

UPDATE: According to TSN, Ruutu was suspended for two games without pay. No word on who the Sens will be recalling from Binghamton yet, if anyone. I hope it's Ilya Zubov, give him some ice time with Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley.

Terrible: Habs 4 Sens 0

No sense pulling any punches: The Sens got pwned by the Canadiens Tuesday night. Although a few Senators had a good game, the team as a unit was bad. There was no semblance of cohesion or structure, and if history serves, Craig Hartsburg will be calling out a few more players after this game.

Story of the game was Montreal's penalty killing, or possibly Ottawa's inept powerplay (especially that second unit). Carey Price was great in their net, too, but more than that was the short-handed goal for Chris Higgins (one of his three goals on the night) and consistent offensive pressure while killing penalties for the Habs. It turned the momentum around big time.

I don't know how the Sens can fix their second powerplay unit, but you can't throw Mike Fisher, Antoine Vermette, Nick Foligno, Chris Phillips, and Christoph Schubert on the ice and expect much in the way of offensive pressure. Vermette is everywhere, but nowhere when you need him, Foligno looks lost (probably because he's trying to do too much), Fisher is just running guys over but can't get the puck to anyone, Schubert will either miss the net or have his shot blocked and turned into a rush the other way, and it's sad to say that Phillips kind of looks like he fits there the most. Jesse Winchester got some PP time later in the game, but he's not likely the solution, either. I don't know what is, but there's got to be something better.

I don't want to pick on Schubert, but I think he might have had his worst game tonight. He was caught high on the first goal against, and lost the puck on the second one. His defensive responsibility is not sold on me, and I can't say I know why Brian Lee isn't up here playing as the sixth defenceman instead of Schubert. Stats say he had four shots on net, which is more than I'd thought, but he also had three shots blocked and two missed shots. He wasn't impressive tonight.

It was a tough game for Foligno, as well. It's never easy for a young player to be demoted from second- to third- to fourth-line minutes, but Foligno is just trying to do to much. And it's costing him, as he was -3 on the night, -10 on the season, and his production has seriously tailed off. My diagnosis is for him to simplify his game; play positionally, forecheck, and throw the puck on net. His line has a very simple prerogative, so he's just got to keep it that way, too.

Biggest jackass on the night was Jarkko Ruutu, and I am glad he's on the Sens. It's a lot more fun when that guy's throwing elbows at your opponents rather than your favourite players. And it's hilarious watching him skating off the ice, waving to the opposing fans sarcastically. Hilarious. Hilarious because no one got injured, that is.

Jason Spezza responded tonight. I'd argue that he wasn't what was wrong with that line in the past few games, either, but he definitely wasn't the problem on this night. He looked pissed, and that's how he should play. He had gusto, tried a hit, crashed the net, led the team with four shots, and still found time to make some pretty passes without any giveaways--unfortunately his linemates, Dany Heatley and Antoine Vermette, couldn't back him up.

The best line was, once again, Fisher-Winchester-Daniel Alfredsson. They didn't get anything done goal-wise, but they combined for seven shots on net and were effective when they were on the ice. At times, Fisher was just ploughing through Habs defenders, and it was some incredible strength.

The best player for the Sens, however, was Alex Auld. He kept the Sens in the game in the first period, when they were outshot 11-3 and had no business being in it. His stats will take a hit after letting in four goals, but this loss was far from his fault--and it could (and perhaps should) have been a lot worse.

It looked like the Sens had turned a corner, but then they turned right back around in tonight's game. Montreal is one of, if not the, best team in the Eastern Conference, but that doesn't excuse the sloppiness with which the Senators played tonight. Should the team get back to that system Hartsburg has in place, they'd be much more competitive with the best teams in the league.

Here's a headline you didn't see coming

Habs face NHL's No. 1 goalie

The No. 1 goaltender in the National Hockey League will be in action tonight at the Bell Centre - and it's not Carey Price.

A week ago, Price had the best goals-against average in the NHL, a sparkling 1.92. But it didn't help his GAA or his save percentage when he gave up six goals to the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night and dropped out of the NHL's top 10 in both categories.

The new goals-against average leader is Alex Auld, 27, a journeyman who just might be the answer to the Ottawa Senators' goaltending woes.

So we've got the best goalie in the NHL now? News to me. Either TSN and the Gazette are in cahoots, or we've stumbled into some kind of alterno-world where Barack Obama has been elected President and the Ottawa Senators have the best goalie in the league.

(PS: It did cross my mind that adding "Barack Obama" to this blog would increase our hits today. Nice!)

A month into the Meszaros trade

When Tampa Bay traded Filip Kuba, Alex Picard, and a first-round draft pick to the Sens in exchange for Andrej Meszaros, they were certainly thinking long-term about the asset they acquired. A month into the trade, however, Ottawa looks like the far-and-away winner--so far.

For the Senators, one top-six defender was turned into two top-six defenders. Kuba leads the team in ice time with an average of 24:28 per game, is on the first powerplay unit, and regularly steps in to kill penalties. Although he may be on an unsustainable pace, his 14 assists (tied for second-highest in the league) are more than anyone would have predicted, and he has at least one in 11 of Ottawa's 14 games so far.

Picard hasn't been quite the success Kuba has been, but he's made some strides. Whether because of his play or his contractual status, he's leapt ahead of Brian Lee, Luke Richardson, and Brendan Bell on the depth chart, and plays with Kuba on the Sens' first powerplay unit. His four points (2G, 2A) should improve as he gets more comfortable, and plays more alongside Kuba.

Similar to Kuba, Meszaros leads the Lightning in ice time per game with 24:47 per game (just three seconds ahead of D partner Paul Ranger). Although he only has four points (all assists), he's got more points than any other defenceman on Tampa Bay. Considering the ice time he gets, the Lightning have to be concerned with the numbers Meszaros is putting up--especially with more time on the powerplay per game (2:42) than any defenceman other than Ranger. Meszaros is also an assistant captain, but I can't really speak to his role in the locker room.

This equation doesn't take into account the first-round pick the Sens acquired, which may be packaged up in a trade or simply used to select another prospect for the Sens' depth chart. It also doesn't take into account the contract status of the players, though; although Meszaros' cap hit is about 200k more (EDIT: fixed) than that of Kuba and Picard combined, he's signed on for another five years. Pending any re-signings, Kuba is an unrestricted free agent after this season, and Picard has one more year on his deal.

So it looks like the Sens have won the deal so far, but we won't know for sure for at least a few seasons.