Thoughts on The Sens Thus Far.

First of all, I'd like to state that, contrary to another blogger's statement, Jason Spezza is NOT going anywhere. He is among the top 5 centermen in the league and unless there's a bigger deal in the works wherein someone like Crosby and Luongo comes back, it isn't happening.

OK, enough with that nonsense.

To me, this years' Sens have looked like a team with no direction and no identity. The team was assembled to be one thing yet played like another. New defense partnerships, new forward line combinations, new coaching strategy and so on. With their last game against the Sabres, the team played the way they were designed and built to play. They got solid if unspectacular goaltending from Alex Auld, they got points from their defense, they got secondary scoring from the fourth line and the big line dominated, especially Spezza. The team played an in your face, simple game that worked hard and took advantage of their opponents' errors.

What is up with Mike Fisher? OK, he stuck up for Alfie by jumping Weber, but how about, Mikey? $4.2million/season should be good for a decent 2nd line center. Mike is playing like a fourth line grunt who could be replaced for $3.5 million less by Cody Bass.

Speaking of guys with recent big contracts..... Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly.....hello...... where are you guys? Although Vermette had a better game last time out, he needs to be used properly by the club and play a little tougher. Nice to see him knock someone off the puck to set up a goal. Keep it up. Don't let us regret taking you over Meszaros like we cried over choosing Redden over Chara.

I liked Schubert on defense. Please keep him there and let him develop. He does have some skills. Please, coach, give him till Christmas.

I also like Alex Picard. I know, I know, he s prone to defensive lapses, but come on, he is very young and adjusting to new teamates. He will be a solid 2 way defenseman in the future. Book it. Picard for Meszaros straight up seems like a decent move, but throw in Kuba and did Bryan Murray ever stick it to Tampa.

Speaking of Kuba, I know he has 8 points to start the season, but it really bugs me that a guy that big can be so soft physically. If he played up to his size, he'd be AWESOME.

Hats off to Chris Neil, taking a puck in the face only to return for his next shift to fight Buffalo heavyweight, Andrew Peters. Good on ya, Chris.

I knew the Sens were going to beat the Sabres as soon as Afinogenov was jumped for a shot at Auld after the whistle. A team that sticks up for each other is destined for great things. It shows a will to win. Same goes for Fisher defending Alfie.

Hopefully this game was a sign of things to come this season and the Sens have finally found their groove after an awkward start to the 2008-2009 season.

Completely Off Topic, But.....

I highly recommend that everyone watch this movie. It explains how we arrived at this economic crisis and how we can get out of it.




For more videos and information, please, take the time and visit:

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com

Following the Game Vs. The Panthers..... One word Post:

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Hartsburg Tinkers.....Message to Spezza?

OK, I'm going to get off of Gerber's back for a bit and plant a couple observations on you all.

It was reported today that Spezza will be "demoted" and play on a line with Foligno and Winchester. Mike Fisher will "move up" and fill in for Spezza on the top line with Heatley and Alfredsson.

My thoughts?

Spezza has been super and super-awful in this young season. His offensive prowess has flourished yet his defensive responsibility has been, well, less than responsible.

Is Mike Fisher a number one center? Probably not. Is Jason Spezza not a true number one center? Of course he is. What is coach Hartsburg's thought here? Spread out the offensive threat. Opposing teams will fear the threat of Fisher using his speed and physical play to retrieve the puck on the forecheck and dishing it to either Alfie or Heatley. Does the opponent use its "shutdown" line against this line or do they fear Winchester digging the puck off the boards, sending it to Spezza who throws it at the net where Foligno is charging hard for spillage.

Could this be the end of the Sens quest to become more than a one line team? Perhaps. If all pans out according to the coaches plan, this team will have a 1 and 1a line and that's not a bad spot to be in.

The Gerber Baby Wets The Bed

For those of you who missed Ottawa Senators' goaltender Martin Gerber's season debut this past Saturday, you missed the most horrifying display of inept goaltending ever put forth by a member of the Ottawa Senators. Keep in mind, we had Daniel Berthiaume and Don Beaupre as goaltenders in the past which says a lot.

It turns out the Sens lost in OT 4-3. Here is the winning goal:



Just for fun, here's the first goal of the game as well:



An NHL goalie NEEDS to make those saves. Imagine how disheartening it is to the rest of his teammates that they work so hard only to lose in OT after their goalie lets in not one, not two, but THREE soft goals.

Everyone is entitled to a bad game here and there, but this guy lets in more softies in one game than a Luongo lets in all season. He also does it often. The team is constantly working from a 1-0 deficit early in the game due to his first shot of the game follies.

What are the options for the Sens? Many are saying Chicago Blackhawks 'keeper Nicholai Khabbibulin can be had, but his $6 million plus salary is handcuffing.
Apparently, Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec is unhappy about going to the minors and wants to be traded. Is he the answer or should the Sens stick with Elliot as the goalie of the future?

Will the Sens swing a trade for a legitimate number one or will they ride out an Auld/Elliot tandem for this season and test their luck with the free agent market this summer?

The status quo is probably not an option for Sens fans as the message boards are rife with posters calling for Gerber's head. Fans won't sit by and watch these goaltending follies any longer. Something needs to be done. Can Auld carry a starter's load all season? Can he work in tandem with Elliot? Can Murray bring in an elite goaltender this season? Many questions and even more answers. Hopefully, the Ottawa Senators can come up with something because this team is a decent goalie away from being a legitimate threat to make another Stanley Cup Final appearance.

Nikulin Unhappy? Quelle Surprise!!

Alex Nikulin has apparently expressed his desire for a trade or he's heading back to Russia. I think I eluded to that in an earlier Blog. In any event, here is a translated version of Nikulin's personal Blog;

"Goodbye, Ottawa.
October 1, 2008.

I will say right away that if I’m going back to Russia, it’s only to play for the CSKA. When I’d be able to join the team I don’t know. Maybe in about two weeks, but perhaps more time needs to pass.

One thing is clear: I will not be playing for Ottawa. A lot of stuff’s happened during this time. Ilja Zubov and I were sent down to the farm, prior to which I was told they were unsatisfied with the results of my tests. That was rather strange to hear, because I improved all my results from last year. And anyway, tests are one thing; playing the game is another. They didn’t give me a chance to play in the exhibition games. But did give that chance to Ilja Zubov. Put him on the fourth line with the tough guys—try and prove yourself there. I don’t even know what’s better; maybe, like in my case, to never take to the ice at all. And could the tests really matter that much? Especially given the fact I played on the big team last season, having worse conditioning status than I do now. Plus, players with better results were sent down. So it’s not just the tests.

Only afterwards did it become known that the coach just doesn’t see me on his team. Just doesn’t see me there, and that’s it. He didn’t explain anything to me personally, my agent was told of this, but that’s the official version. That seems a lot more like the truth, but I still don’t understand why I couldn’t have been given just one chance, why I was simply crossed out.

So, I’ve asked for a trade, and the General Manager of the Senators Bryan Murray has agreed. But for some strange reason it’s been really dragging. Because I was supposed to have been traded last week by Friday. Then they moved the deal to Monday. But then on Monday nothing was clear again, so I wait. Now the team has left for Europe where they’ll start the season. I’m hoping everything will be settled there. For now I’m training with the farm team. But I’m not prepared to wait a long time for a deal, two weeks at most. If Ottawa can’t find a deal, I’m heading to Moscow.

But then again, a lot depends on where I’d be traded. For instance, if it’s Detroit, then I can buy a ticket to Russia right away. I won’t have a chance to play for that team. I would like to get on an average team, so I can play. By the way, should the new team also send me down to the AHL, I’ll again have to think. I will find out for how long this would be. I’m not going to waste a season in the minors.

Obviously, I’m hoping everything works out in the best way. I won’t say where I would like to end up. I’ve become a bit superstitious lately. At any rate, I’m waiting now, but it’s apparent now that I’m spending my last days in Ottawa."

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Apparently, this kid just doesn't get it. He is a perimeter player, the coaches wanted him to get more involved, he didn't and winds up back in the AHL to learn how to dig. He obviously thinks he's too good to play on the 4th line with "the tough guys". Maybe he'd learn something about desire and heart from some of those guys.

Like I've often eluded to, drafting Russians is more often than not, a wasted draft pick.

Did he even think of going to Binghamton, working hard, getting more involved in the game and wait for his shot in the bigs as an injury call up?

Bah!!

Now this cry baby has published his trade request on his blog which in turn hit the local news media thus driving down his trade value. Thanks, kid.

The NHL needs to put its foot down with these players who are under NHL contracts bolting back to Russia and playing hockey over there. The IIHF needs to step in and not allow these players to play. Anywhere. Period.

Would anyone like to start a pool as to when Zubov pulls the same stunt?