I know it’s baseball but he’s wearing #2 and EVERYTHING.

If this is indeed a free country and I’m going to be this bored I pretty much owe it to not only to myself but to the seafoam, white and blue of Ottawa’s flag to pretend sign Jared Cowen, right?

It makes sense that this contract is taking so long. Is there a weirder history surrounding a player that Ottawa’s had to sign this year than Cowen…you know other than Corvo’s despicable past? The way I see it, this is a pretty high risk deal for Ottawa. The pedigree is there: a first round pick who was slated to go much higher than he did (which is saying something considering he still went 9th overall), world juniors experience, a Calder Cup ring, something called Ed Chynoweth’s Cup. He’s good!

He has also shown flashes of what he can do at the NHL level which is hit people through the boards. His hits aren’t as noticeable as Neil’s or Methot’s but I find nary a game goes by where he doesn’t make an opposing forward sit down on the ice and think about why they shouldn’t enter Ottawa’s zone.

Production is a bit of an issue, I doubt his numbers will ever resemble what they did in the WHL but I could see his production being similar to that of Chris Phillips. He’ll never wow fans with his offensive stats (in fact he’ll likely be cracked on for them) but like with Phillips those odd goals he scores will come in handy. Speculation! Either way, it’s not really Cowen’s job to score. If the Senators find themselves leaning on Jerry for production, well, they’ll have bigger problems on their hands at that point.

Anyway, the big sticky issue here is how the two sides have to agree on a new contract for a very promising player who despite being drated in ‘09 has little NHL experience to draw on so far. Let’s speak to the reason why he has so little NHL time: His near season ending injury where he tore his barf labrum which is lo– Oh! we have caller on the WTYKY hotline!

“We have Ray Ray from on the line from Tupelo, you’re on with a Welcome To Your Karlsson Years blog post, this doesn’t make sense but go ahead Ray Ray…”

“Hi, thanks for taking my call I’m a first time caller and I’ve never read your blog”

Thanks very much, go ahead please, what’s your question?

“Well what I want to know, just to circle back, is if Cowen was slated to go so high in the draft what caused him to drop down? I’ll hang up…” 

…and listen to my response?

“…who cares.” *hang up sound*

Okay, thanks Ray-Ray, well, Cowen dropped in the draft standings because his knee exploded in Junior and he had to have it surgically reconstructed. He looked sluggish in his return resulting in a so-so performance at the WJCs whch scared off a handful of teams on draft day. So…you know…another season ender there… where was I…contract…

Look, I’m not saying that Cowen is damaged goods or something like that. I’m actually pretty high on the kid. I think he’s still raw in some aspects but I love a lot of what he already brings to the table. I’ve long thought of Phillips as one of the more unsung players on the Senators. A couple of years down the line I hope for Cowen to be a replacement for Big Rig and to be similarly under appreciated. Speaking of a few years down the line, is anyone else mildly concerned about a big lumbering dude who at age 22 has already had two serious season ending (more or less) injuries? I suppose that the Senators aren’t worried considering that they have offered him an 8 year deal. You know, an eight year contract, NBD, eight entire years, league max…EIGHT… the kind you offer a kid that’s played less than 100 NHL games since being drafted 4 years ago and is coming off a season where injury that limited him to 7 regular season games followed by a pretty lackluster playoff. *draws breath*  I don’t think I’m eight year contract high on him personally.

Obviously Ottawa believes in his ability DEEPLY offering him the 8 years aaaaaand also believes DEEPLY in potentially saving money by making it an average hit of $3.5MM. Though shut down defenders never really make crazy money if Cowen blossoms over time into a dominant defender they wont have to give him a raise for nearly a decade! But if he underperforms or has injury problems that is a long ass time to have a guy on the books. Right, Sideshow Tyler Myers?

Another option seems to be a short “prove your worth” bridge contract. Though they have a downside too. PK Subaru recently taught the Canadiens the dangers of the bridge contract in a salary cap paradigm. “Hi, Im affordable for two years, oops, Erik Karlsson got badly hurt and I won borrowed the Norris trophy…can I has moneyburger?” Eugene does not has moneyburger right now.

So basically, Cowen is seen by the organization as a building block for the team’s back end going forward (fair, considering Ottawa selected him so high) in need of a building block guy contract (ex. Karlsson’s 7 years) but the the fact remains that he has done precious little to deserve one …save for beating the piss out of Ryan White which was just…*kisses the tips of fingers*

Believing in a guy at less than 100 games played is a gamble plain and simple. I mean entry level contracts are three years long for a reason. This is theoretically like signing him after one season. I think 8 years is pretty much insane commitment. Karlsson’s 7 years made a lot of sense and we’ve already watched him miss an entire season from injury. Cowen’s also already missed one NHL season. I don’t exactly like the idea of a bridge contract either. The typical 2 years feels too short and could wind up costing budget restricted Ottawa a lot of money…that or it could end up costing them Cowen or another good player to accommodate for Cowen when that deal is up. Also find it hard to picture Wiercioch getting 3 years and Cowen 2. What say youuuuuuu…. 5 years 3.25MM dollars per year?  A little less money than the 8 year deal for the Sens, a quicker chance at a raise for Cowzie (assuming his teammates call him that) and still we have the kid locked up for the foreseeable future but not necessarily handcuffed to him if things don’t work out.

What’s that? You think it’s a crap deal? Well I got bad news baby cousin, this is fake and imaginary Cowen is already simultaneously shaking my hand and signing the paper right now.

He looks like Seinfeld.

Have you seen this? Let’s talk about this.

How is this deal economically viable? Even if it’s only for 500 tickets…though once those 500 are gone how much do you want to bet you can just phone up 954-835-PUCK and say you want the Crazy Ass Deal above and they’d give it to you out of desperation. Let’s calmly review the incentives for making this $287 dollar commitment to YOURRRRRRRR Floridatown Pantherrrrrrrrrssss (whoo uuup till earrlierrr thiiis weeek haaad aaaa hiiiigher payroooll thaaaan Ottaaaawwaaaaaa)!!!

“@NHL_Sens…just wanted to say @WTYKY got hosed in the hashtag contest….make this shit right! <3, BR #REALTALK"

Hello, it's still summer.

Listen, your father and I would like to talk to you about the Ottawa Senators for a moment. HEY! and just where do you think you're going? OUT!? Ahhhh nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh. Sit right down young lady/man/no judgments. Do you have any idea how hard your Varada and I work to put a blog over your head and opinions on the table in mid July? Well, okay then…where was I…

I remember a friend making an interesting observation about the Sens during a time when things were going not so grand for the boys..lets call it “around 2010-2011”. He said, “It just seems like Ottawa isn’t a fun team to play on anymore.” He was right. Morale seemed very low among fans and players alike. I mean no moment encapsulates what my friend (that’s right) was getting at more than Erik Karlsson getting told that he just made the All Star team (via the6thsens.com). Ugh…I can hardly stand watching that clip as there is just so much sharing of the laughter and love. Nothing says congratulations like “Take your sock off” and a terse, unsmiling handshake.
I don’t want to put it all on Clouston but he was definitely the figurehead of those stern times. No disrispeck, but in the post Dan[n]y Heatley era…how to put this delicately…the team was filled with strong silent types. Look, I’m not saying Martin Gerber isn’t a barrel of laughs. His Chaucer puns are not going to be replaced by Robin Lehner overnight but I think 😉 is a great start to a new chapter. Seriously though, before we move on was there ever a more boring player on the Senators than Martin Gerber? Sound off with your choice in the comment section!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that there is still a veteran core to keep things balanced. I am happy to say, however, that the days of Erik Karlsson sitting alone at the kid’s table while old Uncle Phillips takes time out from telling old Uncle Kuba stories about the how you couldnt get tin while we were chasing the Kaiser during the Great War to remind King K that he isn’t leaving the table until he finishes every last one of his vegetables.

I’m sure it’s no surprise that I’m going to talk about social media now. It makes a lot of sense that as the youngest team in the league a lot of players would be using twitter but really your account is only as engaging as you make it right, Shean Donovan? Not only does Ottawa have a lot players on twitter but they have several who are quite good at it.
Erik Karlsson hasn’t even been tweeting all that long and has already started a fan favorite hashtag with #lalala. Note: I’m also a fan of his lesser appreciated #whocares. He’s sayin what we’re all thinkin! His picture game is pretty tight as well, what with his posts about his “funky” new shoes or sharing his drunk faced antics with Andre Petersson (a player that used to be considered a top prospect in Ottawa’s system). Ek, unlike many star players, is a really worthwhile folllow.
Also enjoyable is the endless chirping between Marc Methot, Z Smith and Matt Kassian over who is the biggest hipster on the team. (Spoiler: None of you are! You’re all hulking millionaire pro athletes!) Not to mention that fake account devoted to making fun of Jim O’Brien run by Kassian. I mean I thought that was my job but still, game recognize game!
Considering new addition Bobby Ryan has around as many followers as the average member of the Wu Tang Clan, not only does the profile of the team get raised it also allows we followers an opportunity to get to know the players’ personalities a little bit in a way that a post game interview doesn’t. Turns out they actually have personalities!
It’s not all fun and games though…Mika Zibanejad’s website remains fucking TERRIBLE.

Despite this so far being a post about twitter that’s not entirely the point I want to make. To me the changeover in team culture extends beyond getting a window into what wedding Erik Condra is attending.
The most significant shift in attitude has been behind the bench in my opinion. His Jack Adams win kind of speaks for itself but can you honestly imagine a better fit for the squad than Paul MacLean? He did more to boost morale in his first press conference than Paddock, Hartsberg or Clouston did in their respective tenures in Ottawa.
The way he handled Therrien and Prust during the series with the Habs? I haven’t felt swagger like that in Ottawa since the days of Ray Emery’s Steve Harvey inspired zoot suits and his dropping of rap singles on our heads back in 2007. Who wouldn’t want to go through the wall for a guy like MacLean? He knows what it’s like to be a player and knows what it takes to win as a coach. You can tell by the way he carries himself, what he says and how he treats his players.
When a coach doles out nothing but toughness I think it loses it’s effectiveness pretty quickly. It’s requires balance. Under the impression Paul MacLean is a big softy that can’t get real talk with his team? Ask Latendresse, Regin, O’Brien, Filatov, or Butler what being in his doghouse is like. He doesn’t like your play, he’s not afraid to bury you in the press box indefinitely. Something tells me it means a little more when Big P loses his shit with you. Like you’ve really let the guy down. With the league getting younger and younger and Ottawa being it’s youngest overall team a father figure like P Mac is such a great fit and so far, it shows.

Lastly, ugh…I don’t know how I’m going to do this…*siiiiiiiiiiigh* okay, there’s only one way to say it, Doniiiii Brennan wrote an article the other day about Spezza making a great choice for captain that I….that I………………………..that I really agreed with. THERE ARE YOU HAPPY? I SAID IT. I READ AND LIKED HIS ARTICLE OKAY, GOD.
I do think Spezz would be a great choice and one that the team wouldn’t regret.
Do I think Spezza would make a better captain than Daniel Alfredsson? I think their personalities/legacies are almost too different to compare. I am open to the idea that Spezza’s personality might be a little more suited to leading this particular young group. He’s been in the league long enough to be considered a veteren, he has the performance cred to back up his position as leader but he’s still young enough to relate to the pups. He’s hip for a dad! He knows what the new rapping songs by The Skrillexes are. He has a tamagotchi. In fact he has two. See, cool. Leadership. Synergy. Willenium.
With the departure of face of the franchise Daniel Alfredsson, 2013-2014 will truly be a new chapter for the franchise. I still haven’t fully come to grips with how we’re about to see our first games without Alfie in nearly 2 decades. Will it be better? Well, with no Stanley Cups and as a person who tunes into games uhhh, yeah, I frigging hope so. There’s no guarantees but I do know that the past two seasons have been as exciting to watch as any other in my recollection. This team looks fun and exciting to be a part of again. On the heels of their deepest playoff run since 2007 I’d say that this year the Sens are coming in hot. I just made that up.

More like Jerry SIGN on the dotted line feld *throws self in tiger pit at the zoo*

The sudden announcement that due to some miscalculation Jared Cowen was no longer on the last year of his entry level contract but in fact a restricted free agent due for resigning caught many including myself and probably the organisation way off guard.

It’s interesting when a procedural error is made pro-sports, eh? It really shows how there is no room for mistakes in the business. Remember when those qualifying offers accidentally weren’t sent to a bunch of those Blackhawks players a couple years back? That was sch a rare piece of news.
I mean it’s one thing to make a bad personnel decision like giving Rick DiPietro a 15 year contract only to get handcuffed by it when he goes and has a legendary rash of injuries. As a number 1 overall pick (speaking of miscalculations, a goalie as #1 pick) he could have just as easily been Martin Brodeur and having him locked down for his entire prime at a steady price would look perfectly logical. Gambles are like that I guess. I digress, what I’m saying is, something like this is such an anomaly that it almost seems like a scandal when it happens.
I’ve heard rumblings that this move was Cowen’s agent flexin’ to get back at that the Sens for sending him to Binghamton during the Lockout where he made…still more money than most people.
I’ve also come across a lot of concern that the Senators will not be able to afford this additional signing on top of Condra and Wiercioch because if we’ve learned one thing this off season THERE ARE A LOT OF FINANCIAL EXPERTS OUT THERE ALL OF A SUDDEN! CONGRATS! Actually come to think of it I know one of our readers used to be an accountant for the Sens…and another one has a Phd in Economics from Oxford…maybe I should just stop being such a smart ass about everything (nah). It is true that the organization has made it clear money is tight.  I want to go on a psychedelic journey with you as to why this unforeseen problem could bode well for the team’s budget in the long run.
We’re starting to see that being an upstart rebuilding franchise that’s drafted well and found diamonds in the rough does have a consequence to it. Every year or two the GM of such a team will find him/herself having to resign a whack load (actual unit used) of players. In some cases this jump can be insane. See: Karlsson cap hit increasing over 5 times in size on just his second contract. This year is starting to get into that world of bargain deals going away. Sure, Karlsson is special in that he emerged as an elite talent and 6.5 Illuminati Space Bucks is actually a deal but how are you NOT going to sign a guy like Erik Condra at this point? Condra’s an unknown to the rest of the league but a total unsung hero to Ottawa who bailed the team with remarkable consistency when Ottawa took ALL the penalties all year. I mean, it’s not like Condra’s going to break the bank but what I’m saying is the Condras are going to add up. We find ourselves somewhere in the middle with Cowen.
A towering top ten pick like Cowen is the last guy you want added to the pile of this year’s RFAs right? Well, actually holdez le phone mon chum. I thought about it and you know what, this might not be the worst thing for our beloved budget squad. Sure his pedigree is very good, keep in mind before his reconstructive knee surgery he was looking to get picked top 3 and STILL went top 10 as an injury gamble, he was also huge in that Calder Cup win, etc. but this might prove to be an advantageous year to sign him.  Cowen has been good, quite good at times, but still hasn’t done a ton at the NHL level. Due to his hip labarum tear (barf) that sidelined him for nearly all of the AHL AND NHL seasons, his overall poor play in the playoffs and at less than 100 games played in the NHL, Cowen is still very much a guy who still has a lot to prove. To put it in perspective the oft injured Ryan Hopkins-Nugent, who was drafted in 2011 to Cowen’s 2009, has already played more REGULAR SEASON games than him (when you use an Oiler as comparable you HAVE to use regular season games, *wink*).
In the negotiating room I think some of the points I’ve outlined above will favor the Senators. Injury or no the facts of the case are that in 2013 he had 1 point in the regular season and went -6 in the playoffs and looked shaky doing it. Honestly, Cowen has shown flashes of beastliness (which is like CORSI but more scientific) but I can’t deny that the jury is still out on what he could amount to which is why I think this could be a good time to sign him. If he’s the beast with some offensive potential he was projected to be it’s likely a steal, if he’s a so-so defender well, contract looks reasonable and a 6 foot 5 defenseman is something you can typically find a market for. Here’s hoping he makes whatever deal he gets look like a bargain (doiobviously).
It seemed a little premature to resign Kyle Turris when Murray did but now Ottawa has a 2nd line centre who’s produced quite well here, particularly in the playoffs (12 pts in 17 gp) locked up at a very reasonable $3.5MM per year cap hit.
The value of Cowen’s contract will ultimately be up to how he performs on the ice but I forecast that he’s comin’ in on the cheap…also he looks like Seinfeld.

“See girl, only thing I’m tryin’ to extablish with you is not who’s right and who’s wrong but what’s right and what’s wrong, Real Talk.” – Robert Sylvester Kelly

Hi welcome to this website. How’s everyone’s day going? *pretends to listen to story about re-grouting bathroom tiles* Hey I think that’s the TOPS… Say, shut up a minute and lets unpack the drama filled Friday that was.

First off, I am glad that you and I are here after a weekend has passed and we’ve had time to bury our feelings under a thick blanket of pizza and beer.

Personally I spent my Friday morning trading jabs with people in the Sensphere. I’d say that they were just buying into media hype and that they thought the sky was not falling because Alfie was not yet signed. I mean, after all, Murray himself had flat out said in the press THE DAY BEFORE s and I quote, “Chill the fuck out, the shit’s good as done I GOT THIS H’YUH.” Then boom the most hockey obsessed source on the planet TSN dropped that Alfie was indeed headed to Motown. Shit. Uhhh. Hmm. Owww. Then Bryan Murray goes and makes a bit of a troll move: Guys, I know the captain and face of the franchise is gone but don’t worry NOW YOU CAN CHEER FOR THIS TORONTO MAPLE LEAF. I’ve braced for something like Alfie’s departure for a long time but must admit I was as gutted as any other Senators fan when it actually happened, as evidenced here by this embedded tweet that i cant get to look like the opposite of bullshit:

WTYKY@wtyky Line idea:Macarthur – Turris – <Hole where heart used to be> Thoughts?

Not the greatest follow up that could have happened. Then complete radio silence from the organisation which caused a period of rage on the Sensphere that I do not wish to relive here. Little did we know that a few hours later that Bryan Murray had completed what was the biggest trade in Sens history since Ottawa acquired Dan[n]y Heatley for Marian Hossa when he landed power forward Bobby Ryan of the Ducks (cool team name j/k) for Jakob Silfverberg, propsect Stefan Noesen and Ottawa’s 1st round pick in 2014.

Okay, now I’ve done my recap of the events that transpired. We’ve all had a weekend to eat so much junk food, meet our friend Steven for drinks to talk about it, and we’ve all gone and seen Wu Tang Clan perform…well maybe it was just me that did that stuff but you know what? NO JUDGMENTS with whatever way you’ve been coping.  I’ve had a couple of days to think about it and you know what? I feel okay with how it shook out.

First thing’s first: Don’t get it twisted, losing Daniel Alfredsson sucks big time. I’ve been proudly wearing my red number 11 to games and out on the shinny rink for years. I’m as big an Alfie fan as you’ll meet. I’ve been saying for a couple of seasons now whenever the trade deadline time came around and rumors were flying that hey if Alfie wanted to leave he’d have all the right in the world too. He’s done more for the franchise than any player in its history and no one can ever take that away from him. He wants to go for a cup? Go for it. Now that it’s happened I must admit it was way harder to come to grips with than I had anticipated.
It also didn’t help that it went down the way it did. I’ve read articles that blame Alfie, ones that blame management and everything in between. All I know is that situations like this happen all the time in the NHL and this time it’s happening to us and it sucks. It also made me sympathize with Toronto fans and how they had to basically go through Friday for nearly an entire off season with Sundin. That had to have been rough.  So, one way or another it happened and frankly it could have been worse. I’ll take the quick band aid rip off way. So that’s it? That’s how I’m okay with it? No not entirely.

WARNING THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET PRETTY “REAL TALK” UP IN HERE SO READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED …also, haters to the left. 

Whether it was gamesmanship or not I vividly remember Brian Burke’s reaction to Dany Heatley’s trade request. He said that whenever he receives such notice from a player no matter who they are that they can basically get the fuck out because he ain’t got no time for half steppin. While I don’t feel quite THAT harsh, honestly, if Alfie’s head’s not fully here and committed to Ottawa I’m fine with him playing somewhere else in his twilight. I still love him. I just hope he’s not disappointed when the Red Wings DON’T win the Stanley Cup [Real Talk]. Also, if the team is on a budget does anyone think maybe the 5.5 million dollars he eventually commanded was a bit much for a guy who’ll turn 41 this year? [REAL TALK!] While it’s also quite fair to say that Alfie is a very, very special 40 year old and that you should pay absolutely anything to retain the captain we know that the Senators are not really in a position to get wild salary-wise especially with several RFA’s still to resign…including newly discovered restricted free agent Cowen (Murray get on that btw).  Alfie gets a crazy pay day and gets to play for what he feels is a contender. Happy trails see you at the number 11 retirement where I will stand and cheer….aaaand probably cry because my psychologist says I have a very healthy emotional relationship to the Ottawa Senators.

Next, despite that absolutely gutting subtraction from the team can we not say that that was an absolutely huge Free Agent day for Bryan Murray? For all the griping about the urgent need for top 6 scoring help that we’ve all been guilty of the past few years Murray not only lands a top six winger but also a top THREE winger? Damn. Since Heater’s exodus to San Jose/Minnesota/Golden Corral Buffet and Grill, how much ink has been spilled about Spezza needing a legit top flight winger to play with? Here he is folks. Here he is. The price was steep and I will definitely miss Jakob Silfverberg who had big potential here but ever since the 2011 draft when Ottawa took 3 forwards in the first round alone you knew quality some young forwards were going to get moved at some point. Anaheim made sure they got a great return in Silfverberg a quality prospect and a 1st round pick. I think that this is the big boy version of the Turris for Rundblad and a second trade. Stings to do but if it fulfills a team need with a high quality player well that’s how big trades work in the NHL nowadays. Both teams have to win. The Seguin / Eriksson plus deal is a great recent example. You might lean one way or the other but the word “fleece” tends to be hyperbole when important players move nowadays.
With the additions of Ryan and MacArthur (still adjusting to rooting for this guy after years of hate!) I cannot dispute that Ottawa’s top six is not just improved but vastly improved. This morning’s uhh…RE-addition of Joe Corvo (900K for a bottom pairing defenseman who can move the puck well? I will TAKE that)  also helps the back end and gives a little more time for Ceci and Borowiecki to develop.
There are no guarantees in sports but MacArthur and Ryan do not have the same questions surrounding them like the far past their primes Kovalev and Gonchar did nor the “can this guy play a full NHL season without dying 1000 deaths” that Cheechoo and Latendresse had looming over them. These acquisitions are tremendous until further notice. Ottawa will have young, able quality guys coming into camp who will be ready to play and likely very excited to be part of an exciting young group that features a career point per game centre, the best defenseman in the game, a very high quality goaltending tandem and the coach of the year. (See what i did there!)

In closing, one need not look further than the banner of this blog to know what we’re staring in the eyes of here. We’ve been quietly discussing for a couple of years now what the Senators next chapter would look like when Alfredsson inevitably made his leave. In 2013-2014 we are going to get to see it. I was as gutted as the next fan when it happened and felt bruised as to how it went down but you know what? I cant deny that it’s a very exciting time to be an Ottawa Senators fan. We’ve lost our heart and soul but we will find a new one. The sheer determination and bravery that Erik Karlsson showed this year has really stuck with me as I’m sure it did many others. As did his enthusiasm to sign back here long term as soon as his entry level deal was up. Will he be made captain? I’d be in favor of it. Will he actually? No ( but maybe just not yet).  To me, this couldn’t happen at a better time. If we lost Alfie during the Cory Clouston era? I’d have jumped out of a goddamn window. Like I’ve already worn out, if it was going to happen it was going to happen and there’s nothing we fans can do to change it. I am just thankful that it went down when there’s not only heaps of promise going forward but now an additional will to take it to the next level and some very exciting players to help do it. Let me be the first to say it: Welcome To Your Karlsson Years ©®™™™™©®™

And you gotta be a G(M) at Thugz Mansion.

I’m going to start this off by saying that one of the most annoying things I find about Bryan Murray is what he says to the press leading up to events like the Entry Draft. “We’re looking to move up if we can”, “we’d be willing to move down if the right offer is made”, “we are open to dealing prospects or established players if it would help us”, “we will stand pat if nothing worthwhile comes our way” all culminating in the king of the irritating lines that he says, “we’re willing to do some things, if we can.” UUURRRGGHH “Do some things” thanks for the HOTTT Insiderr Info, bro.
In the weeks leading up to the event in question, he basically says he’s willing to do just about anything, which, hey, he might. I also understand he’s not looking to tip his hand on national television let alone to some local tabloid hack with so much grey neck hair and a Hawaiian shirt who writes four or five 200 word articles about the Senators per day.
Still, it’s the same thing every year. “Bryan Murray looking to add top six scoring help IF HE CAN.” Hey, we’re all sensitive people looking to find a ten dollar bill in the pocket of our jeans we’re about to throw in the washing machine IF WE CAN. The truth is the last time Bry Bry added legit high end scoring talent that stuck around longer than the period between the trade deadline and Ottawa’s customary first round playoff exit was Milan Michalek who was acquired in The Great Dany Heatley Blizzard of ’09 (musing: Pretty nuts that a former 50 goal scorer going each way turned out to be a sour part of the deal on both ends!).

With Alfredsson confirming his return on Friday, it made me ask two questions, “Does Ottawa actually need top 6 scoring help now?” and “Does Ottawa actually need to trade valuable assets to move up in the draft now?”
Sure neither of those things would hurt but they would certainly cost a truck load in terms of the incredible drafting we’ve been praising the organization for the past few seasons. Especially when prices are so inflated on draft day. I personally couldn’t get over how nearly every armchair GM’s trade package to move up in the draft included Mika Zibanejad. WHAT!? Ottawa has such a shitty season that they acquired a lottery pick and blew up the team for more picks culminating in what was the most exciting draft day in Senators history since Alexandre Daigle was acquired (What? that WAS really fucking exciting when it happened) picking 3 times in round one with Mika as crown jewel. He’s tossed into the NHL this year and what do we see? He’s strong as a bull, a fast skater, plays defense well, is creative with the puck and has scoring touch. What should we do? Oh, DEFINITELY get rid of him (AND OTHER STUFF) for a draft pick. Why? Because something something Kyle Turris. Oy. Vey.
Yes, the Senators had a lot of trouble scoring goals this year. Wouldn’t one assume so when 3 of the team’s highest scorers missed practically the entire season?
The way I look at it is this: The team had an unrealistically healthy season where they surprised everyone and made the playoffs. They followed that season with an unrealistically unhealthy one and on the back of tremendous goaltending and great coaching not only finished HIGHER in the standings but went deeper in the playoffs too! In the process they learned that both Zibanejad and Silfverberg can indeed play in the NHL, Marc Methot was an excellent acquisition, Lehner is ready for the bigs and Patrick Wiercioch can put up points from the blue line. That’s without mentioning that Murray already just added scoring talent in Cory Conacher and that the team might have what scientists call “a serious motherfucker” on their hands in Jean Gabriel Pageau.
Was last season perfect? Absolutely not. In fact but that’s my exact point as to why we should be patient. I saw stuff like Turris finally getting bumped down to the second line and immediately start tearing it up, Karlsson put up 8 points in 10 playoff games on one foot, and, again, JGP. In one statement: I want to see what the magic of two seasons ago plus the magic of last season looks like before making a drastic move.

But what about Sergei Gonchar?
To me this is the most pressing question but there’s a catch: I think Sergei did a great job stepping up during desperate times. Did he do the irreplaceable job that a lot of people think he did? Not a goddamn chance. Gonchar did a lot better in Ottawa than he’ll probably get credit for in the long run. That said, letting  the THIRTY NINE year old defenseman walk for the foolish 2 year contract he got (good for him btw!) from Dallas was as smart as letting Kuba go for the stupid deal he got. I didn’t lose sleep over Kuba walking and I wont over Gonchar.
The sense I get is that many are as high on Gonchar right now as they are low on Cowen. Yeah, Cowen looked terrible against Pittsburgh but I don’t really put a lot of stock in that meaning he’s a terrible player now. And just because Wiercioch didnt play as many minutes or against as high of competition as Gonchar did doesnt mean he cant take on increased responsibility this coming season.
The most unappreciated story coming off this season is how Chris Phillips had his best performance in years. Do I think the D would benefit from an additional top 4 guy? Most teams would. I’m just willing to see what the current corps (remember Karlsson will be much healthier by October) can do before panicking.

We still haven’t seen what Ottawa Senators Proper looks like yet. There’s still a ton of untested depth in Noesen, Puempel, Ceci and Prince. There’s also intriguing fringe guys kicking around in Stone, Borowikipedia and Hoffman. If prices are stupidly steep right now I’d be perfectly fine with Murray to let these guys play and see what the actual holes are in the lineup instead of filling them based on a truly unlucky (yet quite successful) year. Especially if it means paying with the team’s future.

If Bryan Murray has made two things clear in his press conference following Ottawa’s second round playoff exit they were that 1. He’s a Stetson man and 2. He is looking to add quality scoring support at forward for this upcoming season.

Wanting stuff is awesome (oops actually it’s the worst according to the Noble Truths of the Buddha) but getting it takes a little bit of sacrifice. Money or quality players. When it comes to adding a new player to what is frankly a line up that is already getting results is a little risky. That said, sex dream goaltending really bailed out a pretty tepid offense most nights last season but THAT SAID the team was missing its best forward, leading goal scorer and best offenseman the majority of the season and iced several rookies as regulars so there’s a bit of a question mark as to the need there. We didn’t really see the Ottawa Senators proper in the last campaign.

Murray’s decision to not re-sign Guillaume Latendresse and the possibility of the retirement of Daniel Day Alfredsson does present some holes to the top six going forward.

 Michalek – Spezza – Silfverberg
<Frozen Dinner> – Turris – <Alfredsson?>
Greening / Conacher – Smith – Zibanejad
Condra – Pageau – Neil

 Whack Aces: O’Brien, Kassian (potentially: Conacher)

 Sis/Bro: Don’t hold me over the coles for these lines here…I’m just putting names up to look at as we unravel this here caper while we share the laughter and love, okay? Sha-na-nuh-na.

You can see if Alfredsson indeed returns there’s really only Latendresse’s spot vacant and that’s assuming that one of those forwards (I chose to pick on Conacher for some reason) sees press box time. Does this mean a trade is potentially coming? 

I for one hope not. First off, Michalek’s trade value is way lower than what it should be because of his knee injuries and price tag. Not the worst thing in the world to hang onto a guy that can score 35 goals AND play on the penalty kill.
Turris I think is going to have a great season if Spezza can stay in the lineup. Though Turris did an admirable job filling in on the first line you can see as soon as he’s bumped down to the second his ability to produce instantly goes up. Kyle’s 9 points in 10 playoff games has me licking my chops (sorry, kind of weird).
Zibanejad and Silfverberg I’ll lump together here. I don’t think you want to get rid of a rookie that was 4^th in team scoring nor one who played his first year on the first line and did not look overwhelmed. That’s some good pedigree right there.

I’m calling it now that Pageau makes the team. Before anyone cries Peter Regin here, I think we have a different case on our sexy hands. Since JGP is a centre he will not be expected to play in the top six helping him ease into the league full time. With Jim O’Brien’s move to Scotiabank Place Food and Beverage Coordinator I think it’s Pageau’s job for 2013-2014. If he continues to play like he did in his audition it might actually be hard to justify keeping him down there.
Anyway, I can’t picture the Sens parting ways with Smith, Neil or Condra. Greening I will admit is a bit of an enigma YES I SAID THAT ABOUT A CANADIAN HOCKEY PLAYER but the idea of getting rid of him seems a bit of a stretch. Especially after his performance against Pittsburgh. Conacher they just got. Am I too attached to everyone here? Playoffs two years in a row, one year with a serious chunk of the offensive core missing, makes me wonder if it’s wise to stand pat and see what the current full line up, or close to it, can do.

Regardless, it’s the offseason (hence why you’ve sat through a 600 word intro to this article) lets take a look at some potential options on the FA market that have been talked about.

Pascal Dupuis:
Ugh this is just weird. No question Pascal Dupuis is playing some of the best hockey of his career right now putting up the same amount of points in a shortened season as it would typically take him in 82 games. At 34 years old looking for a new contract one must wonder how he would fit into Ottawa’s long term plans. One must also wonder if Dupuis is on his Rob Brown grind as a pretty good player made to look mighty surrounded by generational talents. I don’t know. I think you have a solid player but the age thing really doesn’t jive well with a rebuilding club. Also, I don’t think I’m through hating this dude yet. Warming up to Gonchar after years of hating him when he came here was hard enough.

Daniel Briere:
Briere would certainly bring an old school mentality to the locker room as far as hairstyles are concerned. 1997 is the new 2007. Fun facts in researching Danny B: 1. He got 95 points one year. 2. He made $10,000,000 the next year. Excusez-moi, Alexandre L’Ovechkin! In true giant contract fashion he’s never even come close to that total again. He still makes pretty big money with a cap hit of $6.5 milly over the next two years. Still any Ottawa fan knows this guy has been a consistent pain in the ass to play against for a decade plus and if Murray wants scoring support he’d get it in Briere. Plus the two years on his deal (if he’s not bought out) works as a stop gap solution while prospects develop. He has the requisite “from the Ottawa area” credentials for a Murray acquisistion but he is apparently very concerned about protecting his children from the slings and arrows of dickish classmates that would definitely be found in a Canadian Market. Example: “My weird step-uncle says your daddy has 1997 hair!” I could see a city made up of not just Sens fans but the fans of two rival teams (I forget their stupid names) causing him to steer clear of Ottawa.

Valteri Filppula:
Perchance if PMac has any say in what player Murray targets pending UFA Valteri Filppula could be in the mix. Though not a world beater in the points department I don’t think anyone would doubt you’d be getting a quality player here given that he’s been in the Detroit system his whole career. At 29 years old he’s probably looking for a good amount of commitment from a suitor. Also Detroit will probably re-sign him with their cap space. As a left winger who can play centre Filpulla would come in handy when Kyle Turris gets kicked out of every faceoff. A Finnish national, he would be able to provide the team with a different perspective during discussions over the merits of the Swedish-Novgorodian wars on long plane rides. I’m also just going to assume he’s good at shootouts. Acquiring Filppula would be worth it for the amount of times we’d get to hear Pierre McGuire pronounce “ValtEEEEri FilppUUUUla” every weekday morning on his T.G.O.R. segment.

Nathaniel Horton:
Of all the UFA’s going onto the market this guy seems the most up Bryan Murray’s alley. Well, Dustin Penner is a UFA too but with 2 lousy goals on the season we’re not even going to talk about that guy. I’ll seriously smash stuff if he keeps going after that dude. Back to Horton: Big, strong and physical with scoring touch and the face of a junior high school bully. The fact that he plays right wing is a little awkward if Alfredsson comes back. The other thing here is that he’s currently making $5.5MM with a cap hit of 4MM. Though not crazy when you think about how we just paid a 39 year old that much, should Boston win the Cup this year Nathan will expect a pay raise. Considering what a playoff beast he is (over a point a game this post-season!) it could be well worth it. Also, if Boston wins it all they might want to hang onto him. Boston has just under $6MM of room under the cap so they are going to have to make some decisions about the next couple of years. Horton is likely part of those plans but Ttuukkaa Rraasskk’s next contract might take up that intire 5.8 million dollars in space alone. Would love to see Murray get this guy.

Bobby Ryan:
*Puts on novelty foam hand does hand wanking motion*
Not even a free agent but often talked about on message boards and in the hockey media. It would be awesome but I just don’t see this happening. Do you? 

“I am human and I need to be loved. Just like everybody else does.” – Morrissey

I was sitting in a diner at the bar one morning a few weeks ago *catches bouquet of roses, has tiara placed on head, wipes tear, waves* watching some lopsided international hockey tournament that is so hard to care about unless you’re eating a delicious greasy spoon breakfast and pointed directly at a television. I watched Canada’s U18 team run up the score on some loser country and was struck by the sight of a talented defenseman named Morrissey.
Currently ranked around 20th or 21st overall by most scouting services, Morrissey will likely be available should the Senators stand pat at 17th overall at this year’s draft. With a seemingly effortless but combative style and famous for his vanity and at times over  confidence one wonders if Moz will be good in the dressing room.
With the Captain Daniel Alfredsson and the NHL at large’s recent partnership with the You Can Play project, Morrisey’s enigmatic “fourth gender” sexual politics should not be an issue among his teammates should he join the Senators.
Questions still remain, however, over how his history of contempt toward authority figures will fit into Coach Paul MacLean’s system. That’s not to mention concerns of how his outspoken and often controversial animal rights activism will fly with avid hunter and potential partner Eric Gryba. As we’ve seen with Karlsson and Methot opposites can often create a perfect foil  and produce impressive results quickly.
Rumors continue to swirl over his refusal to play in Canada until the government moves to ban seal hunting practices but this fan hopes that could potentially change over time. With all the depth Ottawa currently possesses at forward I believe Bryan Murray should take a chance on this high risk, high reward talent who’s never one to sit out of a scuffle.

I’ve put together just 5 of many highlights spanning his still promising career:

Many rookies would kill for a performance like this right off the bat. Personally I like this Hatful of Hollow version a bit more than the proper album cut. It just has a little more of a raw, live off the floor punch to it you know what I mean? Widely revered for his Oscar Wildesque cutting yet playful lyrical talents, young Morrissey shows some impressive range here going from a croon to gutsy falsetto and pulling it off with ease. A natural.

What more can be said about this absolute classic? Anyone who tries to imply that that his work is too delicate for their taste should give this a chance.

With the cult of personality he’d craftily built around himself in full swing (as evidenced by the biting video) this single off of the criminally underrated Stangeways Here We Come serves as a swan song to Morrissey’s partnership with Johnny Marr. Not one to rest on his laurels Morrissey still finds himself in top form after having already established himself as a top talent. With Marr’s toning down of his up to that point typically intricate and janglely style of playing, Morrissey takes advantage of the opportunity to really stand out.  As the last cut on side A it is proof positive of his knack to create great things even in deep.

This is perhaps the best demonstration of Morrissey’s keen ability to break out on his own. Though his individual efforts can be spotty at times he has shown that when anchored by a responsible foundation provided by Steven Street, whom he’s also shown great chemistry with, he can still produce very strong efforts. Many have pointed to a decrease in elite level output as directly correlated to the end of his pairing with Johnny Marr but I feel for the most part Moz has continued to mesmerize his many fans on a consistent basis on his own.

Lastly, in this clip we see a much matured Morrissey taking on a striking leadership role. Here he displays a surprising punchy toughness while maintaining an impressive pace perhaps feeding off the energy of younger players. Again, his problems toward authority are evident here but if managed properly could be a small price to pay in exchange for what I feel is an enduring, generational talent.

In closing I really, really want a Senators jersey that says Morrissey on the back.