James Day Preview: Ottawa Hosts the Paul Holmgren’s a Performance Artist

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Win this one for Deaner!

Win this one for Deaner!

Hi everyone

I have an announcement to make:
For the first time in my 56 years as an Ottawa Senators fan a goaltending controversy is abrewin and I am…really excited about it.
Before I get into why, let me preface this by saying, I think emotions are a little heightened surrounding this whole storyline as, yes, Robin Lehner has just won three games in a row and has looked superb in those wins, but two were against bottom dwelling teams (Columbus, Florida City) and one respectable team in Montreal (hand wanking motion).
Have I thought that Lehner has looked better than Anderson has this year? Yeah, I have. Still, it is so early….so goddamn early in the season. What if Anderson won his next 3 straight starts? After all he’s already won 3 straight starts this season (a string against Phoenix, New Jersey and Detroit last month). Oh, but that’s exactly what’s exciting about it. To say that less than one and a half months and fewer than 20 games of hockey has warranted a full blown goalie controversy is pretty excessive to me. Will that stop it from happening? From what I can tell on the Sensphere today, the wheels are in motion my friends and I actually welcome it.
Unlike Senators goaltending controversies of years past, this one features TWO REALLY GOOD GOALTENDERS! Nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Anderson is getting the start tonight, he plays out of his mind the next little while and solidifies his position as no.1 starter fine with me. Lehner continues to shine in his opportunities and steals Andy’s job? Also works for me! As for the calls to trade Anderson, I wouldn’t count on it any time soon. I think Anderson’s recent injury, to say nothing of his injury last year that caused him to miss 18 games, does little more than legitimize the need to have two very good goaltenders. Especially if you have a team as prone to giving up shots as the Senators are this year. I mean we were just one successful Brendan (has anyone named their kid Brandon in the past 20 years btw) Gallagher goalie run away form Nathan Lawson starting in net for a team that can give up up to 50 shots to the New York Islanders.
I believe that Lehner is the future netminder of the organization but I believe for the time being the organization needs to take advantage of getting their two awesome goaltenders to duel over who is more awesome. Hoping Craig Anderson can start making it interesting tonight.

OH GOOOOOOOOOD Everyone’s Favorite Hockey Player Steve Downie Is Back! 
Steven Aloysius Downie (.com) first captured the imagination of hockey fans everywhere when he led the OHL in number of teammate’s teeth knocked out after crosschecking an unsuspecting Akim Aliu who, again, was on his motherfucking team, in the face. Oh but that was during a practice. Not a game! Not a game. We sittin here talkin about practice. After making the All Mandatory Professional Counselling team, Downie showed what he was saving for a real PRE-SEASON game where he tried to give Dean McAmmond brain damage with a brutal hit to the head that knocked him unconscious, again, IN A FUCKING PRESEASON GAME. Downie’s heart and soul earned him the NHL’s prestigious L’il Sociopath Achievement Award which includes a 20 game suspension!
Listen, I want to keep going on this rant but his accomplishments would take up too much of this preview and I am just so excited to talk about what Steve Downie’s return could mean for Ottawa’s star player’s unsuspecting heads! There have been rumors that Downie has softened over the past couple of seasons. There is evidence to support this alarming trend in his game. Downie’s last suspension was only a pathetic one gamer, his last fine a measly $2,500! What’s worse is his torrid scoring streak of late (1G, 6A) does nothing but perpetuate his new identity as a finesse player. His 7 points are good for 4th on the Flyers (his fourth team in 6 seasons always a sign of a quality guy). Coming in HOTTT and straight into the fire of Philly’s scoring race, Downie sits jsut one point back from captain Claude Giroux and perennial All Star Vincent Lecavalier’s team leading 8 points, If Downie could apply his LEGENDARY focus he could potentially surpass Giroux and perhaps usurp his Olympic roster spot. One thing is for sure, Karma is on his side! Sorry that was all just a big set up to point out that the team lead for scoring on the Flyers is three way tie for 8 points. By the By, Kyle Turris has 9 points in his last 6 games because Salary Cap.

God, what else?
I still think Ottawa has only had a few truly dominant looking wins so far this year. I went to the Panthers game on the weekend…little more tentative a win than I’d have like to have seen against not just the Florida Panthers but the Florida Panthers that just sacked their entire coaching staff. Still a win’s a win and a win against Tim Thomas is the greatest love of all. Not so easy without Boston’s defense holding off all that socialized healthcare now eh Timmy?
Tonight’s a big game for Ottawa’s defense. With power play specialist / bottom pairing defenseman (normal hockey stuff) Chris Phillips sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Joe Corvo will draw into the lineup. After a benching in Saturday’s game Erik Karlsson will have a bit to prove to the coach in regard to his play in Ottawa’s zone. You’re not going to meet a bigger fan of EK than me and rescue dogs but his shift that lead to one of Florida’s goals was a real stinker. I acutally think Karlsson can defend quite well but so far this season he’s really lacked in that area. Anyway, I don’t mind Erik Karlsson with something to prove. Hoping for more solid play from call up Mark Borowiecki, who is also tied in scoring with Claude Giroux, who will see more time on the second pairing with Marc Methot.
Other welcome news is that Jason Spezza will start the game between Milan Michalek and Cory Conacher who both aren’t Chris Neil, which is nice. Also nice is that Flyers coach Craig Berube will likely mistake the Spezza line for the Sens top line and match his best players up against it. Would really love to see Conacher get a goal tonight! He’s been a good soldier so far this season and I hope he can take advantage of some increased ice time.
All joking aside the Flyers should not be taken lightly. As a cap team they have a number of quality players in their lineup and it could come together at any moment. What’s that? UGH, just when I type “all joking aside” I learn that Steve Mason is starting. That’s it, I can’t go on. Enjoy the game everyone…and seriously boys…beat the GD Flyers huh?

Weekend Grab Bag: “Do we sort of suck? No. Maybe. I don’t know” edition

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So, this is a thing I found on the internet.

So, this is a thing I found on the internet.

On Spezza

Jason Spezza has, and will always be, a divisive figure on this team, for reasons both fair and unfair. As I said during our inaugural Scotchcast, he’s a creative player who seems to pass to where another player with similar anticipation would have been, rather to where the players who he’s on a line with actually are. As a result, when his plans go awry, they seem to do so in spectacular fashion. I mean, I get it: it’s frustrating for a team that spends as little time in the attacking zone as Ottawa does to have its highly skilled, highly paid captain then whip the puck to an empty spot on the ice, effectively clearing it for the opposition.

That’s why this team went out and got Bobby Ryan, a player who excels at finding the open ice, at anticipating his playmaker, and at getting a shot off in small spaces. He seemed like a perfect compliment to Spezza. Instead, we’ve learned that Ryan can make plays too, and fits almost perfectly on a line with MacArthur and Turris, two well-rounded players who drive the possession game and make smart, simple plays consistently. Spezza and Ryan look lost together, perhaps because it’s not clear who’s driving the boat. The M-T-R line knows that you’re trying to find Ryan for the shot, and both of Ryan’s linemates are smart enough to read the situation and flow with it.

As a result, Spezza is looking a little bit lost out there. MacLean is cycling through line mates, but it’s tough to find a compliment for a free-wheeling playmaker who prefers the low-percentage, counterintuitive strategy to the traditional playbook. Michalek is invisible at times, neither able to receive nor get off a pass, and Spezza’s right side has been a motley amalgam of Neil, Greening, and Zibanejad. At this point I’m starting to wonder if Zack Smith deserves a shot on Spezza’s wing, and even I have to admit that’s a pretty stupid idea.

I’m not sure what the solution is. Ottawa’s offensive prospects aren’t really anywhere near ready (though one imagines Puempel getting his shot alongside Spezza in 2016-2017). It’s still far too early to target anyone on the trade market, not that Ottawa has the money to take on new salary anyway. And Spezza’s numbers are fantastic to start the season, though that’s buoyed by a few offensive outbursts rather than consistent production.

It’s not that I’m at all concerned, and I definitely don’t share the hate-on that some seem to have for Spezza. A few atonal improve-jazz moments are more than worth it for a point-a-game center making less than market value. (Don’t even act like Spezza wouldn’t make $8MM+ if on the free market now.) But I remember the good old days of Spezza with weapons on his wing. There were games when he looked unstoppable. He must also think about playing with an in-their-prime Alfie and Heatley when he looks over and sees Chris Neil charging the goaltender while holding his stick upside-down. As good as he is, we’re not getting the best out of Jason Spezza.

On puck movers and Weircioch

Ottawa’s transition game looked rough again against Montreal, especially in the first. Outside of Karlsson, who’s already playing about 30 minutes a night, there just isn’t anyone back there who knows how to do anything with the puck to start the rush. Cowen made a cross-ice pass in front of his own net that clearly surprised Karlsson, and which Montreal’s strong forecheck promptly turned into a chance to score. Phillips and Methot are far better at muscling someone off the puck than getting the puck to their forwards. And Gryba and Borowiecki are replacement-level AHL call-ups. That leaves the struggling Cowen, who the team has to hope is going to get his head out of his ass soon, and Wiercioch, who has a hell of a pass but who played the most sheltered minutes in the NHL last year, and who is a player more the mould of Anton Babchuck. He can play the point on the powerplay, and he can start in the offensive zone, but MacLean clearly doesn’t have any faith in Patty in the d-zone.

It’s a pretty big gap in Ottawa’s strategy, and it has a domino effect. The defense backs up and concedes all kinds of space knowing they don’t have the stick work or wheels to strip the puck away, and hoping to block a shot or stop the rush in their own end. The forwards have to carry the puck most of the way up the ice, with only MacArthur showing any success because of his reliance on simple and effective chip-and-chase plays along the boards and his excellent speed. Karlsson ends up playing more minutes than maybe he should, which results in him making mistakes. The goaltenders end up facing more shots. It goes on and on. Next thing you know, this team is outshot 2-1.

The inclination has been that Ottawa needs someone who can stop the bleeding because of how many shots the team is allowing. Personally, I think they’re allowing so many shots not because they don’t have their share of solid or all-around defensive players, but because their transition game stinks. And for that, they need to look at where the transition game starts. They need someone who can make a first pass to save his life. Even more than finding a linemate for Spezza, this team needs to find a defenseman who can move the puck. None of Phillips, Gryba, Borowiecki, Methot, or Cowen seem capable of doing that at the moment.

When do the fire sales begin?

You’ve got to feel for Panthers fans (the unicorns of the NHL): they’re about to bottom out again. They’ve already got their last several top five picks in the lineup, and they seem to be stagnating anyway. Huberdeau might be for real, but Gudbranson and Markstrom look like their souls have been crushed. Barkov is young, but already learning how little it matters to succeed in a market like Florida. Bjugstad looks frustrated. The whole team looks thwarted.

Their second-tier prospects are transitioning in, but their veterans have tuned out. (Remember that Brian Campbell and Ed Jovanovski are somehow on this team.) After finally parting with Stephen Weiss, and many years earlier with their prominent pick Nathan Horton, you have to wonder if they’re stuck in a perpetual mediocre machine. But as pointed out on several blogs, most of the teams in the league are within a couple million dollars of the cap. There just aren’t any trading partners out there in a season where the cap has come down.

Having said that, is anyone else surprised by the repeated mentions of Edmonton being a team ready to blow up its core? Hall, Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins are already on or approaching their second deals, eating up tons of money and cap space on a team that still has to deal with goaltending and defense. I’m genuinely surprised that they’re this bad, though. With the addition of Ference and a change-up on the team’s bottom six, I thought they were ready to at least be a bubble team. Instead, we’re all talking about who among Edmonton’s elite young players is going to be the next Tyler Seguin. Could this be an opportunity for Ottawa?

James Day Preview: Ottawa Lehnators Host The Royal Mountain Therriens

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"HAAY Bill, The Sens gotta get the BATS goin'...HAAY BILL, if you we're the Habs...and you were made garbage...would you eat yourself?"

“HAAY Bill, The Sens gotta get the BATS goin’…HAAY BILL, if you were the Habs…and you were made of garbage…would you defeat yourself?”

Look, I don’t want to be rude but I have to make this quick….I have to rendez-vous with Mayor Jim Watson in few minutes to sell him the reasonable sized bag of yogurt covered raisins I picked him up from Bulk Barn on the sly. I’ll admit that I’m helping enable one of the Mayor’s worst habits but if I feel that if I can help keep his excellency’s cravings for his favorite relatively low calorie fix under control then he can continue focusing on what’s important: Working toward extending light rail transit to the Canadian Tire Centre in time for the 2048-2049 preseason when the Seattle Senators play an exhibition game against the Burlington Maple Leafs 2.

You know what’s an overlooked story line about the MacArthur – Turris – Ryan line? That I am very much in love with it.
These guys have been like Snowbirds out there…and not the kind that keep the Florida Panthers from folding. The last game featured a great goal from Clarke MacArthur on a glamorous feed from Robert Ryan to put Ottawa up by two and that, of course, makes the highlight reel. One thing that stuck with me though was how many chances Kyle Turris just narrowly missed (not a bad thing btw). Off the top of my head I can remember 3 or 4 instances where a matter of inches could have given Turry a goal or two. I thought Turris was good in Ottawa’s zone as well. And Bubby you don’t KNOW from this Bobby Ryan! The kid has such a deceptive release and he seems to be able to at least get the puck on net despite pressure, traffic or position in the offensive zone. No wonder he has nearly 10 goals already. MacArthur’s possession skills and Turris and Ryan’s ability to both shoot and make plays must make this line a nightmare to defend. Great to see these guys firing on all cylinders. Ottawa will need them to remain the team’s offensive engine tonight against Montreal, a team who may have trouble getting things off the top of the refrigerator but doesn’t have much difficulty finding the back of the net (which has a clearance of 4 feet).

They’ll be lots of PP time for PK and EK…I am…so sorry about that.
No one is enjoying the delicious taste of yogurt covered raisins more than me when it comes to this Michel Therrien / PK Subban beef….well maybe one guy is but still I’M ENJOYING IT. I don’t think, however, that it’s grounds to dismiss the reigning Norris Borrower Subban. Bob MacKenzie pointed out that it should be noted when talking about Subban’s benching for the final four minutes of a game the other nigh, that it was following a power play that he was out for over 1 minute and 50 seconds of. I don’t know who you are Eddie, but I actually think Therrien is smart for putting Subban out there for what he’s good at and benching him for an crucial stretch of the game. Let’s hope he goes back to the Therrien we know and laugh at.
The timing of this game is very exciting as the big story going into the playoff series between these two teams was the showdown of PK and EK. Problem was, Sens fans knew Karlsson was a shell of his regular self upon returning from months off recovering from a severe injury. This makes tonight kind of awesome because Habs fans (known for their measured approach to analysing the game) are under the impression Karlsson sucks. This makes sense because
1. Stuff like this:

2. Montreal STILL lost.
3. Hi Haters.
In the past two games Ottawa’s played, Karlsson has looked noticeably quicker and more comfortable. I think it sounds like a great time to play a game where he has something to prove.
These are both dynamic offensive defensemen who will be one of the most enjoyable parts of this rivalry to watch over the next couple of years before Subban becomes a UFA and gets the hell out of Montreal.

OHHH SNAAAP, Kassian and Parros Might Fight Because WHO GIVES A SHIT!
I’m not even firing up the fighting debate here. It’s more that this keeps getting talked about like it’s a major element of the game. It will happen and not be important. I mean the fact that it’s guaranteed to happen makes it unimportant to the game in my book. Regardless, tonight we will bare witness to the next chapter in Matt Kassian and George Parros’ LEGENDARY blood feud over the Gryba/Eller hit! Who will emerge the victor? The guy who wasn’t involved with the hit or the guy who wasn’t on the team at the time?
IT”S GUNNA BE A FORCED FEELING BARN BURNER!!!

Now to say some positive things about tough guys…
As I’ve mentioned a couple of times already, it’s only been 2 games but Mark Borowiecki has been exactly the type of player Ottawa’s needed on the back end since his call up. Bringing equal parts GOODOTTAWABOYOCITY and GIVEAFUCKTOITIVENESS to the lineup. Seriously though, he played another solid game making simple but smart plays and bullying the Bluejackets without sacrificing positioning or taking lazy penalies. Again, exactly what the Sens defense needed. Though he is apparently waiver exempt sending the struggling Cowen down to the minors to find his game seems very unllikely (and frankly a bit much) but considering that for the second straight game Milan Michalek and Hood Pope Cory Conacher will find themselves on the 3rd and 4th lines if he doesn’t improve drastically I think we could see Jared toiling on the bottom pairing while Borowiecki racks up top 4 minutes. I think some healthy competition from Boro could do Cowen good well good whatever fuck.
We’ve been really hard on Chris Neil because poorly timed penalties will be poorly timed penalties! Anyway, I must say, Neil’s goal was an absolute snipe show. Good to see. Not sure how I feelabout him taking feeds from Spezza  (j/k I am sure of how I feel) but it was a really important goal. I don’t think he’s a useless player or anything but he has been really running around so far. He had his shit way more together (and that’s considering he fought TWICE) on Tuesday and I applaud him for it.

SMANG EM!
Key to Victory: Smang em (Smash em and Bang em). They may have added a bit of not very skilled size this off season by picking up Parros but with actual decent player Brandon Prust not dressing tonight these are still very much Les Petites Canadiens. I’m hoping the Sens can wear em down without being dirty about it.

More Information on Smanging found here: 

Ugh, I need to take a shower now

Carey Price gets the start against Robin Lehner (who is apparently really getting to rituals involving poisonous snakes now).

Win it for Pageau!

James Day Preview: Ottawa Senators visit the Columbus Blue Snuggies

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Yeah know what? That thing doesn't look half bad.

Yeah, you know what? That thing doesn’t look half bad to have in your life.

Remember Snuggies? Yeah whatever, that woman actually looks like she’s enjoying life more than me so who am I to say anything about anything, moving on.

ottawa columbus

Thoughts are with our old buddy and Civil War Reinactor extraordinaire  Nick Foligno as he tends to a serious family matter tonight and will not play.

Hi everyone!

Like the late great rap singer T.I. (which stands for Thermodynamic Integration) once wrapped (sic), “What chu know about 5 game winless streaks?” and then, and then, and then he was all, “I know all about thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat” and then I was all, “He’s rap singing what we’re all thinkin’!”
Today we are all Thermodynamic Integration. In the past few weeks we Ottawa Senators fans have been witness to a variety of losses:
– Squeakers (Anaheim)
– Arse whoopings (San Jose)
– Very winnable games where they played pretty well and should have taken it (Dallas)
– Blown leads (Chicago, NY Islanders, Infinity)
– Blown leads in games they didn’t really deserve to win I mean when you give up over 50 shots how in the Christ do you expect to get away with that type of bologna (NY Islanders)

All the kinds! …..I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF THE KINDS YOU COULD SAY!

November is a much, much softer month than the death march that was October. I thought the road to victory would commence at least on Sunday…but thanks to some bad luck on an own goal coupled with the Senators’ TIME HONORED TRADITION of being unable to take and/or hold on to a lead, here we are; five games deep in a winless streak. Can the Senators step up and finally get back in the win column? The answer:
I DON’T KNOW BUT I THINK SO!!! #FEARLESSSSS

Sunday’s game against Dallas had a few things to be happy about. One of them would be Paul MacLean’s psychedelic line combinations stopped tripping balls so much. Tonight’s projected lines from the past couple of practices have been:
Greening – Spezza – Zibanejad
MacArthur – Turris – Ryan
Michalek – Smith – Neil
Kassian – Grant – Conacher

I am actually into these lines…well, with the exception of Kassian playing tonight but we’re not going to get into that…
I haven’t been as low on Milan Michalek as a lot of people out there. He’s no “each player on the second line” but I don’t think he’s been dreadful or anything. But hey, you don’t have 3 points in your last three games without making a few enemies am I right, LADIES?
Michalek on the 3rd line, much like Conacher being bumped to the lower fourth dimension, has intriguing potential. Michalek and Conacher aren’t bottom six players. Maybe the skilled and speedy Cory Conacher can make something happen lining up against Columbus’ fourth line of Sean Collins (?), Michael Chaput (??) and Jared Boll (more or less ?). That trio combines for a total of 15 games experience and zero points this season. The problem that Conacher or Michalek each face is that they are both playing with one pretty good player (Smith, Grant) and one player who to put it politely hasn’t shown much ability with the puck this season (I know Neil has a goal but I’m pretty sure he yelled that puck into the net and has generally been more clumsy with his hands than his usual ‘okay’). Still, that Columbus bottom six…take advantage boys…remember you’re playing to earn your reputations back!

Jared Cowen, you’ve been playing like shit, welcome to the first pairing! 
Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, the defense pairings look fucked up as ever! Sens are coming off a game where they actually kept the shots against respectable for once so might as well move the pairings around because I apparently know the first thing about coaching.
Cowen – Karlsson
Borowiecki – Methot
Phillips – Gryba
Congratulations go out to Marc Methot. After playing on the first pairing as an integral part of a team that went to the second round of the playoffs and getting an invite to Olympic orientation camp you may make your glorious return to Columbus on a pairing with a guy who’ll be playing his 10th career NHL game tonight! I’m not really having a go at Methot or even Borowiecki for that matter I’m just skeptical that first pairing minutes will solve Jared Cowen’s struggles. I’m just a fisherman from International Waters though, I don’t know nothin’ about nothin’ about nothin’ about nothin’ (about nothin’). Terrifying as the idea of Karlsson – Cowen playing against Marion Gaborik is, I must say, Boro-Methot looks like it could be a tough to play against. As for Phillips-Gryba…umm…manly?

Win it for Andy….and also, if it’s not too much trouble…win it for Lehner as well
Okay, yes, Ottawa will face a backup tonight AS IS CUSTOMARY but c’mon this isn’t Anaheim’s backup Frederik Andersen who is still unbeaten this season and has a very, very realistic .952 save percentage. No, this is Curtis McGoalie. That lovable chimney sweep who we all kind of remember from his LEGENDARY 3-4-0 run in the nation’s capital. He’s been pretty damn good in his 3 games this season stopping 74 of 78 shots but guys……………………c’mon….you can beat Curtis McElhinney right? Please? 
On the other side of the ice we get to see Robin Lehner, who despite only playing 3 minutes on Sunday before going cold into the shootout BUT AT LEAST HE GETS CREDITED FOR THE LOSS, get what could be the first of a few consecutive starts. That Dallas game was a metaphor for the season Lehner’s been having: Spot duty where he’s put in a pretty terrible situation where the team in front of him can’t get it done. Columbus finds themselves in the bottom ten of the league in goals-for which presents Ottawa, who are just outside the top 10, a rare opportunity to outscore an opponent (see what I did there?). The challenge is that the Bluejackets are one of the stingiest teams for allowing goals. Bobrovsky or not, McElhinney has a 1.55 GAA. With 4 players currently operating at a point per game (or better!) pace, the Sens big guns will have a real test on their hands tonight. And I truly think it’s on the forwards and defense to get this thing done. Lehnny’s been going above and beyond to keep a lot of games from being embarrassing this year. Time to do him a favor and win just one…lest The Lehner uppercut the entire team into a pit of spikes fal;sdfkajsc time to go back to reading about the mayor of Toronto saying that using crack cocaine and being publicly intoxicated while in office, “is what it is.”

ENJOY THE CRACK GAME!

FIN.

FIN.

 

Your Monday Morning Mirtazapine

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Hey how’s everyone’s emotions out there? Emotional? Great.
Let’s sit down and talk like we used to…c’mon <insert your name>…we used to be pals!

It’s been rough going to watch our favorite squadron get their asses handed to them afternoon after afternoon (seriously, with these afternoon games). It’s one thing when you root for say, the Buffalo Sabres or the New Jersey Devils and you’re watching them struggle. Both of those teams are witnessing an ongoing exodus of their best players and are each pretty much in an admitted beginning state of rebuild….though I don’t exactly knwo what the Sabres are building from…another rebuild? Anyway, we’ve been there for the “buckle up, this is going to be a long year” stuff ourselves. Past tense.
After two consecutive playoff appearances, some trades and FA signings I don’t think I was alone in thinking the rebuild was maybe not yet entirely complete but very much out of the initial stages and it was time to move forward. After all it’s not every year that Bryan Murray acquires TWO top six players in the off season.
I suppose it could be much worse (look at the standings for clarification) but the Senators have been absolutely flat most games; home or away. I would trade that stomping of Detroit for 5 or 6 fewer stompings at the hands of others, thank you very much. Things are looking grim but are there actually some positive takeaways amidst a 5 game losing streak? Ehhhhhh…I’ve come this far, so…yes?

1. Producing offense not the problem for a change. In the past two seasons, often times if the Senators found themselves in a slump it could more often than not be blamed on an inability to put the Condra in the Condra puck in the net despite solid defensively play and strong goaltending. So far this season, the opposite has been the case. Even though I think goaltending is the hardest position in hockey and acknowledge ease of not noticing defensive success, I still think I would rather the problem lie in those areas than an offensive dry spell. I would much prefer Ottawa avoid the mind fuckery that is a goal drought and the difficulty that is task of overcoming it. We’ve all heard the played out expression “squeezing the stick too tight” well, it’s played out because it’s pretty real! Improving overall system play and positioning can be achieved more easily than being snakebiten I believe. Again, despite problems such as, oh I don’t know, giving up two goal leads REPEATEDLY, you could see Ottawa’s ability to score as the difference between getting zero points and one point yesterday against Dallas. If Ottawa’s going to lose I’d rather see the team get away with any points they can muster. Lord knows they added up this weekend alone.
Even though some players are getting their butts kicked possession-wise (Spezza) or in the case of Erik Karlsson, not doing great at a huge portion of his job as a defender-wise, it’s welcome to see the point getters continue to notch them while they sort out their game. Since Paul MacLean arrived in 2011, the team has been pretty solid defensively. If he can return the team to somewhere near that place and the Sens can keep scoring that should result in some much needed W’s.
The Senators have 4 players who are currently at a point per game or better pace…oh and ONE OF THEM IS A DEFENSEMAN! Think that doesn’t matter? Philadelphia doesn’t even have a player with 8 points including the still goalless Claude Giroux.

2. Lehner gets a look. Despite the scary circumstances of Craig Anderson getting injured (so glad to hear it’s not as serious as it looked!) it looks like Robin Lehner is going to get more than just spot duty until our #1 has recovered. With one of the top 5 save percentages in the league and ZERO wins one has to think if the team could get it’s shit REMOTELY together Lehner could handily help the Sens get them some wins. My guess is as good as anyone’s with the current “stiff neck” prognosis, but if Anderson is out for the next couple of weeks Lehner wont have to worry about riding the pine after a loss. I think he’s been outstanding and am very interested to see what The Lehner could do if given three or four consecutive starts. What’s that? Nathan Lawson will serve as emergency backup? Okay, scratch that I am very interested to see what The Lehner could do if given all the starts until Anderson returns. In my opinion, Lehner’s strong play has earned him a shot at some consecutive starts but because of his status as backup, he’s rarely gotten them. Now, we’ll get to see that.

3. Dat Borowiecki Tho…If Ottawa’s problems can be squarely placed on defensive play, I cannot help but feel pretty good about seeing a promising young defenseman get called up and play a very, very solid game. Before you create an account to comment (which I encourage you to do!) and point out that Boro scored an own goal in that game, give me one second here. Honestly, the own goal does not sway my thinking on Borowiecki’s performance. After the puck trickled into the goal, Denis Potvin, like the archangel of Kentucky bourbon, swooped in and quickly pointed out that he, hall of fame defenseman, captain of four championship teams, once put the puck in his own net in the CUP FINAL. “Better in November than in June,” he joked like a complete prince of a man.
I’m not saying Boro will reach the heights of Potvin, who in my opinion was basically everything you could ever ask for in a D man – an offensive dynamo who played meaner than Bill O’Reilly losing an argument on his show, but these things happen to good players no matter what their stature. Anyone who’s been part of a scramble in front of their own net knows there’s unfortunately nothing to stop the puck from bouncing off you or your stick the opposite way than you want. Aside from Goaltending, shut down defenseman has got to be one of the most difficult positions to step into the NHL and look effective at. Forwards can “miss high and wide” a bunch of times in their first few games. You’re “getting chances” but on defense if you get walked around a couple of times?…everyone notices that. Different jobs but a slimmer margin of error I think. Who knows how long he’ll be up here for but a bullish and effective shutdown guy is what Ottawa needed and they got it from Boro. Cowen take note.

4. Still a lot of road ahead. Nothing like 10 days passing without a win for things to feel excruciatingly slow but there are still 68 games to go in the season. I feel this point so important because I believe Ottawa’s problems are pretty solvable. They’ve played at least DECENTLY defensively the past couple of years and I think they can manage to get back there and even things out. Giving up less than 50 shots (which Lehner can show he can actually fucking stop more than in one game) seems like an easier obstacle then “solve the other teams’ goaltenders more.” We all know this team is better than they’ve been playing there’s still lots of time to get to their potential. Think I’m exaggerating? Look at the standings. The team just lost their last five matches and are only four points back from 5th in the East. What a difference a couple W’s could make. They’re coming.

5. Over the next three weeks Ottawa plays the Bluejackets twice, the Flyers twice and the Panthers. So.. 😉
If they can manage to beat the Canadiens at home it could be a good month for the Sens overall. Doesn’t take away from how they pretty much have to win a lot of those games but I have faith. Go out there and give Lehner some support*!

*Oh, speaking of which…let’s uhh….crack open the old wallets and attend a game or two, huh? Attendance is scaring the shit out of me. 

James Day Preview: The Ottawa Senators Host The Brooklyn Highliners

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One of these people has a respectable body of work...and QUIT WHILE HE WAS AHEAD...try to guess which.

One of these people has a respectable body of work that stands up today…and QUIT WHILE HE WAS AHEAD…try to guess which.

Hello all you men and women out there who didn’t swan dive off of a bridge after the last game! Glad to still have you! Seriously, I’m worried, the mood on twitter was dark following that one.

Can we talk about that game? I think if Ottawa had taken it we would have celebrated it as one of the most entertaining games of the season and not some on ice death rattle. Is anyone else excited for the Olympics so we can actually cheer Jonathan Toews’ ability to but the contery on his back and take over a game? What we witnessed, I think, was an absolutely elite team that is on a level right now where they can kind of play like trash, get their goalie chased, have a snoot full of a smelling salts (or who knows what mineral!) and be all, “Oh shit, right, we’re down by two…time to score four more and take this thing” AND THAT’S WITH OTTAWA SCORING FIVE! Ugh, remember when Ottawa must have been this frustrating to play against? No? Well, I don’t blame you, it was a long time ago now. Let’s move forward to a comment made yesterday by the coach explaining his weird ass line combos which found Chris “in everyone’s good nay GREAT books lately” Neil on the top line:

“Im trying to get our team ready to play the Islanders and to give ourselves the best chance…” – Paul MacLean

Best chance toooooooooo? OH NOW I GET IT! TRICK OR TREEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! Good one coach! Great trick…amazing trick.
Okay, treat time: Players, please please please “get to the net” and “shoot to the puck” and “play a physical game” or whatever all the the things that MacLean is asking you to do are so we can go back to the lineup where it’s entertaining hockey to watch. Granted, even with the more logical line combinations the on ice product has been…inelegant as well.
I suppose that’s the greater point that Mac is trying to make, “If you can’t get it done that way, I’ma put your line combinations on top of the fridge where you can’t reach them until you can.”
I don’t even know what I want more, I’m watching a 3 game losing streak as much as any EMOTIONAL HUMAN BEING out there; do I want this Spezza – Neil – <Frozen Dinner> line to score on the first shift of the game or do I want it to be a disaster so the coach is forced to rest his case with this line shuffling psychedelia? Nah mean? We are each and every last one of us (I can’t back this up at all, btw) hoping for that one change Paul MacLean can implement to make this team good again but still…what is the price if Ottawa lights it up the next two games? Oh good, so we get Bobby Ryan this year and please welcome our new first line right winger, Chistobal Neil? Fuck. We’re only 12 games in but I’ll admit this line combo stuff has been a tough pill to swallow.  Curious to see what the Michalek – Smith – Zibanejad line can get going. I’m hoping it’s “win more draws” I mean really that line has two centres on it…Silver lining of course is that actual line of MacArthur – Turris – Ryan is reunited, which is nice.

FUNLEASH THE LEHNER!
How convenient that the day after Robin Lehner can most conceal his blood sacrifice ceremonies under the guise of “All Hallows Eve” that he gets the start. Let’s just drop what we’re doing (unless what you’re doing is operating on someone’s brain or reading this blog or both) so we can talk about Robin Lehner. How poorly has Ottawa played some nights? This guy has a .940 save percentage DESPITE HAVING ZERO WINS. Regardless of our feelings about Anderson’s game right now, Lehner was due for a start and I think if he gets even a modicum of support from the rest of the team he could get it done. Problem’s been that when Lehner’s gotten the start and been sharp the team surrenders 40-50 shots against or he struggles a bit like he did against Edmonton, they make Devin Dubnyk look like a guy who hasn’t been “developing” for almost a decade. Help the bro OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT.
C:\bracket_and_semicolon_resembling_winky_face.exe 
Unfortunately, Evegeni Nabokov gets the start for the Highliners. This isn’t unfortunate because of Nabokov being a particularly intimidating goalie. No, it’s because it deprives us yet again of a follow up to this glorious interaction between Lehner and Islanders backup Kevin Poulin. Sure Lehner took a penalty for it and the Sens were subsequently scored on during the ensuing New York power play eventually losing the game but, you know, celebrate the moments of our lives.
Also, note to Islanders: You’re playing the Ottawa Senators in 2013, it is customary to start your backup against them. Rude.

The scene from Robin Lehner's compound as a messenge arrives across the River Styx to give him the news of his start.

The scene from Robin Lehner’s compound as a messenger arrives across the River Styx to bring him a goblet of goat’s blood and a scroll with the news of his start.

This Is What Rebuilding Looks Like, Right? No Seriously I Can’t Tell If Either of These Teams Are Still Rebuilding…I Think They Are?….Although…Whatever:
I might have said this a couple of times already this season but: This team is beatable. No, not Ottawa, well, yes Ottawa BUT what I mean is also the Islanders. Sure the Islanders aren’t the picnic they once were but c’mon how long has this team been pretty fucking bad? A couple decades? Cool, you’re in 8th in the East with a losing record turning it around! Let’s take it down a notch for a month or two. Hey, don’t get me wrong I know where Ottawa is at right now. I straight up think, for the third game in a row, that the goaltender is going to have to steal the game to give Ottawa a chance. The Islanders are on the up and up and all but the Sharks they ain’t. As Conrad and I discussed in the 10th hour of the Scotchcast November is the big litmus test month for the Sens they are playing a bunch of home games against a lot of Eastern conference teams. Let’s get this party started and not sharted.

Enjoy the game!

WARM UP JAM: 

James Day Preview: Ottawa gets it over with I mean visits the Chicago Blackhawks

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Good Luck Chuck

Welcome?
Off the hop, you know what’s going to be dynamite? The month of November, where I can actually talk a bit of shit about the team the Sens are playing once in a while and lay off the whole “Here’s what Ottawa must do to hide from the impending Mongol hordes as they look to expand their glorious empire and boil alive those who dare defy their advances in scalding vats of Kelly Hrudey’s hair gel” angle.
But here we are again tonight. Playing another excellent team that just earlier THIS YEAR you could have had a conversation like this about:
Human Being: “Hey so who do you think is going to win the Stanley Cup this year?”
Human Being 2: “Well, the Chicago Blackhawks haven’t lost a game in months…so I’m going to wager the Chicago Blackhawks are the favorite to win it all.”
And then? Theyyyy diiiiiiiiid.
Ugh…this team. I remember I was in Chicago in the summer a few years ago and there was a Blackhawks fan convention at the hotel (that’s right ball so hard that I stay at a hotel) I was staying at that was basically themed “Buckle up because the Blackhawks are going to be good now.” AND THEN JUST LIKE THAT THEY FRIGGING WERE. It was like a Eugene Melnyk radio spot come true! RRRR ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. I’ve kind of spited them for that ever since. Collect some draft picks and free agents and bling blong blang, you’re the class of the NHL.
I admit I sided with Brian Burke when he snapped on that journalist for that “why dont you copy the Pittsburgh model?” suggestion. Like, what? No one’s saying “Hey why don’t you just copy the Edmonton model of getting the no.1 draft pick nearly every year and continuing to miss the playoffs by a country mile.”
What can I say, sometimes a team gets Jonathan Toews with no. 3 overall and hmmmmm other teams get *puts on reading glasses* …Alexandr Svitov(.com). I suppose when you stink as bad as Chicago did for as long as they did you get something out of it…but on the other hand, Blue Jackets…so…let’s move on…

Well, at least Nikolai Khabiboulicantbelievehestillplaying is getting the start.
Not that the Senators have lit any mups when it comes to taking advantage of the complete lack of rispeck that other teams have been showing them by putting in their backup goaltenders. Worst of all the Sharks gave Alex Staylok his first start ever. We’re that team right now.
Granted Khabibulin is a former cup winner, 4 time all star and 2 time Olympic medalist…but please, can we remember that one of those Olympic medals was won the same year Michael Jeter won the Prime Time Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as the beloved Herman Stiles on Evening Shade? Can the Sens not put a few past the good old ‘Bulin Wall for old time’s sake? Now that I think about it, he has been playing for the Oilers for a few years and might be used to getting peppered with shots. What’s that? Oh, right, and the Blackhawks are playing in front of him.
*Puts hand on Craig Anderson’s forehead, checks pulse* Hmmm…and you’re sure this is the same guy who had the astronomical save percentage just a few months ago? Fascinating specimen! Sounds like someone’s got a case of SENATORS GOALTENDER (Caused by bad babysitting defensive coverage). Give him 50cc’s or whatever it takes to get back to that place. Legal or illegal. I’m not at all ready to give up on Andy or anything but with where I think the team is at, Andy or Lehner OR WHOEVER (Mike Brodeur?) is going to have to straight up steal a couple to give the Sens some breathing room so they can right the ship. So far Lehner has come to the closest. No info for the DEA on who’s getting the start for Ottawa tonight because WTYKY is your source for up to the minute player information ACCESS.

MacArthur in..Greening out? K.
I’ll take it. MacArthur has basically been one of the few good possession players on our puck possession team. I felt he was really missed last game because I like when Ottawa can gain the zone! The fact that he’s coming back from an injury means I’m not going to expect to him to be the team savior. Besides I’ve already put that unfair expectation on the goaltenders so…. Oh loooooooook Colin Greening could be a healthy scratch tonight. I suppose that’s normal for a young player looking to make his way in the NH–oh, what’s that? Just signed him for 3 more years? Oh, well….ummm….get your bologna together. This is real LIFE. I can’t make up my mind about Greening. Seeing him get scratched so early into the season is…helping me make up my mind. 

Another bit of news has been the return of Bobby Ryan to the top trio in practice. This to me isn’t where the Senators problems lay. Ryan, Spezza, Turris, Karlsson, the big guns, are producing fine. They aren’t going to get a point every game but they damn near are. I couldn’t be more happy to have Zibanejad in the top six. Say what you will about the resuls they’ve been getting most nights but:

Michalek – Spezza – Ryan
MacArthur – Turris – Zibanejad

…pretty boss top 6 if you ask me. Weird that the Sens keep getting criticized as slow where I would describe 4 of those top 6 forwards as fast. Again, I can’t wait to play some terrible teams at some point. Wow, that is a horrible attitude to have. Get it together, me.
This is going to sound kind of ridiculous but the Sens need to come out looking like they want it more and to stay that way. They definitely showed that they have that gear against the Wings but then just looked flat against both the Ducks (that fucking name) and the Sharks (see how easy it is to name a team, Ducks?). *scary negative political ad comes creeping in* C’mon, The Ottawa Senators…what kind of a team are you REALLY trying to tell us you are*?

Back to Back Games No Match for Ottawa’s Whack to Whack Games….
Chicago might be coming into tonight’s match with sore goal scoring wrists from whooping Minnesota’s ass 5-1 last night then taking an ARDUOUS hour long flight home to sleep on their own pile of cash. This is another thing Ottawa’s not been able to take advantage of. San Jose looked a bit sleepy at points on Sunday but nothing frightens away Mr. Sandman like a shorthanded breakaway. If I were to give Ottawa one criticism for their struggles so far is that they are lacking a killer instinct. Granted they’ve been playing some great teams so far this year but something that makes those teams great is that they can still win no matter the circumstances surrounding the game. They overcame pressure in their win against Phoenix and especially in Detroit but they’ve been blowing big chances to improve their record for nights like tonight where like Chuck Norris before them, they are against all odds. No seriously look up the betting line for tonight…

*Paid for by the Friends of the Ottawa Senators WTYKY foundation for the winning of this goddamn game.

Vanek for Moulson, and good old fashioned money puck

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vanekasgjersey

As I’m sure you’ve heard, a couple of days ago the Islanders traded Matt Moulson, a 1st round pick this year, and a 2nd round pick next year for Thomas Vanek.

Everything about this trade is fascinating to me, from the assumptions made by the teams involved to the way the media is writing about it. I feel like this could be one of the most straightforward examples I’ve ever seen of one general manager exploiting the superficial perceptions of another to receive a higher trade return.

Let’s start with Moulson:

                                  GP    G    A  Pts 
NHL Totals                        334  126  109  235

Moulson has a career point-per-game average of 0.70 with three 30+ goal seasons, or a .37 goals-per-game. (He was on course for a fourth 30 goal season in the lockout shortened year.) His career Relative Corsi is a respectable 6.06, and that’s including his first two pretty terrible seasons in LA. If you look only at his Islanders years, his Relative Corsi is 7.1. He’s never been a negative possession player in his time on the island.

In other words, Moulson hasn’t just been good; he’s been consistently good. In Ottawa we talk about Bobby Ryan being a four-time 30 goal scorer as if that’s the new benchmark for superstars, and it will entitle him to $8MM+ when his new contract is due. Moulson, on the other hand, is making just over $3MM a year for the same kind of production. He provides some of the best value in the NHL.

Now Vanek:

                                   GP    G    A  Pts 
 NHL Totals                        598  254  243  497

First thing to mention is that Vanek has 3.2 more seasons of experience than Moulson. So, there is the seniority factor here. He sports a marginally higher 0.83 points-per-game average, and a marginally higher goals-per-game average of 0.42. His career Relative Corsi is 7.2, or almost exactly the same as Islanders Years Moulson.

In other words, the two players are so similar in production and possession as to almost be shadows of each other. Vanek, however, has had a couple of 40 goal seasons, and is paid about $7.2MM a year–or about two-and-a-half times what Moulson is making.

The key difference between the two players seems to be the perception of their potential. Shortly after the trade, I saw something on Puck Daddy to the effect of Vanek being the kind of player who is capable of “carrying a team on his back for weeks on end,” whatever that means. I’m not sure what the criteria is for team carrying, or why Moulson doesn’t meet those criteria, especially considering that Moulson has produced on an Islanders team that has consistently had one of the lowest payrolls in the league, while some of Vanek’s best years came when the Sabres were making the conference finals, racking up 100 point regular seasons, and when teammates Chris Drury and Daniel Briere were in their prime.

My point is that it’s not at all clear to me why Vanek is spoken about as if he’s an elite player, a star, a ‘special’ contributor, and Moulson is not. It’s certainly assumed that Vanek’s ceiling is higher than Moulson’s, and that other, mitigating factors have kept him from reaching that ceiling more consistently. In the right conditions–say, with a star centerman like John Tavares–he’ll flourish. (The same has been said about Rick Nash’s time in Columbus, though playing on a better Rangers team certainly hasn’t propelled Nash to stratospheric production.) Moulson, to put it diplomatically, is assumed to already be playing at his ceiling, or even outperforming his ‘natural state’ as a player.

This, maybe even more than this season’s Toronto Maple Leafs, who consistently get outshot and still win games, is a case study for advanced stats and the assumptions of general managers.

For both players we have a large enough sample size to theorize about what is reasonable to expect from them. Moulson, when given first line minutes and linemates like Tavares, can be a 30 goal scorer. That’s a proven commodity, and one, as we’ve seen in Ottawa, that teams will pay handsomely for. A player who can produce like that on a very cheap deal is the best of all worlds, the holy grail, the type of player you should constantly be seeking out in a cap- and fund-constrained league. And the Islanders just gave that guy away on the assumption that Vanek can return to 40+ goal form, or maybe even reach new heights. And I’m not sure how likely that is, considering his last 40 goal season was in 2008-2009.

And then there’s the draft picks. Next year’s 2nd rounder isn’t anything to get excited about. Assuming a 2nd round pick needs two to four years of development before you even know what you have, then whoever the Islanders draft there isn’t going to fit into their plans to contend in the next few years. The 1st rounder, on the other hand, represents significant risk. They’re banking on it being a mid- to late-round pick, in which case the player selected may still be a few years out. But those players are valuable assets nonetheless, and you can ask Chicago how valuable having a pipeline is when you want to extend your window as a contender.

I agree with the principle that the Islanders have plenty of prospects, and the time to upgrade is now. But as I’ve written on this blog about Ottawa time and again, you only really get one or two shots at a big upgrade when you’re at the apex of your rebuild. It takes a lot in terms of picks and prospects to get an established NHLer, and the Islanders just used some of those resources on a player who is only marginally better than the roster player they gave up. I’m not even really getting into the fact that the Islanders don’t need offsense, they need goaltending and defense.

If absolutely everything goes right for the Islanders–Vanek gels with Tavares, works in their system, and escalates his output–it’s not really reasonable to expect much more than Moulson’s ‘natural state’ output of 30 goals. Let’s say he’s able to break that magical 40 goal threshold that separates the superstars and special players like Vanek from the rest of the pack. Vanek has about $6MM left outstanding on his salary to Moulson’s $2.6MM. Will those extra ten goals have been worth $3.4MM, a first rounder which could land anywhere, and a 2nd rounder?

This trade really is dumbfounding. Even if you factor in intangibles which we’re not privy to–Vanek’s extra NHL experience, the fact that he was (for a very, very short time) a co-captain (with Steve Ott, fer Chrissake), and whatever other concerns the Islanders might have had about Moulson, it’s hard to understand what the Islanders are seeing in Vanek that’s worth the price of the upgrade. If you’d asked me whether I’d do Moulson for Vanek straight up, I’d have to really think about it because of the money involved and the fact that I know Moulson can produce for my team.

What’s even more confusing is the way this trade is being written about on blogs and in the media. The main issue, I’m told, is that there’s no guarantee the Islanders can re-sign Vanek. Where’s the emoticon for facepalming? Why on earth would a poor team like the Islanders want to pay Vanek what he can get on the open market when they should be looking for more guys like Moulson?

In fact, if the Islanders are very lucky, maybe they can re-sign Moulson in the offseason. After all, after his two goal night in his first game for Buffalo, he’s now on pace for a 53 goal season.

Could an early season trade for defense perk the Sens up?

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It’s probably not all that contentious a point, as we reach the 10% mark of the season, to say that the Senators are a defensive dud. Not a catastrophe, but far from impressive. 18th in goals against per game. 17th in goal differential. Dead last in shots allowed per game, though there were a couple of 50 shot games to skew the totals. They’re 21st in the league in winning percentage when being outshot, and 26th when trailing after one period–which seems like almost always.

All of which is a real shame, because the team is chugging along offensively: 8th in shots per game, 16th in goals. Their PDO is a paltry 20th, which means they have some room for luck with their shooting percentage. If they keep doing what they’re doing, the pucks will start to go in. But on the back-end it’s a whole other story.

Jared Cowen’s possession stats are abysmal, as are Patrick Wiercioch’s. Chris Phillips fares much better, but is being asked to do too much in the absence of an actual second pairing. Fair to say that Ottawa could use some reinforcements.

With the Islanders trading for Tomas Vanek last night, I can’t help but ask if an early season trade might shake the team up a bit.

Of course they aren’t helped along by the fact that they have neither their first round pick nor any sort of money to spend, and it’s way too early for even the basement dwellers to signal defeat by selling off assets. Also, it’s way more cost effective and strategic to give some ice time to a Mark Borowiecki type than to give up assets for costly veterans. But if Ottawa were to target a defenseman, who might they go after?

I looked at players on expiring contracts who are playing for underperforming teams, and this is what I came up with:

Kimmo Timonen – PHI – Cap hit: $6MM

Hard to imagine Philly actually giving up a defenseman as opposed to targeting one, even one playing as poorly and as injured as Timonen is right now. But he’s formerly a stud defenseman who, at 38, you imagine has at least enough in the tank and his share of experience to share top four minutes, even if he’ll never be the 20-minute-a-night solution he once was.

Andrej Meszaros – PHI – Cap hit: $4MM

It might be interesting to see Mesz back in an Ottawa uniform, although it can’t be helped along that he’s playing terribly and his actual salary is $5.5MM. His Relative Corsi actually isn’t all that bad. Philly apparently wants to part with him badly; could Ottawa have him for peanuts as part of a salary dump? Maybe if Philly retained a portion of his salary?

Marek Zidlicky – NJ – Cap hit: $4MM

Another veteran who could probably be had for cheap, Zidlicky’s been around for what feels like forever.

Nick Shultz – EDM – Cap hit: $3.5MM

If you’ve read any of Tyler Dellow’s stuff about Nick Shultz, you’re yelling at me to run as far and as fast as I can from this player. Never mind.

Dan Girardi – NYR – Cap hit: $3.325MM

Ah, now this is interesting. I don’t think anyone expected the Rangers to be so far out of it at this point in the season. Girardi is young (29), has played decent second pairing minutes for the Rangers, and he isn’t so integral to their plans that he couldn’t be part of an early season trade to shake things up for a team that wants to contend right away.

Stephane Robidas – DAL – Cap hit: $3.3MM

Somewhat underrated defenceman, perhaps due to the market he plays in, but Robidas used to put up solid minutes for Dallas. Also aging, and probably on his way out from a Dallas team that has some young options on the back end, it might be time for a change of scenery. Dallas is looking like they’re heading for another mediocre finish in a tough division.

Nikita Nikitin – CBJ – Cap hit: $2.150MM

This would sort of be swinging for the fences, as you have to assume that Columbus wants to keep this effective, 27 year old player in their plans, and they aren’t far enough out of it to be sellers just yet. Ottawa would have to give up serious resources to make this happen.

—————————————

Beyond this cutoff you have players on teams that are either currently in a playoff spot, or guys who you can’t picture playing top four minutes.

So there you have it. It goes without saying that a lot of these guys aren’t going to turn the team into a contender all on their own. But as a decent stopgap to try and stop the bleeding, they might just do the trick.

WTYKY Scotchcast Episode One: The Scotchening

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Scotchcast

Here it is. Long promised, never before delivered. Two hours of James and I talking about the Sens’ early season performance; when to panic; Sens we like and Sens we don’t; and questions from you, the WTYKY readers.

This is our first go at this, so go easy. But any suggestions or comments are welcome, either through the Contact Us link above, or on our Twitter – @wtyky.