Five for Chirping: Senators Suck, Sweepstakes Strategies and Series Suppositions

After an infuriating last couple of weeks with tons of opinions and a laptop with no inclination to allow me to express them, I am back with a vengeance.

Finally, the Playoffs have arrived, and the brackets are set, wrought with potential excitement. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is what hockey is all about.

Also, the Caps are in the playoffs, so I feel safe in saying the Gr8 One will be taking home the Hart this year. It's going to happen, so let there be no more of this Daniel Alfredsson nonsense.

Senators squeak into the playoffs.

Firstly, this is easily one of the most pathetic displays I have seen from a 'winning team' in recent memory.  For a team that, as is the case most years, was being handed the Cup before the first puck had dropped on the season, they sure seemed like they were hoping to win the Steven Stamkos sweepstakes this summer.

Scorers can't score, defenders can't defend, and goalies can't save is the easiest way to describe the dazzling freefall performed by the Senators in the back 9 of the season. Was it Emery showing up late? Was it John Paddock's message being lost? Noone outside of  the locker room knows for sure, but one thing is certain, the expiration date on the current Senators lineup clearly shows 'All Star Break 2008'.

Perhaps it's time that Ottawa relinquish their title as the NHL team with the most dudes named 'Chris' (4 by my last count) and give up on their delusions of a 'balanced team' and replace that moniker with 'collection of plugs'. Certain 'gum in the dam' players have panned out well (Fisher and Kelly, that's about it), but there are too many mediocre players choking up the middle of the road on this team, leaving absolutely no room for young players. This is only really half a problem because the Sens only really have one good prospect anyhow.

To go from ordering silver polish for your President's Trophy to playing a wait-and-see in a game between division rivals to see if they make the playoffs is definitely reinforcing the belief that the Senators may be about as superfluous as their Canadian political namesakes.

And yes, I am a Leafs fan, but in defence of my team, they sucked the WHOLE season, none of this half-hearted commitment to mediocrity exhibited by Ottawa.

The Draft Lottery

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Lightning for winning the first overall pick in this summers entry draft, meaning burgeoning phenom Steven Stamkos is theirs for the taking, and more importantly, has added one very big gun to their off-season acquisition arsenal. Stamkos is NHL ready and will mesh well on the Lightning, or on the team they deal their first pick to.

Make no mistake, there is a solid possibility that the Lightning will deal their pick in exchange for a quality goaltender. No offense to Smith or Rammo, but neither are equipped to help the Tampa phoenix rise from the ashes of one hell of a Cup hangover anytime soon.  Goalie deep, offense starved teams are scant in the league at present, but Tampa wants experience, meaning that teams with a veteran/sophomore tandem will be hottest in the running. Based on the relatively thin talent base in potentially available goaltenders, Tampa could easily command a prospect or roster player as well, depending on the quality of the goaltender.

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