Bleacher Report - Articles by Spencer Callaghan

Don't Call It a Comeback...

Spencer Callaghan — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:34:46 -0400

Ok so here's the deal.

I know it looks conveniently like I disappeared because the Sens were sucking harder than a Dyson vacuum but the reality is that real life circumstances have kept me busy and distracted to the point that writing fell off the priority table.

The problem is, I realized that writing helps me to relax and is something I supremely enjoy doing so it was counter-productive to let it slip.

The irony is that the gong show the Sens season became was prime fodder for writing, I actually have way more to say when things are going poorly because well I'm a cynical bastard at heart.

So let me start off on a new foot by recapping some of what I missed.

Where I was right

The Lightning did suck, proving that their "throw money at the problem" approach to team building was a disaster. Stick to making the same movie over and over again Oren Koules.

Antoine Vermette's days were numbered in Ottawa. After a brief display of energy at the end of the regular season, Vermette's playoff performance in Columbus was a complete bust, proving once again that Vermette is the most skilled yet talentless player in the NHL.

The Rangers would regret signing Wade Redden. All the Rangers needed to do was ask a Sens fan or two and we could have helped prevent what may go down as one of the worst signings in Rangers' history. Redden always has been overrated, even when he was in Ottawa, a product of getting top pairing minutes on a really great team.

Martin Gerber was the worst goaltender in Sens history...and that is saying a lot considering the goaltending pedigree in Ottawa. When Craig Billington and Damian Rhodes have you beat you should really just go back to making watches in Zurich. Which reminds me, the Leafs picking up Gerber was the smartest move Burke made this season, it ensured they would get a better draft pick than Ottawa.

Where I was wrong

The Sens missed the playoffs. This one was unexpected but I think the way the team ended the season provides me with some justification. Clearly there was a systems problem on the team under Hartsburg that compounded some confidence issues that were lingering.

Hartsburg's problem was that he was trying to implement a system that was all wrong for the players he had. You can't take a team two years removed from ripping up the league offensively and ask them to trap and forecheck with only one man.

What I missed

Here's a recap of the things I missed during my hiatus:

-The Sens traded Vermette to Columbus for Leclaire. Hard to judge this trade yet but Leclaire is certainly an upgrade in goal...not a difficult thing to accomplish but an upgrade nonetheless. I think I've made my feelings pretty clear on Vermette.

-Ottawa traded a first round pick (from San Jose) and Dean McAmmond to the Islanders for Chris Campoli and Mike Comrie. This trade is too early to call as well, at first I was excited to get Comrie back but he was largely a bust.

Campoli has potential but didn't impress me much. The outcome will depend on whether or not Comrie re-signs for less than $2 million and on the development of Campoli.

-Brian Murray uses up his last mulligan and hires Cory Clouston. I was skeptical in the beginning but I like the more aggressive style he had the team playing at the end of the season. Ottawa is still a young team so maybe going with a young coach is the right way to reach them.

-The Sens finished strong. Ottawa had the second best record in the NHL after hiring Clouston. Of course we all know that it is easier to play with no expectations, blah, blah, blah, but you could see that the change in style gave the team some extra jump. With a few roster tweaks the team should be back on track next season.

-Montreal did their best 2007-08 Ottawa Senators imitation. It really is kinda spooky how similar the Habs season was to the Sens season last year. Start off strong, get distracted by off ice issues, start sucking, limp into the playoffs, get swept.

To be fair, I never thought the Habs should be considered Cup favourites anyway, all the pundits got caught up in the 100th anniversary nonsense using flawed logic to somehow come to the conclusion that the Habs centennial meant anything on the ice....it didn't.

-San Jose did the Sens a favour. The Sharks annual flame-out came right on schedule as they lost in round one versus Anaheim, this ensures that the Sharks, and not the Sens, will go down as the biggest payoff chokers of the last decade. Thanks San Jose!

-Mats Sundin signed in Vancouver...and has largely been a bust. Vancouver would be in the exact same position they are in now with or without Sundin. Mats, your mommy is calling you, she says it is time to stop wasting everyone's time and retire.

So that's it for the recap, expect much more in the coming days and weeks as I return to writing on a regular basis, there are simply too many cynical comments to make to stay quiet.

Ottawa Senators: Road-Trip Bonding and Such...

Spencer Callaghan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:46:00 -0500

The cliches are out in full force in the utopian, never-never land that is the Ottawa Senators' organization.

"I think it'd be good maybe just to get away and kind of come together as a team," centre Mike Fisher said. "Sometimes a good road trip will do that."

Sure Mike, go with that, perhaps you should give it 110 percent, play a full 60 minutes, push the envelope and so forth.

For every team dinner, team bonding exercise, or trip to the local ballet that happens on the road, there still needs to be effort and execution, something that has completely eluded this team to date.

Perhaps an eight-game road trip is exactly what the Sens need, if, for no other reason, than to get away from the Jonestown-like atmosphere at the Sc'ank, personified by "Not So Mean" Eugene Melnyk's latest "captain of the Titanic" moment.

It should be noted that in the 2006-'07 season—the scenario most often used in prophecies of a Sens miracle—the turning point in came on Dec. 23, when the Sens beat the Flyers 6-3 in game 37.

That's two years ago tomorrow.

From that point forward, the Sens went 31-7-8 and wound up in the Stanley Cup Finals in the year that will be henceforth known as "The Big Tease."

Can the Team that Offense forgot finish the season playing above .700 hockey?

On paper? Yes, but if I'm not mistaken, there is a cliche for that one, too.

Jay Bouwmeester in Sens' Sights: Will Jacques Martin Give Up the Grudge?

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:20:39 -0500

Reports are circulating that the Ottawa Senators are in hot pursuit of disgruntled Florida defenceman Jay Bouwmeester. However, as history has shown, simply putting together the best package is not enough for Jacques Martin.

In his tireless quest to find the Sens their elusive PMD (puck-moving defenceman), Brian Murray has apparently set his sights on J-Bo, who refuses to sign a contract extension but really just desperately wants out of the hockey purgatory that is Florida.

The package reportedly being offered includes perennial Martin favourite Antoine Vermette, either swingman Christoph Schubert or young defenceman Brian Lee, and possibly the first round pick acquired from the Lightning in the Meszaros deal. (The pick actually belongs to San Jose.)

But as we have seen in the past, offering up fair compensation in a trade is not good enough to consummate a deal between Ottawa and Florida.

No, it seems that Jacques Martin has an ugly grudge against his old team—the team that gave him his big break in the NHL, the team that stuck with him long after many other organizations would have cut him loose over repeated playoff failures, and the team that helped him win a Jack Adams trophy.

Apparently Martin thinks that he deserved more than nine seasons, six first round playoff losses, and four playoff humiliations at the hands of the Leafs. He feels he was somehow shortchanged.

Over the years the trade rumours between Ottawa and Florida have been frequent. Luongo, Jokinen, Nieuwendyk, and of course Roberts have all at one point been on the radar, but never has a trade been consummated.

Back during the Luongo sweepstakes, it was confirmed that Ottawa GM John Muckler offered up Martin Havlat, Ray Emery, and Chris Phillips in a package, far superior to the bundle accepted from Vancouver of Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen, and Alex Auld, of whom only Allen still remains.

While Martin was not GM at the time, clearly his power play to take over the position had already begun, and his approval was required, as Mike Keenan would resign as GM only three months after completing the deal.

So the question Florida fans have to ask themselves, if there are enough of them out there to care, is this: Is the Panthers GM doing what is best for his team or pursuing his own selfish interests?

At what point does Martin's grudge over his justifiable dismissal from the Sens become a hindrance to his current job? Or has it already?

The Future Is Never for Antoine Vermette in Ottawa

Spencer Callaghan — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:56:34 -0500

For years now, Ottawa Senators fans have been waiting for the potential in Antoine Vermette to show itself.

The speed, the hands, the vision with the puck, it has all been seen at various times, but never all at once and certainly never for very long.

Vermette has had the label of "rising star" attached to him for several years, fans and hockey observers alike were just waiting for the time when Vermette would become the next great francophone star in the NHL.

Two things are now clear about the potential of Antoine Vermette:

It has yet to show itself
It never will in Ottawa

During contract negotiations in the summer, it was made clear by the Vermette camp that he wanted a long term deal to stay in Ottawa and recognize his potential.

Sens general manager Brian Murray balked at both the dollars and the term being put forward by Vermette and his agent—it was rumoured Vermette was seeking a four or five year deal in the $3.5 million range—and eventually the two sides settled on a two-year, $5.525 million deal.

Vermette made no secret of the fact that he was disappointed in the lack of faith the Sens had shown him by not agreeing to a longer term deal and vowed to prove Murray wrong with his play.

Suffice it to say Murray's uncertainty about Vermette's long term potential is proving to have been a wise stance.

Vermette is currently seventh in team scoring with a measly two goals and two assists, looking up at such offensive powerhouses as Jarko Ruutu and Shean Donovan.

But perhaps most importantly, the guy has absolutely no finish whatsoever.

In the past two games Vermette has missed no less than a half dozen absolute glorious scoring chances, some of which would go in the "yawning cage" category, and has flubbed two shootout opportunities where he not only didn't even get a shot on goal, but appeared to deke himself out in a fit of leg kicks and stick fakes.

For a player who is supposed to be the key to Ottawa's secondary scoring, Vermette is a huge disappointment and at -6 is not even keeping up his previously strong defensive play.

All this to say, time has run out on the Antione Vermette experiment in Ottawa.

He seems like a nice guy, the fans really like him, he is an important Francophone voice for a team that is trying to engage the large French population of Ottawa-Gatineau, but time has run out.

Any effort Vermette vowed to put into proving Murray was wrong in not trusting him with a long term deal is going nowhere.

I still think Vermette may have the potential to break out and become a steady secondary scoring threat in the NHL, but unfortunately Ottawa no longer has the time to wait to see it happen.

Along with Christoph Schubert, the German swingman who has found himself on the outside looking in both on defence and at forward, and the first round pick the Sens acquired in the Meszaros trade with Tampa (the pick is actually San Jose's), Antoine Vermette currently find himself as part of a package deal Murray is shopping around the league to help shake up the slumping Sens and address a few of their weaknesses.

While I have always held out hope Vermette would turn into a strong contributer for the Ottawa Senators, the end appears near for his time in Ottawa and the future, whatever it holds for Vermette, will not be played out as a Senator.

Ottawa Senators Bottom Out, Prepare to Rebound

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:23:13 -0500

That cold, hard surface beneath the feet of the Ottawa Senators these days is something oddly familiar—rock bottom.

However, though mired in a six-game losing streak, there are signs that the team has finally hit the nadir, and is preparing for a strong rebound.

Despite the half-dozen losses the Sens have suffered over the past two weeks, the last two contained cause for optimism.

First, they both came against top teams in the East, the Habs and the Rangers—not exactly teams you feel bad about losing to.

Second, both were one-goal shootout losses where the Sens managed to take home a point. As much as I hate the loser point, those two games were examples of a situation where the losing team truly did deserve something (but I still would have preferred a tie).

Finally, in both games it could be legitimately said that the Sens were the better team. Superb goaltending by Hendrik Lundqvist and Carey Price were the deciding factors. as the Sens out-chanced both the Rangers and the Habs.

The Sens could easily be on a two-game winning streak, had it not been for one of the worst calls I have seen yet this season by Don Van Massenhoven, and Antoine Vermette having hands of stone.

Ever since the shootout was added to the NHL, the Sens have been ridiculously brutal at the mini-game. Despite having some of the most-talented scorers in the league, they really are not one-on-one type players. They are one-timer, beautiful-passing-play, two-on-one type players—but not breakaway specialists.

This has clearly been an issue in the post-lockout world, as Sens have left dozens of points on the board due to their inability to score in the shootout.

However, despite the losses, the signs are there that a turn around is in the near future, and it should be noted that in 2006 the Sens started the season 7-11-1 (15 points) after 19 games and in 2008 are 6-9-4 (16 points) over the same number of games.

2006, of course, was the year the Sens went to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Although there are still many issues with this team, the extremely competitive and bunched-up Eastern Conference—the Sens are still only four points out of eighth and eight points out of fifth—ensures that the season is a long way from over.

Melrose Out: The Mullet Is Gone!

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:53:36 -0500

In an effort to divert my attention from the bloody debacle that is the Ottawa Senators, I have been taking great joy in watching the even bigger debacle in Tampa Bay. Today it provided us all with another chapter.

The man, the legend, the mullet, Barry Melrose has been fired as coach of the Lightning.

Excuse me while I have a heart attack and die from such a shocking turn of events.

Yes the Hollywood big shots who thought they could just wander in, ignore all the NHL's general conventions about how to build a team, throw money at mediocre free agents, trade away their No. 1 defenseman and hire a coach who hadn't been in the league in over 10 years, have once again fallen flat on their faces.

Much like the many severed limbs in the endless Saw movies they churn out, the Tampa ownership has once again rid itself of another unnecessary appendage.

Recently, defenseman Matt Carle, only just acquired in the summer in the free agent free-for-all triggered by the new ownership group, was traded to the Flyers for Steve Eminger and Steve Downie.

The Lightning are mired in 13th place in the Eastern Conference (statistically behind even the abomination that is the Senators) and are not the juggernaut Tampa's Tinseltown tyrants envisioned when they promised to aggressively remake the team and abandon all generally accepted hockey logic in the process.

Replacing Melrose is the convicted felon Rick Tocchet, making one wonder how long it will be until we see Tocchet on the phone to his bookie before the shootout getting instructions to bench Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis in order to cover the spread.

They say it isn't nice to derive pleasure from the misfortune of others, but when that misfortune is not only hilarious but so easily foreseen, schadenfreude is most definitely in order.

The Ottawa Senators, 10 Games In: There Is Nothing Neutral About the Swiss

Spencer Callaghan — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:23:17 -0400

I need a little help.

I have managed to secure a large vat of tar that I have been mixing for the past week to find the right consistency; and I think I have also identified one of the many ceremonial cannons around this city that still works; now I just need about three large garbage bags full of feathers: chicken, goose, pigeon, any will do.

I am no longer officially neutral about the Swiss.

If the first 10 games of the NHL season have convinced me of one thing about the Ottawa Senators, it is that Martin Gerber should be tarred, feathered, and shot out of a cannon.

With a 4-5-1 record, things have looked pretty shaky for the Sens, but a very strong argument could be made that the team could be 6-4-0 with some basic, competent goaltending.

Thankfully, Alex Auld, of all people, has stepped up to provide the steady, consistent play that the Sens need to compete.

The number speak for themselves:

Alex Auld: 3 wins, 2 losses, 2.21 GAA, .929 save %

Martin Gerber: 1 win, 3 losses, 1 OT loss, 3.39 GAA, .891 save %

In a nutshell, that has been the biggest problem with the Ottawa Senators up to the 10-game mark.

Of course, there is more to the story: The defence still doesn't seem to have developed a lot of chemistry, although the most recent defence pairings from Craig Hartsburg that have Filip Kuba playing with Alexandre Picard and Christoph Schubert with Jason Smith seem to have stabilized the back end.

With so many new faces on defence, it was inevitable that it would take a little while to find some consistency, two straight wins since the pairings have been changed would indicate that maybe such consistency has in fact been found.

It is abundantly clear, however, that Brian Murray's focus needs to be on finding a puck-moving defenceman, someone who can lead the breakout effectively and quarterback the power play.

On the forward side of the ice, things have been slightly better, the big three of Alfredsson, Heatley and Spezza are all at double digits in points already and have generally been consistent on most nights.

The third and fourth line players like Donovan, Neil, and Ruutu have all been contributing strongly and chipping in the occasional goal.

The problem right now is the second tier of players that were supposed to add some consistent scoring.

Antoine Vermette and Mike Fisher have both been huge disappointments.

Vermette, after having been vocal in his disappointment that the Sens did not offer him a long-term contract to honour his skill and genius, has only two points so far this season and has looked lost.

Lately, Vermette has even been given time on the first line with Heatley and Spezza and has still shown nothing for it.

For someone who seemed so intent on proving Brian Murray wrong and showing that he was a top offensive player on this team, Vermette has only validated the GMs bargaining position with his early-season play.

And then we have Mike Fisher: This one is tricky, everyone loves Mike Fisher, right?

It seems almost sacrilegious to criticise Fisher in Ottawa, he's a nice guy, he's a hard worker, he's every 15-year old girl's dream.

But he is also carrying a $4.2 million cap hit and has ZERO points.

Fisher, a well-known religious man, needs to thump his Bible less and the opposition more.

Either that or turn my $4.50 arena Coke into wine or something, entertain me!

In the end, the preseason weaknesses that many identified about the Ottawa Senators all seem to be pretty accurate: goaltending, lack of puck movement on defence, and secondary scoring.

The goaltending problem may have been temporarily eased with the play of Alex Auld, sure he's a backup, but all the Sens need is consistent goaltending, not great goaltending.

The defence seems to have settled with the new pairings, but some help via trade is still likely going to be needed.

And finally, there are a couple of big name players at forward who need to their money where their mouth is, or I suppose put their play where their money is, and start producing.

In the meantime, if you are looking for me, I'll be downtown plucking the feathers off of pigeons on Parliament Hill.

Daniel Alfredsson: Senator For Life

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:18:23 -0400

Next stop, mayor of Ottawa.

After concluding a brief and amicable round of negotiations, Daniel Alfredsson has signed a four year, $21.6 million contract extension that will see him accomplish a rare feat in pro sports these days—to retire having only played for one team his entire career.

The deal replaces the existing three option years that were remaining on his previous deal that would have paid him $3.8 million, but also could have been declined had the super-human Swede played 70 games and scored 70 points this season.

Given the fact that earlier in the season he came back from knee surgery after missing only one game, I wouldn't bet against him.

Daniel Alfredsson is the epitome of a team player, when the news of a contract extension first surfaced earlier in the season, many pundits predicted Alfie could command $7-10 million from the Senators on a long term deal as many point-per-game player do these days.

However those of us who actually knew the situation and knew Alfie (though unfortunately not personally...Alfie return my calls please), always knew it would take far less to ensure the best captain in Senators history remained in Ottawa.

The $5.4 million cap hit is only $1 million more than his current tag of $4.4 million, leaving the Sens with plenty of room to manoeuvre in what will prove to be difficult times ahead for the NHL.

Leaving money on the table to ensure that the team can prosper is not new for Alfie. In 2003 when the Senators were forced to declare bankruptcy Alfredsson deferred hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary, and led the way for teammates to do the same, to help the Sens pay their bills and stay afloat.

During the lockout, Alfredsson was a member of the NHLPA board of directors where he again put the good of the game ahead of himself by voting for a 24 percent salary rollback even though he had just signed a five year, $32.5 million contract extension. That decision cost Alfredsson over $7 million in lost salary.

So it comes as no surprise that Alfredsson, who has also reportedly been assured of a front office position with the Senators when he retires, once again put the team ahead of himself.

With all the talk about Mats Sundin that has been making my ears bleed over the past few months, Daniel Alfredsson will go down in history as the better, more accomplished and more dedicated Swede of this NHL era.

Daniel Alfredsson Goes Under the Knife: Time to Panic in Ottawa?

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:48:00 -0400

Sportsnet is reporting that Daniel Alfredsson will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery...TODAY!

Earlier reports, and comments from Alfie himself, had suggested he was 100-percent recovered from his injuries from last season, inflicted by the hand of convicted felon and now unemployed ex-Leaf Mark Bell.

So what gives?

Missing Alfredsson for any length of time would be a huge blow to the Senators, especially as they try to get off to a fast start to the season to shake of the negativity of last year.

Is there a doctor in the house? Is this one of those quick and painless routine procedures to clean up the knee or something much worse?

In other words, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it's time for our viewers to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo inside?

UPDATE!

According to a team press release, the arthroscopic surgery is designed to remove a bone chip in Alfredsson's right knee that was dislodged during the Senators' second game of the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The Mats Sundin Circus Continues

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:23:00 -0400

According to the venerable Ottawa Sun, Sens owner Eugene Melnyk recently sat down with Mats Sundin and his agent J.P. Barry to convince the reluctant Swede to come to Ottawa.

While I appreciate Melnky's enthusiasm, and at one point I did favour trying to bring Sundin in to Ottawa, now I think Mats should stop wasting everyone's time and go away.

I have a hard time believing that a guy who is this uncertain about even playing can actually contribute anything positive to the Sens. It's like saying, "I have trouble getting out of bed in the morning—but sure, I'll take the job!" Not exactly confidence-inspiring.

But most of all, I just want to stop talking about Sundin, something the Toronto media seems reluctant to do.

The Sundin circus is reaching such baffling proportions that last week Sundin made front-page news on Sportsnet.ca for his ceremonial puck-dropping.

Yes that's right, Sportsnet's Ian Mendes felt that the big Swede was so impressive he saw the need to file a completely separate story on the event, even before filing his game story.

I'm going to give Ian the benefit of the doubt and assume he was forced to file such an inane story by his Toronto editors—but nonetheless, it was a bizarre situation.

So here's the deal, Mats—go away. We already have an aging but still dynamic Swedish powerhouse around here, and his name is Daniel Alfredsson.

If the day comes when Sundin decides he wants to play for the Sens, I'll accept him. But please—can we all stop grovelling, and leave the guy to wallow in peace.

Ottawa Senators: Premiere Weekend Recap

Spencer Callaghan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:27:58 -0400

Like a finely-crafted piece of Allen key-assembled IKEA furniture, the Ottawa Senators have arrived home from Sweden in one piece—though there may be a Swiss screw loose.

After a weekend that saw Ottawa come home with three of four possible points, some things have become abundantly clear about the 2008-09 Senators.

First, Martin Gerber was horrible in game one, absolutely atrocious. Even an average goaltending performance could have sealed a victory on Saturday afternoon in Stockholm—but Gerber was unable to supply even that.

I'm not sure what the deal is with Gerber. Occasionally he looks like he could shut out the 1987 Canada Cup team, then five minutes later he'll let in a floater from inside the blue line.

I'm not certain it is time to cut him loose yet, but he's certainly on a very short leash. And no, Khabibulin is not the answer, so stop with the rumours.

Another revelation from Saturday's game—though this one is hardly surprising—Hockey Night in Canada hates Jason Spezza. I'm not sure if it's jealousy because a Toronto boy isn't playing for the Leafs, or if Ron Maclean secretly loathes anything with a Don Cherry connection (Spezza agent is Bobby Orr and he played for Cherry's OHL team in Mississauga), but there is clearly an anti-Spezza bias at HNIC.

Yes, Spezza turned over the puck at the Pittsburgh blue line leading to the winning goal, but there are a few factors that need to be considered before publicly ripping the guy on national TV.

It was overtime, one point was in the bank, and it was four-on-four—he was trying to create some offence. Spezza is specifically put out there in the dying minutes of OT to try to create offence, he had nothing to lose.
The chance he gave up to Tyler Kennedy was a two-on-three. Yes, that's right, he was still outnumbered, yet somehow a floater from the top of the circle made it past Gerber. The goat on that play is Gerber, not Spezza.
The Senators have traditionally been horrible in shootouts, so going for the win at the end of OT is just smart thinking.

Overall, the feeling I got from Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss was overwhelmingly positive. The Sens outshot, outhit and outchanced the Penguins despite some horrific officiating, which by now I guess I should be used to when playing the NHL's favourite team—Sidney and Friends.

Sunday was a continuation of the positives I saw on Saturday, with the added bonus of competent goaltending.

I saw a Senators team that was aggressive on the puck, winning one-on-one battles, being physical, sticking up for teammates, and generally playing a very solid defensive game.

This speaks to my season preview. The Sens still have plenty of offensive firepower, but the added dimension of good team defence means they can now win 2-1 and 3-1 games instead of having to win 5-4 every night.

As far as individual player performances go, there were a few standouts for me:

Dany Heatley: The guy is a goal-scoring machine, but this season he seems to have added an extra dimension to his game. He was blocking shots, hitting, and playing great defensive hockey. It's amazing what putting an 'A' on someone's jersey will do.

Jason Spezza: despite the HNIC haters, I was impressed with Spezza's game. He was creating offence and seems to be making a genuine effort to try the safe play first.

Jarkko Ruutu: I love this guy, and I take back all the harm I wished on him in previous years. He adds a dimension to the Sens that they have needed for years—pain-in-the-ass-ed-ness. His presence seems to have reinvigorated Chris Neil as well, perhaps because he was worried about his role on the team once Ruutu was signed.

Jason Smith: I always loved this guy in Edmonton, and now he's a Sen. I love the fact that he smiles in scrums—it's that little added element of insanity that brings so much to the game.

Alexandre Picard: Forget about Filip Kuba (who has been great)—this kid is worth Andrej Meszaros straight up. He looks poised on the power play, has a great shot, and adds a physical dimension.

Nick Foligno: This kid is going to break out this season. He has added some strength and some moves to his game—which, when you add in his already-present determination to get the puck at all costs, is a great combination. I see 20-25 goals from him.

Jesse Winchester: I have to admit, I didn't like him in preseason. I thought he was overhyped and being handed a roster spot without merit. But now that he has been taken off the Heatley-Spezza line and put with Kelly and Vermette he looks much more comfortable. He's a determined forechecker, tough to get off the puck, and he has some great hockey sense and always makes the safe play. Another Brian Murray diamond in the rough, perhaps?

Overall, what I took out of the weekend was a renewed sense of optimism that this team has learned from its mistakes—even I wasn't drinking my own Kool-Aid completely before. There was a renewed commitment to team defence, much improved physical play, and a far greater sense of “team” was evident.

This edition of the Ottawa Senators will probably not lead the league in goals anymore, but the more well-rounded team game they have displayed so far suits me just fine. I'd much rather watch a group of hard-working guys win 2-1 than a group of lazy prima donnas win 5-4.

Now if we could just get Gerber to get his head in the game, the Sens would be a force to be reckoned with. If not, I think Ottawa is still good enough to cover for Gerber—at least until the playoffs, and then all bets are off.

Ottawa Senators 2008-09 Season Preview: Some Doubts. Many Doubters

Spencer Callaghan — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 05:03:38 -0400

After the debacle that was the 2007-08 season it is easy to quickly dismiss this years edition of the Ottawa Senators—if you weren't paying attention.

And it seems many people weren't.

If you weren't really paying attention you might have just noticed that the Sens backed into the playoffs, losing their last game and finishing in seventh place in the East.

What you perhaps missed was that the team, on the strength of a core of players that is still in place today, ripped up the league for the first 20 games until Ray Emery came back and started whining. It was internal struggles, not a lack of talent, that brought this team down.

If you weren't really paying attention you might have simply noted that the Sens got swept by the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs.

What you missed is that the team was without its captain and emotional leader Daniel Alfredsson for most of the series (although he did make a heroic comeback in game four) and was also missing the likes of Mike Fisher, the team's number two center and on ice workhorse, and Chris Kelly, one of the team's best checkers and penalty kill specialist.

If you weren't really paying attention, you might have noticed that the Senators lost one of their best defencemen over the summer in Wade Redden.

What you missed is that Redden had been the Sens top defenceman in salary only, as his play had steadily declined since 2006 when Zdeno Chara left. Redden twice used his no-trade clause to squash potential deals as Brian Murray was trying to ship the overrated defenceman out of town. There is a reason why the Sens didn't re-sign him (they had the money) and a reason they offered him a low-ball $4 million contract. Rangers fans are already finding out why.

If you weren't really paying attention you might suggest that Ottawa is a one line team that can easily be shut down.

What you missed is that the “one line” you downplay has been the highest scoring trio over the past three seasons. The team's problem has been defence, the offence will be just fine.

If you weren't really paying attention you might have noticed that Ottawa's blue line lost a lot of players over the summer—Redden, Meszaros and Commodore.

What you missed is that the Sens upgraded their blue line in the area that was needed, defensive ability, by adding the likes of Jason Smith, Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard.

You may also have forgotten that the Sens still have one of the best shut down pairings in the league in Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov, and now boast three of the top 15 shot blocking defencemen in the NHL—Volchenov, Smith and Kuba.

The 2008-09 Ottawa Senators are may not be as offensively dynamic as last year's team, but they will still score plenty enough to win. The key is the upgraded defence with a focus on physical play, defensive responsibility and good positioning.

OFFENCE

Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
Vermette - Fisher - Winchester
Foligno - Kelly - Neil
Ruutu - Bass - Schubert

Extras: McAmmond, Donovan

As mentioned, the oft-dismissed “one line” is not just any line, it is the number one scoring line over the past three seasons.

It is often suggested that if you can just shut down that line you're going to be OK. True, but that is the case with virtually every team in the NHL, shut down their top players and they are likely not going to win.

However, considering that despite this very obvious opponent game plan of shutting down Heatley, Spezza and Alfredsson, they still were the top scoring line in the NHL last season, so what does that say about how easy such a task is?

Look for Spezza and Heatley to both have big seasons as they have both come to camp looking for more responsibility (killing penalties, etc.) and want to play more of a leadership role. Dany Heatley was just named assistant captain by coach Crag Hartsburg, filling the vacancy left by Redden.

As for the remainder of the forwards on this “one line team” there are multiple 20-25 goal threats such as Vermette, Fisher and Kelly. Vermette in particular has the skills to put up 30 goals, and with the extra time he will see this season on the second line, that number should be in reach.

Another interesting stat for the doubters, the Ottawa Senators had the second highest scoring top six forwards in the NHL last season, behind only Detroit—so much for no secondary scoring.

This is a point that really bugs me—secondary scoring. With the exception of a very elite group of teams such as Pittsburgh and Detroit, very few NHL teams have this elusive “secondary scoring” unless they are putting first line players on their second line (as Ottawa has experimented with in Alfredsson).

As for role players, Ottawa has them in abundance, and they have become far more difficult to pay against.

Jarkko Ruutu, Chris Neil, Cody Bass and Christoph Schubert are some of the hardest hitting, most annoying players in the league. The Sens lost their resident tough guy in McGrattan, but he could barely skate anyway and was usually a healthy scratch. The tough guys Ottawa has now can all drop the mitts if necessary but can also skate, forecheck and pot the occasional goal. Neil has already shown that he is poised to come back strong from a 2007-08 campaign that was one of his worst.

The Sens also have some wily veterans up front in Deam McAmmond and Shean Donovan, both of whom can play an aggressive style and provide some on-ice leadership.

And there are a couple of young guns who are poised for breakout seasons in Nick Foligno and Jesse Winchester. Foligno in particular has looked great in preseason, scored a highlight reel goal on Montreal last week and could also join the 20 goal club with some increased ice time.

DEFENCE

Phillips - Volchenkov
Kuba - Smith
Picard – Lee

Extras: Richardson

The Sens defence has changed dramatically, trading some puck-moving ability and offence for physical play and defensive responsibility—which is exactly what they needed.

The Sens problem in 2007-08 was defence, not just from the blue line but from the whole team. Ottawa has the worst goals against average of any team that made last year's playoffs, this will change in 2008-09.

Gone are more recognizable names such as Redden and Meszaros, in are steadier, more defensively sound additions such as Jason Smith and Filip Kuba.

The coup-de-grace by general manager Brian Murray over the summer was the trade of Meszaros, a kid who had a great rookie season (playing with Chara) and has gone downhill ever since. From Tampa, Murray was able to get promising young defenceman Alexandre Picard, veteran Filip Kuba and a first round pick—and absolute steal.

Kuba produced only slightly less points than Meszaros last season and on a much worse Tampa team. Picard provides a young physical presence, something the Sens desperately need, and the first rounf pick is just gravy.

Of course the Sens still have what has to be considered one of the top five shutdown defensive pairings in the NHL—Phillips and Volchenkov. With the addition of Smith, Picard and Kuba, the emergence of Brian Lee—a Wade Redden before he started to suck clone – and the veteran presence of the surprisingly durable Luke Richardson, the Sens defence has been given the exact tune-up it required.

The Sens will lose some offensive capability on the back end, but gain the positives outweigh the negatives as team that had to get better defensively, did.

GOALTENDING

Gerber
Auld

No one is going to sugarcoat it, Martin Gerber has not been great, but there is reason for optimism between the pipes in Ottawa.

Martin Gerber seems to have a problem with confidence, whenever he was pushed for the number one job by Ray Emery he fell apart. Perhaps he felt that by signing his three-year deal with John Muckler in 2006 he was assured the starting job. Of course we all know what happened, Ray Emery stole the starting job in 2006-07, leading the Sens to the Stanley Cup Finals, got injured (his wrist as well as his swelled head), was lazy in his rehab, lost his job to Gerber, started to pout and eventually brought the entire dressing room down with infighting and negativity.

Emery is gone, eating borscht somewhere in Siberia.

This season Gerber has a few things going in his favour, he is the clear cut number one, was no malcontent behind him, has a strong defensive core in front of him and has a coach that is implementing a system of team defence.

Gerber does have the ability to steal a game now and them, but overall he is a good goaltender (not great) that give his team enough support to let the offence do the rest.

Alex Auld is probably as good of a back-up as you could want, he's confident enough to take on the job if needed, but modest enough to know his role and be a good team guy. What a refreshing thought.

COACHING

Craig Hartsburg has come into Ottawa stressing one very important theme, accountability, something that was lost on this team in 2007-08.

The lack of accountability last season came straight from the top as coach John Paddock allowed negatively to fester in the dressing room for too long without addressing it.

When Ray Emery was thrown out of practice for being late it was not the first time, just the first time anyone had done anything about it.

Players who show up on time and work hard had to be looking at Emery and wondering “why does he get away with that?” That was the beginning of the end for the 2007-08 Senators, and is a mistake that won't be repeated.

Don't work hard? You won't play.

Don't want to be here? Goodbye, you're traded.

Don't want to backcheck? You can sit on the bench.

That is the difference that Crag Hartsburg will bring to the Ottawa Senators, and the reason why the problems of last season are long gone.

CONCLUSION

2007-08 was a gong show in Ottawa, an absolute disaster of epic proportions, but all is forgiven, there is a clean slate.

The negativity, lack of accountability and excessive partying that brought down this team last season was exorcized with the departures of Emery, McGrattan, Redden and Meszaros. This year the Sens will be all business.

Heatley has an 'A', Spezza is asking to kill penalties and Alfredsson will soon sign a contract to remain a Senator for life – these guys are serious and are looking to redeem themselves.

This is a pivotal year for guys like Spezza and Heatley, they both just signed seven year deals to stay in Ottawa, this is their home (Spezza literally just bought a $6 million home in downtown Ottawa) and they want to prove themselves worthy of the admiration and money they get.

There are some holes in the line-up, an additional second line scoring threat and a puck-moving defenceman will both be trade deadline targets (along with the rest of the league) and the Sens still have about $3 million in cap space to make those moves.

The bottom line is that last year's failure was not due to a lack of skill but due to a lack of accountability, something that has been addressed. And that skill, the same skill that ripped through the NHL, going 15-3 at the beginning of last season is still here, and they are a bit pissed off.

The Senators should challenge the Canadiens for first in the Northeast, and will be right up there with the Penguins, Flyers, Rangers and Capitals at the top of the conference.

PREDICTION

Second in the Northeast, Fifth in the Conference.

I don't do playoff predictions at the beginning of the season, I don't see how anyone can.

Wall Street Collapse = NHL Collapse?

Spencer Callaghan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:16:48 -0400

As brokers cry into their lattes on Wall Street and politicians spin themselves silly on Capitol Hill, the NHL season is about to begin. The question is: will all the teams still be standing by the end of the season?

In many NHL markets where hockey is not number one, or even number four, will people still pay for tickets and buy jerseys when their credit has dried up and their jobs are in danger?

But most importantly, how will the many U.S.-based NHL franchises, whose owners are reliant on credit to manage huge yearly losses, be able to withstand the coming financial storm?

According to media reports, as many as eight to 10 NHL franchises, mostly U.S.-based, and recent expansion cities, are either seeking new ownership, looking for equity partners, or are even in danger of folding outright.

With the exception of teams owned by billionaires or large corporations, most NHL teams are large business partnerships. The teams are run by people with money, but not enough money to subsidize huge losses without credit.

Absorbing multimillion-dollar losses in order to build a long-term following is a solid business plan when credit is cheap and easy to access. How anxious do you think banks are going to be, however, to hand another $20 million over to Florida or Phoenix to cover their debts during a time of economic instability?

The bottom line is that in the grand hierarchy of things, sports rank pretty low in people's priorities when economic times get tough. The NHL, being an afterthought at best in many U.S. cities, is in the unenviable position of being at the bottom of an already crowded entertainment industry.

Therefore, the NHL is usually the first to feel the economic pinch.

While the NFL and MLB will probably survive just fine, it is pretty hard to imagine that southern U.S. markets, those that are already struggling to fill arenas, can weather this storm.

So what does the future hold?

A report on Rogers Sportsnet here in Canada suggests that the Nashville Predators have already approached RIM CEO Jim Balsillie about taking an ownership stake. It continues to say that several NHL teams are in real danger of going bankrupt and being turned over to the league.

Personally, I think the NHL could stand to contract by about a half-dozen teams, but the nature of the coming situation is probably not the ideal way to achieve that goal.

One thing is for sure, with the U.S. financial meltdown upon us, it is hard to believe hockey tickets are going to be first on American minds.

Large Hadron Collider: Will Tearing at The Fabric Of Space-Time Effect The NHL?

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:06:53 -0400

Has the world ended yet?

For those who don't live in the realm of particle physics, what I am referring to is yesterday’s official "switching on" of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a scientific thingamajig that is supposed to allow scientists to peer into the strange world of black holes, elementary particles, and something called a Higgs boson.

It could also create a black hole that might swallow up the Earth…but don’t panic.

The scientific purpose is to gain more knowledge into the making of our universe; however some have warned that the device is dangerous and should never be switched on.

These doomsayers suggest any number of sci-fi plots as possible consequences of this scientific experiment, from black holes that could swallow the Earth, to time-travel mishaps, to the world turning into a ball of goo.

But the most important question is -- how will the NHL be affected by this impending cosmic calamity?

10. The LHC rips open a hole in space-time, opening a gateway through which Lord Stanley of Preston, Canada’s governor-general in 1892 and original benefactor of the hallowed trophy emerges. TSN immediately signs him to be the 23rd member of their Hockey Insiders panel.

9. A quantum singularity is created, localized entirely in Wayne Gretzky's kitchen, upon entering the singularity Wayne emerges on the other side with the strength, vision and flowing blond locks he had back in 1984...a comeback is born.

8. The LHC causes a ripple in the timeline knocking the world back to 1967 where finally Leaf fans get to see a Stanley Cup. Mats Sundin immediately comes out of semi-retirement to join the temporal team “for a shot at the Cup.”

7. A gateway to a parallel dimension is opened through which an entire race of Barry Melrose's mullets emerges. Lighting owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie immediately sign the robust hairpieces to a five-year, $73 million deals.

6. A black hole emerges in the middle of the BankAtlantic Center during a Florida Panthers home game…no one notices.

5. An alternate reality is brought into existence in which the NHL had the balls to disallow Brett Hull’s 1999 Stanley Cup winning goal. Don’t get too excited Sabres fans, the Stars still go on to win the game in the sixth overtime period as Dominik Hasek decides he’s had enough and once again quits on his team.

4. Upon hearing the news of the existence of multiple parallel dimensions Eric Lindros announces he will not play in any of them either. His mother is pleased.

3. A wormhole is created in my basement that leads back to the Ottawa International Airport on the very day in 2006 when Dominik Hasek is to board a plane to go to the Olympics. Coincidentally, Hasek calls a news conference the next day, looking shaken but unharmed, and announces he will forgo playing in the Olympic Hockey tournament. The Sens go on to win the Stanley Cup.

2. Michael J. Fox emerges from his DeLorean announces to the world that he has seen the future and the survival of the planet depends on NHL teams being put back in Winnipeg and Quebec City. Unfortunately he fails to warn us of the danger of '80s hairstyles making a comeback. The world is no better off.

1. A small, localized black hole forms on the 12th floor of 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York. Gary Bettman is transported to a parallel dimension where proceeds to destroy their favourite sport, Shlaskenball.

Andrej Meszaros' Offer Sheet: The Plot Thickens

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:33:29 -0400

So, the wild world of the Andrej Meszaros offer sheet rumours has gotten even crazier.

How could that be? What could make such a situation even crazier than it already is?

Tampa Bay is involved, that's how.

It seems that Tampa may or may not have reacquired their own third round pick from Pittsburgh in order to make a ridiculously over-priced offer to Meszaros.

Yes, Tampa fans, your management team has lost their collective mind.

After trading away Dan Boyle, a proven veteran defenceman making $6.67 million, the geniuses in Tampa now want to blow slightly over $5 million on an unproven young defenceman who has an over-inflated view of his worth.

Oh, and they still have about 27 NHL forwards under contract (give or take a dozen).

The rumoured deal comes as it was revealed this morning that Tampa has demanded that Ottawa trade the young defenceman to them or risk an offer sheet.

The problem is that Tampa does not have the requisite first, second, and third round picks next season to offer in compensation, hence the deal with Pittsburgh to re-acquire their own third round pick.

Confused yet?

Of course this could all turn out to be nothing, but the insanity of it reeks of something that Tampa and their new Hollywood owners would try to do.

Andrej Meszaros Signs RFA Offer Sheet

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:28:55 -0400

The Hockey News is reporting that Ottawa Senators' restricted free agent Andrej Meszaros has signed an offer sheet worth more than $5 million per season. The team has yet to be disclosed.

If true, the Sens would have the option to match the offer or let Meszaros go and receive compensatory draft picks. The value of the deal will determine just how many picks the Sens would receive and what type they would be.

My take, if this is true: Bye, bye Andrej!

Meszaros had a promising start to his career but has since dropped off considerably. He clearly has an over-inflated sense of his value and is taking advantage of the Sens' cap and roster situation to try to squeeze out more money.

Coming off a sub-par season, Meszaros should be content to sign a one-year deal and prove himself, but he seems to want the money up front without proving that he deserves it.

Sens GM Brian Murray hinted at Meszaros' uncertain potential today in an article at TSN.ca.

"I think Mez is a potentially good young defenceman who had a bit of an off-year this past year, and we've asked their camp to entertain that in what we're trying to do with him," Murray stated.

The last thing the Sens need is to overpay for a player like Meszaros who has yet to prove he deserves the big money.

I look forward to seeing who the offering team is so I can add them to my hate list.

Antoine Vermette Re-Signs with Ottawa in Another Murray Hallway Deal

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:36:39 -0400

Another year, another last-minute hallway deal to avoid arbitration for Brian Murray.

After having done the same thing with Chris Kelly last season, Murray shook hands with Antoine Vermette in the hallway leading to the room where only a few minutes later, an arbitration hearing would have been held.

The deal is a two-year, $5.525 million agreement that will pay Vermette $2.525 million this season and $3 million next season for a total cap hit of $2.763 million.

The deal will bring Vermette right up to his eligibility as an unrestricted free agent, and ends a long—and often very public—negotiation, in which it is believed Vermette was seeking a long-term deal.

While neither side got exactly what it wanted, the deal helps bring into focus the Senators' 2008-09 roster.

The question remains—can Vermette step up to earn and thrive in a top-six role, something that he has been unable to do so far in his career?

The deal is probably the best thing Ottawa could have hoped for. It contains a decent salary level and contract length, and allows them time to better judge if Vermette is the type of player that can be considered part of the long-term corps.

Though Vermette is a fan favourite and has great skills, he has often had difficulty putting the full package together when given the opportunity to shine with the Sens' top players.

While Vermette is a skilled, defensively-minded forward and penalty killer, the Sens were reluctant to take a chance on a long-term deal until Vermette proved that he could add some more offensive production and consistency to his game.

Personally, I think Vermette has it in him—and could very well be in line for a big payday when his two-year deal expires, as two-way forwards with great hands and blistering speed are rare and highly valued.

However, the question becomes this—in two years, will the likes of O'Brien, Foligno, or even Zubov have developed to such an extent as to make Vermette expendable?

What Murray did in that hallway today was buy some time, along with two years of service for a player who could prove to be one of the most underpaid in the league by the time his contract is up.

NHL's Most Dysfunctional Teams

Spencer Callaghan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:26:24 -0400

With the free agent frenzy largely over, the direction of many teams has been decided.

Some teams are clearly rebuilding, others are making a run at the postseason and a select group are re-arming themselves for a chance at the Stanley Cup.

But there are several teams, probably a few too many in a 30 team league, that are in various states of disarray.

Much like any family, the NHL has some dysfunctional members, but which is the craziest, most mind-bogglingly backwards team in the NHL?

Tampa Bay Lightning

Coming off a last place finish, the Lightning are clearly in rebuild mode, but perhaps the new ownership group is taking it a little too far, skipping some important steps along the way.

Now-departed coach John Tortorella and GM Jay Feaster were rumoured to be on their way out the door weeks before the actual deed was done, hardly a decent way to run a franchise.

Leaving people twisting in the wind is just not classy (see Toronto Maple Leafs and John Ferguson Jr.), and going over their heads to marginalize them and push them out is even worse.

Add to that a roster that now boasts an astounding 19 forwards on NHL contracts, a weakened defence due to the loss of Dan Boyle, who was traded to San Jose, and questions between the pipes and it is easy to see how things in Tampa might be a little loopy.

Toronto Maple Leafs

There might actually be surprise at what is going on in Hogtown if it weren't for the fact that chaos and dysfunction is pretty much the norm.

While it looks like the Leafs might be taking a run at the John Tavares Sweepstakes, there is still confusion in Toronto.

Will Mats Sundin come back or won't he? This has been a consistant question for a few years now. As loyal as Sundin has been, the uncertainty of this situation has not been good for the franchise.

Cliff Fletcher remains as GM despite being initially installed as a temporary replacement. The Canadian media won't let Brian Burke go to the bathroom without trying to decipher what it means for his chances of taking over the Leafs job.

The Ron Wilson situation is bizarre as well. Even though Fletcher justified Paul Maurice's dismissal as cleaning the deck for a new GM to hire "his guy," Wilson was hired anyways, even though the GM position has yet to be filled. Again there are rumours of Brian Burke involvement, but nonetheless it reeks of confusion and a inconsistent message.

Buyouts are also a sign of mass confusion as the likes of Tucker and Raycroft were shown the door, and word is that pressure is being exerted to force more Leafs out the door, including Brian McCabe.

Getting the contracts off the books seems like a smart move until you consider some strange signings such as $3.5 million for Jeff Finger.

Finally there is the most recent blunder, the invalidated contract handed out to Swedish defenceman Jonas Frogren. The NHL shot down the deal and it remains to be seen whether or not it can be resolved in order to get the Swede under contract.

New York Islanders

Just when it looked like the Isles might be straightening things out...BAM! They fire their coach without warning.

It appears as though the Isles owner Charles Wang has some trouble getting along with his employees because this is the second time (allegedly) someone has been spontaneously fired for "philosophical differences".

Previously, Neil Smith was fired for similar reasons after having only been with the team for a little over a month and without having overseen a single NHL game.

When Smith was replaced by Garth Snow many thought Wang was nuts putting in a GM without a single day of NHL managerial experience.

Now there is talk that Alexei Yashin, who was bought out from his absurdly long and rich contract a couple of years ago, might be brought back.

The Islanders, it seems, do not learn from their mistakes.

Honourable Mentions

Ottawa Senators: Are they rebuilding or reloading? Will Melnyk have another conniption at the inability of Brian Murray to sign Gary Roberts? Are the purse strings being held too tight or is Murray just too gun-shy to make a deal?

Edmonton Oilers: They have a new owner, but the problems of the Oilers are still rooted in their previous ownership group and it's inability to give the team the resources it needed to ice a competitive team. This led to Kevin Lowe losing his mind, throwing out offer sheets like a madman and trying his darnedest to get people to like Edmonton.

Los Angeles Kings: Honestly I don't really know what is going on down there but I know that team has been dead in the water for a decade now.

Vancouver Canucks: They go from offensive powerhouse to defensive snooze-fest in a span of two years. New ownership hires a GM with no experience who has so far failed to address any of the team's problems. Not good in a town with a short attention span like Vancouver.

The common thread most dysfunctional team is meddling owners.

Whenever an owner thinks that owning the team gives them some sort of advanced hockey knowledge it rarely ends well for the products on the ice.

What sports owners need to realize is that because you are essentially a fan with lots of money it doesn't make you an expert.

Bill Gates could buy Starbucks tomorrow but I doubt he'd be down on the line teaching the baristas to pull a better espresso.

So what do you think? Which is the looniest, most ass-backwards team in the NHL?

UPDATE: Thrashers sign Jason Willaims?

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:05:55 -0400

UPDATE: TSN is now reporting that Williams has in fact signed a 1 year, $2.2 million deal with Atlanta.

Increasingly reliable anonymous blogger SensChirp is reporting that the Senators have signed unrestricted free agent Jason Williams.

Williams played last season with Chicago, tallying 13 goals and 23 assists in 43 games. His season was cut short due to a sports hernia, which caused him to miss 35 games.

Terms of the contract have yet to be released.

The potential signing will add some much needed depth to the Sens' second line—but has also raised questions as to the future of Antione Vermette.

Vermette has filed for salary arbitration, and there is speculation that he could be in line for as much as $3.5 million next season.

Vermette would make an attractive bargaining chip in a potential trade for the much coveted "puck moving defenceman" that the Sens have been after since free agency started.

Having lost out on Brian Campbell, Dan Boyle, and others, the thought is that Murray may go the trade route to improve the Sens' blue line.

Though the signing of Jason Smith (there are now three Jasons on the Sens) added some much needed depth, toughness and leadership to the Sens blueline, it is thought that the team is still in need of a powerplay quarterback to replace Wade Redden.

Much speculation has surrounded still-unsigned Jay Bouwmeester in Florida, who has also filed for arbitration. Florida GM Jacques Martin has experience coaching Vermette, and is thought to be fond of him.

Perhaps the Williams signing opens the door for a fourth "Jay" to be added to the Sens line-up?

Tampa Madness Continues: Jay Feaster Resigns

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:56:49 -0400

Don't ask me why I'm so interested in Tampa lately, I guess I'm attracted to chaos, but RDS is now reporting that Jay Feaster has resigned as general manger of the Lightning. (It's in French but trust me, that's what it says)

So it would seem that one of two things happened here.

One possibility, Feaster decided to go on a binge, signing every free agent forward on the market as a sort of "Scorched Earth" policy on his way out the door. (Update: the number of Tampa forwards under contract has now reached 18, including Stamkos, with the signing of ex-Ottawa 67 Zenon Konopka)

Or the other more likely possibility, Feaster has had little to nothing to do with the recent signings and is resigning out of disgust at being cut out of the loop on personnel decisions.

It has been rumoured that Brian Lawton, recently named vice president of Hockey Operations, has been the 'de-facto GM' for a while now, making Feaster's exit a mere matter of time.

Now far be it for me to tell the new Tampa ownership how to run things, but going over your GMs head to sign every free agent imaginable in an effort to "make a splash" is about the worst possible thing you can do.

Feaster built the Lightning into Stanley Cup Champions and now a bunch of Hollywood owners and their well-coiffed coach, freshly thawed out from 1993, think they are going to come in and know how to do it better?

This is what happens when owners think that because they own the team, they know something about hockey.

If I were a Tampa fan right now I'd be very worried at the direction my team is headed.

Memo To New Tampa Ownership: You Bought The Lighting Not The Buccaneers

Spencer Callaghan — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:29:24 -0400

I understand the new owners of the Tampa Bay Lightning are high-rolling, charismatic Hollywood-types, but perhaps in their exuberance over the purchase of their new team and the "big splash" they promised on the free agent market they forgot to check the fine print on the document they signed to purchase the franchise.

They do know they own the Tampa Bay Lightning and not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, right?

I ask because they seem to be assembling their roster as if they are required to ice an 11-man offensive unit as they currently have 16 NHL forwards signed to contracts.

Free agent forwards are not Pokemon, you don't "gotta catch em all!"

With the recent signings of Artyukhin, Recchi, Bochenski, Recchi, Malone, Roberts, etc. (I've lost count) the Lightning now have enough forwards to field a decent soccer team—with spares.

And they haven't even officially signed Stamkos yet, which would make 17.

Add in the loss of defenseman Dan Boyle and the still shaky situation in between the pipes and you gotta wonder; did Barry Melrose manage to convince the new ownership group that it's still 1993? I know his hair thinks it is.

With 16 forwards and a depleted defence, the Bolts are clearly looking to play run-and-gun hockey, just like Barry's mullet remembers.

So as an outsider looking in I gotta ask Tampa fans, "What the heck is going on down there?" Can someone explain it to me please?

NHL: Salary Cap to Rise...Again

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:15:35 -0400

Thanks for the year with no hockey Gary.

No seriously, thanks a lot, I was able to catch up on my correspondence, build a small bunker in my backyard (can never be too safe), and generally be bored out of my mind.

But thanks to that year of hardship, we got a salary cap that would bring with it a new era of fiscal responsibility, reasonable salaries, and stable franchises.

So it was with great shock that I read today that the salary cap, which was once a mere $39 million, is rising by $6.4 million next season to $56.7 million.

Unbelievable.

Despite not having a true national U.S. TV contract, despite the fact that the majority of the revenue gains the NHL has made are due to the rising Canadian dollar, and despite the fact that several U.S. teams are losing money in buckets, the cap rises again.

I want my year of hockey back Gary.

So what was the lockout for anyway?

A little perspective is in order.

The salary cap floor ($40 million), below which no team dare to tread, is now higher than the original salary cap ceiling ($39 million).

We now have unprecedented levels of player movement, which reduces fan loyalty.

We have unrestricted free agency at age 25.

We have a paltry revenue sharing program that some teams treat like food stamps.

We have teams such as the Phoenix Coyotes, with a brand new arena and a superstar coach, who are losing $30 million a year.

And now we have the ability to pay a single player $11.34 million a season, the same level people thought obscene when Jagr was being paid as much pre-lockout.

So thanks Gary, thanks for nothing.

Ottawa Senators Coaching Search: Who's the Man?

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:42:26 -0400

Although it may not have the soap opera-like quality of the Toronto coach/GM/savior search—and certainly not the ridiculous amount of media coverage—Ottawa's version of "Who Wants to Coach a Bunch of Millionaires?" continues.

Here are the latest wild guesses...er, rumors:

The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch reports that Peter DeBoer was flown to Barbados yesterday to meet with Sens owner "Mean" Eugene Melnyk presumably to talk about his struggle to elect a new state of directors to the Biovail board.

I have a hard time figuring out how a rookie coach is supposed to straighten out a team full of underachievers and inflated egos, but hey I'm just a humble non-millionaire fan.

Everyone's favorite anonymous blogger/amateur musician, Eklund, reports (e4-e5 for those who follow the e-scale religiously) that in fact it is Craig Hartsburg who will be the next coach with Peter DeBoer coming on as an assistant.

Hartsburg makes a bit more sense, but why would DeBoer leave what is rumored to be a lucrative job in Kitcher to be an assistant coach? More importantly, why would he be flown to Barbados in order to be told he'll be the one opening the gate for the defensemen and collecting the pucks and water bottles?

"Sens insider" Kevin Lee reported last week that his "reliable sources" told him that Bob Hartley "will be named the next head coach of the Ottawa Senators."

I wonder if he used the same source as Eklund because clearly the Hockey Buzz colleagues are either not on the same page or the guy who cleans the toilets in the Sens locker room is pulling their leg.

Of all the rumors, Eklund's Hartsburg/DoBoer one is my favorite, though it is precisely the fact that it intrigues me so much that makes it certain to fall through.

It's times like these that make me wonder why I didn't stick with journalism as a full-time career, especially sports journalism. Rumors are so easy to make up; your sources are always anonymous and no one ever calls you on it.

Maybe we should all just wait and see.

Ottawa Senators: Finally the Offseason Can Begin, Part One

Spencer Callaghan — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 03:19:01 -0400

With the awarding of the Stanley Cup last night, after a two night delay due to the Pens' heroics in game five, the offseason can officially begin in Ottawa.

Unlike some teams (teams that rhyme with Boronto Fable Chiefs), generally it is considered respectful to wait until the Stanley Cup Final is over to start making moves and headlines, so as to not distract from the teams that deserve attention.

But I digress.

One of the first orders of business will be to end the soap opera that is the Ray Emery saga once and for all.

The Sens now have a 48-hour window in which to buy out Emery for one third of his contract.

Favorable CBA conditions make doing so relatively painless, though the thought of giving Emery a $2.25 million check to go buy more monstrous SUVs, designer suits, and bling makes me a bit ill.

While I have no doubt that Emery will resurrect his career, it can't be in Ottawa; there's too much baggage.

In many ways a buy-out is exactly what Rayzor needs to get his game back on track—a wake up call. I just hope he does it somewhere in the western conference.

Next, the issue of a new coach will be the focus.

With the draft being in Ottawa this year, it is important that the Sens have all hands on deck for the event, meaning a coach needs to be in place before everyone's favorite demonic imp, Gary Bettman, takes the stage in Ottawa.

Brian Murray has confirmed that Craig Hartsburg, Bob Harley, and Peter DeBoer have already been interviewed and has suggested that he will interview one or two more candidates before narrowing down a short list for a second interview.

As accomplished as DeBoer is, I don't want to see a rookie head coach in Ottawa. This team needs experience, discipline, and accountability.

Hartsburg seems a bit too quiet for my liking. Hartley is highly overrated and won his Cup on a stacked Avalanche team (See: Michel Therien, 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins).

The guy that is getting some media buzz, and who I would like to see considered, is John Tortorella.

The Sens need someone who will breathe some life and some fire into them, someone who will call out their at times lazy stars and even sit them in the press box for a game or two.

Vinny Lecavalier once had a similar reputation as Jason Spezza—lazy, one- dimensional, uncommitted—so much so that the Bolts almost gave up on him in a trade that would have sent him to Ottawa for Radek Bonk (Yes, that Radek Bonk, the one who sucks). Unfortunately the trade was vetoed by ownership at the last minute (that one still hurts).

The Senators need some passion on the bench, and as much as I think Tortorella may be crazy, he's also a great coach.

Stay tuned for Part Two: The Draft and Free Agency...

Penguins Getting Schooled: This Is Why You Don't Use The 'D' Word

Spencer Callaghan — Tue, 27 May 2008 03:25:28 -0400

Just as the early season comparisons of the Ottawa Senators to the 1976–77 Habs after their 15-2 regular season start was a case of the media getting way ahead of itself, we are seeing much the same thing in the Stanley Cup Finals.

After the media and many fans were falling all over themselves using words like "dynasty" and "'80s Oilers" in making comparisons to this year's Pittsburgh Penguins, reality is now sending these predictions plummeting back to Earth.

As last year's Ottawa Senators proved, having a great record heading into the Finals means nothing. What matters is how prepared you are.

While the 2007 Sens had a 12-3 record before their dismantling by the Ducks, the 2008 Pens had a similar 12-2 record before running into the juggernaut that is the Red Wings.

The similarity between the two teams...neither had to face any adversity or challenge on their way to the Finals.

It is for this reason that even the mere uttering of the word dynasty is absolutely ludicrous. Win one Cup; then maybe we can contemplate having that discussion.

Just as the Ottawa Senators sat around the Nation's Capital for 11 days between their Eastern Conference win over the Sabres, soaking in the glory and hearing about how great were, the Penguins had a similar amount of sunshine blown up their skirts by the entire hockey media.

Anyone with a keyboard, camera or microphone was telling them just how wonderful they all were and how they were destined not just for victory, but to be seated alongside the greatest teams of all time.

What reason was there to think the 2008 Penguins were any more destined for dynasty than the 2007 Senators? Crosby? Malkin?

Or was it marketing?

The powers that be at the NHL, CBC, TSN, Vs, Gatorade, RBK, etc. want so bad for Crosby to make them millions of dollars that they eschew all common hockey wisdom in anointing the Penguins the next great dynasty before they had even proven a thing.

The NHL might be able to rig a draft lottery, but they can't stop a highly skilled, veteran team that doesn't need to be told how good it is from dismantling a bunch of kids who are riding an artificial wave of glory.

So unless you are talking about 1980s TV dramas, save the dynasty talk for when someone actually wins something.

Wanted: Excitement in the 2008 NHL Playoffs

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:22:47 -0400

Being an Ottawa Senators fan, and knowing my team was no longer in the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, I promised myself I would stay interested and actively watch the rest of the playoffs, mainly because as an Ottawa fan I hadn't seen decent hockey since Christmas. (rimshot)

However with the exception of round one, this has perhaps been the most boring post-season since the lockout—two sweeps in three series where a team went up 3-0 (essentially the equivalent of a sweep) and no real Cinderella teams in the third round.

Perhaps one thing that makes it so uneventful is the absence of a Canadian team in the third round, the first time that has happened since the lockout thanks to the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators.

However, I am not one of those Canadians that subscribe the theory that I have to cheer for a Canadian team. In fact, I usually do the opposite (thank you Philadelphia).

But despite not cheering for a Canadian team, I do think the absence of Canuck representation takes away some of the excitement and passion.

When the Sens were down 3-0 to Pittsburgh I hung my hopes (foolishly) on the recurring theme of 33 years.

Only two teams have ever come back from being down 3-0 in the playoffs, the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders—33 years apart.

Which brings us to 2008, 33 years later, when I figure someone is due.

I don't particularly care who makes it to the Stanley Cup Finals, though I have a bit of a distaste for Pittsburgh, but most importantly I just want the playoffs to be exciting.

So with Dallas and Philly winning their respective game fours, I am hoping at the very least to get to watch a game seven in this round, even if the 33-year streak doesn't continue.

It's hard to say who the most likely candidate to force game seven might be.

Philly finally showed some passion and physicality in their game last night but they have some key injuries.

As much as I loathe Steve Downie, I am crushing on Mike Richards, the guy is a power forward the likes of which Sens fans have been dreaming about for 15 years.

In Dallas I can't help but think things are a bit dimmer. A horrendous call in game four might have been the Stars saving grace and the Wings simply have too much talent to roll over at this point.

With their best player, Brendan Morrow, clearly playing hurt, it is doubtful the Stars can muster up three more wins.

Most of all I am just looking for some entertaining hockey, a little passion, and some drama to soothe the pain of a nightmare season in Ottawa.

Patriots Spygate: No Specter of Illegality to Justify Investigation

Spencer Callaghan — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:55:19 -0400

I'm not American, so you will forgive me if I didn't previously realize that all of America's problems have been solved.

They must be, because otherwise why would a sitting senator be banging the drum to investigate signal stealing in the NFL if there were far more important things to be dealing with.

So in this atmosphere of peace, harmony, and economic prosperity, that has been created in the U.S. (congrats on that by the way), politicians are now free to delve into their own pet causes, which for Sen. Specter appears to be his inability to get over the New England Patriots' 24-21 defeat of his beloved Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Many have tried to make the connection between the congressional investigation into Major League Baseball and the potential Spygate investigation, but the two could not be more different. (Note to the media, old, new, mainstream, web 2.0 and otherwise: can we stop with the "gate" suffix please? Nixon is dead, let's bury his scandals with him)

The MLB steroid-scandal involves an act that is illegal in the U.S., the trafficking of HGH and anabolic steroids. Of course, what is getting most Major Leaguers into trouble is lying to Congress. But the purpose of the investigation is to uncover those who are manufacturing, importing, and selling illegal substances.

Now one can easily make the argument that the MLB steroid hunt is just a publicity stunt by a Congress looking to make a statement, but the bottom line is that a legitimate illegal act is being investigated.

Spygate, however, does not pass the litmus test of illegality.

There is no law against trying to steal signals. Getting an upper hand on your opponent is a well established tradition in any sport, especially those that use hand signals or any other type of communication to set up plays.

Each individual sport is free to enact any policies, guidelines, or punishments they so desire to discourage the stealing of signals, but breaking these rules is not illegal.

The Patriots cheated, no one is denying that. They were punished, and have been publicly humiliated. Their legacy is tarnished and their aura of invincibility shattered.

As hard as it may be to understand, I somehow believe Belichick when he says he didn't think he was breaking the rules. Why else would you put a guy in plain sight on the sidelines, in clearly marked Patriots gear, holding a video camera? Wouldn't you be a little more subtle?

But regardless, Belichick DID cheat, he broke the rules, the punishment was fair and reasonable, but no laws were broken.

That is the major difference between investigating steroids and investigating signal stealing.

So if all the other issues in the U.S. have been wrapped up, I suggest Sen. Specter should nonetheless find a better way to waste taxpayer dollars, perhaps an investigation into the fragility of Donovan McNabb.

Buh-Bye: Wade Redden's Days in Ottawa Are Done

Spencer Callaghan — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:03:06 -0400

Well it looks like Wade Redden's days as an Ottawa Senator are officially over.

The Ottawa Sun is reporting that Redden and his agent have rejected the idea of re-signing for "Chris Phillips money" (a.k.a. about $3.5 million a season).

Redden publicly suggested earlier in the season that he would be will to take a pay cut to stay.

Of course I don't think he meant 50 percent.

Putting aside the fact that Redden screwed over the Sens by not accepting to waive his NTC for the two potential trades Murray tried to organize (one to Edmonton last summer and one to San Jose at this year's trade deadline), it is hard to see this as a bad thing for the Senators.

For two years now, Redden has been overpaid and has underperformed. He called out his teammates and the organization in 2006 as not having the will to win and then proceeded to mail in the next two seasons while taking $13 million from the team.

He tricked good ol' John Muckler (who must have been off his meds that day) into keeping him and letting Chara go for a total of $1 million more in average salary.

Chara is now a Norris trophy candidate (again), and Redden is likely on his way out west.

But even though the Sens are losing him for nothing, today's news is good news.

Keeping Redden, even at a discount, would not have helped to remove the lethargic country club atmosphere from the Sens dressing room.

As much as the puck bunnies and charitable organizations of the city may cry, Redden has been a drain on this team for two years now, and the best thing to do was to move on.