However, with the team sitting pretty in a playoff spot, it seems that some fans are waiting for their chance to say “I told you so”. After Sunday night’s loss to Florida in a game where the Sens just didn’t seem to have their usual drive, the mood on the Interwebs was confusing to say the least.
It seems that in a season that has exceeded expectations in every way imaginable there is still a sense among some in the Senators fan base that this type of season is counterproductive to the ultimate goal or the “big picture”.
It was suggested last night that having a successful season to date and continuing to win games and makes strides towards the playoffs may be counterproductive, and that perhaps the Senators have given up on the idea of rebuilding. Perhaps the Senators have decided that this surprising season is indicative of things to come. Maybe we don’t have to continue down the rebuilding path…MAYBE JIM O’BRIEN IS THE ANSWER!
But really, that is a load of garbage. This seasons Senators are just having a great year. Plain and simple.
The fact that our average players are having above average seasons cannot be looked upon with concern for the future. Nothing the organization has done has suggested that they intend to do anything other than continue their rebuild. Past trends of acquiring big contract UFA rental players at the deadline seemed to be a distant thought for this team. Trading future assets for a chance to win now doesn’t seem to be crossing the minds of the Senators brass. Overvaluing mediocre players with the chance to jeopardize future transactions doesn’t seem to be where this team is heading.
Instead smart hockey moves are being made to ensure that this season of surprise can be parlayed into future gains for the organization. Adding guys like Kyle Turris and Ben Bishop ensure that depth in two major areas of concern for the Ottawa Senators are addressed for many seasons to come. These types of moves show a renewed commitment to the rebuilding program more than anything else. There is always concern when you trade away an unproven prospect like David Rundblad, or future assets in the form of 2nd round picks, but when you can improve your team immediately and for the foreseeable future in 1 or 2 moves it’s hard to consider it a negative.
I find it hard to believe that some people think that having success with a team that shouldn’t be having any is a bad thing. We are winning with the team we have, not with a team that we had to acquire through trade or UFA signings. The Sens are almost at the cap floor and have incredible flexibility for the future and the ability to add pieces to fill holes in the future.
The future is bright. Be happy that this hasn’t been the most depressing season in Senators history as many, MANY people suggested it would be.
Love this team. Revel in this season. Relish a chance at the playoffs. I think you’ll find it’s much more enjoyable.
Let me know how you feel about this season in the comments or send me a note on Twitter @TomSENS
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- The Ottawa Senators were on the practice ice this afternoon ahead of tomorrow's game against the New York Rangers. Chris Phillips, Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson were among the players that did not skate. Both Spezza and Karlsson took maintenance days while Chris Phillips is nursing a broken nose but is expected to play. Same goes for Jim O'Brien.
- The Sens goaltending battle continues to heat up as Robin Lehner answered Ben Bishop's win with a shutout down in the AHL. Give the organization credit for doing a great job of creating competition during Craig Anderson's absence.
Yep. Is expected to play tomorrow. Same goes for O'Brien who missed last night's game with a lingering upper body injury.
Well, he's built great teams in the past, guy is great at doing it, it doesnt always work, that Leafs team was a mess to begin with.
Look what he did to the Canucks and Ducks...
He's won one cup and it's common knowledge that Bryan Murray built that team, Burke even says it himself. Pronger and Niedermeyer fell into his lap and there is your Stanley Cup winner. As described by the Toronto Sun today, Burke is thin skinned and cares more about the media and what is said about him and the Leafs than actually doing what is best for the team. The only reason that he traded for Kessel and gave up that ridiculos bounty to Boston was that he panicked because of what the media said about him and the Leafs. No other manager would have done that but it runs in the bloodlines of Leaf GM's. We all remember Russ Courtnall for John Kordic. That trade may have been the worst ever, however the Kessl trade is looking worse and worse by the season.
Let's all hope that Cowen and Karlsson will do the same for the Sens in the near future and get us THE CUP.
I still believe the Sens have everything in place to please Zach Parise this summer. We have a young and promising team. Who wouldn't want to play with Karlsson and Spezza for an offensive minded coach. He could be the missing link to put us over the top as soon as next season.
Murray only drafted Getzlaf and Perry, and its pretty common knowledge that they didnt do much in the playoffs. Burke is the one that developped them. As they only came into the league in 2005, after Murray had left.
If you ask anyone I think they would say Burke built that Cup winning team.
Scott Niedermayer, Pronger, Moen, Ryan compared to Perry and Getzlaf.
Quoting Tookie19:
go sens goooooooooooo
Really lets see what Murray drafted during his tenure...Not much help if you ask me.
2002
Lupul
Brent
Lee
Vikho
Davis
Fritshaw
Caron
Petrow
2003
Getzlaf
Perry
Hynes
Alen
Saunders
Drew Miller
Southern
Shane O'Brien
2004
Ladislav Smid
Jordan Smith
Klubertans
Auffrey
Bouthillette
Christie
Pesonen
I can see Bishop playing tomorrow and vs buff
Lehner take over for Mtl x2 And leaf game
Thx bro!
Its just posts like that "Thank God Burk isnt our GM" that bring nothing to the blog, why even say that, if the person knew anything about hockey he would have welcomed Burke as GM very quickly just by going on his resume.
Its just silly comments, Murray is good yes, no doubt and I do also prfer Murray to Burke but if we would have landed Burke instead, I would also be very happy.
Like the post above mentioned "Burke only drafted the Sedins" Well Murray only drafted "Getzlaf & Perry", the difference is the Sedins actually carried their team to the Cup final, unlike Getz and Perry.
funny you say that since in 06-07 cup run, getlaf lead team with 17poitns and perry tied for 2nd with 15points in playoffs. in 2003 BM also traded commodore and someone else to the flames for rob niedermayer.
sounds like to me BM was a huge reason they won a cup if not the number 1 reason
see AGAIN trashing our gmm ... get a life loser
I see you cant read properly, I dont see anywhere where I say BM is crap? Hooked on phonics bro, try it out!
Wake me when it's over.
On another note - anxious to see Biship play again tomorrow night. I'm still not 100% sure about him over Lehner...
True enough - both guys contributed and you can't really say one could have done what the other did (or that that they couldn't).
I'm pretty sure Lehner >>> Bishop right now, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way. Heck, if the best we get from Bishop is a little fire under Lehner he's worth it.
Ok I'll take that understanding, RE: Burke/Murray...
Yeah if thats all it does its great for us, Lehner is a bit complacent, getting bored is never a good thing.
Tookie your about to eat your words...
we don't know anything about hockey right? whats your new senschirp handle going to be? yeah i thought so...
@ Muckalt,
The only player to come via trade, was Craig Anderson for Brian Elliott. It worked out well for both players and both teams !]
as for the Burke argument: Burke may have won the cup with Anahiem, but what he did via the Kessel trade, his mishandling of Kadri, making Dion Phaneuf the captain and his coaching decision including the goalie coach, are proof enough that he is a shit GM who clearly has zero skill. He wrecked Vancouver, he completely wrecked Anaheim after their cup win and he pretty much wrecked the leafs very very early on by trading TWO FIRST ROUNDERS FOR KESSEL AND THEN TANKING TWO YEARS IN A ROW. I dont think a gm who giftwraps a division rival TWO FRANCHISE PLAYERS as a good gm. but its all good for us sens fans, because Burke is here to stay, which pretty much guarantees that the leafs will suck for quite some time.
2008–09 82 34 35 -- 5th in Northeast Did not qualify
2009–10 82 30 38 -- 5th in Northeast Did not qualify
2010–11 82 37 34 -- 4th in Northeast Did not qualify
Prior to Burke, for anyone curious:
2005–06 82 41 33 -- 4th in Northeast Did not qualify
2006–07 82 40 31 -- 3rd in Northeast Did not qualify
2007–08 82 36 35 -- 5th in Northeast Did not qualify
My local Jets club 'could' swap spots with the Sens. The Jets have no problems beating down the Bruins.
I'm just super pleased both appear to be in the playoffs no matter what. I'll just hate if the Jets get 3rd and the Sens get 6th. That'll probably happen. NHL doesn't want too many Canadian teams in the playoffs, of course.
And one could argue that we could have got him as a UFA though certainly getting him here early helped with that signing.
Good point by Muckalt though - outside of clearing some room, creating some competition and a bit of a mindset change, we haven't really reaped the benefits of those extra picks yet.
"...if the person knew anything about hockey", he would know that Ryan wasn't on the Cup-winning team...
Isn't his name so fun to say! haha
Leafs will suck forever...hones tly.
Go Fucking Sens.
Ryan wasn't even on the SC team you useless troll. So much for role playing "Mr. Hockey-know-it-all".
Like I said before, the art of trolling based on quality not quantity and you're just getting way too desperate for a little bit of attention that you obviously didn't receive in your childhood.
Keep figting the fight finger warrior.
Although I hope that statement is true, I find it hard to believe, especially in an era with many 37, 38, 39, 40... year old players.
Can anyone name the 7?
Seems to me Alfie, Phillips, Neil and Gonchar would be in such a group. With Selane, Koivu and a third of Detroit's team being geriatrics still in the league, the numbers don't sound right to me.
They named them on the broadcast, but Stajan is the only one that I recall them saying. Antropov, Kaberle,Ponikar ovsky, Wellwood and Collaiocovo are the only others I can identify from their 2004 roster.
OK, so 7 ex-Leasts still active, not 7 active players in the league... Makes sense... about 1/3 of the team...
Remember when Chara rag-dolled him?
Good times.
Go Sens go,
Spendzza
7 doesn't seem so bad if it's players from the Leafs roster.
I count 10 of the 03-04 Sens still playing in the NHL; 7 Habs; 8 Bruins...
i have a couple things on my mind about the rebuild.
1) with turris doing rather well what do you think is the most likely scenario with zibanejad next year and the year after. a)nhl 2nd line b) nhl 3rd line c)binghamton d)sweden c) traded
-any other options?
2)I think we have an overabundance of young 3rd and 4th line players. foligno, smith, condra, greening, daugavins, klinkhammer, winchester, o'brien. so the question is what do we do with them all?
3) i think our defence has some major holes. ie too soft, not good board battlers, scared to get hit. agree/disagree? what would you do to remedy this?
1) I think Zibby will be converted to winger. He should play in the top 6 and playing alongside Spezza and Michalek could be interesting.
Michalek-Speza-Zibanejad
Sifverberg-Turris-Alfredsson
looks like a good top 6 to me! If there is a way to sign Parise then he moves into Michalek's spot and MM9 moves to Sifverbergs spot.
2/3) We need to move a few of those guys for defence prospects. We have way too many forwards in our system and that is a strenght that hopefully we can use at the draft to either gain new picks, enhance our other picks or trade for prospects and nhl ready players.
I agree 100%. Everyone knows leaves fall every spring.
Sure playing one of the best teams in the league tonight will be tough, but nobody gives the Sens a ton of credit.
I say we ambush the dirty Rangers tonight and win by at least two goals.
UNLEASH THE KLINKHAMMER!!!! !!!!
Excellent points!
I look at our roster and i agree we need to clear up some places for some of those younger players,
What do we do if Stone/Zibby/Sif verberg/Petters on have a great camp. I trully think Petterson will have a great one play a whole year in the AHL and should be ready next year..
I think Drafting D this year is our main focus and Trade guys (foligno/Butler ) for D
EDIT
even laff fans and media, not to mention the #1 Leaf fan Cherry are all commenting on what a horrible job Burke is doing in TO.
this is Burke's fourth year, and he is no where closer to putting together a challenging team, and is in fact closer to another rebuild, after firing Wilson, who when hired they claimed they would be challenging for the cup in 3 years. Fail!
Burke has really set the leafs way back with trading Seguin and Hamilton, and having nothing in the tank for the near future.
Whereas in Ottawa one year removed from the firesale, and wholesale rebuild we WILL be challenging for the cup ( can't wait to officially win our little wager ) and, with a lot of hard work, a lot of luck, and maybe a small miracle would be only 16 wins away from carrying the Stanley cup.
Meanwhile Burke will once again be golfing in spring, scrambling once again, in the midst of an 8 YEAR rebuild.
Sorry Bro but you are the only one I know who can claim to be both a Sens fan and a Laff fan
Bud, it cannot be easy being both a Hatfield and a McCoy :)
Great post miguel, and once again Chirp posts a new blog right after you comment. Haha.
Really... I am starting to think Chirp is Tookie :)
thanks Rush
If it makes you fell better, the same thing happens to me. A lot.