FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-It was just 12 days ago, that Pierre Dorion mentioned that he had a plan. In fact, he had many plans in place. He hadn’t given up on the playoff dream just yet and he believed that this group could turn things around. But if things didn’t go well in the days leading up to the deadline, the GM was ready. Turns out the players had a plan too. And apparently it was to lose every game from now until the end of the season. 6 down, 34 more to go. The Senators sit comfortably in 29th place overall, 6 points back of the 28th place Montreal Canadiens and just 2 points clear of the 30th place Buffalo Sabres.
-It’s difficult to question the effort level of a professional hockey player, especially in the National Hockey League. These are elite athletes and the best in the world at what they do. But what we’re seeing down the stretch is that even professionals can mail it in from time to time. That they can check out as the games take on less importance. The difference between good teams and bad teams is so small these days that effort and commitment to playing a certain way can be the difference between winning and losing. This team has no interest in playing with any sort of structure right now and they’re finding it difficult to match the desperation of teams fighting for playoff spots. This game was close through two periods but Carolina completely took over in the 3rd.
-While Guy Boucher deserves a healthy amount of the blame for what has gone wrong this season, these games have to be absolute torture for him. He’s a Coach who prides himself on attention to detail and on doing the little things right. Being in the right place on the ice and playing with a structure in all three zones. It’s pretty clear those things have gone out the window in the last couple months. And he has no answer for how to get it back. Boucher did a tremendous job with this team in year one but it’s impossible to imagine another full year with him behind the bench. Not sure Pierre Dorion feels the same way.
-Last night was just another example of the way this season has gone for Craig Anderson. Through two periods, he looked okay in the Ottawa net. He turned aside all 26 shots he faced and seemed to be putting together a pretty solid outing. And then in the third period, it unraveled in the blink of an eye. First it was a deflection that found a way through. As they so often have. And then with less than nine minutes left, a weak shot beat him on the short side. Again. That kind of night for Anderson, who was probably Ottawa’s best player.
-Lastly, if you’ve been on social media today, you’ll know that today is Bell Let’s Talk Day. Not only is this remarkable initiative raising significant support for mental health programs ($86.5 million according to Bell Let’s Talk website) but it’s also helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. At dinner tables, in offices and in online communities just like this one, there will be important conversations taking place that will make a difference in how people view their own mental health and at the same time, raise awareness and understanding of the challenges others might be facing. Like last year, I’ll donate 5 cents for every comment on today’s post to the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health here in our city. Join the conversation.
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