Two weeks without a new post.
Unheard of around these parts. In fact, in the 13 years that SensChirp has been around, that may be the longest we’ve ever gone. Even in the depths of the Sens-less stretch between the first pandemic pause and the start of this past season, we found things to write about.
The content was mediocre at best but there was always something new.
Yet over the last two weeks, even though I tried, I couldn’t do it. I sat down a few times and started writing but usually gave up within 10 minutes. Writer’s block, maybe? Whatever it was, it wasn’t planned. But as the days dragged on, it became clear that it was needed.
Lots of you have taken SensChirp breaks over the years and I think it was time for mine. I put my heart and soul into keeping this thing alive during the season and it probably takes more effort than I realize. Even though it was entirely accidental, a little two-week hiatus was long overdue. And the 10,000 comments on that Draft Lottery post suggest you all did just fine without me.
And now…because it has been so long, there is a TON of Sens news to catch up on. Or something like that.
Let’s just ease back into this with Monday News and Notes- Wednesday Edition.
-We’ll start with the topic that has the Sens World in a tizzy over the last couple days- the Jack Capuano Situation. For those of you that missed it, the story goes that the Senators refused to let the Buffalo Sabres interview Jack Capuano for their vacant Head Coach position. Of course this happens often in pro sports but because it the Senators it’s yet another example of organizational dysfunction, for some reason. A few things here- First, I’m willing to bet a good portion of the fan base could not name Ottawa’s Assistant Coaches before this week. Second, this story gets zero run in any other hockey market and at any other time of year. Third, Friedman doesn’t touch a story like this in any other market. And fourth, who gives a shit? Ah it’s good to be back. And now you’re all caught up on the last two weeks. See you in July!
-Okay that’s not entirely true. Earlier this week, the Senators signed yet another goalie, this time locking up 2020 3rd round pick Leevi Merilainen to a three-year entry-level contract. If you’re not familiar with Merilainen, his numbers are kind of staggering. The Senators took a ton of heat for the selection at the time but it’s pretty clear that they saw something there that others didn’t. The early returns suggest he could be a steal. Playing in a Finnish U20 league, he put up a ridiculous 21-0-3 record, .928 sv%, 1.71 GAA and a league-leading six shutouts. Staggering. He’s also going to get a chance to show what he can do at Team Finland’s World Junior Camp. It’s going to be fascinating to see how Ottawa’s goaltending situations plays out over the next few years. Matt Murray, Anton Forsberg, Joey Daccord, Filip Gustavsson, Mads Sogaard, Kevin Mandolese and Leevi Merilainen all battling it out for spots.
-With two beloved former-Senators in the final four, there has been a lot of talk about “cheering” for either Mark Stone or Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Put me down as no thanks, on that one. It’s nothing personal (okay maybe it’s a little bit personal) but I’ve just never really been able to actively cheer for anything other than the Ottawa Senators. Cheering against teams is another thing entirely though. So with that in mind, a four-game sweep by Mark Stone’s Vegas Golden Knights sounds good to me. I will then be hoping the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup on the premise that no new fan bases get to be happy.
-It may not be at the top of the intriguing stories list heading into this off-season but keep an eye on Logan Brown. He’s an RFA and while the Senators certainly plan on qualifying him, it would not be surprising if they explored trade options for the big centre. In fact, they would have already done exactly that had he been able to stay healthy leading up to last year’s deadline. It’s going to be a tough sell obviously but it does sound like at some point leading up to last season, Brown and his camp let it be known that a change of scenery might be best for everyone involved. Not sure how much interest they’ll be but certainly something to keep an eye on this summer.
-This morning, Chris Stevenson reported that the Ottawa Senators are currently working on a new contract with Belleville Senators Head Coach Troy Mann. His contract is up at the end of the month and not surprisingly, the Senators want to keep him around. Mann has done an amazing job with the BSens and you would think at some point soon, he’s going to be on the radar of other teams for an NHL job. Here’s hoping the Sens can find a way to keep him in the fold. He has played a crucial role in the rebuild to this point.
