–Ken Warren channels his inner Popeye and declares that Jason Spezza is what he is. There’s not much new here, but Warren does share an interesting anecdote, “After a preseason game last September, I had a drink with a long-time NHL executive as we talked about what we both thought would be a long, difficult season ahead for the Senators. When he asked if I thought there was any chance the Senators could be competitive and challenge for a playoff spot, I suggested only if goaltender Craig Anderson could steal them at least half a dozen games. He said the Senators wouldn’t get there because Spezza couldn’t get them there. I’m guessing he wasn’t alone in his opinion at that time.” There’s no #1 center waiting in the wings for the Senators so they are hitched to the Spezza wagon; what the team needs (and is developing) is secondary scoring so there’s less pressure on him (which they did very well throughout the regular season).
–Andrew Duffy has a long piece about Erik Karlsson that delves into his background and his play with Ottawa up to this point. For those who want insight into his personal journey it’s worth a read. The part that stuck out to me was, “In his first NHL season, 2008-09, the 19-year-old was sent to the minors nine games into the year without a goal to his name. Karlsson was upset, breaking down with emotion when Murray delivered the bad news.” I don’t recall hearing that reported at the time.
–Nichols wonders if it’s time to trade Milan Michalek. He offers six points: 1. Selling high, 2. His numbers are inflated (versus career averages), 3. Contract situation (his actual salary his higher than his cap hit), 4. Age (he turns 28 in December), 5. Replacements in the offing (Jakob Silfverberg, Mika Zibanejad, Mark Stone), and 6. Trade to help an aging blueline. It’s an interesting argument and one I find persuasive (the odds of Michalek having back-to-back healthy seasons are virtually nil), but I doubt management see’s it that way.
–Jeremy Milks takes a look at potential roster changes for the Sens, but writes Garrioch-styled opinion without analysis. He suggests Butler, Kuba, Gilroy, and Auld could go while guessing Regin, Konopka, Daugavins, and Carkner will be retained. It’s going to be a crowded lineup with Milks as GM, since presumably Konopka and Carkner would reside in the pressbox until the playoffs arrived. Incidentally, I apparently don’t have a heart and I hate Christmas, because those are the only people not fond of Chris Phillips as a player.
eyeonthesens 