–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch ostensibly writes about Paul MacLean (link), but Bryan Murray says something about the team that I regard as one of the major keys to its success thus far, “A number of our younger players have stepped up and shown they can play in the NHL. The people that were judging early on probably didn’t know a number of our players. The experience they gained in the playoffs in Binghamton last year certainly helped them develop into guys that know how to win.”  Murray also adds a little fuel to the trade-speculation fire, “If there’s another young, competitive guy that can help us at the trade deadline, I’m sure we’ll do that.”

–The Ottawa Citizen’s Allen Panzeri poses five questions going into the rest of the season (link): 1. Can they be better on defence, 2. Can Craig Anderson handle the workload, 3. Will Peter Regin play again this year, 4. Can the team stay healthy, 5. Can their special teams improve.  I think questions 1 and 2 are interrelated in a more general question: can their goaltending be better?  I see that as the primary reason they have allowed so many goals this year.  I doubt Regin will play again (3); the team will suffer at least one more major injury (4); the PK part of (5) is related to questions 1 and 2, and I don’t think their PP can improve enough to effect game results.

-Joy Lindsay Tweets Binghamton’s lines ahead of tonight’s game (link): Klinkhammer-Locke-Parrish, Dziurzynski-Cannone-Bartlett, Hoffman-Da Costa-Cowick, Svendsen-Hamilton-Lessard; Borowiecki-Gryba, Raymond-Conboy, Ratchuk-Schira.  Mike McKenna will start.

-For those who want to keep tabs on Sens prospects at the WJC there’s Mark Stone on Team Canada, Jakub Culek on the Czech team, and Mika Zibanejad and Fredrik Claesson on Team Sweden (for clarity’s sake Group A is Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland and Lativa, while Group B is Canada, USA, Finland Czech Republic, and Denmark):
Monday
Canada vs Finland 3:30 (TSN)
Sweden vs Latvia 5:30 (TSN2)
Tuesday
Czech Republic vs Denmark 8:00 (TSN)
Wednesday
Switzerland vs Sweden 5:30 (TSN2)
Canada vs Czech Republic 8:00 (TSN)
Thursday
Canada vs Denmark 8:00 (TSN)
Friday
Czech Republic vs USA 3:30 (TSN)
Sweden vs Slovakia 5:30 (TSN2)
Saturday
Czech Republic vs Finland 4:00 (TSN2)
Canada vs USA  8:00 (TSN)
Sweden vs Russia 10:00 (TSN2)

December 26, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

-The Sens lines via The Ottawa Sun (with Mike Hoffman getting the call-up and Brian Lee scratched): Colin Greening-Jason Spezza-Daniel Alfredsson, Nick Foligno-Kyle Turris-Erik Condra, Kaspars Daugavins-Zack Smith-Chris Neil, Mike Hoffman-Zenon Konopka-Bobby Butler; Jared Cowen-Erik Karlsson, Filip Kuba-Sergei Gonchar, Chris Phillips-Matt Carkner.

-Most of the media dispensed with discussing last night’s game to whinge over the call on Nick Foligno, but while I disagreed with the call I’m not up in arms about it.  My only complaint is the inconsistency from officials and the league, but that’s not going to change any time soon.

-Pierre McGuire (link) and others think Bobby Butler might have some of his mojo back after scoring, but given that nothing developed after his two-goal performance against Calgary I’m taking a wait-and-see attitude towards him.

–The Ottawa Citizen‘s Wayne Scanlan wonders if the Sens are contenders or pretenders (link), with Bryan Murray saying, “We have to play game by game almost and see where we are. I watch our team now and I think we can compete with everybody. We haven’t been embarrassed except at the beginning of the year.”  Scanlan himself doesn’t answer the question, but I doubt the Sens will maintain a playoff position.

-A quick thought on the choice of recalling Mike Hoffman (32-7-10-17 -8): I’m not surprised that he was brought up instead of veteran Mark Parrish or Pat Cannone (neither impressed in pre-season), but Murray could have opted for a return of Stephane Da Costa or bringing in a grinder like David Dziurzynski.  My guess is that Paul MacLean remains impressed with Hoffman‘s skill level and wanted his versatility (he can play the wing whereas Da Costa cannot).  It will be interesting to see how much ice time he gets against Carolina.

–Sports Illustrated‘s Stu Hackel reminisces on the classic and now vanished art of goal scoring by flying down the wing and firing a slapshot (link).  For those of us who remember hockey when goaltenders normally stood up this was one of the most common plays in hockey.  Hackel quotes Scotty Bowman about the change, “The D couldn’t get to the shooter like today. The game was more spread out, because the D had to back off more. Now, everybody can skate with everybody else. And the forwards backcheck much more. The speed of the game now just makes it so you can’t take that much time to get a shot off.”

December 23, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

-With Peter Regin again out with a shoulder injury, Brian Lee and Bobby Butler join the lineup.  I really feel for Regin, but expect that another surgery is the only solution to his problem which would likely put him out for the rest of the season.

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch talks to Daniel Alfredsson about his retirement plans (link), who among other things says, “It’s hard. I love what I do. The tough thing is the travel, the physical part of waking up sore and not feeling as eager to practise some days as (you do) others. Some days, the motivation doesn’t come as easy. Right now, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Yeah, I love what I’m doing.” And “I haven’t been where I still think I want to be. It has come in spurts. Some of the games have been pretty good. You have to keep pushing yourself. I always want more. Sometimes when I don’t play as well now … I think I can handle that better.”

-Binghamton was shutout in a 3-0 loss to Albany, as the team failed to win back-to-back games.  For the box score go here link and for Joy Lindsay’s game summary go here link.  Kurt Kleinendorst was not impressed (link), “I thought we played like it was a game of shinny. That’s about as uninspired as we’ve been. I mean, I’m not … it’s not OK. I’m sure (Devils Head Coach) Rick (Kowalsky) was concerned about the same thing before the game that I was concerned about — guys thinking about their flights tomorrow, or their drives tonight or tomorrow morning or whatever. For me, it just kind of shows what happens when you’re not ready between the ears. And we were not ready between the ears. It was a terrible game. Terrible game. I couldn’t come up with one guy — and I’m not dumping on my team — but I couldn’t come up with one guy tonight in that locker room that I was pleased with. Not one.”

-Ottawa prospect Shane Prince was cut from the US WJC roster (link)

-Elmira won 3-2 last night, with Louie Caporusso picking up a goal and assist while Jack Downing was held pointless.

December 22, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

-The media collectively fell all over themselves in loving Kyle Turris‘ debut, from The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch (link) and Don Brennan (link) to The Ottawa Citizen‘s Wayne Scanlan (link) to Ken Warren using his name in the headline but barely writing about him (link).  The only interesting part in all the reporting was this quote from Turris in Scanlan’s article, “I loved my time (at Wisconsin). It was lots of fun, but no, I don’t regret the decision. When you have Phoenix and Wayne Gretzky telling you to come play for the team, it’s a dream come true, and I think what happened happened.”

-In Warren’s article (above) he focussed on the defensive boost provided by Kuba and Gonchar.

-ESPN’s Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun look at the surprises so far this NHL season (link), including the play of the Sens.  LeBrun says, “Hard to believe they’re sitting in a playoff spot as we speak today, tied with the rival (and fading) Maple Leafs with 36 points. Sens GM Bryan Murray made no bones in September about the fact he viewed this year as a retooling season, one that could have some short-term pain in order to gain long-term benefits of properly rebuilding the base in the hope of eventually cobbling together a contender. He would never admit it, of course, but I’m telling you he’d be as surprised as the rest of us to see the Sens’ immediate rise with so many young players playing crucial minutes. One of those young bucks is 20-year-old defenseman Jared Cowen. He’s playing top four minutes on the blue line and looks like he belongs. He’s a big reason, along with the offensive machine that is Erik Karlsson, that Murray felt comfortable dealing away David Rundblad in the Turris deal.”

–Sports Illustrated‘s power rankings are posted (link) with Ottawa 21st and Adrian Dater unimpressed with Kyle Turris (“The big news was GM Bryan Murray’s acquisition of Kyle Turris. Sorry if I’m not  as electrified as some in the media seemed to be with their daily, breathless  updates of his previous situation in Phoenix. Yeah, he was the third pick in the  2007 draft. He also has 46 points in 137 career games and is minus-22. He’s one  of those “Herbert Hoover” players where prosperity is just around the corner.”)

-Joy Lindsay Tweets (link) that Mike McKenna will get the start.  Here are the projected forward lines: Hoffman-Da Costa-Parrish, Klinkhammer-Locke-Cowick, Dziurzynski-Cannone-Bartlett, Svendsen-Hamilton-Lessard.

-Rob Brodie writes about Mark Stone for the Sens website (link) who said, “Ottawa has been very supportive of me. They brought me down a couple of times in the summer to train with Marc Power (the team’s power skating coach). I’ve been working with (conditioning coach) Chris Schwarz off the ice. My skating is coming along and I’ve had so many good experiences in Ottawa so far. Now I’m just looking forward to this tournament and the rest of the season.”

-Stu Hackel from Sports Illustrated writes about possible solutions to the concussion epidemic in the NHL (link), exploring the dead letter that would be the re-introduction of the red line.  As Pierre McGuire says in the article, “If you want to slow the game down, or impede the game, put the red line back in, you’ll see. The 1-2-2 will be back and bigger than ever. You watch, because you can have a boundary you can use with the red line. I think the biggest argument against the red line going back, if there’s a lead established after 40 minutes, and the red line is in, if there’s a two- to three-goal lead, 95 percent of the time, the game’s over, which is not the case now. I don’t think, if you’re trying to lure paying customers, you want the last 20 minutes of their experience to be null and void.”  As interesting as the article is (and I recommend you read it in its entirety), I think Hackel misses the mark.  The missing redline is no longer the problem–the NHL has largely eliminated the tracking hits (ala Matt Cooke), which existed prior to the rule changes anyway.  The concussions we see now are from hits from behind, charging (eg, Lucic on Miller), or elbows to the head.  The irony is that all these plays are penalties and fully within the rules to punish and eliminate, but the NHL simply won’t penalize the infractions to the point where players will change their behaviour (eg Brendan Shanahan gave the green light to running goaltenders and now a steady stream are out with concussions (eg Al Montoya).

-In Brennan’s article (above) he has an amusing line from Steve Duchesne, “I’ve got a 16-year old girl and a 15-year old son … as long as my 16-year-old girl doesn’t meet a hockey player I’m really happy.”

December 21, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

-Here are the projected lines courtesy of The Ottawa Sun: Colin Greening-Jason Spezza-Daniel Alfredsson, Nick Foligno-Kyle Turris-Erik Condra, Zack Smith-Peter Regin-Chris Neil, Jesse Winchester-Zenon Konopka-Kaspars Daugavins; Jared Cowen-Erik Karlsson, Filip Kuba-Sergei Gonchar, Chris Phillips-Matt Carkner.  As expected, Brian Lee and Bobby Butler are the scratches.

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch has a piece on Kyle Turris‘ excitement coming to Ottawa (link), which includes an interesting sentiment from Paul MacLean, “He solidifies the second-line centre position that we’ve been searching for.  Not only for this season, but seasons to come. He’s a piece that makes us better today and for down the road as well.”  Two things to take from this: 1) MacLean has no doubt whatsoever that Turris is ready to be a second-line center, 2) none of the other players who have auditioned for the role (Peter Regin, Nick Foligno, and Stephane Da Costa) are capable of handling the position.  I happen to agree, but it makes me wonder about Regin‘s future–he can play the wing, but he’s a better center (particularly with his wonky shoulder).

-In the same article Garrioch reminds us that Spezza knows Turris from the 2008 World Championships.  Turris is also friends with Sens prospect Patrick Wiercioch (they played together for the Burnaby Express in the BCHL in 2006-07).

-THN, ESPN, and TSN’s power rankings are out (link, link, and link) with Ottawa 20th, 20th, and 23rd.

-Binghamton practice lines: Dziurzynski-Cannone-Bartlett, Hoffman-Da Costa-Parrish, Klinkhammer-Locke-Cowick, Svendsen-Hamilton-Lessard; Borowiecki-Gryba, Raymond-Conboy, Ratchuk-Schira.  Joy Lindsay Tweets (link) that “Kleinendorst thinks Godfrey should be back in the lineup after the break [December 26th].”

-As expected, Nikita Filatov has signed with CSKA in the KHL (link)

-Prospect updates (their position in team scoring is noted in brackets, defence compared to defence; I’ve also indicated if the player’s scoring position has change (with a + for up, – for down, and = for unchanged):
CHL
Mark Stone (RW, Brandon, WHL) 33-27-38-65 (1st=) (WJC)
Shane Prince (C/LW, Ottawa 67s, OHL) 25-14-22-36 (3rd=) (WJC)
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (RW, Gatineau, QMJHL) 19-19-14-33 (4th-)
Matt Puempel (LW, Peterborough, OHL) 29-17-15-32 (2nd-) (suspended)
Stefan Noesen (C/RW, Plymouth, OHL) 29-11-21-32 (t-3rd-)
Jakub Culek (C/LW, Rimouski, QMJHL) 32-8-15-23 (5th=)
Darren Kramer (C/LW, Spokane, WHL) 30-12-8-20 (6th=)
Jordan Fransoo (D, Brandon, WHL) 36-2-6-8 (4th=)
SEL
Jakob Silfverberg (C/RW, Brynas) 27-12-12-24 (2nd=) (injured)
Mika Zibanejad (C/RW, Djurgarden) 13-3-3-6 (14th=) (WJC)
Fredrik Claesson (D, Djurgarden) 29-1-4-5 (4th=) (WJC)
Allsvenskan
Marcus Sorensen (RW, Boras) 15-6-4-10 (6th=)
NCAA
Ryan Dzingel (C, CCHA-Ohio State) 17-5-10-15 (3rd=)
Michael Sdao (D, ECAC-Princeton) 14-5-4-9 (1st+)
Ben Blood (D, WCHA-North Dakota) 18-2-7-9 (t-1st=)
Bryce Aneloski (D, WCHA-Nebraska-Omaha) 20-1-8-9 (3rd=)
Chris Wideman (D, CCHA-Miami) 20-1-8-9 (1st=)
Jeff Costello (LW, CCHA-Notre Dame) 15-1-6-7 (9th=)
Max McCormick (LW, CCHA-Ohio State) 10-2-4-6 (12th=)
Brad Peltz (LW, ECAC-Yale) 3-0-0-0 (=)

December 20, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

–The Ottawa Sun‘s Bruce Garrioch thinks Jared Cowen should be part of the Calder conversation (link), but admits Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Henrique are going to be hard to beat.  I think the award is Nugent-Hopkins‘ to lose.

-Pierre McGuire told the The Team 1200 (link) that he likes the Kyle Turris–David Rundblad trade.  He thinks Turris is a legitimate #2 centerman.  Paul MacLean was quoted in the Garrioch article above said this about Rundblad, “With Rundblad, he still had more to learn. We’re getting a really good player and in order to get a really good player, you’re going to have to give up a really good player. Whether it was him or somebody else, we were going to have to give up somebody really good.”  In another Garrioch article (link) Blues analyst Darren Pang tries to assuage Sens fans fears with this, “He’s a dynamic forward that sees the ice really well. The big thing for him is that he can really shoot the puck. That’s important for a centre. For a guy you don’t think is that big or strong, he snaps the puck very hard.”  Adding, “This is going to be a great chance for him to develop.”  For me it’s a wait-and-see approach.

–The Silver Seven‘s Mark Parisi makes a terrible comparison (link) in an attempt to illustrate that Rundblad isn’t a guaranteed great player because other winners of the Borje Salming haven’t panned out.  Here’s the problem with his approach: every other winner was a veteran player.  Briefly (the age is what they were when they won the trophy): David Petrasek (34), Mikko Luoma (32), Marcus Ragnarsson (38), and Magnus Johansson (37).  He makes the same mistake in looking at other top-scoring players from Sweden.  Mark, what made Rundblad‘s accomplishment significant was how young he was!  It doesn’t guarantee he’ll pan out, although Pierre McGuire (link above) thinks that at worst he’s a #5 blueliner (at best #3).

-Binghamton beat Adirondack 4-1 yesterday afternoon, with Mike McKenna earning the win and goals from Corey Cowick, Pat Cannone, Mark Parrish, and Wacey Hamilton.  Corey Locke did not play (despite being listed in the lineup) purely as a maintenance measure.  For the box score go here link and for Joy Lindsay’s game summary go here link.

-In Joy’s post-game quotes (link) Kurt Kleinendorst talked about the team’s effort, “I’m very encouraged, obviously. I’m very pleased. We’re at a point now where we’re just, we’re looking for any little positive we can get. And for us, coming into tonight, we knew that if we could get this, that’s two out of three. Nothing we can do about yesterday. Get tonight, two out of three. And we can live with that. Moving forward, if we can just focus on two out of every three for now, that’s where we need to be.”

-The media here in Ottawa have been making a big deal out of the new scoreboard coming to the arena and I haven’t mentioned it because I couldn’t care less.  The only issue I’ve ever had with the arena is how infrequently they update out-of-town scores.  Bigger screens will be nice, but just don’t produce any level of excitement for me.

-Most fans have heard how ESPN and Hockey Night in Canada‘s Mike Milbury has been charged with assault after an incident at a youth hockey game.  The Boston Globe has his side of the story here (link).  I hope nothing happened, but it’s a relief to have him off my TV.  Milbury is many things, but a good hockey analyst he is not.  I always assumed Don Cherry was a big part of why he was hired by Hockey Night in Canada, but it’s been to the detriment of the broadcast.

December 19, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment

I was at tonight’s game against the Penguins which featured abysmal goaltending on both sides.  A slow and non-descript first period was followed by an eight goal bonanza in the second that ultimately chased Brent Johnson from the net.  Despite the win (Alex Auld earning his first), the Sens Nick Foligno was the victim of another knee (this time from Simon Despres) and his status has yet to be updated.  For the box score go here link.  Tonight’s goals:
1. Greening (Spezza, Cowen)
A great deflection in front
2. Pittsburgh, Sullivan
Beats Auld far side in close; a shot Auld should have had
3. Spezza (Alfredsson, Karlsson)
Fires it home from between the circles
4. Alfredsson (Spezza, Lee)
Slides the puck under Johnson from the faceoff dot
5. Pittsbugh, Niskanen (pp)
Beats Auld short side from the point; another bad goal
6. Pittsburgh, Malkin (pp)
Beats Auld exactly the same way
7. Cowen (Foligno, Karlsson)
Bounces the puck in off of Orpik
8. Konopka (Karlsson, Cowen) (pp)
A great deflection in front
9. Spezza (Alfredsson, Cowen)
Goes 5-hole on Fleury
10. Pittsburgh, Kunitz
A great deflection in front

Top-performers:
Jared Cowen – had a four-point night and was strong in his own zone
Jason Spezza – also had a four-point night, the most he’s had this season
Daniel Alfredsson – three-points and tied with the two above at +4

Players who struggled:
Alex Auld – three bad goals does not inspire confidence
David Rundblad – he was benched after a Karlsson turnover and was only out again on powerplays; it’s pretty clear that his dangling at the offensive blueline is what’s driving Paul MacLean nuts

The Binghamton Senators won in the return of Corey Locke, breaking their four-game losing streak.  Mike McKenna got the win while David Dziurzynski, Rob Klinkhammer, and Stephan Da Costa scored.  For the box score go here link and for Joy Lindsay’s game summary go here link.

Elmira lost 5-3 to Chicago, with Brian Stewart pulled in the loss, Jack Downing having a goal and an assist, and Louie Caporusso with no points and a -3.

December 17, 2011
Categories: Binghamton Senators, Ottawa Senators . . Author: Eye on the Sens . Comments: Leave a comment