As I sit here with my morning coffee, I read over the different news sites I have bookmarked. This includes TSN.ca. Amidst the scores and highlights is a recap of last night’s win by the Ottawa Senators over the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s titled Happy New Year. It’s the first victory for 2009 after a five game slump. The Sens have gone from champs to chumps in less than a year. So the question is, what happened?
As James Duthie stated in his blog post on the subject, there is no real answer. Everyone, from other NHL players to coaches to scouts have their own theories. A year ago a game between the Sens and the Detroit Red Wings was billed as a Stanley Cup preview. Turned out it wasn’t, but the Sens were that good a year ago. Former Lightning coach John Tortorella put it best, probably. They no longer have that look that they are going to win. You know, that look in their eyes that no matter who they faced, they were going to come out on top. Victory. It’s gone now.
Maybe I should try what my friend Pearce does with the Vancouver Canucks. I’ll stop checking highlights and scores for a few day, and maybe the Sens will win. Which reminds me, considering the Canucks recent run, Pearce have you been checking the Canucks highlights and scores? Because they’re on a losing skid.
For now, at least, the Sens managed to snap their five game drought with a five to one win last night. Here’s hoping that they can become playoff hopefuls this year, instead of Draft Lottery hopefuls.
Until next time…
…keep ’em flyin’!
Turn the Page 
Burgundy
January 15, 2009 at 1:39 pm
While I don’t claim to have the solution, as a resident of the city of Ottawa and a die hard Sens fan, they are dozens of things going on – no single solution here. I think drive has a lot to do with it. They’re all very comfy in Ottawa and they’re all used to winning with the talent we’ve seen come and go through the years. Some players, although talented could benefit from a change of cities. That would kick them again. I don’t believe this current version of the Senators can get back to their winning ways.
I do think they can get back to contender status in 2 years with more good drafting this season and continuous development of Brian Lee, Jim O’Brien, Brian Elliot, Erik Karlsson, Andre Petersson, etc…
We have 3 picks inside the top 40 of a strong draft this summer. I’m excited for the future.
Tim
January 15, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I’m also a die hard Sens fan (without actually ever set foot in Scotiabank Place). I have the liberty of living in Saskatchewan, where we bleed Green and White, but we can cheer for any NHL team we want. My dad’s a Leafs fan, and he and I often talk hockey. He’ll phone me up after a Sens Leafs game, win or lose, and we’d talk about it. Mind you, he’d gloat if the Leafs won. But I remember when the Sens had the NHL’s worst record. I also remember the first year they made the playoffs and took Buffalo to seven games in the opening round.
I have to agree, some player need to go. But the question becomes who do you trade, and what do you get in return? Somehow, being a Sens fan is a lot like being a ‘Rider fan. Or a farmer in Saskatchewan. It’s always next year country.
Burgundy
January 15, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Haha, ouch! I think Vermette, Schubert and Phillips need to go. Now, I’m not delusional. I know we won’t get 1st round picks back for that and I’m okay with it.
I think if you can get a 2nd round pick for Vermette, do it. This is a deep draft and we already have a number of great picks. Murray just brought in some new scouts, so let’s put ’em to the test.
Mantooth
January 16, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Well I do think that Vermette is losing his value every game they play, and is costing the Sens in the long run, I think him and Neil need to go. We don’t need Neil when we have the smack talking, thumb biting Ruutu out there to goon it up.
Get those two out there, some solid prospects due to strong picks in the next draft, and get rid of Murray, and you have the beginning of great years to come.
Murray, well yea, I think he needs to go… I put the Sens performance solely on his shoulders. Take for example, Emery gets you to the Stanley Cup Finals, then slump the next year, and you put it entirely on him, and don’t get a single thing for him in the end.
Well, we’ll see how they fair against MTL, and if they play them like they did in the last game, be prepared for a loss.