Letter to Bettman and Fehr

Dear Mr. Bettman and Mr Fehr, Coming from a lifelong fan of NHL hockey, I am writing this letter to express my disappointment that for the second time in 8 years, hockey fans are facing a lockout. I can only hope that both sides don’t follow the same path as the 2004-05 season when there was no season, no playoffs and no Stanley cup winners! This is a fight of millionaires verses billionaires, but where are the fans in all this? What about all the five figure salary earners; all the arena workers that rely on the NHL season to make ends meet? Why do they have to suffer the consequences. Myself, I just enjoy watching the game being played, the game that I love. It’s the beautiful game of NHL hockey that matters and I just want the season to start on time. You need to stop playing a game of public relations. I know each side wants to make the other side look like the bad guy, but the truth is that both sides look like villains now. It’s hard to understand and feel sympathetic for either side when they’re fighting over the fans money.

Game 7 Preview

Tonight at 7:00pm the puck drops for game 7 between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers, at Madison Square Gardens. Though the Senators blew a chance to close out the series on home ice in game six on Monday; I do believe that if you asked any of the players or fans at the beginning of the series that they would have gladly taken a game 7 against the 1st place Rangers. So now it's down to one game, win or go home. One of the biggest questions for the Senators going into game 7 is who will be inserted into the line, and play with Spezza and Michalek. In my opinion the only option they have is to put Silverburg back into the lineup. Management and the coaches made there decision last game, when they took Mark Stone out of the lineup and replaced him with Silverburg. This makes a statement saying that they think Silverburg is the better player and is prepared for the NHL. Silverburg's performance at game six can be understood considering a long flight and the lack of practice with the team. Silverburg, Butler, or Stone; the choice of the three rookies not only get a chance to play in game 7 but also have the opportunity to play on the first line, while the other two cheer from the stands. It is definitely positive news for the Senators down the line, with great young up and coming talent. The Senators as an organisation have never won a game 7 and are 0-4. Saying that the last time the Senators played in a game 7 was in 2004, when they lost to the Maple Leafs. Yet our team now has different expectations than in the past. Old Senators teams were expected to succeed and move on, where as this season our team was looking at just re-building. In the past the Senators may have crumbled under the pressure but not this year, we have a team that is resilient. Even when the chips are down our Senators rally back with a herculean like performance. So just like the Philly, Washington, LA, and Phoenix has done so far, I am predicting Ottawa will come out and win game 7. The city of Ottawa will erupt, and the Senators will go on to round 2. BELIEVE!

LEAFS SUCK

So the NHL has reached the home stretch of the season, and everyday in the league standings teams are being mathematically eliminated. It was a joyous occasion on Tuesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs were officially eliminated from making the playoffs. This would be 7 years in a row that the Maple Leafs have missed the playoffs, so i have decided to dedicate a blog to the top 10 reasons the Toronto Maple Leafs suck so bad.

10. They can't spell properly. It's LEAVES NOT LEAFS!

9. BOB COLE - No explanation needed.

8. Brian Burke - He wanted to make Toronto a tough team, but i have never seen a bigger bunch of little girls in my life.

7. Phil Kessel - Has to be one of the worst trades ever.

6. Goal-tending- Tuka Rask for Andrew Raycroft- ouch that one has to hurt.

5. Since When is a Maple Leaf blue?

4. No depth up the middle. They spent years looking for wingers to be able to play with Mats Sundin, and now that they have solid wingers they wish they had a big skilled center man like Sundin. OH WELL, THAT SUCKS.

3.Poor Scouting- They have not had a pick from the draft turn into a star player in quite some time.

2. They have no idea how to rebuild- Too many draft picks traded away , not enough patience.

1. And the number 1 reason the Leafs suck. 1967 - the last time when the Leaf's won the Stanley cup, or even made it to the finals.

GO SENS GO

PRAISE ALFIE!

LEHN-SANITY

Ottawa Senators 20 year old goaltender Robin Lehner Made his second straight start, and got his second straight win. This time doing it with a spectacular shut-out victory over the Boston Bruins who have seemed to have the Senators number over the past few seasons.

Lehner was backed up but good defensive play especially in the first two periods with fellow teammates blocking 10 shots, with most of the Bruins other shots being kept to the outside.
It was in the third period in which Young Lehner strived. The Bruins stormed the Ottawa net bumbarding Young Lehner with shots. Lehner stood strong, played well positionally and looked like a star veteran goaltender making 32 saves, 17 of them faced in the 3rd period.

In a game that turned out to be a goaltending battle between 20 year old Lehner and all star goalie Tim Thomas Lehner came out on top. Thomas did keep the Bruins in the game for the first 2 periods making unbelievable save after unbealivable save. Only Eric "the Great" Karlsson beat Thomas with a slapper from the point on the powerplay in the first. In the last 5 games Karlsson has opened up the scoring with the first goal in 4 of the games.

A Tribute to Ottawa Senators Goalie Craig Anderson-Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife

Anderson Cut By a Knife

The Ottawa Senators currently sit 7Th in the Eastern Conference with 72 points. Exceeding all expectations that were set upon them going into this season, but is all that about to come to an end.

Arguable the Senators most important player, goaltender Craig Anderson is out indefinitely according to the Senators, after a freak incident after Wednesdays game vs the Washington Capitals. According to reports, Anderson was at home preparing a late night meal when he cut his right hand and was rushed to hospital for immediate attention. The good news is that Anderson will be just fine, the bad news is that no other team relies on there number one goaltender like the Senators do.

Jason Spezza and Eric Karlsson have led the way offensively, but there is no way the Senators are in 7Th place without the goaltending Craig Anderson has provided for them. Anderson has been as sharp as a knife in the net. Somebody please get him a person chef!!!

So what are the Senators to do? Back-up goaltender Alex Auld has not played well all season. He will surely get the chance to start on Saturday against the Bruins but if he does not perform well expect young Robin Lehner get a chance to play with the big boys. Lehnere has not had a great season down in Binghton but that cant be put on him as he has a young inexperienced team in front of him. This could be a big chance for Lehner to show that He can be a NHL goaltender.

The Senators could go the trade route but there is not much out there for the Senators to acquire that would help the team. Josh Harding of the Minnesota Wild looks like he is ready to take on a starting role but the asking price is going to be too high for a rebuilding Senators team. Nabokov looks like he is going to resign with the New York Islanders. Dwayne Roloson has struggled in the net for the Lightning all year and at the age of 41 seems to be at the end of his career.

It looks like the the Senators are in a position where there gonna sink or swim with Lehner and Auld. I BELEIVE THEY CAN DO IT!! At least for the short term until Anderson gets back.If not cant Anderson just play with one hand?? I'm sure he will still be better then both Riemer and Gustafson of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hockey Day In Canada

Today is hockey day in Canada a day in which we as Canadians celebrate our love and passion for a sport that was born in Canada and means so much to people like myself. The long cold winters we have in Canada provided us with the ice and conditions and over the years it has bonded Canadians together. Myself like many other Canadians eat, sleep and breath hockey. Across the country today from the east coast to the west coast of Canada from the the outdoor rinks in small towns to the NHL arenas in bigger city's Canadians will be celebrating the game that we love.

CBC has a triple header of hockey games that will be played today involving six of the Canadian teams. The first game at two o'clock in the afternoon involves the Edmonton Oilers and the Ottawa Senators. I am fortunate enough to be spending hockey day in Canada at Scotiabank place to watch the Senators play. There will be a ceremony before the game to honor Chris Phillips who played in his 1000Th NHL game as an Ottawa Senator on Thursday evening vs the Nashville Predators. Phillips not known for his goal scoring but rather his solid defensive play scored his first goal of the year and then added his second which turned out to be the game winner. Phillips is only the second Ottawa Senator to play 1000 games for the organization and is only the 25Th player in league history to play 1000 games for one organization.

So for this hockey day in Canada i will be celebrating not only the best sport in the world but a true Ottawa Senator in Chris Phillips. Happy hockey day in Canada to everyone and Remember Praise Phillips.

NO DEAL!

I could start off by talking about all the crappy refereeing that the Senators have endured during there latest 6 game losing streak but to non- Sens fans it will just come off as whining. I will take the high road and DIVE right into another topic.

With NHL trade deadline day looming and though they are on a six game losing streak the Ottawa Senators are still in the race to win a playoff spot in the eastern conference. For a team that was penciled in to be sellers at the beginning of the year, will the Sens make a splash at the deadline now that they have the options to be buyers? The answer should be NOOOO! If anything this six game losing streak has shown that the Senators are still a team in rebuild mood, they may be a step a head of where they thought they would be but it would be catastrophic to the organization for them to trade away the future for a rental player.

There have been many rental players who have come and gone and we have yet to see the cup come to Ottawa. There has been Oleg Freakin Saprykin who spent his time in Ottawa split between the stands and the forth line, and he cost the team a second round draft pick. who could forget Tyler Arnason from the 2006 run. He cost us another second round pick and Brendon Boychenski and he was even worse then Saprykin. He came to Ottawa out of shape and spent the playoffs watching from the stands, WHAT A BUST!!! In 2004 there was Peter Bondra, this one hurts a little because it cost the Sens prospect Brooks Laich who is now a decent player with the Washington Capitals.

I could go on with others but the point i am trying to make is it hasn't worked in the past when the Senators have had great cup contending teams,and it is NOT going to work now. Let the rebuild continue. Bryan Murray needs to keep stock piling the youth in the organization and if the Sens win the cup with the guys they have now that would be amazing, if not at least we can look forward to great young players like Mika Zibanejad, Mark Stone, Matt Puempel, Stefan Noesen and Jakob Silverberg competing for spots on the roster in the near future. With this plan the Senators can become a real contender as the team builds and grows together. So stick with the present plan of action and the Stanley Cup will be in Ottawa sooner then later.

And Remember Praise ALFIE

Hello Hockey Ambassador Fans,


Well we have reached the midway point of the 2011/2012 NHL season and WOW what a season it has been so far. There have been no shortage of surprises and topics to talk about. As the ultimate Senators fan lets focus in on there season so far.

The Ottawa Senators Currently sit in 5th place in the Eastern Conference with 54 points in 45 games. They have a record of 24-15-4. If anybody were to tell me this at the beginning of the season I would have thought they were crazy! After a slow start and losing two games by a touchdown, early on the Senators have turned things around and have been playing above expectations. A team that was picked by many experts to finish last or among the bottom feeders of the NHL. Nobody must have sent them the memo because in this years model of the Senators there is no quit.

The Senators are 7-1-2 in there last 10 games and now have won three games in a row. Most recently beating the Eastern conference Leader the New York Rangers 3-0!!!

There Success can not fall on just one player but on the whole team and organization. Leading the charge is there 39 year old Captain Daniel Alfredsson who according to Penguins coach Dan Bylsma "Doesn't look at day older then 37". Alfredsson has 33 points in 39 games and seems to be rejuvenated playing alongside young players Eric Condra and newly acquired Kyle Turris. Jason Spezza is having his best season since the 2008-2009 season and has seemed to take on more of a leadership role being a mentor to his young teammates on and off the ice.He is also leading the charge offensively with 18 goals and 28 assists for a total of 46 points in 45 games. Milan Michalek has also been on a tear this year and is currently tied for third among all NHL players in goals with 23, one back of Phil Kessel and six back of the league leading Steven Stamkos. All three of these players have been voted into the NHL all star game along with there team mate and break out player of the year, 21 year old Swedish Sensation Eric Karlsson. Karlsson had a good sophomore season but nothing that compares to the year he is having this year. He leads all NHL Defensemen in points with 43 points in 44 games, 10 points more then the next closest defensemen Florida's Brian Campbell. Karlsson also received more fan votes to the all star game then any other player in the league. At such a young age he is already a super star and should receive a nomination for the Norris trophy for the leagues top defensmen.

The Ottawa Senators have also been receiving top notch goaltending as of late. With Craig Anderson making 34 saves for his first shutout of the Season on Tuesday Night verses the Rangers. Anderson's numbers were struggling at the begging but have risen with every month that has been played. He is second in wins with 22, he has played the most games out of any goaltender in the league, faced the most shots, made the most saves. With Anderson rounding into form the Senators playoff push is looking better and better after every game.

The Ottawa Senators have six players on there Roaster that won the Calder Cup last year with the Binghtom Senators. There youth and enthusiasm has seemed to really push the pace and light a spark under some of the veterans. Jared Cowen has been averaging just over 19 minutes of play and has been a rock on the Senators Defense all year round. Even chipping in offensively the odd time or two. Collin Greening has found a home on the top line for most of the year and is turning out to be a solid power forward. His North /South game has opened up time and space for both Spezza and Michalek. He was also just named to the NHL all star rookie team.Eric Condra has found chemistry on the Second line playing alongside Alfredsson and Turris. He seems to have the hockey smarts of a Chris Kelly and I believe in a couple of years he may be able to show more of an offensive side.Probably the biggest surprise has been the play of Zack Smith who has put up 12 goals and nine assists and has solidified the third line center position.

Bryan Murry has put together a great mix of young players and veterans, and the acquisition of Kyle Turris for David Runblad has seemed to work out well with Turris producing just under a point per game pace.

Murry finally has found a coach in which the team wants to play and produce for. Paul Maclean has implemented his system and has stressed skating and the team has seemed to embrace this . The team seems to have respect for Maclean and are willing to play hard for him. Maclean knows what it takes for a team to be successful and is a major reason the Senators are where they are in the standings.

So let the push for the playoffs begin, and with a young team which can only get better the sky is the limit. GO SENS GO!!!!!!