NEW YORK (AP) John Tortorella stood out again at a playoff news conference. Only this time it was because of his feistiness toward the New Jersey Devils and not for his brevity and contentiousness with the media.
NEW YORK (AP) John Tortorella stood out again at a playoff news conference. Only this time it was because of his feistiness toward the New Jersey Devils and not for his brevity and contentiousness with the media.
NEW YORK (AP) Rangers forward Brandon Prust has been suspended for one game by the NHL for his elbow to the head of New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov during New York's win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
Not that the law of averages has had a thing to do with what’s happened in the Stanley Cup playoffs to date, but after all, it’s a law.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Shane Doan scored two goals, Mike Smith made 36 saves in his third playoff shutout, and the Phoenix Coyotes emphatically avoided playoff elimination with a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Noise is beginning to envelop this playoff series, as it was always destined to do.Source: Ottawa Citizen
The Czech Republic scored three goals in the opening period to win bronze at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.Source: Ottawa Citizen
A golden performance at the IIHF World Hockey Championship has rarely ever looked so good.
Source: SenShot by Jared Crozier
Mark Stone will be among a handful of players looking to make the jump to the NHL this season Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-US PRESSWIRE
There will be openings on the NHL roster for the Senators, and unless Bryan Murray goes shopping at Free Agency to fill them, there will be opportunity for a couple of the Senators’ top prospects to step in and contribute right away. So which prospect will take the proverbial bull by the horns and make an impact. In my mind there are 4 players who could make the jump right into the NHL.
1. Jakob Silfverberg – The Swedish forward got a sniff in the playoffs, and showed there will be a period of adjustment. He also showed that he will be more than capable of playing every day, it is only his ability to adapt to a new style of play that may hold him back.
2. Mika Zibanejad … [visit site to read more]
Who Is Ready To Step In Next Year For The Senators? - SenShot - SenShot - An Ottawa Senators Blog
Source: SenShot by Jared Crozier
Suter would be an imposing member of the Senators Blueline. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE
This time of year is like Christmas to NHL GMs – They head into the off-season free agent market armed with a wish list for players that will put them over the top when the new NHL season begins. Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray will be no exception, and after a quiet summer of 2012, will be continuing the rebuild that appears to be ahead of schedule.
So, what will Murray have on his FA shopping list? The club appears to be set at forward, with a number of top prospects ready to make the jump in the next year or two. In net, the addition of Ben Bishop late in the season gives the Senators unprecedented depth between the pipes. That leaves the blue line, where arguably Erik Karlsson and Jared Cowen … [visit site to read more]
Senators Summer Shopping Wish List – Ryan Suter - SenShot - SenShot - An Ottawa Senators Blog
Source: NHL.com
It's bronze or bust now for Milan Michalek and the Czech Republic. The Senators forward and his teammates fell to Slovakia 3-1 today at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki in the semifinal round at the 2012 world hockey championship. Michalek and the Czec...
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Finland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are preparing to do battle for a place in the ice hockey world championship final, guaranteeing the title for a European nation after the USA and Canada crashed out.Source: Yahoo! Sports
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) For one game, at least, in the Eastern Conference finals, the New Jersey Devils found a way to beat Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers.Source: Yahoo! Sports
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) For one game, at least, in the Eastern Conference finals, the New Jersey Devils found a way to beat Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Steve Spott will be Canada’s head coach at the next world junior hockey championships.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Canadiens icon Jean Beliveau was in strong voice and excellent spirits Friday, back home and getting stronger by the day.Source: Yahoo! Sports
Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. • Look, JGL: "Inception" was the bomb. You were Han Solo in "500 Days of Summer." You probably become Batman when Bane breaks Bruce Wayne's back (/speculation). But please do not wear the Lakers gear to the Kings game. That said, feel free to wear the Kings gear to the Lakers game, if there are still going to be Lakers games this spring. • The Ryan Suter watch begins next week. Hold onto your butts. [ Malik ] • Shea Weber on Alex Radulov's quasi-suspension in Round 2 for the Nashville Predators: "You feel a little bit betrayed, but I am sure he feels bad about it now and he looks back on it and wishes it didn't happen. Those are the things you can't take back and we've got to move forward." [ Examiner ] • Pekka Rinne on Radulov and the curfew issue: "It didn't affect as much as media made it seem like. The way I see it, Radulov joining the team mid-season affected the atmosphere more than the incident that happened in the playoffs." [ On The Forecheck ] • Milan Hejduk is back with the Colorado Avalanche for one year and $2 million. Says Dater: "Yeah, I'm a little concerned about where/what Hejduk's role might be. I mean, it's a little worrisome to think he'll be relied upon perhaps as a top-six forward. And yet, would he really be effective on a third or fourth line? Those are questions Joe Sacco will have to grapple with next season." [ All Things Avs ] • Great work here by Nick Cotsonika on burgeoning New York Rangers star and rookie sensation Chris Kreider. [ Y! Sports ] • Ryan Callahan says his left hand isn't injured, despite blocking a shot with it back in the Ottawa series. [ NYDN ] • Darryl Sutter, on the growth of Los Angeles Kings forward Dwight King: "Growth?" Sutter said. "He's still 232 (pounds). After games, he's 228." [ LA Kings Insider ] • Kerry Fraser on embellishing players in the postseason: "The Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs is not the time for the referees to strap on the six guns in an effort to clean up embellishment in Dodge. The refs must however, ramp up their radar and if any doubt is created in their mind as to the legitimacy of a foul, then I would suggest they keep their arm down and play on. I also hope they will seize every opportunity to enforce obvious embellishment by calling a penalty (whether as a 'stand alone' penalty or a coincidental minor when embellishment occurs as the aftermath to a legitimate foul)." [ TSN ] • John MacKinnon torches the Edmonton Oilers for firing Tom Renney. "This move — anticipated as it was — was a long, slow slap in the face to a coach who deserved better. If you're the incoming man, it would be wise to at least ponder the fashion in which the Oilers will ultimately dump you. That might help you decide whether you want to accept the job in the first place." [ Journal ] • David Staples does much the same: "My bottom line on Renney? He earned a new deal. He made a few big miscalculations, but much more was going right than wrong under his direction." [ Cult of Hockey ] • From Black Dog: "The Oilers are like the opposite of that and maybe this should be their master plan. Howson has already destroyed Columbus. Maybe Messier can take over the Rangers and Prendergast can move to Chicago. Let Tambo move back to Vancouver and Buchberger coach the Avs. Let them go forth and multiply and take their special brand of incompetence to the rest of the league, like the Black Plague, destroying franchises as they alight from their private jets, just as flea ridden rats destroyed cities as they swarmed ashore from ships manned by infected doomed sailors." [ BDHS ] • Ellen Etchingham on the Los Angeles Kings: "These Kings, they just look so brilliant. So clearly and completely and definitively ass-whoopingly eye-catchingly heart-liftingly brilliant. They play the way I'd always hoped a Cup-winning team would play. They play like they are actually so much better than everyone else that they ( *gasp* ) deserve to win. There's still a part of me that can't wholly believe they're for real. There's a part of me that's still tensed for the inevitable fall. But, nevertheless, I hope. I would like to see a team take the Cup this decisively, in less than twenty games. I want to see a juggernaut victory." [ Backhand Shelf ] • Alex Ovechkin was named the 11th most marketable athlete internationally in 2012. [ Alex Ovetjkin ] "A finalized lease agreement with a potential Phoenix Coyotes buyer has yet to emerge publicly but a Glendale City Council majority appears poised to approve a $17 million fee to operate the city-owned arena." [ AZ Central ] • Hopefully, when Daniel Aldfredsson says he may have played his last competitive game, he means all 82 games next season for the Ottawa Senators (plus playoffs) are blowouts. [ Senators Extra ] • Finally, the New York Mets all wore hockey jerseys on their road trip to Canada. Expected to see more Islanders sweaters, given that both franchises have been living off the glory of the 1980s for decades… ( Kukla )Source: Yahoo! Sports
Kreider went from big man at Boston College to a rushed-in rookie on a tight-knit Rangers team, but his power-forward skills and quietly confident ways have eased the transition.Source: Yahoo! Sports
Kreider went from big man at Boston College to a rushed-in rookie on a tight-knit Rangers team, but his power-forward skills and quietly confident ways have eased the transition.
Source: Silver Seven by DaveYoung
A couple of weeks ago the Senators made a small move, resigning Peter Regin to a contract worth a little bit less than what he had previously been making. It is a one-way contract and if he gets himself healthy this summer, he should be in the lineup come October.
Where does he fit? With Jakob Silfverberg, Mark Stone and Mika Zibanejad all pushing for roster spots, not to mention the full
Source: Sens Chirp
When the NHL holds its annual Entry Draft on June 22, 2012 in Pittsburgh, the Ottawa Senators will hold the 15th overall selection.
As we’ve seen from the Senators and their staff the last few seasons, anything is possible on draft day. We’ve seen them move up to grab a guy they liked (Karlsson), trade the pick for a proven prospect (Rundblad) and make a deal to add an additional first round pick (Noesen).
Last year there was a general consensus the Senators needed to take a forward, where as this time around fans fully support the “best player available” approach.
With the departure of David Rundblad last season, the Senators would obviously love to add to the defensive depth in the organization but will not go out of their way to do so. If the best guy available is a forward, they’ll take him. If it’s a goalie, they are prepared to make that selection too.
The name that seems to be coming up most in pre-draft speculation is Cody Ceci. The star defenceman for the Ottawa 67’s is coming off a big year in which he solidified his position as a first round pick. Trouble is some mock drafts and scouting lists have Ceci going in the top 10 meaning it's unlikely he’d fall all the way to 15.
The International Scouting Service released their updated prospect list earlier this week and intriguing names like Sebastian Collberg (a 5’11 winger out of Sweden), Alexander Galchenyuk ( a 6’0 winger from the Sarnia Sting) and Radek Faksa ( a 6’3 LW with Kitchener) are all in the neighborhood of the 15th overall selection.
Another name to keep an eye on is Slater Koekkoek. A tough as nails defenceman with a great all around game, Koekkoek is ranked 21st by the ISS but is a player that has turned heads in the OHL with Peterborough this season.
Unlike last season where I could recite the draft prospects and their bios drunk and blindfolded, I am only just now starting to look at and ask about the Sens plans for draft day. I’ll continue to update on the draft in the month ahead.
In the meantime, here is a link to the updated ISS Rankings, a mock draft, the Red Line report, the NHL Draft Centre Page and a hilarious clip of Bryan Murray tricking Brian Burke into taking Nazem Kadri instead of Jared Cowen.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
Most everyone looks at a dangerous hit from behind, sees it over and over again on the highlight shows, registers mild disappointment at the practically meaningless one-game suspension and can't even summon the strength any more to complain.Source: Silver Seven by Amelia L
ltender Ray Emery #30 of the Chicago Blackhawks warms up before Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Jobing.com Arena on April 12, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)" height="300" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4069634/142813983_extra_large.jpg" width="450" />This is the first entry in a new series examining each number worn by every player who has ever pulled on a jersey for the Ottawa Senators. It will be part analysis, part opinion, part compilation, part trivia question. You'll get the chance to vote on who's the best - by
Source: Ottawa Citizen
The Phoenix Coyotes get big marks for resilience, effort, never-say-die and all sorts of intangibles.Source: Yahoo! Sports
There was much discussion in and around the New York area, and probably throughout hockey circles everywhere, concerning New York Ranger coach John Tortorella's bold decision to bench Marian Gaborik in the third period of Game Two against the New Jersey Devils (May 16) at Madison Square Garden.Source: Ottawa Citizen
The London Knights are happy to have owner-president Dale Hunter back from his NHL coaching stint with Washington Capitals in time for the Memorial Cup, as they well should be.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Things haven’t gone precisely as planned for Brandon Gormley since he joined the Shawinigan Cataractes in early January.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Ryan Kesler isn’t watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, isn’t coming back early from shoulder surgery and isn’t worried that his bull-in-a-china-shop game needs to be significantly altered to reduce the wear on his battered body after three major procedures in the last five years.Source: Ottawa Citizen
The brevity of a John Tortorella news conference has become one of the most fascinating — if not repetitive — stories of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Tom Renney’s time with the Edmonton Oilers has expired.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Question: Coach, looked like you had them and it slipped away. What went wrong?Source: Ottawa Citizen
With Sweden’s 4-3 loss to the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals of the world championships on Thursday, fans of the Ottawa Senators might have seen Daniel Alfredsson play his final game.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Coach Derek Laxdal says that just because the Shawinigan Cataractes have been idle for a month it is no reason for the Edmonton Oil Kings to take them lightly.Source: Yahoo! Sports
Boston Bruins fans will get to enjoy a different kind of deep playoff run as the two Bruins in the IIHF World Championship advance to the semifinals and keep their medal hopes alive. Sure, it's not the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but either Zdeno Chara or David Krejci could very well bring their home country some glory soon.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Coach Derek Laxdal says that just because the Shawinigan Cataractes have been idle for a month it is no reason for the Edmonton Oil Kings to take them lightly.Source: NHL.com
Milan Michalek broke the hearts of his Senators teammates. The Ottawa forward scored with just 29 seconds left in regulation as the Czech Republic stunned Sweden 4-3 to close out a wild day of quarter-final action at the 2012 IIHF world hockey ch...Source: Ottawa Citizen
Two Swedish researchers compiling an encyclopedia of hockey history have scored a hat trick of significant new discoveries, including what they're calling the earliest known image of a hockey player — a well-dressed skater with a curved stick and flat-edged puck striding along England's ice-covered Thames River in December 1796.Source: Yahoo! Sports
Holders Finland advanced to the semi-finals of the world ice hockey championships with a last-gasp winner against the United States on Thursday, but Olympic champions Canada were shocked by Slovakia.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Two Swedish researchers compiling an encyclopedia of hockey history have scored a hat trick of significant new discoveries, including what they're calling the earliest known image of a hockey player — a well-dressed skater with a curved stick and flat-edged puck striding along England's ice-covered Thames River in December 1796.Source: Silver Seven by DaveYoung
It seems to be a pretty consistent theme in sports. No matter how likeable a team is before your favourite team plays them in the playoffs, invariably you'll find two or three hundred reasons to hate them before the season is over. If you play teams in the playoffs frequently enough, you can never look favourably at those teams or those players ever again (see: Battle of Ontario, Gary Roberts, Toronto's hate for Alfie, many in Ottawa's dislike for Sidney Crosby, etc)
So, when the Senators went into battle in the first round agains
Source: Ottawa Citizen
The IIHF World Hockey Championship ended in agony once again for Canada.Source: Off The Posts by Don Brennan
So, how are we all feeling about Canada being eliminated by Slovakia at the world championship this morning?
Distraught?
Upset?
Disillusioned?
Shouldn’t be too crushed, as it’s not like the country’s best players were representing. Still, Canada did have a pretty strong lineup, and you would have expected its road to at least go beyond the quarter-finals.
I’d like to know why the powers that be decided to pick Ryan Getzlaf as the captain. You know, the 11-goal scorer this season who led the Anaheim Ducks all the way to a 25th place finish. The guy that was reported to be partying up and threatening citizens over in Europe after a game one night. The guy that was on the ice for the game-tying goal and in the box for the winner today.
There’s some leadership for you, eh?
John Tavares would have been a better choice. Or Duncan Keith. Or just about anybody else, in my opinion.
In fact, I wouldn’t have even had Getzlaf on the team. I would have told him to go home as soon as Jason Spezza became available and offered his services.
But maybe that’s just me….
Source: Ottawa Citizen
The IIHF World Hockey Championship ended in agony once again for Canada.Source: Ottawa Citizen
For a third straight year, Canada is making an early exit from the IIHF World Hockey Championship. Michal Handzus tipped in a shot with 2:32 to play in regulation as Slovakia eliminated Canada with a 4-3 quarter-final victory Thursday.Source: Sens Chirp
At his season ending press conference, Bryan Murray made it clear there are two areas where he’ll be looking to add this off season.
The Senators GM indicated he will be looking to add another shutdown type defenceman and a 20 goal scorer to the forward ranks. And while trades are always an option, he may have to fill those holes through free agency. Easier said than done when you consider this is fairly thin UFA market.
With the uncertainty surrounding the future of Sens Captain Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa’s top six for next year is still very much up in the air. The team hopes that guys like Foligno and Silfverberg can contribute on a regular basis but obviously they’d like to give them some support.
Not surprisingly, a quick Twitter poll I did the other day indicated that Sens fans would love to see Zach Parise brought in to solidify the team’s top six forwards. Considering the run the Devils have gone on this off season, it’s hard to believe Lamoriello lets the team captain get away but it’s obviously a possibility.
Other names mentioned on Twitter include Jiri Hudler, Jarret Stoll and Alex Semin.
Semin is an interesting option on a short term deal but he'll likely be looking for something longer than one year this time around. Dustin Penner, who is having a great playoff with the Kings, is another option but according to Darren Dreger, the Kings have shown interest in retaining his services.
On the back end, the team has quality puck movers but would like to add another all around type defender that can play tough in his own end.
Again, it should come as no surprise but the name mentioned most often by Sens fans continues to be Ryan Suter.
Suter is far and away the best defenceman on the market and will cash in big time this off season. Other names mentioned include NCAA free agent Justin Schultz, who is drawing a ton of interest around the league and Dennis Wideman, who had a decent playoff with the Capitals.
One name to keep an eye on is former St. Louis Blues defenceman Kent Huskins. The Almonte native is coming off an injury riddled season where he played just 25 games but is still a reliable guy in his own end. Could be an affordable option for the Sens this off season.
Which UFAs would you like to see Bryan Murray target this off season?
Source: Ottawa Citizen
Canada is one of nine teams who clinched during the current championship tourney.Source: Yahoo! Sports
The Philadelphia Flyers found out the price of not putting away the New Jersey Devils when they had the chance. Flyers fans like myself will point to Game 2 of the second round as proof, as they went from having a 1-0 lead after two periods to losing 4-1 and never recovering. Now the New York Rangers hope they won't have to look back on their rotten third period of Game 2 against the Devils in the same way.Source: Ottawa Citizen
Canada has been upset 4-3 by Slovakia in the quarter-finals of the IIHF World Hockey Championship.Source: Off The Posts by Bruce Garrioch
I wrote a story on this. Thought I’d post it here. Discuss amongst yourselves. I’m taking some time off. Will try to make sure Don moderates the comments.
Will Bryan Murray go shopping this summer?
The Senators GM probably wants to get his own house in order before making that decision. He has to find out if captain Daniel Alfredsson will return and also must sign defenceman Erik Karlsson.
Then, Murray has to decide whether he’s going to keep unrestricted free agents Matt Carkner, Zenon Kenopka and Filip Kuba. Getting a new deal for pending restricted free agent winger Nick Foligno also is a priority.
With $37 million committed for next season, the Senators will have to decide if they’re going to be big spenders on July 1. Owner Eugene Melnyk has indicated they won’t be a cap team again. However, there is room to buy.
The Senators want more scoring support up front and a defensive defenceman for the back end. Here’s a list of five free agents they should look at:
No. 1 Zach Parise, C, New Jersey Devils
He will be the No. 1 free agent on the market and the Senators’ chances are slim.
But they will make a pitch. Parise’s going to make more than the $6 million he pulled down this season. If the club wants to add scoring, Murray, at the very least, has to make a phone call.
With 31-39-69 points in 82 games this season, Parise has helped lead the Devils to the third round of the playoffs against the New York Rangers. He certainly would take some of the scoring pressure off Jason Spezza.
The competition will be fierce. Parise will want to go to a team that’s going to push for a Stanley Cup. The Senators have shown they’re back in the race. This one is worth a try.
2. Chris Kelly, C, Boston Bruins
He won his Stanley Cup. Now, it is time for him to come home.
Kelly was dealt during the purge in 2011, but the Senators didn’t really want to get rid of him. The club was going nowhere under then-coach Cory Clouston and Murray had a chance to give a good soldier an opportunity to win.
It’s no accident Kelly brought the Stanley Cup back here last summer to celebrate with family and friends. He kept his home in Barrhaven and there’s a strong belief he wouldn’t mind coming back.
He would have success playing under coach Paul MacLean’s system and the club could use his leadership. Bringing Kelly back is a move that makes sense for both sides.
3. Bryan Allen, D, Carolina Hurricanes
The Senators are going to need a defensive defenceman.
They have to decide whether they’re going to retain Kuba and Carkner or let them walk away as UFA’s. It’s hard to say what route they’ll take, but Allen could be had for a reasonable price if they opt to go to the free-agent market.
He wasn’t dealt at the deadline so it might make sense for him to stay put in Carolina. He’s popular in the dressing room and had a minus-1 rating on a team that struggled in all areas most of the season.
Allen had a cap hit of $2.9 million this season. He’ll have interest on the market, but is a realistic choice.
4. David Jones, RW, Colorado Avalanche
The 27-year-old made $2.5 million this season.
He had 20-17-37 points in 72 games last season. You’d have to think he’d thrive and have success playing on the right side of Spezza. The Senators just need a little more production from that top line.
Bobby Butler was supposed to be that man for Ottawa, but it didn’t work out. Jones is a guy who has played in the league and knows what it takes to score goals. Spezza is the kind of guy who can get Jones the puck.
Scouts believe Jones’ best years still could be ahead of him.
No. 5 Jiri Hudler, C, Detroit Red Wings
You have to think Hudler might decide to stay where he’s comfortable and had plenty of success in his career.
It’s difficult for any player to leave Motown, but Hudler is coming off a 25-25-50-point season in 82 games and may want to cash in on his success. He is familiar with MacLean, a former Red Wings assistant coach, and could work well in a second-line role.
After making $2.7 million this season, Hudler is going to be in for a healthy raise. There may not be room for him in Detroit because the Wings are expected to make a pitch for Parise along with defenceman Ryan Suter.
Hudler could be a nice fit for the Senators, but he’ll attract plenty of interest even with the CBA set to expire.
Source: Silver Seven by bobbykelly
Yesterday, we gave some insight into the strengths and weaknesses of Barrie's Tanner Pearson. He is a player who will go later than fifteen, and for him to fall onto the Senators' laps, they would have to either trade down in the first, or move up from their two third round selections (the conditional pick courtesy of the Mike Fisher deal and the Predators' subsequent Conference semi-finals appearance). Pearson is a left winger- one of the remaining deficiencies in the Sens' organizational depth.
Today, we will look at a player who
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