Jason Spezza rode a late surge in votes past the injured Sidney Crosby and into the top three forwards. Spezza has enjoyed a strong start to the 2011/2012 season, racking up 14 goals and 26 assists for a point a game pace through the first 40 games. Heading into tonight, Jason Spezza is ranked 11th in league scoring.
A late surge by Milan Michalek bumped Leafs forward Phil Kessel out of the starting line up in a twist that will certainly infuriate Leafs fans.
On defence, Erik Karlsson has enjoyed a breakout season that has vaulted him into a group with league’s best young defenceman. Karlsson leads all defenceman in scoring with 37 points, a total that has him inside the top 20 in league scoring. Not bad for a 21 year old.
The most exciting name on the list of starters has to be Daniel Alfredsson. At 39 years of age, the NHL’s longest serving captain is half way through his 16th season in the NHL, all of which have been played in an Ottawa Senators uniform. In a year where Alfie himself has suggested could be his last, the Captain continues to contribute on a regular basis, including back to back overtime winners on home ice.
With the game being played in Ottawa at the end of the month, what an awesome tribute it will be to have Daniel Alfredsson, the face of the franchise and a pillar in the community in that starting line up.
Kudos to everyone that took the time to vote.
GO SENS GO!
_______________________________________________________________________
The Ottawa Senators play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight in an important home game for the Sens. After tonight the club faces a daunting stretch of games away from SBP which makes two points tonight that much more important.
While one veteran defenceman returns to the line up, another joins the list of walking wounded. Sergei Gonchar will be back in the Sens line up after missing a couple games after taking a puck to the head in warm up. Meanwhile, Chris Phillips will be sidelined with what the club is calling a “mild concussion” but he could play this weekend.
Here is how the Sens are expected to line up.
Greening-Spezza-Michalek
Condra-Turris-Alfredsson
Foligno-Smith-Butler
Daugavins-Konopka-Neil
Kuba-Karlsson
Cowen-Gonchar
Lee-Carkner
Craig Anderson gets the start in goal. A win tonight and the Senators could pass the idle Pittsburgh Penguins for 5th place in the Eastern Conference. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM with all the action available on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
Your right it used to be starting lineups, but the NHL now calls it All-Star Game Fan Vote. Most likely the 6 will be starting the game on two teams, but its media and fans that keep calling it the All Star Game Starting lineup
We've taken a lot of shots over the years from other team's fans, about how we aren't passionate and that we'll disappear when the going gets tough. We've been told we're quick to throw players under the bus or run them out of town.
No one can say that to us now. It takes a lot of time and effort to vote that many times for your players. This whole experience has shown how dedicated us Sens fans are to our team and that we have their backs.
I'm sure this means the world to Alfie, Spezz, Milan and Erik, and that it makes them believe in us as much as we believe in them!
alfie's first pick? EK65, his second pick spezz and third pick 9MM... how unreal would it be if kessel got picked last again, id die laughing
It's a great day to be an Ottawa Senators fan.
I can only imagine the enormous package Burke is trying to put together to get Getzlaf in T.O.... I hope that doesn't happen..
At the same time I am sure that 4 Sens will certainly piss off Laff Nation and the TSN (Toronto Sports Network) it will be amusing to hear all the camp that will argue that this system is all a joke, and how it does not reward the so-called "deserving" players...
Sens Rejoice,
TSN begin the whining!!!
I'm fairly certain that the six are split between the two teams.
I could see Alfie picking Kessel first .... he's that classy
Hry Chirp - did you expand the amount of "symbols" allowed per comment? If so, thanks!
they've got their spot in a starting lineup...which team will depend on the "draft"...
and yep, agree with the last part, Alfie IS that classy
aint that the truth
Yea I doubled it yesterday. Most comments are fairly short anyway so I figured there was no need to limit those that are a little longer-winded
That's what I was just saying to a friend. It's not like we sent a bunch of scrubs to the game. These guys are all having great seasons.
If Corey Perry is ava I hope are Murray is calling his brother and seeing what he wants but I dont see a trade without being roster player 2 blue chips and 1st
Can Murray afford too though ..We do have a stock pile of 1st rd picks Pumepel Noeson Filatov Zibby Turris those are all just this year add in surprise talent of Silfverberg and Prince and Stone ..
It would be a bold move and send a message too the guys on the ICE right now that are busting there asses ...
HAAA HAAA HAAA Leafs
Spezza is 12th in league scoring
Michalek is what, top 5-7 in goals?
and Alfie is a god in the host city. My bet is that the NHL would have made him honourary player because of that anyway. They did that before ASG fan voting.
because it is a young franchise and small market, Ottawa is considered Canada's 7th team as much as it pisses off us fans. the sens have been Canada's most consistent franchise in the last 15 years. the sens are turning heads this year and I hope they keep it up. HUGE two points up for grabs against tampa tonight!
really? I don't know about that. Will there be many leaf fans in attendance? No tickets went on sale to the public that I am aware of and i can't imagine leafs fans would be sens season ticket holders? I am sure there will be a few but I cant see a SBP full of them like a normal game. of course, i dont know how the tickets were distributed. Just happy as hell I have two of them!
Alfie's every bit as deserving as Michalek. He may have less goals but he's been clutch for us, has more points than Milan in less games.
The only good ASGs are for non-contact sports.
I could see a better NHL ASG if it was played in the offseason where players aren't as concerned about injuries.
Looked back to last year and the voted players were not Captains.
2011
Voted: Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Keith, Letang & Fleury
Captains: Staal & Lidstrom
Alternate Captains: Green, Kesler, St.Louis & Kane
I remain convinced that the captains will be Alfie and Kessel. Plays well into the Battle of Ontario angle, and the league can play it up as Kessel not having to worry about when he is picked. Only issue is that Kessel has the personality of wet burlap so the show might be a little dull.
Yeah none were released to the general public yet... So they will be paying a pretty stiff price in order to boo him...
I totally agree with this, and Tim Thomas would have been a lock for sure. In my opinion 3 or 4 out of the six had a good chance to be selected anyways.
So you can say, at the end of the day 2 or 3 out of the FORTY-TWO players that will be in the all star game were voted in as fan favorites and/or Ottawa favorites when arguably they wouldn't have been there otherwise. That's 5% of the roster determined by fan loyalty instead of raw stats/performan ce for a game that is supposed to be all about the fans. Nothing wrong with that at all.
So what's your point? Who cares man... Just have fun with it.
Should be homer comments on this subject. Sens fans should be proud of what they've been able to accomplish. Fairly small market stepping up and rallying around the hometown team is a good thing for the players, the organization, the city and the Ottawa Senators fan base.
@damospin
Nice work Sens fans!
i sort of disagree...if the players in question didn't deserve to be in the top 40 that make the game (ie komisarek a couple years ago...) then you're 100% correct. But all the Sens players either deserve (Spezza/Karlsso n) to be there, would be going anyways as the home town vet(Alfie) or are borderline (Michalek: good=goal scoring...bad=w as injured and dropped down)...
Is this a shred fo respect?
I think ANA is looking at what OTT did last year, & is wondering if they can have the same luck; traded fan favourites (IMO) in Kelly (2nd) and Fisher (1st), plus Ruutu (6th), Elliott (Anderson) and Kovalev (7th) – I leave out the Campoli plus a 7th for Potulny & a conditional 2nd because neither resigned, and OTT never got the 2nd.
We managed to get a decent return for players that were too complacent and others that were considered spare parts (enter Elliott & his other-worldly '11-12 season). Plus, Fisher was/is too expensive for a 3rd line centre, which both he and Kelly are IMO. We cleared cap space down the road and were still able to play entertaining hockey after the deadline. Some might argue that the extra TOI allowed players like Butler to finally get going (iffy – he did nothing from Dec–Feb & then started to produce from early Feb on, but did see an increase in TOI after the deadline).
If ANA can grab similar returns for players like Blake (returning from injury), Hagman, Parros, Beauchemin, Lydman or Ellis, they’d be trimming down their roster while still icing a competitive team (I’m sure they’ll listen to offers for RPG, but short of a Kessel-like package, I don’t think they should/will move them). Plenty of teams would love add these players for depth, and all (except for Lydman who has a $3M hit for next year) are pending UFAs. I would trade Koivu too, since Cogs can play 2nd line centre; but maybe Saku is about to retire, has a nagging injury/wouldn’t pass a physical…
I’m sure we all do the same when we play EA sports in GM mode – trade what you can for what you can get, rebuild through the draft and FA (when it’s not too expensive). Obviously real life is more complicated than a video game, but the concept remains the same.
Now, if only teams like Calgary could figure it out…
YAAAA
Does it mean the process is an accurate depiction of the top 5 all stars in the league. Definitely not and to say the process works and is ideal is jiberish.
Working at the game tonight, and cannot wait until the announcers tell the crowd what the final results were from the voting.
GO SENS GO!
Sens All Stars get the news at practice this morning. g>
@Tcharger: I dont think the point of the ASG fan voting is to ensure the top 5 players get in. Rather it is to get more fans involved, more hits on NHL.com, etc. it is an NHL marketing strategy, not a system to ensure top 5 get in.
The ASG fan voting is a win for Ottawa fans who busted the myth that we don't care about our team.
If you hear Spez at 1:24 he says I spent all day yesterday voting " LOL
In admitting to the Columbus Dispatch that the 2011-12 season is the most difficult of his career, Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash also answered a hypothetical question about whether he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause, which expires at the end of the 2014-15 season.
Nash told Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch that he would be willing to agree to a trade if it meant the Blue Jackets would be getting pieces back to help them to build a new foundation for future success.
"The city of Columbus deserves a winner and deserves a good product on the ice," Nash said. "If it comes to that -- like you said, all speculation -- but if they don't want me here, they want to move me? I'm not going to do something where it's going to hurt the franchise just because I have that in my contract."
Nash, though, reiterated that he wants to be part of the solution in Columbus, saying he loves Columbus and loves being a Blue Jacket.
"I've put all my trust and loyalty into this organization," Nash said. "I'd have to trust them 100 percent, whatever their decisions are."
Nash is currently in the second year of an eight-year, $62.4 million contract and has 12 goals this season. Columbus is last in the Western Conference, 20 points out of a playoff spot.
That's hilarious! Good for him. Our town, our ASG, our guys!
I would love to start a ballot stuffing campaign to see that happen
Nice jab at Cox lol
Haha not my style usually but I couldn't resist.
Milan Michalek made an NHL All star Game before Dany Heatley since the trade
Was much classier than my message to him, I won't repeat it on here because we keep it classy on SensChirp, but you can see it on my page @procdaddy lol.
To get to the ASG they have to be Sens season ticket holders UNLESS all the corporate sponsers are Leaf fans.. and that's a possibility. But those bastard Leaf fans are everywhere so I don't doubt it.
CBJ is extremely weak on the wings, but has good depth at centre. I'd be surprised if they move Nash, but then again that franchise is a complete joke and is likely run by TSN's Maggie the monkey.
GM Murray in Anaheim is not related to GM Murray in Ottawa. Murray's brother was the coach of the LA Kings.
Why make two of your oldest players untouchable and let the young players go?
It makes absolutely no sense to me.
I had this on my mind awhile ago, heard it on the radio again last night. Are we truly seeing the end of the Goon era in the NHL? Guys who don't produce anything other than bloody fists appear to be almost extinct. Just yesterday, the Leafs placed Orr on waivers. This is a guy who's never passed the 6 point mark in an NHL season but up until now, was considered an asset. Why all the sudden is he expendable?
I think it's fair to say that if you can't do more than fight, you just don't fit anymore. I don't expect this means fighting will leave the game, that will never happen. To me it shows the importance of guys who can pot a goal now and again, make a play, make hits and play tough nose hockey. Guys like Neil, Lucic, Simmonds, Downie, Ott, Clarkson come to mind. I expect you'll see more of this as the year goes on, with head shots and concussions gaining more and more light. While fighting alone hasn't ended up with many real injuries, many have pointed the finger in that direction. Even a guy like Carkner, being limited to only 10 games is doing his best not to be a willing combatant this year and instead, play a more defensive game.
My prediction, guys like McGrattan, McLeod, Staubitz will soon be out of a job as teams look to get faster and stronger.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?
Yea I would be one of those guys whose been following this blog for the past couple of years and spectated the comment section for people's insights about the team, their knowledge and even taking down Tookie as a group ( which was thoroughly entertaining).
But didn't take any initiative to join the conversation or even register for that matter. But what better way to celebrate 4 sens making the Starting lineup for the All Star Game than to register.I am guilty of reading Yost's blogs as well. I just think both of you have done such a great job at keeping the whole fan base upbeat during the bad times and good times. You both have found your own niche in your style of writing and I honestly haven't gone a day without reading each of your blogs.
Anywho, I just saw how many people are bashing us for being such fanboy bias voters... and I realized that the more people speak against us, the more I realized just how good the sens have been.when one team starts playing better than anyone expected , arrogant people who pegged them to play like shit, will continue undermining the team to balance out their disbelief in how they managed to overachieve(aga in, just my opinion on how I used to be, not pointing fingers at all). I used to be one of them , and figured out maybe i should just accept the things the way they are and I started seeing things in a different llight.
And seriously who gave a crap about who plays the first shift on the all star game, its a place for players to show thier personalities off the ice which is what the fans really want to see. Anyway , I don't want to bore any of you guys any further or make you scroll down any further.
Just One last thing, DarthSens ( on this blog) started a team on the EA SPorts hockey league for NHL 12 on the PS3 a few weeks ago, and I just wanted to encourage you to join it ( I have!). We could definitely use a lot more people!.
Since you are a long time lurker I would recommend adopting the style we use of using paragraphs
Great first post and thanks for joining the conversation.
A confession- I read Yost's blogs too.
Haha Yikes that was pretty long, Sorry My bad, Like i said my first time actually commenting on this blog but yea I should have done that.
I've always thought Carkner was more than a plug that fought. I'll admit he's sandpaper, but I don't find him too bad as part of a bottom pairing. He can hit, and usually plays responsible D (clearing out the front of the net, that sort of thing). Same with Neil; every now and then the guy looks like Spezza with some nice stick work to manoeuvre past someone(thinkin g of one of his recent goals where he pulled the puck from behind him @ the blue line, walked in and scored)!
I'm happy for the players too. I watched that senstv video of them getting the news and they all seemed happy. We showed them that we care a lot, and we weren't going to let any leaf fans ruin our all-star game
I just broke up the comment a little bit into paragraphs. Don't want a quality comment to get lost in the shuffle. Thanks for contributing.
Sweden for gold
Sens 4-1 over bolts
I think Bob Murray was probably trying to send more of a msg to his team, especially Perry, Getzlaf, and Ryan, that if they want to remain with the organization then they have to show it on the ice.
There's no reason a team with that much talent should be where they are in the standings.
Murray said he wouldn't be willing to trade one of those three big name players for a package of picks/prospects . If any of those three players gets traded it will be for a big name player in return.
When was the last time we saw a blockbuster like that? it never happens.
I agree, but think that Murray saw how much the sens improved from last year. A11fie said it a bit earlier, but that guy needs to shorten his posts
They went really fast then. I managed to get a pair, my wife was ecstatic when I told her!
Bah. Was hoping to snag a couple when I got home. Remember how I said I would accept 90 votes in place of a Christmas present? Two tickets to the All Star draft would also be ok.
Thanks Chirp!
Whats wrong with the hosting city having a bit more of the spot light on ice as well?!?!
it will happen in every city that hosts, the sooner people realize, the less crying there will be.
If this was an ideal world, other hockey fans would be happy for us and our captain, but who am I kidding.
Really,
which of the Sens does not belong at this Allstar game?
Eeeeeasy there big fella, I was just telling how it is. ANA has always drafted pretty well (cough, BM, cough), and think they could really benefit from clearing house and a year in the cellar. If they draft a quality D-man, and if some of their prospects can make the jump next year and round out the bottom 6 (Smith-Pelly, Holland, Etem and Palmieri), they'll be back in the playoffs in no time.
Plus, Teemu will play until he’s 52! Howe do you like that, Mr. Hockey?
If your there in person its much better, well, much better if the Stars actually show up to it.
Also, for the Yakupov haters, where was Mark Stone in that crushing defeat? Great players show up in big games...
kid should learn to Shut his mouth, and win the gold before you spew his shit on how bad Canada was... it was one goal, and one more minute and we tie it,
screw him!
Stay away from the Russian hockey players!
Love them as people, but not as hockey players
Calm down hombre ...I didn't say anyone didn't belong. Who doesn't belong as a starter...alfie , spezza, milan..spezza is bubble starter, alfie gwts a pass as he is the captain of the host team, but hasn't had a starting allstar season(although has played way better than I expected .
Puns = Lazy writing
@ Tookie19
Instead of belittling the very 1st All Star Game playing in Ottawa, you should be proud that we are hosting this annual event.
In comparing Yakupov and Stone, to me they are both great young players, but Stone truly put up better all around numbers than his Russian counterpart.
In the Russia game, the whole team was caught flatfooted,
not just Mark Stone .
hmmm lets see, all the fans in Ottawa and around the league that voted probably care, the city of Ottawa which is acting as host of the event cares, the players themselves which were very appreciative for the fan support cares...jealous haters, now they're the ones that don't care!
...and btw, out for all faceoffs on his side (winning 75%), Stone was a threat all night long. Yakupov, while picking up a few points, was more of a selfish player on many occasions. he had plenty of opportunities to set up teammates but would try to do it himself...not my kind of player.
...and seriousl? comparing a 5th(6th?) round pick to someone that'll go 1st or 2nd overall? reaching much?
Hahahaha
Snoopy, Tookie is going to drive you to drink. Just ignore him as you are always arguing with a brick wall. He doesn't care about the Sens, he probably lives in Toronto and comes on Senschirp to frustrate real fans like you and I with his negativity.
What a dumb comment... 29 times out of 30 the allstar game is held in another city.. 0 times out of 29 have I read or heard somebody bitch about the "inaccurate process"
you just got sour grapes cause you're a toronto fan
I did not even know they were going on sale until about 15 min ago... no tickets left.
Needless to say.. I'm pissed.
He has a hand injury plus the flu...maybe excuses but he was probably not up to full speed. It takes more than one player (other than a goaltender) for a whole team to have a bad game.
Yakupov suuuucks
I really don't see how badmouthing a guy picked in the 6th round and comparing him with another guy predicted to go 1st overall makes any kind of sense. but ok.
How many games you been to this year?? More than 12...since you know I am sure toronto. Fans pay to go to 12 ottawa games.
Idiot
It's funny because so many Sens fans (myself anyway) voted for someone else instead of Gonchar to try and push Phaneuf out (I voted for whomever was in third at the time). If we had all voted for Gonchar every time we probably would be looking at 5 Sens starters.
By size alone... IF Leaf fans would have voted they would have swept the 6 starting spots. Now all they do is complain the voting is flawed. Maybe if they had voted Kessel would have gotten in. Too late for sour grapes.
As for Yakupov -- he has 9 assists so far in the tournament.. 4 of those came in 1 game. Stone has 7 goals + 2 assists I think.. spread out over all the games. Stone has been more consistent than Yakupov.. but we can all agree Yakupov has the better overall skill.
@ Denis Vial,
You make a strong argument, and I appreciate your advice,
so, I will refrain from replying, and see what happens !!
REACTION FROM TORONTO STAR HOCKEY COLUMNIST DAMIEN COX VIA TWITTER
• Four Sens start all-star game? Not one of top 10 NHL scorers? Just silly. At least Thomas overtook Reimer or it wud have been total joke.
• I mean, Daniel Alfredsson's a classy guy. But he's 68th in NHL scoring. Just discredits entire game......even more. . .
• For any credibiity, all-star starters would be dominated by Canucks and Bruins.
• Out of chosen/selected /voted starters, only Thomas and Karlsson are particularly deserving.
• Hometown fans seem to believe concept is to wreck the game.
• Guess Kessel will again have a shot at being picked last!
• I do think Spezza has had a nice bounce-back season. But not worthy of starting position.
• Or call it the NHL Popularity Game. Would be more logical.
• OTT fans may think they've accomplished something by all-star vote when they've really just undermined the honor of being voted a starter.
• Funniest part is Sergei Gonchar barely missed catching Phaneuf to make it five Senator starters.
• Now Sens fans can get to work on Kyle Turris being named one of the subs.
• Could probably pick a better team of ex-Sens. Start with Brian Elliott in goal, Chara on defence. . .
• Dang. Blocking ignorant OTT fans really cutting into my time dedicated to blocking ignorant VAN fans. . .
/
end
Gold Jerry, gold!
It's pointless a so called professional bitching about the players picked because this is what happens with fan balloting. The ASG is for the fans and the NHL wants the fans to feel included in the process, the price of that is that fan favourites play and sometimes fan favourites aren't the top players. The NHL have cleary given their blessing to that happening.
I didn't vote because I don't like fan balloting and I don't normally watch the ASG but I think it's entirely justifiable that home town fans vote their players in if the process allows it. I didn't care when the Habs fans stuffed the ballot and I'm sure the Leaf fans will do the same when the ASG is next hosted in Toronto.
The problem will be that the natural unearned arrogance of Leaf fans will have them belieeiving that they are only doing it because Habs and Sens fans did it.
You say that a few times a week. LOL.
EEEEEEEEEYORE !
It turns out that now that he can no longer predict the sens failure of a season, he still talks about his woody for YUCKupov and he cant watch sports anymore, just cricket and NCAA!!!
Would be nice if he made the tournament all star team but i think the forwards will be Kuznetsov, Friberg, Granlund
Either way a great tournament for him and a nice way for Canada to end it.
Especially happy for Visentin too after the crap he had to deal with after last years game. He didnt deserve to be an 18 year old with 1 bad period (where the whole team sucked) defining his entire career
thanks
GO SENS GO !!!!!
4-3 sens !! Alfie winner
GO SENS GO
If you boo my captain during the all-star game, one of us will end up in the hospital, and the other in jail.
I fahh-kin dare you.
with utmost sincerity,
~Peluso
Why would they even bother going to the ASG? So they can watch the highly skilled Reimer, Berg, Markov or Gomez?
I doubt there will be many.
Alfie will be All-Star game Captain. Will make Karlsson #1 pick.
stream is ok not the greatest
thanks!
thanks
This is off topic but I will be really mad if the Brian Burke ends getting Ryan Getzlaf. I really really don't want to see Ryan Getzlaf playing for the Maple Leafs!
The Sens are dog awful in their own end. Wow. Real soft defensively.
Cmon guys!
The Sens are giving 0 help.
TURRIS !!!!!!!
I don't see any untouchables on that team tbh. Iginla included.
I wouldn't trade Glencross or Giordano but other than that none of their players are worth hanging on to. Iginla deserves better than to sink with that ship.
If they're ever going to survive they should do what Murray did and trade for some assets. If you look at their roster, it is sadly abysmal. I'll admit that they really mis MG, but still.
I'm not a fan of the team, but I do feel bad for them because I went thru the same thing last season.
The problem is Feaster has no balls.
Oh well, not my problem.
You picked Finland to beat Canada you get a thumbs down.
SWEDEN!
One love
Yakupov - Hogged the puck and tried to do everything by himself all game long in the Championship game and got nothing done.
Will it matter 10 years down the road? Probably not...I'm just saying...for all the Fail for Nail people out there, he wasn't very good in this tournament.
Golden showers for everyone - oh, wait...
Just sayin
Are you at the Bare Fax?
I particularly enjoyed the PA music at the game. I'm not a metal head but, on the main, it was fun and energetic. Hardly any of that dance shit and NO more Kentucky backwater "good old, cotteneyed" cheeseball sing along crap.
(Wasn't impressed by the band though...)
If I was going to the ASG I too would have the same stance, and I say that with utmost sincerity.