Despite letting a 3-1 lead slip against the powerhouse Bruins, there were plenty of positives for the Sens to take away from Tuesday night's tilt. They were the better team for large stretches and carried the play 5 on 5. If they can put in an effort like that on Friday night, they should be able to snap this four game slide.
The Sens were on the ice for practice this afternoon and MacLean juggled his lines a little bit. Erik Condra was moved to the top line with Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek while Colin Greening skated on the third line.
Here is how the forward combinations looked.
Condra-Spezza-Michalek
Foligno-Turris-Alfredsson
Greening-Smith-Butler
Daugavins-Konopka-Neil
By all accounts, the Sens bench boss was in a surly mood at practice today. Demanding perfection from his team and stopping drills on a couple of occassions to ask his group to turn up the intensity level. MacLean closed the practice with the dreaded bag skate.
Exactly what you would expect from a team that has lost four straight.
On defence, Chris Phillips was absent this afternoon and to listen to some fans talk, the veteran has been absent for the past month or so. Obviously last night was not the best game for the veteran defenceman and he has to find a way to be better. He should be fine for tomorrow night.
Phillips sits just four games shy of 1000 for his career.
- Jesse Winchester, who has been sidelined with a concussion, was on the ice for practice this morning but left early. There is still no time frame for his return. Meanwhile, Brian Lee was at practice but still no word on his status for Friday's game.
- Sens are off tonight but for those of you looking for some hockey to watch, be sure to tune in to the CHL Top Prospects Game at 10:00 PM on Sportsnet.
- Remember to book your spot for the first SensChirp Gathering at Local Heroes on Clyde this Friday! $50 (Special discount for SC Readers) gets you a ticket to the game, $15 worth of food, transportation to and from the game and a chance at some prizes along the way. Any questions email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 613 224 3873 and mention the SensChirp Gathering to book your spot.
That just speaks volumes on how badly we need a legit top line winger, and the best part about it is we can afford to do so, we have a slew of unproven yet highly regarded prospects, we have young roster players that we could give up in a package and we have some vet's that could use a change of scenery and probably the best of them all is we have $$$.
Condra...really?
We definitely need a top flight winger for that 1st line... Ah well let's hope one of Silfverberg or Zibby can fill that void next season...
I actually agree with the douche. It's pretty sad we have to resort to Condra. We need to get at Columbus and get one of their two superstars. They are desperate to shed salary/rebuild with young guys. Like he said we have exactly what we need to get a legit 1st liner
Watch in awe as Yakupov puts on a show!
1) receiving the short end of officiating in four straight games
2) giving the Sens arguably the toughest schedule out of all the teams pre-All-Star break, with the hope to wear the team down during the stretch run
3) having the Sens play the night before prior to every game against their biggest rivals, the Leafs
4) most PK time
Anyone agree? Disagree?
You and I have had a few debates about Jason Spezza in the past - I tend to be harder on him, while you have always been in his corner.
To be honest, however, I think he has been really good this year. He had a bad game last night, in my opinion, but, for the most part, he has been our best forward, and by quite a wide margin.
I slso think he's been a good soldier, because, as much as I like Greening, I don't think he's suited to be top line guy, at least right now.
Now Condra gets a turn? I like Condra too, for what he is, but if he's playing with Spezza, I hope it's only to showcase him for a trade...
Spezza needs some talent to play with.
Yakupov isn't playing. He's out because his knee is stil bothering him. Came back for 67's game and another but now he's out again. Get your facts straight tookie. Especially facts about your boy you wanted us to loose for
We are in collusion!
Oh well no point in watching the game then...who else is playing in it? Anyone noteworthy?
Tim Bozon - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Dane Fox - London Knights (OHL)
Martin Frk - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Brendan Gaunce - Belleville Bulls (OHL)
Coda Gordon - Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Scott Laughton - Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Andrew Ryan - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Gemel Smith - Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Dominik Volek - Regina Pats (WHL)
Tom Wilson - Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Mike Winther - Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Daniil Zharkov - Belleville Bulls (OHL)
Mathew Dumba - Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Nick Ebert - Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Dillon Fournier - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
Brett Kulak - Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Ryan Murray - Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Damon Severson - Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Matt Murray - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Brandon Whitney - Victoriaville Tig
Team Orr (White)
Andreas Athanasiou - London Knights (OHL)
Francis Beauvillier - Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
Raphaël Bussières - Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Radek Faksa - Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Mikhail Grigorenko - Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Tomas Hyka - Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Scott Kosmachuk - Guelph Storm (OHL)
Tanner Pearson - Barrie Colts (OHL)
Colton Sissons - Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Chandler Stephenson - Regina Pats (WHL)
Lukas Sutter - Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
Branden Troock - Seattle Thunderbirds
Gianluca Curcuruto - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Matt Finn - Guelph Storm (OHL)
Adam Pelech - Erie Otters (OHL)
Derrick Pouliot - Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Griffin Reinhart - Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Dalton Thrower - Saskatoon Blades
Chris Driedger - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
François Tremblay - Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
Giving up on the re-build now by giving away prospects/picks for some veteran is not the right way to go... now if they were going after someone like Cody Hodgson.. that would be different...
I definitely agree... said so on another site.. but all they did was LOL at me... no conspiracies exist in the NHL.. that's all they said..
And they dont, to think they do you have been watching too much Matlock!
Every team goes through this, you dont see it cuz you dont follow any other team closely like u do the Sens. Every fanbase complains they get treated worst than the next team.
For example look at the Bruins, they had a stretch of possibly the worst reffing in history vs the Habs and Canucks during they're Cup run and still won the Cup.
Another example, the Leafs has had like 2-3 goals disallowed in the last few games, all were getting is penalties and non calls.
Stop complaining...
Only in the KHL...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLkOLptnPAI&feature=player_embedded
Definitely would not want this player on the Sens...
I watch a lot of games Tookie -- have Centre Ice... you can't deny that O'Rourke has been downright awful the past 3 games he has reffed. Refs make mistakes.. they are human.. but 3 games in a row -- same ref.... same garbage?
the NHL is the only professional league where you here comments like
"don't get on the refs bad side"
"Thats an even up call"
"there putting the whistles away"
You would never here anyone admit to this in the NFL!
What we are really admitting here is that the Refs will purposely make biased and wrong calls.
Think about this, so if the refs have other motivating factors, then they can change the outcome of a game... so lets say they bet on proline, or even worse make large vegas bets... will this not influence them for their own purposes.
Or that they will allow the refs to make calls depending on which team the NHL prefers to move on, vs those that are not economically better for the NHL...
And we the fans just sit by and make statements like
"must be on their bad side"
"they decided to put the whistles away"
"That was just a make up call"
When really they are changing the outcome for their own purposes
I really think that the NHL is really treading on dangerous waters, by encouraging such atrocious reffing.
And if they do not make them more accountable, and/or get more replay reviews, so that we take these brutal bias calls out of the game, then the NHL is more like the WWF than the NHL!
It's an awesome name. No idea what he's like as a hockey player mind you.
Haha maybe move spezza to right wing and foligno on the centre ? joking obviously
I completely agree. Trading for a top six winger is imperative to our rebuild. All the picks and prospects in the world won't guarantee future success. Even Chicago went out and got Hossa despite all of the young talent they have. Spezza needs someone to ride shotgun while he is still in his prime, not 4-5 years from now when Z-bad, Noesen, Puempel, Stone, Prince or Pageau are full fledged NHL'ers. We need to make a move at the latest this summer, to become legit contenders while we still have Alfie so we can give him a chance at a cup and compete on a nightly basis with the big boys.
Yes have to agree that Condra with Spezza seems a little unfair to Spezza, and proves our lack of top 6, but I have to admit that Condra is a much better player than I thought coming into the league.
He did not look out of place with Turris and Alfie, in fact I thought he played very well with them, and therefore maybe deserves a shot up there, instead of Butler again.
I hope he has success, we need more output from that top line.
The NHL is no means alone when you consider the concept of even up calls. For my sins I watch a fair amount of English football (soccer) and you hear that complaint all the time. It's human nature for a referee who knows he has made a mistake to subconsciously try to even things up.
You only eradicate that when you take subjectivity out of the equation with a review system that can be initiated by the players or coaches. Tennis has done that, American football has done that and cricket has done that.
It won't stop fixing or dishonesty in it's entirety, cricket for example is the subject of more betting than any other sport in the world and Pakistan has recently been embroiled in a fixing scandal with three international players (including the captain) sent to prison. If somebody wants to cheat badly enough, they will.
What instant replay has done is to remove the vast majority of accidentally wrong decisions, but you can really only do that with absolutes. You can't instant replay a hooking call or an interference call most of the time because it is too subjective. Whether the puck crossed the goal line is an absolute.
What stinks to me is the lack of accountability that the NHL has in it's place for referees. I would have much more respect for a referee who went to a coach or even publicly said - "I made a mistake" but it's hardly likely to happen because the NL doesn't believe in public accountability for the referees.
I don't want this team to give up a lot to get a veteran player for a run at the playoffs...
If they make the playoffs... that would be great.. if they don't.. then it's a higher pick that would help the re-build along.
Do they need a top 6 winger.. before they need a good shutdown defenseman?
But this issue with the Sens is mostly O'Rourke. He has been downright awful since that 'Karlsson is a diver' crap that came out in the Anaheim game. All he had to say is -- I did not think it was a penalty... or I thought Karlsson embellished it.
I think this is the first time ever a referree has explained a non-call by saying the player was a diver.
Nobody on here can say that his missed calls in the last 3 games is not payback to McLean.. that's why it looked like McLean said last night... "if you have a problem with me.. come see me.."
Apparently Murray was furious after last night's game.. is the 'shit' about to hit the fan?
The coach, players and execs have to be very frustrated with the way they are being treated by this ref. It's human nature not to be frustrated.
It's a competitive environment where any team should expect to be treated fairly.. but over the last 3 O'Rourke reffed games.. can we actually say they were?
Sandy were not talking trading prospects for a vet, were talking trading prospects and possibly young roster players for a legit top line player a la Parise or Ryan/Perry/Getzlaf.
I'll come up with a list of UFA's/RFA's for this summer, lots of young top line players available.
well articulated.
I do agree that it is impossible to completely remove all bad calls in professional sports.
It just seems to me that the NHL and its fans have learned to accept it, to a point now where a Ref can purposely make very bad calls to one team, help the other team win the games, and does not have to answer to no one.
The NHL is the only league where the Refs are truly the third team, and become even more than the game.
You can see it in their demeanor, they are egotistical,and believe that they are bigger than the game itself.
The NHL is the best run league in the world IMO... and rarely do I ever feel that the Refs purposely change the course of the game. The less they are visable the better they do their job, and by this I do not mean putting their whistle away.
I remember a quote from Coach Gerry Glanville to a ref.
"this is the NFL, which stands for "not for long" if you keep making calls like that"
That ref did not last long in the NFL, and that is what it should be like in the NHL as well.
This is 3 or 4 awful games in a row by O'Rourke, purposely or not, he is not doing his job, and should be fired for it...IMO of course
Sorry Chirp,
I can't go, taking some of our hockey kids to the 67's game that night.
But if you do it again, and if it is done with more advance notice I would be interested,
thanks
I absolutely don't want to do that either but if we could get a bona fide top line winger who is 25-27 who has three years or so on a deal and would therefore help us not just this year but in the future I think that is worth considering.
BUT it would have to be a genuine first liner - somebody better than Michalek (for example). And that isn't going to come cheap. But I would be OK with giving away a couple of significant pieces (say Noesen/Prince) or (Puempel and a 1st) to get somebody like James Neal or even more to get a player like Rick Nash, Taylor hall or any of the Anaheim big 3..
Let me add I don't see that coming either - but that's the sort of deal that takes us closer to completing a rebuild rather than stalling it.
FREEBIRD !
Absolutely, I didn't mean trade the farm for a rental either, hence why I said we could make a deal this summer. There are very few top 6 UFA's this summer do a trade will be necessary to solidify our top 6. Zbad, Silfverberg and Peterson will be third or fourth line players and will be groomed to move in to the top six in the future. We have an overabundunce of bottom six players in Greening, Foligno, Condra, Neil, Butler and Smith with our prospects coming up. And that's only if we let Regin, Konopka and Winnie walk away this summer. We have the depth and cap space to make a deal and not hurt the rebuild.
Wow would that be a great signing!
I would love to see Parise in a Sens uni next to Spezza!
But I can't see Jersey not either resigning him or trading him.
Parise, 27
Semin, 27
Penner, 29
Hemsky, 28
Grabovski, 28
P.A. Parenteau, 28
RFA: (boatload of top line talent here!)
Duchene, 21
E.Kane, 20
Neal, 24
Stewart, 24
Voracek, 22
Just to name a few, and thats not even talking trades, like Carter from CBJ?
I think its gonna be a crazy off-season!
Getting Parise as a UFA would be amazing. We would be instant contenders and only need to add a solid Dman, ie. Nick Grossman (team Sweden), and we could take a serious run at the cup in Alfie's last year.
For the first time all season I'm losing a bit of hope this week. Between the refs, the current streak and the tinkering to imperfection it's really not going too well these days. Hopefully the easy opponents to come are just what the team needs.
Semin, 27 - would not touch him
Penner, 29 - really has not played well in two years in LA
Hemsky, 28 - Alwasy liked his offensive play, but too oft injured
Grabovski, 28 - not unless at a cheap price
P.A. Parenteau, 28 - I think this guy could be interesting
RFA: (boatload of top line talent here!)
Duchene, 21
E.Kane, 20
Neal, 24
Stewart, 24
Voracek, 22
The success and the comebacks we experienced so far this year is only masking the true problem this team has: they're average at absolute best defensively. Sure we come back when we are trailing often and sure we are getting a reputation for being a "never say die" type of team but it is very tough to sustain this type of success.
Our D for the most part is almost either gone or have no foot speed with Gonchar having a year left, Kuba on his final year, Carkner being a good bottom pairing d man and Lee basically having 0 offence although getting slightly better defensively and Philips being average most of the time. Cowen and EK are basically the team's defense right now and maybe Kuba with the exception of a couple of games.
There are no good UFA or RFA D men that we can realistically get this summer so either we are most likely going to draft one or trade for one unless we wait until the summer of 2013 which is a real possibility seeing how we are in a REBUILD. Suter and Weber would not come here when they can get paid more and end up on a team with a chance at winning the stanley cup sooner rather than later.
I know it's a long post but as much as we look like we need offense right now, it's because we have to outscore the other team and come from behind on almost a nightly basis. And in the rare event we score first we blow the lead (Like yesterday). You don't need winger if you have a good D corps and a good center lineup and if you disagree ask PIT how they won a cup, ask BOS how they did it and even DET.
Out of curiosity what section?Quoting miguel:
Wouldn't really classify Stewart as talented he's basically the St. louis Version of Collin Greening and Greening is bigger and faster.
Voracek would be a good fit but the others are a pipe dream.
Section 319
Duchene, Kane and Neal are likely not going anywhere. Stewart isn't anything special but will probably stay where he is. Voracek could be packaged, but he's nothing to go chasing after.
Unless Semin or Parise create some blockbuster situation it will probably end up pretty similar to the last year or two with a lot of middle level talent changing teams.
For whatever reason I really, REALLY wanted to win last night. Not sure if it was because it was first game back or I'm just sick of losing to the B's...either way, we have to look forward and remember that not all is lost.
The next 5 games are huge for this team plain and simple.
NYI, TML, (Hugggeeeee game) Blues, NSH, EDM. We hopefully will go 4-1 or my prediction 3-1-1. We gotta keep getting the W's, starting to bum out about the games in hand.
Also, chirp, sorry would totally do up the bus, already got ticks and bus set up!
It all starts Friday, Go Sens Go!!!
Pittsburg will be in tough to budget Neal under their cap. Someone may sign him to an offer sheet in the 4.5-5 million range and give up a first and a third rounder for him. I'm not saying Murray would but Pittsburgh already has 54 million committed to next years cap with 5 UFA's and two RFA's and will have a tough time filling out their roster if the cap doesn't increase. Imagine the goofy smile on Spezza's face with Neal on one side of him and Parise as a UFA signing on the other side. Just wishful thinking on my part.
Okay Tookie, misread... sorry... I really can't see Anaheim trading any of those 3 players... as for Parise.. he wants money and a contender... kinda leaves Ottawa out of the picture.
What about the Sens taking a run at Ben Bishop.. going with Bishop & Lehner next season. Is that crazy? What would it cost?
Sens certainly have the cap space.. but he also wanted a contender... which the Sens are not yet.. but would be with him on the first line. Spezza (even though a lot of fans don't like him) would be a great compliment to Parise.. look what he did with Heatley..
If he wants to play in Canada.. his best bets would be either Vancouver (no cap space for him) or Ottawa... the other 5 Cdn teams don't have a really legit #1 centre.
Sure you might not always get your goaltender off to the bench right away because it could take a few seconds to review sketchy plays, but if they actually get the calls right isn't that worth giving up?
Most of us looked at those games and tried to determine where they would win just 2.
They had a decent month and lately yes have lost some 'room' in the playoff picture.. but it's not all doom and gloom.
A good Feb can turn that around... so let's try to be positive.. and not trade the farm for a quick fix Mr. Murray.
It's not like we have a half dozen players to put on our top two lines. We knew this from the start of the season.
Greening was there before and Butler has had stints. I'm not saying Condra is top-line talent (he clearly isn't) but compared to our other options and given the hard work he's put in, Condra is by no means a stretch for Paul Maclean to try on our top line.
Jesus.
Haha and you mean a night out with a girl at a Sens game isn't the perfect date?! I completely understand.
wow thats disgusting, side note, thats one tough old man! took it like nothing LOL
Go SENS GO!
i'd like to see the sens take a serious run at Ryan Suter this off season.
top 4
karlsson, suter
cowen, gonchar
lee, dont care
hell ya!
And also, Paul Maclean knows what hes doing. he obviously sees something in his game to put him up there.
Way to go Sens fans, we are now the biggest whiners and poor sports in the league...defini tely ashamed to be a Senators fan today.
Think the idea is you eat before we go but that's a good question and maybe something you want to run by them if you call. Don't want to put words in their mouth.
Nothing wrong with fans being passionate about their team.
As fans, there isn't much we can do beyond vocalizing our displeasure. I would not for one second suggest their is a conspiracy against the Sens but to suggest that O'Rourke wouldn't have some sort of bias after being called out in the media by MacLean is naive. Best thing the players and coach can do right now is just play.
Fans on the other hand, should make their voice heard if they are unhappy with something they see on the ice.
I agree with fans being passionate but fans realistically need to look at their team's infractions as undisciplined rather than "the refs are out to get us" mentality. (Habs fans have had that "whiner" label for a long time now.)
Since the 09-10 season we have have become more and more penalized and i really don't think we have anyone to blame but ourselves when we are THAT penalized. We are younger, more aggressive and bound to take more penalties and that's normal.
If you are honest with yourselves you should be more mad at the way the team has been playing during this losing stretch.
We didn't show up against LA, only showed up in the 3rd against ANA, played terrible defensively against PHX and Anderson shit the bed on two goals yesterday regardless of how many powerplays Boston had.
Don't think for a minute PM is putting him there because he thinks Condra is Spezza's future LW. That's Petersson until someone better steals that spot from him.
It's a message to the team to play more like Condra and (since some of the guys have more talent than Condra) if they do they can play with Spezza and become very, very rich men.
This is still a rebuild. We don't have to have every spot filled right now or even over this summer. If we get to a point where *ALL* we need is a top LW for Spezza and all other pieces are in place, we can go out and sign or trade for some massive superstar with whatever cap room we have left. Doesn't need to happen before then.
You don't sign the expensive guy first then try to fill the other spots with the room you have left - you build from within first with cheaper/younger players and then when you're close to being a cup contending team you decide the right time to "go for broke" and use up the rest of your cap space on big ticket items.
He has some offence and it would be nice to see if he could show that at the nhl level.
I don't think we should break up that line...
Yeah I wouldnt either, its the only bright spot in our losing streak.
That is a bit much, don't you think. You can be ashamed if you want, I certainly am not - all fans complain about the refs.
Fraser' article is not very convincing and almost a joke. So he attempts to portray a complete and objective assessment of call and non calls during the game. I could just as easily add and omit some of the play to make the count tilt the other way.
According to his analysis, we should conclude that it was the Bruins who were screwed by the refs and not the Sens, please....
Anyhow, the real reason we lost was because Andy f..ed up on the 2 last goals, period. Move on to the next game and hopefully we can get back to our winning ways.
instead of 60.
Now we are back home, and we must start a new winning streak
to carry us up in the standings,and guaranty a playoff spot.
GO SENS GO !!!!!!!!!!!
butler, da costa gryba and a 1st round in 2013
For parise and a late round pick
I know it's a lot to give up but we have to put the 1st rounder in to get a star player
It would of been nice to win, but with that unfortunate loss out of the way with, we should be able bag a couple of wins fairly soon (the leafs game being the big one on my books ;).
The Paulrus will have to calm down his troops and make sure their frustration stays low that they don't end up in the box all of next game because of it.
Seeing as to what the rumors are for Tuomo Ruutu, my guess is that they would want a high pick, prospect & NHL read player. So I'm guessing that if they went for Parise (I wish, but I don't think they will - I'm guessing I'll be dissapointed with either Ruutu, Hemsky, or Penner) that they would have to up that offer a little bit in order to win the offer and would have to contain a little bit more than butler as an NHL ready player. Just my opinion of course.