The fact that both sides remain somewhat amicable is a good sign moving forward although it would be nice if they made starting the season on time a top priority.
That certainly doesn’t appear to be the case right now.
Meanwhile, both organizations and players need to be ready for all possible outcomes. While camps around the league won’t open if there is a lockout, teams and players are prearing for all scenarios. A few Senators players have been holding informal skates down at the Sensplex to stay ready.
You can bet that a whole host of Senators players are making alternate arrangements in the event of a lockout. We know Gonchar is looking at the KHL. Karlsson is hoping Sweden will open its doors to locked out NHLers and says KHL might be an option. This morning, Bruce Garrioch tweeted that based on comments from Bryan Murray, Jared Cowen would start in the AHL with the Binghamton Senators.
Cowen certainly wont be the only guy heading to Bingo during a lockout either. Zibanejad and Silfverberg have both shown an interest and Mark Stone is also a likely candidate to join new bench boss Luke Richardson in Binghamton.
Also of note- according to a tweet from Ken Warren, Murray suggested Zibanejad would play as a left winger in Bingo. While he’s a natural centre, this gives you an idea where his best chance of cracking the big team roster might be moving forward.
Will be interesting to see how Richardson and the Sens organization manage the ice time down in Bingo in the event of a prolonged lockout. Important to find a balance between developmental priorities and keeping the NHL guys fresh for the start of the season, whenever that ends up being.
For what it’s worth, Murray also indicated that the Smith extension is likely his last move before the start of the upcoming season.
- Unless Senators news breaks over the weekend, it could be a quiet weekend around these parts. Along with a couple SensChirp readers (I think?), I’ll be taking a bus down to Boston to catch the Red Sox and Jays on Saturday night. Not exactly a clash of AL East elite but Fenway Park remains one of my favourite venues in all of sports. Keep an eye out of Tweets during my trip, for those interested.
Figured there must be some readers making the trip. Anyone else?
This might not be popular but with all the prospects we have and with so little money tied into veteran contracts a lock out is better for the Senators than it is for the majority of other NHL teams.
I hope Luke Richardson uses the time in Bingo to fully establish where Zbad and Silfverburg in particular can eventually fit on the big club's roster.
As for Zibanejad - our best case scenario for him specifically is that he can hold his own on Spezza's wing. We're "okay" at center right now without him with five guys for four spots (I assume Regin or Smith will end up on the wing as well).
If it pans out that Zibanejad ends up as our #3C that's fine of course, but having him as a top 6 winger helps us more I think.
Bingo should be fun to watch - especially during any lockout. When does the Chirp Bus head to Bingo?
A line of Zbad-Spezza-Sto ne can look pretty lethal 2-3 years from now...
I don't think a player can be extended when they have more than one year left on their contract.
Cowen can't be extended until next summer at the earliest. He has 2 years left on his contract and you can only extend with 1 year left or less.
FREEBIRD!
My bad guys. For some reason I thought he was entering his last year.
No wonder Murray is "done".
No wonder Regin can't stay healthy, he even breaks things he touches.
Ya, Murray is done for this summer most likely. I am very excited to see whatever team we ice this year or next
Either as a special consultant or even bench support to Richardson?
I don't really remember what the approach was for coaching at the last lockout but it seems we have a lot of prospects on the cusp of being full time NHLers and this stage of their development, you would want to provide NHL level direction...
Food for thought.
i think that was the basic logic behind having Richardson as coach, I get the impression that whilst the two will generally go hand in hand, winning in Bingo is secondary to developing players for the NHL.
For all intents and purposes I feel that Richardson is STILL more or less on the Ottawa Senators coaching staff.
That's not what Capgeek or NHLNumbers say.
Good point. Yet, I would feel more comfortable knowing that Luke had support in his first experience head coaching..
You probably don't want anyone looking over his shoulder (not a confidence boosting strategy) so perhaps having a presence in the press box could be a good compromise...
Thanks for the discussion!
EEEEEEEEEYORE !
I think Steve Stirling is still there as an assistant coach and he's very experienced (been a head coach at both AHL and NHL level)
I can take the NFL.. and I like Auto Racing (no unions there to screw me over) but my passion is hockey.
It came out today that the pilots flying the plane that crashed and killed Yaroslavl Lokomotiv players were flying the play illegally. One had falsified papers.. the other did not have adequate training on the aircraft.
What a senseless loss of life due to total negligence on the part of YAK.
NHL players consider the KHL an option. As a GM of the NHL I would be scared to death to see my star players going over there.
Part of Karlsson's comments re: playing elsewhere from the Ottawa Sun....
"It depends how long it drags on. We don’t have that many options anymore. Russia is one. I don’t know if you want to go there anymore. We’ll see about that. Switzerland is going to be hard because they only have so many imports on each team ... maybe the Swedish Elite League changes its mind once (the lockout) gets closer.”
http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8340904/talking-collective-bargaining-strategies-former-nhlpa-exec-paul-kelly
People here don't know how corrupt Russia is...
When I read it, as sad as it is, it didn't surprise me that they had false papers. It's a common practice...
Now that is really scary. Every time you get on a plane you risk you life needlessly.. Why are the NHL players even considering the KHL... is it worth risking your life 100x than you would flying in a plane in the NHL.
What if this lockout becomes very extended? Could our last memories of Alfie be against NYR?
Fun Fact: Only 4 NHL owners have taken part in CBA negotiations.
*eyeroll*
Because everyone knows a negotiation runs smoother the MORE people you have at the table! Give me a break
Haha "Party Bus" to Boston that should have read.
I doubt it. If the entire season is lost that's essentially a full year of going easy on the body for Alfie so I expect he'd want to come play another year. And I don't think we'll lose a full season anyway.
Then sorry x N!C X, I misunderstood your post and the apology is mine to make.
Cheers!
I hope the NHL season goes ahead. I actually bought season tickets this year for the first time as I wanted to show that I really want hockey in Ottawa. I saw that Buffalo sold out their season tickets allotment but I found out that less than 13k season tickets have been sold. I encourage everyone on this site, as it is clear that we are extraordinarily passionate about hockey, to think about buying a package of tickets. I am sick and tired of having more Toronto and Montreal fans at Ottawa games and by buying a season pass there will be two less Toronto and Montreal fans at Ottawa games.
'Nuf said. Let us get some hockey going.
At least NHL 13 is coming out. Might be the closest thing we have to hockey this year.
Yes because a video game is better than OHL or AHL hockey.
Yeah since they televise AHL/OHL games so regularly right?
Also it was more of a joke my friend, a video game cant even replace road hockey
"Two Americans ruining Canada's pastime.
Just great!" ........
Both parties are too stubborn to blink first !!!!!!!
Well Chirp... did you reply to him? He could be one of those players.. if there is a full year's lockout to not have a job to come back to. The older players and the role players could lose their jobs to younger prospects getting one more year to develop in the AHL..
I wonder if he even considers that one... or the other players similar to him?
"He who laughs last - laughs best." Karma Mr. Biznasty.. Karma.
No problem at all! It was maybe a little to early to be posting for me anyways. Also, from Hax, I tend to thin kthe same regarding Alfie. Definitly think he has got more in the tank.
Does anyone have experience with the AHL's version of "Centre Ice?" I wonder if it would be worth it...
On a more upbeat note, At least the two groups are talking "informally" again as we speak.
Saw a tweet that quoted Bill Daly as saying NHL's business partners were concerned about affects of a lockout. Hopefully this is NBC saying if you screw us out of 200M this year the NHL will never get another deal.
The NHL can take its diehard fans for granted but not sponsors they've had to fight over the years to finally get. They cannot afford to lose those TV deals when they expire.
Here's hoping anyway - I could see myself watching Bingo as intently as I would normally watch Ottawa.
I would say 99% of the AHL games that would be broadcast are the ones in Canada.. ie.. St Johns, Nfld.; Toronto, Hamilton, Abbotsford -- I think that's all of the AHL teams in Canada... Won't get to see Binghamton...
Well they've done one game at SBP three years in a row against the Bulldogs, let's hope they do it again this year, that would be mad fun!
Well yes and no. Again, there may be legal restrictions I'm not aware of, but I have to think any AHL team tied to a Canadian NHL team and especially playing NHL players would be a decent ratings draw during a lockout.
If I were SportsNet and suddenly without Sens games, I would want to replace at least some of them with Bingo games. I think that would draw better than some other AHL teams.
I think that would be a really complicated feat to pull off. At best I think we would get 2 or 3 games.
It would be a real slap in the face to the fans in Bingo if they suddenly lost 10 or 12 home games and the lost revenue for the stadium could be significant as well.
With the 67s playing their home games at SBP it might be difficult finding spots where the schedules match up.
I think if we want to see our prospects in Bingo play this year it's going to be via the TV or a bus trip to New York State.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/international/article/1111783--khl-gun-slinging-owners-drugs-dodgy-air-travel-all-part-of-the-game
Now explain to me why ANY NHL player would want to go to Russia during a lockout?
Great point, you know this may be the best angle for the fans to get to the NHL, which would be through NBC. If the fans put pressure on NBC, and say that if hockey does not go on this year, we will refuse to watch on TV, and refuse to go to the Outdoor classic. This will then force NBC to say, if you do not get back at it, and get hockey back, then you losers can negotiate all the % points you want to but know, that that $$$ amount will not include a TV deal, so in fact it wll all be a lot less... so wake the fuk up idiots it is not NFL football!!!
The NHL wants a 10 yr deal as that is the length of the NBC contract.
Imagine a year lockout this year.. then signing a 4 or 5 yr CBA to have another lockout.. yeah there goes Bettman's US broadcasters...
They fought so hard to get a decent broadcaster in the US.. to only lose because of work stoppages?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8fvd-QvCQQ
MONEY.
WOW!!
That article is mind blowing
Know that.. going to watch.. after all it's hockey.
Now in no way to I believe anything Eklund writes.. but this article is a little interesting and includes an e-mail he received from a hockey fan in Ottawa.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1
Gary: “On a Greek Island, “Greedisus”
Donald: “Really? Us too!
Gary: “Wait a minute, we better talk about how much of the Island we’re each entitled too”
Donald: “Agreed, we want 57%”
Gary: “We can offer you 43%”
Steve: “Wait, what about the people who live there? Don’t they get a voice?”
Gary/Donald: “Screw them””
Let's hope something good comes out of it.
I keep catching myself hoping that they're actually close to a deal but they're trying to position it that they worked hard to "save the season" and that the NHL/NHLPA loves their fans more than NBA etc, etc.
Of course I used to also hope for a snow day when my term papers were due etc - so maybe I'm kidding myself.
They only talk because they like to hear their own voices, not for the good of the game. They probably stuffing their faces with cake.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=404736
Thanks for the link but I gotta say it seems sketchy at best about their picks idk maybe it's just me
And fighting over how to share it....
Saw that earlier today and it felt soooo good!
The leafs are not only a shit organization they are a disgrace when it comes to running a successful franchise. They have all the financial, social and corporate backing a franchise could hope for and still can't buy their way into the playoffs.
I go to a high school in Ottawa and this guy who's in my last period class plays for the Gatineau olypiques. He said he couldn't make it to class today because he has to catch a team meeting because he's playing vs the 67s today, LOL just thought Id pass that along
This is what a welcher would say.
This is what a welcher would say.
You are an idiot. The best part of you slid down the crack of your mothers ass on to the backseat of your Dad's 74 Gremlin. The welcher jokes are done.
That's what another welcher would say
FREEBIRD !
Welching is never a joke.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQs3O_IDas
oh i think articles like this are bollocks.... but it was still funny
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/ryan-370613-murray-point.html
That's what a welcher's sycophnt would say
If they would actually send him packing, there would be little to no chance of them moving wither Getslaf or Perry. They just couldn't afford to get rid of ALL their stars.
This way I think there's a better chance for us to get Perry if they for some reason can't get him signed long term at some point before July 1st.
And I personally think Perry would fir in with our team much better than Ryan. And clearly he's a much better player too.
Perry is one of very few guys in the league that no matter who you stick on him, he will still score in bunches. On top of that I think he's ana amazing two way player and wod also be a perfect fit on Spezza's wing because he's a pure finisher. He would easily get to 40 goals every year with a creative playmaker like Spezza.
So I think this is good news. In a perfect world we sign him as a free agent but as we've seen that's tough to do. So I would prefer for us to trade for him at some point this season.
Bottom line I think this is good news
How many times have Cdn free agents thumb their noses at Cdn franchises..
Don't expect either one in a Sens uniform or any other Cdn club if they hit free agency.
An interesting development......
The National Hockey League Players’ Association, in a move to prevent a lockout of the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers, filed a challenge Friday at the Alberta Labour Relations Board.
The Flames and Oilers owners are asking for permission to hold a lockout vote.
This is what the NHLPA is trying to stop.
The hearing will be held next week in Edmonton.
“The players are committed to finding a way to reach an agreement without a lockout,” Mathieu Schneider, the NHLPA’s special assistant to executive director Donald Fehr, said Friday, “and we are hopeful that the Alberta Labour Relations Board will assist in these efforts.”
Under Alberta labour law, the NHL cannot hold a lockout vote unless it has first requested a mediator.
Since when do I have a fan club?
Since Miguel disappeared.
Sorry, I have to disagree here. I spend up to 8 hours a day in a airplane and have for the last 15 years or so. Perhaps the conditions in Russia have caused a less safe environment for flying but to say that it is an unnecessary risk every time you get on a airplane is a very lame comment. You in fact risk your life more every time you get into a car or walk across the street for that matter.
I was referring ti air travel in Russia.
XBox 360 here
Does it include the new 2013lockout mode?
This is one way to boycott the nhl, dont buy 2013 related nhl merchandise.
I'm pretty sure you'd be hurting EA's pockets more than the NHL's by boycotting NHL13...which would only hurt people who play video games in the end as future versions would probably not have as high of a priority due to low sales.
I'm not going to say that EA is great...but punish the right people. I know all NHL 13 posts seem to get downvoted for some reason I can't understand, but in a year where it looks like we're going to have a lockout...I'm pretty excited for tomorrow.
Fast Forward anywhere from 3 hours to a week and they are saying
"uggg NHL13 is just like 12, which was just like 11, which was just like 10...Next year I won't be buying it"
Fast Forward 12 months rinse repeat....and people wonder why games are such garbage these days.
Sens really picked up steam last year. Long time fans got a surprise season and a playoff appearance. The city is excited, no one is staying away waiting out a "rebuild."
Erik Karlsson alone will bring in a whole bunch of new fans and the ASG must have created some momentum for the team. I can't imagine he supports this lockout at all.
I can't speak for your friends, they seem "silly" (trying to be politically correct there) to buy the same disappointment year after year. I buy it most years to play with family and friends that have moved out of town since after a year of playing the previous version quite rigorously, we all know all of the cheap goals/weakspots and look forward to the excitement of discovering a version where we can't rely on our "crutch" goals when down by 1 with 1 minute left.
I can certainly understand the logic of people who say buying the "same" game every year is a waste of money, but this is pretty much the only game I buy and by far play the most ALL year long. $60 for 360 days of entertainment is not a bad deal in today's world...a lot of people spend that on 1 night's drink, 1 pair of jeans, 1 month at the gym, and so forth. Not implying that those are bad purchases either, simply trying to answer your question. I personally don't know many religious NHL buyers who regret buying it every year (since that is "their" thing), most people who complain about it being the same game every year are "non-buyers".
Completely valid response and I hear what you are saying..also wouldn't blame you for not being politically correct(im not usually when I tell them they are doing the same thing lol). I haven't bought the games in ages. My buddies and I had the best thing going while growing up years ago...each year one of us would get NHL/NFL etc and just sorta rotate so we all got to play them but weren't stuck with every version. (this is when we were like 12ish etc all growing up on the same street wouldn't likely work as well now)
Hello... I can hear you... I am still here :)
It happens both way. Justin Schultz limited his options to Canadian Team only. I think your point is a bit unfair.
BM has a history with Perry and Getzlaf. If it's a good history, you'd have to think we have at least a shot.
NHL '94 on SNES.
If you can get the 4-way adaptor, it's a little slice of hockey heaven.
Blades of Steel I like better..fight system is a bit flawed mind you, but makes it fun.
Blades of Steel
Ice Hockey
Pong
hahaha
original donkey kong was pretty sweet too...Ogre Battle was awesome too.
Are you out there, can you hear this?
Jimmy Olson, Johnny Memphis,
I was out here listening all the time
And though the static walls surround me
You were out there and you found me
I was out here listening all the time
Last night we drank in parking lots
And why do we drink? I guess we do it cause
And when I turned your station on
You sounded more familiar than that party was
You were more familiar than that party
It's the first time I stayed up all night
It's getting light I hear the birds
I'm driving home on empty streets
I think I put my shirt on backwards
So they will let this go to a lockout -- lose fans -- players lose salary --- revenue takes a nosedive... all because of grand standing.
Some guy at RDS is reporting that Daly is in Alberta at the court proceedings with the NHLPA trying to block the lockout vote.
Then you have the NHLPA & Mtl Cdn players trying to block the lockout as the NHLPA is not a certified union in Quebec therefore the NHL can't lock them out.
Instead of trying all of this legal stuff... get the hell back to the bargaining table
All the NHLPA has done is delay this whole thing all along to try to find some legal loopholes in Canada to try to block the lockout.
Garbage.
they just don't make games like that anymore..they lack substance in terms of story, just going with flashy graphics and the like, not what everyone wants..not real gamers anyway.
There are a lot more Cdn players that will not play in Canada.. than the ones that would make a decision to do that. The Sens have been involved in 2 players that won't play in Canada or wanted out -- Heatley & Nash.
Hoping this doesn't sound like I am picking on the ladies, but am sure with a lot of these players, where they want to go to play may actually be decided by their better halfs, they are the ones that are left alone while hubby is playing hockey 4 nights a week, or on extended road trips, so for them to want to be living in a place they want to have good shopping or family or whatever nearby, or say if they have kids, they want to have them somewhere where they think schools are better (which should be canada hands down anyway), that may just weigh more into it than most of us realize, especially if our team gets passed over by a superstar which just leaves us pi**ed off and bitter.
I would have to (sadly) agree with you. There are just too many benefits for Canadian players to choose to play where the weather is warmer.
It has always bugged me that canadian idols such as gretzky, lemieux, brodeur, crosby, and countless others spent sent most (if not all) of their careers playing on american teams. Don't get me wrong, I understand that there are many factors at play (drafting, loyalties, etc...), and I don't blame them...it simply bugs me...
They don't want there kids learning the metric system... seriously i'm not joking...
wow..that really sounds backwards stupid...consid ering most of the world I am pretty certain has gone to metric.
"Quality of life" for the family is a consideration for anyone taking any job. Sports is more visible but if some engineer was offered a job in Florida while currently living in Winnipeg, they'd consider things like weather, taxes, quality of health care and schools, home life for their spouse etc.
Particularly with sports where you spend so much of the year on the road and the job is essentially the same in every city, the away-from-the-r ink stuff can become more of a factor.
So I think it's totally valid for an athlete to pick a city where they feel their family will be happy/safe. So while some players might seek out smaller markets or Canadian markets, I think the majority are looking for the "big city" when they can. Yet another advantage for the big market clubs.
That might be why Ottawa has done well with European players as well - I would think living in Canada compared to some US cities is an easier transition for their families. Not saying it's night-and-day, but trying convince a kid from Sweden that they'll be happy in Ottawa sounds a bit easier than some Californian kid.
very well said Hax, and you are right, its a huge consideration for anyone when it comes to picking a place to work, I myself am one of those people, I could move to my company's head office in Toronto, and probably move myself up a bit more than where I am in NB and have hit the ceiling, but what keeps me here is life in NB is better for my family than it is in Ontario, I like the fact that my oldest son is in a class of 5 or 6 kids, so he gets a lot of 1 on 1 attention that he would not get if he was in a class of 30, and being he is a smart kid and grasps concepts well, way better than I ever did, he would definitely be one that gets ignored, the teachers focusing on the ones that need more help, which is understandable. plus, and again, don't take this as me bashing city life, the people that live there enjoy and it has its benefits, its just not for me, but being here in NB, like the fact that my kids can get out and play in nature, not a giant slab of concrete, my property is probably bigger than 10 lots put together that I have seen in Brampton, so loads of space to play without loads of traffic to worry about. so for sure, in terms of hockey, the same thing should ring too..family happiness/spous e happiness trumps where someone wants to play in terms of NA players, but Ottawa and Montreal tailor more to the euros as the cities are more cultured.
had to edit for length..sorry lol..not usually this long winded.
Murray probably realizes that a guy like Smith (for example) can be replaced easily enough if you just look at skill vs dollars, but when you also have to consider that an equally skilled player may not be as willing to sign here you have to take the "bird in hand".
I don't think it's a huge factor and certainly not universal, but to use an NHL13 analogy, I'd rather sign a guy who's a 78 overall (or whatever Smith is) who I know likes the city than let him walk and have to try and persuade a 79 overall to move his family to Ottawa.
Sounds like old granny smith here is falling for red menace propaganda that is older than most NHL players.
EA can blow me, ever since they started the online pass bullshit you cant bring a game over to a friends and play online or sell a game when your done with it...
i would like to boycott all ea games and hope another worthy programming company of picking up the nhl games, also a new perspective from another company could bring a fresh new look to the game. When you sell your system the new owner will be locked out of online play. screw ea, 1/2 my games are worthless because of them.
30-16
http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/09/08/top-shelf-prospects-nhl-team-rankings-part-one/
15-1
http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/09/09/top-shelf-prospects-nhl-team-rankings-the-top-15/
What makes you think Russia is any more corrupt than anywhere else in the world? This could easily happen in North America. Where there is people there is corruption. It sounds like you lived through the cold war based on your bias and there was equal corruption and propaganda on both sides.
a very lengthy analysis, by Bob McKenzie on TSN , which I
highly reccomend as a must read.
Bob writes an excellent take on current CBA stalemate, and
it truly covers all the inside posturing of both parties.
Maybe they should consider Bob as a mediator, in arriving at a resolution, to the standoffish position of both sides!
Someone has to blink real soon, or this will turn to gloom and doom !!
Bob's article.
How did that work out for you?