The news on Phillips isn't good. MacLean spoke to the media today and revealed that the veteran defenceman has a concussion. As is so often the case with head injuries, no immediate timetable for his return.
With a tough home and home looming with the Philadelphia Flyers this weekend, finding a way to grab two points against a struggling Tampa Bay team is important. Tampa has been hovering around .500 in their past ten and are coming off an ugly loss in Toronto last night. Meanwhile, the Sens continue to hang on to 6th in the East but there are a handful of teams following close behind.
Every other team in the mix right now has games in hand so it's important for Ottawa to find points wherever they can. After tomorrow night, the Sens play 10 of 12 away from Scotiabank Place.
Here is how the team lined up at this morning's practice.
Greening-Spezza-Michalek
Condra-Turris-Alfredsson
Foligno-Smith-Butler
Daugavins-Konopka-Neil
Kuba-Karlsson
Cowen-Gonchar
Lee-Carkner
I'm sure those of you that are voting regularly are getting tired of hearing about it, but today is the LAST day to vote our Ottawa Senators into the NHL All Star Game. The polls close at midnight with the NHL expected to make an announcement on the starters tomorrow.
The Sens are in good shape but we can't let up. Already voted? Vote again! Maxed out all your votes? Tell a friend to vote! Don't have any friends? Tell a stranger on the street!
Since none of you got me anything for Christmas, I am willing to accept 90 votes for Alfredsson, Spezza, Michalek, Karlsson and Gonchar to make up for the oversight.
- Disappointing loss for Canada at the World Juniors last night but you have to admire the fight the team showed in that third period. Interesting to note that Sens prospect Mark Stone took the majority of right side faceoffs for his team in the third period. The guy is a sniper, but other parts of his game, including play making, vision and draws are extremely underrated.
- While one Sens prospect has been relegated to the Bronze Medal game, two more will play for Gold tomorrow night. Mika Zibanejad, Fredrik Claesson and Team Sweden will try to stop the high flying Russians in tomorrow's Gold Medal. Should be an excellent game to watch.
Oops. Was actually impressed with him yesterday. Will add him to the post :)
I was also quite impressed. He played some big minutes for the Swedes, especially in the 3rd period and overtime.
Haha vultures! Added Claesson.
Watched a little bit of the Leaf's game last night (2nd period) and it looked pretty run-and-gun. While Phillips was never the most mobile, he (was/is?) a great shutdown D-man. I've got to admit, I'm a lot more confident in our D this year compared to last. I think they can pull off a win against a Tampa team that seems lost at the moment; PLEASE let it be a regulation win, whether or not its a come-from-behin d thriller.
Losing Phillips sucks considering the tough strech ahead.
The Sens will KILL Tampa. The Bolts cant even skate a full 60 with the maple laughs! Scared about Philly - hopefully Jagr's groin stays injured.
Wonder what we'd pick up/move out at the deadline if we're still in the hunt (like, btw 6th-10th). I'm sure Murray will start working the other GMs during the All-Star break if we're still in contention.
Which pending UFA's would we move out, and what type of player should we bring in?
I don't believe that players are softer than they were 5 years ago that's for sure but it seems like every team has at lest 1 or 2 players missing.
Do those that have been following hockey longer than I believe that players are now more willing to admit when they are feeling concussive effects?
I never played sports at a professional level but I know full well that I played both football and soccer with serious concussions and noone ever said much of it...over now watched my cousins/friends kids playing at similar levels and coaches/parents and in even agree cases the kids refuse to play them after even a major hit...not even a confirmed concussion. A friend if monday some was kicked off a football team for faking that he was ok.
Yeah for sure.. Like was mentioned above in minor hockey now if you take a big hit, your pretty much not playing the rest of the game, they are being over cautious with it, but it's such an unknown injury that I'm not sure they will change it for a while...
I would add I can't type for shit, but that's just because of my stupid pjone
I really don't see Murray doing much at the trade deadline. Our UFA's have little value on the market and probably have more value to us due to injuries as opposed to being forced to call up guys from Binghampton if we are still in the post season hunt. He might consider player for player trades if it is a player under contract coming back but why trade a guy like Kuba for a fourth or fifth round pick when we are in playoff position and he's contributing to our success.
Pick up a veteren winger - bring back Vinny Prospal (pending UFA - what would Prospal go for? I heard CBJ wanted in on Turris, and that Prospal was part of their offer)
Trade Butler - I like him, but I feel he won't pan out. Trade him while he's young. Hopefully he can start producing, and we can ship him off at the deadline.
A young high-school player by the name of Jack Jablonski had his spinal cord severed in a hit from behind in a hockey tournament in Minnesota. The prognosis is not good.
Please keep this child in your thoughts & prayers.
It's unknown in the fact that "what exactly causes a concussion" I've seen guys get smoked in the head and not feel any worse after, as I've seen guy get a nudge and be out for months...
It's a completely unknown injury compared to a bone break etc....
Yeah they know how it happens for sure, I'm just saying they can't define the injury as it is completely different for one person and another...
Look at Alfie, is that not similar to Perron's hit in St. louis? or even Crosby's hit?
My point is they are being over cautious now because of those hits and resulting injuries..
ive always accepted cockyness if you can back it up with your skill. and i think theres no question about yakupov's play
Bingo! You sunk the battleship...
Thanks Chirp,
I hope Regin will opt for surgery and take as much time as he needs. He's got about 8 full months before training camp next year!
Interesting that sens employees were asked by the organisation to create accounts to maximise voting as well.
Why not. The ASG is in Ottawa.. and since it has a smaller population than the bigger cities.. it's only right that the try to get as many votes as they can for Sens players.
The Habs fans did it... so why not the Sens...
i agree, how on earth does spezza karlsson or alfie even qualify to play in the NHL all-star game
Karlsson is not a top 12 dman, spezza in no way is a top 8 centre this year and alfie is not an ambassador for ottawa, sweden or the nhl at all!!
the blasphemy in it all!!!!!
(sarcasm)
But they should be put there by the league not by the joke that is fan based balloting.
As long as you have fan based balloting players who do not deserve to be there will get in because they play for teams with bigger fanbases than others.
It would also eliminate people being able to vote in Toronto players to piss off Ottawa fans or Philadelphia players to piss off Penguin fans if the ASG was being held in Pittsburgh. Even though that is actually quite funny.
The only virtue that fan balloting has is that it creates an atmosphere of inclusion for the fans which is important, especially for younger fans who have many temptations and destractions.
Ok...you got me Al. I read your first sentence and my jaw dropped "wha...whatada. ...whadabbabawh awa...what'dya mean they don't....????" then saw the sarcasm.
FYI: you owe me a new brain, that sarcastic comment melted my old one :(
I wouldn't mind leaf fans voting for kessel, if they held tickets to the event. I mean, If you're paying money to see the ASG, then you deserve to see who you think is a star.
I say with each ticket bought, you get 10 votes or whatever haha. I know that system would never get put in, but it makes sense to me :)
Edit: just spoken to a friend who works for the sens - apparently very very very few (she likes the word very) go to regular fans. Suite holders and season ticket holders have first dibs but a lot go to sponsors, corporate and NHL people.
yup got me to... I was ready with capitals and exclamation points... then saw sarcasm... love it...
OMG, I've said this over and over. Growing up and playing/watchin g the older stars, we never heard of this to the extent we do today, it's almost too much. Like any player who takes a hit, of any type, is automatically sidelined. It really makes me wonder.
@ madpajamma,
Most of you remember the solid & direct hit by Scott Stevens on Eric Lindros, when he was a Flyers' star !
This was a hit that would carry a penalty today, but was legal in that era. Played from 1992 to 2007.
Writing was on the wall, as Brett Lindros, got out of the NHL before getting concussed.
Marc Savard of Boston is another example !
Before the Eric Lindros hit, it was never addressed ,and players never complained ,but wanted to play hurt somtimes.
Hey Snoopy, have you worn out the ! on your keyboard yet?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I here ya... let me guess you played a lot of hockey in the era of no helmets and no concussions right :)
Kidding
but it is true that it was called getting your bell rung, and you rarely missed much time for that.
From what I understand the NHL controls the tickets. As a season ticket holder who has 1 ticket -- I got access to 1 ASG ticket. Season ticket holders get the first dibs and there is usually nothing left for other fans. Sponsors, etc get to sit in 100's.. season ticket holders sit 200 & 300 levels.. don't know about suite holders - I assume they get what is theirs.
Also what really gets me is the 'Draft' on Thursday night at the Casino is for sponsor's only.
We let our Sens reps know how disappointed we were that 'fans' can't attend that.. My friend also complained to Cyril Leeder when we saw at our last Sens game. That 'Draft' again is controlled by the NHL... bullshit I say.
Hey Chirp, I just noticed the word limit is higher... don't know when it happened.. but I'm alright with that.
You are right about "no helmet", but I remember taking a slapshot from a 17 year old, when I was 12-13, and going behind the net to pick up my puck.
As I am rounding the net, I look up and see the puck coming
right at me. Got my bell rung, blood oozing from my forehead. Told the 17 year old, that I wanted to scrap with him right away. BTW this was in 1955 at outdoor rink next to church !
Got a few stitches, and was back on the ice ,the next day !
Those were the days .........
Best Christmas present a blogger could ask for!
Group B will have the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 9th placed teams.
So Russia/Sweden, Canada (with a Bronze medal win obv), Czechs, USA
Text that number
Type the name (Alfredsson, karlsson, spezza)
It will respond the first time. It will also respond super quick when you vote karlsson. To this you have to hit 1 to choose Erik.
Less than 2 1/2 hours to vote people!
try it tonight! Its the new senschip challenge! Haha.
That Bronze medal is not a gimme by any means. Another good young goaltender to deal with.
Apparently from Ferrero on TSN -- Stone has a hand injury and the flu...
Awesome! Sounds like everyone is getting those last minute votes in. And thanks for the kind words about the site. Much appreciated.
Thanks! Hope Tim Thomas knows exactly where this last minute surge in votes is coming from. Maybe the guy can go easy on us next time.
Thanks for the comment. First I've heard of that rumour. Completely ridiculous for a number of reasons. Not happening.
Regin will have no choice but to accept a two way contract next year. Sucks for him but he's still young. I wouldn't mind keeping him at that rate. And if a teams want to pick him up, then it will cost them draft picks. Win-win.
What I would do to have Ryan Getzlaf on our team. Such an unreal player
It's only a mild concussion and is day to day.
He'll be back soon.
going to be antsy until this hour and change passes, hopefully those stupid leaf fans didn't vote right until the last minute to try and get Reimer ahead of Thomas, he doesn't deserve to be there and neither does Phaneuf.
Obviously Alfie will be a captain thats a given. I would love to see Giroux as the other captain (born in Hearst played minor hockey in ottawa)
Anyways what I'm most anxious to see is if Alfie drafts Elliott! haha we all know the body language shown by the Sens players after every weak Elliott goal haha
Should be a fun weekend and as long as people don't think its the super bowl or Olympic games and is nothing more than a fan pleaser gimmick to create a fun environment than it should be a success
WAY TO GO SENS FANS!!!
Agreed 100%. I've always liked the events around the All-Star game. I think most haters hate on it because they take it too seriously and not as a side-show where there are a lot of good hockey players doing "fun" stuff.
2. Jason Spezza 817,483
3. Milan Michalek 743,977
1. Erik Karlsson 939,591
2. Dion Phaneuf 614,933
1. Tim Thomas 626,540
karlsson, Alfredsson, Spezza, Michalek
Sweeeeet!! Great news for Sens fans :).
I guess Kessel didn't want to be picked last again 0_o
Honestly, even as a Sens fan I could of understood Kessel, he's not a bad player, just playing for a bad team. Reimer on the other hand (not that he's horrible), would of been a joke at an All-Star game.
Edit: I guess that push yesterday really delivered! LOL
Edit: just noticed that Anderson made it into the top 15 goalies in all-star voting...must have been one SENSational push the last few days by ottawa fans ;) ;) ;)
http://twitter.com/mirtle - James Reimer finished second in voting among goalies with 498,075 votes, well behind Tim Thomas.
Goalie Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins was the only star able to crash the First Six parade of Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson led the voting with 939,951 votes, garnering 42,536 more votes than veteran teammate Daniel Alfredsson, the Ottawa captain. Center Jason Spezza is also among the First Six, joined by surprise addition Milan Michalek, who used a stunning last-day push to oust Toronto's Phil Kessel by 42,144 votes for the final forward spot. Kessel had been among the top-three in forward voting throughout the balloting process.
This year we have 4 Ottawa Senators on the All Star Team.
TSN should take notice that the Senators are for real, and
will not finish in bottom 5 !!
Not that I hate Kessel, but I find it amazing that he got pushed out at the last minute.
Same thing for Tim Thomas. He deserves the spot...not Reimer.
Great job to everyone who voted their asses off. I am totally shocked we managed to overtake Kessel, that is awesome! Phil deserves to be there and will be selected regardless of the fan voting, and Milan may not have made it in without our help but he totally deserves to be there as well.
Four Sens in and every one of them totally deserving candidates!
*mosh*
With the new asg format it can't really be for starters anymore. So yeah it only means they're guaranteed to be there.
It should be interesting to see who the captains are... they should do Alfie vs Spezza or something like that.
Why not Alfie vs Phaneuf? They were both voted in and are captains of their current teams. A bit of the Battle of Ontario flavour at the ASG!
http://lockerz.com/s/171816809
The only reason why there are 4 Sens is because it's.. in Ottawa. And it was promoted like mad.
Let's not get delusional now, next year you can bet No.65 EK will be the only Senator there.
As great as Milan is, very few consider him an "all star player" and with good reason too.
GRATS BOYS!
Any word if the Murrays are talking ? Side note how amazing would it be too get Corey PERRY !!
I would love to see Corey Perry on Spezza's wing... can you imagine what it would cost us though?? Foligno, Zibanejad, 2012 1st rounder +++...
We wouldn't be able to give up that much organizational depth.
I agree but Perry in a sens uni wow top six
Greening Spezza Perry
Michalek Turris Alfie
Umm...nothing against Greening, but...
Till Pumps and Silfverberg are ready dont see anyone else in that role this year
Michalek Spezza Perry
Foligno Turris Spezza
But this is all "what if..." talk anyways. I just wouldn't think that Greening would stay of the first "if" anything like that were to ever happen. I would say that we will never get perry, but I said that about turris, and I can only fit one shoe in my mouth at at time ;)
I agree with the others, Ryan or Perry on our Wing would be a major step ahead. Who's to say any of the top 5 and above 1st round picks in this coming draft will be worth more than either of those guys? Ryan is 24, Perry is 26, not too old for a rebuild addition if you ask me. Ottawa also has the money to spend. Who knows, maybe BM has an interest. We are advancing (to this point) further ahead then most expected in our 1st year of the rebuild. Would it be worth risking a few potential stars for proven stars? It's risky, but it could work.
To be honest I would have had folingo there too but Folingo I think is the type of player ducks would like in return in a package do too skill and age ..
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?
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coach 新作 2013
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