Last month, a few of the various Senators website writers came together for a roundtable to discuss and get different perspectives on some of the various hot button topics involving the Ottawa Senators. Considering how well the first one went, here is the second of our monthly Senators blog roundtables featuring Tony Mendes from SenShot, Peter Raaymakers from the Silver Seven, SLC from Five for Smiting and myself. Each month, one of these aforementioned people will choose five questions for the panelists to answer and this month, it was Peter's turn.

1. Zack Smith seems to have the inside track, but which other prospects do you think have a good chance to make the NHL squad? Bobby Butler? Jared Cowen? Roman Wick? Someone else?

Tony, SenShot: I think Cody Bass will be a surprise in training camp and will start the season in Ottawa. He has been in the organization for awhile now and needs to prove he can handle the NHL. Seeing others such as Smith pass him on the depth chart, I think Bass will come into camp with a chip on his shoulder and will use his grit to earn a spot with the big club. The top six forward spots are spoken for and a third line of Ruutu-Kelly-Neil will be hard to break up. The Sens already have too many defensemen with one-way contracts, so the only spots possibly available are on the fourth line. Bass is a hard worker and great penalty killer and will use these assets to earn a spot.

Peter, Silver Seven: I think the Senators will have some prospects making strong statements in training camp, but looking at the number of players on one-way contracts, it's going to be difficult for anyone to really stick on the NHL squad. I'm pretty sure Z. Smith will continue to play as the fourth-line centre, with Jesse Winchester or Ryan Shannon as the healthy scratch, but I think we might be surprised on defence: Jared Cowen's got a decent shot. The losses of Andy Sutton and Anton Volchenkov have left a pretty big void in terms of physical, defensive defencemen. Chris Phillips and Matt Carkner are the obvious choices for penalty-killing, but where do we go after that? I don't think Cory Clouston would be too excited about both Filip Kuba, Chris Campoli, or Brian Lee killing penalties (and imagine if one of those four were in the sin bin... ), so Cowen will get every chance to make the team--including a nine-game tryout before the Sens have to decide what to do with him.

SLC, Five for Smiting: Bank it: Cowen will get a full nine game audition coming out of camp, especially if he brings the pain at the rookie tourney.  Murray has shown he's not afraid to burn a year on an ELC if he thinks it will help the club (see file: Karlsson, E.) and Lord knows our StayPuft D will need all the bang it can get.  In a perfect world, Cowen wins a spot outright, meaning The Bryan will be free to dump...er... "trade" the now entirely redundant Filip Kuba.  This would make my pants very happy.

Graeme, The 6^th Sens: Poor Brian Lee. From being passed on the depth chart, to losing his number fifty-five, to his exclusion from prospect discussion by the Senators blogosphere. Of all the names listed, I think they all stand a reasonable chance to play on the big club this upcoming season. Whether they all crack the roster at the end of the exhibition schedule remains to be seen. Obviously based on their experiences last season, Smith and Butler will probably get the first opportunity to play regular minutes up front. Wick will likely get recalled once he's earned a promotion and adapted to the North American style. Like SLC, I'm in agreement that Cowen will be given every opportunity to make the club. As was the case with Erik Karlsson last season, his addition to the squad would help fill a void that the team lacks. However, if Cowen shows that he's not ready. I wouldn't be shocked to see him returned to junior for another year and see the Senators move a body or two to bring in a physical defenceman who can fill that void with guys like Patrick Wiercioch or Eric Gryba filling in as injury replacements.

2. The final two games in the playoffs did a lot to restore Pascal Leclaire's standing on the Senators, but which of Leclaire and Brian Elliott do you think will begin the season as the number one goaltender?

Tony: I think Leclaire will begin the season as the starter as he is in the last year of his contract and Sens management want to know if he should be resigned. Sens brass also bought in Leclaire's old goalie coach from Columbus to help Leclaire regain his confidence. Leclaire has a larger upside then Elliott, however, he needs to prove he can stay healthy and be consistent. Leclaire's playoff performance has restored some faith in him, but he will be given a short leash as Clouston only cares about winning. I believe Leclaire will be the starter on opening night, but I am not as confident he will end the season as the undisputed number one.

Peter: In the crease, we're starting from scratch right now. Clouston's familiarity with Brian Elliott probably gives him a slight edge, but Pascal Leclaire seems to think his injury problems are behind him now (we can only hope), and he's got more pedigree as a starting goalie. In terms of pure skill, I have to give the advantage to Leclaire, but Elliott seems to have more physical and mental discipline. But right now, I don't think either of them can be classified as the starter.

SLC: Snoopy's salary guarantees he'll be the starter come October 8th.  But he will be on a VERY short leash.  It was fairly obvious last year that the Little General didn't trust him, and I don't think two decent games (one of which involved choking up a three goal lead, let us remember) six months ago will be enough to change that.  This of course assumes that Snoop even makes it to camp and doesn't get hurt tying his skates.

Graeme: Since both goalies are headed towards free agency on July 1st, I believe that both are going to be given every opportunity to take hold of the number one gig and roll with it. Based on his salary and the way that last season ended, I would fully expect Cory Clouston to anoint Leclaire as the opening day starter. Mind you, if Robin Lehner has a productive season in the AHL, all of our eyes will be looking towards the future.

3. With Sergei Gonchar, a more experienced Erik Karlsson, and (hopefully) healthy returns for Filip Kuba, Alex Kovalev, and Milan Michalek, the Senators' powerplay should be better than last year. But do you think the difference will be significant, in terms of PP efficiency and, ultimately, Ottawa's point totals in the standings?

Tony: I think Ottawa's powerplay will improve this year with the addition of Gonchar and healthier players. However, Ottawa has never really had a dominate powerplay that scared teams. I think the team this year will set the foundation for a good powerplay and maybe next season, their chemistry will be greater and lead to more success.

Peter: Ottawa's powerplay has got to be hugely more potent than it was last year, I don't think there's any question about that. And I do think that will translate into more points in the standings, especially when you consider all the one-goal losses become ties thanks to more powerplay efficiency. Improved goaltending consistency is the Senators' biggest area for improvement in the standings, but a better powerplay is a close second.

SLC: Unlike some of our esteemed coleagues *cough*Nichols*cough* I'm expecting a huge upgrade on the PP over last season, not that that would be a particularly tough trick to pull off.  With Gonch, Karlsson and yes, even Kuba (whom I'm still totally willing to give away to a good home) feeding them, the forwards should actually be able to hit the zone with some speed instead of having to constantly come back to recover another cement handed flub from Carks or A-Train (RIP).  All that remains is to convince the Zebras to actually give us a PP every now and then.  Then we're golden, kids.

Graeme: Let me start by saying, I'm not sure why SLC singled me out as  a believer that Ottawa's PP won't improve. I thought I've written a number of pieces indicating my belief that the addition of Gonchar and the maturity of Erik Karlsson can only help Alexei Kovalev and Ottawa's PP. Let's take a look at last year's numbers. In 290 PP opportunities, Ottawa scored 49 PP goals. Assuming that these defencemen can help revert just one player, like Kovalev, back to his career norms in terms of PP production the difference could be huge. Five to ten goals could have pushed Ottawa's PP into one of the ten best success ratings.

4. Although Matt Carkner, Chris Neil, Jarkko Ruutu, and even (one would assume) Zack Smith are expected to be in the Senators' lineup next year, do you guys expect tough guy Francis Lessard to play much (or at all) for Ottawa this season?

Tony: I don't think Lessard will play any games in Ottawa this year. Along with the above mentioned players, there are many guys in the line-up that play with enough grit to keep teams honest. Fisher, Michalek and Foligno can all hold their own. Lessard is a fighter and is needed more in the AHL protecting the young kids then being a liability in the NHL.

Peter: I think there may be the odd game where Lessard plays, especially if we run into injuries at some point. Looking at the bruising lineup the Maple Leafs have, and the historic rivalry, I think those are a few obvious games that Lessard could be useful--especially since Carkner stands to be a more important part of our defence (at least defensively speaking), so we can't afford to lose him for five minutes at a time too often.

SLC: Saturday, November 27th, 2010.  Game three against the Leafs, at home.  Phaneuf can bang his rocks together in a truculent fashion from the infirmary.

Graeme: No. If I've noticed one thing from the Murray/Clouston regime, it's that they favour pugilists who can contribute in other facets of the game.

5. How do you want to see the defence pairings set up for next season

Tony:

• Gonchar - Karlsson : This will give Karlsson a mentor on the ice who he can tailor his game after. Together they may be a defensive liability, but these two can move the puck so well that they can exit their zone quickly and push the offense, thus limiting opponent's chances.
• Phillips - Lee : This can be our new shut-down pairing. Phillips is as solid as a rock and is a great teacher. Lee needs to establish a role for himself to stick in the NHL. He can be the smooth skating defensive defensemen. It is now or never for Lee and I think this gives him his best chance to succeed.
• Kuba - Campoli : These two have tons of offensive talent, and by being the third pairing, they will go up against other teams third and fourth lines which can open up the ice for them. These two will also be the second powerplay unit and can work on building chemistry together.
• Carkner : Matt can be the seventh defensemen who can come in and play the physical shutdown role and/or the enforcer role. He can also fill in when injuries happen (and with three defensemen well into their thirties, injuries are bound to happen). Matt can also play on the fourth line if more toughness is needed. This is no slight to Matt, but the Sens' defense this year will be all about puck possession and pushing the offense, which is not exactly Matt's game.
• Cowen : I think Cowen will get a nine game audition with the big club before he is sent down to junior. This will be to see what Cowen's got and to see how far along he is in his development. He probably will be paired with Phillips as a safety net.

These pairings pair our younger defensemen with veterans to help them learn the game and to protect them too.

Peter: I seem to be one of few people condoning an absolutely stacked offensive first-pairing: Sergei Gonchar with Erik Karlsson. They'd play almost the entire span of just about every powerplay, take offensive-zone faceoffs, and basically get the sweet ice time for increased offensive production. I think the second pairing would be somewhat of a shutdown pairing, although Kuba's presence with Phillips makes it a little difficult to call it that (although I think without putting undue offensive pressure on Kuba, we might enable him to simplify his game and, ultimately, play a lot better). Third will be Carkner with either Lee or Campoli, whoever's playing better at the time, unless one of Cowen or even perhaps David Hale gets a shot as a defensive force on the blue line.

SLC: Gonchar - Karlsson (the softness terrifies me)
Big Rig - Campoli
Carks - Cowen (WE HAVE BECOME DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS)
Wiercioch

Kuba + Lee will make for a lovely gift basket.  Just sayin...

Graeme: Like it or not, Chris Phillips has always been partnered with the team's best defenceman since he entered his prime. First it was Zdeno Chara, then it was Anton Volchenkov. Now, it's Sergei Gonchar's turn. Here's what I have:

Phillips-Gonchar
Kuba-Karlsson
Campoli-Carkner

It was only a couple of weeks ago when Jason Spezza put on a magnificently rehearsed performance at his charity golf tournament. In it, he attempted to address the drama and uncertainty that stemmed from his exit meeting that he had with Bryan Murray.

“I just want to clear up a lot of the talk going on, at no point did I ever demand a trade to Bryan Murray. At the end of the year, I was pretty emotional and upset. I was upset at losing, I was upset at the response I got (booed at home), I talked to Bryan about — I see it in the newspapers every year, they talk about me, and I said, if you want to move me you can move me . . . if you think it’s best for the team.

I signed here for seven years (in 2007) because I like the city, I like the team, I like my teammates,” Spezza said. “There’s obviously going to be bumps in the road. I think it’s important to have communication between players and management, and that’s what we had. It just became a little more public, and became a little bigger deal than it should have been." ~ via Ottawa Citizen

I don't want to make a big issue of this but maybe it's time that Spezza realizes that the communication between the media and the player is almost as important in this city. If you haven't heard, after an informal skating session this morning at the Bell Sensplex, Jason refused to talk to a small group of media members. Although it's not necessarily uncommon for a player to deny the media a request, it wasn't exactly a well thought out choice of action by Spezza. I realize that because it wasn't an official Senators workout, Spezza wasn't obligated to talk to the media. However, regardless of how you feel about them, the media are the lifeline between the player and the casual fan. For a polarizing player like Spezza, he can ill afford to be portrayed as a malcontent and have the common fan root against him.

Spezza's silence didn't go unnoticed either. Here are just a few blurbs from the Twittersphere...

SeguinSports JasonSpezza refuses to talk to media after skate today. Sign of things to come?

TSN_Wally Interesting Spezza wouldn't talk to the media today. I know he doesn't have to talk but still surprising. Hope not a sign of things to come

I'm hoping that things don't escalate from this or that too much is read into it but after the way that the Heatley situation unfolded, he should have known better. Common sense says that the media was just doing its job covering a practice. A couple of no comments and some manufactured hockey quote soundbytes would have sufficed.

I hope this isn't a sign of things to come...

In a press release that came out this morning, the Senators announced the names of the twenty-two players who will compete in this year's 2010 rookie tournament. The rookie camp begins with a practice on September 10th before the team takees a glamorous busride down the 401 to London where they will square off against prospects from the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins organizations.

On paper, it looks as though the Senators should have a strong team. Returnees from last year's squad include Robin Lehner, Craig Schira, Mike Hoffman, Jim O'Brien, Erik Condra, and Kaspars Daugavins. This core will be augmented by the likes of Jared Cowen (who was unable to play last year because of his ACL surgery), Eric Gryba, Patrick Wiercioch and Tim Spencer's fists.

The full roster and schedule can be read below:

Goaltenders: Brandon Foote (Guelph - OHL), Robin Lehner (Sault Ste. Marie - OHL, Binghamton - AHL)
Defencemen: Jared Cowen (Spokane - WHL, Ottawa - NHL), Eric Gryba (Boston University - Hockey East, Binghamton - AHL), Matthew Hobbs (Prince Edward Island - QMJHL), Craig Schira (Binghamton - AHL), Adam Sedlak (Peterborough - OHL), Patrick Wiercioch (Denver - WCHA)
Forwards: Jason Bailey (Binghamton - AHL), Bobby Butler (New Hampshire - Hockey East, Ottawa - NHL), Erik Condra (Binghamton - AHL), Corey Cowick (Ottawa - OHL), Jakub Culek (Rimouski - QMJHL), Kaspars Daugavins (Binghamton - AHL, Ottawa - NHL), David Dziurzynski (Alberni Valley - BCHL), Colin Greening (Cornell - ECAC), Mike Hoffman (Saint John - QMJHL), Jim O’Brien (Binghamton - AHL), Tim Spencer (Elmira - ECHL, Binghamton - AHL), Mark Stone (Brandon - WHL), Shawn Szydlowski (Erie - OHL), Adam Wallace (Windsor - OHL)
*Roster subject to change.

2010 rookie tournament schedule at London’s John Labatt Centre
Saturday, Sept. 11: Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa at 2 p.m.; Chicago vs. Toronto at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 12: Ottawa vs. Chicago at 2 p.m.; Toronto vs. Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 14: Chicago vs. Pittsburgh at 2 p.m.; Toronto vs. Ottawa at 7 p.m.

Here is my list of three things to look for:

1) The Blueline

Since the unheralded trio of Brian Lee, Matt Carkner and Chris Campoli is expected to inherit the fifth, sixth and seventh blueline spots respectively on the big club's roster, there's is some hope from fans that a bluechip prospect like Jared Cowen or Patrick Wiercioch can impress at the rookie tournament and carry whatever momentum they can into training camp. Unlike Wiercioch or an Eric Gryba who could get the call from Binghamton to fill in for an injured player, Jared Cowen still has junior eligibility and cannot be sent to the AHL to start the season. If Cowen can push a veteran for a spot in training camp, the real intrigue here lies in whether or not he can force management into a difficult decision: Will another year of junior will benefit Cowen's development?

2) Robin Lehner

A large amount of offseason focus has been devoted to the impending free agent statuses of a number of players next offseason. With both Brian Elliott (restricted) and Pascal Leclaire (unrestricted) due for new contracts, Lehner can ease the burden on Bryan Murray to resign both netminders if he makes a smooth transition to professional hockey.

3) Where Art Thou Jim O'Brien?

As a late first round pick in 2007 (29th overall), Jim O'Brien had a disappointing first season as he made the transition to pro. Although his confidence wasn't helped any as the coaching staff utilized him in a fourth line capacity centering Tim Spencer and Jeremy Yablonski, his play improved late in the season as he was given more responsibility. O'Brien needs to continue his development or he risks getting passed in the prospect depth chart.

A couple of days ago, I posted a piece detailing Alexei Kovalev and the criticisms of him by the fans and media alike. In the post entitled, A Post on Karma, I wrote a particular paragraph that helped spurn some discussion in the comment section:

Maybe at some point, the media in this town need to re-evaluate the term star. Kovalev's never been one. Case in point, the only DVD that he has been featured on is his own. Don't get me wrong. Five million dollars is a lot of money. But it's not star money. Name value doesn't equate itself to on-ice performance. As a player who has consistently demonstrated the ability to post approximately 60 points per season, his salary (or contract term for that matter) isn't that offensive and it's reflective of what secondary scorers can earn.With a little bit of research, people could finally understand that in four of the past five seasons, Kovalev's put up approximately 30 even strength points per season. Whenever there has been a flux in his point production, it's been because of the variations in his power play point totals. If we stop holding him to this fabricated standard that he's a star, we'll be better for it and can just appreciate him as the power play specialist that he is.

Rather than bury the discussion in an older thread, I thought it'd be beneficial to bring that article's comments to light in a new post to further the discussion. Anyways, I digress. The aforementioned paragraph helped provoke this response from commenter Steve HL:

I just wanted to argue your point of Kovalev never being a star. In his 20s and mid 20s he was very much a star-calibre player for the USSR/Russia and Rangers. He even played with an edge in the day. That isn't the case anymore, but we need to remember the early days of the athlete.

Fair enough. In regards to my comment on Kovalev not being a star, here's how I feel:  Although he's been very good at times, I feel that he's never been the biggest attraction on any team that he's played for. (With the exception of some very bad Montreal teams.) I just find that the term "star" is being thrown around too liberally and it's overused to describe good, but not great, players. When I think of star players, I think of the cream of the crop. Hall of Fame caliber players. When I think of "superstars", I think of generational talents like Lemieux, Gretzky, Ovechkin and Crosby. (Ed. note: Maybe you disagree, which is fine. This is just how I feel.)

Not to be outdone, Steve's opinion of Kovalev as a star player was shared by commenter Dr. K who posted two consecutive comments:

If anyone question his results by points then mention that he lead in points in Pitsburgh (he had quaility players to play with) Montreal 4 years straight in a defensive system. Lead NHL in 2008 in power play points. And look at the goals they are perfect goals. Appreciate greatness because he is a very special player. Support him well in Ottawa and look how he will respond. An artist with skills that are no match to anyone else.

and...

MVP in 2009 he owned Luango look at the ease and beauty of this wicked shot wicked.
If he is not a STAR player and talent why is it that he was named MVP? He said he was going to win it and he did. He can if he is well surround it. Any Star in this league has first line players. Who he played that we can say the same. Pitsburgh OK. Guess what he delivered Rangers? He was a key player for the cup in 1994.
Montreal? no first liners there. And guess what he still managed to lead this team in a defensive system. Just look at different angles you may have a an other perspective.

For the sake of discussion...

During his time in Pittsburgh, the only campaign in which Kovalev led the team in points was the tumultuous 2001/02 season. It should be noted that with the team facing financial ruin, the team could no longer afford to keep Jaromir Jagr, an impending free agent, and dealt him during that offseason to the Washington Capitals for picks and prospects. (Ed. note: If you ever want to determine who is/isn't a bandwagon Pens fan, just mention the names Kris Beech, Ross Lupaschuk and Michal Sivek. If they gasp in horror and go into the fetal position, you know what you're dealing with.) It also didn't help that Mario Lemieux spent the majority of the season on injured reserve recuperating from his hip injury.

As Dr. K. correctly asserts, Kovalev did lead the Montreal Canadiens in scoring. (Only on three occasions, not four.) Despite the quote defensive system that the Canadiens allegedly played when Kovalev lead the team in points, in terms of goals allowed, the Habs best finish was allowing the 12th least number of goals. Stymying!

I'm not disputing the fact that Kovalev is an all-world talent. Or that he's unbelievably skilled with his puck control . However, for the sake of numbers, let's look at a statistical comparison here. To keep in the same vein of a player who has lead some good defensive teams in scoring. If I told you that Kovalev's point-per-game production average of 0.806 (990 points in 1228 games played) was incredibly close to Jason Arnott's of 0.794 (873 in 1099 games), wouldn't you at least start to question Kovalev's production? (Ed. note: By comparison, Daniel Alfredsson's 992 points in 1002 games played is 0.99 PPG. If you also took Arnott's PPG average and carried that over Kovalev's 1228 games, he'd only have 15 less points than L'Enigma.) And like Kovalev, even Arnott has a Cup ring. (Ed. note: With New Jersey in 1999-00.)

To clarify matters, I never said Kovalev didn't have talent. He has tons of it. Like Mike Fisher, he's very toolsy. Unfortunately, like Fisher, he hasn't gotten the most out of his abilities. Being the MVP in a NHL All-Star Game should never be the criteria for being a star. Or anything else for that matter. In fact, any game in which Brad Marsh can score or in which checking and attention to defence is frowned upon, is exactly the kind of game that Kovalev should thrive in.

Thoughts?

Now that the Senators official Twitter account has informed me that the Senators beat writers are back at work, it might be a good time to take a magical tour through the Internet to see what the masses are working on these days. Without further ado...

It's unfortunate to hear that Shean Donovan's plans of playing hockey this year have hit a road block. According to Bruce Garrioch, Donovan reportedly accepted a deal to play in Finland, but was told that the contract has been put on hold. Here's hoping that Donovan lands on his feet somewhere. I'd hate to a classy, team-oriented player like Chummy retire under these circumstances.

Here's a small bit of jersey related news that was reported today by the Ottawa Citizen's Allen Panzeri (via Twitter). Panzeri, who was at a Senators scrimmage today in Kanata, revealed that Zach Smith has elected to be the first player since Dany Heatley to wear 15. It might take some time getting accustomed to seeing that number working hard in the defensive zone. Panzeri also confirmed Sens Chirp's claim last week that Peter Regin has switched his number from 43 to 13. And provided that Jared Cowen actually breaks camp with the big club, he'll likely be wearing the number 2.

In yet another bit of Senators-related news that comes from the land of Twitter, CBC Ottawa video journalist, Dan Seguin Tweeted that he was hearing that Doc Chow is showing progress. Hand movement, eye blinking. Things that have his doctors cautiously optomistic. Hopefully this isn't another erroneous media report but it's great news for the Senators family if true.

On the right hand side of this page, you may have noticed a new poll concerning Alexei Kovalev. We've heard how Murray feels about Kovalev in a complimentary role and we've heard how the media thinks of Kovalev, but I'd like for you readers to weigh your thoughts. Is or was Alexei Kovalev ever a star hockey player?

Over at the Senators' website, there's an article discussing the hard work that gets put in by the players at the gym. If you're into fitness and learning about the preparation that players do before the season, it's a good read. If not, I recommend checking it out anyways. The article features Chris Neil working out the kinks of the Chris Neil Penalty Face.

At Silver Seven, their correspondents are participating in a mock NHL expansion draft that sees two new teams -- Winnipeg and Quebec -- enter the league. As part of the process, the guys were required to create a protection list for the Senators organization and decide which players they would make available for the expansion franchises to select. Today, they revealed their protected forward list that oddly enough, didn't include Chris Kelly. Personally, I would have kept the player with Mensa hockey IQ over Jarkko Ruutu. An easily replaceable player who they're likely to let walk away via free agency after this season anyways.

It's not Senators-related but the Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed Carey Price to a 2-year deal worth $5.5 million in value. You can buy a lot of cigarettes with that money.

With training camp just around the coner, Bryan Murray used on opportunity on Tuesday to hold court and field some media questions in regards to the Senators.  (Ed. note: I transcribed this session here.) At one point during the media scrum, the topic of Alexei Kovalev was broached. Here's what Murray had to say:

"I expect he's a good player. I believe that he's a good player. I thought he was a good player most of the time last year. I think that we look at Alex in maybe a different light than we should sometimes. He has a high level of skill. I think that we look at him as a guy who can take the puck and do whatever he wants when he wants to. The NHL is not that way. I thought that he played well most of the time for us in that the plays more of a complimentary role now. He helps other players play better hockey around than may maybe they ever have in the past. I think that there were some productive players because of him. We missed him a great deal in the playoffs. Him alone in that Pittsburgh series could have made a huge difference for us. I'm excited. I know he's happy. I know he loves playing here. I think playing with a couple of players that he played with last year in particular, he's really excited to see how they progress moving forward. I expect he'll be good."

At first glance, it looks like Murray's using a lot of lip service. Superficial jargon that shouldn't be analyzed or read too much into. (But that didn't stop Brennan from trying.)

Fast forward to today when I was browsing through Ottawa Sun and came across this Don Brennan article featuring this quote:

We’ve seen what he can still do when he wants. The magic he can still perform with puck and stick. And even though he’s 37 (the same age as Alfredsson) he should still be able to abracadabra his way to an 80-point season. He’s also a big, strong man, and it’s not like he has slowed. At least not when he’s going forward.

Hold on, that looks familiar. Where have I seen that before?

"I expect he's a good player. I believe that he's a good player. I thought he was a good player most of the time last year. I think that we look at Alex in maybe a different light than we should sometimes. He has a high level of skill. I think that we look at him as a guy who can take the puck and do whatever he wants when he wants to. The NHL is not that way. I thought that he played well most of the time for us in that the plays more of a complimentary role now. He helps other players play better hockey around than may maybe they ever have in the past. I think that there were some productive players because of him. We missed him a great deal in the playoffs. Him alone in that Pittsburgh series could have made a huge difference for us. I'm excited. I know he's happy. I know he loves playing here. I think playing with a couple of players that he played with last year in particular, he's really excited to see how they progress moving forward. I expect he'll be good."

Holy shit! Bryan Murray was forewarning us to not think like Don Brennan! It's like he looked into the future and knew Brennan would write something like this. If only he could use this power for good... he never would have made that Campoli/Comrie trade. At least now, I'll have something to say whenever Don Brennan says something that I disagree with. Let me try it out, ahem, listen Don, Kovalev can't abracadabra his way to an 80-point season. The NHL is not that way. With the way that Don carries on about Kovalev's stickhandling, you would think that he's a member of the NHL version of the Harlem Globetrotters. Maybe if Eugene Melnyk could set up some games against the Washington Generals so that Kovalev can impress and get to that illustrious 80-point threshold that Brennan believes he is capable of. Hell, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton could barely carry Dany Heatley to an 80-point campaign.

Looking back at Kovalev's career, he's only managed to post more than 80-points twice -- 2000/01 and 2007/08. Considering that he's a veteran coming off ACL surgery who has been in the league since 1992, I don't think the odds of Kovalev posting an 80-point season are very good. Fortunately, Don has taken upon himself to let everyone know when Kovalev is playing like shit this season.

Therein lies the irony in the SPB air last season. The boobirds gave it to Jason Spezza, one of the team’s very best players the last five years, for failing with creative attempts. Not for his lack of effort. But did anybody really get on Kovalev for not trying?

Kovalev wasn’t always a dog, just much of the time when he was gliding toward the Senators zone. If he played in Atlanta, Nashville, Columbus or Florida, fans might not have noticed. In Ottawa, they certainly did.

But then, local columnists were guilty of not calling out Kovalev last season, too. This one was probably caught up in the mystique that surrounded the teammate Nick Foligno referred to as “the most interesting man in the world.” Consider this an apology. It won’t happen again.

The most interesting man in the world? Did Don even bother to ask Nick Foligno whether dolphins appear whenever Kovalev goes for a swim?

Good thing it's still late in the summer and training camp isn't yet upon us. With lines like, Yeah, Kovalev was consistent, too. Consistently brutal. Don's already demonstrated that he's nowhere near on top of his game.

As any sports fan knows, it's not often that a team has everything fall into place. Things like injuries, prolonged slumps, and even Ray Emery's practice habits can derail a season. A few days ago, I made light of an article over at Bleacher Report that glossed over everything that could go right for the Senators and put them in a position to contend this upcoming season. It was one of those ifs and but columns that's sugary enough to make Gord Wilson look like Earl McRae. Now don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with being an eternal optimist. It's just that this kind of blind naivety fosters a vulnerability to easily facilitated criticism. As easy as it is to make the if everything goes right for them, the Senators could be pretty good this season argument, it's infinitely easier to make fun of these people at their own expense. It's the same reason why we laughed at fans who suggested that it wouldn't be far fetched for Ryan Shannon to flirt with 20 goals last season following his finish to the 2008/09 campaign.

In the realm of professional sports, adversity happens and everyone -- the organizations, coaches, fans and media -- should be ready for it. It's for this reason that I don't understand why someone would use a public soapbox to describe how everything could conceivably fall into place for this season's version of the Ottawa Senators. Or more importantly, it forces me to ask the question of who in their right mind would ever want to tempt fate and provoke the ire of the hockey gods?

Thankfully for the Buddhist sect of Ottawa's fanbase who want see this zen imbalance fixed, the fine folks over at The Hockey News have restored the karma by huddling a  by using a finely crafted 437 characters to shit on Ottawa's fortunes for the 2010-11 season.

Unrestricted free agency cost the Senators a tough-as-nails defensive defenseman, but they gained one of the best, albeit aging, puckmoving blueliners in the game. Sergei Gonchar was brought in to help out the league’s 21st-ranked power play next to youngster Erik Karlsson. Without any other off-season moves to address a shaky situation in goal, however, it will be a touch-and-go year in Canada’s capital. Without an extravagant 11-game winning streak in 2009-10, the Sens wouldn’t have finished as high as they did and a run like that can’t be expected again. ~ The Hockey News

It's weird. For a publication that features this as the first line of their article,  It's that time of year again when everything is put on the line and prognostications are made for the upcoming season. I wonder how a magazine takes itself so seriously but comes up with a number of glib write ups that are completely devoid of statistical analysis or reason. I hope that people aren't mortgaging their households on these predictions or that THN punishes its staff with innovative torture techniques for bad forecasting. As an aside, someone should really check in on the author of the Bleacher Report article. After reading this THN feature, we need to make sure that he's doing okay.

I mean, how do you really critique the Senators situation for 2010/11 without a mention of this summer's Jason Spezza drama? It's just odd. Allow me...

Spezza's entering the prime years of his career, but because of his skating style, he has already developed a wonky back. Now it seems as though his shoulders are going to get quite the workout as he's expected to shoulder the burden. As Ottawa's number one center, Spezza comes back to camp faced with the expectation that he carry this team offensively. In years past, Spezza's been a target of the opposition's best defensive forward but after being dogged all summer long by rumours that he had asked for a trade during his exit interview with Bryan Murray, he could easily wind up in the cross-hairs of most fans. It's like his detractors needed any more ammunition. With an already bruised ego and a vain concern for how he's perceived by the media and fans, it could make for some long nights at the Spezza household if his production cannot meet the high standards that are placed upon him. Can the organization find him someone to play with? Is Peter Regin or Milan Michalek that guy? If Spezza underachieves, how will he respond to any negative fan reactions moving forward? Will he go public with a trade request? Have I neglected to mention that he has to answer these questions while coping with the pressures that come with being a father for the first time? How or when is he supposed to get some rest? (Ed. note: Don't answer that question.)

Now, from beating one dead horse to another. It looks like Don Brennan has taken up the role of psychologist to analyze the latest Alexei Kovalev news that Bryan Murray revealed to the press yesterday. Via Off the Posts:

No one knows what goes on behind closed doors.
At end-of-season meetings, Jason Spezza told Bryan Murray to trade him if the GM felt it was best for the team.
What did Alex Kovalev tell Murray?
An interesting clip from Murray’s get together with the media Tuesday:
“I know he’s happy. I know he loves playing here,” said Murray. “I think that playing with a couple of players in particular he played with last year, he’s really excited to see how they progressed going forward. I expect he’ll be good.”
Is it just me that reads something fishy (and I don’t mean Mike) into that? Kovalev is excited to see how some of the players he played with last year (I assume that’s his linemates) have progressed? Does that mean he hopes they have? Does that mean he didn’t think they were very good last year? Does that mean he’s blaming others for his poor performances after the Olympics, when he was really bad? And exactly what players are we talking about? Nick Foligno? Mike Fisher?
What exactly did Kovalev tell Murray behind those closed doors?
Murray remains in full support of the veteran, saying he thinks he is still a good player who could have made the difference in last spring’s playoff loss to the Penguins. But he also says Kovalev is “more of a complimentary role now. He helps other players play better hockey than maybe they have in the past. I think there were some productive players because of him.”
The problem with that is, “complimentary players” shouldn’t be making $5 million a year. That’s star money.
Kovalev is a proud man who you can be sure still sees himself as a star. He still has all the tools. The question is, does he also have the pride, heart and determination to erase what should be a red-faced finish for him last season?
In the past, Kovelev has often lacked those qualities. But now he is in the final year of a contract that could very well be his last in the NHL. Now his legacy is at stake.
Maybe that will make a difference.

Is it wrong to believe that maybe Kovalev's excited to see how Peter Regin develops? It's not unreasonable to assume that he'd be the player who Murray was referring to? I've heard people tab Regin as having more offensive upside than either of Fisher or Foligno and he did skate with Kovalev for a portion of last season. Or maybe Kovalev's excited at the prospect of receiving outlet passes from a retooled blueline featuring a developing Erik Karlsson? It's not that far fetched for Kovalev to actually want to play with a collective who can actually move the puck quickly and efficiently.

Maybe at some point, the media in this town need to re-evaluate the term star. Kovalev's never been one. Case in point, the only DVD that he has been featured on is his own. Don't get me wrong. Five million dollars is a lot of money. But it's not star money. Name value doesn't equate itself to on-ice performance. As a player who has consistently demonstrated the ability to post approximately 60 points per season, his salary (or contract term for that matter) isn't that offensive and it's reflective of what secondary scorers can earn.With a little bit of research, people could finally understand that in four of the past five seasons, Kovalev's put up approximately 30 even strength points per season. Whenever there has been a flux in his point production, it's been because of the variations in his power play point totals. If we stop holding him to this fabricated standard that he's a star, we'll be better for it and can just appreciate him as the power play specialist that he is.

Lest we forget the playoff factor. Murray's gone on record a number of times saying that one of the main reasons why he brought Kovalev in was to play in the playoffs. We didn't even get an opportunity to hold him to that standard last season because of his ACL injury.

Frankly, it's getting to the point where I can't wait for Kovalev to move on. When I can already envision Brennan manipulating these summer quotes four months from now and citing things like, "Kovalev wanted better linemates" or "Kovalev was critical of his linemates" as fact, things are pretty bad. It's ludicrous that the Kovalev bashing has escalated itself to hypotheticals and speculations of what happened behind closed door meetings. We might as well blame Kovie for global warming and make everyone happy while we're at it.