Above: Kyle Turris celebrating one of the few occasions in which head coach Dave Tippett put him on the ice.
Forgive me for the frequency in which Kyle Turris' name has touched the pages of this website. Our envisioned scenario in which the Phoenix Coyotes center is traded to the Senators has reached Brennan/Konopka-like levels.
That being said, in light of yesterday's post that made note of the ramifications of training camp battles that will be taking place elsewhere around the league, it's befitting that ESPN's Scott Burnside reports that the Coyotes will have a difficult time coming to terms with Turris on a new contract before camp starts. no comments
It won’t be long before NHL training camps officially open and our newspapers and favorite hockey websites will become inundated with the familiar stories discussing the various categorizations of players who arrive at camp. The context is always the same. Everyone seemingly has something to prove. There will be those that mention the inordinate number of veterans who are out of excuses and need bounce back seasons. Others will discuss a pipeline brimming with prospects. Prospects that will either start the season with the parent club or jockey for position on the AHL team, trying to leave a lasting impression that will help them earn a coveted promotion should injury beset the NHL roster. Moreover, there will be articles like the one detailing some AHL journeyman’s opportunity to lay claim to the team’s ‘vacant’ second line center position.
Admittedly, it’s an exciting time of year when optimism is plentiful and individual player expectations haven’t been invalidated. For an organization like Ottawa that is expected to feature so many young players, the development of these players is paramount and should be placed ahead of any short-lived interim success that the team may encounter. By putting its young players in a position to succeed and emphasizing player development, the organization hopefully will have the patience to prevent situations similar to what Jason Bonsignore experienced in Edmonton from occurring.
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Never Change
Some choice quotes in this Sylain St. Laurent story in Le Droit - "Robin Lehner's ambition is no secret":
"The world does not yet know the real Robin Lehner. The next two years will be crucial for me. I still have plenty to prove. I know that people continue to doubt my abilities. My job, as of now is to prove to these people that I will be able to play and I'll be able to shine in the NHL."
"Everyone tells me since last year I need to play often. I am told that at my age, I have nothing to gain by warming the bench in the NHL. I do not think so. If I get to train every day with the NHL pros, I will learn many new tricks. When I reach a level of excellence in training, I am ready to play matches."
You can be sure the media will be mining Robin for copy during training camp, can't wait. no comments
- According to Sun Media’s George Popalis, Jason Spezza ‘faltered’ last season and the Ottawa Senators are at a crossroads. If it weren’t for his sentence fragments and the misspellings of Bryan Murray and David Rundblad, I’d almost be inclined to invest time and FJM the article. Unfortunately it’s too easy. In other news, if you ever feel compelled to plagiarize any of Popalis’ work, all one needs to do is drop trou and take a steaming dump on your computer screen.
- On Tuesday, the Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle drew some parallels between how the Detroit Red Wings and the Ottawa Senators have been built around a talented group of Swedes. Of course there are some differences - Nik Lidstrom is one of the best defencemen in modern NHL history and Henrik Zetterberg is recognized as one of the better two-way players around. Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, Ottawa’s collection of talent is impressive but it remains to be seen whether any of the Senators’ prospects will develop into one of the game’s greats.
- Scott mentioned on the site this morning that the Senators were looking for fans to submit their own ideas for a goal song. If I have to throw my two cents in, I'll throw out Titus Andronicus’ ‘Titus Andronicus Forever’ as a suggestion.
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These details were posted to the Sens facebook page yesterday:
Sens Army, we want your help to select a new goal song for the Ottawa Senators. We want your suggestions for an up-beat, energetic, and interactive song that will bring fans to their feet and kick off the celebration every time the Sens score a goal at home. Just fill out the form below and we'll pick the best ones and put it to a vote.
Now I am definetely one to co-opt a stereo and foist my tunes on the party, so you can see how this would appeal to me (plus democracy is always nice). Although the implications of this voting appear to be a little hazy, like '95 referendum hazy. They are asking for "suggestions" which will then be narrowed down somehow and "put to a vote". Doesn't sound binding to me. Let's just hope all those exercisng their internet rights have good taste, otherwise I'm trusting there exists a benevolent dictator within the organization wise enough to override a populist wave for "BOOM" by P.O.D.
If the Sens have had a trademark goal song the past few years it doesn't spring to mind. Since the rebirth of the organization, t used to exclusively be Trooper's "Raise A Little Hell" but at some point shortly after moving to ScotiaBank Place, they ditched that track. Instead players have chosen their own; your U2 for Alfie, your Van Halen for Foligno, your Big N' Rich for Phillips and your P.O.D. "Boom" for Kuba (it's true!). Whether this new fan chosen tune will replace or compliment that old format remains to be seen.
I think we can all agree originality is important here, so those pining for "Rock and Rock Part 2" best move to Detroit, or San Jose, or Nashville, or New Jersey or Tampa Bay...etc. As for something more current, "Chelsea Dagger" is the song many a rink DJ have lifted from the United Center. No more of this please, the Hawks own that song full stop. The only other time another rink should be playing it is when they're trolling Vancouver. There will surely be some support to go back to Blur 'Song 2" (the default song on the facebook form). I'm all for the old 2D jerseys and our Brass Bonanza the Senators Theme but we don't need to yoo-hoo again.
My song suggestion is one I can guarantee won't win out but I'm going to make a case for it anyway. Feel free to layer goal horn for maximum effect... no comments
During these boring and mundane times, here are a few morsels to satiate your appetite for Ottawa Senators news.
Today the Ottawa Senators released their list of players who will be playing in this fall’s annual rookie camp/tournament that will start on Saturday, September 10th in Oshawa, Ontario.
According to the Senators website, here’s the list of players who are expected to play:
Goaltenders: Robin Lehner (Binghamton - AHL, Ottawa - NHL), Matej Machovsky (Guelph - OHL, Brampton - OHL).
Defencemen: Mark Borowiecki (Clarkson - ECAC, Binghamton - AHL), Jared Cowen (Spokane - WHL, Binghamton - AHL), Eric Gryba (Binghamton - AHL), Jordan Fransoo (Brandon - WHL), Josh Godfrey (South Carolina - ECHL, Hershey - AHL, Chicago - AHL), David Rundblad (Skelleftea - SEL), Patrick Wiercioch (Binghamton - AHL, Ottawa - NHL).
Forwards: Louie Caporusso (Michigan - CCHA), Corey Cowick (Elmira - ECHL, Binghamton - AHL), Jakub Culek (Rimouski - QMJHL), Stephane Da Costa (Merrimack College - Hockey East, Ottawa - NHL), Derek Grant (Michigan State - CCHA, Binghamton - AHL), Wacey Hamilton (Medicine Hat - WHL), Darren Kramer (Spokane - WHL), Stefan Noesen (Plymouth - OHL), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (Gatineau - QMJHL), Andre Petersson (HV 71 - SEL), Shane Prince (Ottawa - OHL), Matt Puempel (Peterborough - OHL), Mark Stone (Brandon - WHL), Mika Zibanejad (Djurgardens - SEL).
From this list, there aren’t (m)any surprises. At least on paper, it looks like this team has everything from goaltending, to a strong D and some good offensive players. Assuming that this team can gel together quickly, it’s the kind of lineup that makes a small road trip to Oshawa seem worthwhile.
If you’re thinking of making the trek to attend the tourney, here is Ottawa’s schedule:
Saturday, Sept. 10: Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa, 2 p.m.; Chicago vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 11: Ottawa vs. Chicago, 2 p.m.; Toronto vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 13: Chicago vs. Pittsburgh, 2 p.m.; Toronto vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Due to the overwhelming response from readers who want to participate in The 6th Sens' Fantasy Hockey Pool, I'm going to have to create two leagues. Thank you to everyone who emailed and asked to participate, you'll be hearing from us shortly. no comments
With the NHL season almost one month away and the number of Twitter followers who have reflected on the awesomeness of our Twitter feed picture, I figured it'd be the opportune time to start encouraging fans to download their very own Paul MacLean 'stache. (Note: to download the GIF, follow this link.) I've also included the 'stache image on the right-hand sidebar on the website.
Once downloaded, fans can pay homage to the new Senators coach by printing it off and taping it to logo that adorns their Senators jerseys.
Get yours today. Spread the news and the 'stache. no comments
For the third consecutive season The 6th Sens will be running a head-to-head rotisserie fantasy hockey league powered by the Yahoo! Fantasy Sports Engine. It will be a 14-team live auction draft. As is the norm, I'm open to suggestions for the number of positions and which stats ought to be considered. (Note: in the past, I've kept it pretty traditional.)
If interested in participating, send us an email (the email address is shown on our website's banner or you can use the email tab located on the website's menu). Entry will probably be a first-come-first-serve basis but if you feel compelled to wax poetic about why you're deserving of a spot, feel free to do that. no comments
It's been a few weeks since Alexei Kovalev felt compelled to slight the Ottawa sports media and throw Cory Clouston under the bus. And in return, the local media guys and Clouston each had their turn to put their two cents in.
And you thought it'd be over?
Well, you thought wrong. In a contrast from last preseason's tilt with Francois Beauchemin, apparently AK27 has to get the last lick in. Here's the latest from Puck Daddy's Russian correspondent Dmitri Chesnokov (@dchesnokov):
Alexei Kovalev on the Canadian media reaction to his words re: beer and not watching hockey: "It means I was right. Otherwise they wouldn't have reacted the way they did. " via sports.ru
[...]
"The Montreal media is more experienced [than Ottawa]; hockey has been there longer, people there understand hockey... If they criticize, they do it for cause. And it Ottawa they criticize regardless of how you play."
Oh it only seems like just yesterday when the Montreal media was espousing their hypothesis that Kovalev's play tapers off when Koivu is in the lineup and Kovalev was critical of the Montreal media for having "a competition between each other and try to twist words, who twisted words better.”
Bryan Murray Talks Technology
Adrian Dater's Sports Illustrated article that discusses how technology has affected the camaraderie amongst NHL teammates features an interesting quote from Bryan Murray:
"There are times I get frustrated, as an older manager," said Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray, 68. "You get on the bus after a game and look back, and all you see are guys on their cellphones. Whether they're calling their agent or a guy on another team, I don't know. It may be to their wife, but more than likely to somebody else. Sometimes it's about getting too much ice time, but most of the time it's about not getting enough ice time or some other issue."
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