Road Trip Struggles

After what looked to be a turn for the better on Tuesday against St. Louis, the Senators have lost two straight to the Panthers and Lightning while continuing their road trip. It has been a tough situation for the team as we've seen management trying to send a message to the players that they need better results. Over the past few three games Milan Michalek and Zack Smith have been scratched once, while Mika Zibanejad was scratched for two consecutive games, returning to the lineup last night against Tampa Bay.

What is the answer to a better hockey club?

This road trip has brought to light the struggles of the top two forward lines. Kyle Turris and his line have struggled to bring consistent points while the third line (Legwand, Neil, Condra) have combined for seven points in three games. It looks as though after being a go-to scratch, Condra got the message. His play has significantly improved.

There is some good news for Ottawa, though. Goaltending is the farthest thing from an issue. Anderson (9.32 SV%) and Lehner (9.14 SV%) have been the ones keeping the Senators afloat. They have worked as a tandem quite well for the team, and the starts have been split evenly, with a slight tip to Anderson.

Ottawa continues to patiently wait for defenseman Marc Methot to return from injury. There was some speculation that he would be available for the game in Sunrise, but that didn't happen. Struggling defensively, the Senators average 35 shots against per game which puts a lot of pressure on the goaltenders. Although Anderson and Lehner have responded well to the high shot count, Methot is a much needed piece to the puzzle to help that shot count go down, which will effectively give the team more time to develop in the offensive zone.

The bad news, however, does unfortunately keep coming for the Sens. Bobby Ryan left the game early on Friday due to a hand injury which later was determined to be a broken finger. There is no timeline for Ryan, Maclean stated.

“We're anticipating we'll know something by Monday. If he can't practice Monday then we'll probably have some kind of answer at that time.”

The Senators are hoping to see him in the lineup against the Islanders on Tuesday night.

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Pesky Returns

Last season, the Senators developed a name for themselves due to their unrelenting perseverance that had them making several late third period comebacks in games that seemingly looked over. The name, or hashtag, rather, was referred to as the Pesky Sens.

After suffering a 3-2 loss in an afternoon game to St. Louis on Saturday, the Sens visited them Tuesday night with the loss still lingering in their minds. Revenge seemed to be the motivating factor as they pushed through penalties and some questionable disallowed goals to tie the game up at two with 41 seconds left. Since overtime solved nothing, the game went to the shootout where Bobby Ryan scored to win the game for Ottawa. With the win, the Senators proudly reclaimed their title as the Pesky Sens.

Overall, this was one of the best games we've seen from Ottawa all season. Prior to the game, MacLean announced the lineup which brought Condra and Greening in, scratching Michalek and Zibanejad. The scratches certainly took many by surprise, but when asked about the lineup changes after the game, MacLean addressed the situation by referring back to one of his most repeated phrases.

“The best players play”

Although many fans were upset with the lineup, it did look like the Sens had a good group of players in against St. Louis.

Bobby Ryan had a terrific game defensively, and played in a manner that showed he was not going to let the game slip away. Ryan had three shots against St. Louis, and they all seemed to be well generated scoring chances. Hearing the sound of the post seemed to be enough motivation for him to put the game away with his shootout winner.

Erik Condra was brought in after consistently being a healthy scratch, and after his performance, Sens fans should expect to see more of him, especially on this current road trip. As a team that struggles with staying out of the box (suffering eight penalties against St. Louis), they need a penalty killer like Condra in the lineup. He was excellent on the penalty kill, as well as scoring a shorthanded goal that was disallowed. For only recording 9:20 of ice time that night second lowest on the team), he played a terrific game and you couldn't help but notice when he was on the ice.

Another key component in the win against St. Louis was Robin Lehner. Facing 29 shots, he made some key saves for the Senators and kept a levelled head over what turned out to be quite a physical game. In the shootout, he showed lots of patience, stopping all three shots he faced against what is a very talented lineup. The goaltending tandem continues to bring success for Ottawa, as Anderson stands second in the league with a .932 SV%, and Lehner continues to give quality starts.

This game was also the first of the season that they won while outshooting their opponent(33-29). A great confidence booster for the team as they continue a stretch of four away games out of their next five.  

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Contract Controversy Part 2: Marc Methot

For Sens fans, this was nothing short of a great week. After questions surrounding Bobby Ryan's future as a Senator and a captain not yet being named, fans were rewarded with answers on Thursday. An early morning press conference broke the news that Bobby Ryan had decided to sign with the Senators (a seven year deal worth $50.75 million) and that Erik Karlsson had been named the new team captain. 

Hockey fans and reporters alike took to social media immediately to voice their opinions about the exciting news for the Ottawa Senators. Getting geared up for the regular season, these were two big decisions that Ottawa needed to make. There is, however, one big question that has yet to be answered for the Senators. What about Marc Methot?

The Ottawa native has been very popular since he was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 1 of 2012 in exchange for Nick Foligno. He has, for the most part, been the defensive partner to Erik Karlsson, playing more of a physical side to the game which has given the pair quite a spark. Famous for his sneaky hip checks, Methot has become a go to defenseman for the Senators, which is why, as the season draws closer, fans are getting more and more worried.

On Thursday, the Senators reportedly offered Methot a four year deal worth $4.6 million per year that was declined by the defenseman. On Insider Trading (TSN), Bob Mckenzie reported that Methot is looking for a five year deal averaging $5 million per year. So, the question still remains as to whether Methot will resign as an Ottawa Senator, and if they are willing to pay Methot what he is asking for.

In a preseason interview, Bryan Murray was asked about Methot and the situation regarding the eight NHL ready defensemen in the roster,

“Yeah, we have eight defencemen – eight NHL defencemen we think are good players (and are) ready to play. We can’t keep carrying eight all year. There’s no doubt about that. We do have other needs, there’s no question, so if there’s a fit somewhere, definitely. (A trade) is something I have to look at.” - Bryan Murray. TSN.ca. Published: Sept. 15, 2014.

As a top market defenceman at the ripe age of twenty-nine, Methot could very well be on the trading block as the Senators are looking to build on their offence. With the value that Methot has brought to the Senators, they could definitely get a worthwhile return if they decided to trade him, which Bryan Murray has admitted is a very realistic option.

“We just don’t think we’re in the ballpark now right now of where Marc wants to be and there’s a possibility that (a trade) can happen.” - Bryan Murray. TSN.ca. Published: Sept. 15, 2014.

Although Methot has done a great job at keeping quiet about the situation, it doesn't mean it's been going smoothly. As time continues to run out and the beginning of the 2014-2015 season draws closer, the Sens have an urgent decision to make. They may have settled some of the controversy last week, but with the uncertainty of Methot's contract, it still leaves some big questions that are dying to be answered.

Hold on tight Sens fans, you might not be seeing Methot for too much longer.

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Contract Controversy Part 1: Bobby Ryan

As many sports fans know, interviews are very general. It's fairly common for questions to be left unanswered, and for the interviewee to beat around the bush without giving a statement based on the truth. As hockey is on it's way back, TSN hockey analyst Bob Mckenzie sat down with Ottawa Senators General Manager, Bryan Murray, to discuss the ups and downs of last season, as well as the goals for the upcoming year. Surprisingly, that interview brought out an open and honest side of Murray – one that doesn't get seen too often.

After a frustrating season that had them missing the playoffs, the Ottawa Senators are looking for some improvements from their players this year. During the interview, Murray discussed the Senators need to play better defence as well as some more disciplined hockey. However, what got the most attention were the comments made about players Bobby Ryan and Marc Methot, which has caused some controversy in Ottawa. Both players have one year remaining in their contract and have yet to sign a deal to extend their stay with the team.

When asked about Bobby Ryan, Murray commented:

“The impression I get from Bobby and his people or his agents is that he does like Ottawa. He liked, for the most part, living there, being on the Ottawa Senators, the environment, (playing in a) Canadian city, all those good things. He wants to play more minutes. He wants to be more prominent in the core of good players.” - TSN.ca. Published: Sept. 15, 2014.

The Ottawa Senators have offered Ryan a seven year contract with the team, an offer that the twenty-seven year old isn't taking lightly. When approached about the contract offer, Ryan offered his insight,

“If you're hitching your wagon to a team for seven years it's okay to take some time to realize if it's really what you want or not.” - Bobby Ryan. OttawaSenators.com. Published: Sept. 17, 2014.

After that comment was released, it spread like wild fire that Bobby Ryan was questioning whether or not he wanted to stay in Ottawa at all. The drama certainly spread throughout the city of Ottawa, creating some worried Sens fans. The quote, however, was taken out of context. When shown the rest of his statement, it definitely settled down the dramatic rumour that was Bobby Ryan not wanting to stay in Ottawa.

“Everything that I've said and still feel is that I'd love to be here long term. You need some assurance and motivating factor. To not get it done at this early stage isn't a tragedy, we've still got a year to get there. I think everybody is fairly confident that we will.” - Bobby Ryan. OttawaSenators.com Published: Sept. 17, 2014.

Everyone take a breath. He likes it here! Sometimes it can be forgotten that hockey players are human too. Being asked to sign with a team for seven years after only being here a grand total of one season (a season that Ryan might even want to take back with all the things that went wrong) is a big deal and one that Ryan has every right to take some time to think about.

In the big picture, Sens fans have got nothing to worry about with Bobby Ryan, because as he says, he likes it here. A contract will be negotiated at some point this season, the man just wants some well deserved time to make sure this is the right place for him.

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Mika Zibanejad on the Verge of a Breakthrough Year

Last season, Sens fans saw a different looking team. Lots of young guys have been coming up over the last few years, but only a few have really stood out to the management in Ottawa. One of those players is Mika Zibanejad.

After fighting for a spot on the team in training camp last year, Zibanejad was sent down to Binghamton for the start of the season. He played 6 games in the AHL and then was brought back up to the big club and stayed for the rest of the season playing 69 games. In those 69 games, Zibanejad had 16 goals and 17 assists, recording a 33 point season while alternating between playing at right wing and centre. Although not groundbreaking numbers, he definitely stuck out like a sore thumb and was also a go-to-guy during the time of Jason Spezza's injury, filling in at centre alongside Milan Michalek. Averaging 14:19 minutes of ice time last season, one can only speculate that Zibanejad's usage will increase in a big way this year.

As a power forward, Zibanejad has three attributes that have proven most helpful to the Senators and have given him success:

Speed – The guy is fast. It's what makes him a great fit for a centre. He showed many times last season his ability to skate from either end of the ice with ease and great speed. At his young age, this talent has got nowhere to go but up.

Quick Release – Along with having a lot of power behind his shot, Zibanejad's quick release has taken many goaltenders by surprise. In a little flick of the wrist, he has been able to laser the puck top shelf many times.

Positioning – Zibanejad has great positioning, and a great vision for the game. Lots of his goals last season came from him using his speed and good positioning in the offensive zone to effectively put himself in the right place at the right time. 

Although a great asset for the Ottawa Senators, there is still one major hole in his game that Zibanejad needs to find an answer for. Sitting with a plus/minus of minus-15 last season, he must find a way to harness his speed and good positioning to help out in the defensive zone. He definitely has the potential to become a better defensive player in the upcoming season, fighting for the second line centre position. Zibanejad will be given the playing time to develop his skills and try to fix this whole in his game, as well as utilize the attributes that he already possesses.

Fighting for that second line centre spot will be a pivotal moment to Zibanejad's upcoming year, as he can expect his ice time to increase dramatically if he is chosen for the job. Along with that also comes the chance of Zibanejad being involved in the power play and penalty kill, which with his speed and vision, could quite possibly be a reality come October.

Nonetheless, the youngster is gearing up for an exciting year in Ottawa, a year that you won't want to miss. 

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Metropolitan Division Power Rankings

The Metropolitan Division is the most reshaped of the NHL divisions. Many teams made roster moves that will propel them up the standings. But some teams were silent in the offseason, not doing enough to improve and in turn, they could suffer because of it.

The New York Rangers were tops in the East last season after beating out the Montreal Canadiens in six games, but how will they fare this year in a new-look division?

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

Players gained: Thomas Greiss, Christian Ehrhoff, Blake Comeau, Steve Downie, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Spaling

Players lost: James Neal, Jussi Jokinen, Deryk Engelland, Brian Gibbons, Tanner Glass, Brooks Orpik, Matt Niskanen, Joe Vitale

What's there to say about the Pittsburgh Penguins? They've got two of the best players in the world in Crosby and Malkin, and when goaltending's good, they're golden. The problem is, goaltending isn't always top notch in the City of Bridges. Marc Andre Fleury has always given average netminding during the regular season, but average might not cut it this year as the Pens lost Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen, two of their top D men from last season.

What Pittsburgh did do in the offseason, though, is bring depth to their forward group. The loss of James Neal and Jussi Jokinen is a bit hard on the front lines, but they added Nick Spaling and Patric Hornqvist to bring balance to their second and third line. Something the Penguins have always lacked is depth in their bottom six.

2. New York Rangers

Players gained: Matt Hunwick, Tanner Glass, Dan Boyle, Mike Kostka

Players lost: Brad Richards, Benoit Pouliot, Stu Bickel, Anton Stralman, Brian Boyle

The Rangers parted ways with quite a few quality talents during the summer. Brad Richards, though he didn't quite live up to his contract, and Benoit Pouliot will be missed. The Rangers didn't really sign anyone in the summer to improve their offense and with the departure of two key forwards, there's going to be even more pressure for Rick Nash to have a bounce back year. The 30-year old winger had a less than stellar season last year and his ability to shake it off and lead this team offensively will be a big part of the Rangers' success.

But even if Nash can't return to form, last we checked, Henrik Lundqvist is still Henrik Lunqvist, so the Rangers are probably going to be fine.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets

Players gained: Brian Gibbons, Jerry D'Amigo, Scott Hartnell

Players lost: R.J. Umberger, Vaclav Prospal, Matt Frattin, Blake Comeau, Nick Shultz, Derek MacKenzie

Even though they didn't make it past the first round, the Blue Jackets (and their fans) were outstanding in the playoffs. One would think that trend would carry over to the next season and one would probably be right. With Sergei Bobrovsky always solid in net, and Scott Hartnell being added to an already deep forward lineup, the Jackets are looking good.

Their defence is also a strong suit. Columbus already has an elite defensive grouping with Fedor Tyutin, James Wisniewski and Jack Johnson, but they will be getting even stronger this season as 20-year old Ryan Murray is ready for a full season in the NHL after playing most of last year.

A return to the playoffs is expected.

4. Washington Capitals

Players gained: Justin Peters, Brooks Orpik, Matt Niskanen

Players lost: Tom Poti, Mikhail Grabovski

Brayden Holtby is going to have to bounce back for the upcoming season in order for the Capitals to have a shot at the playoffs. Last season, Holtby recorded his worst numbers since entering the league in the 2010-11 season.

There may be a bit of skepticism in the goaltending department, but the defence only got stronger in the offseason. The Caps picked up a pair of Pittsburgh blueliners in Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen. While Orpik brings a noticeable physical presence, Niskanen's skill will go well with Mike Green on the power play.

Oh, and Alex Ovechkin still scores a ton of goals. So, no problem upfront.

5. New Jersey Devils

Players gained: Mike Cammalleri, Martin Havlat, Scott Clemmensen

Players lost: Anton Volchenkov, Mark Fayne

Realistically, the New Jersey Devils should have made the playoffs last year. Missing out by 5 points while going 0-13 in the shootout is an absolute tragedy. Luckily though, the upcoming season is looking even more promising than last year's. No longer will the Devils have to deal with Martin Brodeur. Yes, Brodeur has been outstanding for the Devils for so many years, but he's no longer an elite goaltender. With Marty out of the picture, the focus can switch completely over to Cory Schneider. Goalie controversy: fixed.

Not suprisingly, Jaromir Jagr, the ageless wonder, will be back for another season and he will play forever it may be his last. With the signing of Mike Cammalleri, the Devils also added some speed and talent to their well-built offense.

6. New York Islanders

Players gained: Jack Skille, Harry Zolnierczyk, T.J Brennan, Nikolai Kulemin, Mikhail Grabovski, Jaroslav Halak, Chad Johnson

Players lost: Evgeni Nabokov

For the Islanders, the improvements are obvious. Evgeni Nabokov is gone and Jaroslav Halak is now the starting goalie. Huge improvement. The Isles also brought in Chad Johnson, who had a great year backing up Tuukka Rask with the Boston Bruins. Respectably, Johnson posted a 2.10 GAA and a .925 SV% last season, more than impressive numbers for a No.2 goalie.

With the signing of Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski, the Islanders now have depth to their forward lineup. For so long, John Tavares was the only notable talent on offense. But now, with the emergence of Kyle Okposo and the addition of Kulemin and Grabovski, these Islanders are developing a strong and dependable forward corps.

The defence, on the other hand, is a different story.

7. Philadelphia Flyers

Players gained: Zack Sortini, Blair Jones, Nick Schultz, Michael Del Zotto

Players lost: Steve Downie, Tye McGinn, Scott Hartnell

With the Kimmo Timonen injury, the Flyers will be without one of their solid veteran defensemen, leaving Mark Streit to be relied upon even more. Steve Mason will also have also have a lot of pressure on him to have a repeat year, as he was nothing but superb for Philly during the regular season and playoffs. R.J. Umberger also has big shoes to fill after being swapped for Scott Hartnell. Hartnell had 18 more points than Umberger last season. Big shoes.

The Flyers are also in trouble with the new salary cap. Currently, they are almost $5 million over the limit, and it doesn't help that they are overpaying Vincent Lecavalier, paying a retired Chris Pronger, and paying Kimmo Timonen to sit in the press box.

8. Carolina Hurricanes

Players gained: Drew MacIntyre, Jay McClement, Tim Gleason

Players lost: Manny Malhotra, Justin Peters

The Carolina Hurricanes are going to be a mess this season. Their starting goalie, Cam Ward, had a horrendous season last year. The 30-year old netminder was 47th and 46th in the league for SV% and GAA. Maybe it's time Anton Khudobin took over. Just a suggestion.

With the Staal brothers also having awful years, the Hurricanes are going to be in trouble if they can't turn it around before October. Eric was a minus-13 last season, the second lowest plus/minus of his career. He also had his fewest point total (full season) since entering the NHL in 2003.

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New and Familiar Faces in Leaf Land

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ additions this offseason were rather small and not especially news worthy. However, they do provide the team with some attributes that they have lacked for the past few years: depth, veteran presence, and defensive stability.

When looking deeper into the projected forward lines the changes don’t start until you look to the third line.

James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel

Joffrey Lupul - Nazem Kadri - David Clarkson

Leo Komarov - Petri Kontiola - David Booth

Daniel Winnik - Mike Santorelli - Matt Frattin

With the return of former Leafs Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin, Toronto fans can be reassured that their bottom six will be both tough to play against, and productive in the offensive zone.

Freshly recovered thruster David Booth, should remind fans of the Mason Raymond signing of last year. It is a one-year, low risk deal that could pay dividends if the three-time twenty-goal scorer can get back to the game he played with the Florida Panthers.

When looking to the defensive side of the bench, there are only two new names to the squad: Stephane Robidas, and the large, punishing Roman Polak.

Dion Phaneuf - Stephane Robidas

Jake Gardiner - Cody Franson

Morgan Rielly - Roman Polak

While the thirty-seven-year old Robidas adds a sense of veteran presence that Toronto has lacked in the recent past, he also provides support and a likely partner for captain Dion Phaneuf, with the exit of former D partner Carl Gunarsson. The acquisition of Stephane Robidas should allow Phaneuf to assume a more physical role and provide much needed offensive support from the blue line.

Roman Polak however, appears to be the more impacting move, as he brings a plethora of physicality, speed, skating ability, and a respectable -7 plus/minus in 424 NHL games. Whether if he is paired with Morgan Reilly, or Jake Gardiner, Polak will stabilize the bottom four of the defensive unit. With Gardiner and Reilly both rapidly maturing and improving, and Korbinian Holzer developing, it appears as though the Maple Leafs finally have a degree of depth and stability on defense.

Leafs president Brendan Shanahan commented on the trade for Polak saying, “I’ve watched him play and I’m incredibly impressed with a guy that size and with that skating ability. I reached out to a couple of teams after the deal was done and asked what they liked and they said his speed. But he will make guys pay a price, too. He’s an element we don’t have in Toronto.”

With no changes in net, the Leafs maintain one of the best “bang-for-your-buck” goaltending duos in Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer. If they are able to coexist with minimal controversy, this combination could result in a large number in the wins column.

The upcoming 2014-2015 season should excite fans, while the additions from this past summer should have an immediate impact on the Maple Leafs’ starting lineup.

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