Silver Nuggets: Spezza playing tonight, Lehner has swine flu

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 5, 2009 10:27 AM EST in Silver Nuggets

Here's a look at the day's news for the Ottawa Senators:

Jason Spezza will play tonight on a first line with Milan Michalek and Daniel Alfredsson. Shean Donovan and Jesse Winchester will be healthy scratches.
Big changes tonight up front. Tonight's other forward lines: Kovalev-Fisher-Shannon; Foligno-Regin-Neil; Ruutu-Kelly-Cheechoo.

Prediction panel for tonight's game is close to consensus. (Citizen)
Looks like Jesse Winchester has finished up his conditioning stint in Binghamton and is back in Ottawa. As mentioend above, he's not playing tonight. (Sharp on the Sens)
Jarkko Ruutu's making some waves with his offensive contributions so far this season. (CP)
Nichols takes a pretty cool look at the Senators' giveaway/takeaway ratio, and comments on how that reflects the effectiveness of Cory Clouston's system. Ottawa's best is Jarkko Ruutu (0/5) and the worst is Alex Kovalev (8/2). (The 6th Sens)
The Binghamton Senators got their first shutout of the 2009 calendar year on Wednesday, coming away from Albany with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Cody Bass and Martin St. Pierre plus a 25-save performance from Mike Brodeur. (Press & Sun Bulletin)
Looks like Sens' prospect goaltender Robin Lehner has come down with H1N1 virus. If only he was a Calgary Flames or Toronto Maple Leafs prospect... (Sault Star)
Speaking of the H1N1 vaccine, the Senators aren't jumping any queues, and Daniel Alfredsson has yet to decide whether or not he'll get one--despite a letter from the Swedish Olympic committee suggesting he do so. (Citizen)
And again, speaking of it, Pynch is wondering if the fact that Calgary and Toronto got special treatment for H1N1 shots means they have an unfair advantage over their competition, including particularly the other four Canadian-based teams. (Another Sens Blog)

(Read one more... )

A little late, but Dustin Penner and Andrew Cogliano dressed as Dany Heatley and a "no-trade Claus" (Santa Claus with 'no-trade' written on him) for Hallowe'en. (Oilers On Demand, h/t 6th Sens)

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Comments

Guys, why is Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood’s love not documented as a Silver Nugget? You guys are jerks.

by Mark Parisi on Nov 5, 2009 2:54 PM EST reply actions

Ha! I saw that news posted far too many places. I decided I wasn’t going to bother putting it down anywhere… it just seemed like we’d be dipping into TMZ territory.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 5, 2009 3:44 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, it’s really not newsworthy at all, except that I’m glad they’re a good couple.

by Mark Parisi on Nov 5, 2009 3:51 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I’ve been fighting against posting that. Glad they’re both happy, but… I just don’t like getting involved in personal lives. Unless it’s something to do with why Dany Heatley left town…

If someone felt so inclined to discuss the blossoming romance, they’re welcome to FanPost it. That’s no problem at all.

www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 5, 2009 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

FYI:

The sens schedule widget on the left-hand bar seems to display both the ’08 and ’09 schedules.

by Matthew on Nov 5, 2009 2:55 PM EST reply actions

Thanks Matthew

I’ll get that figured out…

www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 5, 2009 4:18 PM EST up reply actions

Also, holy crap on the projected lines. Hard to believe Clouston would break up Fisher and Alfie considering how solid they’ve been together. I tihnk Shannon’s speed better suits him to play with Spezza and Michalek myself. Chechoo on the 4th line? That’s like $7M worth of guys there! Who here is giddy aboud Foligno-Regin-Neil? I like that line a lot.

by Mark Parisi on Nov 5, 2009 2:57 PM EST reply actions

I agree with the Fisher/Alfie comment – I think that’s a bad move, splitting those two up, seeing as they’ve been Ottawa’s most potent duo.

And yeah, that fourth line got even more overpaid with the addition of Cheechoo, which is kind of hilarious.

I’m sure we’ll see plenty more mixing up of lines as time goes on.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 5, 2009 3:46 PM EST up reply actions

AND WHY IS DONOVAN BENCHED AGAIN!?!?

That’s how this whole losing crap started in the first place.

(Jeff needs to post in more than just GameThreads… )

www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 5, 2009 4:19 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t understand what SheanDon could do to not get benched. He has yet to really do anything to deserve being benched aside from “being old”

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 5, 2009 4:58 PM EST up reply actions

Actually, he’s only 34, so it’s not that he’s old… it’s just that he’s not young.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 5, 2009 5:00 PM EST up reply actions

The fourth line looks a lot better with him.

by Mark Parisi on Nov 5, 2009 5:10 PM EST up reply actions

It’s just that he’s cheap. Which doesn’t make sense to me. Whether he’s dressed or Cheechoo is dressed, they’re still going to get paid their regular salaries…

www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 5, 2009 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

I’m really intrigued by Cheechoo there, though. I mean, that line has created plenty of chances throughout the early going, but Kelly and Dono have some trouble finishing. Cheech has a better release than either, and I think he could work well with Kelly and Ruutu.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 5, 2009 6:01 PM EST up reply actions

I have very similar feelings, Darren. I actually think he might work out well there, but I worry that that line won’t get the minutes they need to be effective. I think the whole team would be better if they’re rolling four lines, but with our march to the box this season, that hasn’t been feasible.

by Mark Parisi on Nov 5, 2009 6:09 PM EST up reply actions