Silver Nuggets: Alfredsson healthy; Hopes for season
by Adnan on Aug 2, 2011 1:00 PM EDT
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It was a glorious long weekend full of lots of sleeping and some sci-fi. I finished Stargate: SG1, all 10 seasons (no, not all this weekend) and the two DVD movies! Next up? Stargate: Universe. Sci-fi is great, yes?
Here are today's links:
- As you may have heard, Daniel Alfredsson was kicking ass at a charity tennis tournament, so his back is looking fine. Between Alfie, Mika Zibanejad having to choose between hockey and tennis, and Erik Karlsson playing tennis with Jarkko Ruutu, the Sens have quite a few tennis fans. Move over Robin Soderling! (Ottawa Citizen)
- Senshot asks what are we expecting from the Senators this season? There will be a lot of interesting story lines, with a new coach, a new look lineup and a lot of young players. (Senshot)
- With Mika Zibanejad and Erik Karlsson having joined twitter (although Karlsson sadly deleted his account within a few days), here is a look at how careful athletes have to be in their 140 characters. (Ottawa Citizen)
- The future of the Islanders in Long Island is uncertain after voters rejected $400 million in public funding for a new arena in a referendum last night. Les Islandiques de Quebec? (TSN)
- Shea Weber will go into an arbitration hearing after he failed to reach an agreement with the Nashville Predators by today's 8 a.m. deadline. (USA Today)
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Who in the East will we be better than?
I’ve got us better than Florida, Winnipeg and the Isles… but nobody else.
Even those are maybes
The Islanders is a probably, but I could see Winnipeg being better than us, and I’d be surprised if Florida wasn’t better than us in the standings.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 2, 2011 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, of course. And predicting the NHL, more than any other league I think, is a bit of a fool’s game. But you really think we could finish up last in the conference?
Well, I'm sure we COULD
But no, I don’t really think we will.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 2, 2011 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Better than last year
- Goal-tending
- Healthy Alfie
- Spezza 2.0
- Defensive depth
- Youthful enthusiasm
I think we will definitely be better than last year.
Regardless, they’ll be fun to watch.
by anothersensfan on Aug 2, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Only two of those could be better.
Spezza 2.0 could just be a mirage brough on by no-pressure hockey.
I can easily see Spezza “Trying to do too much” for the new coach and doing his individualistic crap again. I don’t think MacLean has the autonomy to sit Spezza or any of the older core if they perform below bar, just a hunch.
Goaltending, again could be a mirage. We don’t know how e will do when teams are really fighting for points. Wait and see.
Defensive depth could struggle; new coach, new players.
Alfie healthy should be legit and the enthusiasm will be there for sure until the library-like atmosphere at Scotiabank Place wears on their souls.
I’ll be an optimist and say 2.5…Alfie, enthusiasm, goaltending.
by Quizzical Quorum on Aug 2, 2011 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions
If only we were as motivated as Habs fans. We could fill the starting all star line up with Senators
X? – Spezza – Alfie
Phillips – Karlsson
Anderson
…
It’s sad when I can’t think of a LW that would even stand a chance. Michalek? Filatov? Damn.
Ha, Filatov has a better chance than Phillips to be an all-star
An Ottawa Senators supporter in Toronto, Ontario. I am cool like that.
Motivated doesn't cure ailments, though
With those two, the only thing that could slow them down is injuries. In both cases, injuries are far from unlikely.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 3, 2011 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Florida is going to suprise a lot of people
Winnipeg was really good for a portion of last year, just their kids getting better will help a lot. The Islanders should also be a lot better, + they’re getting Nabby, so the goaltending is going to be vastly improved from last year.
I wouldn’t be suprised to see us dead last in the East, and thats ok with me. As long as the kids are learning and developing, there is a bright future ahead.
But I wouldn’t be shocked if we finished ahead of Carolina, Montreal, Toronto, New Jersey either. It’s not more likely than unlikely, but they are not exactly miles ahead of us.
Who would predicted we’d finish 5th last overall last year right?
An Ottawa Senators supporter in Toronto, Ontario. I am cool like that.
I think I’d be shocked if the Sens finished above any of those (other than Toronto, but I still expect them to do better than the Sens). In particular, I fully expect New Jersey and Carolina to do much better than the Sens.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
I don't think the Islanders will move anywhere
Wang has said they’ll honour their lease, so that’s no move until at least 2015. Even then, I’d be surprised if another owner wouldn’t look at the New York market and see something with a lot of potential.
The Islanders have a lot of history in the league. I think they’ll probably stay where they are.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 2, 2011 1:09 PM EDT reply actions
If they do move...
…I say it has to be to Alexandria Bay, NY so they can be the New York 1,000 Islanders. Of course, they’d have to change the orange to be slightly more vomit-like, but they could also have the only NHL stadium with a boat dock. It’s foolproof!
Isles to Brooklyn
I don’t think the NHL would want the Isles to move out of the area. The most logical thing is for them to play in the new Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. I was initially thinking that would confuse the whole Long Island bit for the team, but upon doing some geographical research it turns out Brooklyn is actually on the island and according to Google Maps is only 40 minutes away from the existing arena. It’ll probably screw a good portion of the teams fanbase given Nassau is more central, but at least the team would still be in the region.
After looking into it the move to Brooklyn almost makes too much sense, I’m sure the NHL will bugger it up somehow.
Yeah, Puck Daddy just wrote about that
The new arena in Brooklyn is smaller than even the MTS Centre, so I doubt they’ll head there.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 2, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Sad thing for Islanders
It’s probably quicker taking the train in to Manhattan to see a Rangers game than going to Brooklyn for the Long Island fans.
I'd feel for the Isles fans if they suddenly had to cheer for their rival Rangers
It’d be like Ottawa being relocated and us cheering for Toronto. That said, I’d probably cheer for the same team, no matter the location
Difficult to make predictions
This is the first time in a long time that I really have no idea what to think of the upcoming season for the Senators. Last year many thought the team would stay in and around the 5th spot in the east and make the playoffs, some even thought they would dominate… and they ended up in the basement of the league.
This season many think the Sens will probably finish in the bottom 10 of the league, so whose to say that those predictions wont be wrong as well. You really never know in this league.
Of course like most Sens fans I’m keeping my expectations low while we wait for the young guys to develop and settle into the league. Going into a season this way seems to be a lot less stressful :)
I think our success this year begins and ends with Craig Anderson
If he’s above average, we’ll do better. If he’s not, we’re battling for the 1st overall pick.
Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs
Probably not that bad
But I agree Anderson’s play will be the tipping point.
by anothersensfan on Aug 2, 2011 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, remember how bad the team looked in the two games Anderson was pulled in last year
Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs
Bingo
With a mobile back end, the team should be able to generate enough offense to keep most games close as long as they don’t have to worry about the puck ending up in the back of their own net every time they make a mistake. Confidence in your teams goaltending is extremely important. If they lose confidence in Anderson, it’s going to be a very long season.
With all that being said, it's not a major worry of mine
Anderson has an incredibly strong command of his own zone, in my opinion. I thought he communicated extremely clearly with his defensemen and that went a long way towards their improved play once he came on board. I think his communication skills are going to be a benefit for our young defensemen, including Karlsson, that no one’s really talking about.
We have guys capable of putting the puck in some very tight spaces. If they trust Anderson’s read of the play, they gain a half a second they don’t have to spend trying to read it on their own. At the NHL level, that time is the difference between a forechecking turnover and a breakout.
Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs
Agreed
Obviously goaltending can be a difference maker on any team. I think the fact that we have a legit back-up in Auld will be key next season. We no longer have two back up quality goalies fighting for a spot. Now each goalie knows their role and where they stand. Even if Anderson has a bad game here and there or has to miss some games, Auld can fill in and provide solid goaltending when need be. It worked with McElhinney, and I’m confident it will work with Auld too.
I read the Citizen's article on Twitter
I hate to say it, but Down Goes Brown’s take on that a year or so ago was pretty damn funny.
A Goal Horn Haiku
Hoooonk hoooonk honk honk hooooonk
That's the sound the train horn makes
Suck it, Toronto
Why do you hate to say it?
DGB is great.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
Seriously
Kels is awesome.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 2, 2011 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Im very optimistic
I’d be lying to myself if i said that Ottawa isnt maikng the playoffs so i say an 8th or 7th finish
Good for you!
Sure beats the people voting for as long as we try. ;) I only put that in as a joke damn it!
* shakes a fist at them *
An Ottawa Senators supporter in Toronto, Ontario. I am cool like that.
Yea, why not.
Why can’t we develop our young players, have fun, make mistakes and still make the playoffs? Oh please, let me have the cake and eat it too. Last place be damned. Kuba, we need you for the playoff run.
This is what i was looking for
Optimism for a playoff run GO SENS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best thing
about watching the Sens now, is that while I’m hopeful they’ll surprise us with how well they do, it’s not an expectation. I’m just happy to have them be exciting again.
by Pmoron on Aug 3, 2011 3:54 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I chose "watch our young guys develop"
And if that’s a playoff run? Sure. If that’s 0.500 hockey, then that’s okay too. As long as they don’t give up half way through the game, play 60 minutes of hockey, full 200 ft of ice etc etc.
insert sports cliches here
Take it one game at a time?
Don’t try to do much? Keep it simple? Get the puck in deep? Drive to the net? Off the glass and out?
An Ottawa Senators supporter in Toronto, Ontario. I am cool like that.
Play our game?
Good things happen when you shoot the puck?
Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs
Play for your teammates,
work hard, play it one shift at a time, win the individual battles in the corners and the offense will take care of itself, yada, yada.
Come to think of it, there are very few eloquent hockey players like Dryden or Steve Nash for the NBA. Remember Jacques Martin? He started every answer with “I thod we played well tonight…”
Love the optimism in the comments here.
That’s maybe the only great thing about being a hockey fan in August: Every team has a shot.
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