Silver Nuggets: Season over; NHL Central Scouting rankings; Clouston dismissal reaction
Well, this is it everyone. The season is over, it was a painful one to watch, but we had some bright spots at the end. Besides, in a few years when Gary Bettman asks Jason Spezza to come lift the Stanley Cup trophy for Ottawa, we will feel that much better that we stuck around during the dark days of 2010-2011! It is too bad Daniel Alfredsson will almost certainly never win the Stanley Cup, but maybe we can give him one more playoff series next year. Also, he did win Olympic Gold, so there is that. He also won the Swedish Elite League Championship during the 2004-2005 NHL lockout.
What do we have to look forward to? Well tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. is the NHL draft lottery. There is a 74.7% chance we stay at the 5th pick, 17.2% chance we fall to the 6th pick (God help me if Boston wins the lottery and takes our 5th spot) and lastly there is an 8.1% chance that the Senators jump all the way to the first overall pick.
Immediately following the draft lottery tomorrow, at approximately 8:30 p.m., we will hold our Silver Seven Playoff Draft. Later today, I will also post a message for everyone to make their series predictions. The series predictions can be made at any time before 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13.
Lastly, I hope you will all stick around with us for the duration of the NHL playoffs. Each day (well at least the weekdays) I will post Silver Nuggets with various playoff links. Then in the evening, we will have a general open thread for that night's playoff action as well as possible Binghamton discussion.
Here are today's links:
Cory Clouston Dismissal Reaction
- Jason York credits Cory Clouston with the turn around late in the season, but notes that the team struggled when the games meant more earlier in the season. (Sun)
- Clouston's dismissal might have seemed brutally quick, but it is what Clouston wanted. Still could have done better than a lounge at the airport though. (Citizen)
- Murray had decided Clouston's fate around December. Clouston has however received a couple of calls for a new job already. (Sens Extra)
- Bryan Murray really has to get the next coach right. With this being the fourth coach Murray will hire, it really should be the last one he hires before he himself gets the blame. Here is a list of possible candidates. (Citizen)
- Bruce Garrioch has already decided on Bob Hartley as the next coach. (Sun)
- Greg Carvel takes a shot at Brian Elliott and the media on his way out. He also credits Craig Anderson, Ryan Shannon, Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson with the dramatic penalty killing improvement. (Sun)
More after the jump.
General Sens News
- The NHL Central Scouting Bureau released their final rankings. There was a lot of movement with Sean Couturier falling all the way to #6 among North American skaters. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is ranked #1, followed by Gabriel Landeskog at #2, Jonathon Huberdeau at #3, Dougie Hamilton at #4, Nathan Beaulieu at #5. Adam Larsson is the top International prospect. (North American Skaters, International Skaters)
- End of season reaction audio from the players. (Alfredsson, Foligno, Karlsson, Neil, Phillips, Spezza)
- Craig Anderson is looking forward to next year. He thinks if the team can start next year where they left off this year, they will be a playoff team. (Sun)
- Bryan Murray audio in today's wrap-up media conference. (Ottawa Senators)
- Murray would still like to get a top six forward through free agency or a trade. Hopefully it's a young one. (Dan Seguin)
- Jason Spezza did not seem too disappointed at getting a new coach. He would like a coach that lets them have fun on the ice and where there is mutual respect. (Wayne Scanlan)
- For the Ottawa locals, you may run into Daniel Alfredsson this summer. He is staying in Ottawa and is expecting a fourth child next month. (Dan Seguin)
- Erik Karlsson will know in the next seven days if his thigh injury will be sufficiently healed in time to play for Sweden at the World Championships. (Ian Mendes)/