Silver Nuggets: So far, so good, so what?

So, a half-hearted Ottawa Senators group beat a half-talented Winnipeg Jets group.

So, Ottawa's AHL squad is better than the Calgary Flames' NHL squad.

Erik Karlsson got two points without really trying.

Buddy Robinson has two goals while really trying.

Bobby Ryan scored a shooter's goal, Clarke MacArthur scored on a sweet one-timer, Cory Conacher is all over the ice, and Stephane Da Costa looks like Adam Oates again.

It doesn't matter. Ottawa's record is 0-0-0.

To call the preseason meaningless would be an insult to guys like Ivan Turgenev and Søren Kierkegaard. Everything we see must be taken into context. Senators fans don't even have to look outside the team's own recent history, with players like Brandon Bochenski, Peter Regin, and Nick Foligno to know useful preseason performance is in predicting regular season success: It's not.

What's going on here is not much more than guys trying to find chemistry with each other, get their timing back, and not get hurt. The players who are battling for roster spots are putting in maximum effort (unless they're Alex Kovalev) but that doesn't guarantee they'll get to keep them. Just ask Mark Borowiecki.

Maybe the Senators go 8-0-0 in the preseason and we get giddy about how good the team looks, but if we do, we're just fooling ourselves. The preseason doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter.Let's keep that in mind before we go planning any parades or awarding any trophies.

Except for Erik Karlsson.

Sens Links

• Silver Seven's own Amelia L looks at how general manager Bryan Murray has put his own stamp on the Ottawa Senators, and how his past had given us a clue exactly what that stamp would be. A must-read. [S7S]
• A recap of last night's "game." [Senators Extra]
• If you're a more visual person, Kevin Lee has GIFs of the action. [Bonk's Mullet]
• Jared Cowen is glad the contract negotiation is over, because he didn't enjoy it. I also would not enjoy getting $12 million. [SE]
• Varada waits until hockey is actually being played to talk about Eugene Melnyk's casino odyssey. [WTYKY]
• Curtis Lazar signed his ELC today, a good sign that the team doesn't think he's that far off. [SE]
• Luke looks Jason Spezza's career path. [RBM]
• Some of Ottawa's fringe players will need to clear waivers to be sent down to Binghamton. Uh oh. [6th Sens]

NHL Links

• Great to see the league taking player safety seriously, as the Los Angeles Kings' Jordan Nolan is not suspended for his hit on Phoenix Coyotes' defenseman Rostislav Klesla, but the Coyotes' Paul Bissonnette is suspended 10 games for leaving the bench to join the scrum that happened afterwards. [NHL] [NHL]
• Cory Schneider couldn't have a had a better debut for the New Jersey Devils, so of course Martin Brodeur is name the opening night starter. [NJ.com] [Twitter]
• The Senators' Tim Thomas respite has ended, as he signed a tryout with the Florida Panthers. Thomas is expected to sign with the team. [Pro Hockey Talk]
• Sean Couturier looks to bounce back from a tough season. Brace yourselves for more Couturier-Mika Zibanejad comparisons if he starts to do well. [PHT]
• The Columbus Blue Jackets' Ryan Johansen got benched in the AHL last year. Buy low, GMBM! Buy low! [Columbus Dispatch]
• Brooks Orpik has nothing to say about a new contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Probably because he knows they don't have the money to pay him and it's his last year with the team. [PHT]

More from Silver Seven:

• Context and the Career of Bryan Murray
• Senators by the Numbers: #36
• Senators beat Jets 3-1 in first pre-season game
• Ottawa Senators name Jason Spezza as new captain
• Senators sign RFA Jared Cowen to 4-year, $12.4M deal/