Who’s Going Shopping?

 Putting something down on paper prior to the NHL trade deadline is – for the writer/prognosticator – akin to running in front of the thresher. Basically, you’re praying for a peaceful, quiet 24 hours afterwards so that everything you scripted doesn’t get sucked in and becomes dated or obsolete. It

Senators in Search of Consistent Consistency

 A few things popped out of our tackle box this week. Let’s lure up. Fish on!   CONSISTENCY, SUSTAINABILITY The two magic words that will determine whether the Ottawa Senators roll towards their first playoff spot in eight years . . . or not. Pretty simple, eh? It really is

Hope Remains for Senators, but it’s Dimming

 Another pointlessly disappointing post-Christmas slog through winter and spring, or an unexpected turnaround on deck for a franchise much more used to the former? As Tom Jones and Donny Osmond would sing – ‘I’m leavin’ it all up to you.’ Here we are; here we sit, in all-too-familiar territory for

Senators need to avoid slow start (again)

 Heard kind of an odd statement coming out of the mouth of one of my choice hockey insiders this morning. (And one Ottawa Senator fans would take issue with, no doubt). Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada’s Elliotte Friedman relayed to his co-host, Stittsville resident Kyle Bukauskas, that Buffalo –

NHL’s Atlantic Rich with Talent and Troubles

 It’s a relatively quiet time in the National Hockey League. Late August. Camps still a few weeks away. Outside of a Laine trade here, a Blues-Oilers offer sheet tussle there, not a whole heck of a lot rocking on. Hence, the dawning of the month-of-the-lists. TSN’s been at it. So

Ottawa goes Green

 As Kermit the Frog sang – lyrics and melody by Joe Raposo – It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green. And you can sing that one to the Ottawa Senators newest head coach who’s getting nailed with the negative from a large majority of wordsmiths on the team’s main chat board. Like

Ottawa Senators: Rebuild Part II?

 “I think the Senators are going to be a really, really busy team in the off-season.” Hockey’s pre-eminent insider Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet, HNIC) had those words earlier this week and they are all of being the following: Predictable, believable, somewhat alluring to Ottawa fans and somewhat frightening to Ottawa fans.

Wisely Quiet on Senator front

 If there’s one word that encompasses the entirety of newish Ottawa general manager Steve Staios’ short reign, it’d have to be patience. He’s showcased a ton of it through the days and weeks leading up to the hotly awaited National Hockey League trade deadline (3 pm ET, Friday). Staios has

NHL trade deadline a pickle for Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto

 Complex and potentially puzzling are a couple of ways to project the upcoming National Hockey League trade deadline for the three Eastern-based Canadian operations. Take any one of the above descriptions and apply it to your favourite Canadian team around these parts if you want, but you can also and

Tire Fire Reaches Halfway Point

 Fire the general manager, get stiffed on a first-round draft choice, see a top forward sent to NHL purgatory for half a season, put the torch to the inflammable head coach, reassign your flagging goalie coach, watch a promising and potentially break-out year go up in flames early and often.

Under .500 Again? It’s not all on the Coach

 It’s the justification I just don’t get. Ottawa management, yeah the new group, keeps bringing up the suggestion that sending Senators’ head coach D.J. Smith and his crew packing would just simply be . . . a bad idea. The reason? ‘The players have told us there’s already been far

Bad habits just won’t go away – Senators

 Expectations can create resentments? Yep. Especially those darned unfulfilled ones. So when you’re the Ottawa Senators – the new golden child of the National Hockey League’s collective media as well as the club’s jacked and re-juiced fan base – and you watch what came about during the team’s last two