On the Topic Of Alfredsson's Departure

At the end of the day, you cannot blame Daniel Alfredsson.

The emotion of everything that has happened today with the news that Alfredsson is leaving the Ottawa Senators for the Detroit Red Wings; the thing lost in all of this has to be the idea that with the departure of Alfredsson, they actually need to have someone pick up the pieces for contribution. It's a time for Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek, and the other players to step up their game and hopefully find a way to stay healthy in order to contribute more.

Not only that, the void left in the locker room for the Senators is something that won't be as easily replaced as the scoring contribution. For a core of young players, it's a huge hit in trying to turn to someone, but for guys like Erik Karlsson, it will make them grow up a little more and actually learn to become a leader and get the experience by being fed to the fire. Not only that, it'll be a big thing for Paul MacLean to be the motivator that he has shown off to the world with his Jack Adams Trophy campaign this past season.

Yet, the biggest sign this signing to Detroit brings is that Alfredsson doesn't believe himself to be the primary contributor to the Ottawa Senators, as he was being called upon to do. Getting up there with age, it just shows that Alfredsson is at the point of his career where he wants to be able to ride shotgun and let the others actually be the superstars of the team and he can lay back and be the secondary scoring and the leader on the ice by example.

With this, the Red Wings will get some experience they have lost in the past few years with the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, and the like. Alfredsson's voice is something that's respect around the league and is someone who could teach Henrik Zetterberg how to be a leader off the ice, as well as on. Sure, the teaching of that is often futile, but if Zetterberg is willing to learn a thing or two from Alfredsson; it couldn't hurt to get some pointers here and there.

Plus, they get a little bit of consistency out of Alfredsson, who won't bring big goals or assists; but all of his points are very timely and will add more punch to the second power play unit, especially on a big one-timer chance. While it may not completely fill the void and drop-off from Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk's points contribution; Alfredsson could give a shot in the arm to the top-six guys.

Most importantly is what the fans of the Senators will do when they meet their new division rival Red Wings this season. They will be mad, regardless of what Alfredsson says his reasons are for leaving Ottawa. The wounds of this signing is going to be hard to make heal with time or at all. I'm sure long after Alfredsson has retired, he will be welcomed back by the Ottawa faithful as Mr. Senator-- but for now, there's bitterness, tears, and a lost feeling trying to find out what went wrong between the Sens and Alfie.

Thanks for Coming Out, 2013 Ottawa Senators

The last Canadian team is out of the NHL playoffs and they extend the Stanley Cup drought for the nation to 20 years. Of course, this Senators team as a 7th seed would have been one of the most unlikely teams out there to take the Cup, but even with an injury riddled roster through the season, they were still good enough to actually make the playoffs thanks to a big enough point lead built between themselves and others.

Yet, the biggest question will be whether or not Daniel Alfredsson will come back for one last hurrah. His actions after Game Four (picking up the puck at the end, doubting a comeback) were blown out of proportions (shock), but it could be the inevitable ending to a storied career of a franchise player. Sticking with the Senators through thick and very thin-- Alfredsson will probably leave, passing the torch to Jason Spezza and hoping that his body can hold up to taking that franchise tag.

Overall, though, this is a pretty young team with a lot of unknown names to those who didn't spend a lot of time studying the Northeast Division all that much. While Spezza, Kyle Turris, and Milan Michalek are recognizable names to most; the new breed of Cory Conacher, Colin Greening, and Jakob Silfverberg are going to start making a name and if Ottawa can hold onto them, could prove to be a huge home-grown revival for the team. Add Mika Zibanejad and Jean-Gabriel Pageau to the mix of young guns and this is a team that's loaded....so long as they stay together.

Defensively, this Sens team is Erik Karlsson's as he has been brought up well by Chris Phillips and Sergei Gonchar in order to get him accustomed to the NHL game. His quick adaptation (and healing powers) is something that will help him lead other young guys like Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercioch. Much like the forwards, the defense has a chasing of the guard coming, but luckily have the right parts in place in order to make it a smooth transition.

Goaltending is solid, with Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner being the tandem going down the road. One of the things will be how much time Lehner will get with Anderson healthy for a full slate of games. The development of Lehner has been up and down, but it seems it's finally settling in for now.

A young team that has somewhat overachieved in the last two seasons, but building blocks for the future is what the focus is on now. With Paul MacLean being a solid coach for the young guys, the Sens should be able to get even better, though they'll have a lot more competition in the new divisional setting.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Martin Prusek

For most of the AGMs, they aren't that successful and fade away after the hype. However, this week's was probably one of the more solid back-ups in recent memory, but just seemed to get shuffled out. Along with his ability to succeed back in his native country-- he decided to not play the logjam game and take it away from the NHL. This week, the profile of Martin Prusek.

Prusek began his career in his native Czech Republic with HC Vitkovice in the 1994-95 season and would play 256 games for them from the 1994-95 season until the 2000-01 season, as well as having stints with the Czech national team as a spare goal in the World Hockey Championships in 1997 through 1999, where he received two Bronze medals and a Gold.

During his time playing in his homeland, Prusek was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1999 Draft and he would come over to North America for the 2001-02 season. During that season, Prusek spent most his time with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, posting a 18-8-5 record in 33 games, then going 2-3 in the post-season. Prusek's first season in North America was great as he was AHL First Team All-Star, shared the Hap Holmes Award for fewest goals against with Simon Lajeunesse and Mathieu Chouinard, as well as winning the Baz Bastien Award for AHL's Outstanding Goaltender. The only game that Prusek played in Ottawa that season was a loss.

Trying to match the success in 2002-03 would mostly be done in Ottawa, as Prusek compiled a 12-2-1 record in 18 games as Patrick Lalime's back-up, while then going 1-2-1 in four games with the AHL's Binghamton Senators. Prusek's only full season in Ottawa would be in the 2003-04 season and he would put together a 16-6-3 record in 29 games.

During the 2004-05 lockout, Prusek went home to play with HC Vitkovice for 14 games before he was loaned out to HC Znojmo for eight games. In those 22 games, Prusek combined for a 2.44 GAA during that time, though no records have been put out there.

When the NHL return, Prusek returned to the NHL but with the Columbus Blue Jackets, whom he signed with in the summer of 2005. However, a logjam in Columbus' net caused Prusek to play in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, finishing 12-7-1 in 23 games, while when he got up to Columbus-- he put up a 3-3-0 record in nine appearances.

Seeing himself getting pushed out, Prusek opted for the Russian Super League in the 2006-07 season with SKA St. Petersburg for 22 games that season, before returning to his home club in HC Vitkovice in the 2007-08 season for 45 games. In the 2008-09 season, Prusek joined the newly renamed KHL and played for 22 games with Spartak Moscow and 20 games for Dynamo Riga, while playing the 2009 World Championships with the Czech and went 2-1-0 in three appearances. Prusek returned to Dynamo Riga in the 2009-10 for 28 games before he would move back home.

During the 2010-11 season, Prusek started to suffer some ailments in his chest and it was revealed that Prusek had carditis, which is an inflamation of the heart and the muscles around it. Prusek only played two games with HC Vitkovice that season before retiring.

Prusek immediate was offered and took the goaltending coach position for HC Vitkovice, where he is today. He also has his hand in a European equipment company called M4G Hockey.

One of the more incredible back-ups for his time, it seemed that while he could have had a spot-- Prusek went to the familiar of overseas and knew he'd actually be able to find a spot and succeed in that position. With a 19 game over .500 record in the NHL, who knew what he could have done with a solid starting chance.

Stamkos, Reimer, Bryzgalov Highlight Early Saturday Games

Drew Stafford celebrates his game winner

1st Star: Drew Stafford, BUF: Game-winning goal, 1 assist
2nd Star: Chris Kunitz, PGH: 2 goals
3rd Star: Steve Ott, BUF: 1 goal

Drew Stafford goal three minute into over time helped the Sabres win their opening night tilt. While M-A Fleury had a 38 save night, it was not enough for the Penguins.

1st Star: James Reimer, TOR: 30 saves
2nd Star: Matt Frattin, TOR: 2 goals
3rd Star: Mikhail Grabovski, TOR: 1 goal, 1 assist

James Reimer put the summer goalie coach quarrel behind him and put up a 30 save performance while Matt Frattin took over the game early for the Leafs, helping take down their long-time rival.

1st Star: Marcus Johansson, WSH: 2 goals
2nd Star: Kyle Turris, OTT: 1 goal, 1 assist
3rd Star: Sergei Gonchar, OTT: 2 assists

Daniel Alfredsson's goal late in the third helped the Senators get past the Capitals and Braden Holtby. Though Marcus Johansson had a great game for the Caps, Craig Anderson was too much for the rest of the Caps, stopping the other 30 shots he faced.

1st Star: Tyler Seguin, BOS: 1 goal
2nd Star: Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ: 2 goals
3rd Star: Patrice Bergeron, BOS: 1 goal

A highlight goal from Rich Perverley and Patrice Bergeron helped the Bruins beat the Devils. Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots in the winning effort, while Ilya Kovalchuk's offense was the bright spot for the Devils in the game.

1st Star: Ilya Bryzgalov, PHI: 32 saves
2nd Star: Wayne Simmonds, PHI: 1 goal
3rd Star: Danny Briere, PHI: 1 goal

Even without much goal support, Ilya Bryzgalov came up big to help the Flyers win their first two games of the season, getting a good showing from his defense, as well. Newcomer Brad Boyes had the lone tally for the Islanders.

1st Star: Steven Stamkos, TB: 2 goals

2nd Star: Stephen Weiss, FLA: 1 goal
3rd Star: Vincent Lecavalier, TB: 1 goal

With a new goalie in net, the Lightning broke open the scoresheet with Steven Stamkos getting his scoring touch back with two goals, including an open net. Anders Lindback faced 32 shots and saved 30 of them for his first win with his new team.

Habs Take First Step Out Of Cellar; Flyers Picking Up Pieces

Opening Face-Off of the 2013 NHL '94 Season

1st Star: Rene Bourque, MTL: 2 goals

2nd Star: Max Pacioretty, MTL: 1 goal

3rd Star: Milan Michalek, OTT: 1 goal

The Ottawa Senators tried to regain the surprising status they had last season, trying to build off their momentum. However, Rene Bourque put up two goals and lifted the Canadiens to their first victory again under Michel Therrien by the 5-3 score. Carey Price stopped 28 of the 31 shots the Sens threw at him, as well as tallying an assist. Down the ice, Craig Anderson saw 40 shots and stopped 36 and didn't get much help as the Senators kept getting into penalty trouble, thus the barrage of shots. 

1st Star: David Krejci, BOS: 2 goals

2nd Star: Claude Giroux, PHI: 1 goal, 1 assist

3rd Star: Scott Hartnell, PHI: 1 goal, 1 assist

Both Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers try to expand from last season with a 3-2 win over the Bruins. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 32 in the victory, trying to rebuild his trust with the Philadelphia Faithful. The first start of the Tuukka Rask era in Boston was a bit shaky, but he stopped 33 shots and got help from David Krejci's two goals-- but came up short in the end. 

Danny Briere pots the first goal of the Flyers' season

Absurd Goalie Monday: Mike Bales

This week's AGM isn't one you would think of because....well it was a career marred in downside rather than upside. It wasn't until he was on another continent for him to reach a top potential. While his North American career started bad and had a few bright spots-- after he left the strain of the NHL hopes, he was able to actually show his true worth. This week, the profile of Mike Bales.

Bales started off his career with the Saskatchewan Junior League's Estevan Bruins, playing in 44 games with a 4.90 GAA; but it was good enough to get him onto The Ohio State University Buckeyes starting in the 1989-90 season where he would go 6-13-2 in 21 games. The Boston Bruins selected Bales in the fifth round, but Bales stayed with the Buckeyes for the 1990-91 season, posting an 11-24-3 record, then in the 1991-92 season; Bales put up an 11-20-5 record for the Buckeyes, leaving school after that season.

In the 1992-93 season, Bales went pro and would play mostly for the AHL's Providence Bruins as he would put together a 22-17-0 record; then going 0-2 in the playoffs, while also playing in a game for the Bruins in relief of John Blue, but did not factor in the decision. Bales stayed in Providence for the 1993-94 season, but have a dismal season with a 9-15-4 record.

Bales signed on with the Ottawa Senators in the summer of 1994 and he would be placed with the PEI Senators for most of the 1994-95 season, posting a 25-16-3 record, as well as a 6-3 playoff record, though they would lose in the division semi-finals. Bales also appeared in a relief appearance for Ottawa that season-- not a factor for the win or loss. The 1995-96 season had Bales in the carousel for the Ottawa Senators goaltending, playing 20 games while going 2-14-1 while facing a barrage of shots-against. In PEI that season, Bales lost both games he appeared in. For the 1996-97 season, Bales was in the AHL, but for the Baltimore Bandits finishing the year with a 13-21-8 record in 47 games, while losing the only game he appeared in with Ottawa.

The Buffalo Sabres signed Bales for the 1997-98 season, but would put him in the AHL for the Rochester Americans where Bales would play in 39 games and go 13-19-5 record.

Bales then moved to the Dallas Stars organization, playing for their IHL affiliate of the Michigan K-Wings starting in the 1998-99 season; posting an 11-17-3 record that season and then a 9-9-5 record in 25 games during the 1999-2000 season. The Stars moved their affiliate to the Utah Grizzlies, as Bales would play 50 games in the 2000-01 season and compile a 22-19-3 record.

With no chances in North America, Bales moved to Great Britain for the 2001-02 season with the Belfast Giants in the British Elite League, playing in 34 games, posting a 2.31 GAA, and winning Best Goaltender Award, as well as making the First Team All-Stars.

Bales would move over to Germany for the 2002-03 season for ERC Ingolstadt, playing in 23 games there, while moving to Sweden in the 2003-04 season to play with Leksands IF for another 23 games.

With the 2004-05 season, Bales went back to Germany and went to the second division Straubing Tigers where he would help them get a promotion into the Germae Elite League for the 2006-07 as Straubing won the promotion in the 2006 playoffs. Bales would leave Straubing in 2010 after playing in 250 games over six seasons. While Bales was signed by the Iserlohn Roosters for the 2010-11 season, it was only on an emergency basis and he never went over, thus ending his career.

The Pittsburgh Penguins would sign Bales to be the goaltender development coach for their AHL, ECHL, and other prospects down their pipeline. The 2012-13 season will be his second with the team.

It wasn't the most glamorous career and had many more potholes in the road rather than smooth sailing. It wasn't until he went overseas did he get his most success when he had matured more and didn't have the pressure of worrying of the shuttling back and forth from the minors to the top teams. Yet, he helped one franchise in Germany get promoted and make a name for himself enough to be a developmental coach.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Mike Fountain

This draft weekend has passed and there's many who wonder what will happen to most of these prospects. As we've seen from this segment, sometimes it doesn't pan out as planned. However, this story is equally as tragic. This week's AGM was passed over in the draft, only to gain his spot in the World Juniors over two drafted and future Stanley Cup winners, only to not live up to expectation as many had thought. This week, the profile of Mike Fountain. 

The 1988-89 season is where Fountain would start with in the Junior "C" ranks with the Huntsville Blair McCanns in Ontarion, going 18-3-2 in 23 games. The 1989-90 season would have Fountain in Junior "B" with the Chatham Micmacs for 21 games (no record given), but would take home the Western Jr. "B" Championship. 

Moving to the Major Junior ranks, Fountain would start in the 1990-91 season with the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds for seven games (5-2-0) before being traded to the Oshawa Generals to round out the last 30 games of his season, going 17-5-1. Fountain would stay with the Generals in the 1991-92 season, he would go 18-13-6 in 40 games. Fountain would also beat out the likes of Martin Brodeur and Chris Osgood to be the back-up of Trevor Kidd for the Canadian World Junior team, but not getting into a game.

That summer, Fountain was drafted 45th overall by the Vancouver Canucks after being passed over in his last two drafts. Fountain would start the 1992-93 season with the Canadian National team, going 7-5-1 in 13 games; as well as winning the Spengler Cup with Canada. After the Spengler Cup, Fountain moved to the AHL and the Hamilton Canucks, playing in 12 games to end the season and posting a 2-8-0 record. Fountain would spend the entire 1993-94 season with Hamilton, finishing with a 34-28-6 record in 70 games, then going 0-2 in three playoff appearances. 

The Canucks moved their affiliation to Syracuse and became the Crunch, which is where Fountain would be for the 1994-95 season, posting a 25-29-6 record in 61 appearances. For the 1995-96 season would be a struggle for Fountain in the regular season (21-27-3 in 51 games), but had a decent playoff outing with a 8-7 record in 15 games. It was a turnaround for Fountain, of sorts, in the 1996-97 season; going only 8-14-2 in 25 games with the Crunch (plus 0-2 in two playoff games); but Fountain finally got his NHL chance with the Canucks-- posting a 2-2-0 record in six games, including becoming the 19th goalie to start his career with a shutout win, as well as missing an empty net goal in his 3-0 win versus the Devils. 

Fountain was shuffled in the Canucks depth chart and moved onto the Carolina Hurricanes in the summer of 1997. Fountain would stick in the AHL with the Beast of New Haven for the bulk of the 1997-98 season; going 25-19-5 in 50 appearances, while spending three games with the Hurricanes-- losing all three.The 1998-99 season saw Fountain back with the Beast of New Haven, going 23-24-3 in 51 appearances. 

Signing with the Ottawa Senators organization in 1999, Fountain went to the IHL's Grand Rapids Griffins for the season-- playing in 36 games and compiling a 21-7-4 record, while geting a no-decision in his one appearance in Ottawa that season. The 2000-01 season had Fountain playing solidly in Grand Rapids finishing with a 34-10-6 record in 52 game and then going 5-3 in eight playoff games. Fountain would play in one game in Ottawa that season, which was a loss. 

After that season, Fountain went on a European vacation starting in the 2001-02 season, first to Russia with Lada Togliatti for two seasons, playing in 64 games total and posting 19 shutouts in two seasons-- including 14 in 2001-02; which was a Russian League record. Fountain then to Germany in the 2003-04 season with the Iserlohn Roosters for 34 games before moving back to North American to sign with the UHL's Motor City Mechanics for the 2004-05 season-- playing in three games (all losses). After that short stint, Fountain completed his 2004-05 season with the Russian 2nd League for Mechel Chelyabinsk for 17 games and posting five shutouts. 

After a year off, Fountain returned to Russia and Lada Togliatti for the 2006-07 season until the 2008-09 season, playing in a total of 84 games over those three years-- posting six shutouts in that span and averaging a 2.43 GAA. Fountain would retire after that. 

Since then, Fountain has kept going on the teaching route. During his playing days-- Fountain would be an instructor for various schools-- including Roger Neilson's hockey school. Fountain has also worked as goalie coach for the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks. Currently, he is working as the hockey director for the Walker Ice and Fitness Center in Walker, Michigan where he oversees the Learn to Play, Learn to Skate, and Hockey Association of West Kent. 

While he did beat out two potential Hall of Famers younger in his career, the shuffle and mismanagement of some teams are what stunted his development and gave him a glass ceiling he never could seem to break through. However, Fountain made his time enjoyable, having some solid seasons and dealing with the hardships of others. Now, he's passing onto others the wisdom of his travels. 

Thanks For Coming Out, Ottawa Senators

(While many have their obtiuaries for teams eliminated.....I'll do the same thing, but in a different/same way as others. How is that going to happen?? Well, I don't know until I do them.This all meant in good fun and to really make you think....or something) 

You can't really blame the Senators for going out in the fashion they did. The team that wasn't supposed to do anything this season were the 8th seed and took the top team in the East to a seventh game and lost by only a goal. For a young team without much of an identity, it's a great learning experience.

But was it too much of a learning experience?? Paul MacLean really went crazy with inserting youngsters into the line-up for the Senators in the playoffs. Sure, it was good to have Mark Stone and Jakob Silfverberg get some NHL time and bring some "fresh" legs (despite both playing a full season prior), trying to mess with chemistry late into a series is something that's usually a deathwish for a coach. It won't hurt MacLean, but it will make some question his motives after this season.

When you look at the youth of the Senators, there's a lot of guys who will be aiming for limit spots. One of the big battles will be the right to back-up Craig Anderson. Both Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop show a lot of promise, but which one will be the guy and will they actually like being in the NHL despite not getting much playoff time??

Defensively, the emergence of Erik Karlsson continues to be a big thing, which is great for the likes of Jared Cowen and Matt Gilroy to see that the young players can be a great contributor. Though, with the old guard still there-- Sergei Gonchar, Filip Kuba, and Chris Phillips-- the transition period won't be as rough; though it's no transition, just one era to another.

All of these things pale in comparison to what's going to happen with Daniel Alfredsson. Many people believe he is beyond-human and could very well play a couple more seasons-- but with the injuries he's had in the past few seasons (concussion, major back surgery), is this this last hurrah for the greatest modern-day Senators ever?? Time will tell and some will be impatient when it comes to waiting.

The Senators really beat all the odds when it came to the playoffs-- getting there and doing as well as they did. They have a bright future so long as the team is treated the proper way in terms of development and continued growth. And, they have a coach with a bitchin' moustache-- which helps.

On the Topic Of Loyalty and Trade Rumors

Despite having a No-Movement Clause in his contract, rumors of Jarome Iginla being traded out of Calgary continue to be a hot topic the hockey world. While Iginla and GM Jay Feaster said that there's no trade imminent or even being considered-- these things still pop-up.

The biggest argument seems to be the desire for others around the league to see Iginla raise the Stanley Cup in almost a Ray Bourque-esque fashion. Yet, there's a guy across the country that had some questions about his future with the team he's been with his whole career; but it seems that he's been forgotten about when it comes down to it. That person is Daniel Alfredsson.

When you look at the two, there's a lot of similarities between the two:

• Both played with the same team their whole career
• Both the face of their franchise
• Both long-term captains
• Both right wingers
• Both helped their team to the Stanley Cup Finals
• Both won Gold Medals (though Iginla has two)

Though, as Spector's Hockey's Lyle Richardson pointed out on the November 30th FOHS, Iginla seems a little more of a desirable acquisition because of his playing style. He's a gritter player than Alfredsson, willing to go to the dirty areas for a puck, as well as stick up for himself when play gets rough.

Yet, at the same time-- you'd think that Alfredsson's offensive upside is what's needed when it boils down to needs-- especially with their ages coming into effect. Coming into the season, Alfredsson had a 0.97 points-per-game average, while Iginla had only a 0.91 average. Albeit, Alfredsson is older and has played less due to injury, but he knows how to put points on the board when he is healthy. Iginla's age is definitely another nod to his upside for teams looking to put something together that will apparently never happen. That said-- while he's a 35+ contract, Alfredsson doesn't have a No-Movement Clause in his contract; so if he wants to go-- he can be shipped out, but you know the Senators will respect his wishes if he wants to stay or not due to his tenure.

In the end though, neither of these guys are likely to be traded this season. Next season, maybe a different story for Alfredsson, but Iginla controls his own destiny. Plus, as Lyle said during the show, too-- not every player wants to have the Bourque moment and could be fine without winning the Cup, legacy be damned. Most fans and some GMs just like the return and if they don't get the return-- they resent the player and deem them to be selfish. The player is screwed if he wants out, screwed if he wants to stay.

The fact of the matter is that while Iginla is getting all the publicity; it's interesting to see Alfredsson pretty much getting pushed to the side, though they do have parallel careers in length and decent enough upsides-- though Iginla has the grit X-factor going for him. Just food for thought.

Long Line Change: Dropping Teams, Raising Age, Blowing Up

Long Ling Change is the gimmick done to talk about the stories that have been tackled in the past, which makes me not add anything more that what's already been added from the others on the 'net or not enough to actually make a separate post for.

Columbus and Ottawa Make Case for Relegation

Yes, we are young into the season, but it looks like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators aren't going to get any better this season. If anything, they are really making a case to have a relegation factor put into the NHL. Sure, we won't see it because of how the affiliations work these days, but at the same time-- it's a nice idea to have if you split the divisions and make a "loser's bracket" playing for a promotion to play for the Stanley Cup.

While the idea of having a 14-team relegation league for the Ziegler Cup would be interesting-- no one will go for it. That said, with about how awful these teams have come out of the gate, you have to wonder how much longer before not only the team is blown up through trades, but the management who got them into this mess is blown up. The Senators have had issues since Bryan Murray took over as GM and the Blue Jackets have off-ice mess that seems to holds them back, as well.

It'll be a long season for the fans of these teams, but at the same time-- maybe it's going to take a horrific season to fix things for the better....or to keep extending the misery.

Bob Nicholson Wants Older Draft

The head of Hockey Canada said that the Draft age in the NHL should be upped one year to 19, rather than 18-- but would maybe thinking about an "exception" clause for 18-year-olds who dominate the CHL.

While this does come on the heels of some pretty stellar junior players coming into the NHL and making their teams at 18, I can see where Nicholson is trying to protect his leagues so that they aren't completely cropped of talent by guys making the jump a bit too early. Yet, at the same time-- it's not like the CHL would be hurting with talent as it seems to pop up constantly through they years of development.

One year may or may not make a difference, but I can understand why Nicholson wants the age limit raised-- and it could have some reason to deal with the World Juniors, as some of the better players have been taken from Hockey Canada because they stuck with their NHL squads and it could have made the different in that tournament. Sure, it's far-fetched, but it's not out of the realm of possibility to have him think about that side of things.

While it may or may not happen-- this is a debate that many people have been taking up here-and-there for a couple years now. It's just something that's going to have to be worked out in the new CBA. Personally, I think if a guy is ready at 18, then they're ready-- but it's not for everyone.

Blowing Up Teams

Stop panicking, people. This is worse than the preseason-- I mean there's some teams that deserved to be blown up (like mentioned above), but for teams in an early slump; just seems to be throwing the baby out with the bath water-- like the Canucks and Bruins. These teams will find their way, but may need to work on the chemistry and shake off the rust for the first month. While points may be lost, it's not like a season can be lost just in the first two weeks.

Things will right themselves in time. However, if it gets to US Thanksgiving and your team is still struggling-- that's when the panic should set in and meltdowns abound.

Dressing to the Ninth

There's going to be quite the racket coming up so when it comes to some high-profile rookies and what their club teams are going to do and should do with them for the rest of the season. The rule is that teams can have junior-eligible players dress up to nine games without having the first year of their entry-level contract kicking in. They have more time to send them back before a year of service goes in their career, but that's another story altogether.

The likes of Ryan Murphy, Ryan Strome, and Jonathan Huberdeau were sent back before notching a game under their belt. The big question is for the following guys from the 2011 Draft still in the pros, which I'll talk about, huzzah.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Following Saturday night's hat-trick, the Oilers are going to be hard pressed to make this decision to either keep RNH or to send him back to Red Deer. Undeniably, he has the skill, but will the size and stamina be there for him?? Plus, with all the young guns that they have in Edmonton, do they want to burn a year on his contract and create a logjam for the Oilers for money in the next five years?? Personally, I think that it would definitely help RNH to go back to Red Deer for another season just to dominate and to fill out a bit, but if the Oilers keep winning and he keeps playing top-six time; he could find an apartment right quick.

Gabriel Landeskog: Here's another guy who would enjoy a decent goal-scoring season in Colorado, should the management think he could hang with the team. He's got the size, but it's a matter of what the team will do and what they want to do with the contract. While Landeskog has the guile to be an NHL right now, I believe the Avalanche will send him back to Kitchener for another year of seasoning.

Adam Larsson: The odds are good Larsson will stay up in New Jersey. In four games, he's averaging over 24 minutes of ice time, though he has a minus-1 to show for it. He's playing in key situations and really getting a lot of confidence from coach Pete DuBoer; which makes me think the big Swede will stay in the Swamp this year.

Mika Zibanejad: Senators' coach Paul MacLean said that Zibanejad would get the full nine-game tryout, but beyond that is going to be a question. It seems the Senators are going nowhere fast this season, which makes it hard to put a young kid in that disorganization and maybe warp him. Of course, he hasn't reacted too well to the change in game from over in Sweden, so odds are that's where he'll be destined when his nine games are up.

Mark Scheifele: With Scheifele's big training camp and preseason (4g, 4a), you'd expect he'd light things on fire. Yet, the Jets and Scheifele haven't done much of anything on the ice, which could cause this great story to fall by the wayside; but for the best on a new team trying to find their way in a new place. Scheifele will definitely be a big part of the future of the Jets, but right now-- he could just want to enjoy the splendid time he had in the limelight and build off of that.

Sean Couturier: Couturier had a solid pre-season, enough to get on the Flyers roster; but alas-- it seems he hasn't been able to hang with the regular season side of things. With one assist and a +2 in three games, he hasn't been horrible; but could get lost in the fold if he stays up and starts to decline in performance and ice time.

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There's one definite, two maybes, and the rest will probably see their NHL experience end in the next week, which could be just enough for them to get hungrier and more driven to get back there full time. Or it could break them completely and never be as good as they could have been. It's always a tight-rope walk when it comes to young kids, especially those who are just over three months removed from being drafted into the league.

The "O" Stands For "Oh Em Gee"

Lame title, I know, but still.

It has been a couple of days since the leak of the new Ottawa Senators heritage design came out on the fantastic Icethetics website and I have to say, I'm still in awe over the design of the jersey. It's something that should have happened post-lockout, but maybe they were a little gun-shy on what the reception would be.

However, the reception seems to be positive across the board. The new look, as seen above, is a bit of the good ol' "modernized retro" scheme we've come to find so near and dear to our hearts. It's a simple design of the teams first jerseys, but also brings back the tradition of the old Ottawa Senators for the early 1900s up until the mid 1930s with the barberpole design on the sleeves and partially on the front.

I've been a big fan of the barberpole design because it does harken back to the old days of hockey, pre-Original 6 when not every team had two jerseys. Some people hate the barberpole design, and with the Montreal Canadiens jersey a few seasons ago-- I could see why-- that's a bit overdoing it. With what the Sens have done, and even the Flames with their Heritage Classic jerseys, they take a more tame approach to the look and feel of the jersey. It's not all over, but it's something where they keep the sleeve design, but on the torso, it's a stripe or two and that's it. Simple, smart, tradition.

Whether or not the Sens keep this look after their 20th Anniversary season (and god I hope they do), but the big thing can be said about this-- it's a good look. It's better than the Super Nintendo third jerseys they have now and better than most of the looks that they have had in the past. Makes you feel hopeful that this look is going to move things in the right direction.....at least from a jersey standpoint-- the actual team play is another story.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Darrin Madeley

With the amount of players jumping for college hockey to the major junior route, this week's AGM didn't go that way. He had an outstanding career in college; but he wasn't a part of the trend of college goalies going on to surprise and astound in the NHL ranks. This week, the profile of Darrin Madeley.

Starting off, Madeley played in Junior "C" in Ontario with the Bradford Blues in the 1984-85 season where he played in 10 games and went 7-2-0 in ten games that season. The 1985-86 season had Madeley back in Bradford for four games, going 2-1-0; while also going up to Junior "A" with the Newmarket Flyers for three games, going 0-1-0 in those games. The 1986-87 season had Madeley move on to the Richmond Hill Dynes of the Junior "A" Ontario League, where he would play in 14 games and go 6-9-1. The 1987-88 and 1988-89 season had Madeley drop down to the Junior "B" side with Richmond Hill, playing in 59 games over those two seasons, but no record is available.

Madeley moved onto the NCAA ranks at Lake Superior State for the 1989-90 season, where he would play in 30 games and compile a 21-7-1 record, which was able to get him CCHA Second-Team All-Star accolades. The 1990-91 season was great for Madeley and Lake Superior State, as Madeley would go 29-3-3 in 36 games, while Lake Superior State would go on to win the CCHA, but go down in the NCAA Tournament. However, Madeley gathered up CCHA First-Team All-Star honors, NCAA West First-Team All-American honors, as well as NCAA All-Tournament Team honors. The pinnacle for Madeley was the 1991-92 season, where he went 23-6-4, but him and Lake Superior State went on to win the CCHA again, as well as taking the NCAA Championship over Wisconsin in the Final. Madeley again had CCHA First-Team All-Star, NCAA-West First-Team All American, and NCAA All-Tournament team for a second straight season.

Coming off the high of his performances in college, Madeley made the jump to the pros, signing with the Ottawa Senators, becoming one of the first Senators to come to the team via free agency. Madeley made two appearances with Ottawa in the 1992-93 season, losing both games; before he would be sent down to the AHL's New Haven Senators-- playing in 41 games with a 10-16-9 record on that team, which enabled him to take home AHL Second-Team All-Star honors. The 1993-94 season had Madeley stay in Ottawa for the majority of the season; being able to get into 32 games for Ottawa and finishing off with a 3-18-5 record, while going 0-4-0 in six games with the AHL's PEI Senators. The traveling for the 1994-95 season was the story for Madeley, playing in the IHL for the Detroit Vipers for nine games (7-2-0), then going to the PEI Senators for three games (1-1-1), then finishing the season with Ottawa, going 1-3-0 in five games in that season.

The 1995-96 season saw Madeley in the IHL with Detroit for the majority of the season, getting him 40 appearances and finishing off with 16-14-4 record in the end, while going 3-3 in seven playoff games. Madeley would win his only game with the PEI Senators.

Madeley signed a contract with the San Jose Sharks just before the 1996-97 season, while it landed him in the AHL with the Saint John Flames where he would play 46 games and go 11-18-11, while playing with the Detroit Vipers for four games going 2-0-0 on the season.

For the 1997-98 season, Madeley tried his hand at international play, going over to Finland to play with TPS Turku. That would only last for two games, going 1-0-0 before returning to North America. The Richmond Renegades of the ECHL signed Madeley, where he would play five games with a 1-1-0 record. Madeley went back overseas in the 1998-99 season to play in Germany for Star Bulls Mannheim for three games before returning to North America and the ECHL, but with the Pensacola Ice Pilots, going 12-16-3 in 32 games before he would hang up his pads.

After his playing career, Madeley went onto the coaching ranks, where he is the Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Hockey at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois.

He had his success in college, but because of the whole debacle of going to an expansion team; which stifled his possible success in the professional ranks. Though you have to wonder with all the personal accomplishments, would he gives those up for team success in the pros or would he keep all of that because of what became of him when he made the move?? Maybe we'll never know.

Friday Five: Weekend Finale

It's the last weekend of the regular season, and while there are still some teams in the hunt for the second season, there are many who know their fate and go about preparing their game for the playoffs or preparing their swing for the course.

1. The Senators announced that Bryan Murray has signed a three-year extension to stay on as GM. What does this mean for the team as a whole??

It's something that was definitely unexpected and you could probably bet that maybe Cory Clouston could get another year done behind the bench; but other than that-- you would think they would want to move into another direction with the team. While Murray is probably not the best option, you could see something like what the Flames did and sign a former GM to be the heir-apparent to the GM position, but I doubt owner Eugene Melnyk will do that, as it would seem to undermine his front office. For all the people saying that it would be a huge overhaul for the Sens, looks like they were disappointed once again.

2. The consolation of some players is the World Championships. While it may not mean a lot to the casual fan, how much is it worth paying attention to??

Obviously, a lot of the hardcore patriotic fans will follow their country and enjoy the game play-- but odds are, if you're team is in the Stanley Cup playoffs; you won't pay much attention to it all. And to be honest, it's not a horrific thing not to pay attention, as the games will air somewhat early (Slovakia is ahead by seven hours on Eastern time)-- but you should keep an eye out for it as the Cup Playoffs start to dwindle down the teams. There's a lot of NHLers who are out of it that'll attend, so you could have a lot of those fans watching-- but I doubt they'll lose sleep if they miss a game or seven.

3. The Draft Lottery is being held on Tuesday. Is there a chance that it's not going to go to the Edmonton Oilers??

They have a 48% in the lottery to get the first pick, but it would be the first time since the 1995 and 1996 Drafts that a team would have back-to-back 1st Overall Picks. This could be a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to how you look at it. The Oilers haven't been much for talent and to be honest-- it could be a rush for a young player to automatically get into the line-up from juniors; but at the same time-- best to get them in the games early and let them adapt naturally rather than baby them through the motions.

4. What does the play of Jhonas Enroth bring to the Sabres and what could it mean for Ryan Miller??

What this could finally mean is that the Sabres don't have to overwork Miller. Enroth probably won't make a play for a #1 or even 1b spot, but it gives the Sabres another solid option and are able to give Miller a rest every now and again because they have a solid guy who could come in and actually perform well, especially in the clutch. Enroth will get another deal, as he is a RFA this summer, but I don't think he'll challenge for Miller's spot right now....but in a couple years, maybe.

5. Will there be any big surprise to come out of this weekend??

I don't think so. There won't be a big time comeback or dramatic finish-- because I think some of those seeds are out of steam by now and probably couldn't pull one more rabbit out of their hat. If there's one thing that could happen is that this is going to be the most dramatic Hurricanes/Rangers games outside of any playoff situation there could be. The "win and you're in" scenario is something that's enticing, but probably not going to be enough to really rally the troops to watch a game, especially if you're team is already in.

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That's it this week and we're getting around to playoff time and who knows if this thing will keep going in the playoffs-- we'll see what the first round brings and go on from there. If you have topics, Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com is the place to be dialin'.

Friday Five: The Playoff Push

It's been another week in the NHL, the trade deadline has come and gone and many of the traded players have paid off immediate dividends for their new teams. Of course, that's assuming they got their paperwork in order so they could play. So, time for the F5.

1. Of all of the tradees, Jason Arnott seems to be giving a lot in his first games with the Capitals. Is this a pace Caps fans could expect for the rest of the year??

Considering that Arnott's goal and assist in two games equals his output with the Devils in the last 14 games of his tenure there; you could say it's because he's playing with better players. That said, while this is a great pace-- I don't expect it to completely stay this way. While I have to say that it's great he's taking control of the room and address what's wrong; I don't actually know if this is just a honeymoon phase or if this the reality of the rest of the year. Yet, early returns are all that matters right now and he's got the leg up on everyone.

2. With the non-moving, is it a sign teams are content with their team or couldn't afford to bring in a premier player??

It could be a little from column A and a little from column B. It also could be column C, in that they were waiting for their counterparts to make a move and it never happen, so they could have lost out, too. It's doubtful that actually happened, but still an option. More often than not, it's the fact that teams are happy with the team they have for the cost they have; they didn't feel like giving up any of their guys and didn't feel like taking up or giving away anymore salary.

3. The Glendale/Goldwater/Coyotes situation won't end-- how much more posturing can we expect??

While the Goldwater Institute hasn't issued any action yet, you can bet that they'd do it if the City of Glendale does approve their use of bond money to give the team to Matthew Hulsizer; they'll come down on the city hard. And while they have many skeptics about the motives behind the Goldwater Institute possibly challenging it; the fact remains that they're going by the book and probably will do what they can in order to make sure nothing illegal happens...at least in their eyes.

4. The Oilers and Senators have been on quite a run, while the Colorado Avalanche are tanking at an exceptional rate. Are the Oilers and Senators acting crazy by winning and getting a chance at the top pick??

While the art of tanking is something many fans are pandering for, especially when the Draft is as shallow as this year's is. Yet, at the same time-- you want to have your fans look forward to something when they come for these late season games when the attempt at the playoffs has long but gone. It gives hope to some fans who may be down in the dumps about the season and brings about a great outlook should the younger kids be the future movement many teams want to have, but never normally try out.

5. TheNewToy.com came out saying they'll have an old-school kind of hockey game coming out in the spring. What hockey theme toys are remembered from your childhood??

While we all know about the art of bubble hockey, a couple of games stand out for me. Most notably, Radio Shack's Electric Ice Hockey is one that really stood out for me, mostly because it was probably the first version of rod hockey I had. The VCR NHL Hockey was another game I had, but I couldn't get into it. I mostly used the rink and nets for playing with my Lil' Sports Brats because I had a big imagination......and lonely childhood. Well.....that took a depressing turn, didn't it??

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That's another week down and closer to the playoffs. If you've got anything for me to tackle, by all means-- email Scotty.Wazz@gmail.com to send in your questions or topic suggestions.

Friday Five: Calgary's Cold Classic

Another week is done and it's time for the Friday Five, where we tackle some news and notes from the week and what-not. It's a busy weekend coming up, so let's get it going.

1. With the Heritage Classic coming up, and it's supposed to be chilly. How is that going to affect things??

The temperature seems to increasingly gets colder and colder by the day for game-day. It was hovering around the freezing mark, but as of when I publish this-- it's supposed to be -9c (16f) and partially cloudy. It'll definitely be a test to the coaches and how they are going to adjust their game-plan to go with the elements. Considering both these teams are in a playoff fight, every point and every goal will count. Should be fun jockeying for sure.

2. The NHL has said that the Heritage Classic has surpassed Winter Classic revenues; but many in the US haven't gotten much coverage of the game until the past few weeks. How's that work??

I think the big thing with the Heritage game is that they have some bigger name companies sponsoring this game-- like Tim Horton's, Canadian Tire, Blackberry, and ScotiaBank; very big names to this event. Plus, with all the events being Canadian based, it seems that the American broadcasters aren't going to be too keen on it all. Even some Canadian broadcasters didn't hype up the game until the past couple of weeks. It should be a solid game now that both teams are in a playoff hunt and people around the city seem to get more and more into it. Good times by all.

3. The Senators are in full fire sale mode, but will the rebuild be as easy as they are thinking it'll be??

Not at all. The fact they are swapping for picks shows that they either have a lot of faith in the guys coming up from Binghamton and other prospects or they know this will be a five-year plan that'll grow as these draft picks develop. Either way, it's a bad situation for the team and it's fans. Odds are, Bryan Murray and Cory Clouston won't be back and it'll be a new start and probably more growing pains that'll come along with it. It seemed to breakdown really quickly for this organization and who knows how quick the rebuild will be or if it actually makes them come back to their President's Trophy form again. It's tough times in Ottawa....but at least the ASG visits there next year.

4. If you're the Vancouver Canucks, how much do you worry when you have a defenseman go anywhere on the ice??

The injuries on the blueline for the Canucks are insane, with five regular defensemen out; but the fact they still are atop the league in points speaks to their depth. Plus, with all these guys healthy for the playoffs-- they could be the team to beat. Granted, that's been said for a while never come to fruition, but it's wishful thinking if nothing else. When push comes to shove, the Canucks have enough talent to counteract the defensive injuries and should come out of this stronger than before.

5. The trade deadline is coming up and the market is frantic already. Will the actual deadline day provide a decent number of moves, or could it be a dud due to early trading??

There will probably be minor moves for role guys, but it's going to be nothing ground-breaking. It's a lot easier for the GMs to trade players earlier if there's a deal because it'll adapt them to the system quicker and they won't be scurrying to make sure the chemistry is there. Plus, with a lot of teams out West and some teams in the East in contention for a playoff spot-- odds are teams aren't going to be so willing to get rid of a guy that could benefit them in the end.

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That's it for this week and if you want to submit some topics for future F5's, email me at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com and let me know what you answered. Also, I'll be at the Heritage Classic doing things this weekend, so look for updates from there if there's something to be had.

Friday Five: Returns and Reunions

It's been quite the week.....and yet another goalie fight, so it just shows that I'm an idiot and really don't know anything about hockey and how it works. Why are you even reading this?? Oh well, time for the F5 because it's Friday.

1. With the rabble-rousing of Carrie Underwood husband's being traded to her locale, how rough it is for the Ottawa Senators to get nothing in return??

If I'm playing on the Senators (and if things get bad, I actually may) I'd be a little disillusioned with the situation. Sure, you expect trades to happen and maybe some of the bigger named guys-- but getting an unknown in return is a bit disheartening. Fisher wasn't the flashiest guy, but got the job done and helped that team in any chance he could. With getting only picks back, coupled with an 11-game losing skid, as well as a regime that is almost guaranteed to be ousted at season's end (though it should be sooner), you almost have to think Eugune Melnyk is playing the role of Nero as his Rome burns (rack 'em).

That said, it seems par for the course for the Sens since they made it to the Stanley Cup finals in 2007 and nothing has seemed to get better or easier-- from goaltending, to coaching, to guys leaving-- it just snowballs into something worse; and you can't blame the fans for being rageful about the direction of this team.

2. With all these trades with some decent profile names, will this Trade Deadline Day be more about names moving or just upgrading role players on the roster??

This one could be all about upgrading the role players on the team. While there's decent UFAs for the summer, odds are you aren't willing to pay a lot to get them as a rental player. Basically teams are going to just tie up their loose ends when it comes to mucker and grinders, with maybe a decent size name going in the process. Yet-- I don't know if teams will wait for the 28th, as the gettings are good right now.

3. Ilya Kovalchuk is on a tear and the Devils continue their rise. Wishful thinking or was this a sign of waiting too long to replace John MacLean??

This was definitely something where they waited a bit too long to fire their coach, but they are showing they aren't the big bust many people thought they were. Kovalchuk, despite the minus-22, has been hot with five goals and five assists in the last eight games and showing he's worth his money. Even with Martin Brodeur dealing with injuries, the team has played well around Johan Hedberg recently, which is something they didn't do too much with MacLean behind the bench. While they're 13 points out of a playoff spot and have to keep an unimaginable pace to even keep up....some are keeping the faith.

4. Peter Forsberg returns tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets-- injury happens...??

I'd say before the month of February ends. While it's a solid story if he does come back and plays well enough to get a contract for next year-- but the reality of the situation is he'll play a couple minutes tonight and in a few more games before he realizes he can't keep up with the speed and then retires for good....until October when it all starts again.

5. Quebec city is getting a $400M arena built. How much will this be like the Kansas City/Sprint Center fiasco??

With no team in sight for expansion or relocation (so they say) it could be a big deal for building such an expensive arena and not have anyone to house the arena after it's built. While hockey is very prevalent in Canada and a junior team could probably house that arena-- it's not what they want. The Canadian Olympic Committee President and former Quebec Nordiques' president and club owner said the NHL will be back in three years. Wishful thinking, but you may need that kind of over-the-top positive attitude in order to make something like this succeed.

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That's another week and if you want to get in contact with an idea for a topic-- Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com is the place to send it over to. It'll be a riot if you see your topic here and you can tweet all your friends about it too....or not.

Friday Five: Talking the Talk

As we move to a long weekend for those in the US, we get into this week's Friday Five where we'll look at players talking some smack to the TV networks covering them, we talk about some playoffs, and we head outside again.

1. Islanders Zenon Konopka told TSN's cameras the Isles aren't a doormat during the morning skate, then they had 6 goals put on them that night by Ottawa; including four-goals in seven minutes in the second. Whaaaa happen??

While Konopka does have a point that the Islanders really aren't as bad as their record details, I don't believe that they are past the doormat status just yet. They have a lot of great young talent, but still need a piece here or there to actually be consistently good and maybe actually surprise some people during the season. Yet, with a lack of solid goaltending and consistent offensive output; the Isles will still be looked down upon.

2. As we hit the half-way point, what teams could make a run at the playoffs and which teams could drop off??

In the Eastern Conference, I think that anywhere from 9th to 1st could shuffle until the end of the year, though beyond 10th will have a rough go about it. Out West, I'm not sure if the San Jose Sharks could come back, as they are 12th, but at the same time-- they could realize who they are and make a push for it. The same goes for the Los Angeles Kings, who are better than their record says. The West could be a better shootout coming down to the end, while the East will be three teams for the last two spots.

3. Rookies like James Reimer and Robin Lehner have started to be at the focal point getting some playing time and while they may be ready-- should teams worry about rushing such inexperienced players??

Especially with goalies, it's always rough to rush them to the NHL with little experience and then ride them for the long-term. In Reimer's case, especially, the media attention will only put more pressure on him the better that he does for the the Leafs. With Lehner, he's in a no-lose situation with how bad the Senators have been in net since their inception, so he could adapt with the team's struggles. The big thing is burnout with the young goalies and if they are overused, it could make it harder and harder for them to recover from their short-comings. However, if they get mentally tough-- they'll be able to bounce-back from the struggles.

4. This weekend is the fifth game for the nine outdoor games this season, as the Spokane Chiefs host the Kootenay Ice. Thoughts??

First, you should head over to T-Rawk and the Canadian vs. the Yanks blog for the preview and then review of the Rockstar Outdoor Classic. With this, we've hit the midway point of the outdoor games and it seems they've done a lot of great work in Spokane, but there are showers in the forecast. At the same time, it's a colder rain, which could be better than what happen in Pittsburgh with the warm weather and rain. Even with tickets available, it should be a great event.

5. With the horrific Guardian Project going on and being mocked harshly-- is there any mascot that could defeat these "guardians??"

Right off the bat, I know The Hurricane couldn't beat Stormy the Pig because....well, pigs aren't going to blow over that easily to wind. I also think that Blades and the unofficial Bruin could defeat The Bruin in a handicap match. That said, the only Guardian who could win right now is The Lightning destroying Thunderbug.

However, I can't wait until the North Star, the Nordique, the Whaler, the Scout, and the Rockie come back to take over the Guardians at the ultimate showdown at the ASG.

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That's another week done and if you have suggestions for topics or whatever-- Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com is where you can get a hold of me and suggest whatever. Enjoy your hockey weekend people.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Peter Sidorkiewicz

We'll kick off the new year with a tongue-twister of a last name in order to get this out of the way and get a clear head after the kick off to 2011. This goalie was well known for being the first goalie for the Ottawa Senators, which could be the last time they had a solid goalie. In any case, this week, the profile of Peter Sidorkiewicz.

Born in Dabrowa Bialostocka, Poland; Peter's family moved to Oshawa, Ontario when he was at a young age. Sidorkiewicz actually started playing goalie by happenstance as no one wanted to play goalie on his club team, so he volunteered. Sidorkiwicz would get into the Oshawa minor hockey system, playing junior B with the Oshawa Legionnaires in the 1980-81 season playing 22 games before getting called up to the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, playing seven games that season and going 3-3-0 and 2-2 in five playoff games. Seeing him as an investment, Sidorkiewicz was picked in the 5th Round of the 1981 Entry Draft.

For the 1981-82 season, Sidorkiewicz would split time in Oshawa with Chris Smith and Shawn MacKenzie. Sidorkiewicz would play 29 games that season, going 14-11-1 with two shutouts. In 1982-83, it was a banner season for Sidorkiewicz, as he would be the starter; playing in 60 regular season games with a 36-20-3 record and capturing the Dave Pinkney Trophy for best GAA in the league. The playoffs is where Sidorkiewicz shined, as he went 15-1 in 17 playoff games, leading the Generals to the J. Ross Robertson Trophy for OHL Champion and headed to the Memorial Cup. Sidorkiewicz went 3-2 in the Memorial Cup, losing in the final game to the Portland Winter Hawks, who was the first American team to win the Memorial Cup. Despite that, Sidorkiewicz was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star team. The 1983-84 season wasn't as good for Sidorkiewicz, as he would play 52 games with a 28-21-1 record, while going 3-4 in seven playoff games.

The 1984-85 season had Sidorkiewicz turn professional, heading to the IHL and the Fort Wayne Komets, where he would play for 10 games with a record of 4-4-2. After that, he would get the call to the minor league affiliate of the Washington Capitals, the Binghamton Whalers, whom the Caps split with the Hartford Whalers. Sidorkiewicz would play 45 games in Binghamton with a 31-9-5 record for the season, then going 4-4 in eight playoff games.

Midway through the 1984-85 season, the Whalers liked what they saw in Sidorkiewicz that they traded for him and Dean Evason for David Jensen. Sidorkiewicz would stay in Binghamton for the 1985-86 season, where he would play 49 games, but had a letdown from the prior season, going 21-22-3 with a short playoffs of only four games with a 1-3 record. There was a bounce-back year for Sidorkiewicz in 1986-87, appearing in 57 games with a 23-16-0 record, then going 6-7 in 13 playoff games that post-season. For the 1987-88 season, Sidorkiewicz felt a bit of pressure to succeed, but had a so-so 19-17-3 record in 42 games. Yet, he was able to get a call-up to Hartford for a game, a loss.

After a stellar camp, Sidorkiewicz was able to make the cut for Hartford and would split plenty of time with Mike Liut in the 1988-89 season, ending up with a 22-18-4 record on the season in 44 appearances. Canada would pick Sidorkiewicz for the World Championship, but saw only a fill-in role for 25 minutes, as well as being named to the All-Rookie Team. With him playing so well, Sidorkiewicz allowed the Whalers to look to the future in the 1989-90 season, which saw Sidorkiewicz split time before Liut was traded to Washington and had Sidorkiewicz take over the reigns. That season, Sidorkiewicz would go 19-19-7 in 46 appearances, then 3-4 in the playoffs. The 1990-91 season had the new era of Sidorkiewicz as the starter of the Whalers, which saw him play in 52 games and put up a 21-22-7 record, then playing six playoff games with a 2-4 finishing spot. Sidorkiewicz had a shaky 1991-92 season, seeing former AGM Kay Whitmore taking more of his ice time, as well as being hampered with an ankle injury late in the season, which made the Whalers trade for another AGM; Frank Pietrangelo. Sidorkiewicz had his spot usurped, only playing in 35 contests and finishing with a 9-19-6 record. With expansion happening, Sidorkiewicz was left unprotected for the 1992 Expansion Draft.

Sidorkiewicz was the first player chosen in the Expansion Draft and became the first member of the Ottawa Senators. As with any expansion team, they would have issues-- the Senators more than usual in the 1992-93 season, which Sidorkiewicz felt mightily. While he was able to get the first win for the Senators, Sidorkiewicz would go winless in 17 games after that first win. At the end of the year, Sidorkiewicz would go 8-46-3 in that season. The one bright spot of the year was when Sidorkiewicz played in the All-Star Game as the only representative for the Senators and picked up the win in net.

That next summer, Sidorkiewicz was traded to the New Jersey Devils for another AGM, Craig Billington and Troy Mallette, plus a fourth round pick. The 1993-94 season, Sidorkiewicz would bounce around between the IHL's Komets for 11 games (6-3-0), the AHL's Albany River Rats for 15 games (6-7-2), then getting three games with New Jersey (0-3-0, all in relief). The 1994-95 season had Sidorkiewicz play in Fort Wayne, but behind many goalies-- which saw him play only 16 games, with him sporting a 8-6-1 record when all was said and done and a 1-2 record in the playoffs. Sidorkiewicz would be back in the AHL for the 1995-96 season with the River Rats, backing up Mike Dunham and getting in 32 appearances; though with some success with a 19-7-5 to get back on track. That showed when he was able to take the starter's spot in the 1996-97 season, which saw him play 62 games, finishing with a 31-23-6 record, then a 7-8 playoff record in 16 games. The 1997-98 season was the last kick at the can for Sidorkiewicz, as he would play for Albany yet again, going 21-15-5 in 43 games; while getting a call-up to New Jersey to play in one game, a no-decision.

After that season, Sidorkiewicz would retire from hockey. He held the all-time wins record in the AHL at 171 wins, but has been broken many times over. Sidorkiewicz has moved into coaching, being a coach to the OHL's Erie Otters for the past 12 seasons, including a season and a half behind the bench from 2006 to 2008. In 2002, Sidorkiewicz was named to the Binghamton, New York Hockey Hall of Fame.

For a goalie who was once called "Peter Alphabet" by an announcer, he didn't do too shabby for a career in the minors and in juniors, despite getting into goaltending on a whim because no one else wanted to play in net. He made a decent NHL career in some of the less than ideal situations-- especially in Ottawa. Take that one expansion year out of the mix and who knows if he could have bounced back from a rough end of his Hartford era.

Friday Five: Eastern Turmoil

Another week, another F5 because I like gimmicks.

1. Marco Sturm was traded, then not traded, but still injured. Whaaahappen??

It seemed like a slam-dunk, and with the major analyst calling it a done-deal, we all thought it was going down. It appears that the Kings let it fall through because they didn't know when Sturm would be ready to play, so they could have gotten a lemon. Sturm is 3-4 weeks away from playing after major knee surgery, so who knows what condition he'll be in. Odds are, he will be the first one to go to clear up some cap space; but I doubt it'll be to LA now since they kind of balked on this whole deal to start off with.

2. The Edmonton Oilers went through the eastern Canadian teams like it was nothing; shouldn't the Oilers move to Quebec City to dominate the East??

It would seem that way, yes-- but the Oilers just showed how much better the crappiest team in the West does against the crappiest teams in the East. The Oilers are 4-2-1 this year against the East, including 3-0-0 against the Northeast. They still have time to screw it up if they bomb in Buffalo and Boston, even so-- we could be starting to see the young guys on the Oilers really coming into their own, especially Taylor Hall; who has three goals in his last three games, including a two-goal game last night in Toronto. They may not make any more moves upward in the standings.....but brick-by-brick, they're getting better.

3. Speaking of, two of the Eastern Canadian teams seem to be in peril, but is there going to be any changes made to stop the bleeding or will it happen when it's too late??

In Toronto, Brian Burke has said there isn't much going to happen in change, definitely not in the coaching position. Considering Dion Phaneuf is out, Burke could see it as just a bad bump without the captain in the line-up. There could be much more than that, as the Leafs weren't doing much with Phaneuf in the line-up before he got injured. Don't know if there's much to save Leaf-land, so we'll just have to see what happens, as it seems Burke and Wilson are safe....for now.

Yet, in Ottawa-- I could see stuff going down quickly. Bryan Murray could be feeling the heat if he doesn't make a move soon enough. I don't know what move he could make or if there's anything of any desire for a team to take; but he's going to have to make something out of nothing if he expect to keep his job. Cory Clouston can only do so much with a 2nd line and three 3rd lines in his line-up. Since the Pascal Leclaire experiment seems to be a bust, it could be time to shop him and see who's going to give up some prospects for him.

At least the Canadiens are reppin' for the Eastern Canadian teams.

4. Staying in Ottawa, they "welcomed" back Dany Heatley to the ScotiaBank Place and then got trounced. However, it seems the fans weren't too pleased with Heatley or the Senators. Comment??

Sure, it's been a few years, but thanks to scheduling-- the Sharks finally rolled into town. As silly as it sounds, the fans should feel a bit bitter, because they've seen their team turn to crap because of the trade....amongst other things. But they got their pent-up rage out and now it's time to move forward with everything involved. It's over and done with, you can't change anything, so just time to move along. The fact the Sens got shutout is just icing on the cake for Heatley in his return.

5. December 11th, CBC will do a 3-D broadcast of the Canadiens and Maple Leafs. What can we expect and has 3-D stuff FINALLY jumped the shark??

While it was announced in August at the Heritage Classic, the fact that CBC is doing this seems a little odd. I honestly don't think 3-D is going to be the wave of the future of broadcasting like HD has been, so to put something out there like that is going to almost seem like a waste of money. That said, it's pretty fancy to see them try something like this and maybe give people the feel of being at the game from the confines of their home. Yet, this makes me wonder if there's actually going to be a 3-D effect if you watch on a HD TV or if you'd have to get one of those new fangled 3-D TVs in order to truly respect the quality that is being presented. The idea jumped the shark when the dance movie "Step It Up" was put into 3-D, so this is just jumping it further.

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That's another week done-- huzzah. If you have any input or any suggests on topics-- email me at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com and I'll see what I can do for ya. Odds are it'll make the cut because I scour the landscape for things and come up dry most times.