I have a different opinion on a few of the players:

Alfie:  he suffered a hip injury that is preventing him from going full steam.  They were hiding it a bit with a "back injury" but you can tell at the end of games, whether they were winning or losing, he'd have trouble pushing with his legs.

Redden:  the guy drives me nuts, but I don't believe it's from a lack of effort, but rather the pressures of being paid as a number 1 d-man when you're probably better suited as a number 2-3 on a team.  Once you go down that path, it's very difficult to get out of it, bad habits are habits after all.

Healtey:  He needed to mature and it took an unfortunate incident to grow him up that cost a life.  But he didn't leave because of trouble in Atlanta, it was just too hard to pass by the same spot of the accident on his way to the arena, his hockey career was back on track when he left.

Spezza:  the only hothead thing I think he's done was celebrating too much in front of the goal and even then the goalie's reaction was not called for.  I just wish they'd stop showing that #$%T@$ commercial with his deke and goal against Montreal. Enough is enough!

Neil:  The one guy that disappoints me this year.  Last year he led the league in hits (or near the top).  This year, he's invisible or gets dumb penalities. I think he's ok, but some players age rapidly in the world of Hockey and I fear that might be his problem.  I remember Chris Nilan went through the same weird drop off near the end of his Montreal run.

Gerber:  Whenever a player says "I've lost my confidence".  Whenever a goalie says that, it's a scary thing because now you think if he allows one bad goal, does that goal take-away his confidence, again?

Seriously, I don't follow them super religiously, but aside from the Emery issue, I don't recall any bitching or in-house arguments, outside of typical family-type issues.

- the practice issue:  all because of Emery
- the fight at practice:  it involved Emery (even then, I thought it could be a good thing, him and mcgratton seem to think it was ok eheh).
- Police stopping players in their cars: that would be Emery.

I'm sure Emery is getting SOME bad raps, but until he works hard at practice and accepts he's the architect of either his good fortunes or bad, his career will tank rapidly.

It just seems like it all went downhill for the sens when this crap about emery missing practices started. I could just be committing the post hoc fallacy, but that's how a layman like myself sees it.

Quoted from jonny_eh

It just seems like it all went downhill for the sens when this crap about emery missing practices started. I could just be committing the post hoc fallacy, but that's how a layman like myself sees it.

Emery was an a**, no doubt about it.  He got the big paycheck and his already large ego tripled in size.  I do put some blame on Paddock for this though, he let him get away with it time and time again.  Paddock coddled him and Emery took full advantage of that.  

Agreed.

Ok, back to the subject at hand.  SENS WIN THE CUP!  

Quoted from Sparky

Alfredsson? ... riding his contract, looks like he doesn't want to get involved

I gotta object to this one.  

Alfie is a stand-up guy from the outset.   Remember he won the "rookie of they year" and never held out for more money like our Russian friend.   He was quoted then as saying I have a contract and that is what it was worth when I had no experience - if I didn't play well or got injured I would have received the same amount.  

He's up there with Sundin just not physically as big - and therefore not as dominating physically.   He's not going to intimidate someone with his fists or hits.   "Get involved" - that's not his job.   Is he first in the corner - yes - is he willing to hold onto the puck in danger zones for a better offensive chance - yes.   Sure, sometimes I wish he would give some cheap shots after the whistle - seems noone on the Sens is doing the "dirty work" - that other teams are doing (for sure not Redden, Philips, Mezaros, ...)

The Bell hit was "not cool" as Fisher said - enough said.  Alfie publicly takes blame for having his head down.    Stand up guy again.


As much I was wanna believe the Sens roll over the Pens - I think the pens in 5...

Quoted from Tuborg

"Get involved" - that's not his job.

Excuse me???? He,s captain for pete's sake!!!! If his teammates are slacking, he should be the first to denounce it.

..Nothing much on his part. And I have an ironclad inside source that confirmed it. But yes, he is a nice guy, but seems discouraged by whats going on, instead of pushing...

Quoted from The Loafer

Agreed.

Ok, back to the subject at hand.  SENS WIN THE CUP!  

I'll bet you 2 MAACA shirts thar the Habs do better than the Sens in the series. Are you a gambling man, Rob? Because I like my odds...  

  I was in a pool today with 9 guys...12 rounds. Last year, in the first round, 5 Sens were picked. Today, Spezza was first, but in the EIGHTH round!!!!!!  Over SIXTY players went before the first Sen. And one of the guys there makes his living from the Sens! ( He runs the catering at Scotiabank place!). Not much confidence in this town!  Emery will be bought out for sure after its over....no one else in the league wants him. I know for a fact that they tried to shop him, and nobody wanted any part of him. He's nothing but a cokehead. Redden is just playing it out, not that he ever was anything but a mediocre defenceman anyhow.

I drew the #2 pick, and #1 took Datsyuk....easy for me, Sidney Crosby, and by the time it came all the way back, I didn't even have to speak. Everyone knew it was JARRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMME  IGIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNLLLLLA. Penguins vs. Flames in the final...Thornton chokes in round #1, then the Flames roll thru Detroit and Dallas...Penguins toy with the east, taking out the Habs in 5 in the semis, after sweeping Ott. and Wash. Flames then outlast Sid the Kid, who gets ejected in Game #7 for crying like the baby that he is!!!

Quoted from Sparky

..Nothing much on his [Alfie's] part. And I have an ironclad inside source that confirmed it. But yes, he is a nice guy, but seems discouraged by whats going on, instead of pushing...

Geez, 89 points in a season and he's slacking off..., can't wait to see when he plays motivated then...

Discouraged, yeah - but it's a mistake for any player to air dirty laundry to the media.  

As for goalies and drugs - rumours - name one that isn't on something to stand in front of that crap    (Or at least you must admit Emery wouldn't be the first - maybe just no the best drug/goalie combo     )


Either way, talk about the Sens now, 'cause they'll be golfing soon.  

Quoted from Tuborg

Geez, 89 points in a season and he's slacking off..., can't wait to see when he plays motivated then...

Discouraged, yeah - but it's a mistake for any player to air dirty laundry to the media.  

As for goalies and drugs - rumours - name one that isn't on something to stand in front of that crap    (Or at least you must admit Emery wouldn't be the first - maybe just no the best drug/goalie combo     )


Either way, talk about the Sens now, 'cause they'll be golfing soon.  

Again you misquote me... he played phenomenally, but didn't speak up or react as a captain should. He just kept quiet or said it was his fault in front of the media. Not once have I seen him shake up anything. I could say that it seems to be a trend with European captains as they seem to be reserved, but I can give Sundin as an example. There have been many reported instances of Sundin literally shaking up his team in the locker room... too bad the team wasn't much to shake up, but that is another discussion.

I can give many other cases in point of actions team captains can take... Alfredsson prefers to lead by example, and doesn't push comments. That is usually great, but the Sens need a serious kick in the a**... and I am afraid that it will come in the form of a hasty elimination.

This being said guys, nothing would make me happier than to see them eliminate Pittsburgh and hand Crosby his a**. Sorry guys... I don't like him... he reminds me of Lemieux when he plays... Christ does he ever whine a lot, but yes, the guy is magic on ice. Malkin for me is the shiznit.

And speaking of Pittsburgh, this is probably coach Therrien's last chance... no cup = no job.

And as to the rumor that Murray is pushing, that the Penguins dropped the last game so that they could face the Sens, that is total horseshit... the Penguins had the Eastern conference championship within their grasp... do you honestly think that players would give that up just to face the Sens??? No way... players have too much pride.

Quoted from igorsr

Detroit is my favourite team but they got tooooo many points by playing stupid Columbus almost every second game.

You're thinking of last year.  The wings are barely above 500 against the Central this year.

Quoted from Sparky

Hey... they have a solid team overall, and an excellent coach. Goalies are good too. Hasek is old, but seems to still deliver, and Osgood seems to have risen from the ashes.

Zetterberg and Datsyuk in front... Lidstrom (the king) and Rafalski on defence, and lets not forget their secret weapon... Aaron Downey!!  

I still say GO HABS though...


Sparky


PS: Rocket Richard was the greatest... Gordie Howe was nothing but an elbowing thug!!!  

... and sorry... I will NEVER go to Detroit... I know people that work there and they were not so nice when talking about their hometown... I can't even type what they said...

I echo everything they said.  Detroit (the city) is a sh*t hole.  The suburbs are nice though.  It's a shame all surrounding areas are lumped into "Detroit".