Ottawa Senators 2010-2011

Since I don't run a sports blog, it's hard to justify writing my opinion about the Senators.  However, this does count as a piece of writing, and it's practice, so I'm doing it here.

I think everyone can agree that this season is toast.  Ottawa is not going to make the playoffs (barring a miracle), and even if they did, they would likely get swept.  Normally, I wouldn't have a problem with this - you can't win every season in sports.  The problem this year is that the team is losing horribly.  They're not even making a game of it.  When I see them play live, I would like to be able to watch an interesting game, but this team is not even capable of doing that.

So what's the problem?  Do the players just not care anymore?  Is it the coach?  The GM?  Unfortunately, the answer is likely "all of the above".  I think it's time that the organization moves on after this year with a new look. Both Bryan Murray and Cory Clouston's contracts are done at the end of the year, so that makes it easier to get a new GM for the team.  Not that I'm entirely upset with what Murray's done - he's brought in a great player in Erik Karlsson, as well as other young dynamic players - but I think he's just about at the end of his rope in Ottawa.  At least as a GM - if he stays on as a scout, that wouldn't be so bad.

The only players I really want to see here next year are Erik Karlsson, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson.  Other than that, everyone is fair game.  Up until this year I probably could be accused of being sentimental for the likes of Chris Phillips or Mike Fisher or Chris Neil, but it's clear that this team needs a new face.  There are some young players down in the AHL that will come up to replace some expiring contracts, and then the rest should be traded.

It would be really nice if next year, for the 2012 All-Star game, for Ottawa to be a competitive team; however I don't think that is really going to happen.  I would at least like to see a young, fresh team that shows signs of promise.  I can wait for a couple of years for another chance at the Stanley Cup; just give me a team that shows that they WANT to play.