It’s not enough that I’m so bus that I miss the Draft in Ottawa and had to pass at a free ticket to the NHL Awards a week earlier. But now I can’t even keep up with the news…

Toronto is giving up on Wellwood and Raycroft. Not too surprising… But WWPDWGR?*

Oh yeah, and as of this morning it’s official, Sugar Ray is gone from Ottawa. Now we get to look to free agency for the next Ottawa goalie to build a controversy around. Hey, Raycroft is free now, Sensations would be able to recycle the ‘Razor’ branded merch!

* What Will Pittburgh Do Without Gary Roberts?

I overheard a nasty stat on the radio today fro Penguins fans:

The last time Pittsburgh has won a game in Detroit was back on Dec 10th 2000!

A year ago the Ottawa Senators were fighting with Buffalo to see who would represent the East in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sens eventually lost that fight, but during that time a second, if not more poignant battle was being lost.

Elgin Fraser passed away last year on May 19th, succumbing to a rare cancer. Today his memorial is in the Ottawa Citizen:

A little boy who fulfilled his life’s

purpose in only three short years.

He inspired countless people

with his courage and strength

while he lived with Neuroblastoma,

a rare childhood cancer.

His love and passion for the game

of hockey brought communities

together and left an imprint on

people around the world.

Despite fighting for his life, he taught

people to love the life you are given and

to make the best of each day.

“Game On!”
Elgin-Alexander Fraser, Age 3

There is still a movement to get Elgin’s jersey hung at Scotiabank Place.

Oh yeah, the Sidney Crosbies beat the tar out of Philly and ‘the kid’ refused to touch the Eastern Conference trohpy. (Bastard…)

Wade Redden’s last touch of the puck (as a Senator) was a giveaway that led to a goal.

I think that sums it up, don’t you?
[From He ain’t Brett Favre]

Yeah, that’s sums it up nicely. Buh Bye Red!

A fitting end to the type of play we produced this year. A team that wasn’t able to live above their own hype last year in the final, found themselves facing the same problem this year after attaining the NHL’s best start to a season.

The problem has never been a lack of talent, heart, grit or any of the platitudes you hear around arenas this time of year when the cameras are on. Quite simply we’ve a problem adapting to situational games.

What do you do if our goalie is having a bad night. What to do if the big line is being effectively shut down. What do you do when the only players making an effort are the rookies.

It was a problem going as far back as lat November and was blogged about here. Some said I was pessimistic. I think I merely saw the problems for what they were.

Good on Pittsburgh for improving over last year, improving where they needed to and generally raising their level of play.

Season recap coming this weekend along with an analysis of whom should stay, whom should go and whom we’ll most likely see an offer sheet from Kevin Lowe for…