Is it any surprise that the Ottawa Senators struggled yet again without their captain Daniel Alfredsson? It doesn't matter if it's the pre-season or regular season, this team has no identity when their captain is missing from the line-up. New coaching staff, same results when Alfredsson doesn't dress for a gamem, this time a 5-0 drubbing by their division rivals the Montreal Canadiens. This has to be troubling for management here in Ottawa. I don't care if it's the pre-season, you don't allow arguably your biggest rival to roll over you in relative ease.
To make matters worse, the other two longest serving Senators in alternate captain Chris Phillips and Mike Fisher weren't in the line-up. Unfortunately for Sens fans, the player wearing the "C" for Ottawa Friday night is most likely going to be the other alternate captain this season with the departure of Wade Redden, that would be Dany Heatley. This was Heatley's chance to lead by example and show his teammates he is serious about being a leader on this team. Instead he floated all night long, showed how undiscplined he can be by laying out a ridiculous cross check and showed nobody in the building that he should be rewarded with the other alternate captain spot come the beginning of the regular season. I certainly hope the coaching staff took notice.
Intead of Heatley serving notice as a leader, it was Chris Neil who once again proved his worth by not allowing the Canadiens to completely steamroll the Sens. Neil stepped up and made it be known that he wasn't rolling over for anyone in getting the better of Alex Henry after the Habs went up 3-0. He was looking to give his teammates a bit of a lift to close out the second period, the problem was very few followed his lead. The Sens allowed three goals in less than six minutes to finish the middle frame.
I wonder if Phillips or Fisher would have served notice to the young players on this team had they been in the line-up? I think many Sens fans would agree that both players would have led far better than the acting captain tonight!
Six regulars in total weren't in tonight's line-up for Ottawa, including Martin Gerber.
Far too many players who were on the bubble didn't do themselves any favours in Montreal which was troubling to see. When you are fighting for a roster spot, you certainly would expect players to elevate their game, but that wasn't the case against Montreal. Brad Isbister, Peter Regin, Greg Mauldin and Zack Smith are destined for Binghamton, while Luke Richardson likely will be on his way out as a player but should be asked to stay within the organization in some sort of coaching capacity.
Alfredsson, Fisher, Shean Donovan and Nick Foligno all hope to be back in the line-up. Foligno was replaced by Isbister Friday night but his play has been extremely disappointing this pre-season. Someone needs to remind Foligno that training camp started 10 days ago.
The defense should have Phillips and Jason Smith back tonight. Alexandre Picard who has been sidelined with a groin injury needs to get some gametime in to show the coaching staff what he is capable of doing at this level. Brian Lee, Brendan Bell and Christoph Schubert will most likely round the Sens defense against the Habs.
Anton Volchenkov should get the night off in the return match against Montreal this evening at Scotiabank Place, as I don't foresee a veteran having to play 3 games in 4 nights during the pre-season, especially with the number six and seven spot on defense up for grabs. Here is hoping that someone steps up to grab one of the final spots on defense and shows they belong on this team because tonight could be their last chance.
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Kevin
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