Where on earth have you been?
Yeah, I know. It's been a while. But this year hasn't exactly been normal and I think I'm forgiven for that at least.
The suspension of the NHL season and the impact of COVID-19 aka coronavirus aka the rona
On the 12th March it was announced by commissioner Gary Bettman that the season would be suspended until further notice. The action was pretty much taken after it was revealed Utah Jazz NBA players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell had tested positive for the virus, and the NBA halted their season as well. In the midst of a global pandemic, it was the right thing to do for the safety of players, staff and fans.
The inbetween- what did I do?
Hockey returned and so did my serotonin (briefly)
Other news- where are we now?
I started this post back in April/May in the middle of a lockdown and then just... never finished it. Now here I am, right before the draft with an odd spurt of creativity, here to bless you with my thoughts that literally none of you asked for.
So now I bring to you a cathartic stream of consciousness dating all the way back to the trade deadline!
In case any of you guys even remember that because it feels like 5 years ago.
We'll start there.
The trade deadline
Another year, another trade deadline passed, and as expected the Sens decided to hold a car boot sale and sold whatever they damn could.
Another year, another trade deadline passed, and as expected the Sens decided to hold a car boot sale and sold whatever they damn could.
Fuckin' rights 'Melo is gone (I really wanted us to keep him goddamn it), Zaitsev and Hainsey are somehow still bloody here and I'm here now starting to lose track of who the hell plays for us anymore.
We also traded (local boy, good kid) Veronneau, Namestnikov, Ennis, had Luchuck for a hot minute before flipping him, and of course, the biggest story of the deadline, traded Jean-Gabriel Pageau to the Islanders.
Now, don't get me wrong- Dorion actually got a cracking return for JGP given as we actually sold high for once. Although the Isles' success in the playoffs means that the picks are lower than anticipated, we have an extra 1st and 2nd round pick in a year where the draft is stacked and the talent levels are said to be incredibly high.
However, that doesn't change the fact that it hurt seeing another one of our vets be shipped out of town. I became a fan of the Sens in the 2016/17 season, and will never forget when JGP scored 4 times in the infamous playoff game against the Rangers. Him, Stone, Karlsson- I saw them live at the CTC, I fell in love with them as players. I know that my friends on twitter dot com who have followed this dumb team their whole lives who've seen Alfie and others go, will know this pain far more than I do, but it really does suck knowing that my fond memories of my year in Ottawa have now been tainted by the fact NOBODY IS BLOODY LEFT (but more on that later).
The suspension of the NHL season and the impact of COVID-19 aka coronavirus aka the rona
On the 12th March it was announced by commissioner Gary Bettman that the season would be suspended until further notice. The action was pretty much taken after it was revealed Utah Jazz NBA players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell had tested positive for the virus, and the NBA halted their season as well. In the midst of a global pandemic, it was the right thing to do for the safety of players, staff and fans.
Shortly after the season was suspended it was announced that some NHL players had in fact tested positive for the virus... namely, a few players from the Ottawa goddamn Senators.
While my concern was and still is even now with the players who were affected, and while I am obviously glad they have all made full recoveries... It had to be the Sens first didn't it.
Of course it was us.
While my concern was and still is even now with the players who were affected, and while I am obviously glad they have all made full recoveries... It had to be the Sens first didn't it.
Of course it was us.
It was later confirmed that five players on the Sens, one member of staff and TSN1200 colour commentator Gord Wilson were all diagnosed with and subsequently recovered from COVID-19.
I'm just glad they're all okay.
The NHL pause was a long one. My trip to Ottawa that I was meant to have at the end of March got rescheduled to July, and I spent several months in lockdown- but still worked as a key worker in a hospital in my former city, Leeds. I wore a mask to work, at work, and after work, well before anyone else had to. I lived alone in my three bed flat (apartment) because my flatmates spent lockdown with their significant others. It was fucking lonely. I developed a mild addiction to Animal Crossing, watched god knows how much YouTube, and finally made my Netflix account worth it. I also reflected often on how lucky I was though to be safe and healthy- albeit somewhat pissed off that rona had robbed me of the chance to see friends, my hockey team and my third home over in Ottawa.
Shops began to open back up slowly but most of my friends were displaced, spread across the country due to universities shutting, furlough situations, many just straight up lost their jobs and moved back with their parents. I left my job and the city in late June. I moved back in with my mum in my hometown, and tried to stay sane having left my friends and source of income behind.
I had to cancel my holiday (vacation) to Ottawa completely, leaving me (albeit briefly richer) pretty damn sad. It's going to be years before I can visit again.
But luckily, in early August, just a month later, things got better.
Hockey returned and so did my serotonin (briefly)
At the beginning of August, the NHL restarted, with 24 teams in two separate bubbles competing firstly in either a play-in round, or a round robin. Honestly, as a UK hockey fan, this period of time was absolutely fucking great. Several games a day, and early games I could actually watch? My unemployed depressed ass literally LIVED for this. As soon as one game ended I could just... watch another one? At a sensible hour?!
We saw some incredibly exciting hockey (Edmonton/Chicago), some not so exciting hockey (Pittsburgh/Montreal), and we got to watch the Leafs not even make it to the first round, let alone get past it. My best friend (shout out @letsdothatleafs) came to visit me in my hometown and we actually got to watch hockey together for the first time in months, even though I spent a considerable amount of time consoling her about the aforementioned Leafs exit (Lexit? Leafxit?).
The actual playoffs then began and things started to feel like normal. Once again I made a disastrously inaccurate playoff bracket, rooted for teams that inevitably lost (RIP Vegas and Colorado), watched as former Sens lost chances at the cup (still not sure if I'm happy or sad about that) and slowly began to be unable to stay up for games, as is always the case when the Stanley Cup Final looms to be honest. Staying up until 1am? No ma'am.
We saw Tampa take the crown/lift the cup, and now we enter a wonderful limbo of once again wondering when the actual next season will start.
Other news- where are we now?
Some Farewells
The Sens have decided officially not to re-sign Boro and Anderson, not only removing more of the few players we had left from the 2016/17 cup run, but also removing even more fan-favourite players. Anderson was beloved in Ottawa, however the fan consensus seemed to be that not only did he deserve better than the Sens, but also that maybe it was time to move on. I personally hope he gets a contract in somewhere sunny where him and his family can actually relax and enjoy themselves. Boro, who in the last few months before the pause of the season had developed an odd cult following with Sens fans, will also be missed. Not only did he help the community out in his time in Ottawa, but this year he reached a personal best in points and goals, stopped a damn robbery, and just generally brought smiles to us during another season of well, the Sens.
Bobby Ryan went through a lot this season. In November he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, and then went on to score a hat-trick in his first game back in February, after it was revealed he had been dealing with sobriety issues. He went on to recently win the Masterton trophy, a well deserved win for him.
...
The Sens bought him out a few days later.
...
Look, I know his contract sucked. I know his on ice performance wasn't as good as it could've been. But this was literally Melnyk trying to save some cash. AGAIN. That's all it was. This wasn't a damn hockey move. This was a "our owner is poor and we need to fill the roster with ELCs and random plugs" move.
Ryan will be missed as well.
And that brings us to the fact that all we now have left of the 2016/17 cup run is one game of Colin White. Let's be honest though, unless he starts performing to his contract, Dorion may send him packing as well.
Jersey news
The 2D IS BACK BABY. I have wanted us to go back to 2D for the longest time, to the point where I never even bought a 3D sens jersey, only owning one of the 'O' jerseys. The only problem with the 2D is that I live in England and that shipping cost is probably going to be near the price of the jersey in the first place. Also- who's name would I even bother getting on the back? Literally I have no idea who is going to be on this team next year, let alone for enough years to make paying for extra letters worth it.
Recent trade news
We just sent a 4th round pick to the Panthers for the rights to sign Josh Brown, and have just today signed him to a 2 year contract. I'd pretend I know things about him, but all I know is that he's tall.
We also still haven't signed Chucky, Duclair or even Connor Brown but I mean were any of us expecting that yet anyway?
Me- oh yeah the dumb person that writes this
Me? Well the reason I moved home for two months was to prepare for where I am now.
I've just started studying a masters degree (which I really should be concentrating on right now instead of this blog) down in a town called Reading (its pronounced red-ing, not reed-ing). It's full of green spaces, the Thames runs through it, and even though it's a little quiet, it's not like I need the distraction anyway. I have this blog and hockey for that.
What next?
Free agency is looming and I personally cannot wait for chaos. I think we will see teams make big moves, overpay, do dumb shit- especially after the number of upsets the play-ins caused. The Sens have already destroyed everything I love so I'm personally ready to see other teams deal with drama now. Schadenfreude I know.
But first, we have the draft.
I'm hoping for Stutzle at 3rd, purely because I think LA will snap up Byfield and we won't have the chance at him anyway. Then at 5th, I think Rossi or Perfetti would be good choices in my opinion, depending on who the Red Wings pick. Of course, I am not a scout and if anything I'm one of the least qualified Sens fans to talk about this stuff. If you want actual good analysis I am not your gal.
~
I might write something after the draft and free agency. I might write before the start of the season.
No promises though. It took me like 8 months to get this posted.
If you actually wasted part of your evening to read this, thank you. I hope you are all safe and well.
(Oh, by the way, a car boot sale is basically where you go to a field and sell all your unwanted shit out of the trunk of your car)
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