Thursday Morning Affirmations

With the trade deadline just around the corner (less than two weeks!) the talk on hockey sites throughout fan blogdom is focused on what moves their team should make. Wayne Scanlan had an interesting piece in the Ottawa Citizen that looked at the value of deadline moves. He also included the opinions of a couple of the senators' leaders, coach Bryan Murray and captain Daniel Alfredsson.

Alfie:

Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson says it's rarely a bad idea to add Cup winners, "especially if it's someone who was a big part of it." Another valid approach, Alfredsson says, is to find a hungry veteran who recognizes he doesn't have many opportunities left.

Murray:

When I asked head coach Bryan Murray the other day if he would welcome another player, he replied, as directly as a coach can, that he liked the "positive message" a move sends to the team. In other words, bring it on. The message is that the organization is serious about making a run right now, because it believes there is a chance to win. The Carolina Hurricanes delivered that message last year when they acquired Doug Weight and Mark Recchi (in part, to replace Erik Cole and his broken neck). Carolina survived a first-round scare from the Montreal Canadiens to win the first Stanley Cup in the history of the franchise.

The added emphasis is mine but it seems like I have heard those sentiments before. Looking at the needs of the members of the BoO what moves would everyone like to see? Should either team even make a move? Realistic or not, it will help pass the day after the most contrived holiday in history and push us one day closer to the weekend.

Power Rankings

The Scanlan article also had a run down of TSN's Top 10 Swedish Players. No surprise about which BoO SC came in highest (MSC!):

1. Nicklas Lidstrom
2. Peter Forsberg
3. Borje Salming
4. Mats Sundin
5. Kent Nilsson
6. Markus Naslund
7. Daniel Alfredsson
8. Ulf Samuelsson
9. Mats Naslund
10. Thomas Steen

Alfie's reaction was to be expected:

I don't understand! THM and Gee at the BoO are always writing that I am the best Swede. Maybe they realized that I am senzstillrule and they were messing with me.

Poor guy, he still has time to pass Markus Naslund who really has no business being ahead of Alfie not to mention the fact that Ulfie is on the list. Here is my favourite clip of the Knee-Clipper. Revenge for Neely via Domi, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.