Leaf fans, introducing your $4M 3rd line winger.

I figure I ought to get in on the action today.
Here are the practice lines from this morning:

Ponikarovsky - Grabovski - Kulemin
Hagman - Stajan - Stempniak
Blake - Mitchell - Mayers
Rosehill - Wallin - Orr

Beauchemin - Kaberle
Komisarek - White
Schenn - Finger

Jeff Finger is in and frankly I don't know how he played the way he did in Washington and gets sat for the Sens game to begin with? Glad to see him and Schenn as a pairing and a well deserved promotion for Ian White. Perhaps the real Beauchemin will show up after 3 straight days of practice...

Who's taking bets on what period Joey Mac makes his Leafs debut?

Tracking Post 2

I had to push that last one down.  Too aggravating to bear.

Here's something happier:

Toskala.   4.94 GAA

Tracking post

By popular demand:

Heatley	4	Kovalev	0
		Michalek	0
		Cheechoo	0
		Total	0

It's Friday! I like boobies.

I just wanted to apologize to everyone for yesterday's gratuitous cock shots in my first ever post on the BoO.

I figure this will make up for it (after the jump for those with overly-restrictive image policies - not necessarily NSFW):


I did a google image search for "Ottawa Senators ladies" but these are the only pics that came up:



Happy Thanksgiving.

Luck of the Irish

Is there any way the Leafs can trade for Shean "Chum" Donovan?
Two goals in two games that shouldn't have counted. Is it any suprise that this guy was reffing last night?

In other news, someone that plays for San Jose scored a hat trick last night... Can anyone guess who?

And, one of NYI's players is challenging Byron Bitz for coolest name in the league... Matt Moulson. Solid. My all-time fav is Zarley Zalapski.

Burke's best option?

Gustavsson's goaltender-destroying injury to the join casts a shadow over the hope that was.  Grim are the prospects for Toronto's goaltending situation.

We're all well aware of Toskala's unfulfilled 'potential' and, as Five-0 so kindly detailed with medically far-too-accurate images we hope to never see again, Gustavsson is looking to be as fragile as Pascal Leclaire has been the last few years (and, dear unicorn, let that be the end of it). 

So what is Burke to do?

Well, Joey McDonald is recalled on Emergency Waivers which runs out after 30 days.  Hopefully for Gustavsson, he heals quickly and permanently.   But what if he doesn't?  What if he 'heals' and reinjures?  This is already looking like a wonky groin, a la Hasek.  Do the Leafs hope and pray that Toskala turns it around?  

McDonald isn't the answer, because he has to go back to the A and be recalled again with the possibility of being claimed.  So if he isn't the answer, if Toskala plays as he has been, and if Gustavsson can't remain healthy, I ask again: what is Burke to do?  

Your solution after the break:

Here's your best bet at the moment, Brian:

Burke may be forced to deal with the Islanders (I'm tampering!  They're gonna take away my internets!).  When DiPietro comes back from injuries, you can bank on him getting a lot of games to earn that crazy term contract.    You're then left with one of Roloson or Biron.  It's doubtful the Iles would part with Biron as he's a more than capable backup and could even start.  

So is Roloson the answer?  What goes in the other direction?  NY loves those young guys right now.  Is Burke willing to ditch some of the future for a decent goalie or will he start putting his scouts on the top 5 prospects for 10/11?

Bleak folks.  October bleak.

Welcome to Ottawa JT

Its the Sens rookie that opens the scoring though.

Gotta win the games against the Isles of the league - something the Sens didn't do last year.

Tips for Gustavsson

Dear Monster,

This is what happened to you:


This is how to fix it:


And this is what will happen to Leaf Nation if you don't:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_methods

Some of the lads over at Pension Plan Puppets have a few of their own suggestions...
http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2009/10/8/1076401/gustavsson-on-ir-macdonald-recalled

How to commit suicide quickly and without a lot of fanfare

1. Cut femoral artery in a hot tub
2. Jump off of a bridge into ottawa traffic
3. The Wellwood - Try to eat as much as Kyle Wellwood

I'm partial to number 1 and 2 as there aren't enough groceries at my local supermarket that would even allow me to attempt option 3.

The Monster is down!

Sid breathes a sigh of relief.

Kovalev dishes on Alfie, Kostitsyn & Markov

Recognizing his popularity with much of the francophone community through his time with the Habs, RDS.ca has invited Kovalev to be an occasional contributor on hockey matters.

A few of the high-lites from his first entry:

• The Sens have a better veteran-rookie communication structure.  Sounds like the Habs stopped talking when things got bad.  Who gets the credit?  Alfie, of course;
• Kostitsyn is a suckhole;
• Markov is a huge loss for the Habs (and to DJ on the BoOB);

How often can we expect to see Kovalev pining for his old team in his personal blog? 

"at least once or twice a month"

That is, unless he doesn't like it anymore.

And the bell rings...

The fighters retreat to their corners. The first round goes the Sens but there was no knockout - Gustavsson played well. The expected street fight didn't emerge.

Game notes:
Top icetime for the Sens was Phillips at 19:23. Spezza led the forwards with 18:14.
The Kaberle/Beauchemin tandem saw 21:40 of ice with Stajan leading the forwards with 18:13.

Stempniak led everyone with 5 shots - the Leafs putting 14 on Leclaire in the 3rd period.

Redlight or stopsign?

Ok, I didn't want to step on Don's GDT, but had this in the works last night and, at Muppet's urging, we may as well all get a post in.

I figured there was no need to put Gustavsson's face on the statue. You're all smart enough to understand the inference.

So, what's tomorrow's amendment to graphic going to be? Red light or stop sign?

Think we can fit two Game Day posts?

Hell ya! In fact lets make it three. THM, you got something cooking you can throw up in a few hours? I think we should all get to chime in on BoO Game Day. Jardine is probably still sleeping... the salmon eating hippie.

Gustavsson is in net and we're all pretty excited. Fisher, as Don pointed out, was tossing challenges across the aisle this morning at our D. Carkner and Neil lining up and will be met by Rosehill and Orr. Kulemin inserted into the line-up with Mayers out. That Shannon guy who was on Zonker Harris' best 3rd line in the NHL is already scratched in game #2... Is this enough drama? Does the BoO still have sizzle?

We gonna get it on cause we don't get along!

Six rounds this season in the BoO

We'll call this one the tune-up. Where you measure your throws because this early in the season you're just not quite sure what your opponent has and even what you've got to give.

It's not Ali, but Fisher's starting with the as much trash talking as you'll probably get:
"Their back end is definitely very physical, but at the same time, there are not a lot of guys, other than (Tomas) Kaberle, that handle the puck, so we've got to make sure we're pressuring them and getting on them," Fisher said. "They'll turn the puck over, we saw that the first two games."

Is it Gustavsson for the Leafs? Fans of the Blue and White hope he passes his first on-ice test better than his driver's test.

Obviously neither team wants to drop this game.  The Leafs are under tremendous pressure to tighten up their defence - if their struggles last a week I think we'll start to see ink on subtle jabs and questions with regards to Burke's UFA choices and his gamble on Kessel without seeing what his situation really is in net and defence.

The Sens play their home opener on Thursday.  Saturday's loss looked really familiar to Sens fans and it struck a nerve.  Another one like that and the call-in shows are going to be

in mid-season form.  

So sing the anthem and bring it on Godfather!

BoO prep

The Sens are likely going to tweak the bottom lines for tomorrow's game at the ACC with Shannon expected to be out.

Personally, I'd like to see Kovalev with Spezza and Alfie if one can play the left side. Michalek seems to like a more north-south style which I can see fitting in well with Fisher.

Anyway, looking forward to reading the Toronto papers Wednesday when Joey McDonald gets called up, and the Leafs make overtures to Gerber to come back and replace the two shell shocked Leaf tenders.

Better late than never?

New post to discuss the Sens scoring woes, Toskala getting the hook, etc, etc.

Go SENS!

This post brought to you by the letter A.

As Muppet intimated in the prior thread, the Sens did indeed apply power to Fisher, but, instead of a triple-A as Muppet suggested,  Clouston decided only to give him only one.

The generally accepted captain-in-waiting,  the guy with the most heart on the team now takes the place of the player without any heart (and a -3 after game one to boot). 

Fisher injured from thoughts of playing Leafs next week.*

It happened today in practice while Clouston took his squad through some tape in preparation for the first few games of the schedule. Upon seeing Mike komiserek's face, Fisher keeled over and had a heart attack. Using miniature paddles and a AAA battery, they managed to get his little heart beating again. Afraidsson, seeing the commotion, ran and hid in the dressing room until all was sorted, and then gave a press conference while riding his stationary bike.Mostly he talked about the nuts he hid around the rink last spring and how he's having a hard time finding them all.

Word is Fisher will be OK and can play Saturday in NYC.

*events may not have occurred as described.

Bob McKenzie and opening night for the Leafs!

Unless you're up late like me - because you played a game of pick-up at 11pm and now you can't sleep - this ought to be the morning Leaf post welcoming you to Game #1 of the Brian Burke era.

Before you get too excited, Vesa Toskala will start the season. Before you let that get you down, recall that it was Toskala who backstopped the Leafs to a 3-2 win over Detroit to open last season. Half full. Half empty. You decide!

Yesterday we talked rosters. Eyebrows raised, no doubt, to see Victor Stalberg open the season on the top line. Or did they? He did lead the NHL in pre-season goals with a half dozen in 8 games played. But that's because he personally played in more games than most other teams did right? Perhaps. Also he was a 6th round pick, by John Ferguson Junior. He must be a flash in the pan... Unless you believe Bob McKenzie, who today [Thursday], said this:

"This guy is no flash in the pan [see how I did that, using his exact words above and then flipping them into a positive - awesome!], and he will challenge for the rookie of the year"

Rookie of the year? Hey. What does Bob McKenzie know? It's not like you can take his words to the bank on most subjects related to hockey. [See how I did that? I say something opposite to fact as if it is fact, to prove my point that Bob know everything. I'm on a roll.]

Bob McKenzie... Victor Stalberg... hmm... oh right, the roster. Well, one thing that occurred to me is that despite playing a billion preseason games, the Leafs never iced the exact group who will start the season. Imagine when that 3rd D line comes out and it's Exelby and Ian White? Sends shivers down my spine. Do you, like me, look forward to the first time our 4th line jumps over the boards and Orr, Rosehill and Primeau go flying into the opposition zone looking to shake things up? How about Hagman on a line with Grabovski, or Kaberle and Beauchemin both wearing letters on their chest and #22 waiting for grapes from #15 the way #24 used to back when our PP was #2? Speaking of numbers, which one does Wallin wear again and can he make our PK not be #30?

Lots of excitement, lots of hope, lots of fears.

So have at it BoO. Where you watching the game tonight? Who do you think will stand out? How many beers will you drink? What kind of beer? Will you even remember the 3rd? And how, on God's green earth, will any of us get any work done today?

Leafs vs Habs. 7pm. CBC.

F'n Aye.

10 years today!

A new captain was named to the Ottawa Senators on October 1st, 1999.
Alfie became the club leader in regular season and playoff games, goals, assists, and points and holds the club record for plus-minus.
He was the first European captain to lead his team to the Cup finals.
He's now the longest serving captain in the NHL.

How quickly things can change. Sundin and Koivu left their teams under a cloud and now both teams start the season tomorrow without a player wearing the C.

On Saturday, Alfie leads the Sens in the season with expectations low but with a clear goal. The team will build on the improvement seen during the end of last season, grow the improved offensive depth into a team strength, build defensive confidence out from Leclaire, and take these into the playoffs.