I'll have plenty of information on this as soon as it becomes readily available, but the early diagnosis for Patrick Wiercioch's injury after an ugly series of events appears grim.
According to Joy Lindsay citing 'multiple anonymous reports', Wiercioch was placed on an assisted breathing machine after taking a puck to the throat in a game Friday night against the Norfolk Admirals.
Recent speculation suggests that the assisted breathing machine could be a proactive move by the hospital in the fight against swelling, but nothing has been confirmed just yet.
Wiercioch - the 42nd overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft - remains one of the better names in the Ottawa Senators system despite a slower than projected progression, with 2G/10A in 25 GP for the Binghamton Senators this season.
This situation is developing, so keep it locked right here as well as Binghamton Senators beat writer Joy Lindsay's Twitter for more information.
Let's hope for a full recovery.
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12/9/11 Blog
Last night's gut-wrenching loss to the New Jersey Devils in overtime at the Prudential Center might have briefly sucked the life out of the entire fan base, but the Ottawa Senators weren't the only team to be embarrassed in a late-game collapse on Thursday.
Thanks to quality friends over in Columbus and Montreal, Ottawa was able to share the always-dreaded honor of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Much like the Ottawa Senators, the Montreal Canadiens blew a three-goal lead - this time, at home - to the Vancouver Canucks. And, Columbus, in typical Columbus fashion, gave up a pair of goals in the final two minutes, then watched Colin Wilson skate in unmarked for the eventual game-winner.
Of course, play-by-play guy Jeff Rimer went out of his way to unknowingly troll the fan to make matters worse. First, he does his best Doc Emrick impression on the goal-call, then lets off a, "Gotta be shitting me!" as the cameras fade.
Oh, Columbus.
Let's not pile on the Blue Jackets, though - the Senators aren't much better. At least Columbus can own that their loss came against a probable playoff team. Can you say the same about the New Jersey Devils?
Before we head into the weekend, let's get into some Good, Bad, and Ugly flavor, recapping the week that was (read: wasn't).
The Good: 9MM.
I could just end the take there, but I won't. Milan Michalek's goal-scoring spree has now reached uncharted territories, as he's wrestled the goal-scoring lead away from Phil Kessel with eighteen on the season. Michalek's been an absolute buzzsaw in the offensive zone, and although he has an absurdly high shot percentage(20.9%) that's almost guaranteed to tail-off, there's no question he's playing the best hockey of his career.
Think that's rhetoric? Try again. In Milan Michalek's best season prior to 2011, he potted 26G/40A with a offensive juggernaut in San Jose. Ottawa's scoring goals pretty easily, too, but you'd have to imagine his point totals are still skewed thanks to the dearth of top-six talent on this team.
Even with that admittance, Michalek's on pace for a 51G/17A. Incredible, huh? For at least one meaningful day, Ottawa can savor in the fact that they have a leader in a statistical measurement that actually matters.
Oh, make that two. Erik Karlsson - still tied for the league lead in dimes at 23 with Patty Kane and Henrik Sedin.
The Bad: Perhaps the most over-exaggerated storyline of the Ottawa Senators 2011-2012 season? Their 'success' in third periods.
Here's an indisputable fact - Ottawa's one of the most exciting teams to watch in the final twenty minutes. Here's a very, very disputable claim - they dominate the final twenty minutes.
For whatever reason, Ottawa's offense just kicks into another gear when the third period rolls around. They've scored 43 goals in just 29 GP, meaning they score about 1.5 goals per night when it's crunch time. A true testament to the coaching staff in Ottawa, especially when you consider the other end of the spectrum; that is, the New York Islanders, who have scored a pathetic 15 goals in the same window.
You'd think that a team who scores so many goals with reckless abandon for opposing defenses would be incapable of blowing games late, but that's far from the truth. Here's reality: They've also given up 43 goals in the third period, meaning they're - get ready for this - +0 on the season in the final twenty!
A complete and utter wash, much to the chagrin of those - including myself - who once lauded them as the comeback kids. The fact is, they're just as much the comeback kids as they are the collapse kids.
It's the reality of a rebuild with youth. They respond to adversity far better than the league average, but their absurd inability to close out games is pretty damning. Over the past five games, it's cost them five points in the standings - not exactly a recipe for success when it comes to chasing down a playoff spot, even if the team has managed to stay afloat through smoke and mirrors.
The Ugly: Don't look at the schedule. Really, it's not good for your health.
I don't care what team you're a fan of, tough losing stretches are a fact of life in the National Hockey League. Its the ability to rebound from them that separates the pretenders from contenders, and Paul MacLean is adamant that the team is still coming along nicely despite the recent struggles.
I'd be hard-pressed to disagree with them, especially since Ottawa's been competitive in almost every loss this season. The recent stretch is a tough pill to swallow, but a quality team will write it off and rebound accordingly.
Unfortunately, that's easier said than done, and after glancing at the schedule, it's become quite apparent that the next six-game stretch could very well make or break this team, emphasis on the latter. Not to get all Negative Nancy on everyone, but check out this gauntlet they have to run: Vancouver, at Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Florida.
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to how many of the five aforementioned clubs make the playoffs this season? Four's probably your best bet, but I'd be willing to say all five with some serious confidence.
Ottawa's only saving grace is that they get five of the teams at home, and statistically, they've been better at Scotiabank Place this season than on the road. Here's another statistic: Four of the five teams have a winning record on the road, and Pittsburgh(8-7-2) is still better than a PPG through seventeen games.
The Ugly, II: How can I not address the Tomas Kaberle and Jaroslav Spacek swap?
If I'm a Montreal Canadiens fan, I'm frantically refreshing my Twitter feed in the hopes of a major front office move. At this point, how can you defend the actions of one Pierre Gauthier, general manager of the Montreal Canadiens? He just sent a serviceable Spacek the way of Carolina for a completely useless Tomas Kaberle. No, that's probably being nice.
Kaberle's contract is egregious. His play is horrible. And people are wondering if Carolina gave up too much? Is that a trick question?
Alright, you caught me - I just wanted to incorporate one of the funnier rants in sports history into today's blog. The point stands, though - if you give up nothing for something, you automatically win the trade. And that's what Carolina did.
The Ugly, III: Speaking of basketball, can someone just send The Association back into hibernation? There's no bigger hoops fan than yours truly, but after David Stern's latest debacle, I'm actually questioning my fanhood of the sport.
For those not in the know: A mega-deal was made between three teams in the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and New Orleans Hornets. It's probably worth noting that the New Orleans Hornets, much like the L.A. Dodgers in the MLB and Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL are league-opreated, which automatically turns the situation into a clusterfuck.
Essentially, the New Orleans Hornets sent their best player - and arguably one of the best players in the NBA - to the Los Angeles Lakers. Fine. The Lakers somehow also managed to cut salary in the deal, prompting an over-the-top reaction from owners everywhere for three reasons: 1.) The Lakers made a quality deal by the numbers, 2) The Lakers earned the best player in the deal, and 3.) The Lakers were setting up for an inevitable Dwight Howard trade, which essentially would put three of the biggest names in the sport (Kobe, CP3, Dwight) on the same team.
The owners threw a shit-fit, and the league office decided to nix the trade for - and I quote - "basketball reasons". I'm not making this up, folks - that was the only reason provided to owners, coaches, writers, personalities, and fans.
At the surface level, it certainly looks like the NBA - with a controlling interest in the New Orleans Hornets - were worried that the franchise would be sent under by packaging away the face of New Orleans, even if they were receiving a bevy of talent that could've seriously contested for a playoff spot.
By now, you're wondering if this is a basketball blog. The point I'm trying to get across is that the exact situation could arise in the National Hockey League as early as this season. What if the Phoenix Coyotes sent away a player like Shane Doan? Sure, his talent isn't that of Chris Paul's, but he means plenty to that struggling - and league operated - franchise.
What if Gary Bettman stepped in to nix a mega-deal, citing "hockey reasons" as the basis of the move? The blogosphere would erupt.
Kudos to everyone absolutely piledriving David Stern on this. The guy has continually went out of his way to harm the NBA, and it's about time he's sent his walking papers.
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