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Its going to get worse in January before it gets better for Senators

January 2, 2018, 11:48 AM ET [19 Comments]
Jared Crozier
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Already reeling, with no legitimate hope of playing hockey in mid-April let alone June, the schedule ahead dictates that things could get much worse before it gets better.

After tomorrow's match-up in Detroit against the Red Wings, who are only 5 points up on the Senators and 7 out of a playoff spot, the next time the Senators play a team that is currently more than two points out of a playoff position will be when they host the Flyers and Habs on February 3rd & 4th.

And there seems to be no plan for an escape from this downward sprial. The struggle between ownership and the fan base that escalated with the threat to move just ahead of the NHL100 classic seems to have solidified both sides and they are now in a staredown where neither side looks ready to blink. Ownership wants more support for them to spend money, while the fan base wants a commitment from the team before they are going to come back to the fold.

It appears that the only thing to bridge the gap off the ice would be either an ownership change (not likely to happen) or a change of top management (GM and/or coach). The problem is, Pierre Dorion gave Guy Boucher a vote of confidence, and there is no "hockey person" above Dorion on the chain of command. There is no Bryan Murray, not even a Daniel Alfredsson. The President & CEO, Tom Anslemi hasn't demonstrated much hockey knowledge and was brought in to oversee the arena project, one that is apparently on very thin ice. And then there is Melnyk himself, whose hockey knowledge (or lack thereof) has unfortunately been the stuff of legend. (And when I say legend, I don't mean it in a Scotty Bowman sort of way).

The front office is paper thin, not to mention the scouting department and hockey operations.

Melnyk famously bragged that he spends "$68 Million a year on players" and once again scoffed at the notion of being cheap, but the fact is that a team is more than the players on the ice.

I saw a quote on TSN1200's facebook page from a fan and it was that to the effect until the ownership changes, or at least the attitude of the owner is drastically altered, any other changes in the organization on or off the ice is going to be like re-arranging chairs on the deck of the Titanic.

At least the Titanic was headed in a specific direction and had a destination, while the Senators seem to be operating without a rudder.
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