Nice job gryba, screening your goalie!

YAAAAAA!

Nice job gryba, screening your goalie!

YAAAAAA!
- Trilla

It's the whole (frank)ing team

this team is a mess right now

I have no idea what McLean is doing anymore...

#FreeCowen

It's the whole (frank)ing team
- david22

Don't worry

We've got Greening..

For another 3 years

So everything will be ALRIGHT!

#FreeCowen
- LeafsFan64

He's been our best player tonight

Hope Hudler's ok

ottawa's got to make it interesting here !!

ottawa's got to make it interesting here !!
- AlfieisKing

or probably do nothing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7fjDS0jKiE

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

wow, never been so glad to leave in atlantic canada....missed the game cuz it was on too late.

this is starting to get ridiculous now. i understand that the players play the game, but my god, how can you play SO piss poor as an entire team, and not start perhaps looking at the coach.

yes, i realize that maclean is some sort of mustache god cuz of the two previous seasons, and i admit that i was praying to the church of paulrus myself. that being said, it really seems like he's starting to lose this team. yes, they have some bad players that have no business in the nhl (including the one the resigned yesterday ), but that's not the only thing wrong with this team. the bad players are playing too much, the good players aren't playing enough, the wrong guys out in the wrong situation.........it's been 60+ games of team mismanagement by paul maclean.

i'm not saying fire the guy, but COME ON.

This isn't all on Maclean but he did bench Methot and that wasn't smart, dorsal trade rumours out there, Phillips trade rumors- I think there come a time when you have your C and both A benched or traded that the players start to think f this organization, throw in how they treated Slfie on the way out and that the players don't like their owner.....

Dark days in Ottawa. This wasn't a lose to Calgar, this was an announcement by the players that they don't like the managing if the team or the coach.

When you put your entire leadership core out for trades, they quit on you.

Dark dark days, Ottawa's team is in disaray

I know it's only been one game for Hemsky, but I felt the same way about him since all the trade speculation dating back to the fall. He doesn't fit on this team in my opinion, especially on a line with Spezza. The past few months we have speculated that Murray was looking for a player to play on Spezza's wing. He thrives with players who can finish plays not set up other ones, which is what Hemsky does. I won't start listing what Murray should have done, but now with the acquisition of Hemsky, we will be forced to find chemistry amongst our top six, yet again. I'd give Spezza/Ryan another crack and put Hemsky with Turris. Turris has a bit more finishing ability than Spezza at centre, so I think there maybe potential for success there. We've had two inexcusable losses against non-playoff teams. Not ideal for a late season push. The urgency amongst players is non-existent. That's a coaching issue.

This isn't all on Maclean but he did bench Methot and that wasn't smart, dorsal trade rumours out there, Phillips trade rumors- I think there come a time when you have your C and both A benched or traded that the players start to think f this organization, throw in how they treated Slfie on the way out and that the players don't like their owner.....

Dark days in Ottawa. This wasn't a lose to Calgar, this was an announcement by the players that they don't like the managing if the team or the coach.

When you put your entire leadership core out for trades, they quit on you.

Dark dark days, Ottawa's team is in disaray
- tuna99

i think the problems with this team are, in descending order of significance:

1. owner/budget
2. youth/lack of skill on defense
3. coaching/leadership

that's it. my DREAM situation would be that melnyk sells the team to a new owner. at that point, murray BEGS alfie to come back here for one season. sens add a legit top 4 dman, and cowen stops playing like an ogre who just learned to skate. lastly, maclean starts giving out ice-time like he has even half a clue about what he's doing.

if all those things happen, ottawa is a contender in the east.

wow, never been so glad to leave in atlantic canada....missed the game cuz it was on too late.

this is starting to get ridiculous now. i understand that the players play the game, but my god, how can you play SO piss poor as an entire team, and not start perhaps looking at the coach.

yes, i realize that maclean is some sort of mustache god cuz of the two previous seasons, and i admit that i was praying to the church of paulrus myself. that being said, it really seems like he's starting to lose this team. yes, they have some bad players that have no business in the nhl (including the one the resigned yesterday ), but that's not the only thing wrong with this team. the bad players are playing too much, the good players aren't playing enough, the wrong guys out in the wrong situation.........it's been 60+ games of team mismanagement by paul maclean.

i'm not saying fire the guy, but COME ON.
- sensarmy_11

I think everyone is slowly getting on the same wagon. Mclean had a tough hand dealt at the beginning of the season, but a coach should be able to deal with that by now. There have been some bizarre moves on his part and just doesn't seem to be motivating the team anymore.

I know it's only been one game for Hemsky, but I felt the same way about him since all the trade speculation dating back to the fall. He doesn't fit on this team in my opinion, especially on a line with Spezza. The past few months we have speculated that Murray was looking for a player to play on Spezza's wing. He thrives with players who can finish plays not set up other ones, which is what Hemsky does. I won't start listing what Murray should have done, but now with the acquisition of Hemsky, we will be forced to find chemistry amongst our top six, yet again. I'd give Spezza/Ryan another crack and put Hemsky with Turris. Turris has a bit more finishing ability than Spezza at centre, so I think there maybe potential for success there. We've had two inexcusable losses against non-playoff teams. Not ideal for a late season push. The urgency amongst players is non-existent. That's a coaching issue.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

THIS.....10000 times this

I know it's only been one game for Hemsky, but I felt the same way about him since all the trade speculation dating back to the fall. He doesn't fit on this team in my opinion, especially on a line with Spezza. The past few months we have speculated that Murray was looking for a player to play on Spezza's wing. He thrives with players who can finish plays not set up other ones, which is what Hemsky does. I won't start listing what Murray should have done, but now with the acquisition of Hemsky, we will be forced to find chemistry amongst our top six, yet again. I'd give Spezza/Ryan another crack and put Hemsky with Turris. Turris has a bit more finishing ability than Spezza at centre, so I think there maybe potential for success there. We've had two inexcusable losses against non-playoff teams. Not ideal for a late season push. The urgency amongst players is non-existent. That's a coaching issue.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Just wait for Yost's blog, he will make it really clear how bad the coaching has been.

He tweeted the TOI chart for the team in last night's loss, Greening-Smith-Neil almost led the team in ice time. Methot was benched, and Phillips and Gryba saw a bunch of important minutes and got crushed at evens.

Turris only got 4 minutes at even strength, and still managed to score.

I can only assume two things - MacLean and Murray are in on a scheme to miss the playoffs to convince uncle Euge he needs to spend money, or else MacLean has totally lost it and needs to be let go.

The only issue is that this sends the wrong message to players. Look around the league, all the most consistently successful teams have long-tenured coaches. You need to send the message that players can't simply quit on a coach to get them fired, they need to be responsible for what happens on the ice. We let them do it to Paddock, Hartsburg, and Clouston - having it happed to 4 coaches in 6 years is unacceptable. At some point it is the leadership of this team who must be questioned.

MacLean might need a talk about deployment, and letting his ego/pride/statement-making get in the way of wins for this team, but Spezza/Phillips/Ryan/Methot obviously need to learn to play nice with coaches.

Just wait for Yost's blog, he will make it really clear how bad the coaching has been.

He tweeted the TOI chart for the team in last night's loss, Greening-Smith-Neil almost led the team in ice time. Methot was benched, and Phillips and Gryba saw a bunch of important minutes and got crushed at evens.

Turris only got 4 minutes at even strength, and still managed to score.

I can only assume two things - MacLean and Murray are in on a scheme to miss the playoffs to convince uncle Euge he needs to spend money, or else MacLean has totally lost it and needs to be let go.

The only issue is that this sends the wrong message to players. Look around the league, all the most consistently successful teams have long-tenured coaches. You need to send the message that players can't simply quit on a coach to get them fired, they need to be responsible for what happens on the ice. We let them do it to Paddock, Hartsburg, and Clouston - having it happed to 4 coaches in 6 years is unacceptable. At some point it is the leadership of this team who must be questioned.

MacLean might need a talk about deployment, and letting his ego/pride/statement-making get in the way of wins for this team, but Spezza/Phillips/Ryan/Methot obviously need to learn to play nice with coaches.
- TommyDeVito

that's exactly what i was thinking too. i mean how does a guy go from brilliant, jack adam's winning coach one year, to completely clueless and dumb the next? it's mind boggling.

honest question....where do you think the biggest regression is: cowen's hockey ability, or macleans coaching ability?

Just wait for Yost's blog, he will make it really clear how bad the coaching has been.

He tweeted the TOI chart for the team in last night's loss, Greening-Smith-Neil almost led the team in ice time. Methot was benched, and Phillips and Gryba saw a bunch of important minutes and got crushed at evens.

Turris only got 4 minutes at even strength, and still managed to score.

I can only assume two things - MacLean and Murray are in on a scheme to miss the playoffs to convince uncle Euge he needs to spend money, or else MacLean has totally lost it and needs to be let go.

The only issue is that this sends the wrong message to players. Look around the league, all the most consistently successful teams have long-tenured coaches. You need to send the message that players can't simply quit on a coach to get them fired, they need to be responsible for what happens on the ice. We let them do it to Paddock, Hartsburg, and Clouston - having it happed to 4 coaches in 6 years is unacceptable. At some point it is the leadership of this team who must be questioned.

MacLean might need a talk about deployment, and letting his ego/pride/statement-making get in the way of wins for this team, but Spezza/Phillips/Ryan/Methot obviously need to learn to play nice with coaches.
- TommyDeVito

I don't think you can bring up past coaches who got canned with this particular group as Spezza, Neil, and Phillips were the only ones around when all the past ones were here. I do think the leadership is a bit of a problem. I think Spezza is making the best of it but is still struggling with the transition. Phillips is obviously a leader they want having resigned him. Neil shouldn't have an A. Ryan and Methot indeed have to play nice with the coaches as you say, but at the same time, both have gotten a raw deal at times, especially Methot. I don't know. I don't think it's fair to blame the players at this point in time as this is a young team in transition from the Alfie era. A coach has to guide that transition. He's done a sub par job so far. This team is not in the same disarray as it was with Paddock/Hartsburg/Clouston. It's a young team with a lot of promise, but just aren't ready to make the big step just yet and I don't think coaching has helped at all make that step.

I don't think you can bring up past coaches who got canned with this particular group as Spezza, Neil, and Phillips were the only ones around when all the past ones were here. I do think the leadership is a bit of a problem. I think Spezza is making the best of it but is still struggling with the transition. Phillips is obviously a leader they want having resigned him. Neil shouldn't have an A. Ryan and Methot indeed have to play nice with the coaches as you say, but at the same time, both have gotten a raw deal at times, especially Methot. I don't know. I don't think it's fair to blame the players at this point in time as this is a young team in transition from the Alfie era. A coach has to guide that transition. He's done a sub par job so far. This team is not in the same disarray as it was with Paddock/Hartsburg/Clouston. It's a young team with a lot of promise, but just aren't ready to make the big step just yet and I don't think coaching has helped at all make that step.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

i agree with your point about a poor comparison with past coaches.

this isn't a team full of vets who quit on a coach. this is a team full of young kids who aren't getting a lot of guidance.....be it from the leadership group, the coach, or both.

i agree with your point about a poor comparison with past coaches.

this isn't a team full of vets who quit on a coach. this is a team full of young kids who aren't getting a lot of guidance.....be it from the leadership group, the coach, or both.
- sensarmy_11

I think Phillips deserves a lot of credit for the emergence of Ceci. They have been playing on the same pairing most of the time and even though Phillips looks god awful sometimes, I do think it's pretty evident that he is having a positive impact on him though.

I think Phillips deserves a lot of credit for the emergence of Ceci. They have been playing on the same pairing most of the time and even though Phillips looks god awful sometimes, I do think it's pretty evident that he is having a positive impact on him though.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

i agree with that, i totally understand why phillips was resigned.

i dont' mind having him on teh team, as long as his playing bottom pairing minutes, and NEVER sees the ice against the other teams top six.

that being said, i think the team still needs to refresh the leadership group on this team. ideally, you can get down on both knees and beg alfi to come back, but i'm sure that wont' happen. beyond that, i hope they try to go out and sign at least one solid vet this offseason, somebody who's won, who's worn a letter on their jersey......maybe a jagr/iginla type...not sure any of those guys would want to sign on wiht a team that's full of young guys, and not yet ready to contend, but you never know.

I love(d) MacLean but his player usage is off the charts.. I feel like he is one of the main reasons Ottawa is going to be a tire fire in a year..

If this keeps up (Ryan playing 6 minutes through 2 periods and so on) I see
Methot, Anderson, Spezza, Ryan, MacArthur all bolting for greener pastures..

Then we can have our Greening-Turris-Neil top line and MacLean can be happy....

that's exactly what i was thinking too. i mean how does a guy go from brilliant, jack adam's winning coach one year, to completely clueless and dumb the next? it's mind boggling.

honest question....where do you think the biggest regression is: cowen's hockey ability, or macleans coaching ability?
- sensarmy_11

Are you saying that you guys are purposely losing and trying to not make the playoffs?