Do The Senators Lack Character?
A couple of nights ago, a friend of mine was insulting the Ottawa Senators. He stated that they were stupid for firing Hartsburg, and that the only reason Hartsburg floundered in Ottawa is because the Sens are, and have always been, the laziest team in the NHL. I was taken aback, considering how up until the past two years, this team was considered among the best conditioned in the NHL, and always among the fastest. I then discussed why Hartsburg's system didn't work due to the skillset of players on the Sens' roster. The friend then said "Well, I think it didn't work because your only hard-working character guys are Alfredsson, Neil, and Fisher. The rest merely show up and rely on skill."
After my reminding him of Volchenkov and Foligno, he added Anton to the list, and agreed that Nick Foligno could possibly be mentioned, but asserted that Ottawa was lazy, and lacked the kind of grit and passion that really makes a true, high-caliber hockey team. He then talked about the phantom claims of a bad locker room that haven't subsided in the past couple of years, and how the Senators just lack the character they need to succeed.
Now, obviously, none of us know of the shape of the Senators dressing room, but we have all seen their on-ice performance. Admittedly, for the first half of the past season the Senators did seem to be a team that lacked effort and character. So, I have to ask you - are these allegations true? Are the Senators the determined, hard-working team we want to cheer for, or are they just a bunch of lazy players who don't care about the outcomes of games, wanting only to make a nice paycheck? Voice your opinion in the comments.