Five Thoughts for a Friday: Media Relations Faux Pas

Before getting to my five thoughts this week, I want to extend sympathies to Shawn Simpson's loved ones, RIP Simmer.

On Missing the Mark

While Trevor already did a thorough job discussing the whole Quebec City debacle on Wednesday, it remains the story of the week and I don't want to skip it. I know I've said this before and I hope this is the last time but our Andlauer-era problems really pale in comparison to our Melnyk-era problems. I absolutely understand why the Spartacat-Nordiques kerfuffle rubbed people the wrong way (myself included). However unlike Melnyk's relocation threat on the eve of the Centennial Game, this most recent gaffe will become a funny footnote rather quickly. Having lived through some tumultuous years of Ottawa Senators fandom, I totally understand the visceral reaction to seeing Sparty in that hideous monstrosity. In recent years, we've heard talk about teams like The Tampa Bay Rays splitting their home games with Montreal, so yeah fans have legitimate reason for consternation given this social media misstep. All that said, the media folks and the brass have done a fine job clarifying the misunderstanding and I love Thomas Chabot as the Sens' francophone ambassador stepping in to add some levity. I guess in defence for the individual(s) responsible for this blunder, they also probably never even clocked all the prior experiences of this fanbase and maybe that represents some sort of growth. Anyways, file this alongside the Mark Borowiecki between two ferns interview. Initially it gave us reason for concern and then we all realized we could in fact just laugh at the lack of oversight, and how easily someone could have prevented this from seeing the light of day.

On Repeating History

Speaking of revisiting old traumas, for the love of god do not let Linus Ullmark play at the four nations. There. Done. End of discussion. I don't know the timetable for Ullmark's recovery and whether or not we've already closed the book on that but anyone who has followed this team for 20-plus years immediately has a disdain for Sens playing in international tournaments—and a goaltender? Out of the question. Unlike Dominik Hasek in 2006, Ullmark won't leave after this season, and these Sens don't have quite the same potential as that Sens team that had legitimate Cup aspirations. But the point remains the same, keep any and all Senators out of in-season international tournaments (I'm looking at you too, Brazy).

On Fortune Favouring the Bold

Speaking of Linus Ullmark, I like him and I like that the Ottawa Senators acquired him. And in a weird circuitous way that sports fans argue, acquiring Ullmark took some of the sting out of trading away Alex DeBrincat at a net loss. And while everything I just said contradicts what I want to say in this paragraph, bear with me. Because it always bothered me that the Sens sold low on DeBrincat after getting him at such a reasonable price in the first place. At the end of the day, even if Ottawa had missed the playoffs and lost DeBrincat in free agency, at least the brass could have said they rolled the damn dice. Instead they did the responsible thing and recouped what they could while they could. So imagine how it must feel as an Avalanche fan having traded away not only a pending UFA in a year of possible contention, but also a player who already ranks among the best forwards in franchise history. I advocate for building up the farm system and playing the percentages as much as most youngerish(?) fans of pro sports but where do you draw the line? In general we've seen the market shift away from short-term rentals and big deadline gambles (the Hurricanes have expressed their intent to sign Mikko Rantanen long-term). Anyways, there is a line between frugal and cowardly, and front offices seem intent on drawing it.

On Remaining Strength of Schedule

While we all rightly felt apprehensive about Ottawa's daunting December road trip and the implications of such a grueling schedule early in the season, now that the Sens have comfortably left that leg of their schedule behind them (and in a playoff position no less) we can fully appreciate how manageable of a slate the Senators now have in front of them. The Sens only have seven games left against western teams (and only three of those games feature good western teams) with just two games outside of the eastern time zone. The Sens also play the majority of their remaining games in Ottawa (18 out of 32) and only have four back-to-backs left (not that Ottawa has struggled with those lately. Oh and the Sens get two weeks off in February for the four nations tournament. We throw around the term "control one's own destiny" a lot in sports but, in this case, you could really argue that the Ottawa Senators do in fact control their own destiny.

Senergy

For anyone concerned that the Sens made some sort of Faustian bargain trading away their chaotic energy in order to win more games, revisit the tape from that win against Washington. I loved DJ Smith for the vibes his Ottawa teams had and I worried above all else that Travis Green's Senators wouldn't provide the same vibes but damn, we really get to have our cake and eat it too. Call them sickos, call them pesky, just don't call them predictable because these Sens seem to find the least conventional ways to win (and infuriate opponents in the process). I imagine teams especially dislike losing to an Ottawa team that doesn't have Linus Ullmark and that can't seem to get offence from the guys we expected would score the goals. I hope all of you enjoy these remaining 31 games as much as I will.