Silver Nuggets: Bobby Ryan's Freshman 15

Bobby Ryan's time with the Ottawa Senators began with a now legendary tweet and helped build anticipation for training camp. Training camp provided limited opportunities for the new winger to bond with Jason Spezza because of the captain's groin injury. Like most first year university students, his weight/conditioning was called into question by certain members of the media at the start of the season. Ryan went goalless in his first two games in Sens colours and Jakob Silfverberg's hot start playing with legend Teemu Selanne didn't help settle the more nervous aspects of the fan base.

Ryan scored his first goal as a Senator in his return to the state of California against the Los Angeles Kings during Ottawa's third game of the season. He kept producing on that west coast trip and in the games since. In fact, since scoring his first point against the Leafs, he's been held off the score sheet just four times. Since moving to Kyle Turris's line early in the season, Ryan has helped make the Turris-MacArthur duo one of the most dynamic lines in the NHL. With an assist last night against Columbus, he maintained his point-per-game pace with the Senators (8G-7A-15P in 15G). Ryan's most emphatic moment as a Senator came on Sunday afternoon, when he tied the game in the dying seconds of the third period against Dallas. His stick snapped in half while shooting and his two-handed celebration was the highlight of the game.

How would you evaluate Bobby Ryan's first 15 games with the Senators?

Sens Links:

• Ottawa at Columbus: Recaps [Silver Seven] [Radek Bonk's Mullet] [Yost] [SenShot] [Senators Extra] [Le Droit] [The Cannon] Advanced Stats: [Extra Skater] Photos: [Senators Extra]
• Apparently the Ottawa Senators have an attendance problem. Nichols examines some strange quotes from Cyril Leeder [6th Sens]
• Evaluation of the B-Sens at the 10-game mark [Eye on the Sens] [mweinste]
• Mark reviews Gamecenter Live [Silver Seven]
• It was a somewhat easier night for Robin Lehner [Le Droit]
• Nichols talks sobering thoughts [6th Sens]
• Jeremy Milks examines Ottawa's hoped-for second pairing of Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercioch. Cowen needs time and Wiercioch's future is more unknown [Black Aces]
• Ken Campbell thinks the Sens are off to an uninspired start post-Alfie [The Hockey News]
• Interview with Mark Borowiecki [Inside the Senate]

NHL/Hockey Links:

• Geraldine Heaney, a trailblazing defensemen in women's hockey will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 11 [NHL.com] Two-time gold medalist and former national team captain Cassie Campbell reflects on the legendary career of her former defense partner and role model [NHL.com]
• A look at coaching strategies [Extra Skater]
• Buffalo is on pace to set an NHL-worst record for possession numbers [Die by the Blade]
• David Malinowski wonders what's up with Stephen Weiss? My guess, it wasn't a good signing. [Winging It In Motown]
• 18-year NHL veteran Jason Arnott called it a career yesterday. One of the few players left I remember watching as a kid. [Puck Daddy] [NHLPA] [On the Forecheck] [The Hockey News]
• Flames GM Jay Feaster may have violated the CBA when he "mandated" shot blocking equipment. This would really bug me if I was running a team/owned a team. I would not want to lose players to injury because they refused to wear all possible protective gear [TSN]
• How do the "Thank you Kessel" chants work with Seguin in Dallas? [Pension Plan Puppets]
• The Flames got off to a fast start, can they keep it up? [Flames Nation]
• Martin Brodeur won't rule out a trade to a contender. I guess contenders might need a really old backup [Pro Hockey Talk]
• Was Steve Downie traded because he hit Avs captain Landeskog in training camp? [Puck Daddy]
• How does age factor into NHL contract decisions? [SB Nation NHL]
• Five huge NHL moves you've probably forgotten [Grantland]
• Examining teenagers in the NHL [David Pollak]
• Chris Kunitz goes to the net and that's where he scores [Pensburgh]
• The latest pizzametrics for Anaheim [Anaheim Calling]
• Slovakia's Olympic jerseys are the best of a bad lot; the jerseys feature stripes with the words to the national anthem [Sporting News] [Puck Daddy]
  
• The Devils are elite at suppressing shots but terrible at suppressing goals [In Lou We Trust]
• 12 types of Caps fans [Capitals Hill]
• Jonathan Quick's awful year [Jewels From The Crown]
• Should the Jets put Enstrom and Byfuglien together? What would that do to their second pairing? [Arctic Ice Hockey]
• Justin Bourne examines the idea of suspending goalies who leave the zone to fight [Backhand Shelf]
• Is this rock bottom for the Flyers? Probably not. [Broad Street Hockey]
• The Blackhawks are showing no signs of a Stanley Cup hangover [Daily Herald]
• The San Jose Sharks managed to lose to the Buffalo Sabres [Fear the Fin]
• Should Seth Jones make the U.S. Olympic team? [Smashville]
• How to overhaul the Kings [Battle of California]
• Manny Malhotra is back [Puck Daddy]
• Ference and Smid go after the slackers in Edmonton [Copper & Blue]
• Former NHL goalie and current Coyotes goalie coach Sean Burke blasts Ray Emery [Fox Sports Arizona]
• Former NHL referee Paul Stewart talks hockey equipment and concussions [Hockey Buzz]