NHL: A League of Knee-Jerks

A few months back I foraged my way into a very heated argument with a friend. It began with me accusing him of things – we’ll call them character flaws – and then he fired back accusing me of other things – also known as character flaws.

On my side of the street the claim was made that I was heavy on reactions, as in, I flew off the handle and went zero to 60 in less than three seconds.

Of course, I responded immediately with a “What the HELL are you talking about!?” and tried to slam down the phone (hard to do these days with an android).

Case made. (And I’d write ‘LOL’ at this point but am not a fan of the good, ol’ LOL).

This morning while thoughts ran squirrely through my head before launching myself out of bed for another run at another day, the moment came back to me.

And this is where this piece – with the ever-expanding lead-in -heads home to where it’s supposed to be, to hockey.

Because you see, as boomerang as my reflex reactions can be, the hockey media in this day and age isn’t too far behind.

But before I start throwing darts at the guys n’ gals covering the sporting spectrum in 2024, I’ll take a look in the mirror. And I don’t have to go too far. Like ‘last week’ too far.

Last week in this space, the intent was to draw on the improvements seen from the Ottawa Senators. That after the beleaguered organization ushered itself off to a commendable 4-2 start to the season.

The prose got a little too flowery though and upon further review, I wasn’t over-the-moon about the commentary.

Then I thought – well, what the hell (without slamming the phone down), everyone else seems to be doing it these days.

Face it, we’re in the era of McDonald’s-esque projection analysis. It’s fast-food for everyone. Immediacy on dissection, determination and resolution is an almost necessary component everywhere you look.

I get it.

We’re in the 24-7, 365 days of the year news/sports cycle and creating content is akin to churning out Big Macs: There’s never, ever enough.

Another friend of mine and I were discussing this this past weekend. The knee-jerk syndrome was in full flight.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had dropped a pair of losses, convincing ones to say the least, and the content surge on web pages and podcasts started dipping (immediately) into the ‘trade Marner now!’ and ‘Berube is not the coach for this team!’

So, of course, last night the fumbling, bumbling, destined-for-the-basement Leafs went out and beat down the previously unbeaten Winnipeg Jets.

Yup. The same Jets who last week were being crowned as ‘Canada’s best team!’

Across the country, fan and media bases are as big-reaction as I am. The hottest spot might be Montreal, but Toronto and Vancouver are right in the mix.

(Here in Ottawa the media take is generally (um, always) much softer. Kind of a ‘let’s not ruffle any feathers here people and get the team pissed at us’ take on things.)

It’s comical the highs and lows we subject ourselves to, and have to read and hear about, in the 2020s.

Maybe a bit of pause and reflection could be a goal. The Edmonton Oilers proved that last season when McDavid, Draisaitl and crew fumbled and bumbled through the entire first half of the year, then, well, came to within a game of a Stanley Cup victory.

Eighty-two games? It is a long haul, but sometimes getting through simply one or two can be as exhausting.

Highly reactive?

I suppose I can relate.

THOUGHT, SEEN AND HEARD: Just as I write this, Edmonton’s in full panic mode again . . . Connor McDavid left last night’s wipe-out loss to Columbus with the dreaded ‘lower-body injury.’ No jumping the gun with a this-is-not-good statement . . . Brady Tkachuk has an impressive 11 points through the first eight games, still the eye-test doesn’t see Brady being Brady . . . Picky, I know, but the crashing and banging and defence doesn’t seem quite there . . . Tkachuk on his team after back-to-back road losses in Vegas and Colorado: “We’re getting away from (team structure) and getting too run-and-gun. We all have to focus, including myself, on keeping the puck out of the net. We got away from that” . . . Ottawa’s task to turn it around won’t be easy. After St. Louis at home tonight, it’s the team’s first back-to-back of the year, Friday against the Rangers then Saturday versus Seattle . . . It’s a huge week next week as well as the Senators tackle Buffalo and the Islanders, two teams they’ll be fighting for playoff spots against, then Boston and the Leafs, two divisional rivals . . .  Erik Brannstrom’s got a fan in new coach Rick Tocchet. “I just think he’s improved every game.” The former Ottawan and now Vancouverite is getting a shot with the Canucks thanks to injuries on the blueline . . . Speaking of this – the guy Brannstrom was traded for (or the other way around) is leading the league in points with 18. That’d be a finally healthy Mark Stone on Vegas . . . Everyone agrees that adding a guy of Sam Bennett’s ilk would be brilliant. The upcoming free agent is second in the league in goals with eight. Cha-ching . . . Florida’s identity is all-Bennett. Can’t see him not re-signing with the Cats . . . Solid signing in Toronto as they hang on to blue-collar defender Jake McCabe . . . McCabe is everything the Leafs aren’t or weren’t: gritty and game.

OTTAWA SENATORS WEEK AHEAD:

Tuesday, Oct. 29: St. Louis at Ottawa (7 pm)

Friday, Nov. 1: Ottawa at NY Rangers (7 pm)

Saturday, Nov. 2: Seattle at Ottawa (7 pm)

thegrossgame@yahoo.com

Photo: Courtesy MarcDesrosiers