Photo courtesy NHLI via Getty Images
Rip the bandage off already, would you?
Pull the bloody plug.
Here we sit less than a week away from the NHL’s trade deadline (Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. ET) and still no definitive word on which direction, if any, the Ottawa Senators’ rebuilding mega-project is headed.
From a fan’s perspective, it’s grueling. From the media’s perspective, it’s exhausting. From the players’ perspective, it’s got to be grating.
Tick-tick-tick.
This process can’t end soon enough.
Haven’t the people close to the situation gone through enough?
Of course we’re talking about the careers and livelihoods of three young athletes who are waiting along with everyone else to hear some news.
Any news.
It makes for great fodder for the TSN and Sportsnet insiders as we lead up to the deadline. It also makes for great numbers of information-seekers clicking on to their websites throughout the day and night looking for updates.
Any updates.
So Mark Stone and Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel sit and wait with the rest of us.
To their credit, the trio of upcoming unrestricted free agents have remained professional and restrained throughout the process. As Ottawa head coach Guy Boucher put it to Postmedia: “Those guys have been extremely professional, focused and engaged. All three are having the best seasons of their NHL careers.”
And that last statement has got to be viewed as both a benefit and detriment to Senators management.
If general manager Pierre Dorion does go ahead and trade the three thriving skaters, he’ll be further hammered by a fan base that’s already done its fair share of (justified) bashing.
Then again, if the three are playing at their highest capabilities as suggested, you’d have to think Dorion is going to ask for and receive a basket-full of riches in any sort of deal.
Then again, Dorion could play the shocker card and announce he’s signed one or two of Stone, Duchene and Dzingel.
The best thing you can say about the process is . . . it has to end. Eventually.
For most, Feb. 25th can’t arrive fast enough.
Notes and notions: Might need an extra pencil and a hefty eraser on Friday night when Columbus comes to Ottawa. The lineups could be sporting quite a change. As much as the Senators are in the deadline talks, the Blue Jackets aren’t far behind . . . Keep hearing rumblings that Ottawa native and former Senator and current Dallas Star Marc Methot is considering retirement. He’s a natural for the local media scene if the rumour is true . . . Never heard such a large amount of noise about something so inconsequential. So Don Cherry doesn’t like the Carolina game-ending celebration. Big whoop. The outcry from the media was way over-baked. Seriously, who cares . . . Montreal was a sure thing to make the post-season about a month back. Now? The Habs have dropped four straight and are clinging on to eighth in the East with the suddenly hot Carolina Hurricanes giving chase . . . Great coaching job being done in Arizona where the talent-challenged, injury-ravaged Coyotes still find a way to win (occasionally). Kudos to head coach Rick Tocchet . . . The ‘Yotes were full credit for shutting down an unprepared Toronto team Saturday night past. The Leafs were outworked and simply couldn’t handle Arizona’s pacing . . . Tocchet is an admirer of new Leaf defenceman Jake Muzzin: “He is a big guy, Stanley Cup champ, he eats a lot of minutes, plays all situations, a reliable guy,” Tocchet said to Postmedia. “He anchors the defence for sure. A great move by the Leafs.” . . . Quite an accomplishment: Anaheim’s Ryan Miller becomes the all-time leader in wins for an American netminder with 375, passing John Vanbiesbrouck this week. "He's definitely a goalie I looked up to and a nice moment. He was fixture through the 1980s and '90s when I was growing up and watching hockey," Miller said. "I was happy I could do it at home with the family here." . . . Stop me if you’ve heard this before – the Edmonton Oilers have put themselves into the discussion for landing the top pick at this summer’s draft. Been there, done that? Yup.
Senators week ahead:
Thursday, Feb. 21: Ottawa at NJ (7 pm)
Friday, Feb. 22: Columbus at Ottawa (7 pm)
Sunday, Feb. 24: Calgary at Ottawa (7 pm)