One of these things isn’t quite like the other(s).
That’s if recent past history is brought into the equation.
When we dip into where the trio of teams in this corner’s highly (self)promoted Holy Trinity of Eastern Ontario sit heading into a brand spanking new year, one has changed while the other two remain pretty much the same.
So, let’s have a look at how Ottawa (hint-hint), Montreal and Toronto have situated themselves to this point, and what sort of New Year’s resolutions the three have in store.
OTTAWA SENATORS
You nailed it – Ottawa has remodeled. Finally.
Where in the previous six or seven years there was barely a glimmer or glimpse of hope as a bucket-load of relatively meaningless hockey was ticketed for the next four months, the Senators have turned it around.
Did we mention ‘finally?’
I might be inching out onto a limb with this, but the greatest indication of that change came as recently as this past Sunday night.
Ottawa was travelling into Minnesota – a tough go regardless – after playing the night before and losing in and to Winnipeg, one of the NHL’s best teams. In previous renditions, Ottawa would have neatly folded the tent and packed it in and flew home with the tail tucked between the legs . . . targeted now for a collapse.
Well, you know the rest of the story.
Despite missing both Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg, Ottawa scratched out a win. Posts, crossbars and all.
Safe to say this would not have occurred in previous regimes. And that one game underlines this implication – the team’s head has righted itself. It also suggests that it would be a genuine surprise at this point to suggest Ottawa won’t be making the playoffs for an eighth straight campaign.
Ain’t happening.
As for that Minnesota sampling?
“We played with purpose in our game,” head coach Travis Green said. “We didn’t deviate from the game (plan).”
I don’t pretend to know much about x’s-and-o’s but whatever that ‘game plan’ is, keep on keeping on.
But this goes beyond game planning.
In Ottawa it’s all about mind set. The Senators and their (relatively) young core have found their groove and their moxie.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: It’s pretty simple – keep the head on straight and maintain the focus.
Ottawa is two-thirds of the way through its monster road swing (the Senators have three straight remaining away from home; see below). And the trip’s been a trip so far.
Good health isn’t much of a resolution. I know. But without Ullmark (and lord knows how long this latest injury will have him shelved), things could get unnecessarily sticky.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
The Habs are who we thought they were.
On step forward, one step sideways, one step back.
Rinse, repeat.
The question in Montreal – never the most patient fan base going – is, when does this thing change?
The Canadiens must look down the 417 and wonder: If they’ve got it going finally, why not us?
When, when, when, dammit?
Lately the answer has been ‘now.’ Montreal is 5-1 in its last six games, which includes a road sweep of the two Florida teams. But considering the club as a legitimate playoff contender is a stretch. Monreal dug itself a decent-sized hole through a rocky first few months and is paying the price, despite the recent run.
Marty St. Louis’ guys are five back of Ottawa (same games played) and seven in arrears of Tampa (the Lightning have two in hand).
“I don’t think it happens overnight and sometimes there’s steps back and stuff. You take a step back and you take a giant step forward and I feel we’ve been doing that,” St. Louis said to Sportsnet.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: Anything less than a plus-.500 next couple of months could end the patient approach. For the first time worth mentioning, there appears to a bit of heat on St. Louis.
Again, like Ottawa, health is key, and Montreal’s suffered in the first few months.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Looks might be deceiving here.
The Buds sport the same sort of win-loss record, to this point, they’ve been sporting for the last decade or so. There’s a difference though in style of play.
Newish coach Craig Berube is streamlining a simplistic north-south approach (throw in the usual cliches to boot: ‘Hard on pucks,’ ‘Win the board battles.’)
It is all fairly meaningless until ‘ta-da’ . . . the post-season. Can the Leafs maintain the Berube edge?
Change, like in Ottawa, will be a necessity. For example – Mitchell Marner is playing out-of-this-world hockey; ditto for John Tavares. When the tulips start to bloom, does it continue. We’ve been here before.
Interesting to note that to the naked eye, Toronto seems to play its most competitive, responsible, committed hockey when Auston Matthews is out of the lineup. We’ve had plenty of opportunities to digest this during the opening three months as Matthews remains sidelined with what looks to be a back issue.
But as many have said, a lengthy playoff run without the services of Matthews would be a fanciful pipe dream.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: Not much needs adjusting over here. The Leafs have more than competent netminding and their defensive structure is sound.
See you in the middle of April.
OTTAWA SENATORS WEEK AHEAD:
Thursday, Jan. 2: Ottawa at Dallas (8 pm)
Friday, Jan. 3: Ottawa at St. Louis (8 pm)
Tuesday, Jan. 7: Ottawa at Detroit (7 pm)
thegrossgame@yahoo.com
Photo: TSN.ca,@canadiensmtl,@torontomapleleafs
