Kukla's Korner Hockey
Ottawa Owner Just Wants To Keep Winning
by Paul on 01/23/12 at 07:34 PM ET
Comments (2)
from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun,
“Nobody expected us to be where we are,” said (Eugene) Melnyk in a telephone interview with the Sun on Monday, before the Senators faced the Los Angeles Kings. “We’re 27-17-6, when people thought we’d be 17-27-6. We went through a rebuild and it was very, very, very tough.
“I keep a close eye on the games that we have in hand, and we’ve just got to keep looking forward and just keep winning because it’s so tight. You lose a game and you can drop one or two spots, so you’ve got to keep playing hard. I’m just delighted to see where we’re at in a rebuild.
“What’s scary is: These are all kids. By NHL terms, imagine them when they’re (Jason) Spezza’s age? A guy like (Erik) Karlsson. You’ve got Mika (Zibanejad) coming over, (prospect) Jakob Silfverberg and we’ve still got a draft ahead.”
Last season, Senators GM Bryan Murray hung up a For Sale sign at the deadline. Veteran players such as Mike Fisher, Chris Kelly, Jarrko Ruutu and Alexei Kovalev were sent packing, while goalie Brian Elliott was dealt for Craig Anderson.
Melnyk credits the team’s success to way the veterans have stepped up, the work done by Murray, assistant Tim Murray and the scouts and the coaching staff, led by newcomer Paul MacLean.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Might be the bold prediction, but I think Ottawa misses the playoffs. They aren’t strong defensively. When games get tighter in March and April, they will have a tougher time scoring goals. It helps them being in a weak division, but this is a team that has overachieved and it will catch up with them.
Posted by cs6687 on 01/24/12 at 02:05 AM ET
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Video- The Relationship Between Brodeur And Kovalchuk
Video- “Lof Of Good Guys In Hockey”
It Will Be The New Jersey Devils Against The Los Angeles Kings In The 2012 Stanley Cup Final
Open Post- Rangers/Devils Game 6 Eastern Conference Finals
About KK Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Make extra cash while playing online poker. Rakeback is free and comes with rake races.
Kukla’s Korner is always a free service for readers, but it costs some money to maintain. If you’re ever in a position to donate a few dollars to help out, we’d be very appreciative.
“we went through a rebuild”
....that sound you heard was the shiver going up the collective spines of Ottawa Senators fans.
Posted by Da lil Guy from Ottawa on 01/23/12 at 10:40 PM ET