SENShobo
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Plenty Left To Fight For In Ottawa
by SENShobo on 04/02/09 at 07:02 AM ET
Comments (6)
I had heard something of a possible scenario where the Senators win all their remaining games, Montreal loses all theirs, and Buffalo goes 2-3-2 to join them in a three-way tie for 8th place that Ottawa would win, but I think we’re all done with impossible scenarios. What we do get, though, is a chance to see what does transpire in these remaining games, for there are plenty of interesting scenarios that can play out over the final stretch of games.
Since there are no playoffs on the line, I suppose we will need something else to take their place and keep things interesting. What could be more fitting during these trying times than jobs?
Consider that some have suggested that while the Islanders are likely all-but-uncatchable with their five point lead on last overall, all four other teams who have a shot at the first overall pick in the lottery could easily juggle themselves into any of those positions in the half a dozen games that remain. Some of these teams could theoretically call up players from the AHL, claiming to want to test them at this level, all the while their inexperience could work in their favour, dragging them ever-closer to the coveted seedings.
Ottawa won’t be left out of this shell game setup either, even as they have no shot of competing for such lofty gifts. Consider the following series of events that transpired within a 24-hour window of the Senators falling out of playoff contention.
First, if you browse over to Sens TV, you will find a ‘Prospects’ section on the left menu bar, added just before March became April. It features Assistant GM Tim Murray and Director of Hockey Operations Brent Flahr profiling a dozen different players the Sens have coming up through the pipes.
Next, around lunchtime yesterday, once the ball was officially dropped, the Ottawa Senators start of their string of April news with a feature on Mike Fisher. Ponder for a moment as you realize that it is a profile of his local charity work, and that the news article is titled: Fisher a good man for all seasons.
Finally, at some point yesterday afternoon, Sportsnet finds Bryan Murray contemplating the season,
“At the beginning of the year, we never thought this was the situation we’d be in with six games to go. When it actually happens, it’s hard,” admitted Murray on Wednesday afternoon in Boston.
....
“What if we had Cory for the whole season? We wouldn’t be fighting for a playoff spot - we’d be there,” suggested Murray.
....
“Your best players - that take a fair number of your dollars - if they don’t perform on an everynight basis, then you’re left wanting,” explained Murray. “One of the things I’ll address is the inconsistency from some of our players.”
Aside from the irony that it’s titled “Murray wonders ‘What if?’ in Ottawa” even as the story acknowledges that the quotes were made by Murray in Boston (it should be obvious enough that Murray would only wonder such a thing about his own team), what to make of this assembly?
After a disappointing season officially loses all hopes of the playoffs, we are presented with views of the prospects, and hope for the future. Then, we see praise of Clouston that coupled with Melnyk’s impending visit to Ottawa could mean he finally loses the ‘interim’ tag. At the very end, we see that Murray will be looking to his top flight players to play as such, along with a well-timed article that shines one of the most criticized of these players in a very nice light. Recall for a moment that it was supposedly Redden’s community involvement that kept him in Ottawa to crater his career, sending Chara to free agency and Boston, en route to a pivotal role in a great revival.
There is of course a trio of goalies competing for a pair of spots to start off the internal battles. Then, despite some good chemistry found on the Foligno-Fisher-Shannon line, Murray is saying once again that he feels they need another top 6 forward, which would write off that success to a certain degree, and might have Comrie justifiably wondering where he fits in, when not so long ago he seemed prepared to sell Ottawa to Hilary. Alas, despite the presence of Kuba, Picard, Campoli, Lee, and Bell, Murray still finds himself looking for a big offensive fish to reel in for the back end. Hardly anyone, it would seem, should feel all too comfortable when they leave the rink for the last time in nine days, if they haven’t left it all on the ice in these last half dozen games. Shouldn’t that make these a string worth watching, a series of fights to the (job) death?
Interesting? No? I still think there’s more to come, more to ponder, and plenty more to be said every step of the way from here to the first puck drop in October.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
Comments
Not quite. Assume Ottawa wins the final game against Montreal in regulation, and Montreal, Ottawa, and Buffalo all wind up with 39 wins and 88 points. The tiebreaker moves to the record the teams have against each other during the regular season.
Montreal would beat Ottawa of course, 8 points to 6. But Ottawa would beat Buffalo, 10 points to 3. Finally, Buffalo would beat Montreal, 9 points to 6.
Add them up, and amongst those three teams that could still theoretically tie each other in points and wins, Buffalo has raked in 12 of 24 points against those two divisional foes, Montreal has taken 14 of 24, and Ottawa 16 of 24. So while a Montreal-Ottawa tie would be useless in the standings, a Montreal-Buffalo-Ottawa tie would see Ottawa emerge as the beneficiary, that being the only possible way Ottawa could still make the playoffs. But that’s as rare an outcome as you could imagine, and as out of Ottawa’s hands as it gets.
Posted by SENShobo from Waterloo, ON on 04/02/09 at 10:05 AM ET
Does it work that way though? (I dont know that there has been a 3 way tie for 8th before)
If that tie breaker didn’t solve anything as each team cancels one another out
Ottawa cancels Buffalo
Buffalo Cancels Montreal
Montreal Cancels Ottawa
wouldn’t it goto the next tie breaker (which I believe is GF/GA ratio). currently Montreal has 230 GF and 230 GA, Buffalo has 218 GF and 218 GA and Ottawa has 202GF 220 GA
In that Scenario, Ottawa would be eliminated from the mix and then I guess they would go back to points vs each other for Montreal/Buffalo (which favours Buffalo)
Posted by BigSensFan on 04/02/09 at 10:27 AM ET
It would not proceed to that tiebreaker. The rule reads as follows:
The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any “odd” games, shall be used to determine the standing.
Ottawa earned 67% of the available points, Montreal 58%, and Buffalo 50%.
The “odd” games factor would come into play if, say, it were Montreal, Buffalo, and Florida who were tied (Montreal and Buffalo play each other 6 times and Florida 4 times for a total of 10, whereas Florida plays those two 4 times each for a total of 8).
Posted by SENShobo from Waterloo, ON on 04/02/09 at 10:31 AM ET
Ahh I get it then :D
So we have like a .00000000001% chance to get in
Posted by BigSensFan on 04/02/09 at 10:41 AM ET
buffalo needs to go 2-3-1 in order to finish with 88 points though
Posted by BigSensFan on 04/02/09 at 10:59 AM ET
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Ottawa is eliminated. If Montreal loses all theirs and Ottawa wins all theirs, they have the same points and the same amount of wins. The next tie breaker is head to head matchup, which would be 8 points gained for Montreal to 6 points gained for Ottawa (assuming Ottawa won the last meeting in regulation)
The only way for Ottawa to make the playoffs, would be if Montreal Ownership decided to fold the team before the playoffs :D
Posted by BigSensFan on 04/02/09 at 09:53 AM ET