Here's the thing about Cory Clouston being hired to a long-term deal.

Are the players performing now because they like their comfort zone and don't want changes OR are they performing because Clouston has them playing a nice style for their capacities.

Probably a mixture of both no? That's why if Clouston does get hired, it should not be longer than one or two years. If (When?) the players quit on Clouston, it would be less term for Melnyk to eat his contract as well.

Can we talk about expectations for next year?

Daniel Alfredsson keeps downplaying this team as a playoff lock but they've shown they can turn on a switch and beat anyone they wish, within reason.

For that alone, I predict a 45-30-7 record for 97 points from the Senators next year.

One thing is for sure, if Murray is going to make changes it has to be this summer because if these stiffs miss the playoffs NEXT year they can't trade Spezza, Heatley or anyone of worth.

Next season they make the playoffs. Seventh or eighth, swift first-round exit. So far I'm 3/3 in predicting even the exact scores of the sens game so you guys should be worried lol.

I am worried Fabio!

I don't like Eugene Melnyk and Bryan Murray's "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' head in the sand approach to this team.

Championship level teams make hard decisions and sometimes trade an asset so the TEAM improves. This team has refused to do that.

Maybe losing in 4 or 5 next year or missing the playoffs will embarass Melnyk enough for him to wake up.

If not, maybe the lack of playoff revenue for another year is what will do the trick and wake him and Murray out of their torpors.

That said, I too think they will make the playoffs to keep the country club atmosphere fostered by Murray and Melnyk alive and well. This team simply cannot miss the playoffs for another decade or so.

One year of abject failure is enough, thanks.

I think the outlook for next year is about the same as the start of this one,a playoff bubble team. If the goaltending is much better, the average at best d is upgraded and secondary scoring is improved then as high as 4th may be possible.If these issues are not dealt with then as low as 12th.I'm guessing 7-10th.

Hopefully the sens and leafs make it back to the playoffs next year. This province is in a hockey coma now. Now I only have Detroit to follow this post-season. Let's hope they make another run...

Meh. Ottawa will make it next year.. but we will be out second round. This isn't a bad team. They are just not playing like one. I know I know bobby.. you are going to talk about some AHLers that are up with the club (i.e. Bell, Winchester etc..) but when it comes down to it we are winning with them in the lineup.. so really.. Murray cannot do any worse than he has done.

Are we still on for this weekend? I am having bank issues (should just keep all my money under my matress) and if it doesnt get sorted by Saturday, I may not be able to make it.

Don-Everybody knows the Hollywood Mike's - pickup an issue of People or any like entertainment rag...Hill, Carrie and the Mike's are plastered all over the place. It’s somewhat amusing, but a great way to get your wife into watching hockey....

Sens will hopefully end up in the 4-8 spot next year providing Leclair meets expectations and Shannon/Foligno continue where they left off this year. If either of these falter, we are at best a bubble team again.

The D is and will be a mess like this year unless there are some trades/UFA/draft pick, or the the "maturation" process of Lee and Picard kicks up into high gear.

Leafs have a bigger uphill battle, as they have overachieved this year, while Ottawa has underachieved. They are a bubble team again next year...at best.

Fabio - Wings should be getting there old age security checks in the mail in the off season (smile) but still pump out contending teams year over year. I remember what that was like in Ottawa and I am as envious as hell.

No worries about Saturday Pav. BTW: who ever thought that Winchester is a bona fide AHLer...I suggest to you he is not! Isn't fascinating that Shannon, who has been a fantastic performer, may be signed to a 2 way contract; this is especially hard to stomach when Wince was signed to a one-way. No one cares about that though...why? I will bet anyone...anything that Ottawa will make the post season next year. Right from the get go they will have a coach behind the bench. Hopefully, they will acquire some physical support on the blueline, let Ruutu go back to the remedial classes, get him permanent residency at the Royal Ottawa and put Winchester to work doing something he is better suited to do: cutting organges and filling/issuing water bottles!

Bobby: Love the commentary, but you have to let go of this problem you have with Winchester. The problems of the team go way beyond a fourth-liner making the minimum. The fact that he gets a one-way is, I believe, because he was a free agent, in demand at the time, so a one-way was the going price (see Bozek this year). I fail to see how this indicates some massive failure on Murray’s part. Coach selection seems to be his biggest problem.

bobby, ill do my best mate. love to see you and dan. :-)

ill for sure come by and say hi, like i said, i hate banks.

For sure buddy...I would love to see ya...if we don't get together, I will definitely have you and and any one of my fellow bloggers out for a round of golf on the links.

Steve...I would really like to know what teams were fighting for Winchester's services and if so...why? And my issue is not with Winchester at all, it is with Murray for signing him and why this 25 year old rookie is in the NHL and on our hockey club. Have you seen his stats...wherever he played? Have you seen him play...he can't skate for God sakes and couldn't break a pane of glass with his shot! He is afraid to carry the puck! No it is not Winchester with whom I have an issue it is with Murray who promptly signed him inexplicably to a one way. Shannon and others on the farm are infinitely better...I can name the teams who wanted a crack a Bozek, but I cannot and I trust no one else can name the teams vying for Winchester's services. Whatever he is making is too much. My issue too is why I am the only one who has a problem with him on the team. I wonder why the media don't care. I also wonder why, at the beginning of the year he was played up to start on the top line...given he never did anything anywhere? Tell me Steve, do you really think that was Hartsburg's call? Murray has failed everywhere here in Ottawa... 4 coaches in 14 months, signing and buying out goalies, signing a multitude of soft defencemen, signing Winchester, Donovan, lapointe, robitaille, Richardson, Smith, Ruutu, trading Corvo for effectively nothing...appointing assistant coaches!!! I have issues with his performance to date Steve. Winchester is probably a real good kid but, like Bozek he was never drafted in the NHL, nor was he even drafted by a major junior hockey club, but unlike Bozek, he couldn't score goals. So again, my issue is Murray and my question is why is this kid...25 year old kid...is on this hockey club...in my opinion he isn't even an AHLer!

Bobby - did you just see that deft pass that Jesse made - WOW!!! - just kidding.
Tied at 2.

Winnie hits - Heatly scores - is this groundhog day... Up by 1.

Bobby, I think you just lost it...Jesse a second star - they got to be kidding. Damn, just woke up the kids laughing so much -

Not seeing this as a bubble playoff team, sorry.
Look at how they've flipped a switch after they got the last coach fired. Proving it again tonight.

As for Murray, Bobby...he's from Shawville. That's all the qualifications the guy needs as far as Melnyk is concerned. He brings in 'character guys' remember?

Jason Smith, Donovan, all those guys have that elusive 'character'. Remember that Emery was finger-pointed as the problem right?

Except he wasn't.

There are a lot of problems on this team:

Lack of leadership (ALfredsson isn't all that, sorry)
Lack of skill on the back end
Lack of skill on the front end
Lack of cohesion throughout the team.
Murrays are losers.

But through it all, the team CAN flip a switch and win any game it wants to win.

Puzzling team.

Pierre,

Your post is contradictory. You list off all the team's supposed faults, but then you refuse to believe that this is a bubble team, saying that they should be able to beat everyone.

Due to parity, any team can beat any other on any night.

Even their captain has said that this team will have to fight for a playoff spot next year. But people like you like to build up unreasonable expectations, usually based on overvaluing talent, and then dump all over the team when they don't meet your expectations. But in your case, you say that they have no talent, no leadership...but they should still beat everyone. Confusing.

Wince a star...yikes...I assume then, that Galley is now promoting the notion he belongs...within 38 seconds he hit someone who was out of the picture and earlier passed to the only one he could (he does it often 'cause he doesn't carry the puck) Fisher and he found Heately and cudos go to...Wince...this is what I refer to as desparation.