McGrattan likely out of Ottawa after post season

The Ottawa Sun has an interesting piece on Sens enforcer Brian McGrattan, which features some pretty candid quotes from McGrattan:

"I understand my role here. I don't have a great education. My brother has a university degree, but I hated school. I couldn't wait to get out. I have a choice: Back home working in the steel mill or fight for 20 seconds with 20,000 people cheering. The people love it. I really don't care what some people's negative perception of me might be. They can think what they want."

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for enforcers (not to be confused with goons because there is a difference). McGrattan doesnt feel sorry for himself at all, but you can tell that he yearns to play for more then 3 minutes a night or be a healthy scratch more often then not. I cant blame him. There is no doubt that big, physical players belong in the league, but post lockout there seems to be a sense that there is very little middle ground for these guys -- they are either meant to keep the other team in line, or to be benched.

With all the focus on small, speedy players after the lockout, many of these enforcers have been put in the position of trying to validate their role. Just look at our own Donald Brashear, who astutely assessed where the NHL was headed after the lockout and made sure that he showed he was much more then just ice police. Brasher has played a vital role for the Caps, including energy guy on a line with Matt Bradley to shake up the opposing team's forwards with hard hits and has most importantly played the role of enforcer competently (ahem, John Erskine). I'm not scared that Donald Brasher is going to make a foolish mistake every time he steps off the bench, which I'm note sure that Flyers fans can say about Steve Downie or Rangers fans about Colton Orr. Dont tell me that players like Brash should be on the ice for a maximum of three minutes a game.

Wow, I guess that was more of a rant then a post on Brian McGrattan, but I do hope that he finds a team that can value his play and give him a role similar to Brashear's. Something tells me that Brian McGrattan will surprise a lot of people as a solid fourth line center, once he gets a fair shake.

From Daniel Alfredsson's lips...

...to God's ear. Let the prayers begin, with four games left and a margin of error at zero.

Fifth-place Ottawa, which has won once in its last five games, could still earn home ice in the first round -- or miss the playoffs entirely.

"It's a possibility," forward Daniel Alfredsson said. "We know we could lose all three and Washington wins out and we could be out. And then we don't deserve to be in the playoffs, it's as simple as that."

Read the whole thing here, which also recaps the Bruins 4-0 drubbing of the Sens this afternoon.

Strangely nervous...

for tonights game. Well, not so strangely since the Caps dropped the Sens 4-1 back in November, which makes the Senators a team with something to prove during this game (did I mention that the Caps snapped an 8 game win streak for the Sens in November?). And AO is questionable for tonight's game. Definitely a little nervous.

There is nothing like a little rival bashing to take my mind off being nervous, so here is a bit of controversy from the Pens-Caps game:

Ovechkin went almost immediately to the visitors' locker room at Mellon Arena for medical treatment after suffering the cut. But he said he had to wait for the Penguins' medical staff to finish tending to a Pittsburgh player, and therefore ended up missing the rest of the game.

Coach Bruce Boudreau was not pleased by the delay.

"You make your assumptions on that," Boudreau said. "I don't know why. I'm just told that it took upwards of a half-hour."

Ovechkin added: "If he comes earlier, maybe I play. I don't know. It's over now."

Emery becomes one of NHL's highest paid goalies

Ray Emery makes some cash money:

TORONTO (AP) -- Ray Emery and the Ottawa Senators avoided salary arbitration Tuesday by agreeing to a three-year deal worth $9.5 million that makes him one of the NHL's highest paid goalies.

The 24-year-old was a restricted free agent. He will earn $2.75 million next season, $3.25 million in 2008-09 and $3.5 million in 2009-10 -- for an annual average of $3.16 million, a big raise over the $925,000 he made last season. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the contract.

The only thing going on in hockey right now is arbitration, and Kevin Lowe blowing spit bubbles at the ceiling of his office. If you need a little entertainment, check out Mr. Emery in all his glory:

A telling quote

From Senators Coach Bryan Murray:

"I'd like to make excuses for them, but there's none I can really make at the moment, other than congratulate Anaheim because they did what they had to do to win it."

Sens v Ducks, NBC 8pm EST GAME 5

Dany Heatley

Dany Heatley recently spoke with an AP reporter about his new life in Ottawa. Heatley is still serving probation from his 2003 accident, in which Thrashers teammate Dan Snyder died.

Heatley was driving when he lost control of his black Ferrari and crashed while speeding on a residential Atlanta road on Sept. 29, 2003. The car was torn apart. Heatley broke his jaw and injured his knee. Snyder lingered in a coma for six days before dying at 25.

Heatley pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane and speeding.

Snyder's parents, Graham and LuAnn, hugged Heatley at their son's funeral. Graham Snyder and his other son both testified in court that they didn't want Heatley to go to jail or lose his hockey career.

He didn't.

[...]

Off the ice, Heatley's life is a bit different from his teammates.

He was sentenced to three years of probation, which is ongoing. He cannot drive except for work and medical purposes or for going to the grocery store or to the 150 speeches he's required to give.

"I'm on pace," he said. "I'll probably finish them up by the end of summer."

Heatley talks to young people about the dangers of speeding.

"Maybe you can help somebody along the way or help them make the right decision along the way," he said.

While Heatley continues remaking his life, the Snyders remain attached to the past.

They visited all 30 NHL arenas this season. Not to harp on the accident, but to remind fans of their son. They started a foundation in his name that provides college scholarships.

"We talk," Heatley said. "Not a lot, but we talk regularly."

But Heatley shuts down when asked about carrying Dan Snyder's spirit with him.

"That's something that I've kept close to me since it happened and something I'm not going to talk about," he said.

Heatley and the Snyders will reunite in July for the fourth annual Dan Snyder Memorial golf tournament in Elmira, Ont. Heatley has attended each year.

How much would he enjoy bringing the Stanley Cup with him this summer?

"I don't want to jinx it," he said. "It's always fun to go there, it's a great day."

Not Good

A bunch of a--holes punched a female Sabres fan in the face "repeatedly" after the Senators lost Game 4 of the Eastern Finals in Ottawa last Wednesday.

Cyril Leeder, the Senators chief operating officer, said Friday the team has offered tickets to Renee Luck after learning the Buffalo woman was repeatedly punched in the face following the Sabres' 3-2 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday.

Luck's face was swollen and cut after she was assaulted by two men as she and a group of friends were leaving their seats at Scotiabank Place. Luck was rescued by other Senators fans.

Ottawa police have identified suspects but have not pressed charges.

"We don't condone that kind of activity," Leeder said after the team arrived in Buffalo in preparation for Game 5 on Saturday. "This is the least we should be doing in this case.

Instead of just offering her free tickets, why doesnt Ottawa ensure her that this will never happen and send a message by banning those who assaulted her from Senators games if they are proven guilty?

Leeder added the team would also consider revoking the suspects' ticket rights if they are convicted.

"Consider"?? So you dont condone the incident but you would only "consider" revoking thier ticket rights? Why doesnt the Senator's organization "consider" the safety of other fans? If they are proven guilty, I wouldnt want violent idiots like that around me or my family at a game.

In honor of the Sens...

This is a hilarious video of Canadian comedian Shaun Majumder as his alter ego, Indian journalist Raj Binder. His interview is with last year's Senators team, but includes current players Dany Heatley, Mike Fisher and others. After watching the video, let us know which one you pick: The Stanley Cup or the protective cup?