Ottawa ON – Long time Ottawa Senator and fan favourite Mike Fisher, has been shipped out of town after 11 years of service. The Sens are currently in the mist of their worst season in over a decade. They stand dead last in the eastern conference with a 17-30-8 record and are basically waiting to be mathematically eliminating from the playoffs. The Sens faithful have been asking the G.M, Brian Murray to blow this time up all year but this move has caused some strong reactions.
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Fisher was sent to the Nashville Predators for some always hard to come by draft picks. It is not only the trade but the destination that has fans crying foul. Country singing superstar Carrie Underwood, who is Fishers wife, is believed to have played a strong role in luring him away from the nation’s capital.
Fisher was sent to the Nashville Predators for some always hard to come by draft picks. It is not only the trade but the destination that has fans crying foul. Country singing superstar Carrie Underwood, who is Fishers wife, is believed to have played a strong role in luring him away from the nation’s capital.
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A local radio station 105.3 Kiss F.M is so upset with the trade that it has placed a ban on all of Underwood’s songs.
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The trading of a marquee player such Fisher should not come as a surprise, for change has been needed in Ottawa for some time. However losing a player of Fisher’s caliber and community standing is a hard thing for fans to swallow when the team is riddled with underachievers. Alex Kovalev has been a major disappointment again this year with only 11 goals scored in 49 games played. Off season acquisition Sergei Gonchar can also be added to this list. He was brought into to strengthen the power play and to be a big presence on the blue line, but has been awful this year with only 6 goals and a -16 rating.
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When Murray addressed the media this afternoon he made it clear that this is the beginning of a fire sale. The only two players who are safe on this roster are captain and face of the franchise Daniel Alfredsson and defenseman Erik Karlsson. There are high hopes for Karlsson as team officials believe they can groom him to be the next Nicholas Lindstrom.
When Murray addressed the media this afternoon he made it clear that this is the beginning of a fire sale. The only two players who are safe on this roster are captain and face of the franchise Daniel Alfredsson and defenseman Erik Karlsson. There are high hopes for Karlsson as team officials believe they can groom him to be the next Nicholas Lindstrom.
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There is some positive news for the Senators as long time rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to miss the playoffs as well. Francois Beauchemin was dealt back to the team he won the cup with in exchange for forward Joffery Lupul. However Lupul was ineffective last night in his Leafs debut and they lost to fellow bottom dwellers the New Jersey Devils in overtime 2-1.
