News Article: 'Culture change' necessary in Senators dressing room

[Ray Kinsella]

Boro can't win around here

You mean in Ottawa... or on these boards? ...or both? ; )

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

When it comes to a sports team the most annoying thing is when the "leader" is the worst guy on the roster. No one likes being told what to do by a guy who is terrible at the job.

It's why I cringe when Boro is mentioned in a leadership or veteran role. And with the way things are trending, I wouldn't be surprised to see Boro don a permanent letter.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Burrows wasn't a regular on the 1st PP, but he did get out there. His most common linemates on the PP were Stone and Brassard, our top two forwards in PP TOI, in fact, those three were on the ice together for about 40 mins of PP, which is pretty high given that Brass was traded at the deadline, and Stone was injured for a significant chuck of the end of the season with each only playing 58 games. Burrows only played about 100 mins on the PP over the season, so yes, it's verifiable that he got a fair chunk of his personal PP time on the top unit.

He was on the PP pretty heavy to start the season and was moved off it after the results weren't coming iirc. I know I've heard Boucher talk about him being one of the few types of players willing to take the punishment to stand in front of the net, so that was likely his thinking.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

It's also why boro's Karlsson and glue guys comments were so annoying.


Like shut the f*** up and try not to be a liability when the puck is anywhere near you.

 

[solidprospect]

Well, considering he and his wife lost their child, he did say he was taking the summer to reflect and spend time with his close ones. Grieving doesn't happen over night.

Aside from that, what do you expect him to say with all this bs trade frenzy coming back to light...? He said he would take interviews after training camp starts.

I was just talking about Dorion. He admitted the dressing room was broken after we traded Hoffman.

Karlsson can take as much time off as he needs am not blaming him at all. It's just that, if Dorion admitted the room was broken obviously we already know it needed a culture change.

 

[philb613]

When it comes to a sports team the most annoying thing is when the "leader" is the worst guy on the roster. No one likes bring told what to do by a guy who is terrible at the job.

It's why I cringe when Boro is mentioned in a leadership or veteran role. And with the way things are trending, I wouldn't be surprised to see Boro don a permanent letter.

See being a hockey player in a professional setting also means part of the job is practice, working out in the gym, being accountable to the media. There's a lot more than just your play on the ice. I'd want my teammates to work hard in all those areas. That's why guys like Boro are respected by other players and coaches and are often given letters. You can hate on his skill level but even if you think he's a plug I don't think you can argue with the other aspects of being a pro.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

See being a hockey player in a professional setting also means part of the job is practice, working out in the gym, being accountable to the media. There's a lot more than just your play on the ice. I'd want my teammates to work hard in all those areas. That's why guys like Boro are respected by other players and coaches and are often given letters. You can hate on his skill level but even if you think he's a plug I don't think you can argue with the other aspects of being a pro.

That's great and all but this is the NHL we're talking about. No player should be in the NHL and a veteran at that just because they practice hard. You need to be one of the most skilled hockey players on the planet.

Not to mention that every hockey player on the roster practices hard. They have been for their entire lives. It's why they are there.

It's unfortunate that Randy Lee and Dorion have hoisted Boro in this leadership role.

But knowing the personality and hockey knowledge of those two I guess it makes sense. They were the Boro's of all the teams they were part of.

 

[philb613]

That's great and all but this is the NHL we're talking about. No player should be in the NHL and a veteran at that just because they practice hard.

And I'm pretty sure Boro is safely a 5/6 d on more than half the teams in the league, so I agree with you.

 

[JungleBeat]

And I'm pretty sure Boro is safely a 5/6 d on more than half the teams in the league, so I agree with you.

He’s a fringe NHLer and this was probably one of his best seasons in his career. He most likely would be out of an NHL job if he wasn’t part of the Senators.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I was just talking about Dorion. He admitted the dressing room was broken after we traded Hoffman.

Karlsson can take as much time off as he needs am not blaming him at all. It's just that, if Dorion admitted the room was broken obviously we already know it needed a culture change.

Why did this stuff not come up at the exit interviews? I don't expect you to answer.. but just throwing it out there. I mean Doion said there would be changes and everything needed to be evaluated including the coaching.. Nothing was said about culture, fragility, broken room ... So either nothing was said about it or they kept it under wraps... then the Hoffman/Karlsson crap and all of a sudden the room is broken .. and then nothing from the organization except no Karlsson signing accompanied by a host of rumors and the inability to extend Stone... When Burrows was interviewed when he retired ,, he said he should have done more.. not specific on what ..but certainly in the room stuff, then Oduya came out with his fragile comment .. and now there is a culture change needed. It seems everyone is caught in the swirl after someone hit flush.

Where is Boucher on this? Is he not part of the culture in the room.. or is it just the way the players are with each other? Is Boucher not aware of the cliques , the loners, the jokers, the serious guys, the rah rah guys.

IMO the common thread is hockey.. the push and the drive and the coming together to battle and hopefully win. Maybe some have lost some hope.. The finish 30. Make no improvements. Have your best players looking at the wide open UFA door.. If that's the case it makes sense that there is a bottom 6 Dman and a bottom 6 forward trying to rally the troops somewhat. All we can hope is it starts to come together when they get back on the ice and have to start competing. The players have to ignore the business side and focus on the hockey.. and if they are pros they will bring what they can even if its an up hill battle every game.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

And I'm pretty sure Boro is safely a 5/6 d on more than half the teams in the league, so I agree with you.

Tell me one playoff team that Boro would be the 5th best defender on.

 

[solidprospect]

Why did this stuff not come up at the exit interviews? I don't expect you to answer.. but just throwing it out there. I mean Doion said there would be changes and everything needed to be evaluated including the coaching.. Nothing was said about culture, fragility, broken room ... So either nothing was said about it or they kept it under wraps... then the Hoffman/Karlsson crap and all of a sudden the room is broken .. and then nothing from the organization except no Karlsson signing accompanied by a host of rumors and the inability to extend Stone... When Burrows was interviewed when he retired ,, he said he should have done more.. not specific on what ..but certainly in the room stuff, then Oduya came out with his fragile comment .. and now there is a culture change needed. It seems everyone is caught in the swirl after someone hit flush.

Where is Boucher on this? Is he not part of the culture in the room.. or is it just the way the players are with each other? Is Boucher not aware of the cliques , the loners, the jokers, the serious guys, the rah rah guys.

IMO the common thread is hockey.. the push and the drive and the coming together to battle and hopefully win. Maybe some have lost some hope.. The finish 30. Make no improvements. Have your best players looking at the wide open UFA door.. If that's the case it makes sense that there is a bottom 6 Dman and a bottom 6 forward trying to rally the troops somewhat. All we can hope is it starts to come together when they get back on the ice and have to start competing. The players have to ignore the business side and focus on the hockey.. and if they are pros they will bring what they can even if its an up hill battle every game.

If I remember what Dorion said correctly, he heard about some rumors at the end of the season, but he also said if he acted on every rumor he heard things would be really crazy. They kept it under wraps but I guess something happened to acknowledge some truth to that particular rumor.

I think Hoffman was as much of an off ice issue as he was on ice.

We got rid of our 2 worst defenceman as well as Phaneuf.
We got rid of our worst forward.

We got younger and faster, a recipe that was good for us 2 years ago but we ere slower last year.

And if the dressing room has been fixed we could have a decent year and surprise many.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

Boro is getting the brunt of quite a bit of frustration. He did not create this situation and somebody or a few inside that locker room have to step up and try to keep the group together , especially with so many young guys scratching the surface.. Hockey is a team sport and the Sens need to rely on the whole being greater than the sum of the parts to have any success at all. I personally like Boro's comments more than Anderson's. I really don't care where the voice that gets things started in the right direction comes from as long as it gets started in the right direction. I don't think you need to be able to dangle and be a superstar to have a voice that is respected in the room. Maybe Boro can spur others on.. but it is an up hill battle with the way the team has their 3 best players staring at UFA on the horizon , their #1 goalie "not minding" a trade and wanting to be rid of the drama... He's a vet he should be trying to be part of the solution. If this was the stick boy coming out and trying to get the guys to rally around each other It would be a start. No harm done here by Boro. This is all on Dorion and Melnyk imo.. don't blame Boro for the mess and trying to make the situation better.

To be honest, I personally found Anderson to come off as arrogant in that interview. I didn't like him at all there...

 

[solidprospect]

Tell me one playoff team that Boro would be the 5th best defender on.

Ottawa

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

To be honest, I personally found Anderson to come off as arrogant in that interview. I didn't like him at all there...

I didn't like it either. A little aloof. He does seem like a guy that just comes to the rink does his job and goes home and I don't think he embraces a leader role.. Less older , family guys maybe ,,, not sure. Maybe he should try to step up though .. Some of them could probably use his advice.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

I didn't like it either. A little aloof. He does seem like a guy that just comes to the rink does his job and goes home and I don't think he embraces a leader role.. Less older , family guys maybe ,,, not sure. Maybe he should try to step up though .. Some of them could probably use his advice.

What I particularly didn't like is his comments about "drama". He was obviously throwing at least one of his teamates under the bus. When the Hoff-Karl story broke, It was mainly triggered by the tweet EK got about his son dying and how his wife was to blame. When you grieve, you are in your own headspace and no one can undestand exactly how you feel. EK responded to that tweet and I don't blame him for one iota of a second. He wasn't even nasty in the reply... I mean, he was as professional as one could be under the circumstances.

This brings me to Anderson's comments about "drama". My first thought was, when his wife was ill, everyone pulled together for them. If the roles were reversed and someone had been harassing him or his wife and made some terribly, ill-intended comment about his wife, like the one EK received concerning the death of his son... and it was suspected to be someone who is part of the team... I wonder how Anderson would have reacted to that... and if Karlsson would have told the media... "I don't deal well with drama. So, hopefully, this is fixed soon".

Anderson just lost a fan right here.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

What I particularly didn't like is his comments about "drama". He was obviously throwing at least one of his teamates under the bus. When the Hoff-Karl story broke, It was mainly triggered by the tweet EK got about his son dying and how his wife was to blame. When you grieve, you are in your own headspace and no one can undestand exactly how you feel. EK responded to that tweet and I don't blame him for one iota of a second. He wasn't even nasty in the reply... I mean, he was as professional as one could be under the circumstances.

This brings me to Anderson's comments about "drama". My first thought was, when his wife was ill, everyone pulled together for them. If the roles were reversed and someone had been harassing him or his wife and made some terribly, ill-intended comment about his wife, like the one EK received concerning the death of his son... and it was suspected to be someone who is part of the team... I wonder how Anderson would have reacted to that... and if Karlsson would have told the media... "I don't deal well with drama. So, hopefully, this is fixed soon".

Anderson just lost a fan right here.

I am not sure if that specifically was what he was referring to. I hope it wasn't. It could be the room as a result of that.. but it could be a lot of things that could have happened when the team loses its way. Its another comment on the state of that room though.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

I am not sure if that specifically was what he was referring to. I hope it wasn't. It could be the room as a result of that.. but it could be a lot of things that could have happened when the team loses its way. Its another comment on the state of that room though.

Agreed that it could not have been what he was referring to. Nonetheless, it's a high probability in my opinion, considering the level that particular incident reached. I still feel that it was an unnecessary, misplaced comment. I just didn't like his attitude.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

I am not sure if that specifically was what he was referring to. I hope it wasn't. It could be the room as a result of that.. but it could be a lot of things that could have happened when the team loses its way. Its another comment on the state of that room though.

Agreed that it could not have been what he was referring to. Nonetheless, it's a high probability in my opinion, considering the level that particular incident reached. I still feel that it was an unnecessary, misplaced comment. I just didn't like his attitude.

 

[Micklebot]

He was on the PP pretty heavy to start the season and was moved off it after the results weren't coming iirc. I know I've heard Boucher talk about him being one of the few types of players willing to take the punishment to stand in front of the net, so that was likely his thinking.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I recall it as well.

Tell me one playoff team that Boro would be the 5th best defender on.

Kind of moving the goal posts there aren't you? He said 5/6 on half the teams in the league, presumably the better teams of those would be the ones he'd be a 6 on, and those would likely be the bottom end playoff teams, which would be fine, since he's paid like a 6 and played like a 6. Nobody is claiming Boro is the cat's meow, just that he's a better player than many are giving credit.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Boro's self image should be one in which he is a little more like Eeyore .. just happy to be here, thanks for noticing me.. I realize I am a bad player so you probably shouldn't bother talking to me. Yah I want to win a lot and I want all the guys to pull together but.. you should probably be talking to one of the better players when they are available.

 

[Karl Prime]

Ottawa

Was Boro not injured during the '17 playoffs?

 

[Micklebot]

Was Boro not injured during the '17 playoffs?

Hurt against boston, but I think he took out Miller in one of the two games he played with a knee injury.

 

[solidprospect]

This one?

 

[Sensung]

Was Boro not injured during the '17 playoffs?

Yup, helped the Sens advance 2 rounds.