Otta-whaaaaa?

The Ottawa Senators

I don't know that I understand this team. At the beginning of last season they were poised to dominate the East. For the first half of the season they did just that. Despite concerns that goaltender Ray Emery would miss significant time, Martin Gerber put up a 1.99 GAA and an astounding .940 Sv%. This rapidly went to hell. November was all right but then well...

The off ice antics, which were more of a soap opera then the hockey soap opera "MVP" derailed what was looking like a historic season. Ray Emery, in full on Erica Kane mode, seemed to steadily destroy the team from within, or so the papers would have you believe. Officially deemed a clubhouse cancer Emery has been shipped off to Russia where he'll either prove himself NHL worthy or develop a substance abuse problem.

Ottawa also lost Mike Commodore, a solid defensive defenseman, to Columbus. Commodore failed to impress in his short tenure as did Cory Stillman who is cooling his skates in Florida. The biggest loss comes in the form of Wade Redden, for whom no adequate replacement has been acquired. Furthermore, no one on Ottawa's roster appears ready to replace his production. Andrej Meszaros will receive the biggest boost in powerplay time and most likely fantasy value from Redden's departure.

In their places Ottawa has brought in Jarko Ruutu, Shean Donovan and Jason Smith. Smith more than replaces Commodore. He is a solid stay at home defenseman, perhaps the best that was available this offseason. Donovan has no fantasy value. Ruutu is a decent enforcer, and will help the top two lines do what they do best.

Alex Auld will fix Ottawa's goaltending problem. After that Auld will be elected emperor of the universe and defeat Chuck Norris in hand to hand combat. No but really, Auld has been run out of every city he's ever played in, having been routinely lit up throughout his career. in 9 games with Phoenix last year he had three wins, putting up a 3.54 GAA and .889 Sv% before being waived. He DID, it should be noted, make a pretty spectacular cameo in Boston when Tim Thomas was injured. Auld started 20 games, winning 9 of them and putting up a respectable 2.32 GAA and .919 Sv%.

Auld is not the answer, but he is showing signs of maturing and MAY be able to fill in during Gerber's many cold streaks. As fantasy value goes I think his signing is bad for both he and Gerber. The possibility is strong that Auld will play just well enough to create a goaltending controversy in Ottawa, and that both he and Gerber will be be mediocre enough to make neither fantasy relevant. I would shy away from both if at all possible.

If the earlier mentioned Khabibulin rumors turn out to be true (Gerber and Meszaros to LA, Kopitar to Chicago, Seabrook/Barker and Khabi to Ottawa) I will revise my outlook.