Op-Ed: What is wrong with the Ottawa Senators?

Some thought on what is bothering the Ottawa Senators NHL hockey club this season. Why are they underperforming? Are they just not talented enough or is there more to it?

Wasn't this the coach who promised accountability? The problem of team bonding lies squarely with the coach and captain. They are the leaders. A coach giving someone like Antoine Vermette and Mike Fisher 20+ minutes of ice time when they clearly don't deserve it. Couple that with a guy like Shean Donovan getting 4 minutes while working his ass off will cause hard feelings within the team. Cody Bass doing everything asked of him and getting 2 minutes of ice time, made a healthy scratch or sent to Bingo will make him bitter. Chris Schubert's bitterness is self explanatory. There is no incentive to work hard when you do and get scratched or 3-4 minutes of ice/game. There is no incentive to work hard when you float and get 20+ minutes. Lazy play is rewarded and hard work is punished. Nice coaching. This coach sucks and the captain should have spoken up to him. This is essentially the same team who went to the Stanley Cup Final 2 seasons ago minus a few spare parts up front and the defense corps. Granted the defense corps back then was more mobile, this group is better defensively. Call it a wash. All of the sudden, these same forwards can't score? There is a distinct lack of effort and teamwork evident on this team and that is a coaching issue. This coach is sending mixed and misguided messages at his players and pissing them off in droves. They don't want to work for him. It is obvious. I would love to see some stability in the coaching ranks of the Senators, but this hiring was another mistake. Bryan Murray seems quite adept and making player moves, but sucks royal ass at hiring coaches. I hated the John Paddock signing and hated the Craig Hartsburg signing even more. Both coaches are proven losers at the NHL level. This team needs a Ted Nolan, Pat Quinn, Bob Hartley or Pat Burns. My personal fave is old Patt Burns. He's local, has a winning history, The Jack Adams Trophy and beaten cancer. If he can't get them going, no one can. A decent coach a puck moving defenseman and a decent 2nd line forward and this team is a contender again. Just my two cents. Something has to be done.