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Monday, December 6, 1999
Senators miss Alfie in action
There is nothing wrong with the Senators that the return of Daniel Alfredsson won't cure.
Opposing teams are starting to key on Marian Hossa -- as should be expected -- and another consistent source of offence is a must.
Alfredsson, who offers leadership and hard work, along with goals and assists, is due back from his knee injury this week.
If you think the struggling Senators should consider making a move to correct their current woes, ask yourself this: When Alfredsson does come back, who do they sit?
- Colin Forbes is already collecting splinters.
- Andre "The Giant" Roy may be scratched from the lineup on nights in which the Senators don't need muscle, but by and large he is a necessary weapon.
- Kevin Dineen is a sparkplug who provides a nice and required energy boost.
- Andreas Dackell and Shaun Van Allen play important defensive roles.
- Rookie Mike Fisher not only needs ice time, he deserves it.
Who does that leave? Rob Zamuner and his $2.2-million contract? Talk about your expensive seats.
SECOND THOUGHTS: At his current rate of production, Radek Bonk will finish the season with 84 points. If he can find 10 more somewhere, he will tie the team record for most points in a season. And oh, Bonk actually spends serious time inside his own blue line, unlike the guy who owns the standard ... Asked of Serena and Vanessa Williams on Hollywood Squares last week: In the 1960s, 97% of NHLers had it in common. That number is now down to 56%. What is it? The answer, of course, is that they are Canadians, although the Williams girls figured it represented the number of college graduates in the league ... Tony Amonte scored his 177th goal as a Chicago Blackhawk on Friday, moving into 17th place on the team's all-time list of goal scoring leaders. He surpassed the late Johnny Gottselig, who even the most ardent Chicago fans wouldn't know was a Russian who played for the team from 1928-45.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM: If Jeff Garcia can throw for more than 400 yards in an NFL game, doesn't Danny McManus deserve a serious look by some team in that league? ... What does a junior hockey game seem to have that an NHL game doesn't? A large number of people just hanging around the mezzanines ... The lightweight fight most of us missed Saturday night -- Tampa Bay Lightning Steve Martins vs. Los Angeles King Donald Audette ... If Barry Sanders was trying to force the Detroit Lions to trade him when he retired, perhaps he and Alexei Yashin should get together and talk about bluffs that have failed.
AROUND THE HORN: Any day now, Igor Kravchuk is expected back from his knee injury. What's that? He's back already? Oh ... Ex-Ottawa Rough Rider receiver Bobby Gordon may have had a better year off the field than he did with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Gordon has a role in the soon to be released movie Any Given Sunday and is apparently about to wed a former cheerleader ... If you don't already know it, the David Gross who has joined The Team 1200 as a strong "20-20 update" voice is the same David Gross who writes a fine junior hockey column for the Sun.
STRETCH DRIVES: Bryan McCabe's plus-minus of -21 is not quite on pace to match the worst rating of that kind in NHL history. That distinction belongs to Bill Mikkelson, who was -82 with the Washington Capitals in the mid-'70s .... If his performance against the 67's Friday night is any indication, Chris Madden will turn out to be a dandy NHLer with the Carolina Hurricanes, who took a flier on the Guelph Storm goalie with their sixth pick (97th overall) in the 1998 entry draft ....Those about to write the final chapter on the career of Jerry Rice will think twice after his nine-catch, 157-yard, two touchdown performance yesterday.
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