It's tough being a Sens fan........

It's tough being a Sens fan.  The first four years of our existence, we were the laughing stock of the whole league.  The team collected a grand total 51 wins in 3 1/2 seasons from 1992-1996.  Our first year, we had a clueless general manager who didn't think to bring back up for his lap top to the expansion draft.  He was followed by another general manager who did little to improve the team and repeatedly went to war with a promising young Russian player, though the latter was not without sin.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  The fifth year, we finally have a respectable team headed for the playoffs, until the owner begins to make threats about moving the team.  In 1999, our Russian Super Star Captain holds out for a THIRD TIME, after going pointless in the playoffs, leaving the organization high and dry.  The owner continues to whine and make threats.  The following season, the Russian Super Star returns with "open arms" only to once again go goalless in a four game sweep at the hands of our biggest rival, and piss off the team and fan base.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  In 2003 we have our best season to date, and the team files for bankruptcy, only to have the Commissioner find a "White Knight" come in and save the franchise.  The following season, after a heart breaking Game 7 loss to our provincial rivals, the "White Knight" comes into the dressing room to chew out the players and coaching staff and question their heart, after he says in a report that the Sens were going to "kill them."

It's tough being a Sens fan.  After a season long lock out, we trade a promising young Slovakian and future Hall-of-Famer, right after we sign him to a three year contract extension.  The Sens have their best regular season, but go out with a whimper in the second round, and lose our best defenseman to free agency.  The following season, there is promise.  We exceed everyone's expectations, and make the city proud by reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.  The city is excited and unified as Sens Mile takes shape on Elgin Street!  The following season, we go out with a whimper, yet again, as we start off strong but fall apart after Christmas and we tumble in the standings and get swept in the first round of the playoffs.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  After the first year of a seven year contract, our best goal scorer demands and forces a trade out of Ottawa.  The following season, the team falls apart as the"White Night" forces our general manager to cut $14 million in costs, and trade some long time soldiers and fan favourites.  It was the right time to move the majority of these players, but the reason behind it stings.  A third coaching change in four years is made.  The following two seasons, we over-achieve thanks to promising, young players, leadership from our Captain, good coaching, and solid goaltending.  Unfortunately, it does not last.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  Our "White Knight" messes up contract negotiations with our long time Captain and forces him to end his playing career with a division rival, and forces the general manager into panic mode and overpays to acquire one time 30 goal-scorer.  Despite filling the building on a regular basis, we are last in player salaries and have the smallest front office in the league.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  Our "White Knight's" cost cutting forces out a Captain for the second straight off season, getting little in return.  Our team starts off sluggish, costing a good coach his job, despite not having the tools to succeed.  There is tension as a young goalie throws his goal stick in frustration after yet another loss.  A miracle then happens.  After both starting goalies are injured, a career minor leaguer arrives to save the day and goes on an incredible run as McDonald's reports record sales on bean-packed meat-like sandwiches.  We force a sixth game on home ice, only to lose after a referee loses sight of a puck that was sitting right in front of him.  But, our former Captain returns in front office role to provide stability.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  Our team sinks in the standings as a number of bad trades and bad contracts hand-cuff the organization.  The team dismisses it's fifth coach in nine seasons.  The "White Knight" ups player payroll and compensates by further shrinking front office and staff.  Next season, a new coach is brought in with a new philosophy.  Our young Captain carries his team on his back and one ankle.  A fan favourite returns and scores the first round series clincher after being knocked out by a clean body check in a scrimmage.  Our season ends in a heartbreaking Game 7 double overtime loss in the Conference Finals to the eventual Stanley Cup Champs.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  The "White Knight" forces out our former long time Captain and our general manager mismanages the expansion draft and loses a key piece of our back end.  He promises to shore it up, along with the forward lines, but come training camp, all he has to show for his "efforts" is a fan favourite failing his physical, and an over-the-hill veteran.  Our coach shows little patience and plays over-paid veterans over young, eager players who show more promise and consistency.  The "White Knight" puts tarp over seats to give the illusion of a full stadium.

It's tough being a Sens fans.  Our "White Knight" forces the trade of a fan favourite and community leader because he doesn't want to pay him what he's worth.  He instead back our general manager into a corner, forcing him to overpay for a quality top center, which we already had.  The "White Knight" then goes on a tirade towards fans on National television, wondering why they are not buying tickets, instead of doing research and noticing that 40% of the city works for the federal government, half of which aren't being paid improperly or not at all.  A #Melnykout campaign, showing distaste for the owner by fed up fans.  He then nearly forces a trade of our Captain, and an albatross of a contract that the general manager's predecessor is responsible for, to an expansion team, only to have the deal fall apart when the organization discovers it does not have enough tarp to cover 18 000 seats.

It's tough being a Sens fan.  Supporters are excited to see who we will damage with our first draft pick, when a report surfaces showing the true distaste by our Mayor and former Captain.  Expectations are low for the upcoming season as fans prepare to see a rocky mountain-based franchise use the Sens' first overall pick to select a highly touted center from United States development program.

Man, it's tough being a Sens fan.

Cap Compliance Cup

A while ago, I watched a video by Hybrid Icing where he talks about a TSN feature where they brought on Lawrence Gillman (a Salary Cap guru) and had him break down cap numbers for each position on a hockey team (said video can be seen here).

I did something similar to that, but instead of capping each position, I capped each line.  I also based the numbers on a $78.9 million dollar cap for 2018-19, and I took my best guess when it came to signing free agents.  Each roster is 13 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies.

You can, of course, spend less than that (which I did to forecast re-signing players), but not more to stay within the budget and didn't "borrow" totals from other columns to cheat.

The first team I created I called the "North Bay Centennials."  Here's how it worked out:

Subtract line total from the cap:

And viola!  A cap savings of $1.2 million and change on the first line alone!  Now for the rest of the forwards.

And subtract from the cap:

And now, I do the same with the defense and goaltending:

A savings of just under $10 million.  That's not as impressive as it sounds as there are plenty of players that need to be re-signed at the end of the year.  Add to the fact that there is never a guarantee that the cap will go up.

The North Bay Centennials certainly look competitive.  But how do they compare against their rivals an hour west on Highway 17?

May I present the Sudbury Wolves!

Wow!  Pretty evenly matched.  But now we need some American content.  Introducing, the Cleveland Steamers!

Notice how far under budget I am for the first line and defensive pair, in order to leave room for Laine and McAvoy when they're contracts are up.


And for the final team, the Hershey Squirts!

That's 4 pretty competitive teams!  And fiscally responsible too!  So which team do you think would win in a tournament?  I'd find out myself, but I don't have an Xbox or a PS4.

Past TTMs

Michal Neuvirth
c/o Flyers
09/12/2017 - 05/08/2018
4/4

Charlie Coyle
c/o Wild
11/22/2016 - 05/17/2018
4/4

Included a small thank you note.  Nice kid.

Bill Guerin
c/o Penguins
11/17/2017 - 05/18/2018
4/4

TTM Catch up

Now that I have figured out how to use Google Photos, I'll hopefully be able to update this on a regular basis.

Antti Niemi
c/o Canadiens
02/19 - 04/17
6/5

Added extra card

Olaf Kolzig
c/o Florida Address
09/12/2016 - 04/19/2018
5/4
 
Third attempt for Ollie.  Also added an extra card.

Andreas Dackell
c/o Home
03/08 - 05/02
5/5

No extra card.  Cheap B******.  (JK)