"... when it came to coach Ron Low and goalie Ray Emery, (Senator GM Bryan) Murray clearly picked the wrong guy in Ottawa.
"... Low has spent nearly 40 years in pro hockey and you can't find anyone with anything bad to say about him. The only people with good things to say about Emery are his teammates. And that is only if you ask them when the cameras are on."
"I have to think Low was probably the first to inform Murray that his young goalie in Binghamton had serious work-ethic concerns, that perhaps he was a tad selfish and arrogant.
"Now the old coach is gone -- as if firing an assistant coach who works from the press box is going to turn things around in Ottawa -- and the young goalie has played himself into the backup role.
"There, his job will be to stay out late on the practice ice, not to get mad when a teammate rings the odd shot off his mask, keep the room loose and do a little extra in the weight room to stay ready. Good luck with that, Bryan."
Come now. Emery is 26. That's not that young in hockey years. The irrepressible Earl McRae has his own inimitable take.
(Thanks to Jean-Pierre Allard for the link.)
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3 comments:
J.-P., please read Earl McRae's column in today's Ottawa Sun RE: the Ottawa sports media's cowardice.
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Columnists/McRae_Earl/2008/03/11/4966111-sun.html
Looking forward to your playoff previews...
Pierre
I am the last guy to defend Ray Emery, but goalies are a little funny in that they often don't come into their own until their late 20s or even early 30s. Just look at all the goalies around the league who are on their second or third teams, and are just starting to come into their own now.
Ottawa's greatest fear is that they trade Emery for a proverbial bucket of pucks, and have him emerge two years from now as a Vezina Trophy candidate. Ray's little trip to purgatory right now might be the best thing that ever happened to him.
Dennis, Ottawa's goaltenders are Vezina quality...in Ottawa!
Anyone remember Ron Tugnutt's stellar 1.67 GAA back in the day? When our defense plays well, very few teams get a sniff.
When they play average (Sunday?) it's all over.
Oooh boy Redden looks like he wants an early exit and Mike Commodore is a McCabesque pylon out there...hope this team can focus come playoff time.
Pierre
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