FanNation

I love the irony with the "one of the most popular Senators" line. This guy has been a mess since the playoffs last year and the entirety of this season. Is it just a skid? Does he need more support from the fans and ownership? Quite frankly I don't care. This is Canada where the market is bigger and has much more pressure. That being said, if he can't handle it he needs to go south. San Jose or LA would be a good fit since no-one cares about hockey there.

FCB82 | 04/07/08, 07:48 AM

Redden's a mess. He may not be done yet, but he's certainly lost focus - and directed that focus toward a certain white powder, is the word. If he wants to turn it around, he's gotta kick the yip, and California might not be the best place to do that. It might be best for his career - and nasal cavity - if he signed with a team like Coulmbus or Minnesota, where access to his vice may be a little more difficult...

goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/07/08, 07:54 AM

goCanada!:
Where do you get such juicy stories? Based on what you are saying, perhaps Mr. Emery should join him. Are these guys getting their blow from the Members of Parliament, or is it just easier to conceal with all of the real snow in Ottawa?

PopKing | 04/07/08, 08:28 AM

I think losing Chara as a D partner really hurt this guy a lot more than it shows. I think it was much easier for him to worry more about his offensive skills, and let Chara mask his defensive short-comings. Now playing with Mez more he doesn't have the security blanket he used too, and tends to over-think his responsibilities more.

And what's with everyone loving the Yay in O-town? I figured it would be anti-depressents and pain-killers making the rounds in that locker room...

Bentley00 - Welcome Schenner | 04/07/08, 08:36 AM

not sure, Popper, I just hear the word on the street, and its that Redden can't stop...and doesn't want to. Bentley makes a good point about losing Chara, but I think the yip has more to do with Ottawa wanting to get rid of him than his drop off in play does.

Rumour also has it that Emery is "involved" with the sale of this kind of stuff as well, but I've only heard that once, unlike the word on Redden...

goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/07/08, 09:54 AM

Cup or no Cup...if this is true the owner should sack them both..and goC could you help me out with the word "sale" from your last post?

Peter Goezinya | 04/07/08, 10:20 AM

"sale" as in he has connections with those who partake in the "selling" of such products

goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/07/08, 10:45 AM

I always thought Redden was overrated. A guy who has lots of potential, but doesn't have the heart to be a true #1 defender in the NHL. If you look at #1 types, most have a nasty edge to them (outside of Lidstrom who is technically perfect and Niedermayer who can skate like Coffey). Guys like Pronger, Phaneuf, Chara all play hard, Redden has always been soft, avoiding the rough play and easily pushed around in his own zone.

The Sens made a huge mistake letting Chara go and keeping Redden. They should have forced Redden out, even with his no-trade, a couple os seasons ago and kept the Big Nasty in town to give the Sens more grit, something they always seem to need.

joec | 04/07/08, 10:45 AM

K.....thought maybe you were saying Emery was a dealer.

Peter Goezinya | 04/07/08, 11:05 AM

If these guys are hyped up on the Yay, you'd think that they'd play with a heightened sense of awareness and more energy. Isn't that what that stuff does? I wouldn't really know I guess. It wrecked Theo Fleury though. I don't think Edmonton is a very good fit for him. They are way too fast and offensive minded. If it's the Northwest, it's Minny and Jacques Lemaire's trap game. I think San Jose is probably a better fit for him of the team's mentioned in the article.

wtnelson | 04/07/08, 11:49 AM

not sure, Pete, I just heard he's involved in some way with DEALING, whether it be financing, protecting, purchasing, providing, I don't know, it was just what I heard. What I have heard, from a number of sources, is that Emery is neck deep with some pretty serious people in Ottawa, people who could be considered "undesirables" by the law abiding type...

goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/07/08, 12:09 PM

Redden is a classic example of the Sens making a glaring error when they should have shuttled him and kept Chara instead.
His contract is as silly as McCabe's is in Toronto in terms of their on ice value.
I can't see any GM paying this guy 6.5 million since JFJ is no longer around...but then again....There is one born every minute.

Baun-ded | 04/07/08, 12:51 PM

goCanada!You know you just contradicted yourself right?You first said that you only heard about Emery "once". You then changed it to a "number of sources". Well,which one is the correct one there go?

bostongm | 04/07/08, 02:36 PM

On the same topic(Emery).You guys know Cabbie right?As in Cabbie on the street?Well anyway,he was interviewing him,and they were talking about hockey at 1st. Emery just reponded like a person dis-interested in the topic,but when Cabbie started asking about the party scene,Emery's face just lit up.Hahahahaha.That says alot about him right there.He'd rather party then worry about backing up his contract.

bostongm | 04/07/08, 02:42 PM

this guy IS a number one defenseman in the nhl and the rangers despreatly need him or some other top defenseman on their blueline that can quarterback a powerplay/move the puck. he would look really good with marc staal as the number 1 pair with roszival and tyutin as a strong second

broadway blueshirts | 04/07/08, 02:54 PM

Sad to hear but if he is snorting his earnings then he should be kicked out of the NHL and forced to work as a license plate (or called Registration Tag in some countries) maker with a little orange suit. It is people like him that help give the NHL a bad name. While they are at it in Ottawa, do the same for Emery, he has put a brown stain on a very classy hockey organization!

ArisDragon | 04/07/08, 03:47 PM

Sorry bgm, I guess I was a bit ambiguous there - 1 source told me he was involved in the trade, and I've heard from multiple sources that he associates with people that are definitely in the industry. SO, the single source could have extrapolated (that Word of the Day toilet paper is really working huh?) from there and assumed he is also dealing, or maybe he just knows what alot of others don't, I'm not sure...

goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/07/08, 04:00 PM

To blame the decline of Redden's play on an illegal substance is pretty far fetched. Although I could see Emery being that stupid...last I checked, there is still a thing called drug testing in the NHL....And based on the way the Sens have played this year...I'm sure the testers have been filling the test tubes in Ottawa...searching for answers.

Baun-ded | 04/07/08, 04:25 PM

I wrote about this in September. I predicted they would try and move him, which they did, but were blocked by his no-trade contract. He is not even close to worth the money and the Sens are about to get worse. Article where i said he should go found here: http://floatoncloudnine.blogspot.com/2007/10/discussing-future-of-ottawa-senators.html

My bad, it was October.

Cloud9_Sports | 04/07/08, 04:49 PM

Regarding the blow -- I've played with guys Emery used to play Jr with regularly for the past few years. The speculation is not misplaced, but we shouldn't run too fast with rumors. You see a celebrity/athlete do a rail and BOOM people start calling that person a cokehead, when once or twice doesn't necessarily infer a problem/habit.

All that said, Redden on the blow too? Now that is a wild rumor.

Cloud9_Sports | 04/07/08, 04:54 PM