OTTAWA, ON – NOVEMBER 01: Ottawa Senators Center Matt Duchene (95) looks for a pass by the side of the net during second period National Hockey League action between the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators on November 1, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

I guess you could call it a lesson learned.  We live in a world now where privacy is a thing of the past.  We are all under a microscope every day.  If you’re a professional athlete, the microscope is just that much more powerful.  It is sad, but it is now the truth.  When a group of Ottawa Senators were recorded by an Uber driver last week I was not surprised.  I was not surprised an Uber driver would record it.  I was not surprised of the content we heard from the disgruntled players. Let’s face it these conversations happen with every sports team, and every workplace for that matter.  Is it right.  NO! but it happens.  It happens every day and I bet each and every one of us has taken part in a conversation such as this.  This season may go down as the worst-off ice season by a team in the history of ice hockey. This incident just may be a blessing. Yes, that sounds weird, but it is a weird form of team bonding.  Let me remind all of you what the game plan of USA 1980 Olympic Gold Medal coach Herb Brooks.  The day they opened Olympic camp he broke the players down and created a us versus them culture.  Now in no way do I think this is what is happening in Ottawa.  What I am saying is that it is not very common that an athlete agrees with his coaches all the time.

  • Quenneville out in Chicago – Is this possible. One of the all-time best NHL coaches has been relieved of his duties.  Joel Quenneville guided the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups. Now he is without a job.  The Blackhawks are an aging hockey team, that has been strapped by some big contracts.  They have also had to deal with injuries to starting goalie Corey Crawford.  The start they are off to this season is actually better than some expected.  I don’t think this was a coaching problem.  I think this is an age and lack of cap space problem.  I always ask the question when a coach is fired, “will the replacement be a better coach, and why”.  I don’t think that there is any way that Chicago will be able to accomplish that with their new coach Jeremy Colliton.