You guys taking any applications for new fans..?

[Samsquanch]

I meant in Ottawa

Ah I see lol.. the posted you had quoted was also talking about my being in Sudbury, so I got confused it would seem..

 

[Notsince67]

OP needs to tough it out. We toughed it out far longer than he will have to. Sens will have a very sad season next year with no top pick, but in 5 years, I bet things are looking up again.

Ok. I am going to have to admit my guilt pleasure. I did cheer for the flyers a bit for 1 year when Dave Schutlz played (75-76). In my defense, I was 8 years old growing up in a tough neighborhood.

 

[colchar]

True fans stick with the team through thick and thin, but since you're finally seeing the light we can forgive you for your past foolishness.

And sorry to hear about your Mum. Mine went through it a couple of years ago and it is tough, really tough. Luckily I also had my Dad and brother. But Dad passed away last and she isn't fully recovered (chemo takes a lasting toll) so there are now just two of us to deal with the aftereffects. It ain't gonna be an easy road, but do whatever you can for her and for yourself while you can.

 

[ER89]

If I could come bringing gifts, that would be my first one for you guys. Sadly he's got many years left in Ottawa before he's UFA, and Im just an internet dude with nothing of substance to offer...

Haha fair enough friend. I think you will find our season enjoyable. Man, whenever you get to cheer for your sens I hope chabot is there. That guy is an absolute stud.

 

[Auston Powers]

Welcome aboard Samsquatch. Even if you change your mind and go back to cheering for the sens at some time, I wouldn't hold it against you (it's hard to let go of something after 22 years). But just realize that this train is massive (understatement) and it might be hard to ever go back to what you are about to "STAND WITNESS" to.

 

[Benttheknee]

I have been a hockey fan since the 70's with the leafs until I moved to Ottawa in 1991. Since then I have been a die hard Sens fan. To be honest, I have never seen anything like what has been going on with the Senators. It is an incredible mass exodus of talent for nothing. In a tight market, asset management is critical but they are bleeding assets faster than they can replace them.

I have finally decided that the Senators are no longer worthy of my allegiance. I am not a fool. I can see what is going on. The next time they play a playoff game in Ottawa? It can't be before 2023. There is simply no way they can build the stable of assets.

So why would I spend my money to be embarrassed? Sure they have some good young kids, but guess what, they had a lot of good young players and there is no reason believe that they won't simply execute the same strategy they have been using for the last 5 years.

To Leaf Management, please get Karlsson. Trade Kadri, Reilly and a first to San Jose. He will rock the ACC with that roster and Norris trophies will be falling for the rafters. The best part? He gets extra Home games to rack up tons of points when he goes to play in Ottawa.

 

[Samsquanch]

I have been a hockey fan since the 70's with the leafs until I moved to Ottawa in 1991. Since then I have been a die hard Sens fan. To be honest, I have never seen anything like what has been going on with the Senators. It is an incredible mass exodus of talent for nothing. In a tight market, asset management is critical but they are bleeding assets faster than they can replace them.

I have finally decided that the Senators are no longer worthy of my allegiance. I am not a fool. I can see what is going on. The next time they play a playoff game in Ottawa? It can't be before 2023. There is simply no way they can build the stable of assets.

So why would I spend my money to be embarrassed? Sure they have some good young kids, but guess what, they had a lot of good young players and there is no reason believe that they won't simply execute the same strategy they have been using for the last 5 years.

To Leaf Management, please get Karlsson. Trade Kadri, Reilly and a first to San Jose. He will rock the ACC with that roster and Norris trophies will be falling for the rafters. The best part? He gets extra Home games to rack up tons of points when he goes to play in Ottawa.

I mean beyond the fact that we know the Sens are going to make the playoffs again someday, what incentive is there beyond that to follow a team run by Melnyk?

We know for a fact that Melnyk is a cheap asshole that doesnt believe in handing out big contracts to players. He will not pay when the time comes.

So why go through all the trials and tribulations of following a rebuilding franchise when you know you're going to be right back where you started when the time comes to pay the athletes?

I understand being called not a true fan for abandoning the team, I feel that way about myself a little bit. But I've determined that my love for hockey and the NHL is greater than my love for the Senators, and Im not giving up watching hockey just because of my personal grudge against Eugene Melnyk.

 

[Critical13]

Everything you said about the rebuild is how all intelligent Sens fans see the situation.

It boils down to the owner did not want to pay Karlsson, and Karlsson was holding out for a new owner.

Watching star players walk away because of the owner has become an all to common trend in Ottawa.



That’s where you’re wrong, unfortunately.

There is no light at the end of the tunnel if you have an owner unwilling to pay when players develop into stars. We are on the rinse and repeat cycle right now.

I know its easy for some of you guys to sound high and mighty right now in regards to toughing out the bad years of the leafs. And I do commend you on it, Im sure it was hard.

But there was always some glimmer of hope for the Leafs at the end of that tunnel. There was some hope to sell to the fan base. With the budget that Melnyk has imposed on the Sens, it will forever hinder their ability to be anything more than a farm team for the rest of the league.

Its the most hopeless and dire situation of all the teams in the league right now.




Again see my point above. Im 100% down with a rebuild, they are not as depressing as it sounds. I was down with a total rebuild in 2011, and Im down with another total one now. Im huge into prospects so this is right up my alley.

What Im opposed to doing is following an owner and management group that is clearly going to do the same thing again in 5 years once the salaries start to rise again.




100% correct

IMO, you can't just jump ship. If you do, you were never really a Sens fan to begin with. The beauty of fandom is sticking with the steam even through decades of shit, but enjoying the victories when they do happen.

Sens have had lots of good years in the last decade. This is an awful one. Doesn't mean they won't rebound.

 

[phillipmike]

Since he is changing teams to become a Leaf fan should we ask that he change his username to the "Summer Soldier"?

 

[Samsquanch]

IMO, you can't just jump ship. If you do, you were never really a Sens fan to begin with. The beauty of fandom is sticking with the steam even through decades of ****, but enjoying the victories when they do happen.

Sens have had lots of good years in the last decade. This is an awful one. Doesn't mean they won't rebound.

But I really was a Sens fan, and still am.. I've literally been posting about them for 10 years now on Hfboards.

Dont get me wrong Im not saying this is yourself, but I've noticed a lot of 2016/2017 join dates for leafs fans accounts in here, so the timming is a little suspect to me I guess... There have been some leafs fans on HFboards for longer than I have though, and if they want to rag on me for jumping ship, Im obliged to sit here and take it.

But I've already explained many times why I wont continue to follow them for now (and a rebuild and/or poor roster for the next 5 years is absolutely not one of them). I would ask you to try and put yourself in my shoes, but I seriously wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

 

[Critical13]

But I really was a Sens fan, and still am.. I've literally been posting about them for 10 years now on Hfboards.

Dont get me wrong Im not saying this is yourself, but I've noticed a lot of 2016/2017 join dates for leafs fans accounts in here, so the timming is a little suspect to me I guess... There have been some leafs fans on HFboards for longer than I have though, and if they want to rag on me for jumping ship, Im obliged to sit here and take it.

But I've already explained many times why I wont continue to follow them for now (and a rebuild and/or poor roster for the next 5 years is absolutely not one of them). I would ask you to try and put yourself in my shoes, but I seriously wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

Join date on HF is irrelevant. My old man joined this site to read about his favourite OHL team, he's been a Leaf fan for 40 years. To say his true fandom start a year ago when he joined is poor logic.

The Sens situation is awful. Really, it is. However, I've lived through a decade of arrogant chirps from Sens fans. It's time to put up with being on the other side. The sky can't always be blue, if it was, you wouldn't appreciate the sunny days quite so much.

You should be going to war for your team - call into the radio shows, bring nasty signs to games, etc. Be a part of the "no more Melnyk" push. Don't just bail because after years of success (finals appearance, conference finals appearance, playoffs almost every year, multiple stars), you are suddenly in this awful situation.

Even making this thread is shameful. Give your head a shake, then get back to the board you belong on and go to war for the franchise.

 

[moon111]

The Senator's franchise seems to have such an inferiority complex. Banning other team's jerseys, not accepting the best trade compensation from within your conference, etc. Ottawa could be the darling of NHL, the David to Goliath, the underdog that everyone roots for. When Kadri shut-down McDavid, that might of been the most positive vibe I've seen Kadri get. And that's the identity I would build the Sens to be. It's competitive hockey and affordable . Instead, they just come out as losers.

 

[TheLeafsBro]

Welcome to Leafs Nation. Enjoy the elite center depth.

 

[Azazel]

Welcome! We got the Samsquanch on our side!

 

[CanadasTeam]

Ironically preseason games starts 4 days from now.. vs. the Sens.. back to back.

Are you sure you're ready for this?

 

[Maplebeasts]

Welcome aboard! Happy to have you and understand why you're making this decision. Fair warning though once you're out, you're out.

 

[Eat The Rich]

Nope. Not after their arrogant radio advert in 2016 mocking us for cheering the Leafs while Ottawa was in deep in the playoffs. The arrogance of that fan base to think that they would never have a down slope and that they did everything right while we did everything wrong? They are choking on much needed humble pie, and to be honest? If they don't have the balls to stick through a likely short term down slope they have no business having a hockey team.

Fold it and move it to Quebec.

We suffered under worse conditions with Ballard that lasted 30 years.

30!

I doubt this down slope lasts 3.

I agree, almost.

The amount of garbage that we had thrown our way over the last decade amounts to me not being capable of feeling sorry for Senators fans. They deserve every single shitty feeling that comes their way in regards to their allegiance to that team. I'll laugh at them until they're a threat again, and shit all over them until I can't breathe. However, I don't agree with folding or moving the team anywhere. No fan should have to go through that. That's the one thing I could always rely on being a Leafs fan, knowing that the team would always be there.

To OP, if you or any fan wants to watch the Leafs, go nuts. It's really nobody's job to determine who you may or may not cheer for, so I'd just ignore those folks. Seeing as this is the most exciting Leafs team in.. ever, I think you may just have a hard time going back, so I wouldn't take that decision lightly.

 

[Varcus]

Do what makes you happy at the end of the day.

I feel bad for Sens and Habs fans. As leaf fans we know the pain we endured all these years. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I just wish teams would be as loyal to us as we are to them. You owner man, it makes you respect the job Murray did rip.

It's ok to be a sen's fan and watch leaf games, When you had your run to the ecf i watched every game and even shed a tear when you lost. As i lost my father in January of that year and i watched the games for him. So do what makes you happy as by the sounds of it you could use a distraction, Just keep positive and enjoy and be thankful for the time you still have with your mother. If you spend all your time now being sad, your going to miss out on time you still can enjoy,

 

[Mikeyg]

You like 1c's? we have three of them... Yes we know kadri is a 2 but we've been pumping the ole "Kadri is a 1C" for nearly a decade now so... three!

 

[Benttheknee]

There's no reason you can't still be a Sens fan and a Leafs fan.

My problem is that I think the relationship is actually now abusive. Almost every single time they make a move they f*** it up and prove once again that the Senators are a waste of an NHL team.

At this point, I would be perfectly fine if they left for anther city. That way I can watch Leaf games in Ottawa.

 

[Jozay]

Sorry to hear about your mom.

I hope you'll be able to enjoy the season and it relieves some stress for you.

 

[Jozay]

My problem is that I think the relationship is actually now abusive. Almost every single time they make a move they **** it up and prove once again that the Senators are a waste of an NHL team.

At this point, I would be perfectly fine if they left for anther city. That way I can watch Leaf games in Ottawa.

They'll eventually get out of it.

Maybe get into basketball this winter (if you're not already), Raptors are gonna be good.

 

[kb]

The landscape of the league was pretty different in Ballard's time though.. Not saying it wasnt horrible in an epic way, but I have to wonder just how many leaf fans here were actually suffering through his reign back in the 70's and 80's..

I mean Im 32, and I wasnt even born until 85, so clearly I have no idea what Ballard was like or how hard the years were under him. How old are you guys?

Hey, I am from Sudbury and now living in Ottawa. I had seasons tickets for the Sens for the first 2 seasons of their existence. After that, I always get the old "why don't you support the local team" argument. I tried, really, I tried. With my head and my pocketbook. But at the end of the day, I still support the Sens by buying a ticket to every Leaf game that happens here. Whether I can go or not is a different story. But I give the tickets away - I don't sell them. And not necessarily always to Leaf fans.

 

[Pookie]

@Samsquanch Cheer for whomever you like. There are a couple of nimrods here who I would enjoy seeing cheer for another team but I digress. This board and hockey in general is just an escape.

It’s an escape from the present but your situation with your mom shouldn’t need to be something you escape from. Whether she overcomes the disease or not, you have her right now. Don’t wish that it were different. Wishing is wasted energy and it takes you away from the moment. Be there for each other. Experience the highs and lows. Accept and acknowledge the emotions that come with it and relish every minute you have.

Truth is that we are all dying. We just don’t know when that final moment will come. We distract ourselves with BS but we really should be savouring the moment we have now. I’d give anything to have another moment with relatives that have passed. You are really really fortunate right now. Use it.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

You should watch hockey to release stress not get more of it. If watching the Leafs helps take your mind off things and provides more entertainment than welcome aboard.

As others have said we argue with each other a lot sometimes, the GDT can be a lot of fun. The PGT after a win or loss can get a bit silly and turns into everyone’s pet issue half the time.

At the end of the day don’t take it too seriously and just watch a fun, dynamic, young and exciting team.