Ottawa Senators: What In The World Is Happening To Bobby Ryan?
Signing a big contract has big implications. When Bobby Ryan signed a seven year, $50.75 million contract that came with big expectations for him on this team. Has he lived up to those expectations?
Looking back to last year, his season was disappointing. In 78 games, he had 18 goals and 36 assists. He was 6th on the team in goals scored. That statement in itself is not a bad one. However, when you compare him to those who outscored him (Stone, Hoffman, and Zibanejad) and the difference in pay grade of those players, disappointing is the word that comes to mind.
Keeping on the subject of the 2014-2015 season, who can forget the statement Bryan Burke made when asked why Bobby Ryan wasn’t selected to be a part of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.
"“He is not intense. The word is not in his vocabulary” – from Sportsnet.ca"
There was nothing better than a frustrated Bobby Ryan announcing he hung up that quote in his locker to motivate himself. But, did that really work?
At the end of the season Ryan was the first to admit he wasn’t happy with how he played. Rightly so. Signing the biggest contract of his career so far hasn’t done a lot of good for him.
What is going on?
Sadly, this season hasn’t gone off to a much better start. In many respects. Through 8 games (4 of them home games) the team has yet to get a win at the CTC. Bobby Ryan’s play is unfortunately being added to the list of disappointments to start this season. So far he has gathered 1 goal and 4 assists, currently holding a +/- of -4.
He has been good in the shootout for the Senators, 3 for 3 so far this season. That is the good news Sens fans can hold onto. He still has his hands. But the frustration is written all over his face during the game. The happiness that came over Sens fans when the long-term deal was made seems like a distant memory now.
It will be interesting to see how Dave Cameron handles his struggles in the future. Ryan has been on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Milan Michalek lately. Sometimes all a player needs to make a change in his game is to play with a different set of guys.
Depending on the return times of injured forwards Mike Hoffman and Curtis Lazar, there could be some room to juggle around Bobby Ryan and help him get his game back together. A small change for Ryan could do him and the Ottawa Senators a lot of good.
Editor note – the original article was edited to accurately reflect the fact that Bobby Ryan is 3 for 3 in shootouts for the Senators this season. The original article stated that he was 2 for 3.
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