Senators Articles: Locked-out B-Sens remain committed to union, team
February 18, 2005

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Scott Lauber of Press Connects.com

Locked-out B-Sens remain committed to union, team

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- None of the Binghamton Senators had a vote on ending the NHL lockout.

That hardly comes as a revelation considering the Players' Association's executive committee has been appointed by the 700-plus membership to approve or reject any proposal. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that the rank-and-file had no direct say in turning down the owners' final offer of a $42.5 million salary cap.

Any of the Senators' locked-out players who were asked insisted a vote wasn't necessary, and at the AHL All-Star Classic this week, center Jason Spezza told a throng of reporters, "We've put our trust in the executive committee. They know what we want to fight for."

Spezza, forwards Josh Langfeld and Antoine Vermette and defensemen Brian Pothier and Anton Volchenkov remain united behind the NHLPA despite rumors that the union is being splintered by widespread dissent.

They also remain committed to playing the rest of the season for Binghamton, and together, they represent 46 percent of the Senators' offense and help give the team one of the AHL's most talented rosters.

INSULT TO INJURY

One of the biggest reasons the Senators entered Thursday's game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers atop the East Division is their ability to stay healthy. Including rookie winger Grant Potulny, who missed his 18th game after undergoing surgery to fix a sports hernia, the Senators have lost only 62 man-games to injury or illness.

Compare that to the sixth-place Sound Tigers, who have lost 164 man-games, including three players (Blaine Down, Ryan Kraft and Keith Aldridge) who are out for the season.

BETTMAN SKIPS AHL ALL-STAR GAME

It was subtle, but anyone who watched Wednesday's news conference in which the NHL season was canceled heard NHL commissioner Gary Bettman admit he didn't watch the AHL All-Star Game on television.

Asked by a reporter when he last attended a hockey game, Bettman said he went to the finals of last month's World Junior championship in Grand Forks, N.D. Then, he said he was watching the Beanpot, a college hockey tournament in Boston, on television Monday night. The Beanpot was broadcast on a New England cable station opposite the AHL All-Star Game on ESPN2.

Bettman's viewing decision was curious, especially since more than half of the AHL all-stars played in the NHL last season and only 13 players on Beanpot finalists Boston University and Northeastern have even been drafted by NHL teams.