Senators Articles: Ray's determination sets good example for B-Sens
February 27, 2004

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

Ray's determination sets good example for B-Sens

The morning skate had ended a good half-hour ago, and as the clock ticked toward Wednesday afternoon, the lights dimmed and the Zamboni hummed inside the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

But that didn't stop Jody Hull and Rob Ray.

Alone, at the end of the rink nearest the Binghamton Senators' dressing room, Hull placed pucks around the rim of the crease and one-timed them, one after another, piercing the center of the net with each shot.

At the far side, Ray's skates crunched into the ice, carving a half-dozen figure-eights. Next came sprints, up and down the blue line, and finally, to conclude the self-inflicted workout, a few dizzying laps around the ice.

On a team teeming with hopeful 20-somethings, leave it to a couple of 35-year-olds, with 30 years of NHL experience between them, to put in overtime on a game day.

"I just got done telling the guys why I'm killing myself to come back one more time," said Ray, red-faced and leaning on his stick. "In 16 years of pro hockey, I've been to the finals in the AHL once and the finals in the NHL once, and I've never won. That's why I'm here."

That's why Ray left Buffalo, where his wife is 6 1/2 months pregnant, where he's remodeling their home and where he had a cushy gig doing television commentary on Sabres games. That's why he took $400,000, barely more than minimum wage in the NHL, to come out of retirement with the Ottawa Senators.

And that's why he spent the past week in the minors, playing five games in eight nights and riding buses from Binghamton to Springfield, Mass., to Manchester, N.H., and back again.

All for one more shot at a Stanley Cup he's never won.

"You don't have that many opportunities in this game," Ray said. "Some guys could play for a year and win a Cup, some guys could play for 20 years and never win. And that (stinks) because that's how you judge a player, by how much he's won. That's what I told the guys."

Binghamton players would be wise to listen to the wise-cracking Ray, who, after his last practice on his last day with the team, took a break from telling jokes and NHL war stories to get serious with players he'd like to see working in Ottawa someday.

Ray has a way with the younger set. He became fast friends with 20-year-old can't-miss Jason Spezza last spring when the two were watching most of Ottawa's playoff games from the stands and even requested Spezza's minor-league No. 9 during his five-game conditioning term.

Senators GM John Muckler asked Ray before the season to be a player/assistant coach here, but Ray politely declined, believing too many AHL tough guys would try to make their mark against -- and leave a few marks on -- one of the NHL's all-time toughest. He opted for retirement and hammering drywall on his growing family's new house.

So Muckler turned to Hull, who hasn't made much of an impact as a player because of abdominal surgery in January but has become a teacher during practice and a mentor for his work ethic in trying to come back.

Hull's motivation is the same as Ray's -- to go out a winner.

"Hully's killing himself just to get back in (Binghamton's) lineup," Ray said. "He wants to come back and play well here, and maybe he'll get another shot up there."

Ray joined Ottawa on Thursday, uncertain of how many games he will actually play. After being traded to the Senators last March, he skated in only five of the final 13 regular-season games and didn't dress for any of the 18 in the playoffs.

"The reason I came back is because (Ottawa's) got a great chance to win it all," Ray said. "I'll do whatever they want me to do."

And he'll work as hard as he can.

Hopefully, Ray's teammates for the past week were paying attention.

*

Since all-star goalie Ray Emery returned from Ottawa just in time for Wednesday night's game and admitted to feeling dead tired, coach John Paddock was asked if he considered starting back-up Billy Thompson against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

"We live and die with Ray," Paddock said after the 4-3 loss, "and usually we live with him."

He's right, which is why the Senators will be a dangerous team in the playoffs.

That is, assuming they make it.

Lauber covers the Binghamton Senators for the Press & Sun-Bulletin. Contact him a slauber@pressconnects.com.