2007 seems a lifetime ago...The Ottawa Senators have been in rebuild mode the past few seasons and one of the pieces acquired in the summer of 2013 to help set the franchise moving in the right direction was Bobby Ryan. A big, powerful winger with goal scoring ability. However, from the get go, and through no fault of his own, he had a monumental task in the capital.
The Curious Case of Bobby Ryan thus begun and he was immediately tagged with the thankless task of replacing legendary captain Daniel Alfredsson. Timing is everything...The trade seemed like a knee jerk reaction to Alfredsson spurning the only NHL franchise he'd ever known and signing with the Detroit Red Wings in an effort to ride off into the sunset a Cup champion (How often does that ever really work out?) but the fact is Ottawa had long coveted Ryan and his numbers and potential were huge reasons why. Seemed a no brainer really. A young guy theoretically coming into his prime with goal scoring ability was something the Sens desperately needed. And while comparing the two isn't fair, this is a hockey market that demands results and he was expected to shoulder this load. Sentiment didn't improve when Ryan battled injury his fist season here playing in only 70 games as the Sens missed the playoffs.
Ryan had tallied four straight thirty plus goal seasons in Anaheim: 2008-09 to 2011-12. He's yet to have one with the Sens. And while it's not as though he's be awful in red, he hasn't take the step forward they needed him to. In fact some would say he's regressed. His number are respectable, earning an all star nod in 2015, but they're a far cry from what you'd expect of someone with his $7+ million dollar a year pricetag. He's battled several injuries and to his credit played though them but his lack of consistency has been a talking point across Sens country.
Kyle Turris was banged up much of last season with a sprained ankle and Clarke MacArthur missed basically all of it with a concussion and it reflected in the teams play across the board. Lines were shuffled, a number of guys were put in positions they hadn't been before and Ryan was stuck trying to find his way along with many others. It was a down year for the organization and his numbers reflected that. Turris, when healthy is a solid player and has shown this season in particular how valuable he is, looking like the number three over all pick he was, but, with all due respect, he's not Ryan Getzlaf. Bobby Ryan put up most of his stellar numbers riding shot gun with the Ducks dynamic duo of Getzlaf and Corey Perry who have each done just about everything you can when it comes to winning at this and any other level you can think of (mini-sticks included). Ryan seemed to have chemistry with Turris and MacArthur when the line was together and healthy his first few years in Ottawa so perhaps with MacArthur set to return from injury in the near future, they can recapture that if and when they're reunited. However, the Sens now have a lot more depth up front. With the emergence of young players like Ryan Dzingle, Mark Stone, Curtis Lazar, the acquisition of Derek Brassard in the off season and leading goal scorer Mike Hoffman being signed to a new contract the top six is filling up fast. The Sens are a, lets call them cap conscious, organization and carrying that hefty contract with minimal results isn't going to sit well with owner Eugene Melnyk.
Others have thrown their two sense in as well including professional grump Brian Burke who suggested that intensity was an issue in leaving Ryan off the 2014 US Olympic roster. (How'd that work out by the way?) At the time it seemed liked he was slighted but with his struggles of late, this type of questioning only lends further fuel to the fire.
The Sens have him under contract until the 2021-22 season and with a cap hit of $7.25 million through the remainder of it it's not a contract that would be easily moved off the books. And that's not to say the Sens ought to be desperate to shop him either. He seems like a decent guy who's well liked by his teammates. Perhaps fans just have to accept this is who he is. A decent player who will put up decent numbers. He certainly wouldn't be the first guy to get overpaid coming out of Anaheim (ie: Matt Beleskey) but what irks fans is the sens that there's more there. Potential, the ultimate double edged sword. The answer likely has to come from Ryan himself or in coach Guy Boucher getting him going in the right direction. And he'd better do so quickly. Ryan has battled a hand injury this season and has played on 22 games thus far but only has 8 point to show for it. (Even the much maligned Dion Phaneuf has 10) That's not a pace the Sens or he can afford to have continue. The fact that the team is off to a stellar start and playing much better in their own end of the ice has overshadowed a lot of his struggles and no doubt getting healthy is the first step, as like many goal scorers Ryan has proven himself to be streaky and when he gets hot can go on a tear but this has be far to uncommon since his acquisition. With winter now settled in up north, let's hope it's not a case of Groundhog Day all over again...
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