on last week, and he is also listed as questionable after not p

As they get set to face their former captain for the first time Tuesday, its somewhat fitting that the Ottawa Senators have reached the halfway point of their season. Amari Cooper Womens Jersey . After 41 games, the Senators sit eight points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There was a feeling amongst a portion of the Ottawa fan base that once Jason Spezza was traded, their team would improve and become more well-rounded and complete. Trust me, I handled enough phone calls and e-mails at the radio station last season to get a pulse on the fan base in this city. Instead, in the first half of a season without Spezza, the Senators fired their head coach Paul MacLean and rank in the bottom five of the league in shots against. Spezza is now a tiny speck in the rear view mirror and yet the Senators continue to have problems finding consistency in their game. And now Im hearing some of the same complaints about the current captain – Erik Karlsson – that we heard about Spezza last year. He turns the puck over too often. He takes too many risks. His shifts are too long. And youll never win with him. In the never-ending quest to find a scapegoat, many fans have shifted the bullseye from Spezza to Karlsson. But the truth of the matter is that Ottawas problems run far deeper than any one player or captain. This is about a team that remains in a re-building process with a good core of young players. When you look at the roster and see the likes of Turris, Karlsson, Hoffman, Stone, Ceci, Cowen, Lehner, Pageau, Zibanejad and Lazar all under the age of 25, its clear that this is a team that should be built to win in 2016 or 2017. And at that point, younger veterans like MacArthur, Ryan and Methot (if he re-signs) should still be valuable pieces to the puzzle. If there is a shred of good news in this disappointing season, its that the Senators front office has a great track record in the NHL Draft. Landing studs like Karlsson, Ceci and Lazar with mid-first round picks should leave fans optimistic that more pieces will be added this summer should the Senators end up missing the post-season. I dont blame Bryan Murray for thinking this was a playoff team at the start of the season because I think we can all agree that, if everything fell into place, the Sens would be good enough to challenge for a wild card spot in a watered-down Eastern Conference. But even in a season where young players like Stone, Hoffman, Ceci and Lazar have taken significant steps forward, its still not enough to push this team into a playoff spot at the halfway point. Right now they are on pace to miss the playoffs by double digits – somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-16 points. And that should be our clearest indicator that the Sens arent quite there yet. As a result, any debate as to whether or not you can win with a particular captain is simply a red herring. It was true about Spezza last year and it remains the same for Karlsson this season. When the core of this roster is mature enough to compete for a playoff spot – and Im now starting to think that might be in the 2016-17 season - then we can have the debate as to whether or not you can win with a particular captain. Until then, I think Sens fans need to keep their focus on the fact their team is still re-building – and not on who is wearing the C in this town. Michael Gallup Youth Jersey . After Andrew Romine served up two monster home runs in the inning, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he thought Romine was one of the bright spots on the night, showing just how bad the series opener against the last-place Minnesota Twins went for the Tigers. Randall Cobb Youth Jersey . Others describe it as taking the parrot for a walk. https://www.cowboyssportsgoods.com/Womens-Tony-Pollard-Inverted-Jersey/ .ca contributor Grant McCagg provides a look at some risers and fallers on the prospect watch.Irving, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Dallas Cowboys right tackle Doug Free is listed as doubtful for Sundays Wild Card game against the Detroit Lions. Free is still bothered by an ankle injury he sustained in the Cowboys Dec. 14 win against the Philadelphia Eagles. He has not practiced at all since the injury, and veteran Jermey Parnell is expected to startt in his absence. Jason Witten Cowboys Jersey. Defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford did not practice Friday with an illness, and hes questionable for the postseason tilt. Rookie linebacker Anthony Hitchens sprained his ankle in the season finale at Washington last week, and he is also listed as questionable after not participating in practice all week. ' ' '