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Sunday, October 3, 1999
Patience the Sens' plan, for now
And with both sides digging their heels in for a long battle, it was suggested yesterday it could be Christmas before the situation is resolved.
Yashin was cooling his heels in Switzerland as the Senators took on the Flyers in Philadelphia last night. It will be the next six weeks that decides what the franchise is going to do about its best player.
There have been rumours, but no realistic discussions about trading Yashin by Senators GM Marshall Johnston. Instead, the club is quite prepared, at this point, to wait Yashin out.
If he doesn't, it's believed the Senators might try to deal for another centre to fill Yashin's role. Initially, they want to give that opportunity to Vaclav Prospal and Radek Bonk, but there could be a deal in the works.
NEW ROLES
Neither Prospal or Bonk has been asked to play that role in the past. Prospal had a shot at being the No. 2 centre last year and couldn't handle it, while Bonk has to prove this season that last year's success was no accident.
Trying to come up with a centre to replace Yashin's talent and ability won't be easy. It's not every day you can have a player who scored 94 points walk out the door and maintain that everything is going to be fine.
HAVE TO WIN THIS YEAR
Under normal circumstances, the Senators would be willing to be patient with Prospal and Bonk, however, winning is paramount this year after a first-round playoff exit last spring.
Neither player is going to be asked to light up the scoreboard every night because in coach Jacques Martin's world it's always defence first.
But Johnston will spend the next month or so evaluating the team. If Prospal and Bonk aren't scoring goals and there's no movement on the Yashin front, then don't expect the Senators to sit still. They're prepared to go out and hire the goal-scoring help necessary to make the playoffs, though, that's a move they'd rather not make.
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