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In some ways, it feels like the Ottawa Senators have cornered the market on messy departures. Or at least the awkward ones. First there was Alexei Yashin sulking his way out of town in the summer of 2001. Then just prior to the start of the 2005-06 season, Marian Hossa signed a contract extension with the team - only to be dealt hours later to the Atlanta Thrashers (In hindsight, perhaps Hossa should have been suspicious of John Mucklers evil laugh as his pen hit the paper). The next summer, Zdeno Chara up and left as a free agent, not leaving an ounce of return for his massive 6-foot-9 frame. There was also the buyout of Ray Emery just 12 months after he backstopped the club to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in modern franchise history. Dany Heatleys departure the following summer was easily the most contentious and controversial in franchise history. But that exit may have been trumped when Daniel Alfredsson abruptly left town in the summer of 2013 after contract talks reached a stalemate. So, all of this brings us to Jason Spezzas decision to ask for a trade last spring. On the surface, its easy to lump Spezza in with some of the other controversial exits from this city. After all, he was the captain of the team for less than a calendar year when he asked Bryan Murray to be traded to another organization. However, with Spezza returning to Ottawa tonight, there isnt that sense of pent-up frustration and anger from the fan base that we saw when Heatley came back to town. Or even the swirling mixed emotions when Alfredsson rolled back in wearing a Red Wings jersey for the first time. Those departures were sudden and shocking - like a cold slap in the face. But with Spezza, we could all see the writing on the wall for months - if not years. And so, were all sort of looking at each other with the same question: Whats the reception going to be for Spezza tonight? The reason why there might be an emotional disconnect is that the Spezza departure actually felt like a mutual decision. As Gwyneth Paltrow might say, there was a conscious uncoupling between the two parties. Even Spezzas most faithful supporters would agree that it was probably best for both parties for him to move on. He spent more than a decade with this organization and as he pointed out to us Wednesday, when you are the No. 1 centre on a team for that long and you dont win a Stanley Cup, there are going to be questions. In the case of his other linemates - Heatley and Alfredsson - we were left unfulfilled with the public explanations for their departures. So conspiracy theories started to pop up at every corner. Most of these were so ridiculous that they could not be published on a reputable website, but in the absence of a definitive explanation, these rumours ruled the day. Thankfully, we were spared that same script of gossip and innuendo with Spezza because his reasons for wanting to leave town actually seemed believable. And it also felt like it was in the clubs best interests to move on from him as well. There will be some people who boo Jason Spezza tonight because they felt like he turned his back on the organization and the city while he was the captain of the team. But as Spezza explained to me Wednesday, he understood that asking for a trade while wearing the captains C was going to create a stir. Its something I took very seriously, being the captain - especially on a Canadian team and somewhere I had been for a long time. So I was disappointed with how my one year as captain went, but thats hockey and you learn from it. I didnt just wake up one day and decided I wanted to ask for a trade. It was something I felt was necessary to move on in my career and kind of start another chapter. It definitely wasnt an easy decision, Spezza said. Perhaps the easier decision for Spezza would have been to keep his mouth shut and stay in Ottawa until his contract ran out at the end of this 2014-15 season. But then he would have been painted as the villain who left town and gave his organization nothing in return for him. At least by taking this route, Spezza allowed the organization to get a pair of prospects including one - Nick Paul - who projects out to be an NHL player in the future and a second-round draft pick. That return is certainly better than the alternative of Spezza simply walking away as a free agent this summer. And Spezza is also well aware of the narrative going around that he couldnt stand the heat of playing in a Canadian market. He shrugged off that suggestion Wednesday, saying that he never felt like the constant media scrutiny was the catalyst for his decision to leave town. Everybody is going to have their opinion and spin it however they want. But everybody who knows me and has been around me knows thats not why I asked to be moved, Spezza said. I think too much gets made that I just wanted to get out of the spotlight because my whole life Ive been in it. But I just felt it was necessary to move on to another organization and try things a different way. My goal is to win the Cup and I have to try it a different way. People will perceive it however they want, but I dont think Ive ever been afraid to stand in front of a microphone and be accountable for my play. Spezza told me that hes going to miss skating on the canal here in Ottawa, something he made sure he did with his family each winter. On Wednesday, he was planning to drop by his favourite Italian restaurant - Capones - for a bite to eat. And he even went to his old barber downtown for a familiar haircut. In coming back to Ottawa, Jason Spezza didnt need to slink around town with his hat pulled down low. This wasnt a messy breakup or a divorce that has cast one side as the bad guy. Instead, this was a mutual decision to leave and by all accounts, both sides are happy. Cheap Yeezy 350 v2 White . Curtis Davies and Robert Koren secured the victory with goals inside 35 minutes of the fifth-round replay against the second-tier side. Fake Yeezy 350 v2 Zebra . Parnell will be out much longer if it turns out he needs surgery. But first, he will try resting for two weeks before beginning a throwing program that could last up to a month, general manager Sandy Alderson said. http://www.yeezys350cheap.com/fake-yeezy-350-v2-wholesale.html . The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Beluga 2.0 Grey/Bold Orange . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Duck Calling With several marquee centres available via trade and expected to be available via free agency, the Anaheim Ducks could be primed to be big players in the coming days. Cheap Yeezy 350 Black . -- Wide receiver Sidney Rice should be fully recovered from a torn knee ligament by the time the Seattle Seahawks start defence of their Super Bowl title, general manager John Schneider said Wednesday.The NFL Combine wrapped up this week and the impact on the mock drafts and predictions around the league is already being felt. While some players merely solidified their standing on big boards and mock drafts, several others saw their Combine results either boost or drop their placing in the mind of scouts and general managers across the league. Some notes from the NFL Combine Two-Horse Race A look at the most recent batch of mock drafts has two players showing up more often than any others at the top spot. One wont surprise you – South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney – but one certainly could – UCF quarterback Blake Bortles. While questions about his work ethic may knock Clowney out of the top spot, his blistering 40-yard dash time (4.53) ensures that if he does fall, it wont be very far. Bortles meanwhile impressed both on the field and off. Almost all draftniks and experts consider the once unknown QB to be a legit top end prospect. Of the 15 expert mock drafts gathered for TSN.cas database, Bortles had the most first overall picks of any player. Quarterback Battle While mock drafters are slotting Bortles into the first pick (owned by the Houston Texans) more than any other quarterback, that doesnt necessarily mean hes viewed as the top quarterback. Of the 15 expert mock drafts culled by TSN.ca, Bortles had just the third highest average draft position. First was Texas A&Ms Johnny Manziel with an ADP of 3.1 followed by Louisvilles Teddy Bridgewater (3.9) and then Bortles at 4.7. Dont Forget Me While hes not in the same boat as Manziel, Bridgewater, or Bortles, Fresno States Derek Carr reportedly had a very strong NFL Combine showing, particularly while interviewing with teams. At this point Carr appears to be a mid-first round pick at best but his showing has some quarterback-needy teams considering passing on one of the top three QBs early in the draft to fill other positions, while hoping to land Carr later on. There are reports the gap between the Big Three and Carr is not very wide. Moving Up The biggest benefactors of the NFL Combine, among the early picks at least, were Auburn OT Greg Robinson and Buffalo LB Khalil Mack. Robinsons athleticism seems to have solidified him as the top offensive tackle on the board and boosted his projected status from Top 10 pick to Top 5. Robinson could even hear his name as early as second overall to the St. Louis Rams. Mack is another former potential Top 10 pick that could easily find his way intto the Top 5 come May.dddddddddddd While his destination is hard to pinpoint at this point in the evaluation process, respected NFL Network draftnik Mike Mayock said he would consider Mack with the first overall pick. Thats high praise! Moving Down The rise of Robinson and Mack is having adverse effects on players of similar talent at the same position of the two in Jake Matthews and Anthony Barr. Once considered two of the top three players in the draft (alongside Clowney) by some, Matthews and Barr are no longer locks to be Top 5 picks and thats in large part due to Robinson proving hes the better offensive tackle, and Mack proving hes far closer to Clowney than originally thought. At this point it wouldnt be shocking to see Barr fall out of the Top 10 picks (ADP currently 8.9) while even Matthews could see himself suffer the same fate (ADP currently 5.9) the way things are playing out. To be fair, in Barrs case, Mack isnt the sole reason the UCLA pass rushers stock is falling; only 15 reps on the bench press could scare away a few teams. Lions targeting a CB The Detroit Lions need help at cornerback and most draftniks expect them to get it at the draft. Of the expert mock drafts culled by TSN.ca, 86% of them have the Lions taking a cornerback 10th overall. The only question in their minds is if it will be Oklahoma States Justin Gilbert, taken by the Lions in 53% of mock drafts, or Michigan States Darqueze Dennard, taken by Detroit in 33% of mock drafts. The current draft landscape lays out with a slight drop off after the top nine players. From there its still anyones guess as to who leads the second tier of players. Many mock drafters see the Lions filling a need and taking whichever cornerback they have ranked the highest. Wide Receiver Battle This position battle is unlike the quarterback battle as Clemson standout Sammy Watkins is the clear cut top pass catcher in this years draft. The battle is for the second best receiver with USCs Marqise Lee losing his spot to Texas A&Ms Mike Evans in 80% of mock drafts gathered. The receiver class is very deep this year with good pass catchers still likely to be available midway through the second round and if Lee finds himself engulfed in the second tier of receivers, hes no lock to hear his name on the first day of the NFL Draft. The true battle could be between Evans and North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron. The difference between their ADP is currently only a couple of picks (Evans: 13.8 to Ebron:16.0). ' ' '