from Roy MacGregor of the Globe and Mail,

...Then there is the no small matter Ryan is in Ottawa only because beloved former captain Daniel Alfredsson elected to leave for the Detroit Red Wings. Only 26 – 15 years younger than Alfredsson – and drawing $5,562,500 (U.S.) a season, Ryan is expected not only to replace Alfredsson on the right wing of the top line but to produce immediately.

“He’s got a bigger microscope on him because of that situation,” Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean said.

The impatience could be heard on talk radio and easily found on social media. One heartless tweeter, for reasons unknown, even took a shot at Ryan as “a product of domestic violence” – a reference to a complicated and difficult past that includes his family fleeing New Jersey for the West Coast and taking on a new identity.

“So gutless,” the usually easygoing Ryan responded. “You’re the reason athletes should be able to hit people in person.”

On Monday morning, Ryan was met by a larger-than-usual media throng and, to his credit, brushed off the shots with a smile. “It’s pretty hard to jump on a guy after two games on the road,” he said.

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