BLOG: Analyzing the Ottawa Senators - Part 2: Defense

TheAvatar wrote:Good blog; good work; keep it up. My only point of contention would be that I don't believe that Schubert is top-4 material but that's just me.

TA

beerandsens wrote:Nice blog Heats!
I agree with eveything here. I think we have a top notch "lunch pail" defensive unit. IMO this used to be the most important characteristic for championship teams. The scoring used to come second. Maybe I'm a little old school but I still like this unit better defensively than having Jose Cuervo, Tradewade and Preissing losing gritty battles in our end. Our transition game takes a severe blow unless someone steps up beyond our expectations, or the coaching makes a remarkable change in how the team handles the puck coming out of our end.

On Shubert: I think he is no better a dman now than he was before we started playing him as a checking forward. That being said, I really liked how he was developing as a defenceman early in his career and I truly believe that if Murray opts for Schubert to play D, he can pick up where he left off, continue to improve he will easily make top 6.

Keep it up!

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:
All the Sens are really missing on D is a top flight puck mover. Many on here believe we need to make a trade for this to be acheived. I personally think that it CAN be found from within. Mesz has the ability to step up and if he does then that's one puck mover. Lee has the talent and could fill that roll as a secondary guy as well. Throw in guys like Schubert and Nycholat as 5 or 6 D and there is a potential for this issue to be resolved within the Organisation.

504Heater wrote:

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:
All the Sens are really missing on D is a top flight puck mover. Many on here believe we need to make a trade for this to be acheived. I personally think that it CAN be found from within. Mesz has the ability to step up and if he does then that's one puck mover. Lee has the talent and could fill that roll as a secondary guy as well. Throw in guys like Schubert and Nycholat as 5 or 6 D and there is a potential for this issue to be resolved within the Organisation.

Let's hope we can use Bell and Nycholat to move pucks. I think we can, but I wouldn't be upset if we were to acquire someone like Boucher.

Fish12 wrote:
I personally would like to see Bell step up and be a puck mover for us. Reading his article it sounds like he is pumped to prove himself to the team. Always helps to have hometown boys who feel they need to prove themselves. Regardless assuming Mesz signs we have 4 guys fighting for two spots, here is hoping they all push each other to raise their game!

504Heater wrote:

Fish12 wrote:
I personally would like to see Bell step up and be a puck mover for us. Reading his article it sounds like he is pumped to prove himself to the team. Always helps to have hometown boys who feel they need to prove themselves. Regardless assuming Mesz signs we have 4 guys fighting for two spots, here is hoping they all push each other to raise their game!

I love it when guys have that extra desire! Bell, Zubov, Nycholat, Winchester. You frank up now, you may never get another shot. They will make their shots count! (I hope)

Fish12 wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Fish12 wrote:
I personally would like to see Bell step up and be a puck mover for us. Reading his article it sounds like he is pumped to prove himself to the team. Always helps to have hometown boys who feel they need to prove themselves. Regardless assuming Mesz signs we have 4 guys fighting for two spots, here is hoping they all push each other to raise their game!

I love it when guys have that extra desire! Bell, Zubov, Nycholat, Winchester. You frank up now, you may never get another shot. They will make their shots count! (I hope)

exactly! Those are the type of players who will bring it every game, for all they know it could be their last. On another note, are you excited to see a potential crash line of Ruutu, Bass, Neil? Thinking of the mayhem they will bring gives me goosebumps :D

504Heater wrote:

Fish12 wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Fish12 wrote:
I personally would like to see Bell step up and be a puck mover for us. Reading his article it sounds like he is pumped to prove himself to the team. Always helps to have hometown boys who feel they need to prove themselves. Regardless assuming Mesz signs we have 4 guys fighting for two spots, here is hoping they all push each other to raise their game!

I love it when guys have that extra desire! Bell, Zubov, Nycholat, Winchester. You frank up now, you may never get another shot. They will make their shots count! (I hope)

exactly! Those are the type of players who will bring it every game, for all they know it could be their last. On another note, are you excited to see a potential crash line of Ruutu, Bass, Neil? Thinking of the mayhem they will bring gives me goosebumps :D

Oh yeah...team's are gonna hate playing those guys. I called them a Dream Line, but others will call them a Nightmare Line!

tukker wrote: