Boo Boo had his say, now have yours.
Jason Spezza - C He's tougher to play against, but he was having a terrible season offensively. Some can be blamed on his lack of effective wingers, but in the end, he's paid to put points on the board.
Daniel Alfredsson - B+ Still one of the better Sens' forwards, but he's either slowing down or battling through injuries.
Milan Michalek - C Looks bad some nights, unstoppable others. Hopefully he turns it around - and hopefully he's one day 100% healthy.
Peter Regin - C Works his behind off, but can't buy goals this year. Nice player to have, but needs to take advantage of the gaping hole in the top 6 before it's too late.
Nick Foligno - C See Regin.
Alex Kovalev - D- - Honourable mention for a couple of spurts of good play, but in the end the Sens got ripped off and so did the fans. The countdown mercifully begins to the end of his career as a Senator.
Mike Fisher - C Despite his goal totals, his season has been weak IMO. Couldn't initiate contact for a long stretch, rendering him close to useless. The Sens might want to think about their position regarding Fisher, but at the same time it can't be denied he'd be a good role model for the young players coming in (hopefully in work ethic and not in the maddening inconsistencies he shows)
Chris Kelly - A- It's either time to sell high, or time to appreciate that this is one of the few guys left from the old guard who is worth keeping long term. Unfortunately, he's much better suited to teams who have a lead and need it held.
Chris Neil - A- On a team that looks so soft at times, it nice to know what you get from Neil every night. One of the key pieces of the re-tool.
Jarkko Ruutu - B- Aside from the horrendously stupid penalties he takes, Ruutu has been quite good. The penalties are killer though, so it's time to trade him in for a prospect or pick (plus we have 1001 prospects who want to take his job).
Jesse Winchester - A- Never once saw him take a shift off. Hard worker, future PK star, a little offence sprinkled in. Perfect 3rd or 4th line player.
Ryan Shannon - B+ I like his play a lot. He loses focus from time to time and becomes less effective, but I would think about re-signing him at league minimum as a guy who can fill in and give you absolutely everything every night. A little more offense would be nice with the increased icetime and our lack of scoring, but that's life.
Chris Phillips C Great some nights, brutal others. How do you judge someone like this with a solid past decade?
Sergei Gonchar D- Horrible defensively for the whole year, but it's actually getting...worse. An absolutely forgettable season for Gonchar, not enough offense, terrible D and surpassed on the depth charts by a 20 year old.
Filip Kuba - D I realize he's missed a lot of time, but he's been terrible from soup to nuts.
Chris Campoli B+ Has changed from a strictly offensive D-man to a bit of an 'everything' guy like Dan Hamhuis - but lesser defensively. Quite an interesting season so far.
Erik Karlsson - A- He makes mistakes - some of them very damaging, but he's the offensive pulse of the team without question. He got through a rough start to the season and now routinely makes wonderful plays in all three zones. Has the best outlet pass since the pre-suck Redden and a rocket of a shot. Is learning to take opposing players out by out-smarting them. Nothing much negative to write here - still could use some defensive work, but he's 20 years old, that'll come.
Matt Carkner - C- Strong as an ox, but he's being beaten a lot to the outside this year - and you can't do that and survive in this league. Is the fighter of the group other than Neil, so he's still quite valuable - and he isn't shy in hitting and blocking shots. Needs to rebound in the 2nd half and really try to pay attention to his positioning.
Brian Elliott - C Not very good. Looks like Vezina himself some nights, other nights he's completely off his game. Doesn't get a ton of help, but hasn't been anything more than a back-up in training this year. It will do him very, very well to have a strong 2nd half. No one cares about the GAA anymore, post a +.910 save % to prove you're a number one goalie. Chance of a lifetime from here on in.
Pascal Leclaire - D Who knows? Like Kuba it's hard to assess, but his value to this team is an F. He's been decent enough in his play to earn a C, so the average is D. Countdown to replacing him with...anyone else is on. Not to mention his cap hit.
Bryan Murray - C- Hard to say, I liked what he did in bringing in Gonchar - and I would have done the same. But I'm not being paid to GM the team and when the player flops this badly, you take some heat. Same applies doubly for Kovalev. And Leclaire. Hasn't done much to change the scoring woes of the Sens, hasn't given Butler enough time, hasn't made a deal to bring in someone. People will say it's near impossible to make a deal in this NHL, but when you GM a team and the team is bombing, you better do something. Excellent eye for talent, has possible single-handedly changed the Sens' D for the next 15 years. Has made it a potential puck-possession mammoth, with a keen eye on Detroit's points from the backend system. Final year of his contract, getting up there, this could be it for him, but he can rest knowing he at least accelerated the rebuild.
Cory Clouston - D I was and still am a fan of Clouston, but he's looked lost out there this year. He changes lines regularly, but doesn't do it in game enough. He's very stubborn - even when things are going poorly, which can be very negative. Made a wrong choice in allowing Fisher to play when he couldn't initiate contact, cost the team in a big way. His system looks confused a lot of the time with guys not in the right place to accept passes, icings, poor line changes. Doesn't send out the right lines when the Sens are stagnant, doesn't scream for a harder forecheck. His in-game adjustments are non-existent, the same things that were beating the Sens in the 1st are routinely beating them in the 3rd - until it's all but too late that is. Has earned a critical job analysis and will likely not make it through. Too bad, there were more than a few things conspiring against him obviously, but he made some choices that haven't helped along the way.
Jason Spezza - C He's tougher to play against, but he was having a terrible season offensively. Some can be blamed on his lack of effective wingers, but in the end, he's paid to put points on the board.
Daniel Alfredsson - B+ Still one of the better Sens' forwards, but he's either slowing down or battling through injuries.
Milan Michalek - C Looks bad some nights, unstoppable others. Hopefully he turns it around - and hopefully he's one day 100% healthy.
Peter Regin - C Works his behind off, but can't buy goals this year. Nice player to have, but needs to take advantage of the gaping hole in the top 6 before it's too late.
Nick Foligno - C See Regin.
Alex Kovalev - D- - Honourable mention for a couple of spurts of good play, but in the end the Sens got ripped off and so did the fans. The countdown mercifully begins to the end of his career as a Senator.
Mike Fisher - C Despite his goal totals, his season has been weak IMO. Couldn't initiate contact for a long stretch, rendering him close to useless. The Sens might want to think about their position regarding Fisher, but at the same time it can't be denied he'd be a good role model for the young players coming in (hopefully in work ethic and not in the maddening inconsistencies he shows)
Chris Kelly - A- It's either time to sell high, or time to appreciate that this is one of the few guys left from the old guard who is worth keeping long term. Unfortunately, he's much better suited to teams who have a lead and need it held.
Chris Neil - A- On a team that looks so soft at times, it nice to know what you get from Neil every night. One of the key pieces of the re-tool.
Jarkko Ruutu - B- Aside from the horrendously stupid penalties he takes, Ruutu has been quite good. The penalties are killer though, so it's time to trade him in for a prospect or pick (plus we have 1001 prospects who want to take his job).
Jesse Winchester - A- Never once saw him take a shift off. Hard worker, future PK star, a little offence sprinkled in. Perfect 3rd or 4th line player.
Ryan Shannon - B+ I like his play a lot. He loses focus from time to time and becomes less effective, but I would think about re-signing him at league minimum as a guy who can fill in and give you absolutely everything every night. A little more offense would be nice with the increased icetime and our lack of scoring, but that's life.
Chris Phillips C Great some nights, brutal others. How do you judge someone like this with a solid past decade?
Sergei Gonchar D- Horrible defensively for the whole year, but it's actually getting...worse. An absolutely forgettable season for Gonchar, not enough offense, terrible D and surpassed on the depth charts by a 20 year old.
Filip Kuba - D I realize he's missed a lot of time, but he's been terrible from soup to nuts.
Chris Campoli B+ Has changed from a strictly offensive D-man to a bit of an 'everything' guy like Dan Hamhuis - but lesser defensively. Quite an interesting season so far.
Erik Karlsson - A- He makes mistakes - some of them very damaging, but he's the offensive pulse of the team without question. He got through a rough start to the season and now routinely makes wonderful plays in all three zones. Has the best outlet pass since the pre-suck Redden and a rocket of a shot. Is learning to take opposing players out by out-smarting them. Nothing much negative to write here - still could use some defensive work, but he's 20 years old, that'll come.
Matt Carkner - C- Strong as an ox, but he's being beaten a lot to the outside this year - and you can't do that and survive in this league. Is the fighter of the group other than Neil, so he's still quite valuable - and he isn't shy in hitting and blocking shots. Needs to rebound in the 2nd half and really try to pay attention to his positioning.
Brian Elliott - C Not very good. Looks like Vezina himself some nights, other nights he's completely off his game. Doesn't get a ton of help, but hasn't been anything more than a back-up in training this year. It will do him very, very well to have a strong 2nd half. No one cares about the GAA anymore, post a +.910 save % to prove you're a number one goalie. Chance of a lifetime from here on in.
Pascal Leclaire - D Who knows? Like Kuba it's hard to assess, but his value to this team is an F. He's been decent enough in his play to earn a C, so the average is D. Countdown to replacing him with...anyone else is on. Not to mention his cap hit.
Bryan Murray - C- Hard to say, I liked what he did in bringing in Gonchar - and I would have done the same. But I'm not being paid to GM the team and when the player flops this badly, you take some heat. Same applies doubly for Kovalev. And Leclaire. Hasn't done much to change the scoring woes of the Sens, hasn't given Butler enough time, hasn't made a deal to bring in someone. People will say it's near impossible to make a deal in this NHL, but when you GM a team and the team is bombing, you better do something. Excellent eye for talent, has possible single-handedly changed the Sens' D for the next 15 years. Has made it a potential puck-possession mammoth, with a keen eye on Detroit's points from the backend system. Final year of his contract, getting up there, this could be it for him, but he can rest knowing he at least accelerated the rebuild.
Cory Clouston - D I was and still am a fan of Clouston, but he's looked lost out there this year. He changes lines regularly, but doesn't do it in game enough. He's very stubborn - even when things are going poorly, which can be very negative. Made a wrong choice in allowing Fisher to play when he couldn't initiate contact, cost the team in a big way. His system looks confused a lot of the time with guys not in the right place to accept passes, icings, poor line changes. Doesn't send out the right lines when the Sens are stagnant, doesn't scream for a harder forecheck. His in-game adjustments are non-existent, the same things that were beating the Sens in the 1st are routinely beating them in the 3rd - until it's all but too late that is. Has earned a critical job analysis and will likely not make it through. Too bad, there were more than a few things conspiring against him obviously, but he made some choices that haven't helped along the way.