tim1_2 wrote:This was the year we were supposed to take the "next step" to being "true contenders". Remember the off-season? We were so full of optimism? We had a better team on paper than the year before, and if we could stay moderately healthy, we'd be challenging for the top of the Atlantic division!
I guess it's some combination of missing Alfie, sub-par coaching, Spezza/Michalek regressing (and Cowen coming out flat), and maybe expectations that were too high to begin with?
All the above. Alfie leaving is something the Sens were going to have to deal with no matter what, be it this year or next but it's clearly had an effect on the team and there is absolutely no guidance what so ever. Only guy that leads by example in Ottawa is Neil.
Sub-par coaching... meh. MacLean has made mistakes this year for sure but at the end of the day what choice does he have other than to play the players he is given? The last thing in Ottawa that you can put a ton of blame on his the coaching and if for some reason MacLean up and leaves before Spezza does I actually might be done with supporting the Sens for a long time. I would never cheer for another NHL team or jump on a bandwagon but you can sure as hell bet I will be jumping off the Sens until Spezza is gone. That said I don't think MacLean is going anywhere anytime soon, they need stability more than ever.
Spezza regressing is an understatement. He's done as a top line player in the NHL and he's dragging the team down in a big way and more and more people see it as the year goes on. This was pretty obvious about 10 games in but w/e, people choose to be optimistic and you can't fault them for that but at this point all optimism should be out the door with the Sens and Spezza because it's only going to get worse from here. He's slow, uninspired, lazy, and just does what he wants... his time in Ottawa has run out and this goes all the way back to his junior days, he has never been a guy that has elevated his game to help those around him and his team, never. Guy is a born loser and this is painfully clear.
Michalek... why even bother? lol. Everyone knows he isn't coming back next year, everyone knows he will be traded at the deadline for either a 2nd, 3rd rounder or a prospect the Sens really like to fill a particular role down the line. No team is going to pay his salary right now... just gotta wait it out.
Cowen... gotta go through the pains with him at this point. Trading him would be stupid unless it's an absolute steal of a deal where the Sens are getting a player that is clearly better and can contribute for the next 5-10 years. That said it's not gonna happen and no reason it should.
Expectations were exactly where they should be IMO. The expectations were to start pushing the better teams in the NHL on a regular basis, beat up on the lesser teams, and play hard every night. It didn't happen and won't this year.
All in all, the Sens will be playing out the string for 53 games now... teams are just better, more enthused, and care a lot more than this Sens team now. I know they all "care" but it's to the point where they have no confidence, they are just waiting for something bad to happen and they need something to shake up the team. The foundation built in Ottawa is fantastic, can't ask for anything more than Lehner/Karlsson/Turris/Ryan to build a team around but the thing is the team isn't built around that. To this very second everything the team does is for Spezza, every decision made and every game played is about Spezza, that has to change. IT DOES NOT WORK NOR HAS IT EVER.
EDIT: And just the cherry on top is the Bishop for Conacher trade. I don't blame anyone for this as it is what it is and they got the most for the 3rd string goaltender in Ottawa but man, looks so bad right now. Good for Bishop though. Conacher... just not an NHL hockey player.
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