GAME DAY: Preseason - Boston @ Ottawa - 7:00pm ET - Fri. Sep. 25th, 2009--PLUS afterthoughts...

CCgotITcovered wrote:Still not good enough to justify taking Michalek, Fisher, Foligno, Regin, Shannon, or Cheechoo off the pp..

true enough
I am still not used to having lots and good options to help score

Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Vandelay wrote:Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Ottawa was barely even mentioned in that clip. I doubt any of them had any in-depth knowledge of the Sens.

Still remains to be seen whether the Sens will be as good as we hope they will (and think they should be). If I were a professional analyst, I certainly wouldn't stake my reputation on them.

CCgotITcovered wrote:Still remains to be seen whether the Sens will be as good as we hope they will (and think they should be). If I were a professional analyst, I certainly wouldn't stake my reputation on them.

Lots of reasons for optimism, however.

Of course TSN would ignore us / dismiss us, tho'. They've been doing it for years. The plain and simple fact is that, this year, we have far better goaltending, a more mobile D, 2 or maybe even 3 legitimate scoring lines (and a killer 4th line), and are coming off a strong finish with a new and better coach.

Literally, from top to bottom, from the goal line to the blue line to the centre ice line, we are a better team than last year's. I can't wait to see what kind of seasons Leclaire, Shannon, Foligno, Michalek, and Karlsson in particular have. I think those guys are going to turn heads and change opinions for sure, and in short order.

CCgotITcovered wrote:Still remains to be seen whether the Sens will be as good as we hope they will (and think they should be). If I were a professional analyst, I certainly wouldn't stake my reputation on them.

I wouldn't either, but I would have said maybe a couple of words about them on a segment that was supposedly going to preview them.

rooneypoo wrote:

CCgotITcovered wrote:Still remains to be seen whether the Sens will be as good as we hope they will (and think they should be). If I were a professional analyst, I certainly wouldn't stake my reputation on them.

Lots of reasons for optimism, however.

Of course TSN would ignore us / dismiss us, tho'. They've been doing it for years. The plain and simple fact is that, this year, we have far better goaltending, a more mobile D, 2 or maybe even 3 legitimate scoring lines (and a killer 4th line), and are coming off a strong finish with a new and better coach.

Literally, from top to bottom, from the goal line to the blue line to the centre ice line, we are a better team than last year's. I can't wait to see what kind of seasons Leclaire, Shannon, Foligno, Michalek, and Karlsson in particular have. I think those guys are going to turn heads and change opinions for sure, and in short order.

Yeah man thats a pretty concise, yet convincing argument for why people shouldn't be overlooking the Sens. Too bad the media universe in Canada is Toronto. One of these days we'll have some representation somewhere in the media (sorry, but Mendez doesn't really count---mainly because Sportsnet doesn't really count...)

asq2 wrote:

CCgotITcovered wrote:Still remains to be seen whether the Sens will be as good as we hope they will (and think they should be). If I were a professional analyst, I certainly wouldn't stake my reputation on them.

I wouldn't either, but I would have said maybe a couple of words about them on a segment that was supposedly going to preview them.

True.

Have any of you guys ever watched hockey highlights with any moby track from 'play' playing in the background? Its like it doesn't matter what the clip is or what the song is, it always syncs up.

Vandelay wrote:Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Not to get too overly optimistic, but do you remember what happened the last time the Sens were dismissed in preseason rankings?

Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Yes but at the same time, the media will act as though the Sens are a huge failure if they don't make the playoffs. It's an interesting double standard for sure: 1)the Sens aren't really a playoff team mixed with 2)why are the Senators struggling to make the playoffs?

beerandsens wrote:

Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Yes but at the same time, the media will act as though the Sens are a huge failure if they don't make the playoffs. It's an interesting double standard for sure: 1)the Sens aren't really a playoff team mixed with 2)why are the Senators struggling to make the playoffs?

Maybe they're secretly Sens fans and they know that low expectations bode well for the team

For sure, with Bill Watters leading the charge as biggest closet sens fan. Or closet something.

CCgotITcovered wrote:

beerandsens wrote:

Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Yes but at the same time, the media will act as though the Sens are a huge failure if they don't make the playoffs. It's an interesting double standard for sure: 1)the Sens aren't really a playoff team mixed with 2)why are the Senators struggling to make the playoffs?

Maybe they're secretly Sens fans and they know that low expectations bode well for the team

If the general consensus in terms of expectations for this team is that they won't even challenge for a playoff spot, then I am happy to report that this team is going to surpass most people's expectations. For sure.

A lot of things are going to have to come together and stay together for the season for us to thrive, for sure -- but an equal number of things will have to go wrong, I think, for us to not even challenge for those bottom three playoff spots.

I think the big problem we face is that the general perception of this team (well deserved of late, I admit) is that too often, whatever can go wrong, does go wrong. I just don't see that trend continuing with a guy like CC so firmly in control. No Gerbers this year, no secret locker room cancers, no unknown or new systems to have to adjust to. Just a more stable foundation here overall, I think, than in the last two years.

beerandsens wrote:For sure, with Bill Watters leading the charge as biggest closet sens fan. Or closet something.

Diddle Bill Watters and his gunt.

rooneypoo wrote:

beerandsens wrote:For sure, with Bill Watters leading the charge as biggest closet sens fan. Or closet something.

Diddle Bill Watters and his gunt.

Beer gunt.

rooneypoo wrote:

CCgotITcovered wrote:

beerandsens wrote:

Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Yes but at the same time, the media will act as though the Sens are a huge failure if they don't make the playoffs. It's an interesting double standard for sure: 1)the Sens aren't really a playoff team mixed with 2)why are the Senators struggling to make the playoffs?

Maybe they're secretly Sens fans and they know that low expectations bode well for the team

If the general consensus in terms of expectations for this team is that they won't even challenge for a playoff spot, then I am happy to report that this team is going to surpass most people's expectations. For sure.

A lot of things are going to have to come together and stay together for the season for us to thrive, for sure -- but an equal number of things will have to go wrong, I think, for us to not even challenge for those bottom three playoff spots.

I think the big problem we face is that the general perception of this team (well deserved of late, I admit) is that too often, whatever can go wrong, does go wrong. I just don't see that trend continuing with a guy like CC so firmly in control. No Gerbers this year, no secret locker room cancers, no unknown or new systems to have to adjust to. Just a more stable foundation here overall, I think, than in the last two years.

Really thats (bolded) the way it is for any team. I think you're right that that underlined part is the reason for the low expectations.

btw, after watching part of the Boston game just now, I think we've been way too harsh on Cheechoo. He's got great instincts and is reliable defensively. Obviously his footspeed precludes the possibility of him becoming a Richard winner again, but he should be a valuable member of the team all year and especially in the playoffs.

CCgotITcovered wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

CCgotITcovered wrote:

beerandsens wrote:

Anybody see the clip on tsn, rating the canadian teams? The front runners are, of course, vancouver and calgary. But, discussing who could make the playoffs, the sens were a write-off. Actually, they made it sound like the leafs would make it before the sens.

This is good news. Expectations are low and distractions are limited. This team can focus on building chemistry and simply playing hockey...for once.

Yes but at the same time, the media will act as though the Sens are a huge failure if they don't make the playoffs. It's an interesting double standard for sure: 1)the Sens aren't really a playoff team mixed with 2)why are the Senators struggling to make the playoffs?

Maybe they're secretly Sens fans and they know that low expectations bode well for the team

If the general consensus in terms of expectations for this team is that they won't even challenge for a playoff spot, then I am happy to report that this team is going to surpass most people's expectations. For sure.

A lot of things are going to have to come together and stay together for the season for us to thrive, for sure -- but an equal number of things will have to go wrong, I think, for us to not even challenge for those bottom three playoff spots.

I think the big problem we face is that the general perception of this team (well deserved of late, I admit) is that too often, whatever can go wrong, does go wrong. I just don't see that trend continuing with a guy like CC so firmly in control. No Gerbers this year, no secret locker room cancers, no unknown or new systems to have to adjust to. Just a more stable foundation here overall, I think, than in the last two years.

Really thats (bolded) the way it is for any team. I think you're right that that underlined part is the reason for the low expectations.

btw, after watching part of the Boston game just now, I think we've been way too harsh on Cheechoo. He's got great instincts and is reliable defensively. Obviously his footspeed precludes the possibility of him becoming a Richard winner again, but he should be a valuable member of the team all year and especially in the playoffs.

He's an awkward skater. It looks like he's going to fall down out there half the time, especially taking turns on his off hand. I love his ethic and so on and, straight on, his footspeed isn't the worst I've ever seen, but, honestly, there are times when he looks like I did the first time I returned to skates after a 7-year layoff. Has he always been this bad of a skater?