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

wprager wrote:

marakh wrote:
I expect Kovalev to be a game changer during some games (let's say 10), be very good at times (let's say 40 games), and be average the rest of the time.

The games I saw him play during the preseason, he was worse than all those 3 likely scenarios. So yes, I think he needs to step up.

I've already said that I wanted more from Kovalev, but to say that he wasn't even good enough to be average? Wow, you're harsh. We should totally buy him out then. Totally!

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Here's my take on Kovalev - You'll get the effort out of him that we got out of Heatley only we'll get more dazzling stick handling and less goals. Keep in mind we're also paying less for him than Heatley so I'm OK with it.

wprager wrote:

CCgotITcovered wrote:Wprager - Look, this isn't that hard to understand: Kovalev holds on to the puck WAY too long and is playing an aggravating game to watch. He has done some interesting things offensively and I'm excited to see him when the games matter, but he'd better step it up or he's going to wear VERY thin with fans like the people on this site who actually know how to watch hockey.

Alfie hadn't looked good to me in either of the games I've seen him in, prior to watching the Boston game. After watching that, however, it became quite clear to me that the captain is back. He played a much better game that night, regardless of his empty stats column.

As Clouston said, having Alfie around is like having a coach on the ice. Clearly his head wasn't in the game earlier in the pre-season, but now he's starting to come back into his own skin---I guess. I've been worried about his eventual decline beginning this season, but that Boston game went a long way to dissuading those concerns. Thats all I was saying.

I take great offense at the two bolded parts.

marakh wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Here's my take on Kovalev - You'll get the effort out of him that we got out of Heatley only we'll get more dazzling stick handling and less goals. Keep in mind we're also paying less for him than Heatley so I'm OK with it.

I don't think Kovalev's taking any nights off to be honest. I just think some nights he tries to do too much when the team doesn't play well.

SensFan71 wrote:

marakh wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Here's my take on Kovalev - You'll get the effort out of him that we got out of Heatley only we'll get more dazzling stick handling and less goals. Keep in mind we're also paying less for him than Heatley so I'm OK with it.

I don't think Kovalev's taking any nights off to be honest. I just think some nights he tries to do too much when the team doesn't play well.

hopefully with our depth we won't have this happen to AK27 much this year, now with the Habs last year, it was a different story, all the turmoil and such around the team, Kovalev and Koivu were usually the only two habs that showed up to play.

asq2 wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

marakh wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Here's my take on Kovalev - You'll get the effort out of him that we got out of Heatley only we'll get more dazzling stick handling and less goals. Keep in mind we're also paying less for him than Heatley so I'm OK with it.

I don't think Kovalev's taking any nights off to be honest. I just think some nights he tries to do too much when the team doesn't play well.

hopefully with our depth we won't have this happen to AK27 much this year, now with the Habs last year, it was a different story, all the turmoil and such around the team, Kovalev and Koivu were usually the only two habs that showed up to play.

I think that's a bit of revisionist history on the part of Sens fans. Kovalev was pretty infuriatingly inconsistent with the Habs. Recall that they sent him home for one road-trip.

Also, Markov was their best player and showed up to play much more.

Sp00nz wrote:

asq2 wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

marakh wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Here's my take on Kovalev - You'll get the effort out of him that we got out of Heatley only we'll get more dazzling stick handling and less goals. Keep in mind we're also paying less for him than Heatley so I'm OK with it.

I don't think Kovalev's taking any nights off to be honest. I just think some nights he tries to do too much when the team doesn't play well.

hopefully with our depth we won't have this happen to AK27 much this year, now with the Habs last year, it was a different story, all the turmoil and such around the team, Kovalev and Koivu were usually the only two habs that showed up to play.

I think that's a bit of revisionist history on the part of Sens fans. Kovalev was pretty infuriatingly inconsistent with the Habs. Recall that they sent him home for one road-trip.

Also, Markov was their best player and showed up to play much more.

Thats just Kovalev though. The year before he was dominant and must have been the Hab's MVP.

Either way, I'll be happy with a 65 point regular season from Kovalev, as long as he raises his game in the playoffs. Yeah thats right, i think they're going to make it.

N4L wrote:Kovalev turn some Plekanic into a something resembling a 2nd line center. Kovalev had no help in MTL, at least up front.

marakh wrote:

N4L wrote:Kovalev turn some Plekanic into a something resembling a 2nd line center. Kovalev had no help in MTL, at least up front.

Pretty much. They tried Koivu with Tanguay and Kovalev and they were explosive. Probably the only time Kovalev was enjoying himself last year.

marakh wrote:The 5 on 3s is probably the one I am most exciteed about. Something I wouldn't have said last year.

marakh wrote:The 5 on 3s is probably the one I am most exciteed about. Something I wouldn't have said last year.

CCgotITcovered wrote:

marakh wrote:The 5 on 3s is probably the one I am most exciteed about. Something I wouldn't have said last year.

we might actually score on 5-on-3's again!!

Sp00nz wrote:

CCgotITcovered wrote:

marakh wrote:The 5 on 3s is probably the one I am most exciteed about. Something I wouldn't have said last year.

we might actually score on 5-on-3's again!!

When's the alst time the Sens were good 5 on 3? lol

I honestly think it goes back to the Arvedson-Bonk-Hossa days.