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http://www.crashthecrease.com/2010/04/28/the-sens-end-of-season-report-card/
The disappointment of being ousted from the NHL Playoffs this year didn’t sting quite as much as it did in other years. Yes, we were all disappointed and upset, however, realizing that this is an up and coming team as opposed to other years when we were supposed to have ‘arrived’ makes it easier to digest. Peter Regin and Erik Karlsson, two major young players also emerged and showed that they will indeed be a massive part of the future - and in a cap era, that is very exciting news.
So what now? Well, not much to be perfectly honest. An evaluation before we discuss who might be out and who might be in:
Forwards:
Peter Regin - A.
Regin started his NHL career with excitement when he made a couple of high profile moves before stuffing in the game-winning goal against the St.Louis Blues last season. As with all younger players, Regin has times where he struggled to find some consistency to his game, being moved around anywhere from line 1 all the way down to line 4 and even in some instances in the press-box. However, when the chips were down, Regin went all in and claimed a spot in the Ottawa Senators top 6 players - as high as the top line, being centered by Jason Spezza and staring down the other wing at legendary Daniel Alfredsson. Regin responded by putting up a six game point streak at the end of the year and then going into the playoffs and scoring in each of the Sens first three games, adding a wonderful assist as well. He never looked out of place playing with the high profile players on the Sens and a future in the top 6 is all but assured. What he needs to do now is bulk up a little more and continue to try to buck the trend of inconsistency.
Jason Spezza - B
Poor for the first two months of the season, Spezza finally had to shut it down when Matt Stajan fell on his knee, injuring it. When he returned, he was a spark plug to Ottawa’s offensive attack registering 38 points in the final 28 games he played. The playoffs were a different story though, Spezza still produced, but costly giveaways and blind passes exhausted fans, media and management’s patience with him. Will have to be a lot better.
Daniel Alfredsson - A+
Can’t argue that ‘Alfie’ is the straw that stirs the entire Sens team. He put up over a PPG again this campaign, while playing from the Olympics on with a sports hernia - and continued on into the playoffs, tying for the Sens lead in points, all the while in a good deal of pain. One would be fair in asking why Alfie decided to play from the Olympics on instead of resting himself or possibly having the surgery then, but it also plays to the fact that he’s one of the most competitive people in the NHL.
Milan Michalek - B-
Everyone knows Milan’s attributes. He’s fast, he like to get his nose dirty, he scores in bunches, but now the Sens need him to take it to the next level. If he’s lucky enough to avoid injury next season, he’ll be one of the Sens go-to guys, which will mean 25-30 goals and 60+ points playing with Mike Fisher or Jason Spezza in the top 6. He’s also a very talented penalty killer, but he must fix the inconsistencies in his game ASAP. Lucky for the Sens he’s just 25 and has a long way to go in terms of maturing as a player.
Mike Fisher - B+
First half of the season: A+, last half, B-. Which one do you think the Sens hope comes in next year? Again, it’s not that Mike Fisher loses his competitive edge - in fact it seems to elevate (if that’s possible) when he’s not scoring, but they need the goals as much as they need to hits and defensive play. Kovalev seemed to really propel Fisher to great heights and again, like many of his counterparts, it’s all about consistently doing it every night. Now, that’s not to say that Fisher needs to be an 80 point guy, just that he needs to try to be a more consistent threat on a game to game basis. Mind you, what you see is what you get with Big Mike, a bull in a china shop who plays every situation, plays his game every night and doesn’t let anyone off the hook without being hit. Oh...and he can pot 20+ goals.
Alex Kovalev - B-
Here, take this and try to figure it out: Alex Kovalev was the reason the Sens made the playoffs, but he’s so incredibly streaky that it becomes so frustrating that you want him gone no matter what. Tough to get a handle on this type of player, but rest assured, when he’s on his game and producing, your team WILL win. So why is he so darn streaky? Possibly because he was on the wing being centered by Mr.Streaky himself in Mike Fisher. Kovalev is amazing in the lockerroom by all accounts and a welcome addition to the veteran presence in the Ottawa room, but...stop me when this sounds like a recording...he needs to be more consistent.
Nick Foligno - C
Wasn’t too impressed with Foligno this year, but he’s such a young man that he’s just beginning his career. He’ll need to get stronger and make sure he’s never knocked off the puck. He’s probably not going to be that winger who’s silky smooth, so he’ll have to rely on getting to the net and using his positioning to dig for rebounds. Before his injury pre-Olympics, Foligno looked exactly like this, he was getting into the dirty zones and beginning to find his offensive game. The injury found him out of the top six, replaced by Regin and floundering on line 3. Whether or not he can make it back is up to him. Whether or not he’s an Ottawa Senator next year is up to Bryan Murray - who’s faced with having too many players.
Matt Cullen - B
Look, I would give Cullen two separate grades here. Right after the trade: D, once he settled in, A, so let’s just call it a B for now and say that there’s potential for B+ to an A. He plays all three forward positions, he kills penalties, he wins face offs, he tutors the youth and he’s been there before. Oh, and he tied for the most points on the Sens in the playoffs, so he’s also a big game performer. In other words, he’ll help you a lot during the season, but he’s built for the playoffs. As a UFA, Cullen has his choice on where he wants to play, but the Sens have to be hoping it’s with them. 3-3.5 million X 3-4 years should do it and the Sens would be foolish not to.
Chris Kelly - A
Yep, Chris Kelly deserves an A for persevering through a really middling season last year to lead the charge on the third line and take some offensive pressure off the top 2 lines. All of a sudden opposing teams need to play the matchup game to get his line (with Ruutu and Neil) away from their stars, but they also have to worry about that same line scoring on them. Throughout the year there were several knowledgeable people saying that we could replace Chris Kelly with Zach Smith or Jesse Winchester.
Well, now we know that we cannot. Penalty killer, checking line center, this guy had a fantastic year, like his teammmates....
Chris Neil - A-
Neil went back to his ‘old’ self this past season, hitting everything that moved, chipping in offensively from time to time, fighting when the need arose, but perhaps most importantly he formed the line that would have considerable responsibility shutting down opponents scoring lines. In order for the Sens to get back to being any kind of force in the regular season or post-season, Chris Neil needs to continue to play this role and play it well. While not the full-fledged ‘agitator’ of the line, he’s certainly excellent at wearing down opponents. Good season, he needs to replicate it, but he ended up being worth the money he was paid this past summer.
Jarkko Ruutu - A-
Ruutu had an excellent year as well, he kills penalties, he draws penalties and he, like Neil and Kelly, chipped in offensively as well. Perhaps Ruutu’s best trait is that he can get under the skin of the opposition making them do things they wouldn’t normally do - meaning penalties as well as generally taking them off their game. However, because of Ruutu’s history, he takes a lot of penalties - some of them legit, some of them by reputation. In the end, you’d much rather have him on your side, than have to play against him.
Jesse Winchester - B
This is a tough one to grade because Winchester’s game is quite simple and he does it really, really well. He’s a strong, checking line center/winger who fights for every inch of the ice surface. He works incredibly hard and has the heart and work ethic to be the perfect 4th line player. The problem is, he was limited in his role this year due to injuries. The hope will be that he can stay healthy and begin forming a tough 4th line next year.
Ryan Shannon - C-
Look out, Shannon can’t play anywhere but the top 6 because of his size. And he hits and forechecks and backchecks, but it’s simply not the kind of player you throw out on a 4th line. When he was put in the top 6, he had very mixed results. There were stretches of games where he was excellent, then long, long stretches where he was literally useless. This leaves Shannon’s career in Ottawa in question. The Senators don’t need any more third and fourth liners, heck, they hardly need a quasi-top 6 winger. They need a guy who can hit the net with consistency - and unfortunately, Ryan Shannon is not that guy.
Jonathan Cheechoo - D-
I refuse to give Cheechoo an F because he brings it every shift. Problem is, he’s all used up. His double sports hernia surgeries have rendered him slow and he can no longer get to the open spaces to snipe goals. His career is over in the NHL - unless a team takes a chance on him and there’s a Cinderella story waiting for him. Alas, that would be a miracle and there aren’t too many of those floating around.
Defense:
Chris Phillips - A
What an excellent season for ‘Big Rig’. He knows where to be to support his partner, he’s excellent at board play, gap control. Everything you want in a shutdown, defensive D-man is here. With Clouston taking the helm, Phillips seemed to take more offensive risks - and that’s a very good thing. Phillips has a most underrated offensive flair - when he uses it. Nothing bad to say about this guy, he’s a great player and he continuously makes guys around him better.
Anton Volchenkov - B+
Had a odd up and down season. He was incredible some night, blocking 11 shots by Alex Ovechkin, then he’d be a -4 and play a poor positional game the next night. However, he blocks shots with amazing precision and is a massive part of the success of the Senators this season. He takes the pain like few others do in blocking, never thinking of himself, only of the team. Unlike Phillips, Volchenkov has little to no offensive game, so he can only be relied on to stop the opposition. That’s not a bad thing, however there were times were an offensive D-man with Phillips would have made good on opportunities, whereas Volchenkov was content to slide the puck back along the boards. The best pure defensive D-man Ottawa has, ‘A-Train’ is about to test the free market and has probably played his last game as a Senator. He will be missed.
Filip Kuba - C
Forgettable season for Kuba. Many wondered why he was so inconsistent leading up to the Olympics - and finally we get some kind of an answer. His back wasn’t right before he left for the Olympics and he took a couple of knocks there that ended his season. He has had back surgery and his rehab will begin now and last through most of the summer. When Kuba’s on his game, he moves the puck well and sets up offense, something the Sens had too little of to begin with, let alone when they lost him. He also brings a sturdy, veteran presence to the back end - again, when he’s healthy and playing well. Fingers are crossed that he can come to camp at 100% - and help youngsters like Erik Karlsson become even better. Another year of injuries and the Sens will have to cut ties and try to find someone else though.
Andy Sutton - B+
Such a nice addition to the Sens blueline. Someone brought in at the trade deadline who was supposed to take some of the pressure of Kuba, Phillips, Volchenkov and even Carkner, problem is, Kuba’s 20+ minutes a night were missing and Sutton had to step up. And step up he did, in the games before the playoffs, Sutton would regularly intimidate opponents with massive, old-school hip checks. He showed an intriguing skill set as well, he could pass, he could shoot. When the playoffs came around, he looked fairly subdued, even after he laid Leopold out, he couldn’t find his nasty, gritty game and he was exposed more than once by Malkin and co. Still, Sutton did a fantastic job here and will probably receive an offer from Sens management. He may not take the offer, but he was definitely a positive influence in Ottawa.
Matt Carkner - B+
This is an amazing story. Carkner languished in the AHL for years and years and years before finally sticking with the Sens in training camp - and boy, did it ever work out for everyone involved. Carkner is a tough guy who can drop the gloves with anyone and come out okay, he is a hard hitter, a shot-blocker and a crease-clearer - all of which the Sens desperately needed on the backend. His character and determination are endless, his talent level won’t change though, he won’t suddenly become a 50 point shot-blocking dynamo, but he’s useful as a 6th D-man. Great season, needs to replicate!
Chris Campoli - B-
Coming back from injuries post-Olympics, Campoli did an admirable job of jumping into the play. The Sens have long lacked a D-man who wasn’t afraid to make a read and enter the play, accepting a back door pass. Campoli showed that he could handle that as well as being fairly sturdy in his own zone. He can hit too. What Campoli needs to work on is the same as most young D-man, he needs to make quicker, better decisions in his own zone so he doesn’t get caught with the puck hemmed in. Otherwise, he made good enough strides to be considered a part of the Sens plans next year.
Erik Karlsson - A
That’s right, an A. He’s 19 years old and all he did was come in and help an NHL team find it’s transition game. And what makes it more remarkable is that he did it when it was absolutely and positively the most important time for the Senators with injuries to both Campoli and Kuba. When Karlsson first came up he had a lot of issues, he couldn’t find his confidence, he didn’t know if he should play his style or try to be conservative. After a brief stint in the AHL, Karlsson came back to the NHL and began making outlet passes not seen since the days of Wade Redden (when he was good). His shot from the blueline is one of the strongest from a Sens defender in history and he’s already showing (or shown) that he can handle quarterbacking a PP at the NHL level. Since his stint in the AHL Karlsson was producing at a 40+ point rate - not too shabby for a 19 year old pup. Add to that that his hockey IQ is extremely high and you rarely see the kid make the same mistake twice. The sky is the limit for Karlsson - and for the Sens who have long longed for a player of his caliber on the backend, this couldn’t have come at a better time.
Goalies:
Brian Elliott - A-
Elliott didn’t have a perfect season, but he improved as the season went on. His numbers were .909 and 2.57, which improved from last season, but the most telling stat was his last 29 games where he went 16-9-1 with a .921 save% and a 2.19 GAA. Those are lofty numbers - and make no mistake, Elliott was integral to the Sens making the post-season and making it where they did in the 5th seed. He was stellar, routinely keeping the opposition at bay during the Sens record-breaking 11 game winning streak - and he’s a young man to boot. The same theory applies to Elliott as it does Karlsson, the sky is the limit. His numbers will undoubtedly continue to improve, as they have in every single place Elliott’s played. Ottawa management wants Pascal Leclaire to be ‘the guy’, but he won’t be if Elliott continues his ascension.
Pascal Leclaire - D
Pascal Leclaire had a decent beginning to the year, got injured, came back and was getting into the groove and got injured again. Is he good? Who knows? Seriously, who can say for certain if he’s the guy that posted such lofty numbers in Columbus, or a flash in the pan who has talent but can never put it all together. Leclaire made fans, players and media believers in the post-season when he came in for a shell-shocked Elliott and played lights out, but was this what the Sens can expect next year, or will there be more freak injuries and inconsistent play? Leclaire will have every chance to be the Sens starter, but if he falters, Elliott’s in - and this time it will most likely be for good
Management:
Cory Clouston - A
Pretty close to an A+, Clouston is a wonderful student of that game who plays a more aggressive style than seen in Ottawa recently. He urges defenders to pinch and attack and has no qualms about rolling four lines fairly equally. He has transformed the Sens from a relatively soft team, to a grinding tough team that likes to hit first and ask questions later. Still a young coach, there’s a lot to learn for Clouston, but he’s well known for taking amazing amounts of time to study tape to fix issues, so we can expect an even tighter system next year. Excellent job!
Bryan Murray - A
Acquired Sutton and Cullen at the trade deadline and bolstered an Ottawa team that should have gone pretty deep. Unfortunately the Sens ran head long into injuries and simply couldn’t sustain the pressure without Michalek, Kuba and Kovalev. Still, Murray transformed this team into a playoff team while dealing with the Dany Heatley saga at the same time. He added depth in the much sought after NCAA star Bobby Butler, made an amazing decision on Erik Karlsson, signed Kovalev - who like him or not, made a massive impact in the Sens making the post-season. However, the reason Murray gets the A - aside from this - is his drafting. From 2008 to now, he’s drafted Erik Karlsson, Patrick Wiercioch, Robin Lehner, Jared Cowen, Jacob Silfverberg to name but a few. If those names don’t mean much to you now, rest assured, they will. He’s re-stocked the talent in Ottawa’s system so well, so quickly, he deserves a pat on the back and a (short) vacation. At least this summer he doesn’t have to hear the name Dany Heatley over and over again.
In the end, Sens fans and players alike should be feeling very excited. The future of this team is very bright - and with a draft coming up, it should get brighter. The next three seasons are going to be a lot of fun!
The disappointment of being ousted from the NHL Playoffs this year didn’t sting quite as much as it did in other years. Yes, we were all disappointed and upset, however, realizing that this is an up and coming team as opposed to other years when we were supposed to have ‘arrived’ makes it easier to digest. Peter Regin and Erik Karlsson, two major young players also emerged and showed that they will indeed be a massive part of the future - and in a cap era, that is very exciting news.
So what now? Well, not much to be perfectly honest. An evaluation before we discuss who might be out and who might be in:
Forwards:
Peter Regin - A.
Regin started his NHL career with excitement when he made a couple of high profile moves before stuffing in the game-winning goal against the St.Louis Blues last season. As with all younger players, Regin has times where he struggled to find some consistency to his game, being moved around anywhere from line 1 all the way down to line 4 and even in some instances in the press-box. However, when the chips were down, Regin went all in and claimed a spot in the Ottawa Senators top 6 players - as high as the top line, being centered by Jason Spezza and staring down the other wing at legendary Daniel Alfredsson. Regin responded by putting up a six game point streak at the end of the year and then going into the playoffs and scoring in each of the Sens first three games, adding a wonderful assist as well. He never looked out of place playing with the high profile players on the Sens and a future in the top 6 is all but assured. What he needs to do now is bulk up a little more and continue to try to buck the trend of inconsistency.
Jason Spezza - B
Poor for the first two months of the season, Spezza finally had to shut it down when Matt Stajan fell on his knee, injuring it. When he returned, he was a spark plug to Ottawa’s offensive attack registering 38 points in the final 28 games he played. The playoffs were a different story though, Spezza still produced, but costly giveaways and blind passes exhausted fans, media and management’s patience with him. Will have to be a lot better.
Daniel Alfredsson - A+
Can’t argue that ‘Alfie’ is the straw that stirs the entire Sens team. He put up over a PPG again this campaign, while playing from the Olympics on with a sports hernia - and continued on into the playoffs, tying for the Sens lead in points, all the while in a good deal of pain. One would be fair in asking why Alfie decided to play from the Olympics on instead of resting himself or possibly having the surgery then, but it also plays to the fact that he’s one of the most competitive people in the NHL.
Milan Michalek - B-
Everyone knows Milan’s attributes. He’s fast, he like to get his nose dirty, he scores in bunches, but now the Sens need him to take it to the next level. If he’s lucky enough to avoid injury next season, he’ll be one of the Sens go-to guys, which will mean 25-30 goals and 60+ points playing with Mike Fisher or Jason Spezza in the top 6. He’s also a very talented penalty killer, but he must fix the inconsistencies in his game ASAP. Lucky for the Sens he’s just 25 and has a long way to go in terms of maturing as a player.
Mike Fisher - B+
First half of the season: A+, last half, B-. Which one do you think the Sens hope comes in next year? Again, it’s not that Mike Fisher loses his competitive edge - in fact it seems to elevate (if that’s possible) when he’s not scoring, but they need the goals as much as they need to hits and defensive play. Kovalev seemed to really propel Fisher to great heights and again, like many of his counterparts, it’s all about consistently doing it every night. Now, that’s not to say that Fisher needs to be an 80 point guy, just that he needs to try to be a more consistent threat on a game to game basis. Mind you, what you see is what you get with Big Mike, a bull in a china shop who plays every situation, plays his game every night and doesn’t let anyone off the hook without being hit. Oh...and he can pot 20+ goals.
Alex Kovalev - B-
Here, take this and try to figure it out: Alex Kovalev was the reason the Sens made the playoffs, but he’s so incredibly streaky that it becomes so frustrating that you want him gone no matter what. Tough to get a handle on this type of player, but rest assured, when he’s on his game and producing, your team WILL win. So why is he so darn streaky? Possibly because he was on the wing being centered by Mr.Streaky himself in Mike Fisher. Kovalev is amazing in the lockerroom by all accounts and a welcome addition to the veteran presence in the Ottawa room, but...stop me when this sounds like a recording...he needs to be more consistent.
Nick Foligno - C
Wasn’t too impressed with Foligno this year, but he’s such a young man that he’s just beginning his career. He’ll need to get stronger and make sure he’s never knocked off the puck. He’s probably not going to be that winger who’s silky smooth, so he’ll have to rely on getting to the net and using his positioning to dig for rebounds. Before his injury pre-Olympics, Foligno looked exactly like this, he was getting into the dirty zones and beginning to find his offensive game. The injury found him out of the top six, replaced by Regin and floundering on line 3. Whether or not he can make it back is up to him. Whether or not he’s an Ottawa Senator next year is up to Bryan Murray - who’s faced with having too many players.
Matt Cullen - B
Look, I would give Cullen two separate grades here. Right after the trade: D, once he settled in, A, so let’s just call it a B for now and say that there’s potential for B+ to an A. He plays all three forward positions, he kills penalties, he wins face offs, he tutors the youth and he’s been there before. Oh, and he tied for the most points on the Sens in the playoffs, so he’s also a big game performer. In other words, he’ll help you a lot during the season, but he’s built for the playoffs. As a UFA, Cullen has his choice on where he wants to play, but the Sens have to be hoping it’s with them. 3-3.5 million X 3-4 years should do it and the Sens would be foolish not to.
Chris Kelly - A
Yep, Chris Kelly deserves an A for persevering through a really middling season last year to lead the charge on the third line and take some offensive pressure off the top 2 lines. All of a sudden opposing teams need to play the matchup game to get his line (with Ruutu and Neil) away from their stars, but they also have to worry about that same line scoring on them. Throughout the year there were several knowledgeable people saying that we could replace Chris Kelly with Zach Smith or Jesse Winchester.
Well, now we know that we cannot. Penalty killer, checking line center, this guy had a fantastic year, like his teammmates....
Chris Neil - A-
Neil went back to his ‘old’ self this past season, hitting everything that moved, chipping in offensively from time to time, fighting when the need arose, but perhaps most importantly he formed the line that would have considerable responsibility shutting down opponents scoring lines. In order for the Sens to get back to being any kind of force in the regular season or post-season, Chris Neil needs to continue to play this role and play it well. While not the full-fledged ‘agitator’ of the line, he’s certainly excellent at wearing down opponents. Good season, he needs to replicate it, but he ended up being worth the money he was paid this past summer.
Jarkko Ruutu - A-
Ruutu had an excellent year as well, he kills penalties, he draws penalties and he, like Neil and Kelly, chipped in offensively as well. Perhaps Ruutu’s best trait is that he can get under the skin of the opposition making them do things they wouldn’t normally do - meaning penalties as well as generally taking them off their game. However, because of Ruutu’s history, he takes a lot of penalties - some of them legit, some of them by reputation. In the end, you’d much rather have him on your side, than have to play against him.
Jesse Winchester - B
This is a tough one to grade because Winchester’s game is quite simple and he does it really, really well. He’s a strong, checking line center/winger who fights for every inch of the ice surface. He works incredibly hard and has the heart and work ethic to be the perfect 4th line player. The problem is, he was limited in his role this year due to injuries. The hope will be that he can stay healthy and begin forming a tough 4th line next year.
Ryan Shannon - C-
Look out, Shannon can’t play anywhere but the top 6 because of his size. And he hits and forechecks and backchecks, but it’s simply not the kind of player you throw out on a 4th line. When he was put in the top 6, he had very mixed results. There were stretches of games where he was excellent, then long, long stretches where he was literally useless. This leaves Shannon’s career in Ottawa in question. The Senators don’t need any more third and fourth liners, heck, they hardly need a quasi-top 6 winger. They need a guy who can hit the net with consistency - and unfortunately, Ryan Shannon is not that guy.
Jonathan Cheechoo - D-
I refuse to give Cheechoo an F because he brings it every shift. Problem is, he’s all used up. His double sports hernia surgeries have rendered him slow and he can no longer get to the open spaces to snipe goals. His career is over in the NHL - unless a team takes a chance on him and there’s a Cinderella story waiting for him. Alas, that would be a miracle and there aren’t too many of those floating around.
Defense:
Chris Phillips - A
What an excellent season for ‘Big Rig’. He knows where to be to support his partner, he’s excellent at board play, gap control. Everything you want in a shutdown, defensive D-man is here. With Clouston taking the helm, Phillips seemed to take more offensive risks - and that’s a very good thing. Phillips has a most underrated offensive flair - when he uses it. Nothing bad to say about this guy, he’s a great player and he continuously makes guys around him better.
Anton Volchenkov - B+
Had a odd up and down season. He was incredible some night, blocking 11 shots by Alex Ovechkin, then he’d be a -4 and play a poor positional game the next night. However, he blocks shots with amazing precision and is a massive part of the success of the Senators this season. He takes the pain like few others do in blocking, never thinking of himself, only of the team. Unlike Phillips, Volchenkov has little to no offensive game, so he can only be relied on to stop the opposition. That’s not a bad thing, however there were times were an offensive D-man with Phillips would have made good on opportunities, whereas Volchenkov was content to slide the puck back along the boards. The best pure defensive D-man Ottawa has, ‘A-Train’ is about to test the free market and has probably played his last game as a Senator. He will be missed.
Filip Kuba - C
Forgettable season for Kuba. Many wondered why he was so inconsistent leading up to the Olympics - and finally we get some kind of an answer. His back wasn’t right before he left for the Olympics and he took a couple of knocks there that ended his season. He has had back surgery and his rehab will begin now and last through most of the summer. When Kuba’s on his game, he moves the puck well and sets up offense, something the Sens had too little of to begin with, let alone when they lost him. He also brings a sturdy, veteran presence to the back end - again, when he’s healthy and playing well. Fingers are crossed that he can come to camp at 100% - and help youngsters like Erik Karlsson become even better. Another year of injuries and the Sens will have to cut ties and try to find someone else though.
Andy Sutton - B+
Such a nice addition to the Sens blueline. Someone brought in at the trade deadline who was supposed to take some of the pressure of Kuba, Phillips, Volchenkov and even Carkner, problem is, Kuba’s 20+ minutes a night were missing and Sutton had to step up. And step up he did, in the games before the playoffs, Sutton would regularly intimidate opponents with massive, old-school hip checks. He showed an intriguing skill set as well, he could pass, he could shoot. When the playoffs came around, he looked fairly subdued, even after he laid Leopold out, he couldn’t find his nasty, gritty game and he was exposed more than once by Malkin and co. Still, Sutton did a fantastic job here and will probably receive an offer from Sens management. He may not take the offer, but he was definitely a positive influence in Ottawa.
Matt Carkner - B+
This is an amazing story. Carkner languished in the AHL for years and years and years before finally sticking with the Sens in training camp - and boy, did it ever work out for everyone involved. Carkner is a tough guy who can drop the gloves with anyone and come out okay, he is a hard hitter, a shot-blocker and a crease-clearer - all of which the Sens desperately needed on the backend. His character and determination are endless, his talent level won’t change though, he won’t suddenly become a 50 point shot-blocking dynamo, but he’s useful as a 6th D-man. Great season, needs to replicate!
Chris Campoli - B-
Coming back from injuries post-Olympics, Campoli did an admirable job of jumping into the play. The Sens have long lacked a D-man who wasn’t afraid to make a read and enter the play, accepting a back door pass. Campoli showed that he could handle that as well as being fairly sturdy in his own zone. He can hit too. What Campoli needs to work on is the same as most young D-man, he needs to make quicker, better decisions in his own zone so he doesn’t get caught with the puck hemmed in. Otherwise, he made good enough strides to be considered a part of the Sens plans next year.
Erik Karlsson - A
That’s right, an A. He’s 19 years old and all he did was come in and help an NHL team find it’s transition game. And what makes it more remarkable is that he did it when it was absolutely and positively the most important time for the Senators with injuries to both Campoli and Kuba. When Karlsson first came up he had a lot of issues, he couldn’t find his confidence, he didn’t know if he should play his style or try to be conservative. After a brief stint in the AHL, Karlsson came back to the NHL and began making outlet passes not seen since the days of Wade Redden (when he was good). His shot from the blueline is one of the strongest from a Sens defender in history and he’s already showing (or shown) that he can handle quarterbacking a PP at the NHL level. Since his stint in the AHL Karlsson was producing at a 40+ point rate - not too shabby for a 19 year old pup. Add to that that his hockey IQ is extremely high and you rarely see the kid make the same mistake twice. The sky is the limit for Karlsson - and for the Sens who have long longed for a player of his caliber on the backend, this couldn’t have come at a better time.
Goalies:
Brian Elliott - A-
Elliott didn’t have a perfect season, but he improved as the season went on. His numbers were .909 and 2.57, which improved from last season, but the most telling stat was his last 29 games where he went 16-9-1 with a .921 save% and a 2.19 GAA. Those are lofty numbers - and make no mistake, Elliott was integral to the Sens making the post-season and making it where they did in the 5th seed. He was stellar, routinely keeping the opposition at bay during the Sens record-breaking 11 game winning streak - and he’s a young man to boot. The same theory applies to Elliott as it does Karlsson, the sky is the limit. His numbers will undoubtedly continue to improve, as they have in every single place Elliott’s played. Ottawa management wants Pascal Leclaire to be ‘the guy’, but he won’t be if Elliott continues his ascension.
Pascal Leclaire - D
Pascal Leclaire had a decent beginning to the year, got injured, came back and was getting into the groove and got injured again. Is he good? Who knows? Seriously, who can say for certain if he’s the guy that posted such lofty numbers in Columbus, or a flash in the pan who has talent but can never put it all together. Leclaire made fans, players and media believers in the post-season when he came in for a shell-shocked Elliott and played lights out, but was this what the Sens can expect next year, or will there be more freak injuries and inconsistent play? Leclaire will have every chance to be the Sens starter, but if he falters, Elliott’s in - and this time it will most likely be for good
Management:
Cory Clouston - A
Pretty close to an A+, Clouston is a wonderful student of that game who plays a more aggressive style than seen in Ottawa recently. He urges defenders to pinch and attack and has no qualms about rolling four lines fairly equally. He has transformed the Sens from a relatively soft team, to a grinding tough team that likes to hit first and ask questions later. Still a young coach, there’s a lot to learn for Clouston, but he’s well known for taking amazing amounts of time to study tape to fix issues, so we can expect an even tighter system next year. Excellent job!
Bryan Murray - A
Acquired Sutton and Cullen at the trade deadline and bolstered an Ottawa team that should have gone pretty deep. Unfortunately the Sens ran head long into injuries and simply couldn’t sustain the pressure without Michalek, Kuba and Kovalev. Still, Murray transformed this team into a playoff team while dealing with the Dany Heatley saga at the same time. He added depth in the much sought after NCAA star Bobby Butler, made an amazing decision on Erik Karlsson, signed Kovalev - who like him or not, made a massive impact in the Sens making the post-season. However, the reason Murray gets the A - aside from this - is his drafting. From 2008 to now, he’s drafted Erik Karlsson, Patrick Wiercioch, Robin Lehner, Jared Cowen, Jacob Silfverberg to name but a few. If those names don’t mean much to you now, rest assured, they will. He’s re-stocked the talent in Ottawa’s system so well, so quickly, he deserves a pat on the back and a (short) vacation. At least this summer he doesn’t have to hear the name Dany Heatley over and over again.
In the end, Sens fans and players alike should be feeling very excited. The future of this team is very bright - and with a draft coming up, it should get brighter. The next three seasons are going to be a lot of fun!
Last edited by SpezDispenser on Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
, but we'll say a B to a B+ for all his hard work and no complaining.
