GDT: Preseason #6 - TML @ OTT - 29/09/2010 - 7:30pm

Plus...it's not as if the sky if falling - however...every single solitary game this year will mean something in the grand scheme of things. It won't be the end of the world if the Sens lose a game, but it's how they lose the game IMO.

Yesterday is nothing, I'm surprised Clouston was that pissed about it. I said to SG11 last night after the 1st that I was horrified by the compete level in the period, but then in the 2nd it got better and better until we took the lead in the 3rd - that's what coaching is all about. Getting the guys to wake the F up and get with the system/program.

If I was Clouston, I would have been ejected from that game for cussing out the refs - and I would have paid my fine afterwards to say that it doesn't matter if the refs don't like our team or whatever the Cuss it is, you still have to call the game properly. Not Cussing way I want to go through a season full of this nonsense. No way.

Cowen gave up a couple of horrific pucks that lead to goals, that's life, he's still awesome. Leclaire shook off more rust and actually looked pretty good considering the Leafs had 9 PPs and scored 3 times. What can we do? No Kelly, no Phillips...screw that, it was gonna happen.

SpezDispenser wrote:Plus...it's not as if the sky if falling - however...every single solitary game this year will mean something in the grand scheme of things. It won't be the end of the world if the Sens lose a game, but it's how they lose the game IMO.

Yesterday is nothing, I'm surprised Clouston was that pissed about it. I said to SG11 last night after the 1st that I was horrified by the compete level in the period, but then in the 2nd it got better and better until we took the lead in the 3rd - that's what coaching is all about. Getting the guys to wake the F up and get with the system/program.

If I was Clouston, I would have been ejected from that game for cussing out the refs - and I would have paid my fine afterwards to say that it doesn't matter if the refs don't like our team or whatever the Cuss it is, you still have to call the game properly. Not Cussing way I want to go through a season full of this nonsense. No way.

Cowen gave up a couple of horrific pucks that lead to goals, that's life, he's still awesome. Leclaire shook off more rust and actually looked pretty good considering the Leafs had 9 PPs and scored 3 times. What can we do? No Kelly, no Phillips...screw that, it was gonna happen.

He is not awesome. He's a kid who might be awesome someday. Right now, he is nowhere near awesome.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

He is not awesome. He's a kid who might be awesome someday. Right now, he is nowhere near awesome.

Call it what you want, I like the kid a lot, really smart player, excellent positionally. If he's not awesome, he's well on his way IMO.

Doesn't change my opinion that while he could easily play NHL hockey, I like seeing these guys develop properly, so Spokane is probably the best fit.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

He is not awesome. He's a kid who might be awesome someday. Right now, he is nowhere near awesome.

Call it what you want, I like the kid a lot, really smart player, excellent positionally. If he's not awesome, he's well on his way IMO.

Doesn't change my opinion that while he could easily play NHL hockey, I like seeing these guys develop properly, so Spokane is probably the best fit.

Here's the thing though, it's the only fit. I agree that Junior will do nothing for him, yet he's not ready for the NHL. Can he play his 10 games and THEN be sent to Bingo?

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Here's the thing though, it's the only fit. I agree that Junior will do nothing for him, yet he's not ready for the NHL. Can he play his 10 games and THEN be sent to Bingo?

They'll probably take the easy way out and send him back to the WHL, Campoli and Lee will alternate between the #5/6 spot and the press box.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Here's the thing though, it's the only fit. I agree that Junior will do nothing for him, yet he's not ready for the NHL. Can he play his 10 games and THEN be sent to Bingo?

No, I asked around because I thought if the Sens burned the year of the ELC and 'owned' him, I thought maybe they could assign him to the AHL, but it's all about the year he was born, age, etc. Cussing stupid stuff.

I'm a big fan of this kid, I think he's going to be our best D-man down the road, but it has to be Junior, has to. He needs to dominate, work on various aspects of his game, play 30 minutes a night, be 'the guy', everything. I guess he can play in the WJC, but I could care less about that to be honest.

Everyone (except Hale, Wiercioch, Gryba) should be mad that the Sens can't send him to the pros in the A and call him up whenever they want, cussing dumb stuff.

Now...where does Lehner go? The A, or the OHL, then the WJC? I assume the AHL, but I doubt it's quite that cut and dried, is it?

I think Lehner's shiny new mask is a hint of what will happen.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I think Lehner's shiny new mask is a hint of what will happen.

Actually, yeah I guess you're right. AHL it is... nerve-wracking. He's gonna be lit up like an XMAS tree for the first couple of months. He'll need to be mentally prepped for that.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I think Lehner's shiny new mask is a hint of what will happen.

Actually, yeah I guess you're right. AHL it is... nerve-wracking. He's gonna be lit up like an XMAS tree for the first couple of months. He'll need to be mentally prepped for that.

I kind of doubt he will get lit up. That looks like a good team. A few guys are getting stiffed out of playing for Ottawa so they will have chips on their shoulders and the rest are just good AHLers.

In fact, if he does get lit up, there's something wrong.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I think Lehner's shiny new mask is a hint of what will happen.

Actually, yeah I guess you're right. AHL it is... nerve-wracking. He's gonna be lit up like an XMAS tree for the first couple of months. He'll need to be mentally prepped for that.

I kind of doubt he will get lit up. That looks like a good team. A few guys are getting stiffed out of playing for Ottawa so they will have chips on their shoulders and the rest are just good AHLers.

In fact, if he does get lit up, there's something wrong.

I wouldn't say there would be something wrong if he gets lit up a bit. He's played very well for us in pre-season, but I imagine he'll run into some issues in the AHL in terms of the speed of the game compared to the OHL. Much less time to get set, much faster pace, bigger guys in front of you etc.

I think he'll end up being quite good though, don't get me wrong, I just think there might be an adjustment period.

Although, you're right, it's a good team down there, quite solid. My hope is that the team gels as quickly as possible with so many first year pros, so they don't get absolutely annihilated by the Hershey Bears of the league. Plus, I don't know much about the coach down there.

Why does Gonchar back right up onto his own goalie and not challenge the shooter?

Why does Leclair flop around so damn much

And the reffing, give me a break, 3 totaly made up calls and the no calls when leclair gets run in to and karlsson gets cross checked from behind. The bias is so obvious its disgusting.

Wiercoch has impressed me more than Cowen so far. Cowen better grow some toughness pretty soon.

111519 wrote:Why does Gonchar back right up onto his own goalie and not challenge the shooter?

Why does Leclair flop around so damn much

And the reffing, give me a break, 3 totaly made up calls and the no calls when leclair gets run in to and karlsson gets cross checked from behind. The bias is so obvious its disgusting.

Wiercoch has impressed me more than Cowen so far. Cowen better grow some toughness pretty soon.

The same reason Mike Fisher took a selfish penalty near the end of the game.

SpezDispenser wrote:Plus...it's not as if the sky if falling - however...every single solitary game this year will mean something in the grand scheme of things. It won't be the end of the world if the Sens lose a game, but it's how they lose the game IMO.

Yesterday is nothing, I'm surprised Clouston was that pissed about it. I said to SG11 last night after the 1st that I was horrified by the compete level in the period, but then in the 2nd it got better and better until we took the lead in the 3rd - that's what coaching is all about. Getting the guys to wake the F up and get with the system/program.

If I was Clouston, I would have been ejected from that game for cussing out the refs - and I would have paid my fine afterwards to say that it doesn't matter if the refs don't like our team or whatever the Cuss it is, you still have to call the game properly. Not Cussing way I want to go through a season full of this nonsense. No way.

Cowen gave up a couple of horrific pucks that lead to goals, that's life, he's still awesome. Leclaire shook off more rust and actually looked pretty good considering the Leafs had 9 PPs and scored 3 times. What can we do? No Kelly, no Phillips...screw that, it was gonna happen.

He is far from awesome right now, he has a really bad habit of using one hand to poke at the puck. I'm sure it worked in junior a lot since he's huge compared to most in junior but NHL players are far too good at beating that. It's kinda sad to say but he needs to keep two hands on the stick, most of us learn that when we're in mites. Very lazy play, use that frame big guy...probably another reason he shouldn't go back to junior, players tend to get bad habits when they play with inferior talent...AHL would be ideal but that obviously can't happen...anywho, the guy will be awesome, it's just going to take some time

mickbud wrote:
He is far from awesome right now, he has a really bad habit of using one hand to poke at the puck. I'm sure it worked in junior a lot since he's huge compared to most in junior but NHL players are far too good at beating that. It's kinda sad to say but he needs to keep two hands on the stick, most of us learn that when we're in mites. Very lazy play, use that frame big guy...probably another reason he shouldn't go back to junior, players tend to get bad habits when they play with inferior talent...AHL would be ideal but that obviously can't happen...anywho, the guy will be awesome, it's just going to take some time

That's gotta be the most interesting point I've read on Cowen. Murray's gonna have sleepless nights til opening night for sure.

Hoags wrote:

mickbud wrote:
He is far from awesome right now, he has a really bad habit of using one hand to poke at the puck. I'm sure it worked in junior a lot since he's huge compared to most in junior but NHL players are far too good at beating that. It's kinda sad to say but he needs to keep two hands on the stick, most of us learn that when we're in mites. Very lazy play, use that frame big guy...probably another reason he shouldn't go back to junior, players tend to get bad habits when they play with inferior talent...AHL would be ideal but that obviously can't happen...anywho, the guy will be awesome, it's just going to take some time

That's gotta be the most interesting point I've read on Cowen. Murray's gonna have sleepless nights til opening night for sure.

Clouston is the one to make personnel decisions in most cases. Murray takes care of the finer aspects of player movement (contracts, exceptions, waivers, etc.)

But if Clouston thinks Cowen can contribute to this team then Murray does what he can to fulfill that wish.

at least he'll have a good 9 games to figure out what Cowen will need. regardless of his performance the rest of the way now, he is definitely pencilled in with Lee as the 6th/7th d-men. Its a good point about picking up bad habits in junior but the sens brass will have their eyes on the kid. Whatever bad habits he's got have already been pointed out to him and will continually be reminded and told to fix these things in junior. He needs some high level competition and World Juniors will be perfect. he could be kept around by the sens and then sent off to the jrs but I doubt that will happen because of his cap hit.

but damn AHL would have been perfect. Just freakin' perfect

Michallica wrote:at least he'll have a good 9 games to figure out what Cowen will need. regardless of his performance the rest of the way now, he is definitely pencilled in with Lee as the 6th/7th d-men. Its a good point about picking up bad habits in junior but the sens brass will have their eyes on the kid. Whatever bad habits he's got have already been pointed out to him and will continually be reminded and told to fix these things in junior. He needs some high level competition and World Juniors will be perfect. he could be kept around by the sens and then sent off to the jrs but I doubt that will happen because of his cap hit.

but damn AHL would have been perfect. Just freakin' perfect

I kind of disagree. I think Weircioch has been the better of the two. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the 9 game tester instead of Cowen. I think Pat's skating is definitely a notch above Cowen's and that should help him at least compete with other NHLers. Plus, his hockey sense seems to be slightly better than Cowen's who's been caught a couple of times trying to make very low percentage plays.

Michallica wrote:at least he'll have a good 9 games to figure out what Cowen will need. regardless of his performance the rest of the way now, he is definitely pencilled in with Lee as the 6th/7th d-men. Its a good point about picking up bad habits in junior but the sens brass will have their eyes on the kid. Whatever bad habits he's got have already been pointed out to him and will continually be reminded and told to fix these things in junior. He needs some high level competition and World Juniors will be perfect. he could be kept around by the sens and then sent off to the jrs but I doubt that will happen because of his cap hit.

but damn AHL would have been perfect. Just freakin' perfect

The world juniors is hardly high level competition for Canada...2 or 3 games (Russia, Sweden maybe, and the US) isn't going to help up that much...he really needs a full season of high competition and yes the AHL would have been perfect