GDT: Dallas Stars @ Ottawa Senators 7:30PM ET - Wednesday Nov. 24th

Vokoun and Bryzgalov are sporting .920 SV% while Elliott, even with the last couple of games, is at .910. The Sens are giving up 30+ shots per game so an extra .10 SV% will give you one less goal every 3 games. Is that really going to change things much? How about taking fewer penalties, giving up fewer shots and actually scoring a few more? Gonchar's influence on Karlsson (and possibly Rundblad) will be felt for years to come. Sure he was a little expensive, but we're the Edmonton of Ontario.

I hate how we played last game, but I remember the hey-days of when we were always in the hunt for the Presidents' Trophy, but whenever the Devils came to town we'd find a way to lose 2-1 and in such a boring fashion that it made you want to stick toothpicks in your eyes.

Whoever is running the PP *has* to be let go or re-assigned. The talent level for a 5-on-4 is just too high for it to be floundering. And the one time that it actually started to click, someone sure found the "Off" switch quickly enough.

Play a more disciplined brand of hockey. Clear some cap space (Lee, Shannon, Hale, Foligno -- he's still on a two-way?) to make room in the doghouse. Take a stupid, selfish penalty? Be prepared to sit at the end of the bench the rest of the period. Do it again in the same game and you're not playing for a couple of days. I want us to play hard, take elbowing or boarding calls but leaving out the hooks, trips, holds and (shudder) too-many-men.

Work on the PP with someone who has a pulse. It should be top-5 in the league.

Give out rewards for taking shots on goal. Something, Anything.

wprager wrote:Vokoun and Bryzgalov are sporting .920 SV% while Elliott, even with the last couple of games, is at .910. The Sens are giving up 30+ shots per game so an extra .10 SV% will give you one less goal every 3 games. Is that really going to change things much? How about taking fewer penalties, giving up fewer shots and actually scoring a few more? Gonchar's influence on Karlsson (and possibly Rundblad) will be felt for years to come. Sure he was a little expensive, but we're the Edmonton of Ontario.

I hate how we played last game, but I remember the hey-days of when we were always in the hunt for the Presidents' Trophy, but whenever the Devils came to town we'd find a way to lose 2-1 and in such a boring fashion that it made you want to stick toothpicks in your eyes.

Whoever is running the PP *has* to be let go or re-assigned. The talent level for a 5-on-4 is just too high for it to be floundering. And the one time that it actually started to click, someone sure found the "Off" switch quickly enough.

Play a more disciplined brand of hockey. Clear some cap space (Lee, Shannon, Hale, Foligno -- he's still on a two-way?) to make room in the doghouse. Take a stupid, selfish penalty? Be prepared to sit at the end of the bench the rest of the period. Do it again in the same game and you're not playing for a couple of days. I want us to play hard, take elbowing or boarding calls but leaving out the hooks, trips, holds and (shudder) too-many-men.

Work on the PP with someone who has a pulse. It should be top-5 in the league.

Give out rewards for taking shots on goal. Something, Anything.

Yes, it would make a difference. Enough of these fringe goalie, this summer is a great opportunity to land an all-star goaltender. A guy like that gives a franchise immediately respectability.

cash wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I guess we'll see how Clouston and Murray respond. To me, neither is safe at all, not at all. Melnyk must be grinding his teeth watching ~60 million of his money look like a bunch of pee wees on the ice. I'd be really pissed if I were hit - I'm pissed now and I'm not paying these guys.

Clouston has a limited time to get things back on track IMO. It starts tomorrow and I'm sure Melnyk and co. will be watching until the end of the month assessing whether or not Clouston is the guy - and more importantly, whether or not Murray is still the guy.

It's finally come to this for sure, this team is slow, boring and being beaten by everyone in the league. And it's been happening a lot - save for some parts of last year. Something's gotta give, either the personnel or the coach or the GM - or a combination.

Ourside of the 1-4-1 start and that 3 game, post-tragedy losing streak they're 9-4 on the season...Last nights game was boring, but let's get a little perspective.

Thank you, cash, for this and your other post. Mine was actually posted before yours but my connection must have gone down and I only noticed a short while ago and had to hit re-send. Now I'm catching up a bit.

I still have to agree with some of the points PKC was making, though. The team is taking way too many penalties, and this has been going on for quite a while -- since CLouston mentioned refereeing in his first go around. Phillips *is* playing very poorly. Fisher *should* sit for the benefit of the team. And out PP has been stinking it up for 2+ years.

But at least we're showing signs (last game, excepted).

On the bright side, this team is due to click any game now. It just needs to happen - soon.

The fans pay for the team, so basically as shareholders (they buy the tickets that pay the bills), they are entitled to their opinions, and yeah, some fans have stronger opinions than others. Frankly, the stronger the opinion, the more passionate the fan. Ottawa is one of those franchises that will support a winning team. If they don't like the product on the ice, they will not pay to watch, unlike another Ontario team. And it is pretty obvious that the past 3-4 seasons have not been spectacular, and every season since has been getting worse.

Normally teams will make improvements following a disappointing season, but Ottawa manages to make lateral changes at best and move backwards even.

When it is not goaltending, it is a lack of offence. When we can score we can't keep the puck out. Signing Gonchar might have been the biggest step in the right direction, but the team is still not good enough. There always seems to be a missing piece.

If the GM (whomever that might be at the time) can go out and sign Vokoun for 2 years, and find someone who can score (because Alfredsson cannot be relied upon much longer, we need some successors), then this team might have a chance at turning things around.

Use some of this free cap space with Kovalev, Leclaire and others to do those moves I mentioned, and then bring in some youth to this old team. Butler and Smith full-time upfront and Cowen at the back end.

wprager wrote:Vokoun and Bryzgalov are sporting .920 SV% while Elliott, even with the last couple of games, is at .910. The Sens are giving up 30+ shots per game so an extra .10 SV% will give you one less goal every 3 games. Is that really going to change things much? How about taking fewer penalties, giving up fewer shots and actually scoring a few more? Gonchar's influence on Karlsson (and possibly Rundblad) will be felt for years to come. Sure he was a little expensive, but we're the Edmonton of Ontario.

I hate how we played last game, but I remember the hey-days of when we were always in the hunt for the Presidents' Trophy, but whenever the Devils came to town we'd find a way to lose 2-1 and in such a boring fashion that it made you want to stick toothpicks in your eyes.

Whoever is running the PP *has* to be let go or re-assigned. The talent level for a 5-on-4 is just too high for it to be floundering. And the one time that it actually started to click, someone sure found the "Off" switch quickly enough.

Play a more disciplined brand of hockey. Clear some cap space (Lee, Shannon, Hale, Foligno -- he's still on a two-way?) to make room in the doghouse. Take a stupid, selfish penalty? Be prepared to sit at the end of the bench the rest of the period. Do it again in the same game and you're not playing for a couple of days. I want us to play hard, take elbowing or boarding calls but leaving out the hooks, trips, holds and (shudder) too-many-men.

Work on the PP with someone who has a pulse. It should be top-5 in the league.

Give out rewards for taking shots on goal. Something, Anything.

We'd likely lose him on the waiver wire. While it's likely that he's being shopped, or is available at the very least, I don't think BM can justify losing him for nothing.

EDIT: But ya, he's on a two-way.

Dash wrote:The fans pay for the team, so basically as shareholders (they buy the tickets that pay the bills), they are entitled to their opinions, and yeah, some fans have stronger opinions than others. Frankly, the stronger the opinion, the more passionate the fan. Ottawa is one of those franchises that will support a winning team. If they don't like the product on the ice, they will not pay to watch, unlike another Ontario team. And it is pretty obvious that the past 3-4 seasons have not been spectacular, and every season since has been getting worse.

Let me stop right here and comment on the bolded part, above.

Most fans in Ottawa are *not* shareholders. The better analogy is that the fan is simply a consumer. If you don't like Coke, there's Pepsi.

Dash wrote:
Normally teams will make improvements following a disappointing season, but Ottawa manages to make lateral changes at best and move backwards even.

When it is not goaltending, it is a lack of offence. When we can score we can't keep the puck out. Signing Gonchar might have been the biggest step in the right direction, but the team is still not good enough. There always seems to be a missing piece.

The team actually tried to do exactly what you had recommended by getting Leclaire, Kovalev and, now, Gonchar. Two proven (if over-the-hill) offensive stars and a potential franchise goalie. Two of those moves have not worked out very well, granted, but do not mistake failure for lack of trying.

Dash wrote:If the GM (whomever that might be at the time) can go out and sign Vokoun for 2 years, and find someone who can score (because Alfredsson cannot be relied upon much longer, we need some successors), then this team might have a chance at turning things around.

Use some of this free cap space with Kovalev, Leclaire and others to do those moves I mentioned, and then bring in some youth to this old team. Butler and Smith full-time upfront and Cowen at the back end.

I think we have the dogs to pull this sled but we need to make some room in the doghouse.

I think this Sens team is too old, and without developed players emerging, who do you lean on when the inevitable happens and Aflie is gone?

Dash wrote:I think this Sens team is too old, and without developed players emerging, who do you lean on when the inevitable happens and Aflie is gone?

If age is a problem, then we get a heck of a lot younger when guys like Alfie and Kovalev and Gonchar, and even Kuba and Phillips and down the line to Carkner, Neil and Ruutu are replaced by the likes of Cowen, Rundblad, Buttler, O'Brien, Weircioch, Silfverberg, Petersson, and so on. But, of course, then we'll be lamenting how the team is young and inexperienced.

Today is Charles Schulz's birthday -- creator of Peanuts and Snoopy. Maybe our own "Snoopy" gets a third start in a row?

I think part of the problem is that the guys that should be emerging this season just aren't getting it done so far. Foligno and Regin should be solidifying their spots in the top 6 right now. Michalek and Campoli should be much further along as well. If Michalek was having a break out year, along with steady production from the other three, the Sens would be in much better shape and much better prepared to wave good bye to Alfie, Phillips, Kuba and Gonchar as the years pass.

Maybe Foligno and Regin just aren't top 6 material?

Dash wrote:Maybe Foligno and Regin just aren't top 6 material?

I'm starting to think that about Foligno but I haven't given up hope that Regin can pull it together. My hope comes from his excellent play in last years playoffs and right into the World Championships. Unlike Foligno who did awesome in pre-season Regin has stepped up in pressure games like the playoffs.

spader wrote:

wprager wrote:Vokoun and Bryzgalov are sporting .920 SV% while Elliott, even with the last couple of games, is at .910. The Sens are giving up 30+ shots per game so an extra .10 SV% will give you one less goal every 3 games. Is that really going to change things much? How about taking fewer penalties, giving up fewer shots and actually scoring a few more? Gonchar's influence on Karlsson (and possibly Rundblad) will be felt for years to come. Sure he was a little expensive, but we're the Edmonton of Ontario.

I hate how we played last game, but I remember the hey-days of when we were always in the hunt for the Presidents' Trophy, but whenever the Devils came to town we'd find a way to lose 2-1 and in such a boring fashion that it made you want to stick toothpicks in your eyes.

Whoever is running the PP *has* to be let go or re-assigned. The talent level for a 5-on-4 is just too high for it to be floundering. And the one time that it actually started to click, someone sure found the "Off" switch quickly enough.

Play a more disciplined brand of hockey. Clear some cap space (Lee, Shannon, Hale, Foligno -- he's still on a two-way?) to make room in the doghouse. Take a stupid, selfish penalty? Be prepared to sit at the end of the bench the rest of the period. Do it again in the same game and you're not playing for a couple of days. I want us to play hard, take elbowing or boarding calls but leaving out the hooks, trips, holds and (shudder) too-many-men.

Work on the PP with someone who has a pulse. It should be top-5 in the league.

Give out rewards for taking shots on goal. Something, Anything.

We'd likely lose him on the waiver wire. While it's likely that he's being shopped, or is available at the very least, I don't think BM can justify losing him for nothing.

EDIT: But ya, he's on a two-way.

Lee, Shannon, and Foligno are all on one-way deals. Hale and Karlsson are the only guys with the team at the moment on two-way deals.

Which as we know still doesn't mean waiver exemption.

Dash wrote:Which as we know still doesn't mean waiver exemption.

Karlsson would be exempted from waivers. Pretty sure neither Foligno or Lee would be, tho'. Foligno for sure -- 200+ games and 4th year in the NHL. I'm a little less clear on Lee -- under 100 games and 4th year in the NHL.

At any rate, I read all this as waaaaaaaaay over-reactionary. The emotion in here is a good thing in its way, but lots of clouded judgments here and lots of "missing the forest for the trees" comments here. Sorry. Just remember I'm not calling anyone "Cussing idiots" before you respond.

I know you are not, but I still refuse to blindly worship Chris Phillips. I know that he used to be reliable as a guy who would normally shut down the opposition, but since even last season, he has not been... good. Forget about the past, forget about Chris Phillips the Philanthropist, but look at the almost 33 year old unrestricted free agent that should not be paid more than he is making now, let alone close to it. I can actually see him being re-signed for as much as he is now, for too long and it biting the team in the butt.

You have to think with your brain and not your heart. The Senators have rewarded guys too many times based on character (Fisher).