GAME DAY: San Jose Sharks @ Ottawa Senators :: 5:00pm ET :: Sun. Oct. 27th, 2013

tim1_2 wrote:So what DEFCON are we at, panic-wise?  

DEFCON 3?

What's the scale...? If it is a 1 to 10 thing I think they are at a 5 for sure. They lose to the Islanders Friday night and that will be an 8 or 9 pretty quickly.

Ev wrote:Vrbata just scores and shoots. We need some finish and he provides it.

Steve Ott would be a heck if a pick up.

We would be a better team with Fisher and Kelly still here.

Ott really would be a good pickup.

NEELY wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:So what DEFCON are we at, panic-wise?  

DEFCON 3?

What's the scale...? If it is a 1 to 10 thing I think they are at a 5 for sure. They lose to the Islanders Friday night and that will be an 8 or 9 pretty quickly.

The DEFCON scale (1 to 5): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON

DEFCON 1 is the highest alert level: "Nuclear war is imminent"

Oglethorpe wrote:I thought Zach Smith played his best game in about 2 years today.  Appeared physical and cut in towards the net from the wing a la Glenn Anderson twice.  If he plays like that he is the perfect 3rd line centre.

Yup, I think he's been fairly consistent this year in general and is playing a solid brand of hockey. Neil is a guy that should be moving down to 4th line duties because at this point he has lost a step. Thing is there is no one to bring up to play with Smith and Zibanejad right now.

tim1_2 wrote:

NEELY wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:So what DEFCON are we at, panic-wise?  

DEFCON 3?

What's the scale...?  If it is a 1 to 10 thing I think they are at a 5 for sure.  They lose to the Islanders Friday night and that will be an 8 or 9 pretty quickly.

The DEFCON scale (1 to 5):   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON

DEFCON 1 is the highest alert level: "Nuclear war is imminent"

I would say a 2 or 3 then, for sure.

A guy like Carcilo wouldn't be an awful move either if you had to give up a very small piece.

I think the current group can get the job done, they just need a more consistent effort. I would say probably the biggest need is on D at this point. It's weird, it's like Joe Scorevo ISN'T the solution to our problem, which I personally find shocking and distressing.

I don't think the current group gets it done because they don't have the ability to get it done. The top line has 1 top 6 player which is an issue, the 4th line has 1 goal all year, the "2nd line" is lights on almost every night, and the 3rd line has been fairly consistent but Neil should be moved down.

On the blueline Cowen has been awful going on a 20 game stretch now, sat out training camp, and is getting paid more than he's worth at this point. I don't think you pull the plug on him but if you were getting a legit top 6 guy for the next 5-10 years back in a trade for him you have to consider it. I don't think the difference between Borowiecki and Cowen is that's great at the moment either and he's in Ottawa next year 100%.

Goaltending has been average at best this year from Anderson and it's starting to become pretty clear he's not a goalie you can count on for consistency.

And also if it's a choice between Wiercioch and Cowen at this point I think it's #46 by a mile. He's shown flashes of being a top 4 guy even if he isn't ready for that role and what he has in terms of offense and hockey sense it can't be taught to Cowen. What Cowen has in terms of a defensive presence and a solid overall game can be taught to Wiercioch.

I've always been of the opinion you won't get the best from Wiercioch until he's 26, 27 years old and at that point he will be an absolute beast on the blueline with some more weight and strength which takes time as well. Cowen I think is starting to show he is missing a lot of hockey sense and can't just flat out out muscle guys in the NHL or just "be big" against other teams and players.

tim1_2 wrote:

NEELY wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:So what DEFCON are we at, panic-wise?  

DEFCON 3?

What's the scale...?  If it is a 1 to 10 thing I think they are at a 5 for sure.  They lose to the Islanders Friday night and that will be an 8 or 9 pretty quickly.

The DEFCON scale (1 to 5):   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON

DEFCON 1 is the highest alert level: "Nuclear war is imminent"

We should be looking at #SENSCON and not DEFCON.
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SENSCON&src=typd

NEELY wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:I thought Zach Smith played his best game in about 2 years today.  Appeared physical and cut in towards the net from the wing a la Glenn Anderson twice.  If he plays like that he is the perfect 3rd line centre.

Yup, I think he's been fairly consistent this year in general and is playing a solid brand of hockey.  Neil is a guy that should be moving down to 4th line duties because at this point he has lost a step.  Thing is there is no one to bring up to play with Smith and Zibanejad right now.

Grant?

I would say Grant is a 4th liner right now that needs to work his way up the lineup to where ever he ends up. He's been solid for sure but in no way is he ready for anything more than a 4th line center role on an every day basis.

NEELY wrote:I would say Grant is a 4th liner right now that needs to work his way up the lineup to where ever he ends up.  He's been solid for sure but in no way is he ready for anything more than a 4th line center role on an every day basis.

Given how Condra has been playing I wouldn't mind seeing Grant on the third line (wing).  Don't care if it's just a game or two, if only to send Condra a bit of a message.

A 10 game assessment period starts Friday vs the Islanders. Need guys to start executing and making plays like they're capable.

Condra has gotten away from the things that make him successful for sure, same with Greening. Those 2 need to step up because at this point they are very replaceable within the organization. Greening who scores 15-20 goals and Condra who is a 1st unit PKer are not though.

SpezDispenser wrote:A 10 game assessment period starts Friday vs the Islanders.  Need guys to start executing and making plays like they're capable.

That game will be the game that determines how much patients the organization has, if the Sens come out and lose that one on 3 days rest, at home, against a "meh" team then the other foot will come down.

This team has guys capable of executing. They're not and it starts with the D and certainly filters up through the lineup. Disappointing to say the least that Cowen sucks so badly this far. Ditto Gryba. And when Corvo sucks, he sucks. No grey area there either.


Disappointing is the word right now. And them you have the fairly typical early Anderson where he's just not there yet.

The all new supercharged Vanek-Islanders....