GAME DAY #68: Senators @ Hurricanes - 7:00 pm - Tuesday, March 8 2016

Going forward without the Cowen/Wiercioch saga and with Phaneuf here the full season, with Turris healthy and with CMac in the lineup, I think this team is as good as the top-three in the division. Remember that they were a point back of Detroit with a game in hand when Turris got injured.

Going forward, depth-wise, we know what we have in Dzingel, McCormick, Paul and Claesson. Add in White, who is, by all accounts, already better than all other forward prospects. Hopefullly Paul and White give us the depth we need at center.

Everyone keeps reminding me that Zibanejad is still only 22 and despite the flaws in his game is still improving, albeit very slowly. He's on pace for his best season point-wise, even if his goals total takes a tumble (at 14, he would need 6 in the next 14 games to reach the career high of 20). But it you look a little closer, he is actually on pace for 47 points, which is just one points more than last year. So is he still progressing or has he reached his ceiling? Hard to say. If they could use him as a piece in a trade for an upgrade at C then I'd be all for it; but if the upgrade takes Zibanejad *and* White, forget it -- I'd rather have Zibanejad and his 45-50 points *and* depth at center.

tim1_2 wrote:F'in Carolina. Disclaimer: I didn't watch the game. I watched Bridge of Spies instead. It was pretty good, but I'm not sure why it got a best picture nomination.

I find it tough to tune in to games after having my dreams crushed.

One of the few games I actually watched live. Until I wasn't watching anything. That's one of the problems with having a modem and router in one -- you reset the router to fix your wifi and you lose your TV. I've taken a day off to catch up on some errands, one of them will be a call to Bell. My 2 year contract was up in February and it's time to ask them what they are willing to do to keep me. I figure I could save $50/month just by switching to Rogers and Wind (and get faster internet, 10 tuner PVR and unlimited data on the mobile plan) so that's the starting point.

wprager wrote:Going forward without the Cowen/Wiercioch saga and with Phaneuf here the full season, with Turris healthy and with CMac in the lineup, I think this team is as good as the top-three in the division.  Remember that they were a point back of Detroit with a game in hand when Turris got injured.

Going forward, depth-wise, we know what we have in Dzingel, McCormick, Paul and Claesson.  Add in White, who is, by all accounts, already better than all other forward prospects.  Hopefullly Paul and White give us the depth we need at center.  

Everyone keeps reminding me that Zibanejad is still only 22 and despite the flaws in his game is still improving, albeit very slowly.  He's on pace for his best season point-wise, even if his goals total takes a tumble (at 14, he would need 6 in the next 14 games to reach the career high of 20).  But it you look a little closer, he is actually on pace for 47 points, which is just one points more than last year.  So is he still progressing or has he reached his ceiling?  Hard to say.  If they could use him as a piece in a trade for an upgrade at C then I'd be all for it; but if the upgrade takes Zibanejad *and* White, forget it -- I'd rather have Zibanejad and his 45-50 points *and* depth at center.

I think there's some work to do, but the foundation is built relatively well. Absolutely no veteran center may hurt the team and we have Hoffman as bait.

Regardless I'd say they need to get either an upgrade at c or another winger ala mac just in case he's not good to go.

After that...I think we're pretty competitive and I believe this was a blip on the radar this year

Also...what's wrong with Karlsson? Playing too much, tired? He looks off

SpezDispensed wrote:Also...what's wrong with Karlsson?   Playing too much, tired?  He looks off

He's hearing Alfie's "probably not" and knows the season is over. Looking forward to a couple months off before starting to train for the World Cup.

So another point of conversation: why was hoffman remaining on the ice in the dying moments of the game when all of his line mates went off for a change?

It's sad, but I think we all knew we were doomed the moment the sens missed the open net....TWICE!

Michallica wrote:So another point of conversation:  why was hoffman remaining on the ice in the dying moments of the game when all of his line mates went off for a change?

It's sad, but I think we all knew we were doomed the moment the sens missed the open net....TWICE!  

So did Cuthbert. He basically said, that's gonna cost them.

So it's all Cuthbert's fault. Whatta jerkface.

tim1_2 wrote:So it's all Cuthbert's fault. Whatta jerkface.

The first time we missed was Stone and you think, well, that's life. The 2nd time was Hoffman, from a decent shooting angle and you think, we're in trouble here.

SpezDispensed wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:So it's all Cuthbert's fault. Whatta jerkface.

The first time we missed was Stone and you think, well, that's life.  The 2nd time was Hoffman, from a decent shooting angle and you think, we're in trouble here.

The fact the second time was hoffman was a harbinger of bad news.

I'm annoyed with the Hoff, he should have gotten off the ice after all his line mates got off. That said, man staal takes a shot at net, gets blocked by phaneuf and lands perfectly in skinner's wheelhouse. Clearly the sens have pissed off the hockey gods.

Another thing we're all missing....this is the SECOND time the sens led a game in the dying seconds in carolina and allowed them to tie it in the last minute.  First game, they allowed Skinner to tie it with 3 seconds left on the clock.  Then again last night with 0.2 seconds.  Both games were lost in OT.  

Diddle you carolina

tim1_2 wrote:So it's all Cuthbert's fault. Whatta jerkface.

I think it's important to note: *no* relation to Elisha.

SpezDispensed wrote:

wprager wrote:Going forward without the Cowen/Wiercioch saga and with Phaneuf here the full season, with Turris healthy and with CMac in the lineup, I think this team is as good as the top-three in the division.  Remember that they were a point back of Detroit with a game in hand when Turris got injured.

Going forward, depth-wise, we know what we have in Dzingel, McCormick, Paul and Claesson.  Add in White, who is, by all accounts, already better than all other forward prospects.  Hopefullly Paul and White give us the depth we need at center.  

Everyone keeps reminding me that Zibanejad is still only 22 and despite the flaws in his game is still improving, albeit very slowly.  He's on pace for his best season point-wise, even if his goals total takes a tumble (at 14, he would need 6 in the next 14 games to reach the career high of 20).  But it you look a little closer, he is actually on pace for 47 points, which is just one points more than last year.  So is he still progressing or has he reached his ceiling?  Hard to say.  If they could use him as a piece in a trade for an upgrade at C then I'd be all for it; but if the upgrade takes Zibanejad *and* White, forget it -- I'd rather have Zibanejad and his 45-50 points *and* depth at center.

I think there's some work to do, but the foundation is built relatively well.  Absolutely no veteran center may hurt the team and we have Hoffman as bait.

Regardless I'd say they need to get either an upgrade at c or another winger ala mac just in case he's not good to go.

After that...I think we're pretty competitive  and I believe this was a blip on the radar this year

If we get rid of Hoffman we are definitely weak on the left side. Like we are going to need two top 6 LW. I like mac but to be honest on a good team he is a 3rd line forward. Maybe we can have him play in the top 6 until one of our youth fills that position and then we still need to replace Hoffman. If things go badly again, this will be a position of weakness again next year. Not liking it.

Paul can play left wing, too, so you have CMac, Smith, Puempel, Paul; plus Chiasson can play left wing, too, apparently. I know that's not exactly deep but it's not that shallow, either. But I would still not recommend getting rid of Hoffman.

wprager wrote:Paul can play left wing, too, so you have CMac, Smith, Puempel, Paul; plus Chiasson can play left wing, too, apparently.  I know that's not exactly deep but it's not that shallow, either.  But I would still not recommend getting rid of Hoffman.

no too deep no. Mostly inexperienced or unproven. Hardly places us in the realm of contender.

Ladd or boedker are looking again like possible options.

Stamkos

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispensed wrote:

wprager wrote:Going forward without the Cowen/Wiercioch saga and with Phaneuf here the full season, with Turris healthy and with CMac in the lineup, I think this team is as good as the top-three in the division.  Remember that they were a point back of Detroit with a game in hand when Turris got injured.

Going forward, depth-wise, we know what we have in Dzingel, McCormick, Paul and Claesson.  Add in White, who is, by all accounts, already better than all other forward prospects.  Hopefullly Paul and White give us the depth we need at center.  

Everyone keeps reminding me that Zibanejad is still only 22 and despite the flaws in his game is still improving, albeit very slowly.  He's on pace for his best season point-wise, even if his goals total takes a tumble (at 14, he would need 6 in the next 14 games to reach the career high of 20).  But it you look a little closer, he is actually on pace for 47 points, which is just one points more than last year.  So is he still progressing or has he reached his ceiling?  Hard to say.  If they could use him as a piece in a trade for an upgrade at C then I'd be all for it; but if the upgrade takes Zibanejad *and* White, forget it -- I'd rather have Zibanejad and his 45-50 points *and* depth at center.

I think there's some work to do, but the foundation is built relatively well.  Absolutely no veteran center may hurt the team and we have Hoffman as bait.

Regardless I'd say they need to get either an upgrade at c or another winger ala mac just in case he's not good to go.

After that...I think we're pretty competitive  and I believe this was a blip on the radar this year

If we get rid of Hoffman we are definitely weak on the left side. Like we are going to need two top 6 LW. I like mac but to be honest on a good team he is a 3rd line forward. Maybe we can have him play in the top 6 until one of our youth fills that position and then we still need to replace Hoffman. If things go badly again, this will be a position of weakness again next year. Not liking it.

Yeah that's true. Wonder what would have happened with a healthy mac...

You could spend the money on Ladd, but I dislike older players as free agents usually

If we had a healthy Mac and Turris all year, we're on the playoffs. That said, you need a deep talent pool to overcome these injuries when they happen , and we just don't have that right now. Hopefully next year everybody's relatively healthy, and ZBad and a couple other guys take a step forward.

Now if we trade ZBad+ for an upgrade at centre, that's even better. Or maybe we sign a centre...whatever. You gotta think Murray (or whoever) won't be content with the exact same lineup.