2017 Sens Off-Season

I don't know how much you can blame Lando's lack of improved production on playing with Colorado when he's given great C's to play with. If anything he hasn't shown he can get it done. I'd worry more about his numbers regressing playing with Brassard.

Oglethorpe wrote:

PTFlea wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Do you?

To Col: Smith, Wideman, Englund
To Ott: Landeskog

I'd do that.  I don't think Colorado does that.  That's a top 6 forward for a bottom 6 F, and two bottom pairing D.

Landeskog is no better than Smith, just more expensive.  He is a 3rd liner with intangibles and can't play centre.

What.  The.  Diddle.

Lando is not the player you think he is.  He is a shell of the player he was in his first 2 seasons.

The Colorado Avalanche are defective - for whatever reason. I'd say Lando is closer to Mark Stone than he is Zack Smith. I'm not enamoured with him, but I'd LOVE to have him as 2nd line LW. Like...what a perfect addition to the 2nd line.

Ev wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

PTFlea wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Do you?

To Col: Smith, Wideman, Englund
To Ott: Landeskog

I'd do that.  I don't think Colorado does that.  That's a top 6 forward for a bottom 6 F, and two bottom pairing D.

Landeskog is no better than Smith, just more expensive.  He is a 3rd liner with intangibles and can't play centre.

What.  The.  Diddle.

Lando is not the player you think he is.  He is a shell of the player he was in his first 2 seasons.

His second season was worse than his next three. You're vastly underrating him. He's not a superstar, but is a 2nd liner at the worst. You trade Smith for him without hesitation.

I'd also trade smith for him but at what additional cost? I believe there could be better players available at the cost it is rumoured To be

I'd be shocked if one or both of White/Chabot are not with the big club to, at least, start the season. With the Oduya signing and with Brassard unlikely to start the season on time, I'd be almost certain that White will be in Ottawa come October (and less certain w.r.t. Chabot).

PTFlea wrote:So, as it stands right now Ottawa is going in relying on Hoff, Turris, Stone and I think a rejuvenated Brassard (or a Brassard that now knows what to expect in Ottawa) and Ryan - who I think can rebound (fingers crossed).  A lot hinges on MacArthur and Pageau/Smith regaining some of their slightly lost offensive mojo.

Defence looks good and deep, with a few options during the course of a grinding year - like sitting Claesson once in a while to have him re-focus, ditto Oduya, ditto Boro etc.  We can have a nice revolving door of players on the back end until someone claims the spot.

Hoffman - Turris - Stone
MacArthur - Brassard - Ryan
Smith - Pageau - Burrows
Dzingel - Thompson - Pyatt
*they might try to get a veteran who can be the 13th forward on a PTO, unless they want White up with the team as the 13th, but I doubt they do.

Claesson - Karlsson
Phaneuf - Ceci
Oduya/Boro - Wideman
Oduya/Boro/Claesson as the 7th D depending

Anderson
Condon


You know what, I'm pretty happy with this lineup.  Injuries will tax us, but that's the way of the league.

Big question marks there though. Can Brassard step in and be as effective as he was at the start of last year's playoffs? Can Ryan do the same? How bad is Brassard' shoulder. I'm not super excited about those D pairings. Ceci and Phaneuf are a capable 2nd pairing but, Karlsson and Claesson? This lineup still fails to address the glaring drop off in the team's effectiveness when Karlsson isn't on the ice either. I was concerned before Methot was removed from the roster. This doesn't look like a team or a GM that's interested in improving on last year's run IMHO.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

PTFlea wrote:So, as it stands right now Ottawa is going in relying on Hoff, Turris, Stone and I think a rejuvenated Brassard (or a Brassard that now knows what to expect in Ottawa) and Ryan - who I think can rebound (fingers crossed).  A lot hinges on MacArthur and Pageau/Smith regaining some of their slightly lost offensive mojo.

Defence looks good and deep, with a few options during the course of a grinding year - like sitting Claesson once in a while to have him re-focus, ditto Oduya, ditto Boro etc.  We can have a nice revolving door of players on the back end until someone claims the spot.

Hoffman - Turris - Stone
MacArthur - Brassard - Ryan
Smith - Pageau - Burrows
Dzingel - Thompson - Pyatt
*they might try to get a veteran who can be the 13th forward on a PTO, unless they want White up with the team as the 13th, but I doubt they do.

Claesson - Karlsson
Phaneuf - Ceci
Oduya/Boro - Wideman
Oduya/Boro/Claesson as the 7th D depending

Anderson
Condon


You know what, I'm pretty happy with this lineup.  Injuries will tax us, but that's the way of the league.

Big question marks there though.  Can Brassard step in and be as effective as he was at the start of last year's playoffs?  Can Ryan do the same?  How bad is Brassard' shoulder. I'm not super excited about those D pairings.  Ceci and Phaneuf are a capable 2nd pairing but, Karlsson and Claesson?  This lineup still fails to address the glaring drop off in the team's effectiveness when Karlsson isn't on the ice either.  I was concerned before Methot was removed from the roster.  This doesn't look like a team or a GM owner that's interested in improving on last year's run IMHO.

Fixed

They brought in Brassard, Stahlberg and Burrows last year and it had a pretty big impact. I just don't understand this mentality of well, we lost Methot so lets bring in Oduya and Nate Thompson that'll get us to the final right?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:They brought in Brassard, Stahlberg and Burrows last year and it had a pretty big impact.  I just don't understand this mentality of well, we lost Methot so lets bring in Oduya and Nate Thompson that'll get us to the final right?

Their hands are tied by needing to keep cap room for Turris/Stone/Karlsson/etc, so there was no great solution to the problem of losing Methot. You can't get a really good D on a one-year contract.

Also, it's not like any significant changes were required. This should be a playoff team, and then let's see what they can do around the deadline.

Keep the faith people, it's a good team.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:They brought in Brassard, Stahlberg and Burrows last year and it had a pretty big impact.  I just don't understand this mentality of well, we lost Methot so lets bring in Oduya and Nate Thompson that'll get us to the final right?

I doubt Dorion really believes we are going to the finals this year. Just like any of us he probably sees this year as a year where we are transitioning 2 rookies that will be impact players for this team and we likely won't make it past the 2nd round in the playoffs. It's the year after where you have to go for it.
Gotta manage for the long term

I actually think this should have been the year to do it. Before Turris and Stone become more expensive, Anderson becomes 'too old', and rumors swirl that Karlsson is unhappy.

I do think Ottawa has a two-year window to win it all but I am surprised they didn't make a more significant move. I am pretty happy that they didn't turn around and sign a Karl Alzner or what not to a ridiculous contract though.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I actually think this should have been the year to do it. Before Turris and Stone become more expensive, Anderson becomes 'too old', and rumors swirl that Karlsson is unhappy.

I do think Ottawa has a two-year window to win it all but I am surprised they didn't make a more significant move. I am pretty happy that they didn't turn around and sign a Karl Alzner or what not to a ridiculous contract though.

The time to make a "significant move" will likely be in-season, when they see exactly what they have this year. There might be no need to make a significant move. This was a top 4 team in the NHL.

tim1_2 wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I actually think this should have been the year to do it. Before Turris and Stone become more expensive, Anderson becomes 'too old', and rumors swirl that Karlsson is unhappy.

I do think Ottawa has a two-year window to win it all but I am surprised they didn't make a more significant move. I am pretty happy that they didn't turn around and sign a Karl Alzner or what not to a ridiculous contract though.

The time to make a "significant move" will likely be in-season, when they see exactly what they have this year.  There might be no need to make a significant move.  This was a top 4 team in the NHL.

I think a healthy Boston could have beaten us and there were time in the NYR series where I thought Ottawa was going to be dominated. I don't believe Ottawa is a top-four team. We lack a star forward.

Agreed. The system was exposed in the Conference Final due to a lack of finish and star power in Ottawa and the lack of someone to play the other 30 minutes Karlsson isn't on the ice. They shouldn't have made it to the final four and now the team is weaker.

It's only a matter of your opinion that they should not have made it. It is a simple matter of fact that they did. Usually fact trumps opinion, but that's just my opinion.

Boston was the first time this team, this system went to the post-season. Pretty natural that they struggled initially. The fact that they went out in double OT of game 7 against the eventual two-time Cup Champs is more telling than what happened when they first got to the post-season. Again, this is just my opinion.

Anyhow, I don't see how the team is weaker. They lost Methot, true, but advanced stats indicate that Methot actually held Karlsson back (his Corsi and other stats were better with just about every other d-man). His ice time (which was 4th on the team, by the way) will be replaced by increasing ice time for Phaneuf, Claesson and others (Chabot, Harpur, Englund, Jaros). Outside of Phaneuf, it's unlikely that any of the others will make the team stronger, but at least the impact of Methot being gone will be partially offset. Up front I think the team -- once Brassard returns -- will be stronger because Neil, Kelly, Wingels will be replaced by the likes of Thompson, White, McCormick. A full season (hopefully) of McArthur.

And, of course, the ace up their sleeve: improved powerplay. Don't forget that early in the year they were concentrating on structure. I think Boucher said they won't get to work on the powerplay until December, and in the second half of the season they hardly ever had time for practice. This year they will start with a solid base and will be able to devote more time for the powerplay. Wherever Boucher's been his powerplay has always been good. No reason this would stop when we have Karlsson, Hoffman, Stone, Brassard and others.

Your "team is weaker" is weak.

Looks like we are phasing out the 3D logo. Nowhere to be seen on the website. https://www.nhl.com/senators

How are we feeling about the "Jags" Jagr rumours?

SeawaySensFan wrote:How are we feeling about the "Jags" Jagr rumours?

Which one?

I think it was more a prank than a rumour. A hoax.