Ottawa Senators (present and past) TIDBITS & QUICK HITS!

Well, with DiDomenico waived, I assume Dumont will draw in against the Jackets.

So officially out of a playoff spot in the standings. I’m not surprised, but I’ve been saying it for a while. How long are people going to make excuses for this teamsaying we are better than what the record actually shows us. Both Boston and Carolina are ahead of us with the same amount of game played. Sure, we could catch Detroit up in a hurry but it doesn’t mean we start winning games.

Gabriel Dumont isn’t the answer to our woes.

It's a 4 game losing streak.

Don't forget we had no trouble scoring early in the season. We also had a PP that went from 0 in whatever (nearly 20, I think) to #12 overall, if not higher.

Need a positive streak, now.

wprager wrote:It's a 4 game losing streak.  

Don't forget we had no trouble scoring early in the season. We also had a PP that went from 0 in whatever (nearly 20, I think) to #12 overall, if not higher.  

Need a positive streak, now.

Sounds like Boucher is going 12 F 6 D tonight. He'd like both Harpur and Chabot to play. Oduya or Claesson the odd man out? I wish it was Ceci... sigh

Boucher's system has the PMD on the right-side defensively. He has been playing Chabot on his off-wing. Wideman is out for 'months'. I really dislike Ceci and my position has not changed on that whatsoever. Chabot will eventually play in the top four likely with Phaneuf.

Is there an opportunity out there to trade Ceci for a LHD to play with Karlsson. No one is really talking about it but I believe Karlsson is missing playing with someone like Methot more than we think. Our second pairing is atrocious and can't shut anyone down.

The question you need to answer, if you are to move Ceci for a LHD is this: is Jaros ready to step into a full-time role as the 3rd pairing RHD and will Chabot/Phaneuf (with one of them on his wrong side) going to keep us competitive in the Atlantic? Forget about going deep in the playoffs, just try to get in.

I'm not a Ceci apologist and I know he makes a lot of mistakes. But he plays tougher minutes than any other defenseman on this team. Even Karlsson. Erik makes a lot of mistakes as well. Mostly because he handles the puck more than anyone else. But he also makes mistakes of omission, especially going up against the bigger/more skilled forwards. As a smaller guy he tends to let the forward go to the boards first, we all get that, but because of that attitude a more skilled forward can use that "hesitation" to his advantage by going *around* Karlsson. it's happened quite a bit.

Anyhow, not to crap on EK. He is coming off surgery and we all assume he will get better as the season moves along.

Seriously, though, if you move Ceci our right-side depth is Karlsson - Jaros - Burgdoerfer - Erkamps.

I totally get it. But I guess my concern is more so that Boucher is trying to force Ceci into a position he can't handle with his 'system'. He's not a PMD. It's a simple as that. And he's an RFA. Ottawa has historically over-valued players in their system to the point where they realize they're garbage well after the fan base. Recent examples: Lazar, Cowen, Wiercioch.

As a fan I'd hate to see Ottawa re-sign Ceci. He's not worth whatever he will make on his next contract. His value has already diminished. The point I am raising is if Ceci +can be flipped for someone who can play 25 mins next to Karlsson, is it worth running Harpur or Chabot in the top-four?

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I totally get it. But I guess my concern is more so that Boucher is trying to force Ceci into a position he can't handle with his 'system'. He's not a PMD. It's a simple as that. And he's an RFA. Ottawa has historically over-valued players in their system to the point where they realize they're garbage well after the fan base. Recent examples: Lazar, Cowen, Wiercioch.  

As a fan I'd hate to see Ottawa re-sign Ceci. He's not worth whatever he will make on his next contract. His value has already diminished. The point I am raising is if Ceci +can be flipped for someone who can play 25 mins next to Karlsson, is it worth running Harpur or Chabot in the top-four?

The fact is our D this year is atrocious.

Oduya and Claesson are not suitable partners for Karlsson, the Ceci-Phaneuf combo is one of the worst statistically in the league, and our bottom pair is nothing to write home about. Take Karlsson out of the mix and the Sens may very well have the worst D in the league.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I totally get it. But I guess my concern is more so that Boucher is trying to force Ceci into a position he can't handle with his 'system'. He's not a PMD. It's a simple as that. And he's an RFA. Ottawa has historically over-valued players in their system to the point where they realize they're garbage well after the fan base. Recent examples: Lazar, Cowen, Wiercioch.  

As a fan I'd hate to see Ottawa re-sign Ceci. He's not worth whatever he will make on his next contract. His value has already diminished. The point I am raising is if Ceci +can be flipped for someone who can play 25 mins next to Karlsson, is it worth running Harpur or Chabot in the top-four?

The fact is our D this year is atrocious.

Oduya and Claesson are not suitable partners for Karlsson, the Ceci-Phaneuf combo is one of the worst statistically in the league, and our bottom pair is nothing to write home about. Take Karlsson out of the mix and the Sens may very well have the worst D in the league.

"Take the best defenseman in the league out and the sens may have the worst D in the league".

Take any top D out of a lineup and it will suffer. Sens D core is right around average right now, will be above average when Chabot fully matures.

I have loved Ceci's game this year.

In the off-season and early on this season everyone was talking about the Sens' depth on D. Then Chabot was sent back (expected, what with our D-depth), Karlsson missed the first 6 and has struggled (relatively speaking), Oduya has played like, well, like an ageing defenseman on a $1M deal, Wideman went from dog house to 4th liner to IR and Boro may be gone long-term as well. Meanwhile Phaneuf has been fairly average -- not bad, not great.

I am a big fan of Harpur but maybe not as big as Boucher -- I think he still has a lot to learn. So does Chabot, for sure, but his higher-end skill make up for lack of experience. Chabot over Oduya is a definite upgrade.

I don't think we have the worst D in the league, but we have two regulars out (3, if you also consider we lost Methot from last season) and our franchise D-man is not yet back to his usual level.

wprager wrote:The question you need to answer, if you are to move Ceci for a LHD is this: is Jaros ready to step into a full-time role as the 3rd pairing RHD and will Chabot/Phaneuf (with one of them on his wrong side) going to keep us competitive in the Atlantic?  Forget about going deep in the playoffs, just try to get in.

I'm not a Ceci apologist and I know he makes a lot of mistakes.  But he plays tougher minutes than any other defenseman on this team.  Even Karlsson.  Erik makes a lot of mistakes as well.  Mostly because he handles the puck more than anyone else.  But he also makes mistakes of omission, especially going up against the bigger/more skilled forwards.  As a smaller guy he tends to let the forward go to the boards first, we all get that, but because of that attitude a more skilled forward can use that "hesitation" to his advantage by going *around* Karlsson.  it's happened quite a bit.  

Anyhow, not to crap on EK.  He is coming off surgery and we all assume he will get better as the season moves along.

Seriously, though, if you move Ceci our right-side depth is Karlsson - Jaros - Burgdoerfer - Erkamps.

Harpur is a RHD

Flo The Action wrote:

wprager wrote:The question you need to answer, if you are to move Ceci for a LHD is this: is Jaros ready to step into a full-time role as the 3rd pairing RHD and will Chabot/Phaneuf (with one of them on his wrong side) going to keep us competitive in the Atlantic?  Forget about going deep in the playoffs, just try to get in.

I'm not a Ceci apologist and I know he makes a lot of mistakes.  But he plays tougher minutes than any other defenseman on this team.  Even Karlsson.  Erik makes a lot of mistakes as well.  Mostly because he handles the puck more than anyone else.  But he also makes mistakes of omission, especially going up against the bigger/more skilled forwards.  As a smaller guy he tends to let the forward go to the boards first, we all get that, but because of that attitude a more skilled forward can use that "hesitation" to his advantage by going *around* Karlsson.  it's happened quite a bit.  

Anyhow, not to crap on EK.  He is coming off surgery and we all assume he will get better as the season moves along.

Seriously, though, if you move Ceci our right-side depth is Karlsson - Jaros - Burgdoerfer - Erkamps.

Harpur is a RHD

No he's LHD

I would also be in the trade Ceci camp if Chabot can actually make the team but only for an upgrade in the top 6 LW. Someone preferably young.

I’m not sure claesson is an optimal partner for karlsson but he will do.

Claesson karlsson
Phaneuf Chabot
Oduya Harpur

Is a ok as far as waiting for Boro and wideman to come back. Jaros can do in a pinch.
The only way I see it as a good idea to bring in someone is if it’s a ridiculous upgrade but those won’t come as cheap young contracts usually.

Savard in Columbus is said to be available and has been a healthy scratch as of late. To me that’s an anomaly to scratch him. He’s a right handed D so I’m not sure that a great fit but if we did trade Ceci for a Top 6 LW and then traded for Savard it be an upgrade on the team as a whole.

Long run I think a Chabot Savard is a great pairing but you’d have to have Guy change up his system to allow for PMD to play the left.

It all depends on philosophy.

Gudbranson would be perfect paired with Chabot but he's a RHD. He's a UFA and from Ottawa. But does Ottawa pass up on this because he's not a PMD?

Scandella in Buffalo. LHD, two more years at $4M/per. 27 years old. Would Ceci fit in better in Buffalo as a younger player under a RFA contract? Buffalo could very well be without Kane and Lehner next year. I think it's only going to get worse in Buffalo before it gets better. By that time Scandella will be gone.

I really don't see us touching our defense this year. We have an abundance of guys, it's just going to be a matter of how to use them to get the most out of them. I expect Boro will be back soon and Chabot will likely go back down to Belleville for a while.

It's a myth that Boucher's system calls for a physical left side D and a PMD on the right side.  What the system calls for is to force the opponent to try to go to the Sens left side in the neutral zone. So your left D steps up to force the puck to be dumped in or turned over, this doesn't need to be a banger it can be done with a pokeckeck or by angling off the puck carrier. The right D needs good quickness as that is the primary puck retrieval D man. 6 PMDs would be fine, the key is the RD needs mobility and quick descision making.  Phaneuf prefers playing the right side but is too slow in the system as is Oduya.

tim1_2 wrote:I really don't see us touching our defense this year.  We have an abundance of guys, it's just going to be a matter of how to use them to get the most out of them.  I expect Boro will be back soon and Chabot will likely go back down to Belleville for a while.

You’re probably right. They’ll likely wait till the offseaso, get karlsson under contract first then move Ceci.

I wanna bring up duchene. I had been saying it for the past year. I was all in for trading for duchene but it was always to have him play the LW. I would have loved him to play with Turris and brassard but watching him I see such an exciting player but we didn’t bring him to complement the team. He’s likely an upgrade from Turris but When  you factor in how the team had gelled with Turris I can see how for now this is barely a sideways trade where we parted ways with assets without enough improvement coming. If Dorion wants to be all in then we need to really acquire another bonafied top 6 LW.
I do believe that short run, trading Turris away made us worst.thats likely not gonna last throughout the season but for now it did make us worst.

This isn’t likely to happen this season but I would still love at one point for the Sens to land (or promote from within past this season) another top 6 Center and move duchene to the wing as I think he’d be more successful in that position.