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Cannot see him lasting three years let alone five

PTFlea wrote:It's because people wanted Ottawa to take the Callahan contract without giving up anything and getting a 2nd or 3rd rounder back with it.  Which, if that was possible, I assume the other low cap teams would have looked at, but who knows.

People just HATE Melnyk right now, it's something that Canada probably hasn't seen in decades.

And rightfully so. If we had a real owner and a real GM, we buy Condon out of his atrocious contract that you yourself signed him to for no good reason after signing another fringe goalie earlier named Hamburgler. Once you buy Condon out, you actually have leverage to take on someone’s cap problem and get a quality asset in return and not just 1 individual draft spot.

But instead, Tampa says hey, we can save you real dollars and give you a better draft pick. Sold. That’s how it went.

Ev wrote:Cannot see him lasting three years let alone five

We all hope, but that's less than a given.

What are everyone's top-five potential story lines/players you are looking forward to most this season. These are mine:

1. A Tkachuk-White-Norris line. All 3 are good buddies, former team USA teammates, and think they can be an unbelievable 2nd line on a really good Sens team (in the future). I say second line because I don't think White and Norris have top-line potential but are instead better suited for a really good two-way game with mid-end offensive capabilities. And yes, I think Norris gets NHL time this year. Maybe not right away, but at some point in the season Ottawa will start selling off its assets and Norris will be tearing it up in the AHL. Best way to keep Brady happy is to have him playing with his BFF.

2. Drake Batherson - I watched his youtube highlights the other day and really did notice how complete a player he was. So active with his stick, a good forechecker, forces turnovers, and his hockey IQ is quite mature. I imagine he is continuing his off-season training this summer with Marchand, Crosby, and Mackinnon which hopefully means he takes another huge step in his development. I also didn't know he was 6'3" which is pretty big for a guy of his skill-set. I don't expect him to get 1st line minutes like many others this year but instead see him paired with Balcers who he had great chemistry with last season. We may see a reunion of Balcers-Brown-Batherson as our L3 at some point this year, which I think would be an exciting line to watch. I expect him to start with Pageau this season.

3. Anthony Duclair - the guy has skill, the guy has talent, and his NHL life is on the line. With a coach focused on player development, I think Duclair can be a real stud *if* he can stay focused and be consistent. There is no reason he can't hit 20 goals on the year. For those thinking I am crazy, he had 19 last season, 8 of which came in 21 games with Ottawa (without Duchene and Stone). 11 came with Columbus where he was chastised and given virtually no minutes. a 40-50 point season for Duclair (who is 23 years old) is a real possibility, especially if he plays with guys who can feed him the puck, dig pucks out of the corners, and he gets PP time.

4. Christian Wolanin - He's ready for consistent minutes and PP2 time. Paired with Zaitsev, I think we see Wolanin taking a few more offensive risks. Playing with anyone not named Cody Ceci will be beneficial to his on-ice game, and I think Hainsey helps him develop quite a bit off the ice.

5. Rudolfs Balcers - Kind of a weird one, but he looked great at the WHC with team Latvia. I think he makes the team out of camp and shows why he was a key piece in the Karlsson trade. Given a defined role and not playing with Smith or Boedker, we see Balcers have more skill to play with and he responds well to it.

Notable mentions: Brannstrom's development in the AHL, Logan Brown adding some off-season weight to his already massive frame, development of Formenton (boom or bust)

Lines to start the season:

Tkachuk-White-Ryan
Duclair-Anisimov-Brown
Balcers-Pageau-Batherson
Ennis-Tierney-Boedker

Chabot-De Melo
Wolanin-Zaitsev
Hainsey-Jaros
Boro

- Logan Brown comes in to replace Pageau or Tierney (one will be traded)
- Norris comes in to replace Boedker or Ennis (probably Boedker)
- Brannstrom comes in to replace Hainsey or De Melo

There was a time when reading your post would get me excited for the upcoming season, unfortunately I am so far removed from having a single positive thought or vision for the Sens. That doesn’t take away from you post, I just couldn’t get behind your excitement.

Lagoon wrote:There was a time when reading your post would get me excited for the upcoming season, unfortunately I am so far removed from having a single positive thought or vision for the Sens. That doesn’t take away from you post, I just couldn’t get behind your excitement.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Lagoon wrote:There was a time when reading your post would get me excited for the upcoming season, unfortunately I am so far removed from having a single positive thought or vision for the Sens. That doesn’t take away from you post, I just couldn’t get behind your excitement.

I also think there are individual story lines that will make this season interesting to watch. It's about player development right now. I think our defense is better than last season, our goaltending worse, and our offense less dynamic but more balanced. I am hoping we still get a top five pick but don't think we are the worst team in the league.

Sens CMO leaving the organization. She was hired last year, apparently made strides and then she bolts too.

How’s the search going for the “extremely sought after role” of President going? The one that would attract “many high level execs”?

Lagoon wrote:Sens CMO leaving the organization. She was hired last year, apparently made strides and then she bolts too.

How’s the search going for the “extremely sought after role” of President going? The one that would attract “many high level execs”?

Isn’t this old news? Maybe I’m confused but I could of sworn. There’s so many people getting fired/quitting.

Just more proof of the gong show Melnyk is running. No wonder they can’t find a POHO

Flo The Action wrote:

Lagoon wrote:Sens CMO leaving the organization. She was hired last year, apparently made strides and then she bolts too.

How’s the search going for the “extremely sought after role” of President going? The one that would attract “many high level execs”?

Isn’t this old news? Maybe I’m confused but I could of sworn. There’s so many people getting fired/quitting.

Just more proof of the gong show Melnyk is running. No wonder they can’t find a POHO

It's new news but probably sounds like old news given the carousel of staff that get hired and fired.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:What are everyone's top-five potential story lines/players you are looking forward to most this season. These are mine:

1. A Tkachuk-White-Norris line. All 3 are good buddies, former team USA teammates, and think they can be an unbelievable 2nd line on a really good Sens team (in the future). I say second line because I don't think White and Norris have top-line potential but are instead better suited for a really good two-way game with mid-end offensive capabilities. And yes, I think Norris gets NHL time this year. Maybe not right away, but at some point in the season Ottawa will start selling off its assets and Norris will be tearing it up in the AHL. Best way to keep Brady happy is to have him playing with his BFF.

2. Drake Batherson - I watched his youtube highlights the other day and really did notice how complete a player he was. So active with his stick, a good forechecker, forces turnovers, and his hockey IQ is quite mature. I imagine he is continuing his off-season training this summer with Marchand, Crosby, and Mackinnon which hopefully means he takes another huge step in his development. I also didn't know he was 6'3" which is pretty big for a guy of his skill-set. I don't expect him to get 1st line minutes like many others this year but instead see him paired with Balcers who he had great chemistry with last season. We may see a reunion of Balcers-Brown-Batherson as our L3 at some point this year, which I think would be an exciting line to watch. I expect him to start with Pageau this season.

3. Anthony Duclair - the guy has skill, the guy has talent, and his NHL life is on the line. With a coach focused on player development, I think Duclair can be a real stud *if* he can stay focused and be consistent. There is no reason he can't hit 20 goals on the year. For those thinking I am crazy, he had 19 last season, 8 of which came in 21 games with Ottawa (without Duchene and Stone). 11 came with Columbus where he was chastised and given virtually no minutes. a 40-50 point season for Duclair (who is 23 years old) is a real possibility, especially if he plays with guys who can feed him the puck, dig pucks out of the corners, and he gets PP time.

4. Christian Wolanin - He's ready for consistent minutes and PP2 time. Paired with Zaitsev, I think we see Wolanin taking a few more offensive risks. Playing with anyone not named Cody Ceci will be beneficial to his on-ice game, and I think Hainsey helps him develop quite a bit off the ice.

5. Rudolfs Balcers - Kind of a weird one, but he looked great at the WHC with team Latvia. I think he makes the team out of camp and shows why he was a key piece in the Karlsson trade. Given a defined role and not playing with Smith or Boedker, we see Balcers have more skill to play with and he responds well to it.

Notable mentions: Brannstrom's development in the AHL, Logan Brown adding some off-season weight to his already massive frame, development of Formenton (boom or bust)

Lines to start the season:

Tkachuk-White-Ryan
Duclair-Anisimov-Brown
Balcers-Pageau-Batherson
Ennis-Tierney-Boedker

Chabot-De Melo
Wolanin-Zaitsev
Hainsey-Jaros
Boro

- Logan Brown comes in to replace Pageau or Tierney (one will be traded)
- Norris comes in to replace Boedker or Ennis (probably Boedker)
- Brannstrom comes in to replace Hainsey or De Melo

You could make a separate thread for this so we could chat about this.

I'd really like the Sens to trade for Pulujarvi. Wouldn't cost much at this point and I think he has a good opportunity to grow with a young core in Ottawa.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I'd really like the Sens to trade for Pulujarvi. Wouldn't cost much at this point and I think he has a good opportunity to grow with a young core in Ottawa.

I have mixed feelings about him. I’m not sure he’s going to be that good and to be honest I’m not sure his attitude is all there.

Mind you the oil are famous for ruining prospects.

The price would have to be pretty low. Like a mid pick, B-prospect or a player that doesn’t fit in our plan.

Send them Boedker.

Boedker and Lajoie. Maybe throw in a 3rd or 4th Rd pick or something

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Boedker and Lajoie.  Maybe throw in a 3rd or 4th Rd pick or something

You definitely don’t need to add any picks to that trade.

This is a player that as it sits today is looking to be a 3rd liner.

I personally would like to hang on to Lajoie another year before deciding what to do with him.

Id do Boedker and Chlapik and ask them to thank me hard for that one.

You think that's all it would take? I doubt it personally, if that was the case, someone would have him already. Maybe even the inept senators could have swung that.

Starts with a 2nd and decent prospect I bet. Edmonton has no reason in the world to trade him for scraps.

PTFlea wrote:You think that's all it would take?  I doubt it personally, if that was the case, someone would have him already.  Maybe even the inept senators could have swung that.

Starts with a 2nd and decent prospect I bet.  Edmonton has no reason in the world to trade him for scraps.

I'm not saying that's all it would take. I'm saying that's all I'd give.

I personally don't think he's anything special. he hasn't done much at the AHL or NHL level. hasn't adjusted well to the NA game.
how much would you pay for a 3rd liner? I admit that there might be some untapped upside still left but it's far from a certainty. personally, I'd pass on him unless we can get rid of someone like Boedker.

Filatov was traded for a 3rd. I see this as a very similar scenario though the market has changed for these types of transactions. Boedker (dump), Lajoie, and a 4th is what I would offer.

JP has size. At worst he can play 3rd/4th line and the Sens are weak at RW. Boedker has no future with the team, and Lajoie is buried behind 3 stud LHD with Tychonik on his heels.