#1 Priority

[QuietOnTheFront]

I think defence is still that major area of concern.. We have little to no depth at that position due to the injury to Cowen and Lundin. We could use another top 4 defenseman. Although those come at a premium, a stop gap would be a fringe top 4 guy.. Maybe a 5th defenseman would be suffice for this season.

In terms of the draft, I think we have solid prospect depth at all positions after the last 2 to 4 drafts. Management should select BPA going forward as the organization is pretty solid.

 

[ZekeA]

I would say a top 4 D-man

I would say a top 4 D-man is what Ottawa needs now with Cowen out for the year. Only trouble is a lot of teams could use a top 4 D-man. We would have to pay through the nose for a top 4 D-man. Perhaps we could pick up a top 6 blueliner for a lot less. Problem there is I love to keep all my picks and prospects I am greedy that way...

As I have always said you can NEVER have enough depth on the Blue line, this yr that statement is as true as it ever was.......

 

[tony d]

Upgrade the defense.

 

[Altimus]

Don't touch the arena. Bigger highway sooner is needed.

 

[Mercurial]

Short term, defence. Long-term, top-6 forwards.

Pretty much this, though with Cowen back our D gets a big upgrade. Really missing a true sniper on Spezza's wing, maybe Silferberg, maybe need to go out and make a trade.

 

[Xspyrit]

1- Karlsson (elite #1)
2- Gonchar (average #2, still very good offensively)
3- Cowen (young but potential to be much more)
4- Methot (above average #4 defensively and physically, underrated offensively)
5- Phillips (Good #5 with lots of experience and leadership)
5- Lundin (Excellent 3rd pair D-man)
6- Borowiecki
6- Wiercioch
6- Benoit
6- Gryba


We're fine... Oops, Cowen is injured

So for now, Methot is our #3 but that creates another hole at #4... Phillips isn't in his prime anymore so it's hard to ask him to play that role (2nd pair vs better forwards)... but who knows? Maybe he'll surprise us as the season move along

Once Lundin is back, I think we'll be fine but we need Borowiecki and Wiercioch to play bigger roles and grow as NHL players. Benoit is cool and everything but IMO he takes ice-time of the 2 younger guys... We don't need to develop Benoit.


If we were to acquire a Defenseman, might as well use Vikstrand, Wiercioch or Ceci going the other way cause there will be a logjam at some point in the near future (we develop too many NHL players lol). On top of the 10 guys in the list above, there's still guys like Vikstrand, Ceci, Claesson, Blood, Wideman, Sdao, Boyle, etc developping... But we'll probably lose Gonchar, benoit and Lundin in the off-season though

 

[Hale The Villain]

Defense will be our strong point in the future

Karlsson, Cowen, Methot already excelling in the NHL
Wiercioch, Borowiecki nearing full-time NHL duty
Ceci, Wikstrand, Claesson, Sdao are guys with potential, but a few years away

A glaring need for this team going forward is another top line scoring threat. I'm hoping we can fill that position within the organization (Silf, Zbad, Stone) but that's probably an optimistic projection.

 

[dan1el]

But don't forget, we lost Fisher and still have JOB.

Good point, but Karlsson, Turris and Silfverberg are three of the finest lookin lads in the game. I really think Murray should add a couple of ugly guys, we are pretty good looking.

 

[Icelevel]

82% say upgrade the defence

we are second in the league in goals against.

at the same time our top 6 show no chemistry and can't score. at all.

 

[Dysentery]

82% say upgrade the defence

we are second in the league in goals against.

at the same time our top 6 show no chemistry and can't score. at all.

But our offence starts/comes from the back end...Therefore upgrade the defence.

 

[Iamok]

The problem is still the defence. We played with 3 legit NHL d-men yesterday. It's also clear as day that the forwards are forced to play more defensively, as opposed to last year, in order to compensate.

 

[Icelevel]

The problem is still the defence. We played with 3 legit NHL d-men yesterday. It's also clear as day that the forwards are forced to play more defensively, as opposed to last year, in order to compensate.

we lost the game 2-1. 2 goals.
karlsson is on the ice for half the game (32 mins)

you won't find a better puck moving dman than karlsson.

shots were 33-32. we outshot them

 

[CanadianHockey]

On paper, with everyone in the lineup, we're still weaker on the blueline than up front, IMO, but not by much.

Blueline currently has a 1D, a potential 2D who's done for the year, a 3/4D, another 3/4D who's likely gone at the end of the season, a 4/5D, and a 5/6 guy (injured). Then some prospects and journeymen who are filling in.

Up front, a 1C who's out for two months, a 2C, and a 3C. A 1/2W, a 2W, and several future ~2Ws. Then a bunch of depth players.

Really boils down to what you think we need more, another top-2/4 D, or another top line winger.

 

[Icelevel]

that's the point. why consider "on paper" over the real team performance?

on paper it looks like we need defence yet we have the second lowest goals against and compared to some teams half the goals against. that's because on paper you don't notice that andy makes up for all the defensive deficiencies.

andy can't score goals for us though.

 

[McClelland]

Keeping EK healthy!

 

[guyzeur]

Clearly we're weak in the 4th and 5th goaltender category.

2nd round pick?

Bigger than Greening?

less "patients", more patience. We always have too many patients (see Regin and Leclaire for proof)

Arena location. If I could pick one thing to be fixed, that would be it.

Good point, but Karlsson, Turris and Silfverberg are three of the finest lookin lads in the game. I really think Murray should add a couple of ugly guys, we are pretty good looking.

Lots of good suggestions in this thread

 

[Wondercarrot]

We need a top line winger and a top 3 defenceman.


karlsson and Methot is obviously going to stay.
Cowen and ?
Phillips (then replaced by Boro)/ Weircoch

 

[harvey]

We are still rebuilding.
We will have TONS of cap space next year.

 

[topshelf15]

Corey Perry and a healthy cowen next year,let our kids get some on the job nhl training this season.We will better for it next season