Jared Cowen: Future top 4 dman or just a man bun aficionado? [MOD Warning: Post 393]

[Bileur]

Methot - Karlsson
Boroweicki - Ceci
Cowen - Wideman

I agree with this, it's the best we can do. Ultimately, we need to use Wiercioch as a chip to get a better 2nd pairing left defenseman, even if its only a stopgap.

 

[BrawlFan]

Through 6 games Cowen is averaging 18M a night and is a plus 3

That's top 4 numbers on the third pairing.

 

[Micklebot]

Through 6 games Cowen is averaging 18M a night and is a plus 3

That's top 4 numbers on the third pairing.

He's getting mins because of how much we're on the PK.

His 5v5 toi is 5th on the team, behind Wier, Methot (who missed a game) Ceci and Karlsson. He's got a decent gap over Boro though.

He doesn't really have top 4 TOI, and +/- is really not somehting that should be talked about when trying to identify top 4 numbers...

I do, however, think he's shown enough to up his responsibility.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I think that there is effort being made to bring him along slowly and develop him, coupled with him seeming to realize that he has to get back to basics and develop.

He and the team both though he was better than he was, sooner than he was. Now it looks like everyone is back on track and the proof is in the games he's played.

I'm glad we're not watching him start to play like this consistently on another team.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

You know, if Phillips ever gets healthy this yr then Wiercioch could be back on the chopping block for a top 6 forward. We also have enough depth behind Phillips in Bingo to afford to trade a defenceman this yr. Ottawa also has enough assets to put a package together should the right player become available, if we can put together the right package.

And with Chabot coming next season most think he could play on that 2nd pairing right out of junior, he has already shown he has much better mobility than Wiercioch & is probably as strong. That would likely push Boro to be a 7th D which would give Ottawa a solid defence corps next yr & Englund, Jaros & Harpur should all be in Bingo next season for depth.

The Chabot in wier out thing I can get behind.

The Phillips in wier out thing is no

 

[BrawlFan]

The Chabot in wier out thing I can get behind.

The Phillips in wier out thing is no

Most likely you bump up Cowen and Phillips goes third pairing

 

[operasen]

Through 6 games Cowen is averaging 18M a night and is a plus 3

That's top 4 numbers on the third pairing.

He accomplished a lot more than I had considered he would - I have to give him that.

Still a way to go, but I'd give him Ceci to play alongside at this point. Wiercioch has been less than expected.

Wideman has looked stable. He's earned time as the 3 pair RD. Give him Boro on his LD

 

[Boud]

I'd be all for giving Cowen a shot on the top 4 D because he's earned it more than others but at the same time I wouldn't want to shake his confidence. He's been playing well with Borowiecki and Wideman (last game) and I think it's still a good idea to ease him back in so he gets more and more confident and settles his game a bit. If solely based on play, he'd probably be the one playing with Karlsson but I have no problem with Borowiecki getting that responsibility given that he's probably our most steady LD. We'll see what happens, all that being said, Wiercioch has been very average on the 2nd pair with Ceci but I don't think you can realistically move him from there because if you move Boro and Cowen on the top 4, It leaves Wiercioch to play with Wideman which wouldn't be a good idea IMO.

 

[BonkTastic]

I was thinking about this the other day, and I decided I'd kind of like to see Cowen play another 30 or so games in this "high-end 3rd unit defenceman/1st unit PK" role he has right now.

He's thriving in it. I'm not saying he should never be given more opportunity, far from it... but this is a guy who has been playing with just about zero confidence over the last two years. He's finally playing well, I say you let him jut keep on keeping on until he gets USED to the feeling of suceding in hockey again. Let him get comfortable in his own skin again. Let him enjoy being good at hockey again.

Build that confidence up, THEN see if he thrives with added responsibility. 30 games... hell, maybe even just 20... but give him some space to let his confidence catch up to his play.

 

[BigBush*]

He doesn't need to move up the line up, just slowly give him a few more minutes a night so that he plays around 20 mins a night

 

[BonkTastic]

He doesn't need to move up the line up, just slowly give him a few more minutes a night so that he plays around 20 mins a night

That would probably require moving him up in the lineup to accomplish.


Either that, or we start taking 8-10 minor penalties per game, and play 1/3 of the game on the PK.

 

[BigBush*]

That would probably require moving him up in the lineup to accomplish.


Either that, or we start taking 8-10 minor penalties per game, and play 1/3 of the game on the PK.

I suppose, I'm all for cutting back Weir and Ceci's minutes though.

I'd like to Wideman and Cowen stick together and if they play well (which I think they can), slowly increase their ice time in a few months.

Cowen is a guy I want to take it very very slow with though

 

[playasRus]

Thinking Phillips can even lace them up at this point seems like a stretch isn't it?

 

[BondraTime]

Leave him on the 3rd pair/1st PK for at least 20 games like Bonk said. He is showing ability that looks like it will be able to translate to a higher role, but let him solidify his confidence first.

 

[Micklebot]

I'd start roling out Cowen's pair (be it with Boro or Wideman) equally with Ceci's pair. essentiall have 2 2nd pairs. Whichever is playing better on a given night gets more mins.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

I'd start roling out Cowen's pair (be it with Boro or Wideman) equally with Ceci's pair. essentiall have 2 2nd pairs. Whichever is playing better on a given night gets more mins.

This ^^^.

Wideman looked solid in his debut. Him and Cowen could be Karlsson-Methot lite (ultra-light really at this point). Let them see how good they can get.

Mostly Wier just needs to be stapled to popcorn row for several games at least once Meth comes back.

 

[Sensinitis]

I was thinking about this the other day, and I decided I'd kind of like to see Cowen play another 30 or so games in this "high-end 3rd unit defenceman/1st unit PK" role he has right now.

He's thriving in it. I'm not saying he should never be given more opportunity, far from it... but this is a guy who has been playing with just about zero confidence over the last two years. He's finally playing well, I say you let him jut keep on keeping on until he gets USED to the feeling of suceding in hockey again. Let him get comfortable in his own skin again. Let him enjoy being good at hockey again.

Build that confidence up, THEN see if he thrives with added responsibility. 30 games... hell, maybe even just 20... but give him some space to let his confidence catch up to his play.

Great point.

 

[aragorn]

Through 6 games Cowen is averaging 18M a night and is a plus 3

That's top 4 numbers on the third pairing.

I think Cowen, Ceci & Borweicki have all improved from last season although it is in incremental amounts which basically means slightly better but that's still improving & trending upwards. Wiercioch at this time seems to be the only guy that has regressed but maybe there is something going on with him that we are unaware of.

The Chabot in wier out thing I can get behind.

The Phillips in wier out thing is no

I'm not advocating for Phillips to replace Wiercioch under any circumstances. What I meant was that if Phillips returns Ottawa would again have 8 healthy defencemen & at that point be in a position to move a defenceman like Wiercioch should they want to.

I also don't want to see them move Cowen into the 2nd pairing with Ceci, they have tried this before & it just doesn't work out for him. I like him in that 3rd pairing either with Boro or Wideman who I prefer to play with Cowen & he is having success there. I also like Boro with Ceci, I think they compliment each other as well, in fact the three pairings that IMO compliment each other the best with this team are when they put a defensive defenceman & an offensive defenceman together on each pair.

Methot - Karlsson
Boro - Ceci
Cowen - Wideman/Phillips or Wiercioch as the 7th D for this yr

Next yr:
Methot - Karlsson
Chabot - Ceci
Cowen - Wideman/Boroweicki - who can replace either Chabot or Cowen when required.

 

[operasen]

I was thinking about this the other day, and I decided I'd kind of like to see Cowen play another 30 or so games in this "high-end 3rd unit defenceman/1st unit PK" role he has right now.

He's thriving in it. I'm not saying he should never be given more opportunity, far from it... but this is a guy who has been playing with just about zero confidence over the last two years. He's finally playing well, I say you let him jut keep on keeping on until he gets USED to the feeling of suceding in hockey again. Let him get comfortable in his own skin again. Let him enjoy being good at hockey again.

Build that confidence up, THEN see if he thrives with added responsibility. 30 games... hell, maybe even just 20... but give him some space to let his confidence catch up to his play.

I can see the reasoning, especially with the last few years of issues. Works for me. I like what he did with Wideman, and I'd like to get Ceci a better partner he is not always trying to make sure is going to deliver on the play (Wiercioch).

 

[BondraTime]

I'm not sold on Ceci on the 2nd pairing now either, In a perfect world we would have 2 more top 4 D

Ceci on the 3rd pairing with Cowen and Boro as the 7th is a contending D

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Ceci might be ok on the second pair if Weircioch didn't suck so much

 

[BondraTime]

Ceci might be ok on the second pair if Weircioch didn't suck so much

Ceci hasn't looked good either, the same could be said for Weircioch (I don't believe that, just saying)

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I think Ceci has looked mediocre: he hasn't been great but I don't know if I'd say he's been detrimental (not that he hasn't made glaring mistakes mind you)

Weircioch absolutely has

However it is certainly fair to say that Weircioch would probably be doing better if he was paired with someone more established

But the floor being higher for Ceci is why I chose to focus on him

 

[Cosmix]

He's getting mins because of how much we're on the PK.

His 5v5 toi is 5th on the team, behind Wier, Methot (who missed a game) Ceci and Karlsson. He's got a decent gap over Boro though.

He doesn't really have top 4 TOI, and +/- is really not somehting that should be talked about when trying to identify top 4 numbers...

I do, however, think he's shown enough to up his responsibility.

Very reasonable assessment. I think Cowen has played decently and made a few solid physically tough checks. He is looking better and I hope he keeps playing decently and improves his game. His skating seems to have improved a bit.

 

[Cosmix]

The Chabot in wier out thing I can get behind.

The Phillips in wier out thing is no

I prefer Wircioch in over Phillips. It's time to retire.