Confirmed with Link: Matt O'Connor signs with Sens

[Vesa Awesaka]

Apologies if this has been referenced already, but this signing is a pretty nice "get stuffed" moment for everyone saying that free agents don't like signing in Ottawa. We've done just fine on that front recently even if O'Connor had gone elsewhere, but to have a sought after free agent goalie, and an American kid to boot, choose us over many other competing cities should put an end to that nonsense.

He's from Toronto. Ottawa is closest to home.

It not like Ottawa does poor when it comes to attracting College UFAs. Seems to be a strength of Murray's to convince kids they can get an opportunity in ottawa.


O'Connor shouldnt make Lehner expendable. Lehner is a much better young goalie. If Lehner is moved because O'Connor i think its about more then just lehner's one meh year and one terrible year.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Why would Lehner be moved because of O'connor?

Lehner doesn't play in the AHL

 

[MainDotC]

If he's such a highly touted prospect why doesn't he enter the draft?

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Why would Lehner be moved because of O'connor?

Lehner doesn't play in the AHL

BM said to O'Connor he will trade a goalie if he signs.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

If he's such a highly touted prospect why doesn't he enter the draft?

hes 23. plus why would any player want to enter the draft? They would want to choose their own team

 

[BonkTastic]

If he's such a highly touted prospect why doesn't he enter the draft?

Because he is not draft-eligible.

hes 23.

... not draft eligible for this reason.

 

[MainDotC]

I wasn't aware age had anything to do with draft eligibility. Thanks for explaining.

 

[BonkTastic]

BM said to O'Connor he will trade a goalie if he signs.

The thing here is that we don't know WHEN Murray promised he'd move a goalie by.

If O'Connor is going to spend the year in the AHL, it doesn't force us to make a move until next offseason, at the earliest.


... of course, if we re-sign Hammond, then I'd say the writing is on the wall for Lehner. 3 NHL goalies + a clear-cut guy in OC as the starter in Bingo = someone's gettin' traded.

 

[Ski]

The thing here is that we don't know WHEN Murray promised he'd move a goalie by.

If O'Connor is going to spend the year in the AHL, it doesn't force us to make a move until next offseason, at the earliest.


... of course, if we re-sign Hammond, then I'd say the writing is on the wall for Lehner. 3 NHL goalies + a clear-cut guy in OC as the starter in Bingo = someone's gettin' traded.

Exactly.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

people really need to make sure they keep their expectations in check. He's an good-ok goalie prospect. Not a top one. Sean Maguire put up the same numbers O'Connor did at BU before he took a year off.

I just have a feeling were going to see him higher then he should be on the prospect chart lol kinda like what happened with Guptill

 

[God Says No]

Yeah, I don't think we hit a jackpot by any means. I think it'd be foolish to bank on both Hammond and O'Connor. I'm hoping next year Lehner is still with this team, even though I do agree he has not progressed at all in his development.

 

[Tee Lo]

Are there any teams with better goalie depth than us now?

Anderson - Lehner/Hammond | O'Connor - Driedger | Högberg

Maybe Boston with Rask, Svedberg, M. Subban, and McIntyre... but McIntyre might leave though.

 

[TheNewEra]

people really need to make sure they keep their expectations in check. He's an good-ok goalie prospect. Not a top one. Sean Maguire put up the same numbers O'Connor did at BU before he took a year off.

I just have a feeling where going to see him higher then he should be on the prospect chart lol kinda like what happened with Guptill

People are a bit excited with a free spec. I'm just happy we got a goalie spec who is now the best goalie spec in our system.

Maybe we got a Kevin Hayes on our hands

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Are there any teams with better goalie depth than us now?

Anderson - Lehner/Hammond | O'Connor - Driedger | Högberg

Maybe Boston with Rask, Svedberg, M. Subban, and McIntyre... but McIntyre might leave though.

Pittsburgh

Fleury-idk Greiss/Zatkoff? l Murray-Jarry l Maguire

Murray is a stud.

 

[Ski]

people really need to make sure they keep their expectations in check. He's an good-ok goalie prospect. Not a top one. Sean Maguire put up the same numbers O'Connor did at BU before he took a year off.

I just have a feeling were going to see him higher then he should be on the prospect chart lol kinda like what happened with Guptill

Guptill is a major bust.

That out of the way, I can't offer anymore opinion's other than what has been posted until I see him in live action.

I can surely speculate and have at S7S, but don't know yet.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

People are a bit excited with a free spec. I'm just happy we got a goalie spec who is now the best goalie spec in our system.

Maybe we got a Kevin Hayes on our hands

Remains to be seen, Hogberg is doing very, very well in SHL.

 

[Tee Lo]

Pittsburgh

Fleury-idk Greiss/Zatkoff? l Murray-Jarry l Maguire

Murray is a stud.

Matt Murray reminds me a lot of Lehner. Big guy who's wrecking it up in the AHL.
I think if we keep Lehner instead of Hammond, our depth is slightly better because we're a bit younger. But yeah it's close. Hopefully O'Connor delivers amidst all the hype.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Matt Murray reminds me a lot of Lehner. Big guy who's wrecking it up in the AHL.
I think if we keep Lehner instead of Hammond, our depth is slightly better because we're a bit younger. But yeah it's close. Hopefully O'Connor delivers amidst all the hype.

Lehner's best AHL season was when he had a .938 save percentage through 38 games. His back up Lawson also had a 938 save percentage well bishop had a .928 save percentage.

Murray had a .941 save percentage through 40 games. His back up has a .910 save percentage.


Thats a crazy difference and his back up or a guess split starter is an ahl veteran who's consistently had decent- good numbers.

Not trying to down play lehner but its crazy how big an impact Murray must have as opposed to any other goalie

Murray has had 12 shutouts in 40 games.

 

[Tnouc Alucard]

I just don't understand why so many people are assuming that Lehner is going to be traded just because O'Connor has been signed.

Why would the organization just ship out a young goaltender that they've been developing since he was drafted in 2009.

He lead Binghamton to the Calder Cup and was the Recipient of the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, the AHLs Playoff "Most Valuable Player" award in 2011.

That feat has only been done twice by a goaltender in AHL history (the other was Carey Price), and now at the NHL level, he's played a grand total of 86 games over 5 seasons.

Why in the world would they give up on Lehner now?

Matt O'Connor is a couple of seasons away from the NHL, and By then Lehner should be the starter at the age of 25 or so.

 

[topshelf15]

I just don't understand why so many people are assuming that Lehner is going to be traded just because O'Connor has been signed.

Why would the organization just ship out a young goaltender that they've been developing since he was drafted in 2009.

He lead Binghamton to the Calder Cup and was the Recipient of the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, the AHLs Playoff "Most Valuable Player" award in 2011.

That feat has only been done twice by a goaltender in AHL history (the other was Carey Price), and now at the NHL level, he's played a grand total of 86 games over 5 seasons.

Why in the world would they give up on Lehner now?

Matt O'Connor is a couple of seasons away from the NHL, and By then Lehner should be the starter at the age of 25 or so.

Add to this we still dont know what Lehner,s status is injury wise.We signed a prospect goalie ,and little else to this point .He is far away from being Lehner atm

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Lehner's progression has stalled and I don't think it's far fetched to claim there may be a clash between him and the rest of the roster considering how much of a turnaround it was once he was out for the season

Both issues can be addressed and fixed but if we retain Hammond then expect Lehner to get shipped out unless his concussions symptoms are still an issue. O'Connor is going to be in the AHL so he's no threat to Lehner, Hammond will be though

 

[Icelevel]

http://senators.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=39660

little interview

On attending the Sens Development Camp in 2011:

I think that was a great way for me to get a taste of the organization at a young age. It is a little serendipity as Ottawa was the first team to see some NHL potential in me. That year I was playing juniors and Central Scouting had ranked me but I wasn't ranked really high. Ottawa showed some interest and I got to experience that. It was great for my development, even for that small week that I was there. That's what I think is one of the strong points of the Ottawa Senators; player development.

On where he anticipates playing next season:

As a goalie, you need time to develop in the pro game so I would definitely picture myself in Binghamton. I'm not one to come in to an organization and demand games or expect promises because the bottom line is it's about stopping the puck. I think I can develop a lot in the American League and that's a big opportunity for me. As a goalie, you want to go when you're ready and I've got a tow year window to develop in to the best goalie I can be.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

The kid is definitely saying all the right things. That's a good start.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

The fact that he acknowledged that he wasn't the kind of guy to demand starts and seems to understand that he needs to develop is always nice

Already he's more mature than Lehner

 

[BonkTastic]

http://senators.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=39660

little interview

I love everything this kid says.

Attitude: A+



Also:

On working with Sens goalie coach Rick Wamsley:

I'm a big goalie and I always need to get quicker moving laterally. I think my game really improves working with a good strength coach as well but Rick Wamsley will work me hard. He's a good, hard-nosed guy that's going to develop my game as a goalie in a lot of aspects like playing the puck, positioning and playing a bit more of an aggressive style. I know when I spoke to him after a game that he came down to see me in Vermont, he said he liked my aggressive style and compared it to Ben Bishop.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees a crap-ton of Ben Bishop in this kid. Super similar styles, OC needs to work on some things for sure (for instance - he under-commits on his glove hand because he has a good glove hand and likes to flash it, Patrick Roy style - he needs to just set up properly and not show the whole left side of the net for the shooters, because he's not going to get them all), but otherwise he's so much like Bishop.