Ottawa Senators : Darkest Hour

[Adrianopolous]

Has it ever been worse than this? I've been a fan since 2002, and I don't think i've seen anything quite like this.. Even for other teams.

Click to read more...

 

[jbeck5]

Has it ever been worse than this? I've been a fan since 2002, and I don't think i've seen anything quite like this.. Even for other teams.

Yes and no. We've had worse teams for sure...but back then we had more hope for future.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Not even close.

This is the first time I’ve felt that the team was completely hopeless. I don’t even know where we go from here.

Even good news is overshadowed by Melnyk. We will never win the Cup as long as he owns the team.

 

[Daffy]

Is Melnyk cutting all this payroll to help pay for the new arena or something?

Btw I've never seen a team intentionally tank a season away with no 1st round pick. Truly mind blowing lol

 

[SENSational]

Feels like the organization is on the brink. Only thing worse would be a confirmation that the team is being relocated...which honestly wouldn't surprise me if it happens after Melnyk sees the fan reaction of a Karlsson trade.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

It's bad, but it could be way worse.

 

[Langdon Alger]

It's bad, but it could be way worse.

How is that?

 

[Adele Dazeem]

How is that?

We could be Buffalo or Arizona or Florida or have no team...

 

[Spezza]

Alfie loss was a real gut wrencher, but the org went out and got Ryan so had hope at the time. No hope with a Karlsson trade. Ownership has broken covenant with fans, by burning bridges with generational player and providing no hope.

In a cap system, we really should have been going for it this year and next.

 

[Beville]

I’ve been a fan since Hasek came; so 05/06? And even the year we first missed the playoffs I didn’t feel as frustrated as I do with the team right now.

It’s just embarrassing, and Melnyk seems to pipe up even more than he did back then.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

No. It hasn't.

Been a fan since 95.

 

[DrEasy]

Alfie loss was a real gut wrencher, but the org went out and got Ryan so had hope at the time. No hope with a Karlsson trade. Ownership has broken covenant with fans, by burning bridges with generational player and providing no hope.

In a cap system, we really should have been going for it this year and next.

With the surplus value we had in the Karlsson and Anderson contracts we definitely had a good situation. But we didn't surround them with enough skill (but lots of intangibles!), we kept hiring bad coaches, injuries to key players didn't help, we didn't spend to the cap and were probably unable to attract the players we wanted to Ottawa. Major opportunity missed.

Now with Anderson signed basically to a FA contract and vastly underperforming it, Karlsson recovering from his injury and approaching free agency, bad contracts and dark clouds over the org, there's not much room for hope, even though we still probably have a tiny window of contention next year with Karlsson and Duchene still under reasonable contracts.

I'm not sure signing Karlsson to $12M+/yr is going to deliver much surplus value, and so at this point I'd be ok with a major rebuild with the next wave of talent (Chabot, Brown, Batherson, and whatever we draft), but can we trust the same org that squandered our current window to do a good job rebuilding?

 

[bert]

We could be Buffalo or Arizona or Florida or have no team...

Those teams all have more hope than Ottawa lol. The sens are rebuilding without our first round pick and are selling assets for money. Ottawa has actually been worse than those two teams since the 12 game mark of the season with Karlsson. Its not getting any better.

 

[Langdon Alger]

No. It hasn't.

Been a fan since 95.

No one expected us to be good in 95. Hell, I Dave Sparky Allison was the coach then. Expectations were low.

 

[Sensung]

Feels like the organization is on the brink. Only thing worse would be a confirmation that the team is being relocated...which honestly wouldn't surprise me if it happens after Melnyk sees the fan reaction of a Karlsson trade.

Ottawa will have an NHL team in Lebreton.

If Melnyk moves the team another group, with deep pockets is ready and willing to step up.

 

[Xspyrit]

lol the drama of this board is quite amusing to be honest

All that happened yet is :

- cup-of-coffee player Gabriel Dumont picked up off waivers, acquired off waivers in the first place

- 28 y/o Chris Didomenico who played in Europe mostly has been traded for 23 y/o Ville Pokka, D-man with good potential not long ago

- Dion Phaneuf heavy contract dumped for a cheaper contract, and a swap of 4th line centers, acquiring Nick Shore, younger, cheaper and better at this point

- Derrick Brassard, 31 y/o next training camp, traded for a goalie with star potential, a late 1st and a solid #5 D-man on a Cup champion team (who will then be flipped for a decent asset or 2)

Nothing dramatic happened outside of the fact that Ottawa is a very weak hockey market. That’s what Sens fans should be worried about. The only thing that is going to save this team from another relocation is the arena downtown. Well hopefully, because would it be enough if the Sens were to suck for years like the Leafs or Oilers did/do for example?

You can blame the GM all you want, but the GM is executing orders, which is saving money all the time. I am really not a Dorion fan but he has a tougher job that most other GMs with a lower budget and salary restrictions when trading. Of course, the trades would look better on paper if he was the one burning money in the process

You can blame the owner all you want, but a business has to be profitable after all. Didn’t he save the franchise from Bankrupt in the first place? I really don’t think he’s likeable as a person but as a businessman I really don’t see why he should sacrifice his own wealth for the good of people insulting him left and right?

When you can’t fill up a Canadian arena in the playoffs, that’s what is really dramatic here and to the owner, it had to be very alarming considering how good that season was for the lower budget small market Sens

I think his plan is to sell once the new arena is underway (or almost done) and cash in on the initial investment. Hopefully it’s a wealthier group acquiring the team (and will support the team financially in tough years) but don’t be surprised if they eventually threaten for relocation if the business is not more profitable, particularly after a heavy investment with an arena downtown

Now I think some people should really take a break from this, and come back a bit more relaxed. The insults left and right are hilariously ridiculous

 

[BigCanadian]

Btw I've never seen a team intentionally tank a season away with no 1st round pick. Truly mind blowing lol

Just a reminder, we do have our first round pick this year (if we want it). We simply do not have both this year's and next year's. We have one of them. It is our choice as to which one we give to COL so long as we are picking in the top 10 this year, which we will be.

The concern is next year IMO. This rebuild is not going to be good for next year's pick and it looks like that pick could be a lottery pick, if the rumours are true and we move Karlsson and go full rebuild.

 

[Xspyrit]

Alfie loss was a real gut wrencher, but the org went out and got Ryan so had hope at the time. No hope with a Karlsson trade. Ownership has broken covenant with fans, by burning bridges with generational player and providing no hope.

In a cap system, we really should have been going for it this year and next.

We don’t know yet. The team has several high end players still young enough in the current lineup and a deep prospects pool with quality prospects. They also have a high end pick in the upcoming draft and could possibly draft a Zadina, Svechnikov, Tkachuk, Boqvist, Hugues or Wahlstrom. They are also cumulating more draft picks and prospects by dealing older assets

If they were to really trade Erik Karlsson, they could get a really nice return, positioning them nicely for a quick retool. Hopefully Karlsson doesn’t want to leave and wants to be part of the solution but he has to be back to form, because let’s be honest, he’s a major reason why the Sens struggled this season.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

I wonder if the Habs forum has sunk this... low.

 

[Sensung]

lol the drama of this board is quite amusing to be honest

All that happened yet is :

What a clueless post.

The market is strong but is rejecting this owner.

Melnyk's wealth has gone up by the franchise he bought for 100M being worth 600M today.

His properties in Ottawa generate a positive revenue stream, but his debt position is the problem.

Virtually all professional sports owners operate the franchise itself at a loss, but increase their wealth as the asset appreciates value.

 

[harrisb]

What a clueless post.

The market is strong but is rejecting this owner.

Melnyk's wealth has gone up by the franchise he bought for 100M being worth 600M today.

His properties in Ottawa generate a positive revenue stream, but his debt position is the problem.

Virtually all professional sports owners operate the franchise itself at a loss, but increase their wealth as the asset appreciates value.

You forgot that we sell draft picks for cash while in rebuilding mode

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

lol the drama of this board is quite amusing to be honest

All that happened yet is :

- cup-of-coffee player Gabriel Dumont picked up off waivers, acquired off waivers in the first place

- 28 y/o Chris Didomenico who played in Europe mostly has been traded for 23 y/o Ville Pokka, D-man with good potential not long ago

- Dion Phaneuf heavy contract dumped for a cheaper contract, and a swap of 4th line centers, acquiring Nick Shore, younger, cheaper and better at this point

- Derrick Brassard, 31 y/o next training camp, traded for a goalie with star potential, a late 1st and a solid #5 D-man on a Cup champion team (who will then be flipped for a decent asset or 2)

Nothing dramatic happened outside of the fact that Ottawa is a very weak hockey market. That’s what Sens fans should be worried about. The only thing that is going to save this team from another relocation is the arena downtown. Well hopefully, because would it be enough if the Sens were to suck for years like the Leafs or Oilers did/do for example?

You can blame the GM all you want, but the GM is executing orders, which is saving money all the time. I am really not a Dorion fan but he has a tougher job that most other GMs with a lower budget and salary restrictions when trading. Of course, the trades would look better on paper if he was the one burning money in the process

You can blame the owner all you want, but a business has to be profitable after all. Didn’t he save the franchise from Bankrupt in the first place? I really don’t think he’s likeable as a person but as a businessman I really don’t see why he should sacrifice his own wealth for the good of people insulting him left and right?

When you can’t fill up a Canadian arena in the playoffs, that’s what is really dramatic here and to the owner, it had to be very alarming considering how good that season was for the lower budget small market Sens

I think his plan is to sell once the new arena is underway (or almost done) and cash in on the initial investment. Hopefully it’s a wealthier group acquiring the team (and will support the team financially in tough years) but don’t be surprised if they eventually threaten for relocation if the business is not more profitable, particularly after a heavy investment with an arena downtown

Now I think some people should really take a break from this, and come back a bit more relaxed. The insults left and right are hilariously ridiculous

Holy shit! Someone who has a level head still.

The MLSE media has got most people on here so fired up about pure speculation.

Relax. If Karlsson does get traded, (I doubt it still) it would be a huge risk, though it may be very beneficial for the club to move forward.

You never know. Maybe King Karl does not like playing for this team because of some hater fans being so negative.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Holy ****! Someone who has a level head still.

The MLSE media has got most people on here so fired up about pure speculation.

Relax. If Karlsson does get traded, (I doubt it still) it would be a huge risk, though it may be very beneficial for the club to move forward.

You never know. Maybe King Karl does not like playing for this team because of some hater fans being so negative.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

What a clueless post.

The market is strong but is rejecting this owner.

Melnyk's wealth has gone up by the franchise he bought for 100M being worth 600M today.

His properties in Ottawa generate a positive revenue stream, but his debt position is the problem.

Virtually all professional sports owners operate the franchise itself at a loss, but increase their wealth as the asset appreciates value.

You're responding to the poster who desperately wants to cheer for the Quebec City Senators/Nordiques. Of course he's going to pile on with the "bad market" bullshit. Pay him no mind.



As for the question OP, you should've seen how horrible our first season was. All our hopes were pinned on finishing last (not hard to do) and selecting.....Alexandre Daigle over Chris freakin' Pronger. That was a rough few years. Then the bankruptcy, and uncertainty. Losing to f***ing Toronto every playoffs with a stacked roster....

 

[BLONG7]

I wonder if the Habs forum has sunk this... low.

Yes..........Bergevin is a clown, and is ruining the team, and that's with an owner who refuses to get involved..no win situations in both cities right now...