Sens strategy and tactics - Lets talk hockey for once!

[Chauncey]

Week 1 - 7 man defence rotation - Tampa Bay used a 7 man defence rotation to good effect during the SCP. Specialist skills could be used for break-outs; 5 on 3; power plays. Would you dress 7 defencemen? and how would you use them. Could you use it to bring in a Wideman in special circumstances or bring along Claesson?

Week 2 - The Sens use a breakout that invariably uses an initial pass to in front of the net with a 3 man breakout. It seems to work (mostly except for untimely giveaways) to get the trap to dissolve. How else would you use this strategy? How else would you get speed through the neutral zone? Would you use a dump and chase (which some teams use but I think the Sens believe their speed and positioning will help them gain possession. What other strategies have you seen used to good effect that the Sens could benefit from?

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[benjiv1]

I'd be fine with the 7 man D rotation, especially when you consider the number of D we have under contract.

Also, depending on who we have on the 4th line, it might give someone like Lazar a little more icetime.

The main thing I would like the team to change (whoch hopefully will happen with the new assistant coach), is to switch PP1 to a rotating umbrella.

Turris
Stone
Zibanejad Hoffman
Karlsson

Depending on how you have it rotate, you have Mika, Hoff or Karlsson launching bombs from the point.

 

[Chauncey]

I think you can also leverage additional flexibility on the forward lines such as 5 on 4 situations (4 sets of wingers and 3 sets of centres) or some other variant. With 7 d you can have a distributor and shooter and, as you suggest, have a defenceman (distributor) on the half-wall. You could move a Wideman into a powerplay situation and I think Cowen and Wiercioch could be used more effectively (Cowan could skip a shift after shorthanded situation and Wiercioch could be used in a designed breakout. Much as you see forwards (Malhotra comes to mind) being used in a specialty situation and then come off the ice, you could use your 7 d rotation to the same effect

 

[SpezDispenser]

I think you can also leverage additional flexibility on the forward lines such as 5 on 4 situations (4 sets of wingers and 3 sets of centres) or some other variant. With 7 d you can have a distributor and shooter and, as you suggest, have a defenceman (distributor) on the half-wall. You could move a Wideman into a powerplay situation and I think Cowen and Wiercioch could be used more effectively (Cowan could skip a shift after shorthanded situation and Wiercioch could be used in a designed breakout. Much as you see forwards (Malhotra comes to mind) being used in a specialty situation and then come off the ice, you could use your 7 d rotation to the same effect

I doubt Cameron would switch to 4 sets of wingers and 3 Cs until late in the game. We have depth, we might as well use it. If nothing else, I think he'll want Smith and Neil to really soften up opponent's D for the top 9. Get in there and forecheck the heck out of teams.

 

[Chauncey]

I doubt Cameron would switch to 4 sets of wingers and 3 Cs until late in the game. We have depth, we might as well use it. If nothing else, I think he'll want Smith and Neil to really soften up opponent's D for the top 9. Get in there and forecheck the heck out of teams.

But if you are dressing 7 defencemen, you are only dressing 11 forwards

 

[God Says No]

But if you are dressing 7 defencemen, you are only dressing 11 forwards

Yeah, I never like the 7 D setup. You only do that if you have a real weak bottom 6. I don't think the Sens fall into this category.

 

[Busboy]

I like the 7D rotation, especially if it means we can keep Boro in the lineup to PK and wreak some havoc when needed.

Methot - Karlsson
Wiercioch - Ceci
Cowen - Wideman
Borowiecki

Would obviously be best on nights where Neil isn't in the lineup.

 

[SpezDispenser]

But if you are dressing 7 defencemen, you are only dressing 11 forwards

No need to dress 7 D-men the more I think about it. I'd rather have the 12 forwards.

 

[Busboy]

No need to dress 7 D-men the more I think about it. I'd rather have the 12 forwards.

I think there's a bit more value in the setup when you're in the playoffs. The long OT periods are more gruelling for D and as the game wears on coaches are wary of putting out their 11th and 12th best forwards.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I think there's a bit more value in the setup when you're in the playoffs. The long OT periods are more gruelling for D and as the game wears on coaches are wary of putting out their 11th and 12th best forwards.

True, playoff hockey is indeed a different animal.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Our bottom 6 was one of the biggest reasons as to why we lost to Montreal in the playoffs

8 D is a must for us when it comes to crunch time

 

[aragorn]

Hummm 7 D???

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Hoffman - Zibanejad - Stone
Puempel - Lazar - Michalek
Cowen - Z. Smith - Chiasson/Neil

Methot - Karlsson
Wiercioch - Ceci
Boroweicki - Wideman/Phillips

Anderson - Hammond

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Dump and chase ... vs... Possession Team.

I like to use the system that complements the players. On the Sens, the top 2 lines for sure and the 3rd line (depending on personnel) can play a possession game where they do not give the puck up as you do in a dump and chase. I would make the 4th line play dump and chase. You could have 2 lines playing possession and 2 playing dump and chase. Forechecking on lost possession in the offensive zone can use essentially the same forechecking system you do on a dump and chase.

Dump and chase is easier to implement and can be very effective with the right forechecking (5 man system). Because of your lineup and/or makeup your team it can be more effective maintaining speed and knowing that the puck will be dumped around the net or chipped to a corner. The first forward in goes hard to the puck and plays the man (defender chasing as well) the second forward comes to gain control... As the puck moves from one corner to the other the forecheck rotates so the closest man can attack the puck as above followed by the 2nd closest supporting to gain control.

 

[BigBush*]

One things for sure, we ain't going anywhere with a less then 20th ranked powerplay

Wait not sure if this is the right thread to discuss our brutal PP

 

[topshelf15]

One things for sure, we ain't going anywhere with a less then 20th ranked powerplay

Wait not sure if this is the right thread to discuss our brutal PP

We need a decent left shot option on the point for sure

 

[tony d]

We need a decent left shot option on the point for sure

Indeed, to bad we're not a money spender because Christian Ehrhoff is a left shot and he's still available as a free agent.

 

[Sens Rule]

If we went with 7 D... Which could bring a great deal of positives with Wideman and Boro both out there every game... We would also need to roll 4 lines... A strength we have that wouldn't be great to give up.

You could double shift in rotation several players to play a 4th line when there has been no special teams action for awhile during the game. That is what they did back in the 80's where an Yzerman or Gretzky would just double shift with a bottom unit. Of course star forwards could play 25/26 minutes back then.

I would stack the top line.

Ryan Turris Stone... Play them with Karlsson Methot almost all the time. Play them on the PP. Play them (minus Ryan) as the 2nd or 3rd unit PK as well. If we killed penalties recently Ryan gets the shift on the "4th line".

2nd unit is MacArthur Zibanejad Michalek. You try to get them out vs a weaker line of the other team. If you do you go Cowen-Wideman or Wiercioch-Ceci and try to take advantage of the matchups. Anyone of them can be played on the "4th line" when needed.

3rd line is a constant Unit and also the 1st PK unit. Hoffman Pageau Lazar. They can skate, defend, play with any 2 defencemen. Hoffman is regularly on the "4th line" when Pageau-Lazar kill penalties as 1st PK unit.
4th line is Prince-Puempel whomever. Both players could move up and play either Wing position when needed. They are highly skilled players and can be difference makers. The issue is faceoffs when a centre is not moved to the "4th line" for a shift. Hoffman used to be a centre, he can work on his faceoffs. Stone could be a good faceoff guy. Prince or Puempel might be able to be at least decent. Lazar is already a proven NHL faceoff guy as a rookie with about 49%.

So you basically only dress talent and get your banger/fighter in the lineup all the time. Get a puckmover in Wideman in to every game... But can shelter him. Allows guys like Hoffman and Ryan to get closer to the 20 minutes in icetime Turris and Stone get.

It could make sense... I doubt they do that... But Tampa did. Tampa probably doesn't want to have to do that this year... It is why they signed Condra. So there is that.