Well, last years team and the state of our current team is the reason I'm predicting such a bad result.
Yeah that season being 48 games helped us out immensely.
Let's forget the 10 year aspect, The Sens are going into this season with the worst D core in the league.
I don't know, expecting Wolanin to be a top 4 D this year, let alone a #2, is a bit far fetched to me.
Here's hoping, would go a long way.
Of course that's a bit unfair to any rookie unless your name is Dahlin to be a top-6 or top-4 right away, but that's the situation they put themselves in by not spending and "forcing" a rebuild. If you have your first round pick and the next draft is said to be good, the risk with doing that is mitigated BUT it is not the case here. Knowing Melnyk, Dorion should have known that his boss could decide to do what we are actually witnessing if the team failed last year. That is why he should have never traded his first knowing that it's very possible with Melnyk.
So going full rebuild right now serves no purpose except saving money on salary expenditure. Speaking of which, if you count that Pageau will be out for months, the team salary expenditure is roughly 60 M$, same as the struggling Coyotes and the rebuilding Devils, or Hurricanes which should be higher next year. But the sad thing is Melnyk can say that they're spending 70 M$ as it is the actual cap. Not everyone will know the difference...
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Finally, Habs are without Weber right now (even when he was playing, he is really not who he used to be) and are going with :
Mete (their poor's man and smaller Chabot)
Petry (their Ceci but can be good offensively)
Alzner (their Harpur but way overpaid and overplayed)
Schlemko (their DeMelo, but it remains to be seen who is better lol)
Jordie Benn (their Boro but not as physical and much slower)
Mike Rieilly (their Wolanin I guess but IMO Christian will be better)
I guess Weber is much better than Wideman when healthy but he hasn't been in a while and is having his career derailed ala Bobby Ryan. Xavier Ouellet should be their other D-man for now.
Wolanin is no where near being ready to fill a #2 or 3 spot.
I feel pretty confident our defensive results will get worse from last year. If we dont have a least a -80 goal differential, I'll be shocked.
Well, the only thing we can do is wait and see. I'm not expecting miracles but the problem is they need everybody is 1 or 2 spots above where they should be.
Chabot needs to be a #1
Ceci needs to be a #2 or #3
Wolanin needs to be a #2 or #3
Borowiecki needs to be a #4 or #5
Wideman needs to be a #4 or #5
Harpur and DeMelo filling the rest. The only player I see being able to do what will be asked of him is Chris Wideman.