Pre-Game Talk: The Wild invade Ottawa, Tues. 7:00 pm on TSN

[Langdon Alger]

Honestly, they are not terrible. They are just weak willed. I am quite disappointed with Duchene, I was expecting more for what we traded to get him. If he walks away from Ottawa I am going to troll him on Twitter for a year.

He could always just block you.

 

[DylanSensFan]

He could always just block you.

He could, but I doubt he will block the others Ottawa fans annoyed by him.

 

[BigRig4]

I really never cared about physical play and think it's vastly overrated, but even by my standards... watching this season I can't get over how soft this team is.

 

[Langdon Alger]

I really never cared about physical play and think it's vastly overrated, but even by my standards... watching this season I can't get over how soft this team is.

They’re like buttah. Soft as buttah.

 

[Beville]

Let’s take a moment, to celebrate what had become...

A 2 game winning streak, Rest in Peace.

 

[Sensfanatic]

Team has no grit and have mostly given up.
Only bright spot was watching Chabot skate and move the puck. He’s gonna be real good.
Team needs a major overhaul, hopefully starting from the top. It’s gonna get real ugly otherwise.

 

[Jorge Garcia]

It's sad watching this team try to deal with a cycle. Big, strong opponents can whatever they want down low.

 

[Langdon Alger]

It's sad watching this team try to deal with a cycle. Big, strong opponents can whatever they want down low.

It sure is sad I must say.

 

[Fandlauer]

Team has no grit and have mostly given up.
Only bright spot was watching Chabot skate and move the puck. He’s gonna be real good.
Team needs a major overhaul, hopefully starting from the top. It’s gonna get real ugly otherwise.

Yup. I genuinely believe, unless we see a change in ownership, this team is headed for an Edmonton like decade of darkness.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Team was soft last year with Neil and Boro in the lineup. You simply can't make a team tough by adding a few token tough guys. It has to come from within every player on the roster. That doesn't necessarily mean guys need to drop the gloves and fight or throw out hits every shift....it means guys need to forecheck consistently, battle in the dirty areas of the ice, make a point of giving that extra effort when soft players would have a letdown (aka, right after a goal against, or poor penalty call, etc). We have no swagger on the team.

 

[NyQuil]

There were at least two goals that Minnesota scored, and I think there were more, where the Wild had extended zone time and eventually just funneled the puck back to the point for the screened goal.

It was frustrating to watch from the stands because there was this air of inevitability about it.

I thought Andy actually wasn't that bad (at least compared to previous games) but our in-zone puck pressure and coverage was brutal. Lazy, just following players around.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Team was soft last year with Neil and Boro in the lineup. You simply can't make a team tough by adding a few token tough guys. It has to come from within every player on the roster. That doesn't necessarily mean guys need to drop the gloves and fight or throw out hits every shift....it means guys need to forecheck consistently, battle in the dirty areas of the ice, make a point of giving that extra effort when soft players would have a letdown (aka, right after a goal against, or poor penalty call, etc). We have no swagger on the team.

I disagree. This team with Methot and Boro looks totally different. They aren't skilled, but they allow the rest of the guys to play the system by taking guys off of pucks in the middle and home end of the ice and setting up the counter-offense.

Replacing Methot with old Oduya has a huge impact on how we play. I agree the team as a whole could play more physical, but having two tough LDs like those two to play along with EK, Claesson, Wideman or Chabot is essential imo.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

FormentonTheFuture is I think

Absolutely not. Goaltending and Karlsson were the two biggest reasons we struggled so far

 

[Upgrayedd]

Funny yet sad that Vegas came in and picked up others teams cast offs and has put together a stronger defense in their first year than we have had in our last 10?

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Funny yet sad that Vegas came in and picked up others teams cast offs and has put together a stronger defense in their first year than we have had in our last 10?

They’re playing on a high. That team will be terrible next year . Just like Leicester in soccer.

 

[Upgrayedd]

They’re playing on a high. That team will be terrible next year . Just like Leicester in soccer.

Have to see I guess, everyone thought they would be bad this season as well, maybe the experts aren't as smart as they or we think they are.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Have to see I guess, everyone thought they would be bad this season as well, maybe the experts aren't as smart as they or we think they are.

Agreed. But I would say, and I will get flamed for this, that Ottawa would easily beat them in a playoff series right now

 

[BatherSeason]

Chabot skate and move the puck.

Can't contribute much in 12 minutes of ice time. He played much better than #5 who played double what he did.

 

[BatherSeason]

Agreed. But I would say, and I will get flamed for this, that Ottawa would easily beat them in a playoff series right now

I don't even think its worth the flaming. The Ottawa Senators would have trouble beating the Ottawa 67s right now, nuff said.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

That's exactly my point though. How is it a "stat-padding goal"? Do you know what that means? His goal gave the team a better chance to win the game. It's not a stupid empty net or a goal with 3 seconds left down 3 goals. I just don't usually call players out right after they score a goal like Brass did.

No one is making fun of brassard for scoring. I would never hold scoring by against a player. But don't act like it was an important goal. He took a pass. Shot it. It went in. GReat. But it was a stat padder. He got called out right after the goal because Its his first goal in how many games?

He's playing poorly. Just because he's playing poorly though doesn't mean he isn't allowed some nice plays here and there. Nice shot. Gotta say. Doesn't take away from his poor play.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Yes good on you to mention that Boudreau has a good regular season success because his playoff record ain't worth a bag of ****.
Heck, Boucher has had more success in the post-season then Boudreau!

Right getting his teams to game 7s where they mostly always dominate and his goalies can't stop a puck.

He can't get out there and stop the pucks and shoot them. He's an amazing coach.

 

[Back in Black]

Forget Melnyk, the Players better start looking in the mirror.

How do you get blown out, with a 3-1 lead to a team that is playing 3 games in 4 nights!!!

 

[Micklebot]

Coyle seemed to have his way with us on the cycle. We just couldn't handle him in the DZ. That whole line we just didn't have an answer for. 3 big forwards that were just able to shrug off our small checking line.

Smith Pageau and Pyatt could work fine against skilled guys, but they just can't handle three 220 pound forwards cycling the puck.

 

[Alex1234]

Ceci and Phaneuf -3 and -4...
Chabot 0
You know the guy with flashy moves in the Ozone that get turned over sometimes but rarelly cost any goal

I know he plays less minutes then the 2 other but still...

Phaneuf and Ceci are a mess in the Dzone

Its like they put 6 hours to prepare the slot with decorations and a good meal for the opponents to have fun and stay in front of our goalie for as long as they want

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Yup. I genuinely believe, unless we see a change in ownership, this team is headed for an Edmonton like decade of darkness.

THeres incompetence (which we deal with). Then there's Mactavish and Lowe.