Are the Ottawa Senators not as bad as people expected them to be?

[Samsquanch]

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...s-get-this-year.2543867/page-5#post-149888221

You guys said these, not me..

Yeah.. we know? The whole point of this thread (the one we are in now) is asking if people were wrong?

I dont follow you? I was also under the belief they were likely doomed.

Then Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Max Lajoei emerged in a HUGE way all preaseason and up till now.

And then so did Tierney, Demelo, and Boedker.

We had no idea how Boucher's new system would look. Or the powerplay.

All of these things were complete unknowns before. But they arent now. And unfortunately for you friend, it doesnt look good. Doubt it if you must, but the reality will sting that much more later on (and I like that).

 

[Foppberg]

A ton of Ava fans were 99% sure they were getting Hughes, they were all over the main board.

You seem salty but I guess I’ll take your word for it. Might wanna check up on the rest of the fan base, though.

Well I'm glad I have you to tell me how I'm actually feeling , having lived in Ottawa for the past 3 years I kind of adopted them as a side secondary team, they were a fun team to watch and I feel lucky to have seen Karlsson in person multiple times.

But I'm not responsible for what other Avs fans say, they can do and say as they please.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Yeah.. we know? The whole point of this thread (the one we are in now) is asking if people were wrong?

I dont follow you? I was also under the belief they were likely doomed.

Then Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Max Lajoei emerged in a HUGE way all preaseason and up till now.

And then so did Tierney, Demelo, and Boedker.

We had no idea how Boucher's new system would look. Or the powerplay.

All of these things were complete unknowns before. But they arent now. And unfortunately for you friend, it doesnt look good for you. Doubt it if you must, but the reality will sting that much more later on (and I like that).

My point was, my expectations haven't changed from the start of the season. Yours have because of 6 hockey games. It's way too small of a sample to change your mind.

If you think everything based on 6 games, then Sam Gagner should be the next Gretzky putting up 8 points a game.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

37 years old and his inconsistency problems? Colorado fans know him too well. He will give up on a team when the going gets tough.

ANderson has been awesome for the Senators in the playoffs. Not sure where you're getting this from, unless you just stopped watching him after he left Colorado.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

ANderson has been awesome for the Senators in the playoffs. Not sure where you're getting this from, unless you just stopped watching him after he left Colorado.

So 37 years old Anderson is going to carry you this season? No, I don't see it. He is past his prime.

Anderson gave up the team in Colorado .

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

No none at all. He was very average in Belleville last year and I don't think people even considered him making the team a possibility. Sens fans are just as shocked to see this guy playing like this as anyone else.

Sens fan here. Literally none whatsoever aside from last year in training camp Boucher was very high on him.

Not everyone...

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/posts/136246577/

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/posts/136026521/

from his first appearance in camp as 18 year old he was turning heads

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/posts/122514949/

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

So 37 years old Anderson is going to carry you this season? No, I don't see it. He is past his prime.

I never said that, but nice strawman.

You said that he gives up when the going gets tough, I"d argue that's not true at all. He's always been inconsistent, and seems to have one awesome year followed by a bad. But Anderson has never been garbage when the going gets toughest in the playoffs.

Can his 37 year old body hold out for a full season? Guess we will find out.

 

[Samsquanch]

My point was, my expectations haven't changed from the start of the season. Yours have because of 6 hockey games. It's way too small of a sample to change your mind.

If you think everything based on 6 games, then Sam Gagner should be the next Gretzky putting up 8 points a game.

Its been all rookie camp and preseason for these guys. The kids are definitely all right.

Having actually watched everything up to this point, if I could revise my decision on where they will place, its not going to be in the bottom 5 anymore.

And its perfectly fine to say that at this point.

I have no illusions of grandeur for this team though. But the truth is that everyone is getting along fantastically now, and signing Duchene and Stone seems realistic at this point.

The tide feels like it has turned in Ottawa, but I know its still fun to try and kick a team while its down. So everyone can feel free to carry on.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Dzingel - Duchene - White
Tkachuk - Smith - Stone
Formenton - Tierney - Boedker
Paajarvi - Pyatt - Ryan

Chabot - DeMelo
Lajoie - Ceci
Boroweicki - Wideman

Anderson


Not a bad team tbh

If Lajoie and Demelo can maintain this level of play and support Chabot they might be ok. Defense was the biggest question mark coming into the season, and it still is one I think.

I always said that the Sens needed 3 or 4 of their new guys to be lights out to fight for the playoffs, so far 3 or 4 of their new guys have been. We'll see if they can maintain it, but its a nice start for a team some predicted to acqurie less than 60 points this season.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I never said that, but nice strawman.

You said that he gives up when the going gets tough, I"d argue that's not true at all. He's always been inconsistent, and seems to have one awesome year followed by a bad. But Anderson has never been garbage when the going gets toughest in the playoffs.

Can his 37 year old body hold out for a full season? Guess we will find out.

I meant when things go bad, when your team starts losing. Playoffs are different. Didn't he ask for a trade before the season? Guy can't handle losing too well or idea of it. Same with Duchene.

 

[Deen]

Everyone here watches hockey.

Do they though?

 

[SensFactor]

37 years old and his inconsistency problems? Colorado fans know him too well. He will give up on a team when the going gets tough.

Yah like he gave up on the team when he took us to the conf finals 2 years ago or 2 years before that when he took us to the playoffs in a similar situation after we traded away another star franchise player in Jason Spezza and everyone said we would be bottom 5. He's on his up year. Let's see what happens. As I recall, Tim Thomas won the Stanley cup in 2011 with Boston at the tender age of 37.

 

[Bleedred]

Yah like he gave up on the team when he took us to the conf finals 2 years ago or 2 years before that when he took us to the playoffs in a similar situation after we traded away another star franchise player in Jason Spezza and everyone said we would be bottom 5. He's on his up year. Let's see what happens. As I recall, Tim Thomas won the Stanley cup in 2011 with Boston at the tender age of 37.

Eh

Tim Thomas was a much better goaltender than Anderson.

That doesn't mean Anderson is definitely fried though. He tends to have one pretty good year, then one pretty average or meh year, repeat. He's now on what would be a good year if that pattern holds, but he also is the second oldest goalie in the league, if I'm not mistaken. He's started out looking pretty well. Maybe it holds up, maybe it doesn't.

If it doesn't hold up, the Sens will be a really bad team, as Condon is junk.

For what it's worth, I said the Senators were too easy of a pick to finish in last place and I said there probably will be some teams that finish with fewer points than them before the season started.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

All right, I don't want to upset more Ottawa fans so my last words. I don't think Ottawa fans deserve the mess they are in and I understand why you want to defend your team. Nobody wants to admit They could potentially make a terrible trade. It hurts. It hurts to see your team lose, even if you expect it. Colorado had one of the worst seasons in NHL history and ended up with 4th pick. That was heart breaking but shit happens.

I'm very happy with the Duchene trade and I'll be following very closely what will be happening in Ottawa because it's very interesting topic for us. I got nothing against Ottawa and I hope they do great in the future. It's never that good feeling to root against a team I don't really hate but I guess you would do the same in my position. At the end we think about our own teams first and then others.

I wish you guys luck and hopefully the situation will stay interesting. It's a good topic to discuss if nothing else.

 

[lawrence]

some very derogatory comments were made towards this team , mostly said by one particular fan base. Although I think they will struggle, they are also in the same boat as the Vancouver Canucks. as in not a very good team but not as bad as some projected them to be.

so yes I do think they will be better then expected.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

All right, I don't want to upset more Ottawa fans so my last words. I don't think Ottawa fans deserve the mess they are in and I understand why you want to defend your team. Nobody wants to admit They could potentially make a terrible trade. It hurts. It hurts to see your team lose, even if you expect it. Colorado had one of the worst seasons in NHL history and ended up with 4th pick. That was heart breaking but **** happens.

I'm very happy with the Duchene trade and I'll be following very closely what will be happening in Ottawa because it's very interesting topic for us. I got nothing against Ottawa and I hope they do great in the future. It's never that good feeling to root against a team I don't really hate but I guess you would do the same in my position. At the end we think about our own teams first and then others.

I wish you guys luck and hopefully the situation will stay interesting. It's a good topic to discuss if nothing else.

Cheers bud

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Yah like he gave up on the team when he took us to the conf finals 2 years ago or 2 years before that when he took us to the playoffs in a similar situation after we traded away another star franchise player in Jason Spezza and everyone said we would be bottom 5. He's on his up year. Let's see what happens. As I recall, Tim Thomas won the Stanley cup in 2011 with Boston at the tender age of 37.

What are the chances Anderson at 37 is going to repeat one of the greatest seasons ever by a goalie? or even in his prime? Very fecking small. I guess you're telling me there's a chance

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Eh

Tim Thomas was a much better goaltender than Anderson.

That doesn't mean Anderson is definitely fried though. He tends to have one pretty good year, then one pretty average or meh year, repeat. He's now on what would be a good year if that pattern holds, but he also is the second oldest goalie in the league, if I'm not mistaken. He's started out looking pretty well. Maybe it holds up, maybe it doesn't.

If it doesn't hold up, the Sens will be a really bad team, as Condon is junk.

For what it's worth, I said the Senators were too easy of a pick to finish in last place and I said there probably will be some teams that finish with fewer points than them before the season started.

He also didn't really become a starter till he was 27 or something, so he was a bit of a late bloomer without crazy wear and tear on his body. He's kind of like Dwayne Roloson in that fashion, a guy who played pretty well when he was 40-41.

That doesn't mean anything for sure, but it could mean he doesn't wear down as young as some other guys. We will find out tho, as a Sens fan I hope thats the case because Gustaffson is still several years away.

 

[SensFactor]

Eh

Tim Thomas was a much better goaltender than Anderson.

That doesn't mean Anderson is definitely fried though. He tends to have one pretty good year, then one pretty average or meh year, repeat. He's now on what would be a good year if that pattern holds, but he also is the second oldest goalie in the league, if I'm not mistaken. He's started out looking pretty well. Maybe it holds up, maybe it doesn't.

If it doesn't hold up, the Sens will be a really bad team, as Condon is junk.

For what it's worth, I said the Senators were too easy of a pick to finish in last place and I said there probably will be some teams that finish with fewer points than them before the season started.

People picking the Sens to finish last show that some ppl don't know much about hockey, listen like sheep to sports stations that hardly follow the Sens or don't look at prospect pools of other teams. You could make a strong argument that the Sens would finish bottom 10 but dead last is a stretch. Sens have good young pieces, sprinkled with vets like Duchene and Stone. I said they would be a fringe playoff team and I'm sticking with it. Coupled with the fact that I don't think Anderson is done yet, Sens at least look competitive through 6 games.

 

[Bleedred]

He also didn't really become a starter till he was 27 or something, so he was a bit of a late bloomer without crazy wear and tear on his body. He's kind of like Dwayne Roloson in that fashion, a guy who played pretty well when he was 40-41.

That doesn't mean anything for sure, but it could mean he doesn't wear down as young as some other guys. We will find out tho, as a Sens fan I hope thats the case because Gustaffson is still several years away.

I didn't like when the Senators extended him for 2 more years before last year (maybe it was at some point during last season?), because I was skeptical he'd still be a good starter for 2 more years after last year. And because I'm not a believer in Mike Condon. His best season was an average one and most of his seasons have been poor.

I think Anderson definitely could play the next two years as a backup, but I'm not sure about starter. Anderson + a better goalie than Condon could be a decent tandem.

 

[SensFactor]

What are the chances Anderson at 37 is going to repeat one of the greatest seasons ever by a goalie? or even in his prime? Very fecking small. I guess you're telling me there's a chance

I didn't say conf finals I said fringe playoff team. I think there is a chance. Sens are playing care free and with a ton of heart. Kind of like a Nevada team that experts picked would be terrible last year. Anderson was the first star in both of the last 2 games. Small sample size but let's revisit after game 15 or 20.

 

[Dustin]

I've only seen some of the highlights and the game against the Leafs but I can safely say they probably have 3 more wins than anyone would have given them credit for at this point.

 

[Eltuna]

People picking the Sens to finish last show that some ppl don't know much about hockey, listen like sheep to sports stations that hardly follow the Sens or don't look at prospect pools of other teams. You could make a strong argument that the Sens would finish bottom 10 but dead last is a stretch. Sens have good young pieces, sprinkled with vets like Duchene and Stone. I said they would be a fringe playoff team and I'm sticking with it. Coupled with the fact that I don't think Anderson is done yet, Sens at least look competitive through 6 games.

I wouldn’t say that at all, the Senators are currently shooting at the highest rate in the entire league (even more than the Leafs) despite having the 6th worst shots/game while also having the second worst shots against per game, I think with time many people will be proven correct. The defence giving up the second most shots seems a lot more sustainable than shooting at league leading percentages with the kind of players the Sens have.

 

[S E P H]

But I hope you legitimately start sweating some bullets by around the 20 game mark or so and the kids are still looking this good. I know I would be if I were you

I am not trying to take anything away from the Sens because they deserve their record and that win in Toronto was gutsy, but 4 of their 6 games have been at home. You'll make me more of a believer when you start showing up on the road.

The problem I have is on who's leading the team victories and some just seem odd...

- Chabot with 8 points in 5 games.
- Tierney with 7 points in 5 games.
- Lajoie with 4 goals.
- Dzingel around PPG.
- DeMelo around PPG.
- Smith around PPG.
- Boedker around PPG.

It's going to be hard to convince anyone how these players are somehow going to continue this pace of 82 games long.

 

[albator71]

Right now im just enjoying the ride, for me it doesnt really matter if we win or lose this season, as long as we play hard and we stay competitive im happy. And it so much fun to watch Sens hockey again, the way they play is exciting to watch. No more trap hockey im falling in love with this team again. i know the chances that we make the playoffs are very small, we will face some adversity this season and for me i just want our players to play with this passion no matter where they are in the standings. Trading Karlsson and Hoffman brought a breeze of fresh air into the locker room, but i know we will lose many games this season but we are on the right track to becoming relevant again in this league.