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

[NyQuil]

For me it's better to lower your expectations to not end up sad or bitter

Expectations haven't been this low in Ottawa since expansion.

 

[Spilot23]

Expectations haven't been this low in Ottawa since expansion.

Well I'm pretty sure many people and experts predicted Vegas to be a bottom 5 team. Anything can happen mate.

 

[Ararana]

I hope they do much better than expected, some Aves fans have been nothing short of embarrassing about having their pick, so I hope to see it end up being outside the top 5.

I have a feeling Toronto fans have been more of a pain in the ass to Ottawa fans than us. The majority of us have been keeping the 2019 fist rounder talk in our own board (travel there at your own risk).

I personally hope Ottawa has a fun season and optimistic looks going forward with their young guys. Just don't blame me if I hope, at the end of the day, they end up at the bottom of the standings.

 

[GrantLemons]

What a stupid question. Who would be sheltering Ottawa's best defenceman?? Look at the roster lmao

Boro and Ceci obv

 

[joe dirte]

Lol jeez some of you Leafs fans are sensitive.

Sensitive? About what?

 

[Pyrophorus]

What was the number of shot attemps in that MTL-TOR game?

I didn't think we were talking about that.

They outplayed us, but give us a chance and it will be buried.
As I said the OTT game was all both Anderseon's

 

[Senscore]

Nah they suck

 

[Karl Eriksson]

6 assets with a strong outing. The one goal allowed is an improvement.

 

[Sting]

Honestly pleasantly surprised by Tkachuk/Lajoie. 19 and 20 year old routinely the best players on the ice. Add Duchene/Stone/Chabot and the team isn't half bad. Not going to make the playoffs but there's definitely 4-5 teams worse in this league.

 

[Jacall]

I didn't think we were talking about that.

They outplayed us, but give us a chance and it will be buried.
As I said the OTT game was all both Anderseon's

As a Sens fan, who also appreciates where the leafs are, and are headed. Anderson stopped two more than Andersen. Maybe a defense issue? My thoughts, or maybe one goalie couldn’t rise to the occasion?
Not trash talking. But being a realist

 

[Hellraising Senator]

I am just happy that we have been fun to watch. That is the biggest surprise. Tkachuk looks like a beast in the making. Lajoie is the biggest surprise because he is playing like a legit top 4 dman here, in this small sample size of games. Demelo surprisingly playing better then advertised. Chabot is coming of age. Tierney is better then I expected. Boedker showing he is a decent 2 way guy with some offense. Not sure how the rest of season will play out but this team is playing some quality hockey right now.

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

As a Sens fan, who also appreciates where the leafs are, and are headed. Anderson stopped two more than Andersen. Maybe a defense issue? My thoughts, or maybe one goalie couldn’t rise to the occasion?
Not trash talking. But being a realist

shots where like 37-23 that game something like that. Your andy was simply better then our andy that night, also you guys scored a empty netter. Our goalie gave up only one more goal.

 

[SensFactor]

Tkatchuk and Lajoie, if they keep it up, should be in the Calder discussion.

 

[swiftwin]

I didn't think we were talking about that.

They outplayed us, but give us a chance and it will be buried.
As I said the OTT game was all both Anderseon's

Keep telling yourself that. Ottawa's system is designed to give the opposing team more shots from the outside, but less quality shots.

 

[Jacall]

shots where like 37-23 that game something like that. Your andy was simply better then our andy that night, also you guys scored a empty netter. Our goalie gave up only one more goal.

Ok, again, our team did better, hence we won that game. The person I quoted said both Anderson/Andersen’s. Again, would you guys waive a game if your goalie stole it for you?

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Tkatchuk and Lajoie, if they keep it up, should be in the Calder discussion.

Pretty sure Lajoie is leading the Calder race at the 6 game mark.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Let us revisit this in about 15 games. The answer to the thread title is maybe...

 

[swiftwin]

shots where like 37-23 that game something like that. Your andy was simply better then our andy that night, also you guys scored a empty netter. Our goalie gave up only one more goal.

This an average of shots allowed by Toronto compared to other teams (notice the huge sea of RED around the Leafs net):

This is Ottawa (most of the red is at the blue line):

But yeah... let's all blame it on Andersen when you constantly allow high quality chances.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Still not excited about this team, but I am cautiously optimistic. The thing that stands out is that nobody on the team is playing above a level of what they're capable of, save for maybe Lajoie (and who even knows what he's capable of, even though 6 games is a small sample size, he's looked excellent in every game, so maybe he just is a really good defenseman), and Tierney. I'm liking the character I've seen so far. Again, still very early in the season, but last year's team would've crumbled after those two losses against Boston and Philly, yet Ottawa bounced and played their best game of the season against LA, and then played a solid game against Dallas and came away with the win in both.

Doubt this team makes the playoffs, but if they continue the way they've been playing and they get solid goaltending for the entire season I also don't think they're going to be a bottom 5 team either.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

No Dzingel or Formenton (or Ceci but whatevs)

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

This an average of shots allowed by Toronto compared to other teams (notice the huge sea of RED around the Leafs net):

This is Ottawa (most of the red is at the blue line):

But yeah... let's all blame it on Andersen when you constantly allow high quality chances.

why are you using a season sample instead of the one game sample we were talking about?

OTT at TOR
OTT at TOR

Like i said your andy was just better, we killed it with shots and quality ones too.

 

[swiftwin]

why are you using a season sample instead of the one game sample we were talking about?

OTT at TOR
OTT at TOR

gg

LOL! How old are you? This is not fortnite kiddo.

Look at the chart you just posted, they're almost all tips, meaning the shot was from the blue line.

 

[KnockHobbler]

why are you using a season sample instead of the one game sample we were talking about?

OTT at TOR
OTT at TOR

gg

Because a bigger sample size paints a better picture than just one game? Sens defence has looked adequate so far, leafs are a tire fire but have the firepower to make up for it.
Anyway, I thought this thread was about Ottawa

 

[Alex1234]

shots where like 37-23 that game something like that. Your andy was simply better then our andy that night, also you guys scored a empty netter. Our goalie gave up only one more goal.

You are talking about the mighty Leafs vs the mediocre Sens here
Shouldn’t even come down to goalies

 

[Rolo]

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

Chabot - DeMelo
Lajoie - Ceci
Boroweicki - Wideman

Anderson


Not a bad team tbh