Pre-Game Talk: Back to Back: Ottawa/Colorado in SWEDEN (Friday afternoon & Saturday afternoon games)

[Nac Mac Feegle]

While that would be really cool to see, it's almost a certainty that some of those games would fail to turn a profit financially and the owners would sour on the venture.

Say they went to 6 countries around the world over a 2 week stretch with 12 teams going. Personally I don't think there are 12 teams in the league that are marketable enough in certain countries. The NHL themselves don't think there are that many teams that are marketable in the US, as we've seen time and time again with Chicago playing in what seems like every winter classic.

Sweden and Finland are easy enough because they have stars in the league and hockey is a part of sports culture, but there are many more obstacles in other countries. I thought the NHL did a decent job with the preseason games in China with LA and Vancouver, but as they were preseason games, both teams loaded up with fringe veterans to fill the quota laid out by the NHL, partly to avoid injuries to key players. It was also to test the waters again in Asia because the NHL's first venture to Asia was a disaster (it took them 17 years after playing games in Saitama, Japan to return to Asia).

The NHL hasn't been to London since 93 (they had Boston go to Belfast in Ireland in 2010). Australia would be an interesting case as Nathan Walker is in the league now. However, it all again leads back to there would be backlash by certain teams that would say the venture is a strain on an already difficult season and the financial incentive is not large enough.

Maybe so, but as a 1-time thing (or maybe even once a decade), it would be a nifty experiment.

As it stands right now, Ottawa and Colorado are at a severe disadvantage compared to the rest of the league regarding scheduling this year. That has the potential to cost us a Cup.

 

[Shruggs Peterson]

Maybe so, but as a 1-time thing (or maybe even once a decade), it would be a nifty experiment.

As it stands right now, Ottawa and Colorado are at a severe disadvantage compared to the rest of the league regarding scheduling this year. That has the potential to cost us a Cup.

NHL Travel Miles: The 2017-18 Super Schedule!

Colorado yes, because they travel more almost 1000km more than any other team. The Sens are 18th in miles travelled this year and yes, the back to backs are the most in the league (along with Pittsburgh) but I don't think it is a severe disadvantage. Last year it was Columbus and Buffalo with 19 back to backs and the year before it was Columbus at 18 and Detroit, the Rangers and Pittsburgh with 17.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

NHL Travel Miles: The 2017-18 Super Schedule!

Colorado yes, because they travel more almost 1000km more than any other team. The Sens are 18th in miles travelled this year and yes, the back to backs are the most in the league (along with Pittsburgh) but I don't think it is a severe disadvantage. Last year it was Columbus and Buffalo with 19 back to backs and the year before it was Columbus at 18 and Detroit, the Rangers and Pittsburgh with 17.

It's not really the miles traveled...it will be the lack of rest days between next week and the rest of the season. We essentially are the only team in the East that will have a compressed schedule. Lack fo days of, more back to backs....that means a much higher potential for fatigue errors, and injuries.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Just thinking out of the blue here....but if the NHL wants to do something like this, why not set aside a two week window where ALL NHL teams play two games on the other side of the planet? Have a few games in China, Australia, South Korea, Sweden, Finland, England, etc...

That way the NHL can turn this into a major international event, and it evens out the schedule for all teams.

Why? What would be the purpose of this? Is there another league that does this? There must be good reason why they don't.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Why? What would be the purpose of this? Is there another league that does this? There must be good reason why they don't.

...then why do we have our Sens in Sweden right now? Why bother?

 

[topshelf15]

Up to our team to use this practice time to get ready for a heavy dose of hockey.We need the team to start playing with some consistancy

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Looks like I won’t get to see these two games because they’re onNHL network in the USA, blah.

You think spending $140 on Game Center would get you access to NHL network games, pretty lame.

 

[BondraTime]

Looks like I won’t get to see these two games because they’re onNHL network in the USA, blah.

You think spending $140 on Game Center would get you access to NHL network games, pretty lame.

I did that and all but 20 Sens games are blacked out.

 

[Micklebot]

Practice lines:

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

...then why do we have our Sens in Sweden right now? Why bother?

I have no Idea why, or what the NHL seems to think having two NHL games in Sweden is going to do, to benefit the league, in any way.

They be better off playing in North American Market, that they'd hope would attract an expansion franchise to.

 

[SENATOR]

Practice lines:

I can not stand Smith in the top six. Can not wait for Ryan to come back.

 

[UnHappyDude]

I can not stand Smith in the top six. Can not wait for Ryan to come back.

oh he's not that bad. He got 25 goals once and he plays a heavier game. Our top 6 could use more heavy gamers. Ideally though he should be on the 4th line with Dzingle and Pageau

 

[aragorn]

I can not stand Smith in the top six. Can not wait for Ryan to come back.

Smith is a valuable defensive forward who is also excellent at faceoffs for puck possession & great at going to the net & screening the goalies. Both Hoffman & Duchene are offensive minded & have both been criticized for not being better defensively. When Ryan was last in the lineup, it was Hoffman who was dropped down to play with Pageau, not Smith.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Practice lines:

If they are playing Dido on the 4th line .. I'd rather see Paul there... Dido in the lineup does give them some flexibility... but if they want a good look at Paul .. this is a good time to do it imo.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I can not stand Smith in the top six. Can not wait for Ryan to come back.

That might just push Hoffman down to Pageau's line again ... Not what I would do but .. that's why they pay Guy the big bucks

 

[Alex1234]

When Ryan comes back I see:

Ryan-Brass-Stone
Dzingler-Duchene-Hoff
Pyatt-Page-Burrows
Dido-Thompson-Smith

And I would put Dzing-Duchene-Hoff together right away for them to gel but Im no Guy

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Sens d-pairs today:
Claesson - Karlsson
Oduya - Phaneuf
Wideman/Harpur - Ceci

So ... Claesson with Karlsson .. that should be better than Oduya Karlsson
and Phaneuf the fleet PMD on the right side ... interesting
I wouldn't mind seeing Harpur Ceci

 

[Micklebot]

Sens d-pairs today:
Claesson - Karlsson
Oduya - Phaneuf
Wideman/Harpur - Ceci

So ... Claesson with Karlsson .. that should be better than Oduya Karlsson
and Phaneuf the fleet PMD on the right side ... interesting
I wouldn't mind seeing Harpur Ceci

Wow. Ceci with Harpur seems like the odds favourite if we go this path as I can't see Wideman as the LD.

I am, however, surprised we didn't go with Oduya Ceci, and Phaneuf Wideman, but I kind of like these pairings. Very balanced so long as Phaneuf can handle the role of puck retriever.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I did that and all but 20 Sens games are blacked out.

You in Canada I assume? The nice thing about being a Sens fan in the USA it’s very rare they’re on NHL network or a national broadcast. So I get almost 0 blackouts per year.

 

[Alex1234]

Wow. Ceci with Harpur seems like the odds favourite if we go this path as I can't see Wideman as the LD.

I am, however, surprised we didn't go with Oduya Ceci, and Phaneuf Wideman, but I kind of like these pairings. Very balanced so long as Phaneuf can handle the role of puck retriever.

Very balanced as long as were not talking about Oduya's balance here

 

[Deku]

Interested to see Dion on the right side, but the lack of speed on that pairing with Oduya worries me a bit.

 

[BondraTime]

You in Canada I assume? The nice thing about being a Sens fan in the USA it’s very rare they’re on NHL network or a national broadcast. So I get almost 0 blackouts per year.

Yeah, in Newfoundland we get TSN5 which shows a majority of Sens games, as well as RDS which shows a majorit of Habs games. New Brunswick get Habs.

There are only 20 Habs and Sens games on the service for me.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Anderson ,,, really has not had a very good start to the year imo.. I don't like to blame goalies because there is usually a pretty clear breakdown , but Anderson needs to keep the puck out of the net for this team. Anderson gets the start Friday. I hope he is totally focused. If I'm Boucher I would ride Condon for a couple of games if Anderson does not bring his A game.

 

[Alex1234]

Anderson ,,, really has not had a very good start to the year imo.. I don't like to blame goalies because there is usually a pretty clear breakdown , but Anderson needs to keep the puck out of the net for this team. Anderson gets the start Friday. I hope he is totally focused. If I'm Boucher I would ride Condon for a couple of games if Anderson does not bring his A game.

A G R E E D

 

[phillyknuckles]

Oduya and Phaneuf pair makes me cringe a little. Talk about 4 dead feet. Retrieving loose pucks in the corner and keeping up with faster forwards will be interesting with those 2. On the bright side, 24 hours to go. This wait has been rough.