He looked sick when he first game to the show. Id give him some time to adjust as he didnt play last year.
Traded Christian Wolanin (D)
- Thread starter jbeck5
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Xspyrit
DJ Dorion
Adele Dazeem
Registered User
Xspyrit
DJ Dorion
The problem is definitely Mike Reilly, Erik Gudbranson, Braydon Coburn and to a lesser extent Josh Brown.
You have Chabot, a borderline #4 in Zaitsev and 3 MAJOR holes in what should be your top-5
No one will look good on a defense built like this. Wolanin, Gudbranson and Brown are #6 at best (maybe more for Wolanin but not now). Reilly is a taxi squad guy, you play him if you have no choice, DJ plays him 20 minutes a night. Look at how much damage he can do in 1 game.
And I'm just talking about defense here.
Wolanin has played very little pro hockey in the last 2 years, you should be easing him on a 3rd pairing with someone like maybe Gudbranson but you can't even do that because your 2nd pairing is getting destroyed every game.
Makes you wonder why we traded a bunch of picks for Gudbransson/Brown/Reilly/Stepan over the last year and not on guys like Devon Toews/Ryan Murray. We need to take advantage of cash strapped teams shedding players like that, not taking on their scraps and high cap hits for peanuts. Part of me wants to say that is related to our ownership issues. I really don't know though.
SensFactor
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Tuna99
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See SJ approach of picking off solid prospects like Balcers and Jaros, great rebuild mentality. Our mentality is use picks to take on veterans who have defined themselves to be bad and overpaid, and Ottawa’s reaction is ‘perfect, we didn’t learn our lesson with Legwand, Hainsey, Jason Smith, Scott Gomez or Chris Kelly - keep the dead weight coming’
Tuna99
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It’s bordering on complete incompetence now. Fans who are still engaged are just going to turn it off. Stay up until 10pm to watch a losing terrible hockey team not do what they said they’d do and play the kids.
The organization has to be very careful because they promised us the Logan Browns and Brannstroms and Formentons and we are ready to watch these kids grow - instead it’s Cobourn and Anisimov and Stepan.
there is a rule to making a TV product, you have to deliver on the promises made to your audience or they won’t believe in your show anymore. This has happened to the Ottawa fan base, we were promised kids and mistakes and we said ‘good, let’s do it, can’t be worse then watching this current team be a disaster’ and yet they frigged that up to. Bigger disaster then ever. And we get this crap of a team of cast offs and has beens. Players who were has beens 5 years ago are being cast as our Center ice - F OFF
they say you gotta bring the kids in when they are ready - what rookie is ready to get blown out every game? We are getting blown out because our vets suck. This management group is not doing a good job. They had the benefit of the doubt, but now it just can’t be these guys that send the message, it just can’t be them telling us to be patient or to see the good. It’s just can’t be, they have no credibility anymore. The entire organization is a joke - even Bills fans can make fun of Ottawa now. It’s a disaster and a shame and an embarrassment to the spirit of Daniel Alfredsson
The organization has to be very careful because they promised us the Logan Browns and Brannstroms and Formentons and we are ready to watch these kids grow - instead it’s Cobourn and Anisimov and Stepan.
there is a rule to making a TV product, you have to deliver on the promises made to your audience or they won’t believe in your show anymore. This has happened to the Ottawa fan base, we were promised kids and mistakes and we said ‘good, let’s do it, can’t be worse then watching this current team be a disaster’ and yet they frigged that up to. Bigger disaster then ever. And we get this crap of a team of cast offs and has beens. Players who were has beens 5 years ago are being cast as our Center ice - F OFF
they say you gotta bring the kids in when they are ready - what rookie is ready to get blown out every game? We are getting blown out because our vets suck. This management group is not doing a good job. They had the benefit of the doubt, but now it just can’t be these guys that send the message, it just can’t be them telling us to be patient or to see the good. It’s just can’t be, they have no credibility anymore. The entire organization is a joke - even Bills fans can make fun of Ottawa now. It’s a disaster and a shame and an embarrassment to the spirit of Daniel Alfredsson
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bert
Registered User
Lol keep em coming.
He has played 8 games in 2 years. Holy f*** people need to have some patience. He was actually playing well this game once he got some reps. There was no pre season this team hasn't played for a year. Coaching staff was clearly unaware. This board too.
Hopefully his injury isn't too bad he was just getting his feet under him.
He has barely played man that's absolutely ridiculous. He has less than 50 games under his belt.
I need a breather from this place. Before all of you say this player is done or that take a deep breath. Look at how many NHL games they have played. Then go through some old threads of players that developed.
If you can't see Wolanin's skill then I'm not sure what to tell you. It's pretty obvious and this team literally has no one else right now.
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Xspyrit
DJ Dorion
Even if Devon Toews/Ryan Murray/anyone doesn't want to come here, then stay the course and give those spots to young players that need to develop. It wouldn't be any worse than now. It actually could be a lot better. Remember that thread? (if you saw it)
The Ottawa Young Legs 2020-21
That's what we did in 2011-12 and 2012-13 and it worked out pretty well (we made the playoffs both years and even won a round decisively against the 2nd seed Habs). But MacLean was at least a competent coach and we had quality vets (Alfredsson, Spezza, Gonchar, Kuba, Phillips, Neil), the rest of the team was pretty much "young legs" 25 y/o and younger.
Stepan fell off a cliff, he's "only" 30 y/o but he has declined very quickly, like Boedker, Burrows, Oduya, Michalek, Zack Smith, Kovalev etc did in the past. Some players decline more progressively through a few years. The NHL is a very tough league, everyone is good so as soon as you decline, you might not be good enough anymore.
I'm ok with Gudbranson (particularly since most of our D prospects aren't ready), a 5th is fine for him but he shouldn't play above the 3rd pair. His responsability should be PK and help Wolanin, not Chabot lol. Josh Brown? If you got Gudbranson, then you don't need Brown. It should have been ONE or the OTHER, not both.
Reilly should be on our taxi squad (only play if covid/injury bug). I have no idea why Dorion gave up a 5th for him. In Montreal, one night he could look like a decent D-man and the next one like a non-NHL player (like last night). It is impossible to rely on Mike Reilly. Maybe he'd look better on bigger ice, the NHL pace is too fast and he panicks too much.
Summary :
Spend a 5th for Gudbranson
Keep a 2nd + 4th + 5th and don't get Stepan/Reilly/Brown
Give their spots to any of Chlapik, Logan Brown, Brannstrom, Zub, Jaros,
Same with Paquette and Coburn. Maybe it was beneficial to get the 2nd round pick and save money on Gaborik/Nilsson LTIR contracts but have them as 13/14th forward and 7th D-man.
Watson, I don't mind. Not too expensive, gave up a 4th. Can be an useful 4th line player on a good team.
Galchenyuk was a free wallet, good gamble, comes in and out of the lineup, mainly to give a PP boost or shake things up.
And yes Melnyk has been a HUGE problem for a long time now.
The sooner Wolanin gets traded, the better for him
I am a Sens fan but I don't want to see young hockey players get their confidence destroyed (like Colin White?), particularly not those we have drafted and/or developed.
I'm kinda actually relieved that Balcers and Jaros going somewhere else. I have more faith that the Sharks will do the right thing and put them in a situation to succeed.
I think the next 2 guys I want to see moved for their sake is Logan Brown and Christian Wolanin. The best for Wow would be a team with a strong Top-4 and a solid veteran 3rd pairing RD but a team that need a LD puck mover
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Sweatred
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You’ve used that line on lots of players pumping up Wolanin and White type guys. If these guys were solid NHL players carrying top 6 or top4 play we would be a lot better off.
You have suggested Wolanin is a top Dman and that is just flat out way to aggressive. He has signs of skill like most prospects but he has a long way to go before he can help this team.
Adele Dazeem
Registered User
No one is saying he's done. At this current moment he couldn't crack any other NHL team's top-6.
He needs time to work out the kinks, unfortunately the coach doesn't have the patience when he has "veterans" he can play instead.
bert
Registered User
You literally said he was a 7th D man and shouldnt play. The bolded certainly isnt true, you need a chance to do it, just like with Nick Paul you are writing him off way too early. His talent is obvious, I guess people just struggle to see it. He was playing well last night when he finally got some reps then got hurt. Players need to play to improve.
Adele Dazeem
Registered User
He's a 7th D on most teams (all in my opinion) at his current form. Doesn't mean he is a 7th D for good. Reading comprehension
Nick Paul has played well early on but he needs to be consistent for anyone to truly call him a success. Difference between Paul and Wolanin is Paul is actually playing well and given time and space to improve; Wolanin has made costly mistakes and unfortunately for him his leash is short with the coach.
Sweatred
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bert
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Reading comprehension. lol how about hockey comprehension. How do you not understand the difference in those situations between Paul and Wolanin. Or how the situation is the exact same as it was for Paul when he had no reps or opportunity. I went through the thread you said he was done. How do you not learn from these types of mistakes?.......
Wolanin has played 8 games in two years with a coach that doesnt let him play his game. He finally gets some games under his belt and wow he looks ok. Weird... Very unfortunate he got hurt as he was finally having a good game.
GermanSpitfire
EU Video Scout for McKeen’s
i don’t understand the love on these boards for Wolanin. Sure he’s played better than Reilly but that’s not saying much.
He’s already near his peak, don’t see him getting much better than he is currently. He’ll probably top out at a guy like Reilly/Wideman. play ~200 NHL games and be out of the league.
He’s already near his peak, don’t see him getting much better than he is currently. He’ll probably top out at a guy like Reilly/Wideman. play ~200 NHL games and be out of the league.
God Says No
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Very possible, but he's also the only PMD we have outside of Chabot. I like Wolanin from what I've seen so far, but it's been very limited due to his injuries. I think he can be a bottom 4 PMD for us. Just needs to stay on the ice for more than a game or two.
Mark Stones Spleen
Registered User
The guy hasn't played consistent hockey in like 2 years and you think he's at his peak?
Xspyrit
DJ Dorion
- drafted 4th round as an overager at 20 y/o
- went the college route, stayed 3 years (was already 23 y/o when he turned pro)
- split his first pro season NHL/AHL, was elite in AHL and looked good in NHL
- started following season with bad injury, only played 12 pro games then BOOM : COVID
- 10 months not playing
- starts the season on a team with a veteran logjam, which is kinda weird for a rebuilding team that was bottom-2 the last 3 seasons lol
- has to watch from the pressbox for Mike freaking Reilly.
- played 3 games, progressively getting better every game, gets injured in his 4th game.
- Not only he already plenty of adversity to fight against, but he has to shake off the rust on a team that has no NHL defensive structure.
Sometimes you just need to look at the events chronology
Coaching is very very important for most NHL players. For the elite ones it doesn't matter as much because a guy like Sidney Crosby would be successful everywhere.
For example, a guy like Jordie Benn was pretty much on his way out of the NHL before Montreal acquired him and he eventually got quicker and better. He gave a lot of credit to Claude Julien, now has played 523 NHL games. It's the kind of guy that would been a cup-of-coffee player if he didn't receive the help necessary at the right time.
In Ottawa we have the DJ Dorion special so don't expect a lot of magic.
GermanSpitfire
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Sens of Anarchy
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maybe in certain aspects , certainly not in his overall game which will improve with experience
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Mark Stones Spleen
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Age isn't the only factor. We typically see players hit their peak starting around 24-28, but it comes with the in-game experience that they gain in their years leading up to it. Removing 2 years of prime development time due to injury will delay his peak from both, a playing and physical development perspective.
