Speculation: Colin White's future in Ottawa

[Sweatred]

I guess it depends what you want from the player. In his rookie year he didn’t have any better the puck handling or protection skills but playing with a contract focused MD and triggers like Chabot, Dzingle, Stone etc he was able to put up 40+ pts... one year later and missing those players his lack of skills were more apparent. Are we happy if he becomes a 15G/45Pts playing with elite BT/TS type players? On paper it may look okay but a better player might have 30G/70 pts in that 1-2RW position and contribute more to the line.

 

[jbeck5]

When you say someone sucks, you've concluded that is the type of individual they are, as if there is no room for improvement or change. I don't see a lot of people saying he sucks, but I see a lot saying he needs to be much better though, and I agree with it.

I can agree he had a sucky season. I can't agree that he sucks. Not yet anyway. They are not the same. When we got Andy from Colorado, he was having a sucky season, that doesn't mean he sucked.

Or he sucked and then didn't suck anymore? People can improve or regress or go up and down based on confidence or injuries.

Players improve and regress all the time.

You're allowed to comment on what they currently are, whether it be sucking or not sucking, regardless of if they used to suck or not in the past or will suck or not in the future.

I'm of course using the word suck relatively.

 

[GCK]

Have you ever seen him “bring the heat” ... at his best he is a nattering light fly that NHL strength swats away. He’s the kid on the ice that hopes that puck doesn’t come to him and auto dumps it when it does.

I would love for him to add 10-15lbs and deliver 2 body checks a game with some Fisher like defensive play.

Who do you think top NHL forwards would prefer to line up against

1. Watson
2. Paul
3. C.Brown
4. Chaplik
5. Formenton
6. White

He’s the weakest option in a weak bottom 6.

He’s definitely in our top 9.

 

[GCK]

I guess it depends what you want from the player. In his rookie year he didn’t have any better the puck handling or protection skills but playing with a contract focused MD and triggers like Chabot, Dzingle, Stone etc he was able to put up 40+ pts... one year later and missing those players his lack of skills were more apparent. Are we happy if he becomes a 15G/45Pts playing with elite BT/TS type players? On paper it may look okay but a better player might have 30G/70 pts in that 1-2RW position and contribute more to the line.

Are you saying players perform better when they play with better players ? I may have to rethink everything now.

 

[Sweatred]

Are you saying players perform better when they play with better players ? I may have to rethink everything now.

No ... I’m saying White may get 15G and 25A at some point in his future playing with elite players. Swap in (sokolov, Roby, Dadonov, or Grieg, of whoever) and they may get more ?

 

[SENATOR]

White will be traded. No intensity or desire I see.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

He is way ahead Killorn at the same age. Was better in college too, people need to be patient.

Im not saying it's impossible. I love White's game when he's on. White can easily turn it around but he needs to seriously turn it around ASAP.

 

[bert]

Im not saying it's impossible. I love White's game when he's on. White can easily turn it around but he needs to seriously turn it around ASAP.

He was hurt last year on a bad team, the hyperbole around here that is pushed by one or two individuals is not how the organization is approaching the player, I guarantee it. The team has plenty of time for him to work through the kinks.

How this board has reacted to how he played last year is honestly embarassing. He had a bad year yeah, was he hurt yup. Doesnt erase everything that got him here. Even Pierre Dorion knows that.

 

[Viletho]

He was hurt last year on a bad team, the hyperbole around here that is pushed by one or two individuals is not how the organization is approaching the player, I guarantee it. The team has plenty of time for him to work through the kinks.

How this board has reacted to how he played last year is honestly embarassing. He had a bad year yeah, was he hurt yup. Doesnt erase everything that got him here. Even Pierre Dorion knows that.

I have cooled down on White a little. I thought he might be a very good #2 C who plays in all situation.

With the addition of Stutzle, the possibility of having Norris or L.Brown has #2 C, I believe he could be a versatile up and down the lineup player for this team. Which is still very valuable.

Formenton-XXX-White.

Norris or Pinto between these 2. I would like it.

 

[umma gumma]

Or he sucked and then didn't suck anymore? People can improve or regress or go up and down based on confidence or injuries.

Players improve and regress all the time.

You're allowed to comment on what they currently are, whether it be sucking or not sucking, regardless of if they used to suck or not in the past or will suck or not in the future.

I'm of course using the word suck relatively.

We'll have to agree to disagree then. When I see someone make a claim that this player sucks, to me that's final. Like if we trade for a player and someone says 'he sucks', they don't expect anything good from that player, he brings nothing. He is what he is. No room for improvement.

To me, that is different than, 'man that player sucked last year. WTF happened?' Or 'He has been terrible this year'. I read that as belief that the player has more to give, but didn't deliver. The following season can go either way.

For example, while still acknowledging his sub par performance, this doesn't sound like someone that thinks White sucks:

Im not saying it's impossible. I love White's game when he's on. White can easily turn it around but he needs to seriously turn it around ASAP.

Indeed.

 

[BatherSeason]

Great insight from Simmer Friday how White’s contract will be an issue for every RFA signing with Ottawa. Nice insight from a former league exec about how no one will want to be paid less than him. How that contact absolutely interferes with the internal cap structure on the Sens etc.

Simmer hasn't been an exec in the league for many years. The game has passed him by. They needed to sign White. It gave some people hope. Waaaaaay too early to give up on the guy.

 

[Que]

I have this gut feeling that for as much disdain as I’ve had over White for the past two seasons - it will be soo worth it.

 

[Sweatred]

How this board has reacted to how he played last year is honestly embarassing. He had a bad year yeah, was he hurt yup. Doesnt erase everything that got him here. Even Pierre Dorion knows that.

It's fine for you to call out some hyperbole but recognize your evaluation of him is really high. It is an exaggeration to say he is great at faceoffs or a prick to play against.

"He also has parts of his game that he is way better than Turris offensively. His top end speed and strength is way better... He is a prick to play against, and AMAZING in the faceoff dot for a player his age. Put it all together and thats the type of player you win with."
​

 

[Xspyrit]

He was hurt last year on a bad team, the hyperbole around here that is pushed by one or two individuals is not how the organization is approaching the player, I guarantee it. The team has plenty of time for him to work through the kinks.

How this board has reacted to how he played last year is honestly embarassing. He had a bad year yeah, was he hurt yup. Doesnt erase everything that got him here. Even Pierre Dorion knows that.

Yup. And even though White suffered a season altering injury, he still produced 23 pts in 61 GP, which is a 30 pts pace over 82 Games. It's not enough but it's also "only" 15 pts under what he needs to produce.

And since he had 7 pts in the last 6 games when he was maybe fully recovered from injury, it seems like it's very possible

Data also shows that he was efficient defensively, in the 62nd percentile, meaning he was more efficient than 62% of NHL players.

Expect Colin White to Bounce Back in the 2020-21 Season

A healthy Colin White playing with better players would go a long way (played a lot with Ennis and pretty much everyone else). If he adds more strength and plays more assertively, he should rebound to his rookie season level pretty easily, maybe even more. We all should be praying for that, so that would put an end to every goddamn thread being derailed to Colin White.

Line Combinations - Frozen Tools

Simmer hasn't been an exec in the league for many years. The game has passed him by. They needed to sign White. It gave some people hope. Waaaaaay too early to give up on the guy.

It's also pretty easy to see that they had no choice to do it because the most important move to have the rebuild in the right direction was to sign Thomas Chabot to a long term deal. Maybe Chabot doesn't extend or just agrees to a bridge if White is bridged too.

Every Sens fans know (or should) that they would normally have went with a bridge for Colin White (so less expensive). It happened at was probably the lowest point in Sens history. Of course it was contextual.

 

[Tuna99]

White will be traded. No intensity or desire I see.

would you rather have Todd White or Colin White?

 

[JD1]

would you rather have Todd White or Colin White?

There's no white or wrong decision there.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

He was hurt last year on a bad team, the hyperbole around here that is pushed by one or two individuals is not how the organization is approaching the player, I guarantee it. The team has plenty of time for him to work through the kinks.

How this board has reacted to how he played last year is honestly embarassing. He had a bad year yeah, was he hurt yup. Doesnt erase everything that got him here. Even Pierre Dorion knows that.

Yea he had a hip flexor injury towards end of October but last year he was very far removed from his normal game and was playing ridiculously timid and was fumbling everything. I didn’t see someone who was just injured but someone who’s play struggled in all areas.

He was racking up some points before corona hit so I hope he turns it around and was playing better. White’s game is at its best when he is in great physical shape playing solid relentless 2 way hockey, so let’s see what he does this year. There really is no hyperbole, lol. He isn’t a big time scorer and his best attributes are the little things; many of which were of concern last year.

White and Wolanin are players I’m most excited to see come back fully healthy from this long lay off

 

[Cosmix]

would you rather have Todd White or Colin White?

I prefer the Browns.

 

[JD1]

Yea he had a hip flexor injury towards end of October but last year he was very far removed from his normal game and was playing ridiculously timid and was fumbling everything. I didn’t see someone who was just injured but someone who’s play struggled in all areas.

He was racking up some points before corona hit so I hope he turns it around and was playing better. White’s game is at its best when he is in great physical shape playing solid relentless 2 way hockey, so let’s see what he does this year. There really is no hyperbole, lol. He isn’t a big time scorer and his best attributes are the little things; many of which were of concern last year.

White and Wolanin are players I’m most excited to see come back fully healthy from this long lay off

The fumbling and the timidness and the hip flexor are related imo. Playing hockey at less than 100% of whatever your skating ability is is hard. And it gets in your head that you can't do what you usually can

 

[Xspyrit]

The fumbling and the timidness and the hip flexor are related imo. Playing hockey at less than 100% of whatever your skating ability is is hard. And it gets in your head that you can't do what you usually can

You often see comments that injuries are just "excuses" that don't explain why a player sucks. It's probable that these people never played any sport at a high level. I only played at high levels when I was young and healthy so it's hard to say but in my 30's I was playing in a very competitive amateur league, and after my knee operation I wasn't able to play at that level anymore. I spent too much time being injured and recovering, then not being 100% anymore so I dropped a level. I have talked to several professional athletes and heard so many interviews on how hard it is to stay at the highest level. Even when you're just slightly diminished, it becomes even harder for the confidence in your abilities to face your sport's best players night after night.

Confidence and not being 100% physically are heavily related, the higher the level, the bigger the impact will be. But not only the mental impact, the physical impact is very real. There's hundreds of examples in the NHL.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

You often see comments that injuries are just "excuses" that don't explain why a player sucks. It's apparent that these people never played any sport at a high level.

Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

 

[Xspyrit]

Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

You disagree? I know you cut the quote but you disagree with what was said?

To play a sport at a high level, you need high physical capabilities. If those capabilities are diminished, it's pretty normal that your level of performance will drop. Saying the opposite is not grounded in reality.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

You disagree? I know you cut the quote but you disagree with what was said?

Like I edited to my initial post, you are completely right about injuries + regression and impact on play 100%. That first sentence was just uncalled for, assumptive and high and mighty; something I havent known you to be in a long time bro.

 

[Xspyrit]

Like I edited to my initial post, you are completely right about injuries + regression and impact on play 100%. That first sentence was just uncalled for, assumptive and high and mighty; something I havent known you to be in a long time bro.

OK well, it wasn't necessarily my intention lol. The context of the whole post is important. Of course, if you cut it to a sentence without the rest of a text, it can sound very different. I never played to anywhere close to the NHL level so I am sure not "high and mighty". I consider myself largely inferior in hockey/sports to anyone who has ever played in the NHL/AHL/etc. That's why when I see random people on internet talk about these athletes like trash/dumb/etc, I am always very annoyed.

How can I word this?

Did you ever hear or read a pro athlete say that injuries are just excuses and it doesn't explain performance levels? Of course, they have pride and will try to not use it as an excuse but let's be real 1 minute, they all know injuries and performance+confidence are heavily related... Which is why I am assuming that somebody saying the opposite probably never played a sport at a high level (unless you and all other athletes around you were 100% healthy all the way?) I don't see any problem making that kind of assumption but maybe I'm insensitive. I don't know

Edit : I replaced 1 word in the initial quote and I think "it sounds" very differently. Probable instead of apparent. Well, it does for me. I know I wouldn't get offended by that. That's the thing with internet, people's "tone" and "intention" are not clear at all, but we still naturally try to detect it.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

When you're hurt, you cant just rely on instinct. You go to make a move and you feel it where you previously wouldn't have. I quit skiing even though I was climbing provincial rankings and really coming into my own after years of being just above average because, no matter how I performed, I felt like it was just a matter of time before I completely destroyed my groin. Every race, without fail, I would be going through a turn and I'd feel something, I'd become immediately focused on that, and it was disconcerting and scary. I started falling more because of that split-second diversion of focus, and I knew I either had to hold back or I was going to eventually really hurt myself. So, I pulled back. I went from top 85th - 95th percentile to ~30th percentile pretty much overnight, and I quit at the end of the season (I wanted to quit right away but my dad talked me out of it). I didnt have the drive to be great, even at my best I didn't love racing (I moved out west and fell back in love with skiing when cliffs became involved) and I was always just waiting until I wasnt good enough to continue, but it went from an activity that I felt ambivalence towards to one that was stressful and scary. I would lay awake at night, I would dream about falling at top speed & dying... it f***ing sucked. None of that started until my injury issues started, and it was all due to those scary moments in the middle of competition when I felt uncertain that my body would be able to support me.