Do the sens currently have the pieces to make the playoffs next year?

Do the sens currently have the pieces to make the playoffs next year?

  • Yes

  • No

  • They have the core but need to make big moves in offseason


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Dan Patrick

Registered User
Mar 11, 2020
1,960
1,950
Could also see Detroit having a clsoe to bubble team year next year. Lots of talented youth starting to come up for them next year. They could end up above us in the standings by a couple of points if some of our guys have sophmore slumps, Chabot gets injured, or goaltending is in early 20-21 form.
 
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Answer

Registered User
Dec 17, 2006
6,962
1,428
Edmonton
No, not unless the following issues are addressed, I don't think we can make the playoffs

1. Get a legit top 6 Center
2. Remove Zaitsev from our top 4 permanently
 
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branch

#GirlBoss #Vibes
Jan 12, 2008
8,837
7,233
Maybe if Pierre got off the deck chair out back and found some serviceable replacement players instead of Del Zotto (lolz) we might have a chance.
 
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aragorn

Do The Right Thing
Aug 8, 2004
28,471
9,001
They have the pieces & will keep adding to them, but they need to mature & develop & that will take some time.
 
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Cosmix

HFBoards Sponsor
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Jul 24, 2011
17,798
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They have the pieces & will keep adding to them, but they need to mature & develop & that will take some time.

Yes, the young players need to mature and develop; however, I think the team is still without a top 15 #1 Center, a top 15 #1 RW, and a top pair RD in order to compete for the SC. I do not see the team making the playoffs this 2021-22 season. They might become a bubble team or a playoff team in the following 2022-23 season. By 2023-24 the team should be in the playoffs for certain.
 

AchtzehnBaby

Global Matador
Mar 28, 2013
15,022
8,906
Hazeldean Road
Maybe if Pierre got off the deck chair out back and found some serviceable replacement players instead of Del Zotto (lolz) we might have a chance.

What makes you think he is not laying on a towel at a nudist beach? Why does it have to be a deck chair?

Del Z is going to be the Fresh Prince of Stittsville.

jbIsgNIp_400x400.jpeg
 

Samsquanch

Raging Bull Squatch
Nov 28, 2008
8,224
4,965
Sudbury
Nope...but we will have over 20 mil in cap....

By the time that we pay Tkachuk, Stutzle, Sanderson, Batherson, Norris, Pinto, and whoever else emerges, how much of that 20m cap we have will be left to go big game hunting?

Now more than ever we need to be careful about signing/trading for any big dollar contracts. Not until we're sure of what we have in house.

This imaginary pressure to make the playoffs now is only going to harm this team in a few years down the road from now when were actually able to ice a contending team. We dont need a top 6 center, now, today. We might have one in house (or multiple) if we can stay the course, and be patient.
 

bashbros32

Registered User
Jan 12, 2014
1,995
1,723
Brockville, Ontario
I am sorta hoping we finish bottom 5 one last time, whether that be from sophomore slumps, or super recoverable injuries from the few stars we have.

as has been mentioned in the thread we dont have a true top center on this team, like, top 10-15 center in the league center. there also just so happen to be 3 potential elite centers at the top of the 2022 draft class, and one at the very top who plays a mere 2 hours away.
 
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aragorn

Do The Right Thing
Aug 8, 2004
28,471
9,001
Yes, the young players need to mature and develop; however, I think the team is still without a top 15 #1 Center, a top 15 #1 RW, and a top pair RD in order to compete for the SC. I do not see the team making the playoffs this 2021-22 season. They might become a bubble team or a playoff team in the following 2022-23 season. By 2023-24 the team should be in the playoffs for certain.

I guess we'll see this yr if Norris can once again handle the #1 C duties for this team. While most don't consider him a top line centre, I do but it will be up to him to show us he can do it two yrs in a row. The other problem is that neither does anyone else on this team have #1 centre potential without there being question marks about them. I always though L. Brown could be, but again way too many question marks around him to determine anything. Johanson for example makes #1 centre money, but is he considered an elite #1 centre or just better than any other centre on his team? Would he be better here with these linemates? Maybe or maybe not, but his numbers could get inflated playing with better linemates.

Pinto may have that potential, but he still needs to show us he is better than Norris & most don't see him as a #1 for some reason, I think it's possible, IMO he's that good & will get better. Stutzle could be an option, but I have always thought & PD has said he sees Stutzle as a winger more so than a centre. I wonder how many fans saw Bergeron as a #1 centre, IMO they don't have to be Crosby like elite players as long as they have good linemates they could still become a top line C & Ottawa has at least six forwards who have top six or top line potential, if not more.

Given that the team is getting better the chances of getting an elite top line centre from the draft is becoming more remote & that leaves trading for one. While Eichel is without question a #1 centre talent he has a number of issues surrounding him & trading for him could be problematic or at the least questionable, it already is on here. Who does that leave? Few, if any. IMO Norris sticks as the #1 centre on this team until someone else better comes along (Pinto/L. Brown) or they make that big trade for what people call a legitimate #1 top line centre. I think they go with what they have.
 
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JungleBeat

Registered User
Sep 10, 2016
5,049
3,547
Canada
By the time that we pay Tkachuk, Stutzle, Sanderson, Batherson, Norris, Pinto, and whoever else emerges, how much of that 20m cap we have will be left to go big game hunting?

Now more than ever we need to be careful about signing/trading for any big dollar contracts. Not until we're sure of what we have in house.

This imaginary pressure to make the playoffs now is only going to harm this team in a few years down the road from now when were actually able to ice a contending team. We dont need a top 6 center, now, today. We might have one in house (or multiple) if we can stay the course, and be patient.
It’s not an imaginary pressure. It’s coming from Dorion and Melnyk.
 

Cosmix

HFBoards Sponsor
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Jul 24, 2011
17,798
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Ottawa
I am sorta hoping we finish bottom 5 one last time, whether that be from sophomore slumps, or super recoverable injuries from the few stars we have.

as has been mentioned in the thread we dont have a true top center on this team, like, top 10-15 center in the league center. there also just so happen to be 3 potential elite centers at the top of the 2022 draft class, and one at the very top who plays a mere 2 hours away.

Or win one of the the lottery picks.
 

Samsquanch

Raging Bull Squatch
Nov 28, 2008
8,224
4,965
Sudbury
It’s not an imaginary pressure. It’s coming from Dorion and Melnyk.

Do your really think anyone is losing their job if the Sens dont make the playoffs this season?

Yeah there is pressure to get better each season. And there will be problems if they dont keep improving. But pressure to "win" is a bit of a different thing imo.
 

Sting

Registered User
Feb 8, 2004
7,902
2,896
Absolutely not. Like, not even close.

Arguably missing: #1C, #1LW, #2RW, #2RD, #3RD, #1G.

Do you see the management group collecting all those pieces in the span of a year? There's so many holes in the lineup and so many players being asked to do too much at this point in their careers.

Virtually every player in this lineup outside of Chabot, and I'd argue Batherson, is a line or pairing "up" where they should be.
 
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cudi

Mojo So Dope
Feb 2, 2020
8,023
12,054
I have no expectations of making the playoffs next season. It'd be dope obviously, but its 2022/23 that I'll consider it a failure if theyre on the outside looking in again.

Odds are at least 1 or 2 sophomore slumps hit some key guys next season.

good job me.
 

Xspyrit

DJ Dorion
Jun 29, 2008
30,708
9,652
Montreal, Canada
That's a lot of confidence for a GM who just had a very poor off-season 8 months ago

Decisions were made by GM (with coach) and in the end, Balcers, White, Logan Brown, Zub, and Brannstrom were sitting in favor of Anisimov, Stepan, Paquette, Josh Brown and Coburn

If he has the same kind of off-season, not chance at the playoffs.

This was my take but why the hell did I vote "yes"? AFAIK I have stopped drinking a while ago

I also said in my following post :

"It's probably been mentionned but this thread is very premature, the 2020-21 season is not even over... There's going to be an expansion draft, an amateur draft and then free agent season before we start having a better idea of how teams will shape up"

Don't remember... but we DO have plenty of the pieces needed... Guys like Batherson, Norris, Stutzle, Tkachuk, Formenton, Brown, Paul, Chabot, Zub can all be strong contributors on a playoff team... We do miss a top forward and a top pairing D-man but the problem is after that... most of the guys left are depth types put in larger roles than they should
 

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