GDT: Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators - 7PM - Sportsnet / TVAS - Hello Kitty, eat litter!

[Cosmix]

Yeah, DJ is probably gone after this one, but he's far from the only problem with this team. They get manhandled by physical teams and get rattled too easily.


The goalies got away though!


Yeah, last year the chemistry of the team changed drastically, with Paul gone (although Joseph does have his own brand of sandpaper), C. Brown gone, Formenton AWOL, Norris injured and not the same since, Batherson injured and not the same since. And the replacements were the likes of Giroux and DBC, with Stu moving to centre out of necessity, not exactly the physical team Dorion was going for.

And this year DBC has been replaced with Kubalik/Tarasenko, and one of the only guys with sandpaper left on this team, Greig, is injured. Hamonic is a zombie on ice.

I don't think Dorion knew what he was actually doing, and likely did not have an "identity" in mind. His "we are a team" response was bizarre!

Couple young defensemen waiting for the other one to go and get the puck.

In fairness, Korpi had the puck behind the net and looked as though he was going to pass it to one of the 2 D. I don't blame the 2 D for thinking that.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Yep, there was always the lectures and a healthy dose of denigration that was part of the routine as well. Like we somehow couldn't understand that the team needed a few vets versus yes we need vets but we don't need to give away draft picks for really bad vets that are barely NHL caliber anymore. That's one of many examples.

Yes, it was no coincidence that every (almost every) time one of our good players got to their payday contract, they were traded.

Got to hope it's a brand new ball game under Andlauer and running things on a shoe string budget days are gone. They just need to purge the rest of the dead weight now and build from there.

Yup. I don't want to pick on Swiftwin as there were much worse, but I dislike the whole narrative that people just weren't getting it.

And ya, even the backloading that is about to come back to bite them has to do with the last regime. Just penny pinching # 1 priority above anything else.

It could, but I'm just looking at our record so far this season:

4-2-0 on the road (including the two Sweden "home" games)
4-7-0 at home (excluding the two Sweden "home" games)

3-1-0 on back to backs


Care to elaborate?

Can we just call those road games in Sweden? They still had last change which is arguably a bigger factor than the fans, especially since there were plenty cheering them on.

Not feeling optimistic about December and I think it is much more likely to squash this team even further, but at least they will get some bodies back.

 

[Cosmix]

Small list of things that have already gone wrong this season:
_Sale of team is delayed preventing new ownership from making changes to GM and coaching staff
_Sens lose 1RP for trade fiasco from 2 years ago
_2C misses entire previous year, training camp and first 3 games of the season
_3C suspended 41 games for sports wagering related infraction
_the other 3C has now missed 8 games and counting to injury
_Chabot and Zub have missed 17 games combined and counting

I don't know how it's possible for this many bad or negative things to happen to 1 team in the span of 2 months. I don't even know if changes can fix this, there's something f***ing malignant in the air at CTC. Like some sort of demonic spirit wreaking havoc everywhere.

We got rid of the incompetent owner, the incompetent GM, the incompetent AHL coach & the incompetent AGM in charge of scouting. We have a few more incompetents to go, including but not limited to the coaching staff and pro scouts.

 

[swiftwin]

Can we just call those road games in Sweden? They still had last change which is arguably a bigger factor than the fans, especially since there were plenty cheering them on.

Not feeling optimistic about December and I think it is much more likely to squash this team even further, but at least they will get some bodies back.

I don't think it has to do with the last change or the fans cheering in the building. The team is fragile right now, and all the external noise in the city, around the arena, with the owner, the GM, the coach, etc is getting to the team, especially when there are these huge gaps between games. The Sweden games were a good getaway, and the team played great for 5 of 6 periods and came away with 4 points.

 

[swiftwin]

I don't think Dorion knew what he was actually doing, and likely did not have an "identity" in mind. His "we are a team" response was bizarre!

Weren't people accusing Dorion of focusing too much on character and identity instead of skill? For example the Tkachuk pick over Zadina?

 

[bert]

Is it that the players don't listen or is it that the players are not being told?
Regardless, I agree with your main point.

This is the worst the team has looked in 3 years given the lineup. The only players over achieving based on skillset are players fighting for their life on the league . That says they have tuned him out. Time for a new voice. Players are regressing.

 

[Agent Zub]

Weren't people accusing Dorion of focusing too much on character and identity instead of skill? For example the Tkachuk pick over Zadina?

idk if you noticed but this team has bad character and identity.

though by nature they have good character and identity.

but dorion nurtured them into the opposite. losers beget losers.

 

[Big Muddy]

I don't think it has to do with the last change or the fans cheering in the building. The team is fragile right now, and all the external noise in the city, around the arena, with the owner, the GM, the coach, etc is getting to the team, especially when there are these huge gaps between games. The Sweden games were a good getaway, and the team played great for 5 of 6 periods and came away with 4 points.

One of those wins was against Minnesota and they are a very bad team this year. Didn't they set a record for the worst all-time PK or something. Beating a very bad team isn't much of an accomplishment.

 

[swiftwin]

One of those wins was against Minnesota and they are a very bad team this year. Didn't they set a record for the worst all-time PK or something. Beating a very bad team isn't much of an accomplishment.

Okay? Wins are still wins. Doesn't matter if it's against a bad team. Are you going to also argue that losses against good/hot teams also don't matter? Didn't think so.

 

[Micklebot]

One of those wins was against Minnesota and they are a very bad team this year. Didn't they set a record for the worst all-time PK or something. Beating a very bad team isn't much of an accomplishment.

Minnesota has been brutal on special teams, in particular on the PK. Their a team I'd expect to bounce back because their pk shouldn't be as bad as it's been.

 

[swiftwin]

idk if you noticed but this team has bad character and identity.

though by nature they have good character and identity.

but dorion nurtured them into the opposite. losers beget losers.

Dorion is not around anymore. You'll need to find someone else to obsess over.

 

[Agent Zub]

Dorion is not around anymore. You'll need to find someone else to obsess over.

thank god he isn't.

but we all know if you were in charge he'd still be there, you'd probably give him more power lol.

 

[HF Reader]

This is the worst the team has looked in 3 years given the lineup. The only players over achieving based on skillset are players fighting for their life on the league . That says they have tuned him out. Time for a new voice. Players are regressing.

I agree that players are regressing. I'm not convinced DJ and the coaching staff have ever been teaching how to play correctly.

I also question the makeup of the team but that is on Dorion.

I've read your posts regarding moving Chabot. I agree with your goal but am unsure that is the solution. As you and others have said, let's get a new coach and evaluate before making a move that big.

I'd try to move Norris before Chabot but I could see moving both. Norris with a recurring shoulder problem, not scoring or competing hard would be very difficult to move.

 

[Big Muddy]

Dorion is not around anymore. You'll need to find someone else to obsess over.

You had a man crush on him. According to your theory, you were surrounded by dullards and only you could see how brilliant he was. Are you going to stop praising him?

 

[Hale The Villain]

Dorion is not around anymore. You'll need to find someone else to obsess over.

This guy says this with a straight face despite still using a Pierre Dorion avatar he created in MS Paint, while also unironically promoting the "Summer of Pierre", as if that too didn't end up being a disaster.

No one is more obsessed with him than you are. Hell the amount of time you've put in over the years hopelessly and shamelessly defending his work would make me think you were on his payroll, but since Dorion was likely the lowest paid GM in the league by far, it was probably pro-bono.

 

[HF Reader]

This guy says this with a straight face despite still using a Pierre Dorion avatar he created in MS Paint, while also unironically promoting the "Summer of Pierre", as if that too didn't end up being a disaster.

No one is more obsessed with him than you are. Hell the amount of time you've put in over the years hopelessly and shamelessly defending his work would make me think you were on his payroll, but since Dorion was likely the lowest paid GM in the league by far, it was probably pro-bono.

On his payroll?? I thought he was Dorion!

 

[swiftwin]

This guy says this with a straight face despite still using a Pierre Dorion avatar he created in MS Paint, while also unironically promoting the "Summer of Pierre", as if that too didn't end up being a disaster.

No one is more obsessed with him than you are. Hell the amount of time you've put in over the years hopelessly and shamelessly defending his work would make me think you were on his payroll, but since Dorion was likely the lowest paid GM in the league by far, it was probably pro-bono.

Get over it. I believe we have a solid young core (even though they're going through a rough patch right now). If you perceive that as being obsessed with Dorion, that's your problem. I'm not the one constantly bringing him up.

I also find it pretty ironic that you're attacking other posters for not being bothered enough to change an old avatar when you don't even have one yourself.

 

[Mingus Dew]

I agree that players are regressing. I'm not convinced DJ and the coaching staff have ever been teaching how to play correctly.

I also question the makeup of the team but that is on Dorion.

I've read your posts regarding moving Chabot. I agree with your goal but am unsure that is the solution. As you and others have said, let's get a new coach and evaluate before making a move that big.

I'd try to move Norris before Chabot but I could see moving both. Norris with a recurring shoulder problem, not scoring or competing hard would be very difficult to move.

Is there a market for Norris? At least right now his value is insanely low.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I don't think it has to do with the last change or the fans cheering in the building. The team is fragile right now, and all the external noise in the city, around the arena, with the owner, the GM, the coach, etc is getting to the team, especially when there are these huge gaps between games. The Sweden games were a good getaway, and the team played great for 5 of 6 periods and came away with 4 points.

Well not as simple maybe, but still factors imo.

I don't see it happening, but we shall see. They certainly can't play much worse or look less motivated than last night, but you're basically proposing this team in December will get over the hump for the first time ever. Do you truly believe this team is about to turn the corner? I'd love it if you're right, but I think we're all at the we will need to see it to ever believe it point. I'm both impressed, and a little confused by your overwhelming optimism. At best they look incredibly fragile to me. At worst, the roster as constructed just isn't good enough.

 

[HF Reader]

Is there a market for Norris? At least right now his value is insanely low.

Is there a market for Norris? At least right now his value is insanely low.

I can't see getting anything of value for him.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Is there a market for Norris? At least right now his value is insanely low.

Every game I hate that contract more and more. I hated it when he signed it and it just feels like it's getting worse. Its weird because when he came back last season he looked great taking over for Pinto before he re injured the shoulder. He looks so bad and lost this year.

 

[swiftwin]

Well not as simple maybe, but still factors imo.

I don't see it happening, but we shall see. They certainly can't play much worse or look less motivated than last night, but you're basically proposing this team in December will get over the hump for the first time ever. Do you truly believe this team is about to turn the corner? I'd love it if you're right, but I think we're all at the we will need to see it to ever believe it point. I'm both impressed, and a little confused by your overwhelming optimism. At best they look incredibly fragile to me. At worst, the roster as constructed just isn't good enough.

For the first time ever? They're doing better in the standings than they were at this point last season. If they play like they did in the final 2/3 of last season, they'll be on the cusp of the playoffs.

I'm not saying it will happen. I'm just saying is can happen. I don't know why you're accusing me of overwhelming optimism. I'm just using elements of this season and last season to project the next month. Obviously we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

 

[bert]

I agree that players are regressing. I'm not convinced DJ and the coaching staff have ever been teaching how to play correctly.

I also question the makeup of the team but that is on Dorion.

I've read your posts regarding moving Chabot. I agree with your goal but am unsure that is the solution. As you and others have said, let's get a new coach and evaluate before making a move that big.

I'd try to move Norris before Chabot but I could see moving both. Norris with a recurring shoulder problem, not scoring or competing hard would be very difficult to move.

Yeah the Chabot deal was addressing a weakness and fixing the cap issues but I agree they cant do anything without a new coach.

Center depth is the most important position and I dont think you can ever have enough. Greig is so injury prone I dont feel comfortable moving Norris right now but I see how he is the other option.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

For the first time ever? They're doing better in the standings than they were at this point last season. If they play like they did in the final 2/3 of last season, they'll be on the cusp of the playoffs.

I'm not saying it will happen. I'm just saying is can happen. I don't know why you're accusing me of overwhelming optimism. I'm just using elements of this season and last season to project the next month. Obviously we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

They're below .500 regardless of last years comparisons, it's not a good start unless compared to other failures. In the context of "getting over the hump", no this team has never done that. They've had small success in small sample sizes. Last year had some ups, I don't consider it a failure, but certainly not a success as a whole either. I think the idea they would come out gangbusters in the packed month of December would qualify, and imo would be them breaking through in a big way.

I think you're overly optimistic because they're now behind the 8 ball with ground to make up, a division full of teams playing better than them currently basically across the board, neither goaltender is really showing they're the guy, and they have a tough schedule, even if there's some benefits to it that you pointed out.

I guess we'll see. Maybe they'll show some gumption, or maybe they'll lay their cards down and fold like last night.

 

[Big Muddy]

They're below .500 regardless of last years comparisons, it's not a good start unless compared to other failures. In the context of "getting over the hump", no this team has never done that. They've had small success in small sample sizes. Last year had some ups, I don't consider it a failure, but certainly not a success as a whole either. I think the idea they would come out gangbusters in the packed month of December would qualify, and imo would be them breaking through in a big way.

I think you're overly optimistic because they're now behind the 8 ball with ground to make up, a division full of teams playing better than them currently basically across the board, neither goaltender is really showing they're the guy, and they have a tough schedule, even if there's some benefits to it that you pointed out.

I guess we'll see. Maybe they'll show some gumption, or maybe they'll lay their cards down and fold like last night.

They have to go on a serious heater and win streak(s) as they need to leap frog six (6) teams & that's based on point percentage. And they'll need some cooperation and losing as well from multiple teams. It's happened before, but its not common.