GDT: GAME 2 | Sens vs Red Wings | Happy Thanksgiving | 7 PM EST | Sporsnet One | Formenton Edition

[OmniSens]

Man, I think the most disastrous thing that could ever happen to this franchise from a branding perspective would be to have the arena land negotiation with the NCC fall apart.

I think there's a big chunk of the fanbase that have already put all of their eggs into that basket, and having a new arena waived in front of their faces only to have it pulled away at the last minute would be a huge blow to the morale of the team and city.

And the scary part - knowing the history of the NCC, it's not a ridiculous hypothetical scenario, either.

And that's what scares me the most. I'm not too sure how negotiations have gone, but the fact that we haven't had an update lately, worries me.

 

[Korpse]

Wow, I thought Claesson was terrible all game long & Stone was the best forward on the ice throughout the game. I also thought that Thompson & Pageau did nothing. I guess it goes to show that people see what they want to see with the players they like or dislike.

Yeah, I thought Claesson looked bad as well, he has really struggled to this point, still early and spending time on the right side has likely played a role in that but I'm not sure he is going to complete the year in Ottawa.

 

[Sensinitis]

I'd be very okay with this.

This does not sound bad as long as there is no bad contract

Sure, it's "not bad", or "okay". A Smith-Pageau-Dzingel 3rd line can be pretty nice and possibly a championship one.

The point is more that he shows flashes of possibly being more than that, and in the current state of our offense it would be great if he can take that next step. Hagelin never hit 20 goals nor 40 points. I'd like for Dzingel to hit those numbers, he certainly has the potential. Just converting on some of those breakaways would give him those totals. He's a gamer.

 

[BonkTastic]

Yeah, I thought Claesson looked bad as well, he has really struggled to this point, still early and spending time on the right side has likely played a role in that but I'm not sure he is going to complete the year in Ottawa.

Claesson looks panicked all the time in the defensive zone so far this year. It's not like he lacks mobility either, it just seems like he is scrambling in his own end all the time. Reminds me of a mouse trying to escape a cat - there's no rhyme or reason to where he's going, he just wants to get out, to varying levels of effectiveness. He bites on forwards dekes and puckhandling WAY too easy.

There's lots of time left for him to sort that out, but his defensive-zone decision making has been the worst of our blueliners after 2 games. Small sample size of course, but that's how I've seen it so far.

 

[God Says No]

Sure, it's "not bad", or "okay". A Smith-Pageau-Dzingel 3rd line can be pretty nice and possibly a championship one.

The point is more that he shows flashes of possibly being more than that, and in the current state of our offense it would be great if he can take that next step. Hagelin never hit 20 goals nor 40 points. I'd like for Dzingel to hit those numbers, he certainly has the potential. Just converting on some of those breakaways would give him those totals. He's a gamer.

I don't think Dzingel has the finish to be a 20 goal scorer. He'll be in the low to high teens, but nothing more.

 

[BonkTastic]

I don't think Dzingel has the finish to be a 20 goal scorer. He'll be in the low to high teens, but nothing more.

Yeah, I don't see him as anything more than a 15g, 20-25a winger at best.

There's a long and celebrated history of fast guys in the NHL whose hands can't keep up with their feet, and Dzingel looks to be following in the footsteps of that rich tradition. I thought Dzingel had solved that somewhat at the beginning of last year, but the last 50+ games he's played in a Sens uni has me thinking that was just lightning in a bottle for him.

Still a good depth player, but a depth player nonetheless.

 

[Sensinitis]

I don't think Dzingel has the finish to be a 20 goal scorer. He'll be in the low to high teens, but nothing more.

That's precisely my point. He had 14 goals with all those missed opportunities last season. That was his rookie season.

Being a sophomore, this year and next is when he proves to us what he really is. He'll either top out as a 3rd line depth player like Hagelin (probably the most likely outcome which would include production similar to what he did last year), or maybe he can be a little more than that. If he starts showing a bit more finish he's easily a 20 goal scorer.

@Bonkie, last season he had 14 goals and 32 points. You think he topped out in his rookie year? I mean, it's possible. I think he has good hands, better than Hagelin's for sure. It's just his shot and finish that suck. He should just dangle on most of his breakaways unless there's a gaping hole to shoot at. We'll see if he's learned a few more tricks this season because if he has, he's easily more than a 15 goal 30-35 point player imo. Sadly last game he didn't show that though.

 

[BonkTastic]

@Bonkie, last season he had 14 goals and 32 points. You think he topped out in his rookie year?

He'll be 26 years old before the season is over. It's not like this is his Draft+2 season or something.

At 25 going on 26 years old? Yeah, this is roughly what I think he's going to look like for the rest of his prime. There's not much else we haven't seen yet.

 

[Benjamin]

I guess I was wrong about Claesson.

I thought he was positioning good and good with his stick.

 

[Sensinitis]

He'll be 26 years old before the season is over. It's not like this is his Draft+2 season or something.

At 25 going on 26 years old? Yeah, this is roughly what I think he's going to look like for the rest of his prime. There's not much else we haven't seen yet.

Definitely a fair point, I just don't think he's in his prime yet.

He's a late bloomer similar to Hoffman, who has improved every season since breaking in the league.

Maybe I'm too optimistic.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Definitely a fair point, I just don't think he's in his prime yet.

He's a late bloomer similar to Hoffman, who has improved every season since breaking in the league.

Maybe I'm too optimistic.

I kinda think you are both right in a way... I think his ceiling is close to what we've seen but I also think he gets a little better at just being more poised , having the game slow down for him, resulting in more positive plays ... so I think he can improve a bit over his rookie year.

 

[Korpse]

Definitely a fair point, I just don't think he's in his prime yet.

He's a late bloomer similar to Hoffman, who has improved every season since breaking in the league.

Maybe I'm too optimistic.

With Hoffman the skill is/was apparent, Dzingel has speed but no other tools that stand out.

 

[BonkTastic]

He's a late bloomer similar to Hoffman, who has improved every season since breaking in the league.

I think the difference I would underline between the two was that Hoffman always had the skill, the problem was eliminating a lot of bad habits he had in his game. It was a coaching issue more than it was a skill issue.

Alternatively, I think Dzingel is highly coachable.. It's not a systems issue with him, he doesn't have bad habits that makes a coach want to protect him on the ice. He just doesn't have the hands of a high-skill player, and at 25/26 years old, I don't think he's going to find them at this point in his career.

 

[Sens]

I don't think people realize that taking Karlsson out is like taking Tom Brady off the Patriots.

Pats went 11-5 in 2008 when Brady missed the season

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Pats went 11-5 in 2008 when Brady missed the season

that was very fluky. You know what i mean. Take a star qb out with no great replacement and that team is gonna stink

take Brent burns off sj and they would be horrible

 

[Micklebot]

I thought it was fairly even. Xspyrit says we're a serious Contender. We should have had a better game then.

And the way some here talk every game is simply a flat out dominant performance. There were a lot of warning signs last night against a team that is not all that great, and frankly not that many super encouraging signs.

So should the caps be worried,, because a lot of our so called warning sings were present for them when they played us. Nobody said we were dominant, just that we played well.

 

[Uchiha]

Dzingel doesn't have a shot. He definitely can handle the puck.

 

[solidprospect]

Still think Dzingel will be a 50+ point winger.

 

[Sensinitis]

With Hoffman the skill is/was apparent, Dzingel has speed but no other tools that stand out.

Hands? Vision? I don't know... The only thing he's missing is a good shot, which usually comes with the confidence to release that shot as well.

I think the difference I would underline between the two was that Hoffman always had the skill, the problem was eliminating a lot of bad habits he had in his game. It was a coaching issue more than it was a skill issue.

Alternatively, I think Dzingel is highly coachable.. It's not a systems issue with him, he doesn't have bad habits that makes a coach want to protect him on the ice. He just doesn't have the hands of a high-skill player, and at 25/26 years old, I don't think he's going to find them at this point in his career.

I agree to an extent about Hoffman. I think that comfortability had a lot to do with Hoffman's uprise (in the NHL, just like the rest of the leagues he played in), offensively at least. He was a bit reticent at first, and the more he played the more he got comfortable and eventually started letting his instincts and skill take over.

Are you saying he has bad hands because he's not scoring? I'm trying to understand because from my viewings Dzingel's hands aren't a problem. He often uses his hands to escape traffic and create chances for himself. His biggest problem is finishing by far, imo.

 

[BonkTastic]

Are you saying he has bad hands because he's not scoring? I'm trying to understand because from my viewings Dzingel's hands aren't a problem. He often uses his hands to escape traffic and create chances for himself. His biggest problem is finishing by far, imo.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I mean, he doesn't have a plus shot, and to make matters worse, he has a harder time handling and shooting the puck at high speeds, which is where an above-average number of his scoring chances (when compared to a regular player) are going to come from. He takes way too long to wind up his slap and snap shots, which lets opposing defencemen adjust to the play. His wrist shot is average at best, and below average when he's trying to get it off while skating hard. He has an active stick and a good eye for the puck, so in those regards his hands are fine. He just lacks finish at the speed (ie: reaction speed with the puck on his stick, anticipation of the play that requires faster decision making when on the fly, a good quick shot) that the NHL demands of it's point producers.

His breakaway-speed moves that worked for him at the NCAA level once he finds a lane aren't the kind of high-end moves that fool NHL goalies for the most part, either.

I'm not trying to dump on the guy, he's a fine player, but that's all he is - fine. There's nothing wrong with just being a good bottom line winger in this league.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Pats went 11-5 in 2008 when Brady missed the season

And they won games with Jacoby Brisett and Jimmy Garapolo at QB last year. That's cause they have the greatest coach of all time and amazing depth, completely unlike Ottawa.

 

[Sens]

And they won games with Jacoby Brisett and Jimmy Garapolo at QB last year. That's cause they have the greatest coach of all time and amazing depth, completely unlike Ottawa.

No disagreement here... Pats are incredible

 

[Korpse]

Hands? Vision? I don't know... The only thing he's missing is a good shot, which usually comes with the confidence to release that shot as well.

Cant say I've seen much of either from him. Not really a guy I'm expecting to stickhandle out of a phone booth or make a pinpoint pass through traffic.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Man, I think the most disastrous thing that could ever happen to this franchise from a branding perspective would be to have the arena land negotiation with the NCC fall apart.

I think there's a big chunk of the fanbase that have already put all of their eggs into that basket, and having a new arena waived in front of their faces only to have it pulled away at the last minute would be a huge blow to the morale of the team and city.

And the scary part - knowing the history of the NCC, it's not a ridiculous hypothetical scenario, either.

I'm almost expecting it at this point. Not exactly any Sens fans on that panel.

 

[coladin]

I know math can be hard for some people but try less than 4,000 empty seats without the tarps.

I thought attendance was 19, 153. Or was it 18, 8something last year. Either way it is a lot of empty seats every game. Almost a quarter. That part of math even you may possibly understand.