OT: Guys I'm done.... not being dramatic.

[Sensung]

I don't think any informed individual would pick Ottawa's current roster over any team in the past 5-10 years. As it stands, it has among the worst starting rosters in the modern NHL.

It has the worst D in over a decade, for sure. The worst goaltending duo back again a year older, and a bottom 5 forward core.

Yup.

On the bright side, I can still cheer for them to win, knowing full well it won't happen enough to make "the plan" seem like anything other than the $$$ motivated firesale that it is.

 

[Sensung]

'we want to get fast and young'

Proceed to trade our two fastest players in their prime in Karl and Hoff for a bag of pucks

Good point.

 

[coladin]

I am very disappointed , even though my hope meter has been way down there for months. I have never been a fan of Dorion as the GM. He is a bumbling fool if you ask me. Melnyk is petty , miserable, miserly poor excuse for a human being. But I will cheer for the Sens to turn this tire fire around. I really like a lot of the prospects we have although none are really sure fire high end guys. I want those kids to succeed and I want to watch them do well. We will lose more than we win for a couple of years but I will cheer for progress in the young players. I want Boucher to embrace helping these kids develop. I don't want to see the kids be brow beat for making mental errors by Crawford as we saw with Chabot. The Kids have to keep their confidence up ,, they will need lots of encouragement. I will remain a fan of the players and the team from the bench out. Above that .. I haven't been able to stand those guys much anyway.

That's the spirit!

 

[Sensung]

Fast AND CHEAP.

FYP

 

[NyQuil]

Why are we constantly telling other Senators fans how to act or behave?

It's ridiculous.

 

[coladin]

I don't think any informed individual would pick Ottawa's current roster over any team in the past 5-10 years. As it stands, it has among the worst starting rosters in the modern NHL.

It has the worst D in over a decade, for sure. The worst goaltending duo back again a year older, and a bottom 5 forward core.

It has the worst D in a decade because we lost one player? Does it make sense to keep that one player when the other 6 are , in your opinion, terrible? Just an honest hockey question.

I like Chabot and Wolanin. I can live with Ceci and Wideman and Boro. One thing they have in common is skating.

 

[HSF]

It has the worst D in a decade because we lost one player? Does it make sense to keep that one player when the other 6 are , in your opinion, terrible? Just an honest hockey question.

I like Chabot and Wolanin. I can live with Ceci and Wideman and Boro. One thing they have in common is skating.

We lost Karlsson Methot and Phaneuf. That defense was one of the worst last year and now we lost the generational talent on in. Yes Chabot and Wolanin are good but who plays against the top guys like McDavid Crosby ovy?

On paper this defense looks really bad...

 

[BondraTime]

It has the worst D in a decade because we lost one player? Does it make sense to keep that one player when the other 6 are , in your opinion, terrible? Just an honest hockey question.

I like Chabot and Wolanin. I can live with Ceci and Wideman and Boro. One thing they have in common is skating.

I think even with Karlsson it is one of the worst D's in the past decade. Without him it is for sure, in my opinion of course. Keeping Karlsson should be an easy option if we are able to surround him with even a modicum of talent, but we failed to do that, and failed to get that even in return for him. Hence it being such a putrid backend.

We don't have any top pair D (as of now, here's hoping Chabot can turn into one this year), and we only truly have 1 mid pair (Ceci should be, and is more of a #5 to me, though he's been saddled with #2 to horrifying results for 2 years, not his fault).

As it sits, we have a young, currently #4 being cast as a #1. And then Ceci is cast as the #2, who at best is a 2nd pairing D.

After that, we have 4 guys (Harper/Demelo/Wideman/Boro) who are all bottom pair D at best, and wouldn't crack the top 6 on a majority of teams.

Wolanin and Jaros are both wildcards, I feel both are in the top 6 D for this team in terms of talent, but only Wolanin will be filling the void, possibly in the top 4, as a rookie.

#4-#5
#6/7-#6
#6/7-#7
#7/AHL

That is how I view our current D corps. Chabot has the ability to become much more, and will be the shining star for this Sens season. Obviously I don't view Ceci in the same light as Sens management either.

 

[Sensung]

Why are we constantly telling other Senators fans how to act or behave?

It's ridiculous.

I'd draw the distinction between laying out what I think is the path that is best for the Sens long-term and recommending that Sens fans following it, with insulting individual "fan status" if they don't follow the path I recommend.

ie I think it is best if fans boycott, but you won't hear me saying you aren't a "fan" if you continue to buy tickets.

 

[Viletho]

Why are we constantly telling other Senators fans how to act or behave?

It's ridiculous.

I agree with that but the 2 side are telling the other side how to act and behave.

If you are mad at the team, and don't want to give money to Melnyk you are told to be the problem because the arena won't be full, so less money. Etc etc

If you still want to go see the sens play and pay, you are told that you are the problem and pro Melnyk because you are "giving" him money.

I agree with both side, but i still will cheer for the player who are still there.

I'm a fan of Mark Stone, i'm a fan of Duchene, i love Chabot, i appreciated the majority of the player coming.

I'm mad at the return, but i'm going to cheer for the player who are part of the return.

All in all, i agree that we should not be told what kind of fan we should be. We live things differently, but if there is something i'm so mad about, then i try to stay away from it a couple of days then comeback if i feel like it.

Also it feel that recently, this board has become more of a critism the poster rather than critism the message. Which i thought was kinda a rule to follow.

Anyway...
Cheer and let's enjoy the sports on the ice rather then what is happening at the top.. because it is obviously bullshit.

 

[BondraTime]

How's a former 1st round pick 17 th overall pick 19 yrs old in norris then balcers leading the san Jose barracuda in scoring getting a 1 st round pick and a second pick ,chris Tierney only 24 yrs old popped 17 goals last year a bag of scraps? I don't get it.

That's on you for not getting it, as it's incredibly obvious.

 

[DueDiligence]

I don't think any informed individual would pick Ottawa's current roster over any team in the past 5-10 years. As it stands, it has among the worst starting rosters in the modern NHL.

It has the worst D in over a decade, for sure. The worst goaltending duo back again a year older, and a bottom 5 forward core.

Actually every knowledgeable hockey person said the Golden Knights would finish out of the playoffs and many thought they would finish last in the NHL. They were wrong. I agree that the "D" is suspect on paper but the goaltending especially Anderson is far better than what they were last year. Let's see how things play out.

 

[BondraTime]

Actually every knowledgeable hockey person said the Golden Knights would finish out of the playoffs and many thought they would finish last in the NHL. They were wrong. I agree that the "D" is suspect on paper but the goaltending especially Anderson is far better than what they were last year. Let's see how things play out.

Sure, what do you think every knowledgable person is saying about the Sens, except at a higher degree? Someone is always predicted to finish last, as the Sens are right now.

Let me rephrase, I don't think any knowledgable person would have any lineups of the past 5 years below the current roster the Sens have.

 

[DueDiligence]

That's on you for not getting it, as it's incredibly obvious.

Obvious to who? Those fans whose disgust with the trading of Karlsson blind them to the truth? The players and prospects coming to Ottawa are not crap ; some of the pieces look to be reasonably good. Are there any blue chippers? No. Do the Sens get comparable value for Karlsson? No. But is the return a pile of scraps? No.

 

[BondraTime]

Obvious to who? Those fans whose disgust with the trading of Karlsson blind them to the truth? The players and prospects coming to Ottawa are not crap ; some of the pieces look to be reasonably good. Are there any blue chippers? No. Do the Sens get comparable value for Karlsson? No. But is the return a pile of scraps? No.

Obvious to anyone who can look at the roster with a realistic approach without hoping for the best or hoping for the worst. Just using logic basically.

 

[DueDiligence]

Sure, what do you think every knowledgable person is saying about the Sens, except at a higher degree?

That they will range from bad to awful but as I said they were wrong about the knights too. There are so many unknowns with the Senators right now it is easy to dump on them. Can the goaltending rebound from last year? If it does they will be much better than expected. Will team chemistry be better? Obviously yes and that alone could mean a bunch of wins. As I said let's see what happens.

 

[DueDiligence]

Obvious to anyone who can look at the roster with a realistic approach without hoping for the best or hoping for the worst. Just using logic basically.

I am being very realistic. I have a good feeling about this team and I like Duchene and Stone as their leaders.

 

[BondraTime]

That they will range from bad to awful but as I said they were wrong about the knights too. There are so many unknowns with the Senators right now it is easy to dump on them. Can the goaltending rebound from last year? If it does they will be much better than expected. Will team chemistry be better? Obviously yes and that alone could mean a bunch of wins. As I said let's see what happens.

That's fair. Now, let's use a logocal approach to these questions.

Can the goaltending rebound?
- we have by far the worst D in the league, Anderson is going to be peppered with pucks and high chance scoring opportunities.
-betting on a 37 year old to have a big rebound year is suspect at best.
-lost our best defensive centre for the year.

Will team chemistry be better?
-sure, maybe? Will team chemistry make up for the loss of Karlsson/Hoffman/Pageau? Probably not.

 

[BondraTime]

I am being very realistic. I have a good feeling about this team and I like Duchene and Stone as their leaders.

Sure, you can have a good feeling, nothing wrong with that. It's just not realistic. It's very hopeful.

 

[DueDiligence]

That's fair. Now, let's use a logocal approach to these questions.

Can the goaltending rebound?
- we have by far the worst D in the league, Anderson is going to be peppered with pucks and high chance scoring opportunities.
-betting on a 37 year old to have a big rebound year is suspect at best.
-lost our best defensive centre for the year.

Will team chemistry be better?
-sure, maybe? Will team chemistry make up for the loss of Karlsson/Hoffman/Pageau? Probably not.

Actually Tierney is a better all round player than Pageau. The guy is known as a really good defensive player and also had 17 goals last year. Of course the team will miss Karlsson's puck moving ability tremendously and that is the biggest question mark. I don't think they will miss Hoffman's cavalier work ethic and nonchalant attitude.

 

[Sensung]

That they will range from bad to awful but as I said they were wrong about the knights too. There are so many unknowns with the Senators right now it is easy to dump on them. Can the goaltending rebound from last year? If it does they will be much better than expected. Will team chemistry be better? Obviously yes and that alone could mean a bunch of wins. As I said let's see what happens.

How do you know team chemistry will be better?

It has potential to be terrible as the losses pile up and the firesale continues.

 

[DueDiligence]

Sure, you can have a good feeling, nothing wrong with that. It's just not realistic. It's very hopeful.

The best team on paper rarely wins it all and the worst team on paper rarely finishes last. There are always surprises.

 

[BondraTime]

The best team on paper rarely wins it all and the worst team on paper rarely finishes last. There are always surprises.

Sure, but the bad teams on paper are usually bad teams on the ice, and good teams on paper are usually good teams on the ice, exceptions or not. And this is, by a gigantic, GIGANTIC margin, the worst roster on paper.

That is realistic.

Having a good felling about a team is just that. A good feeling, but it flies in the face of what is considered realistic at the moment.

I hope you're right, I really, really do.

 

[DueDiligence]

How do you know team chemistry will be better?

It has potential to be terrible as the losses pile up and the firesale continues.

From all reports including comments by players the Sens dressing room last year was a sideshow. It may hurt you to hear this but I don't think Karlsson was a great " captain". I think having him and Hoffman gone will actually bring the room much closer together.

 

[HF Reader]

Thank you for your hockey takes HF Reader. Welcome. Sincerely.

You came at the right time lol.

Growing a pair sounds like what you have in mind. It will require Sens fans to continue the journey or jump off. I am glad that you are staying on the rudderless ship at the moment. Let's hope for the team to come together and do they best they can under trying circumstances.

Our captain is gone and nothing will change that. It sucks. But I am also invigorated by the young guns and see what they can bring.

Thank you.
I am 100% respectful of both the people who choose to support the team and of those whose support will diminish. I have friends in both camps.

I'm not out to punish Melnyk nor do I hope the team fails. I do wish , however, that I had greater confidence in the owner and GM to make decisions with money less of a factor.


The marketing has become somewhat farcical. The Boro/Melnyk video is a genuine head-shaker and I laughed spontaneously when I watched it. Saturday Night Live would have been proud. My reaction was "Please, just stop".

You call the team "rudderless". Seems that way. Both you and I hope they now have the correct rudder. At least it will be an interesting rudder. I especially like Tkachuk and acknowledge that we bypassed some great talent to choose him. The cost of the new direction is a tough pill to swallow and I expect to see further losses of good players.

In truth I don't know what I'd have done with EK. Signing him to $12.0 million over eight years, somewhat lockout protected, goes against my nature. But how do you let such a talent slip through your hands? If such a contract is the cost of running a pro sports team then we may be close to an unsustainable place for more than just Melnyk (but that is a different topic).

I look forward to watching it all unfold.