Sportsnet: No more rebuilding talk: Finally, the future is now for the Senators

[Sens of Anarchy]

Old news. Rebuild was over last year.

 

[NyQuil]

So the vast majority understand that they were the problem and not us? And that they have to right the ship in order for the majority to support them again? Fixing 2 mistakes (Murray, White) and trading for a good player fixes the incompetence?

I didn't buy into anything. I was the leader at the start of the Murrnyk era saying WTF. Had a permanant facepalm mark on my face because of the Dohrnyk era, and am only now getting back to neutral ground in hopes of a better tomorrow. We are not there yet Sir.

Sorry, I was just poking fun at your tendency to want to think differently from everyone else. It was unfair of me.

I suppose there are people who are ecstatic, people who are waiting and seeing, and people who are convinced that the Senators will shoot themselves in the foot somehow no matters how many good moves they put together recently.

None of them are right or wrong really.

 

[Bevans]

If it takes that long then I guess you are not very good at your job. lol

If it doesn't take that long you can figure it out big guy.

 

[Stylizer1]

If it doesn't take that long you can figure it out big guy.

You can just say you don't belive what you wrote and we can save each others time.

 

[Bevans]

You can just say you don't belive what you wrote and we can save each others time.

Okay chicken little.

 

[Stylizer1]

Okay chicken little.

Glad you agree.

 

[Silky Johnson]

We brought in a rookie head coach to learn the ropes and lead a young core. If we plan on being any type of destination for quality vets to round out our team how is having a coach everyone was critical off work in getting us to the next level? And we don't really have a # 1 goalie yet. Rebuild is not over. This team has always given us hope and has never delivered. Team looks better on paper but we filled holes and created others.

When you see a cup 50% full I am betting you see it as half empty?

 

[Bevans]

When you see a cup 50% full I am betting you see it as half empty?

I tried.

 

[Stylizer1]

When you see a cup 50% full I am betting you see it as half empty?

Depends on if I'm thirsty or not.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Depends on if I'm thirsty or not.

There are alot of thirsty fans for this team to succeed.

It was fun the last couple years seeing the kids develop. The team is making some good moves now and it's getting more fun. The top 9 will at a minimum be exciting. A couple more realistic additions and a bit of luck and we are a contender. What's not to like about that?

 

[coladin]

No more rebuilding talk: Finally, the future is now for the Senators

Instead of building for tomorrow, on an endless loop, the Ottawa Senators are telling their fans and their young core they are all about today. It is quite a change for the franchise.

www.sportsnet.ca

The Senators playing the role of the hunter, not the hunted. The team “going for it,” not selling off assets to pile up draft picks and prospects. Instead of building for tomorrow, on an endless loop, the Senators are telling their fans and their young core they are all about today.

If you’re like me and either live in Ottawa or are associated with the Senators in some way, you were getting texts through the two days of the NHL Draft. Most along the lines of, “what is up with the Sens? DeBrincat? He’s legit.”

Love Scanner, but this article is premature. I have no issue with this article after the dust settles from free agency. The Future Is Now can't be now if Zaitsev is playing big minutes. If Giroux signs, I can see Brown being moved as incentive to pick up the Zaitsev contract. At that point, it will be worth it as Brown would be cemented on the 3rd line

 

[Stylizer1]

There are alot of thirsty fans for this team to succeed.

It was fun the last couple years seeing the kids develop. The team is making some good moves now and it's getting more fun. The top 9 will at a minimum be exciting. A couple more realistic additions and a bit of luck and we are a contender. What's not to like about that?

Never said I didn't like the team. I have always said I hated everything else. Now with Melnyk gone I am neutral where as the last 3 season i didn't really give a shit. Going forward I hope to invest my time again. We have a great core of players. Let's hope they mend all the bridges they've burned.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Love Scanner, but this article is premature. I have no issue with this article after the dust settles from free agency. The Future Is Now can't be now if Zaitsev is playing big minutes. If Giroux signs, I can see Brown being moved as incentive to pick up the Zaitsev contract. At that point, it will be worth it as Brown would be cemented on the 3rd line

I agree. Until we can get someone at RD who can push Zaitsev off the team I just don't see us contending. The defense needs work and seasoning.

Jake Sanderson has all the traits of a blue chip prospect but we need to see how he does as a pro.

Our RD depth chart goes Zub, Hamonic, Zaitsev. That is not good enough. Either we need to get an established RD or wait for Thomson or JBD to break out as top 4 D.

There is tons to love about this offseason but there is still quite a bit of work to be done IMO.

 

[aragorn]

1. Going into next yr without a proven goaltender will be risky, Forsberg had a good end of the season last yr, but will need to do it again this yr from the get go & Gustavsson will also have to play well in relief occassionally.

2. The defence is still a work in progress, at the moment they have 3 UFAs going into this season & Zaitsev who still has two yrs left on his deal. They bought out MDZ & now need to do something with Zaitsev if they can dump his salary. At some point they will either not renew Holden or Hamonic or maybe re-sign one of them, we'll see. Still not sure they have the pieces in-house to fill out a good defence group & may need another trade or two to solidify it.

3. I assume DJ will be given this yr & maybe next as I expect this team to be very much improved, however, does he have what it takes to take this team all the way remains to be seen. The same applies to PD whether he will be able to still have a job when this team is ready to compete for a SC.

4. The forward group is looking much better after the acquisirtion of DeBrincat, but there are still a few positions that they will need to upgrade. Watson & Brown are the only UFA forwards going into the season who may eventually need to be replaced, but they will also need to upgrade on Gambrell, Kelly & maybe Joseph at some point. C. Brown will be a big loss if he is not replaced with an equal or better player.

 

[JD1]

I don't really think you go far enough.

The fanbase sucks, the arena location is terrible, and we are permanently stuck between the two biggest markets in the league.

For all intents and purposes, this franchise has had a psychotic owner, a dungheap for management, and can't make three good moves in a row.

We've had one HHoF worthy player drafted in the last 20 years.

15 years ago? Was that any real success at all? A finals where we go down in 5 games? Stop drinking the happy nostalgic Ottawa kool-aid.

I think you have to unshackle yourself from this mainstream thinking around "success" and start thinking for yourself for a change, and start taking a page from much more original thinkers like myself.

If it wasn't for masochism, this team should have shuttered its doors and moved to Cleveland years ago. In fact, we'd all be better off if they did, so people like you and other Ottawa fans wouldn't keep believing in this collective delusion, while those of us with much clearer and original vision continue to see things as they really are.

Why do people always forget about the hot water?

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Rebuild talk

 

[JD1]

Are the playoffs out of reach? Sometimes I think we have an inferiority complex as Sens fans.

Which teams in the east have a better top 9?
Which teams have a better goaltending tandem?
Which have a better D group?

Obviously we're weak on D. But we're pretty strong up front.

Lots of reasons for optimism.

 

[GCK]

Are the playoffs out of reach? Sometimes I think we have an inferiority complex as Sens fans.

Which teams in the east have a better top 9?
Which teams have a better goaltending tandem?
Which have a better D group?

Obviously we're weak on D. But we're pretty strong up front.

Lots of reasons for optimism.

I think we fall short of the playoffs this season. I have 2 main concerns at the moment.

1. The D has 1 pair I’m comfortable with, one good, not great , D who can play the right side would help greatly.

2. 125, 132, 17, 16. Those are the NHL games played by our projected Centres. Norris, Stu, Pinto and Kastelic. Stu has the most games of any of our centres and more than half were on the wing.

 

[JD1]

I think we fall short of the playoffs this season. I have 2 main concerns at the moment.

1. The D has 1 pair I’m comfortable with, one good, not great , D who can play the right side would help greatly.

2. 125, 132, 17, 16. Those are the NHL games played by our projected Centres. Norris, Stu, Pinto and Kastelic. Stu has the most games of any of our centres and more than half were on the wing.

173 and 1018. Those are the NHL games played by Gambrell and Giroux. Both can play centre.

Yes, Pinto and Kastelic don't have a lot of experience. But Gambrell is a centre and there's no guarantee he isn't the opening night 4th line centre. And if one of Norris or Stuetzle is hurt for any significant time, Giroux can still play.

And I know Brannstrom isn't well thought of here by most, including yourself, but he's a young player that is still improving and if he takes a step forward this season from where he was in the back half of last year, then he's a solid player too.

We could easily line up
chabot Hamonic
Brannstrom Zub

Until Sanderson is ready for a bigger role.

The Brannstrom Zub pair looked good two seasons ago and both are more seasoned now

 

[DJB]

Rebuild talk

I’m confused as to why Brannstrom is in that photo lol

 

[GCK]

173 and 1018. Those are the NHL games played by Gambrell and Giroux. Both can play centre.

Yes, Pinto and Kastelic don't have a lot of experience. But Gambrell is a centre and there's no guarantee he isn't the opening night 4th line centre. And if one of Norris or Stuetzle is hurt for any significant time, Giroux can still play.

And I know Brannstrom isn't well thought of here by most, including yourself, but he's a young player that is still improving and if he takes a step forward this season from where he was in the back half of last year, then he's a solid player too.

We could easily line up
chabot Hamonic
Brannstrom Zub

Until Sanderson is ready for a bigger role.

The Brannstrom Zub pair looked good two seasons ago and both are more seasoned now

I’m not convinced Haminic has the ability to effectively play in that slot for any length of time. I have no issues starting with a Brannstrom Zub pairing but that leaves Chabot without a competent partner. Sure we can put together pairings but it’s not playoff calibre, especially in our division.

 

[DJB]

I’m not convinced Haminic has the ability to effectively play in that slot for any length of time. I have no issues starting with a Brannstrom Zub pairing but that leaves Chabot without a competent partner. Sure we can put together pairings but it’s not playoff calibre, especially in our division.

As it currently stands I don’t see how these are not the pairs for opening night.

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Hamonic
Brannstrom- Holden

I see no chance of a Zub and Brannstrom pair given our current depth chart

 

[coladin]

Are the playoffs out of reach? Sometimes I think we have an inferiority complex as Sens fans.

Which teams in the east have a better top 9?
Which teams have a better goaltending tandem?
Which have a better D group?

Obviously we're weak on D. But we're pretty strong up front.

Lots of reasons for optimism.

Not only that, but Detroit, Buffalo , Columbus and Jersey will also take points away from the 8 playoff teams from last year. There are no freebies this year and the playoff race will be incredibly tight. I don’t see many 100pt teams in the east. Toronto is worse . Boston is worse. Pittsburgh is older. And worse. Florida is worse. Washington is worse.

 

[NyQuil]

Are the playoffs out of reach? Sometimes I think we have an inferiority complex as Sens fans.

I think it's more the fact that the games aren't played on paper.

Weren't the Jays going to dominate the AL East this year?

It's one thing to be pleased about the direction of the team and something else for some to go around bragging as if we've accomplished anything.

 

[MoreGore]

I don't think it's over yet. Close but I'm very cautious. I don't think our Defense can sustain us and I think Foresberg overachievd.

Either way I'd prefer not being in the habit of trading our 1st round picks.

Disagree. Look at the roster, now push the roster out 2 years, same players. What is the salary paid out? It will be greater than the salary cap.

That means that we have completed the rebuild and we are now in the cap management phase.

If we are still rebuilding with more assets still needed and no cap space, how do you add that into the team roster? You can't. The rebuild is done.

You could say we are in the growth phase. Where you have your assets in place and are growing them to their full potential, but Ottawa can ice 80% the same players on 3 years and still be youngish.