Ottawa Senators 13-14 Rational Discussion and Perspective Thread

[StefanW]

I'm going to start with the assumption that other people also dislike coming on HF boards and seeing an endless string of panic threads associated with our team.

I'll get the ball rolling.

Perspective:
- We have three points out of a possible four at the start of this road trip. I would have been happy with that if you told me a week ago that this is what would happen.

-Maybe I am just older than a lot of other fans, but back in the day when a team was picking up wins and points even though they were not playing well we would all say "look out." When we start firing on all cylinders we will be an elite scoring team.

-Our second line is absolutely outstanding. Once our first line kicks into gear, and they will, we will have a top 6 group that is pretty amazing.

-Our goaltending is incredible. Andy won a huge showdown on opening night, and I can't fault him for giving up goals on back door plays in game 2. That gap will be closed by solid coaching, and in the end our goaltending will be among the top in the league.

-The new guys have been really good. It takes a while for new players to gel on a team, and MacArthur is playing out of his mind right now. Bobby Ryan is piling up high shot totals, and eventually they will start to fall in for him.

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[PoutineSp00nZ]

How dare you try to be rational around here.

 

[Super Cake]

Are you really trying to act rationally around these neck of the woods?

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

The number of new threads is too damn high.

 

[StefanW]

The number of new threads is too damn high.

There are always a lot of threads. The pointless or outdated ones are simply replaced with new ones that come up.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

Upfront I think that second line is fast and very effective, the first line will get it figured out soon enough. We have made to many mistakes in our own end and that is something that I'm sure the coaching staff is concerned about. Karlsson is trying to do too much out there and maybe needs too play a little bit more conservative and not force things as much as he is. I would of much preferred a veteran defensive defensemen like Hal Gill instead of Corvo back there just to calm things down. The west coast trip should be interesting and I for one have been satisfied with our start.

 

[arian487]

Obviously if you said a week ago we'd get 3/4 points at the beginning of the road trip we'd all be happy. But if you told me a week ago we blew a 4-2 lead, got completely destroyed by penalties (resulting from undisciplined play) and lost in a shootout because of a very very questionable spinorama goal then everyone would be pissed.

I'm pretty disappointed in general. I don't think we played that poorly last game but it was hard for us to get in the game. We'd get a good cycle and some pressure going and then take a penalty. The panicking is obviously too much but losing a game like that is always very disappointing and frustrating.

 

[Dionysus]

West coast road trip is going to be great for the team. Really going to test their mettle against strong teams and develop chemistry as a group right off the bat. Only unfortunate part is all the late games!

 

[YNWA14]

This team has impressed and disappointed at the same time in the first two games. The best part is that we have 80 more games to figure out what our team really is. I think, like most people, we see our team as a pretty talented one that will start to show its true colours more as the season moves on.

Keep in mind that Ottawa has gone through some big changes over the last few years. A lot of roster over-haul, coaching changes and injury difficulties. The system they played last year will be completely different from the one this year due to player availability.

 

[Indrew]

Would there be less of a panic if the Sens managed to win the shootout? It's the only thing they've lost so far.

 

[Slow Hands]

I'm happy with the 3 points out of 4, however, you never want to give up a two goal lead. You want your team to put the boot down and finish off the other team. The whole thing is worse because it was a divisional rival, AND the Leafs.

Yes, the refs were bad, however, as mentioned by the OP, we played far too undisciplined. Watching Smith take an offensive zone penalty when they were down by two goals give me a bad feeling, and what do you know, they ended up scoring late in the period.

I understand people who are calling for calm and less panic, but with the new divisions and everything, giving up points to a division rival is terrible, especially considering we now embark on what's traditionally been a very difficult road trip for us down the west coast.

 

[HSF]

we need more posters like this a less that think ryan spezza michalek karlsson suck

 

[NyQuil]

I've been impressed with the second pairing.

Cowen-Wiercioch was going to be a big question mark going into the season and for the most part I think they've played well.

 

[WhiteLight*]

I've been impressed with the second pairing.

Cowen-Wiercioch was going to be a big question mark going into the season and for the most part I think they've played well.

offensively yes, defensively not really.

 

[NyQuil]

offensively yes, defensively not really.

4 goals against in 2 games?

1 off a 5 on 3? Another off another PP?

2 ES goals against in 2 games? As a team?

I expected much worse from the team and the pairing.

 

[WhiteLight*]

4 goals against in 2 games?

1 off a 5 on 3? Another off another PP?

2 ES goals against in 2 games? As a team?

I expected much worse from the team and the pairing.

Buffalo is absolutely awful and they still gave up a ton of chances.

Against Toronto everyone was bad defensively except Turris. Cowen and PW gave up some chances and were on the ice for 1 of the 2 ES goals.

They've been the best D pair, but I still want to see them get better defensively (like everyone).

 

[NyQuil]

Buffalo is absolutely awful and they still gave up a ton of chances.

Against Toronto everyone was bad defensively except Turris. Cowen and PW gave up some chances and were on the ice for 1 of the 2 ES goals.

They've been the best D pair, but I still want to see them get better defensively (like everyone).

I chalk that up to the fact that our pre-season schedule sucked and our line-up is still feeling themselves out with the season underway.

How we still had 40 guys on the roster on the last day of camp is mind-boggling.

The first line hardly played at all because of Spezza's injury, and Michalek was also rested at times for "maintenance". So was Anderson.

It was hardly the ideal way to begin the season.

To be honest, I called two losses on the weekend because of this and they ended up with 3 points.

 

[WhiteLight*]

I chalk that up to the fact that our pre-season schedule sucked and our line-up is still feeling themselves out with the season underway.

How we still had 40 guys on the roster on the last day of camp is mind-boggling.

The first line hardly played at all because of Spezza's injury, and Michalek was also rested at times for "maintenance". So was Anderson.

It was hardly the ideal way to begin the season.

To be honest, I called two losses on the weekend because of this and they ended up with 3 points.

Agreed, that doesn't help but they're also playing a riskier style than last year. Last year they were STIFLING defensively. It was awesome.

Suddenly now with Karlsson, Spezza and Ryan they think they can play this high flying all out offense.

Just play like you did last year. More goals will be scored simply because there is more skill in the lineup.

Karlsson seriously needs to be reeled in.

 

[trobby]

Truth: 3 out of 4 points on the road is great.

Real Truth: 2 out of 2 against the Leafs and 1 out of 2 against the Sabres would have been better.

 

[NyQuil]

Agreed, that doesn't help but they're also playing a riskier style than last year. Last year they were STIFLING defensively. It was awesome.

Suddenly now with Karlsson, Spezza and Ryan they think they can play this high flying all out offense.

Just play like you did last year. More goals will be scored simply because there is more skill in the lineup.

Karlsson seriously needs to be reeled in.

Well, interestingly enough, last year wasn't MacLean's style of play.

When he came in, it was the team of two years ago that had a very rough start defensively as they figured out the system and went on to be #4 in GF.

The stifling defense that Ottawa played last year isn't the kind of system that MacLean had implemented when he arrived.

The question is, are we back to the high-flying transition game of two years ago or are we going to play some kind of hybrid?

 

[guyzeur]

Truth: 3 out of 4 points on the road is great.

Real Truth: 2 out of 2 against the Leafs and 1 out of 2 against the Sabres would have been better.

No,

Sabres are not playoffs bound and Leafs are in the mix. 3/4 is quite fine with me.

Sure we didn't play perfectly but no team are at this time of the year.

Because we're watching the Sens all the time, we are more critical when we make mistakes, we just don't see other teams' mistakes as much... we just happen to play good when the other team is making mistakes.

And SensBruins4Ever, I'm really not impressed by your comments so far unless you're being sarcastic.

 

[guyzeur]

Well, interestingly enough, last year wasn't MacLean's style of play.

When he came in, it was the team of two years ago that had a very rough start defensively as they figured out the system and went on to be #4 in GF.

The stifling defense that Ottawa played last year isn't the kind of system that MacLean had implemented when he arrived.

The question is, are we back to the high-flying transition game of two years ago or are we going to play some kind of hybrid?

It could be the top two lines play offense and the bottom two more a defensive style. Either way, they are still another month of adjustments.

 

[StefanW]

Well, interestingly enough, last year wasn't MacLean's style of play.

When he came in, it was the team of two years ago that had a very rough start defensively as they figured out the system and went on to be #4 in GF.

The stifling defense that Ottawa played last year isn't the kind of system that MacLean had implemented when he arrived.

The question is, are we back to the high-flying transition game of two years ago or are we going to play some kind of hybrid?

I suspect this team is going to score an awful lot of goals, so I suspect it will look more like the team 2 years back than last year's team. Once the top line gets going we will be loaded with scoring talent that will give other teams nightmares.

 

[Super Cake]

No,

Sabres are not playoffs bound and Leafs are in the mix. 3/4 is quite fine with me.

Sure we didn't play perfectly but no team are at this time of the year.

Because we're watching the Sens all the time, we are more critical when we make mistakes, we just don't see other teams' mistakes as much... we just happen to play good when the other team is making mistakes.

And SensBruins4Ever, I'm really not impressed by your comments so far unless you're being sarcastic.

If you knew me personally. You would know that i am a jokster and i am not really serious at all. Besides, everyone on this forum has a right to an opinion, whether it be wrong or right. I don't go around saying that i dislike your comments do i? You shouldn't either.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Well, interestingly enough, last year wasn't MacLean's style of play.

When he came in, it was the team of two years ago that had a very rough start defensively as they figured out the system and went on to be #4 in GF.

The stifling defense that Ottawa played last year isn't the kind of system that MacLean had implemented when he arrived.

The question is, are we back to the high-flying transition game of two years ago or are we going to play some kind of hybrid?

Last year was still sort of his style. It was puck possession, fast defense.

He should make them play like that again. My opinion. It will save me from having heart attacks.