Ottawa Senators send down Drake Batherson and Filip Chlapik to Belleville

[Qward]

Hey, I work and skate too! When do I get a shot?

 

[TheDebater]

I believe we are all looking for justification as to why these moves appear so ridiculous, but in hindsight, I think most members here agreed that none of the young guys stood out exceptionally vis a vis the other. It was obvious Brown, Batherson, Abramov, Chlapik and a few others all had relatively the same impact during camp and pre season.

I am not excusing the team and their decision making, however I tend to believe the coaches and management felt the same way about the young players which is why they are not giving much rope for one player over the other. This is proof that a guy like Logan Brown needs to zip it and just be patient because last week was proof that there is an ultra thin threshold between "making" the big club and being sent down.

Obviously the opportunity is limited and Batherson and Chlapik learned that the hard way. This should be a lesson for those in Belleville right now, to realize that they could be called up at any moment as long as they play hard and prove they deserve the next shot. I'm speculating that Abramov will also be given a short rope to work with, and if he does not impress, he will be sent right back down.

This entire season is going to be one big "pre-season" for this Senators team.

 

[Cosmix]

Hey, I work and skate too! When do I get a shot?

Yah, but you work somewhere else, each of your skates has two blades, and you cannot shoot. Just like me.

 

[Cosmix]

I believe we are all looking for justification as to why these moves appear so ridiculous, but in hindsight, I think most members here agreed that none of the young guys stood out exceptionally vis a vis the other. It was obvious Brown, Batherson, Abramov, Chlapik and a few others all had relatively the same impact during camp and pre season.

I am not excusing the team and their decision making, however I tend to believe the coaches and management felt the same way about the young players which is why they are not giving much rope for one player over the other. This is proof that a guy like Logan Brown needs to zip it and just be patient because last week was proof that there is an ultra thin threshold between "making" the big club and being sent down.

Obviously the opportunity is limited and Batherson and Chlapik learned that the hard way. This should be a lesson for those in Belleville right now, to realize that they could be called up at any moment as long as they play hard and prove they deserve the next shot. I'm speculating that Abramov will also be given a short rope to work with, and if he does not impress, he will be sent right back down.

This entire season is going to be one big "pre-season" for this Senators team.

Of all the prospects, it was Abramov who impressed me as he is faster, hustles and goes to the front of the net where he scored some goals. The others should take notice. Some of the vets with “Dorion” contracts should too.

 

[Korpse]

Batherson is likely to have the same struggles when he gets recalled. Maybe he finds his legs a little more but engaging offensively will continue to be an issue becuase of his style. It’s gonna take him a dozen or so games to adjust to the pace whether it was now or in the future.

I liked Abramov during preseason and the season opener in Belleville he was great at creating shots. I do wonder if he can transition to the NHL though. He has nice edge work on his skates but lacks the explosiveness that I feel he needs to play his game at the NHL level.

 

[Cosmix]

Does this mean he didn't work and didn't skate during the preseason, which is why he was sent down?

No is my view. I think Chlapik and Batherson were kept up because:
Chlapik has more experience in the AHL and played a decent defensive game.
Batherson was one of the best players in Belleville last year even though he did not impress during training camp

Brown was slow.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Maybe why the others sent down

He was asked a dumb question so he gave a straight forward answer: he's getting called up because he likes how he plays and we sent down wingers.

no I think it implies that Chlapik and Batherson don’t do those things

Sure, but my point was that these aren't habits that have only developed recently. One doesn't unlearn how to work and skate in a two-game stint. It's a shot fired across the bow to the other two, for sure, but why couldn't this message have been delivered with the opening lineup rather than two games into the season? If Batherson and Chlapik weren't skating or working hard in the pre-season, you don't keep them around for the main roster. And if they were, then two games of sub-par effort in the NHL shouldn't be reason enough to justify sending them down. It's questionable personnel management, that's all.

 

[coladin]

I would have given more than 2 games.

Still, I think this will be the norm all season, with a bunch of movement in spurts, waiting for someone to seize the opportunity. I don't think I would do it that way, but there are a lot of players in the same boat, and this will maybe keep them motivated.

To skate and work, I mean, that;s just the way Chlapik skates haha, but in all seriousness, I am not sold on him playing in the NHL. Batherson just looks overwhelmed, although better last game.

 

[bert]

no I think it implies that Chlapik and Batherson don’t do those things

Chlapik was one of the only good forwards on the team in his 6 minutes. Makes no sense to send him down whatsoever.

 

[DrEasy]

I can understand sending down one of the guys if Abramov is healthy, especially since Abramov seemed to have made the team in the pre-season. I'm more puzzled about the second guy being sent down, unless Balcers is also healthy now (doubtful).

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Sure, but my point was that these aren't habits that have only developed recently. One doesn't unlearn how to work and skate in a two-game stint. It's a shot fired across the bow to the other two, for sure, but why couldn't this message have been delivered with the opening lineup rather than two games into the season? If Batherson and Chlapik weren't skating or working hard in the pre-season, you don't keep them around for the main roster. And if they were, then two games of sub-par effort in the NHL shouldn't be reason enough to justify sending them down. It's questionable personnel management, that's all.

You should keep in mind that any PR is camouflaged. They will not lie but they will spin. Abramov was sent down not because he wasn't good enough but because of a complex web of interacting factors (waivers, projecting progress, giving Belleville good players, selling tickets in Ottawa etc....)

You seem to be putting too much stock in the PR spin: "we chose him to get called up because he is good at thing X" is just a way for the coach to make it sound like he is getting rewarded.

They didn't tell Abramov "hey your skating and tempo have improved this week so we are calling you up". That is what they tell us, the fans and the media. Abramov knows he is getting called up mostly because Batherson has been a major let down so far, the coach just doesn't want to have to say that on TV.

 

[Slack]

Glad that Abramov is getting a shot, he had one of the better camps IMO.

Thing that rubs me the wrong way is how they've dealt with Chlapik. Guy plays all of 5 minutes, sets up a goal, then he's benched the next game and then sent down. It seems to go against all the talk about bringing up the young guys "the right way." What message does that send to the other young guys?

 

[God Says No]

Glad that Abramov is getting a shot, he had one of the better camps IMO.

Thing that rubs me the wrong way is how they've dealt with Chlapik. Guy plays all of 5 minutes, sets up a goal, then he's benched the next game and then sent down. It seems to go against all the talk about bringing up the young guys "the right way." What message does that send to the other young guys?

Makes you wonder about his confidence and how it was affected by making the team, playing in one game for 5 min, then being sent down.

 

[Slack]

Makes you wonder about his confidence and how it was affected by making the team, playing in one game for 5 min, then being sent down.

Yeah I bet in his head he has no idea what he did wrong or how he found himself back in Belleville. But it seem like the org isn't very high on him and would just as soon use him as a 13th forward than think about development.

 

[JungleBeat]

DJ is throwing some shade on Brown.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Hey, I work and skate too! When do I get a shot?

If you’re over the age of 30 and from Ottawa, you should be on the team in no time.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

DJ is throwing some shade on Brown.

Great start.

 

[Sensinitis]

Chlapik was one of the only good forwards on the team in his 6 minutes. Makes no sense to send him down whatsoever.

hey I’m not disagreeing with you brother, I’m just playing messenger.

 

[bert]

DJ is throwing some shade on Brown.

Care to share?

 

[Slack]

Care to share?

My best guess is this

 

[L'Aveuglette]

I love how certain people feel targeted

I have a few specific posters in mind but mods won't allow us to call out specific posters.

I was not thinking of you and yet here you are, assuming I was. That is what I call self-reflection and the lashing out means that you feel it wasn't entirely off-base either.

I didn't feel targeted at all. So there goes your entire argument.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

It’s honestly a good thing we have plugs like Ryan, Ennis, Anisimov, Hainsey, Boro, etc. in the lineup.

Avoids us from having to put young players in spots they shouldn’t be in, prevents those same players from developing a loser mentality, and really helps with the tank.

Tkachuk-White-Brown
Duclair-Tierney-Abramov (plsss)
Ennis-Anisimov-Ryan
Boedker-Pageau-Sabourin

That is literally what we are doing lol.

You think White, Tkachuk and Chabot were ready to lead a team on their own?

 

[supsens]

Its very obvious its for saving on those minimum salaries. Belleville plays on Friday and Ottawa plays on Thursday. There's no possible reason to send them down but to save money. Ottawa only has 11 forwards now. They have to call someone up by Thursday. They may shuffle the deck but what's likely to happen is Batherson gets promoted on Thursday without playing a single minute for Belleville.

We're ****ting on our relationships with these players just to save and we're not incentivizing guys to perform well for the club. This "rebuild" is utter madness.

Hmmm I guess they traded for a guy that makes way more money. Wasn't money related at all.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

My best guess is this

Hard to argue that Brown has been solid for Belleville so far. His job is to dominate.

 

[Sensinitis]

That is literally what we are doing lol.

You think White, Tkachuk and Chabot were ready to lead a team on their own?

if you think White is leading the team I’m not sure how to answer your question.