Pre-Game Talk: Payback game. SENS in Carolina. Mon 7pm on TSN

[Ray Kinsella]

the team looks pretty uninterested no doubt. And they aren't just down players, in EK's case it's why they are down as well. That's gotta impact the other guys.

But go around the league and look at taking away 2 of your best 3 and see who can win consistently. Tampa couldn't do it last year. LA. Florida.

Season is over. Best players not playing. helps the tank.

Stone taking so long to return from what looked like something minor concerns me. it happens to him a lot. slow healer. very slow.

Agreed regarding Stone.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I love how a game day thread only has 5 pages.

Seems like even we as fans have given up on this team

Haven't given up on the team...but damn it gets depressing commenting on all the missed plays and screwups on the ice. Last few games, there hasn't been much positive to write about.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I'll say this - there can't be a ton of love for Boucher in that room, because they are playing like a group who has quit on their coach.

they've quit on the season.... not sure how you can this when we had 3 straight great wins right before this losing streak where we looked great-ish.

For what its worth I have heard that the players don't really have an issue with boucher for the most part. (this info is in direct opposition to my "agenda". I dislike boucher and always have)

 

[Beville]

Haven't given up on the team...but damn it gets depressing commenting on all the missed plays and screwups on the ice. Last few games, there hasn't been much positive to write about.

Yeah that’s true; just looking at the scores and seeing we’ve given up 22 goals from the last 5 games and only scored 8.

Morale is low that’s for sure.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

there no reason why chlapik wolanin white and maybe jaros or gagne shouldn't see significant ice for the remainder of the season

 

[Brannstorm]

There is way too much anxiety (fear) in this team.

The coach is scared, no doubt. And that isn't good, it shows in the way he interviews (only excuses) and when he loses composure on the bench.

I mean the number of times Dorion has said Karlsson will never be traded, maybe best player he ever saw (playoffs last year). Next month, even gretzky gets traded, next month he is taking calls but not calling anyone (ok but you are now making that public, one big call to GMs). "If Karl is here by july 1 we will make him a deal" Subtle.

Karlsson has been worried about his own contract and health the majority of the year.

Basically if you are signed to a contract in the organisation you are guaranteed the money but that is about it. We come together in years of adversity (when someone is sick, and we've seen a lot of that lately). When there is an exterior uncontrollable problem, we come together over it. But if we are left to good times there is still so much uncertainty from Melnyk to Dorion and now Boucher and Karlsson. It would be hard to even walk into the building some days I can imagine.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Great night for the tank, our goalies are horri-awful...that is all

 

[OgieO]

there no reason why chlapik wolanin white and maybe jaros or gagne shouldn't see significant ice for the remainder of the season

Agree, would be nice to give some of the kids a taste of what it takes, even if they end up back in the Belle next year. Show them what the level of play is and then make a plan to achieve it.

 

[Sensinitis]

there no reason why chlapik wolanin white and maybe jaros or gagne shouldn't see significant ice for the remainder of the season

Jaros just came back from injury and Gagne is still injured I believe. Chlappy and Wolans are up so that's great. Seeing nice things from both so far...

White might be better off playing 20+ mins in Belleville and touching the puck the most possible till the season ends, imo. Coach won't be scratching or reducing Paajarvi/Pyatt/Burrow's minutes anyways.

Also, anyone find it veryyy interesting that with so few games remaining in the season Gaborik suddenly isn't playing with something undisclosed?? I'm obviously speculating but it looks like Dorion basically shut him down so he doesn't get injured. Possibly for a buyout? He's gone this summer, and Dorion didn't rule out buyouts this summer in his interview with the STH. So yay. Ryan too pls.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Jaros just came back from injury and Gagne is still injured I believe. Chlappy and Wolans are up so that's great. Seeing nice things from both so far...

White might be better off playing 20+ mins in Belleville and touching the puck the most possible till the season ends, imo. Coach won't be scratching or reducing Paajarvi/Pyatt/Burrow's minutes anyways.

Also, anyone find it veryyy interesting that with so few games remaining in the season Gaborik suddenly isn't playing with something undisclosed?? I'm obviously speculating but it looks like Dorion basically shut him down so he doesn't get injured. Possibly for a buyout? He's gone this summer, and Dorion didn't rule out buyouts this summer in his interview with the STH. So yay. Ryan too pls.

If that were the case which I hope it is, they took quite the risk playing him for a few games first

 

[Sensinitis]

If that were the case which I hope it is, they took quite the risk playing him for a few games first

Sure but that's in the past. Doesn't matter anymore. Playing him at first makes it all look more legit too.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

There is way too much anxiety (fear) in this team.

The coach is scared, no doubt. And that isn't good, it shows in the way he interviews (only excuses) and when he loses composure on the bench.

I mean the number of times Dorion has said Karlsson will never be traded, maybe best player he ever saw (playoffs last year). Next month, even gretzky gets traded, next month he is taking calls but not calling anyone (ok but you are now making that public, one big call to GMs). "If Karl is here by july 1 we will make him a deal" Subtle.

Karlsson has been worried about his own contract and health the majority of the year.

Basically if you are signed to a contract in the organisation you are guaranteed the money but that is about it. We come together in years of adversity (when someone is sick, and we've seen a lot of that lately). When there is an exterior uncontrollable problem, we come together over it. But if we are left to good times there is still so much uncertainty from Melnyk to Dorion and now Boucher and Karlsson. It would be hard to even walk into the building some days I can imagine.

EK65 is not going to be without a contract to begin the 2019-20 season .......... unless he retires, or has a career ending injury between now and the time he signs that contract.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Jaros just came back from injury and Gagne is still injured I believe. Chlappy and Wolans are up so that's great. Seeing nice things from both so far...

White might be better off playing 20+ mins in Belleville and touching the puck the most possible till the season ends, imo. Coach won't be scratching or reducing Paajarvi/Pyatt/Burrow's minutes anyways.

Also, anyone find it veryyy interesting that with so few games remaining in the season Gaborik suddenly isn't playing with something undisclosed?? I'm obviously speculating but it looks like Dorion basically shut him down so he doesn't get injured. Possibly for a buyout? He's gone this summer, and Dorion didn't rule out buyouts this summer in his interview with the STH. So yay. Ryan too pls.

IS white getting these minutes though? is he being treated as the top line center in all situations?

 

[danielpalfredsson]

Gaborik has been terrible and previously was playing 4th line minutes.

While the scratch could be because they have decided to shut him down for a buyout, it's just as likely that he's played himself out of the lineup.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Sure but that's in the past. Doesn't matter anymore. Playing him at first makes it all look more legit too.

That would be a very sketchy and risky plan imo, to me it appears more likely there really isn't a plan and a lot of moves are simply knee jerk reactions rather than being proactive.

 

[Viletho]

IS white getting these minutes though? is he being treated as the top line center in all situations?

From all the interview on tsn 1200 i listened and the few who tracked White ice time in the Belleville thread, he is being used around 20 min a night in all situation. YES

He is being tossed to defend against the opponents top line while being asked to produce. At least, that's what i heard and also red.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

-Boro had 10 hits, guy is a warrior.

Sign of chasing the puck

 

[aragorn]

IS white getting these minutes though? is he being treated as the top line center in all situations?

According to this article he is, seems like he is being developed properly.
Belleville Takes 2 of 3, Gustavsson Shines in Pro Debut

Sign of chasing the puck

I call bullshit on this, it's just player hatred. Boro had another good game while the rest of the team took another dump.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

According to this article he is, seems like he is being developed properly.
Belleville Takes 2 of 3, Gustavsson Shines in Pro Debut


I call bull**** on this, it's just player hatred. Boro had another good game while the rest of the team took another dump.

He has been much better this season but he still chases the puck like a mad man

 

[Burrowsaurus]

According to this article he is, seems like he is being developed properly.
Belleville Takes 2 of 3, Gustavsson Shines in Pro Debut


I call bull**** on this, it's just player hatred. Boro had another good game while the rest of the team took another dump.

okay ive been heeeaaavvvy on the boro train this year, the guy has played so well.... but saying "he played well while others played poor" doesnt paint the right picture. his "good game" suggests just so little. like 10 hits? who cares. people can play badly and still hit people.. boros best games this year have had nothing to do with hits.. for some guys they need to do SO MUCH before people are like "that was a good game" and for boro well lets be honest he doesn't have to do much. and yes different price points different expectations but to say "OH boros the only one out there playing well!" mm no

 

[Xspyrit]

I doubt anyone thinks your assessment is remotely close. Smith will never score 25 goals again. That's complete delusion. He'll be lucky to crack 15 again. He's too slow, lazy and stupid. A player that has more unsportsmanlike conduct penalties than goals on the season is worthless. Smith is useless.

EDIT: Holy ****, I didn't know he was -29 on the season until I just looked up his stats. LOL. Its actually comical how terrible he is.

Wait, what was my assessment? I said he USUALLY score 15-25 goals and it might be factually true as he did it twice (16 & 25 goals the last 2 seasons) and came close twice (14 goals in 2011-12 and 13 goals in 2013-14)

The seasons where he didn't was :

- 2010-11 : rookie year, played 55 games
- 2012-13 : lockout year, played 48 games (team was also ultra-defensive due to offensive players (Karlsson, Spezza, Michalek) injuries)
- 2014-15 : injury-plagued year, played 37 games (not the first and last player to struggle when injuries hit)
- 2017-18 : the team sucked year, played 61 games (so far)

If healthy and on a decent/good team, I could totally see him close in on 15 goals again. If he was 5 years older maybe I'd doubt it but he is still 29 y/o (30 soon). I've seen countless and countless times NHL players rebound from bad seasons. IMO, he needs a change of scenery and will hopefully be traded this summer and the financially poor Sens will be replacing him by a cheaper and younger player, making "salary space" for the future.

Zack Smith has great size and strength, is very good on face-offs (5 seasons over 51.8%, out of 8 seasons. 7 if you don't count his injury-plagued year where he only played 37 games), is usually an excellent penalty killer (most SHG on the Sens since 201-11 with 12 SHG), the team had pretty good PK years with Smith as a fixture. He is usually good defensively as evidenced by his advanced stats (check the link). He is also physical and can throw some good hits. I'm pretty sure many NHL players would tell you that he is hard to play against.

Zack Smith - Full Stats, Line Combos and Game Logs

He has gotten very few PP time over the years, 0:50 PP TOI/GP since 2010-11 (519 games) so most of his production comes at ES or PK. Only 214 forwards have more ESP since 2010-11 and Zack smith is just a bottom-6 forward

But it comes with no surprise, you were saying how terrible he was since day 1 and particularly in 2014-15 and what happened then? He followed that by scoring 25 goals the following year and 16 the year after.

Note : So Smith has been the only Sens player terrible defensively this year? Hockey is a team sport, the whole team has been broken defensively this season. Karlsson is -25, Hoffman and Duchene are -21, Ceci is -24, Harpur is -20, Dzingel is -16 and even Pageau is -11

Oduya is +2 and Dumont is +1. I guess with Stone they were the only ones good defensively?

Reality is almost everybody has been "terrible" when they came back from Sweden in November.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Gaborik has been terrible and previously was playing 4th line minutes.

While the scratch could be because they have decided to shut him down for a buyout, it's just as likely that he's played himself out of the lineup.

They should take Burrows out as well.

 

[Sensung]

Smith is garbage and his contract hurts the team.

 

[Brannstorm]

EK65 is not going to be without a contract to begin the 2019-20 season .......... unless he retires, or has a career ending injury between now and the time he signs that contract.

Oh ya for sure, whom will it be with is the big question.

 

[Brannstorm]

Wolanin def scores tonight, count it.