Sens Shot Predicting the Opening Day Lineup
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Sweatred
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- Jan 28, 2019
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Tierney really has aged the last couple months, I just found this image of him on the interwebs...
I agree ... We should be a lot more excited for our 1C and his career 10.2 G/season.
Micklebot
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I think there's a pretty big gap between saying the guy that scored at 44 pts per 82 game pace over the last 3 seasons is being underacted when someone suggests he's below average for anything other than the 4th line, and saying we should be excited for him to be our #1 center. But you do you...
TheDebater
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aragorn
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Do you honesty think they are going to start next season with two rookie centres in the top six? And after signing White to a long term contract I doubt he is going to start the season on the 4th line RW. And I don't think the veteran Watson signed with Ottawa to be the 13th forward or J. Brown to be the 7th D, IMO they will both play. I'll be surprised if Norris, Formenton, Brannstrom, Jaros or even Balcers is on the opening day lineup. These are the 25 guys I think they start the season with in Ottawa.
Tkachuk - White - Dadonov
Galchenyuk - Tierny - C. Brown
Paul - L. Brown - Batherson
Sokolov - Anisimov - Watson/Balcers/Chlapik
Chabot - Gudbranson
Wolanin - Zaitsev
Reilly - J. Brown/Zub/Jaros
Murray - Nilsson/Hogberg
Well, i think that Logan Brown will need one hell of a camp to be in the opening night lineup. He's starting from pretty far back.
Barring injury, I think White, Tierney and Anisimov all play. Then you've got Chlapik and he's not really competing for the same minutes as Brown. And you've got Norris who by all accounts is ahead of Brown in the organization's eyes and is unlikely to be outworked during this time off. You've also got the possibility of Nick Paul taking some 4C ice time.
Brown's best shot might be outplaying Norris and doing so well in camp that they start White on the wing.
Frank8
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I'm really hoping to see something similar to this at some point. I can't see White being that low and I agree with Aragorn about Brown and Watson, but it would make me very happy for Brown and Norris to grab those spots early.
Frank8
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I have a huge crush in Sokolov but I think he's going to need to get some AHL time first if he's going to make the show.
TheDebater
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Did you miss the part where I am 6-2-0??
aragorn
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DJB
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Tkachuk - Anisimov - Dadanov
Stuetzle - Tierney - C Brown
Gally - Norris - Batherson
Paul - White - Watson
Balcers
I suspect a lot of rotation of the top 2 centre's will take place until a fit is found. I also think Batherson and maybe Norris will move in and out of the top 6 depending on their play.
Stuetzle - Tierney - C Brown
Gally - Norris - Batherson
Paul - White - Watson
Balcers
I suspect a lot of rotation of the top 2 centre's will take place until a fit is found. I also think Batherson and maybe Norris will move in and out of the top 6 depending on their play.
GWNR
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I really hope they put Brown with Brady and Dadonov. I think you have to give him a really good look. Putting him at the wing or on a bottom pairing isn't going to show you who he is.
Tkachuk - Brown - Dadonov
Stutzle - Tierney - Batherson
Formenton - White - Brown
Gally - Anismov - Watson
Paul
Start Balcers, Norris, Chlapik, Sokolov, Abramov down in the A.
I know Gally seems low and I get it, but I really think they need to figure out what they have with the young guys.
Tkachuk - Brown - Dadonov
Stutzle - Tierney - Batherson
Formenton - White - Brown
Gally - Anismov - Watson
Paul
Start Balcers, Norris, Chlapik, Sokolov, Abramov down in the A.
I know Gally seems low and I get it, but I really think they need to figure out what they have with the young guys.
Sweatred
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At what slot do you think he plays as a top half (above average) Center ?
Where does he play on Tor, Mtl, Van, Cal, peg etc . You do the not you and tell us how he is better than “above average” at a slot. For example, you think he is better than half the 2C’s in the league ?
I'll eat my shoe if Sokolov makes the team out of camp. He's a 20 year old passed up in 2 drafts and was ranked in the third round in the third draft. If he was a guy that could be slotted into a line up in his draft year, he'd have been selected sooner.
An intriguing prospect, but far from a lock to be a legitimate NHLer.
Sens of Anarchy
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He'll need some AHL time imo. I hope he can take another couple of steps.
I'd really like to see Formenton in the lineup. Going to be a tougher development year for the guys that can't stick .. Hopefully we hear soon what's going to happen with the NHL and the AHL.
I think he needs a lot to make the NHL, which is evident by his draft selection. That isn't to say that he won't become a legitimate NHLer at some point, I just see some wildly unreasonable expectations on here.
I'd love to see Formenton as well. At times I forget that he's only going into his second year pro. It wouldn't be devastating if he didn't crack the lineup this season, but I'd expect him to almost be a lock for the following season.
Micklebot
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He is a middle 6 tweener, would play 3rd line on most teams in the league, 2nd line or even 1st on a few that lack high end centers. He's produced as a top 70 center in league in pts per game over the last 3 seasons and is average to slightly above average defensively. He's also a strong penalty killer. He is most suitable for use on two way lines, but can contrubute in other roles, a bit of a jack of all trades master of none.
Underatted by those who try to squeeze everone into a specialized role,
Alf Silfversson
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Yeah. Compare him to Brett Leason who was drafted the year before. Was similarly dominant in junior and was rated higher going into his D+2 year (same year as Sokolov). Drafted around the same range as Sokolov but was ranked higher on many lists. He really had to earn his stripes in the AHL this year and struggled mightily, with 3 goals in 50 games. Not saying he, or Sok, won't end up as good NHLers but they need more development time. It's what the AHL is for. Just because you draft a guy when he's 20 doesn't always mean he needs less development.
Hopefully Sokolov becomes a player for us but he's far from a guarantee for sure.
Alf Silfversson
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Pretty much this. If you have Tierney as a #3C you're doing alright down the middle most of the time.
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I think that’s aggressive at 3C ... I think there are 15 3C’s in the league I’d prefer over CT ... - but hey.... each their own and it’s not like I ‘m that far off, maybe 3-8 3C’s.
robsenz
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Micklebot
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Leason isn't a bad comparison but i wouldn't put much weight into their rankings as once you get out of the 1st round opinions become far more varied and this year was a deeper draft.
I think one thing Sokolov has both going for and against him is how bad a skater he was. Loads of room for improvement in one of the aspects that is generally considered improveable. Also, his weight/conditioning can/were improved on relative to last year. Unlike most overagers who you would thing of as a closer to finished product, Sokolove has tangible aspects that can be readily addressed and the aptitude to put in the efforted needed to do so.
Cracking the roster on opening night is obviously a long shot (though the delay to start the season actually helps his odds) but i see the lotential for him to have a very rapid development curve; if he can get down to 210-215 (i think he may have already done this) and get his skating up to snuff he could surprise people.
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Alf Silfversson
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Yeah. Skating won't improve overnight but he sure seems to be putting in the work. He's got some other skills that probably need work to be up to professional speed too. It's really encouraging to hear/read about his willingness to improve and be part of a coaching and development program. Sounds like a simple thing but it's not really commonplace.
I just hope there is some semblance of an AHL season this year so that players like him can develop at the proper level.
Clayonator
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Tkachuk-L.Brown/Norris-Dadanov
Stuetzle-White-Batherson
Galchenyuk-Tierney-C.Brown
Paul-Anisimov-Watson
Haley
Chabot-Gudbranson
Wolanin-Zaitsev
Brannstrom-J.Brown
Reilly-Zub
Murray
Hogberg
EDIT: Holy, I forgot Galchenyuk. Swapped him in for Balcers/Formenton. They’ll get their time due to inevitable injuries, and there’s an outside shot one of them beats out Batherson for a spot.
Stuetzle-White-Batherson
Galchenyuk-Tierney-C.Brown
Paul-Anisimov-Watson
Haley
Chabot-Gudbranson
Wolanin-Zaitsev
Brannstrom-J.Brown
Reilly-Zub
Murray
Hogberg
EDIT: Holy, I forgot Galchenyuk. Swapped him in for Balcers/Formenton. They’ll get their time due to inevitable injuries, and there’s an outside shot one of them beats out Batherson for a spot.
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Clayonator
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I agree with part of the sarcastic sentiment, though I don’t think he’ll be our #1C, but if he is, it won’t be for long.
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