GDT: Senators @ Capitals | Dec. 22 | 7:00PM EST | TSN5, RDS

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Defense is not the problem.

No, our D is not fine. But as i say, i believe if we start to score more, our D start to look better.

Defense is the biggest problem. And how do you expect us to start scoring more when half our defense inept at getting puck from own zone and transitioning it to forwards.

A top 2 defender will go a long long way into further improving our transition game, our breakout game, and give our offense more counter rushes.

 

[Sensinitis]

Sekera-Karlsson
Cowen-Ceci
Borowiecki-Petry

 

[HockeySens]

Weird but when Maclean was the coach it seemed that the defense was the biggest problem but with Camerons system its the exact opposite. We seem to need a high end skill up front. Ofc itd be nice to have another top 4 dman but if we had another legit top line player I think we cud definitely make the playoffs especially with the hoaltending we are getting

 

[Do Make Say Think]

With Methot at 100% I think Maclean keeps the job

He failed to adapt to reality

 

[Baby Ryan]

Weird but when Maclean was the coach it seemed that the defense was the biggest problem but with Camerons system its the exact opposite. We seem to need a high end skill up front. Ofc itd be nice to have another top 4 dman but if we had another legit top line player I think we cud definitely make the playoffs especially with the hoaltending we are getting

To be fair, since his take over, the team faced a couple of elite goalies in Quick, Rask, Price. As well as some goalies were very hot at the time in Enroth and Hotby (played extremely well against us).

 

[Cosmix]

Meh, I'm not sure how valuable my analysis is, but to me we don't have a legit playmaking forward to properly run a cycling powerplay, and we don't have enough big heavy shots from the point to run a shooting powerplay.

It's an oddly built PP... not quite "Island of Misfit Toys" or anything, it's not that bad, but we've got great shooters from the circle without the guys to get them the puck, and guys who are good burying rebounds, but no serious point shots to create those rebounds.

I also do not see a BIG power forward who is willing to and can stand in front of the net to screen the goalie. When any team is playing one with a top notch goaltender, you need to get dirty goals to win. Perhaps Nick Paul might become that type of PP forward. Neil is not the solution and neither is Chiasson as both do not seem to have the hands to do it well.

 

[Baby Ryan]

I also do not see a BIG power forward who is willing to and can stand in front of the net to screen the goalie. When any team is playing one with a top notch goaltender, you need to get dirty goals to win. Perhaps Nick Paul might become that type of PP forward. Neil is not the solution and neither is Chiasson as both do not seem to have the hands to do it well.

What? Chiasson has gotten a couple of goals already from deflections and from around the net.

 

[Xspyrit]

lol my comments after back. I know it's late but didn't have time to get back to my laptop since lol

Haha Weircioch a giraffe on skates

Wiercioch is bad this year, but he looked a lot better in the past... And I think the Sens will want to sell high on him, their draft picks are viewed as investments so I understand if they are patient a little bit more.

But my question would be : is he really even close (like 50%) of his ideal game shape? Trainers can't do something better with him? He really needs better lower body power and strength

I remember a time when we would just dominatr pretty much every game and when we played bad We would still win.

We were lucky. I like these kids a lot too. I think we are a little ways away but we have some promise.

Why do this fanbase lives so much in the past? In what kind of Disney World do we live? The kind of universe where the Sens dominate all the time and win the Cup every 2-3 years? lol this isn't a 6 teams league anymore... there's a LOT of parity now, EVERY team (except the Red Wings it seems) goes through the normal cycle...

We have no real exciting elite talent thats why we play so many boring games.

Man i miss Spezza and Alfie.

They were exciting. Poor EK. His tripod is dead

I find the games very interesting for the most part... They do create many good scoring chances... Against the Caps, if Holtby didn't play as great, Sens would have scored 5 goals easily.

You're just a normal human being never satisfied, which is dangerous because you end up never appreciate anything. So I hope for your sake that you limit this behaviour to only hockey.

I remember the days when Holtby use to suck.

Personally I always found him good. Guy has a 0.919 career SV %, and never went below 0.915 in a season... I actually think he is quite underrated on HF.

I don't mind Phillips being scratched, but it is sad that the best we can add is a slow Wiercioch.

I suppose Murray cannot make any trades because he has little of value to trade right now to improve the roster.

Ya, there's no value in the Sens organization! Just like what people were saying before trading for Turris or Ryan... You know, it doesn't change much around here and I have been around for a while

I think Pageau is too small and being small not fast nor skilled enough to overcome his smallness.

Pageau is a fast skater. But like I said from the beginning, I don't expect him to be a top-6 forward... He will be some kind of Condra with a bit of an edge and more clutch in the NHL.

Non threatening shots. Either from bad angles or straight into the chest.

Are you guys serious? lol Sens really got great scoring chances... Holtby was really solid...

Just check the highlights again

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20142015,2,497&lang=en

I do wonder about people's ability to actually watch a hockey game...

We're definitely in some sad days as Sens fans

You guys are hilarious... Karma tells me this fanbase deserves some really dark days (like what the Oilers, Islanders or Panthers have been through, even the Habs in the late 90's/early 2000's, fanbase has actually grown a lot wiser since). A part of me actually hope it happens, just to see people learn it the hard way.

Sens played well, just got beat by a hot goalie. What sucks is they will play well enough to just be outside the playoffs thus are pick will be in the 12-15 range. It would be amazing if we could pick in the top 6.

Don't worry, pick will be more around 8-12 and they will draft a future key player with high talent.

So a loss = didn't show up?

Sound logic.

That's all the logic you will get here.

What people don't see is Ottawa has been in nearly every game this season, even against the top teams. The Sens are just a young team and need time to become more experienced and better.

Agree with that, even if that logic isn't very popular around here... They are in tight games almost every night and will get a great draft pick in the best draft since 2003. I don't see the problem.

I think most fans see that. They are a hard working team, just lack high end talent

Just lack a healthy Methot and Spezza to be a playoff team. They were statistically close last year even if they underachieve and there has been some nice additions since (Hoffman, Stone, Boro, Lazar,...) and some players like Cowen, Ceci, etc are still evolving

Well if you just watched the same game that I did then logic would apply. Keep in mind I didn't see the first period and was basing my view of things since the second.

Holtby was sensational in first period. It could have easily been 3-0 Sens.

Btw the majority of our shots were from way out of were very weak and had absolutely no chance

Really? Oh well, sigh... Shots locations :

http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/gamecast?gameId=400564050

Check the highlights again and the saves Holtby made... If you do that and tell me the same thing again, I will be very surprised.

Actually after reading several other posts about that, I don't really have time but I should comment every save Holtby made I guess. I'm actually baffled about how little people understand about goaltending and the difference between a routine shot and a tough save.

It's funny because some posters who have credibility in my books (Nyquil, RKL, etc)are saying the same thing...

Strongly disagree. As stellar as Holtby was tonight, he was serving up some juicy rebounds and most of them were generated from shots around the perimeter. Holtby is going to make those 1st saves all (most) of the time, but the 2nd opportunities were there. Just have to bury them next time.

And credit to the Caps' D for clearing out the crease and tying up sticks. A solid defensive effort for sure.

When the Sens give up 39 shots and win a close game, it was horrible defensive play but when it's the opposite, opposition defense was awesome and Sens sucked... lol this board is astounding.

But everyone here is saying we suck, and aren't playing any better than we were under MacLean. You must not be paying attention.

Seriously though, we didn't quite outplay Washington, but we were pretty good tonight. Too many posters on here are just looking at the results and letting whatever bias they have take over from there.

I think it's actually a lot more simpler than that...

Win 2-1 : great effort! blablabla
Lose 2-1 : we suck, we didn't have good scoring chances, we have no talent, we are doomed, etc.

This place is still a kindergarden

 

[Cosmix]

When I compare our team to others, the main issue appears to be mobility on defense. This not only hurts us defensively, but greatly affects our transition zone speed and therefore offense.
The top teams are much more fluid and efficient exiting their zone.
Our guys work really hard but you just can't overcome this deficiency.
It won't be easy to fix either. Good puck moving defensemen are a tough find.

Yes, I think slow defensemen are part of the problem. Karlsson, Ceci and to a lesser extent Methot are fine, but Cowen, Gryba, Borowiecki, Phillips and Wiercioch are either too slow, or not good at puckhandling. I di like Borowiecki on the third pairing for his physical play. Cowen is improving, finally, and might become a decemt second pairing Dman. Phillips is on his last legs. Gryba is too slow, as is Wiercioch. Losing Methot to injury has disrupted the top two pairings. If and when Methot returns, the D will be stabilized but we still need a 3rd pairing Dman to play with Borowiecki.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

Ideally if the senators decided to actually tank and get a good pick for once I would look at someone like Noah Hanifin or more likely Oliver Kylington, they would be perfect partners for Karlsson. I don't think we will be trading for a top 4 defenceman anytime soon, and the best course of action would be to get rid of the dead weight at the deadline or hopefully sooner (phillips, gryba, boro) and replace them with them with AHL players who would do the job, if not better than our current vets. It's really too bad that Methot's been "injured" for like a year now.. my guess is that hes in rehab and the sens wont disclose anything until he leaves or gets traded.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Ideally if the senators decided to actually tank and get a good pick for once I would look at someone like Noah Hanifin or more likely Oliver Kylington, they would be perfect partners for Karlsson. I don't think we will be trading for a top 4 defenceman anytime soon, and the best course of action would be to get rid of the dead weight at the deadline or hopefully sooner (phillips, gryba, boro) and replace them with them with AHL players who would do the job, if not better than our current vets. It's really too bad that Methot's been "injured" for like a year now.. my guess is that hes in rehab and the sens wont disclose anything until he leaves or gets traded.

No to kylington. The guy seems to be getting all his rave reviews solely on his skating ability. Every time I hear something new about him it's a knock.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

Ideally if the senators decided to actually tank and get a good pick for once I would look at someone like Noah Hanifin or more likely Oliver Kylington, they would be perfect partners for Karlsson. I don't think we will be trading for a top 4 defenceman anytime soon, and the best course of action would be to get rid of the dead weight at the deadline or hopefully sooner (phillips, gryba, boro) and replace them with them with AHL players who would do the job, if not better than our current vets. It's really too bad that Methot's been "injured" for like a year now.. my guess is that hes in rehab and the sens wont disclose anything until he leaves or gets traded.

Thing is, you call Boro dead weight yet he is exactly what you describe, an AHLer who can do the job. If you get rid of Boro (and replace him with a most likely more raw player prone to inconsistencies), the cycle just continues.

The caveat would be that you think one of our AHLers will develop into a better player over time up here if you believe Boro has plateaued.