Post-Game Talk: Sens @ Avs - 1/8/2015

[2CHAINZ]

Spending more isn't just about UFA's.

Spending more also means being willing to move some redundant players (Prince, Weir, Greening, Chiasson, Mickalek, etc) in a package deal for a guy with a higher price tag than what we're moving out.

If the only trades we can make are money coming in must equal money going out, then we simply don't have the ability to make any deal that's in the best interest of making our team more competitive.

I think you're failing to see the trade market, ottawa isn't the only team that doesn't want to take on extra cap space for the sake of taking on extra cap space. What evidence do we have that a trade didn't happen due to salary ? What trades have happened over the past few seasons that we missed out on that makes us better ? We want to get rid of redundant players which I understand but simply they don't have any value, do we trade one redundant player for another just for the sake of making a trade ? Look at the price of David frikkin Perron does giving up condra + our first rounder for Perron make us better ? I truly don't believe atm there is a trade out there we can make regardless of salary that makes us that much better. I am sure we can take on salary but we need top end talent regardless how you cut it and unfortunately people don't trade top end talent.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I agree with this, but I'd like to add that we are not the only team immune to this. Even the top squads have defensive breakdowns. It's just a matter of how many. I don't have any numbers to back this up, but to me it feels like the number of breakdowns for us has come down when compared to even the start of the season.

This last game was weird though. The Avs were scoring at a very high percentage. Maybe due to traffic, Andy not being a super hero, or the shots were just excellent.

Andy couldn't see many of the shots. So many guys (both our and the Avs) blocking his view. We didn't give up many shots, but the shots we did give up were excellent quality.

And, it felt like the guys were a bit out of it last night. They were acting a bit weird....like the team was agitated for no reason. Their heads weren't in the game and you could see it especially in our zone when they repeatedly neglected to take their player, and just seemed dopey.

 

[Icelevel]

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Hoffman - Zibanejad - Stone
Prince - Pageau - Chiasson/Lazar
Michalek - Legwand - Condra

Wiercioch - Karlsson
Methot - Ceci
Cowen - Gryba

Lehner/Anderson

thinking the same way. ideally you get lazar in there for legwand. but this is not happening especially considering smith and neil are back soon.
The roster needs a lot of tweaking.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I think you're failing to see the trade market, ottawa isn't the only team that doesn't want to take on extra cap space for the sake of taking on extra cap space. What evidence do we have that a trade didn't happen due to salary ? What trades have happened over the past few seasons that we missed out on that makes us better ? We want to get rid of redundant players which I understand but simply they don't have any value, do we trade one redundant player for another just for the sake of making a trade ? Look at the price of David frikkin Perron does giving up condra + our first rounder for Perron make us better ? I truly don't believe atm there is a trade out there we can make regardless of salary that makes us that much better. I am sure we can take on salary but we need top end talent regardless how you cut it and unfortunately people don't trade top end talent.

Hemsky was a good example. Edmonton retained some salary in exchange for a mid round draft pick.

Now, yes, top end talent is rare in trades. But, we don't even need that. A good solid 2nd pairing on LD, a good veteran 2C or 2LW....good players but not top end stuff. Some quality vets to help insulate the kids.

Legwand was supposed to be that, but his play has been mixed.

 

[WhiteLight*]

thinking the same way. ideally you get lazar in there for legwand. but this is not happening especially considering smith and neil are back soon.
The roster needs a lot of tweaking.

One or both need to be moved because Pageau should be staying up

 

[Micklebot]

That's not what I said. I said I felt Colorado played better, but not by a wide margin.

As in, they were a bit better than we were.

I don't think he meant that you were acting that way, but rather that seems to be a general mood around here.

I want the Sens to win as much as anyone, but you can't realistically say you outplayed your opponent when you lose by three goals. Especially when our guys were....well, I don't know what they were trying to do in the defensive zone in a couple of those goals.

I really don't agree with this part at all. The numbers of goals we lost by doesn't really bear any reflection on how badly outplayed we were, unless you're counting the goalies performances. Yes, we deserved to get scored against, though I'd argue goaltending was to blame on 2 of the goals, at least partially. However, Varly was putting on a clinic. The score could have just as easily been 4-3 Ottawa had Lehner and Anderson made one more stop each (on the goals they probably should have stopped), and Zibby capitalized on the feed from Ryan, along with any number of other prime chances we missed on. Would you still be arguing that we were outplayed?

I would wager that a person watching that game with the exception of the 2 secs before all the goals and having no indication of the score would say Ottawa handidly outplayed the Avs. People's brains want to make sense of the world, and when they see the final score of 5-2, it does that by adjusting it's recollection of the events to match the outcome.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I haven't even commented on the game. We didn't even play that badly. I don't understand the moaning on here (concerning last nights game). They're goalie played really well and we couldn't score. How many times has Anderson done that exact same thing to opposing team. It's a lost game. And we lost it in a fashion we don't usually lose. We outplayed them. It wasn't our night. And that's that. The PP was still atrocious. Oh my. It was sickening. Karlsson taking shots off his back foot. Turris slamming rolling pucks. It was a disaster. Cameron has to mix it up.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Hemsky was a good example. Edmonton retained some salary in exchange for a mid round draft pick.

Now, yes, top end talent is rare in trades. But, we don't even need that. A good solid 2nd pairing on LD, a good veteran 2C or 2LW....good players but not top end stuff. Some quality vets to help insulate the kids.

Legwand was supposed to be that, but his play has been mixed.

This is exactly what I'm talking about Murray makes a signing it didn't pan out now everyone cries Legwand is useless. There is no winning. Just imagine if we signed Vanek. More borderline second tier talent is not what this team needs it needs top end talent. Adding 2nd tier pieces makes us slightly better top end talent puts us over the top. People complain about mediocrity well adding another middle of the pack center and a middle of the pack d man fuels our mediocrity. This team needs a top draft pick this year and more time to grow it's players then we can add middle pieces to help. Adding secondary pieces and expecting more is not the way this team is going to be successful.

Also as people are saying I agree about pageau he has been tremendous in the circle and that's exactly what this team needs.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

One or both need to be moved because Pageau should be staying up

Ya, 44 been money in the faceoff circle lately.

IMO Turris was pretty weak sauce this game. EK keeps giving him quick passes, and he's bobbling them all day long (I know EK gives some pretty tough passes but come on man, you're supposed to be a #1C in the NHL, learn to handle a saucer pass). He had a real nice scoring chance though, and I think he's snake bitten and feeling the pressure these days. I hope he can rebound strong in the second half, but not being insulated by a 1C is really showing this year.

Lazar needs to come in. If Ryan is being kept with Zib, then I'd love to see Lazar on Turris' wing, Greening scratched, Condra stays in. Maybe a shake up can get #7 going.

At this point, I'd try anything, really. Or just leave it fester. That's cool too.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Pageau is the man

 

[DrEasy]

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Hoffman - Zibanejad - Stone
Prince - Pageau - Chiasson/Lazar
Michalek - Legwand - Condra

Wiercioch - Karlsson
Methot - Ceci
Cowen - Gryba

Lehner/Anderson

I like your defensive pairings. Lemme try with the forwards:

MoToR <- going with what works
Ziba - Pageau - Chiasson <- Ziba to the wing so he can focus on offense
Hoff - Lazar - Stone <- going with what works II: kids line reunited!
Michalek - Legwand - Condra <- solid shutdown line

Line 1 is the go-to line, while lines 2-3-4 could have similar ice-time.

 

[Rodzilla]

I tuned in in the 2nd period, Karlsson was brilliant again IMO, can't tell about the 1st though.

But it's been encouraging seeing him for the last 10 games, he's breaking up plays left and right I am happy! I hope he keeps it up and gets even better.

 

[Benjamin]

We didn't even play bad. Varlamov was amazing and Avs capitalized on everything. Seemed like the play was was even, maybe tiltled towards the Sens.

I liked: Karlsson, Cowen, Methot, Turris, Pageau, Condra, Chiasson, Stone.

 

[BonkTastic]

Just rewatched the game. I admit the Sens looked better on this viewing that I had originally observed.

My critique of last night was probably a combination of booze & flu. Bad combo, it seems.

 

[God Says No]

Just rewatched the game. I admit the Sens looked better on this viewing that I had originally observed.

My critique of last night was probably a combination of booze & flu. Bad combo, it seems.

No problems. Now can you send a copy to Push540?

 

[Micklebot]

Just rewatched the game. I admit the Sens looked better on this viewing that I had originally observed.

My critique of last night was probably a combination of booze & flu. Bad combo, it seems.

The flu sucks with a young family, get well soon, hopefully it doesn't do rounds through the hole family.

Also, the sens boards are no place for retractions. Stick to your guns to the bitter end next time.