GDT: Sens @ Cats| Thursday January 24 7:30PM| SNET-E

[BonkTastic]

I don't understand why we don't get more powerplays. Want to see Karlsson passing to Alfie for the one timer.

This has been a valid question for Sens fans since 2008.

 

[kaws]

The main reason I am glad that Foligno is gone is the fact that I don't have to see the "try to jump over two defenders with the puck" ever again. Don't know how many times I saw Foligno try that move and it never worked. Other than that I'll miss the guy.

You forgot to mention that you won't be seeing Foligno fall or trip over his own skate at least once every game.

 

[The Waffler]

You forgot to mention that you won't be seeing Foligno fall or trip over his own skate at least once every game.

Or go 1 on 1, dangle into the D-man and the turn towards the boards and lose the puck there. He really liked that one.

 

[Beville]

Latendresse is really infuriating me with his inability to produce on good chances HOWEVER I feel he will soon pull it out the bag and perhaps prove himself to be a good player...

 

[take a peek]

Ya know your team is doing well out of the gate when most of the complaints are about missed offensive chances, being too fancy.

That means they are getting a bunch of chances and trying to play some creative inspired hockey, and thye are.

Puck possesion and lots of movement style means sometimes plays gonna look kinda dumb or sloppy sometimes when they dont work. i.e. Lantendresse heaps of chances but no finish.

Give the team a few more games to warm up and things will be even more slick out there.....so fun to watch!!!

Have we forgotten about mediocre at best goaltending, dump and chase hack it off the boards hockey, hoping kovalev/ would bring it every night......

We have a team now! win or lose they are exactly what any teams fans would want. Fun, exciting, high tempo and with room to grow and be better.

Damn that Karlsson goal still impresses me, players don't do that.

 

[Minister of Offence]

Is it time to start getting worried about Alfie?

Alfie's played well and has contributed to a 3-0 team. He's gotten chances. It was mindboggling how sportsnet made an issue of Spezza and Alfie not scoring in the first two games.

 

[Mark Effin Stone]

Decent road game! Can't wait until the 1st line starts to really gel, Silfverberg got close with the shot in the post but other than that they were pretty quiet last night. Really like Silfverberg play these last two games, even if he's not getting much quality chances he works hard on defensive side and lots of good reads to break up plays. Alfie 2.0 in the making!
A bit worried about tonight though as we'll face some really good shooters and playmaker in St Louis.. Benoit and Wiercoch have been kind of shaky these last two games versus the Panthers.

Any word on how Lundin is doing?

 

[Xspyrit]

lol, no Even Strenght goal against in 3 games and some people find ways to complain

So much for having a downright turrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible defense...

Anyway, we played mediocre and still won on the road. Let's take it.

Theo early save on Greening changed the complexity of the game... That was pure highway robbery. And the worst is that he made a few more during the game... Plus the Sens were snakebitten. Ex : post by Silfverberg but the puck went on Theo's back but still didn't go in! Argggggghhh


Some people are wondering about chemistry, here's the solution IMO :

Latendresse-Spezza-Michalek
Silfverberg-Turris-Alfredsson
Regin-Smith-Neil (After face-offs, Regin plays center)
Greening-O'Brien-Condra (speedy intelligence line)

It could get everyone going IMO. At the same time, hard to expect more scoring... 11 goals in 3 games is still very good.

I don't understand why you guys didn't keep Foligno.

Condra is an intriguing player. Seems pretty dangerous with his speed, ability to win puck battles. Does he just lack finish ?

We didn't keep Foligno because we sacrified him as an asset to get Marc Methot who is a very good shutdown D-man. We also didn't want to pay Foligno over 3.0 (he had a career season stats-wise just before RFA) to play on our 3rd line... We signed Guillaume Latendresse and have Jakob Silfverberg graduating, so Foligno is no big loss. Sens felt Colin Greening could replace Foligno's role easily. Even if Greening fails long-term, we have tons of good forward prospects and not a lot of spots.

Conclusion : Foligno was expendable and money is a factor in a small(er) market

Condra is a great bottom-6 player. Doesn't have the skill to be anything more but his hockey smarts are the reason why he is a NHL player. A big hockey brain, in the Chris Kelly mold.

 

[Xspyrit]

I really have to disagree with this. Regin, to me, continues to be ineffective. And I think it's not a matter of tools, although his slight frame doesn't help, but his head. I don't ever see him taking the next step.

I also think tonight highlights how badly we need to go out and keep a bottom pairing defenceman... someone who's likeable/good in the locker room, because this young team seems to get along and be having fun. Wiercioch, as much as I like him 2+ years from now, as a 4-5th, is so incredibly not ready for a full season. Having Benoit here at all is already a stretch. Phillips has stunk; Gonchar not much better. Please, Murray, go out and get another defenceman. We are going to look ridiculous at the back end against a good team, honestly.

It's been a long time so I think you're still very rusty too... If I had to give a grade to this post : E

I am watching him, and I (at this very moment) have no idea what his stats are this year. My comments are based purely on me watching him, and closely so.

When I say it's his head, I don't exactly mean hockey smarts. His are average, or fine. I don't even know exactly what it is, but I saw the same (mental) thing in Christoph Schubert. Just not a winner, doesn't have that fortitude or conviction. It's just my opinion from having observed him closely over many years, and why I don't think he factors into Ottawa's long term plans, despite his relatively young age. I think guys like Noesen and Zibanejad will overtake him on the third line in two years time, and that will be it for him here, if not sooner.

All of this is very nice but... this is based on what exactly?

Even if Regin doesn't stay in Ottawa all his career, it doesn't mean it will be because he is "not a winner, doesn't have that fortitude or conviction"... this is pure bullcrap and you will understand why soon if you continue to read this post.

You just can't look at the fact that we've won three games, against terrible teams (Florida was farcically bad tonight), and think everything will be fine. It's predictable - our defense needs to be shored up. That's not even admitting our guys have been playing badly... our bottom pairing, even with Lundin back, will consist of two people who should not be occupying an NHL spot. Look ahead people.

This is what I always find the most funny...

Don't you think that when those teams play "bad" like you say, it has something to do with the way we play? The way we shut them down?

Go ask NHL players, it's really hard to play against the Sens... Outside of our skill, it must not be fun to play against our bottom 6, a perfect blend of grit, skill, speed and hockey IQ.

And clearly you have no idea of who Mike Lundin is.

It's ok to not post a lot and don't follow NHL hockey everyday, but at least don't come back in that fashion and make those absolute statements you have no idea about.

Of course the Sens are not perfect, no one is. But how can we even think about complaining when we outscored 3 teams 11-2 and gave up only 2 PP goals against... Even against mediocre opponents, I couldn't have hoped for more

With Condra and O'Brien as his teammates, its not not real easy to put up points. He probably buries Greenings chances that he had on the 3rd line tonight.

Exactly and Peter Regin is not the kind of player that will produce in every role. If you ask him to play a defensive role, he will shut down the other team, if you ask him to play an offensive role, he will produce decently, but he needs better linemates (offensively) than Condra and O'Brien and more ice-time.

As evidenced by Regin's game log history with the Sens (will try to find the old thread(s) where I had more details), Regin didn't produce much on the 4th line but produced at about 0.5 PPG when given the opportunity to play with skilled players and increased ice-time

Regin has been ineffective? Seriously?

He is playing on the 4th line, 10mins average a game with practically no PP time. Been out of action for past 2-3 years with 4 different shoulder injuries, and its been only 3 games that he has been started playing again.

You guys want to talk about ineffective? Lets talk about Michalek! He has been virtually invisible, to say the least. 0 goals.

Good post! Until you talked about Michalek... who has 1 goal and 2 assists in 3 games, +3.

Regin and Condra are both new age players in that they have great puck possession stats but don't exactly do any "Wow" type plays, like hit people or dangle through the entire other team.

It's no surprise that it takes a certain type of fan to appreciate what they bring to a hockey team.

This. However Regin is capable of scoring highlight reel goals (like he did in his rookie year). Just need a better opportunity

 

[John Holmes*]

All Regin has ever done, besides get injured, was to get hot in a playoff series 3 years ago.

This is a guy with 19 career goals.

Let's be real here.

 

[Xspyrit]

Okay... Some people need to see more about Regin :

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=887151


The guy can produce decently with increased ice time and better opportunity

Check posts #34

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=31497598&postcount=34

And #54

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=31501766&postcount=54

Problem many have is the "Alfie or bust" syndrome... Players are crap if they aren't Karlsson or Alfredsson. Like the guy the other day who expects bottom-6 player to score 15-20 goals per season... lolz I wonder in what world some people live

Regin can be a very good 3rd line center in this league (~35-45 pts), like a Frans Nielsen, who is 2 years older and didn't suffer injuries problems. However, Regin might have missed his opportunity in Ottawa because of the depht we are developping, so he might have to do it elsewhere... Remains to be seen

So far in his 154 NHL games career, Regin has an average of 28 pts per 82 games output, and that includes at least half of his games playing on the 4th line with grinders

 

[John Holmes*]

That is hardly impressive for a guy that is supposed to be skilled.

He's not durable enough to be a 3rd / 4th liner.

 

[Legend Killer]

All Regin has ever done, besides get injured, was to get hot in a playoff series 3 years ago.

This is a guy with 19 career goals.

Let's be real here.

I dont mind Regin. I actually kind of like him but these are the facts. He scored 3 goals in a playoff series playing with Spezza and everyone here creamed their jeans thinking he was gonna be the next this and that...

He is what he is... A very injury prone skilled player with little to no physicality that kinda, sorta, doesnt really produce much of anything but doesnt look out of place...

 

[PatrickEaves]

I don't understand why we don't get more powerplays. Want to see Karlsson passing to Alfie for the one timer.

The refs are still mad about that apparently, because we haven't gotten reffing on our side since that incident.

 

[Minister of Offence]

That is hardly impressive for a guy that is supposed to be skilled.

He's not durable enough to be a 3rd / 4th liner.

I think whatever regin does JOB is better or better suited. Regins a fine player but very little offensive hockey sense. Don't mind him on the 3rd but ya you gotta wonder how long he lasts. Not saying this because he's played poorly, he's playing as I expect from him. He generally doesn't hurt you, just himself.

 

[General Granny*]

Long term its pretty much set in stone that Grant or O'Brien take Regins spot.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Just to contrast a little bit, I like the idea of Regin on a 3rd or 4th line. Personally, I think the days of a pure "checking" line are going be the wayside, and having talented players who can score on all four lines is a bonus. Do you want a player like Regin out there playing minutes on a 4th line, or George Parros? I'm taking Regin, who has shown a high hockey IQ and flashes off offensive flair previously.

For being so injured I don't think he has looked out of place at all and I'm sure he's still shaking off some rust. I like Greening, however, I thought he had a terrible game last night. 2 chances to bury and couldn't convert on both of them. The first one was a fantastic Theodore save, the second one was a point blank shot right into Theodore's chest. Also, he effed up a couple of easy clears with no pressure last night, that resulted in the Panthers sustaining pressure in our zone.

I'd really like to see Regin play with Smith and Neil and see what comes out of it, but I don't like to argue with the great Pauly Mac.

 

[John Holmes*]

Karlssons goal.

Other than his scoring the goal, I'm torn over what part of the play I like best. Kovalev giving up, or Kuba's weak ass stick check attempt.

 

[Zorf]

Karlssons goal.

Other than his scoring the goal, I'm torn over what part of the play I like best. Kovalev giving up, or Kuba's weak ass stick check attempt.

My favourite was Kulikov looking up, seeing Karlsson and scurrying out of the way to cover absolutely no one in the slot. He had Karlsson's lane pretty well shut down but he ran away the second he saw EK.

He totally screwed Kuba on that play.

 

[SenzZen]

The refs are still mad about that apparently, because we haven't gotten reffing on our side since that incident.

Safe to say we didn't have them on our side before that incident.

My favourite was Kulikov looking up, seeing Karlsson and scurrying out of the way to cover absolutely no one in the slot. He had Karlsson's lane pretty well shut down but he ran away the second he saw EK.

He totally screwed Kuba on that play.

Nice to see that some people are still defending Kuba.