Post-Game Talk: SENS in T.O. Tonight 7:30 pm

[AchtzehnBaby]

Thought so...

 

[discostu]

So, I watched my second Sens game in the last year last night. I stopped watching once the EK trade rumours started before the deadline as I could no longer support this owner, despite being a fan from day one.

I watched one game back in November when I was in Ottawa on a business trip and just went to a sports bar, and missed the vibe of being in an Ottawa pub on game night. Last night I got a ticket from a family member that was hard to pass up. Game was entertaining, but the twitter news of EM and his obvious intentions to liquidate this team put a sour taste in the mouth.

I was with people who weren't really hockey fans but are leaf fans by default. I had to explain just how'd much of a low point this franchise is at. This is a team that was the absolute worst team in the league by a wide margin for its first four years. I miss those days, as there was hope and a true desire to be improve. There was confidence that the people at the very top were trying to ice a competitive team.

Even though I've shut down watching this team in the past year, I was already slowing down my viewing, as having kids does. But, I really want to feel excited by this team again. My two kids have custom jerseys sitting in the closet that they haven't worn as I bought for them to wear as they grew into them. But, as I'm not wearing mine around, there's no point to bring them along.

Sorry for the rant but, the experience of watching a team from great seats in Leaf territory would have been a big highlight for me in the past but instead just served to remind me of how much my passion for this team has been reduced.

 

[Xspyrit]

I do. I also imagine that the team plans to spend as little as possible for the next few years. so do they sign one of the fa to get to the floor and even if they want to do that, do either of those guys think that "sure, starting 2 years from now we will start bringing in better players with the increased budget; maybe even win a cup towards the end of those five years". that's the decision those guys have to make. the could also say "or, sign and trade me or just let me walk and i'll sign with some team I think is contending today and might win over the next few years.

OK but "2 years from now" is misleading, 2020-21 is literally 19 months away, so just 1 full season away. Like I said, they'd have each 7 years left. If the team is making the playoffs that season and are on the verge of contending, then it becomes very interesting for them. Really don't think the team needs to bring a lot of players from outside, a lot of talent already in the organization. Let's say Stone, Duchene and Dzingel all stay, you can surely build a good forward group with all those assets :

Stone (26)
Duchene (28)
Batherson (20)
Brown (20)
Tkachuk (19)
Dzingel (26)
White (22)
Norris (19)
Balcers (21)
Chlapik (21)
Formenton (18)
Crookshank (19)
Tierney (24)
Pageau (26)
Paul (23)
Gruden (18)
Luchuk (21)
Beaudin (21)
Klimchuk (23)
Nurmi (20)
Kelly (19)
Sturtz (24)
Loheit (18)

The defense is where they should look to add however some of JBD, Wolanin and Tychonick could be hits :

Chabot (22)
Bernard-Docker (18)
Wolanin (23)
Jaros (22)
Tychonick (18)
Lajoie (21)
Ceci (25)
DeMelo (25)
Harpur (24)
Englund (23)

Goaltending is finally looking promising :

Nilsson (28)
Gustavsson (20)
Daccord (22)
Hogberg (24)
Mandolese (18)
Hollett (19)

At some point, they have to look to emphasize on quality because quantity is certainly already there to ice a full decent line-up, but to put yourself over the top, you can't deal your best players for several assets