Line Combos: Sens True Depth Chart

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Melnyk going vintage 1950s NHL owner if that was the case. Works well with our heritage jerseys.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

True, but he's also only played the point (yes he did do that in Bingo too I know) instead of being put in the Turris spot on the half wall where his one-timer could be most effective a-la-Ovechkin.

He also only gets on for the last 25 seconds or so of a PP, and that has been the same situation since game one. He's never been given a "regular" shift on the PP to screw up. So you can hardly say his poor play is the reason.

You get PP time by being good on the PP

Hoffman does not qualify

He'll get his chances in the home stretch, how he performs will determine how many more he gets

 

[Busboy]

Now if you compare us to Chicago. That's where Ottawa's lack of top end depth in their current stage of development becomes abundantly clear. These things go in cycles, and Ottawa hasn't reached theirs yet. Also, if we're to have a cycle at all we need some prospects to take a big jump and probably a trade or free agent home run.

L1: Kane, Toews, Hossa, Sharp
L1 & L2 Tweener: Saad, Versteeg
L2: Richards
L3: Bickell

D1: Keith, Seabrook
D2: Hjalmarsson, Rundblad
D3: Oduya, Rosival
Replacement Level: Erixon, TVR, Dahlbeck, Clendening

Runblad plays 11:00 minutes per night, and is in and out of the lineup...

Versteeg out up 29 points last season...

 

[SuperDuper101]

Runblad plays 11:00 minutes per night, and is in and out of the lineup...

Versteeg out up 29 points last season...

What are you talking about? He's got 27 points in 35 games this year... he's obviously producing at a good clip.

Rundblad yeah, but I think it's the level he's going towards. He's got 11 points in 35 games and is +16. And Odyua is trending downward even if he's getting the top 4 minutes at the moment.

 

[Xspyrit]

In fact, we don't know what the Sens have because far too many players have yet to reach their peak... For example, who knows if Hoffman and Stone will not become first liners? They're looking very good

If you want a contender :

1st line : ???-???-Ryan
2nd line : Hoffman/MacArthur-Turris/Zibanejad-Stone
3rd line : Michalek-Legwand/Lazar-Chiasson
4th line : ???-Pageau/Smith-Condra/Neil

Defense :

#1- Karlsson
#2- ???
#3- Methot
#4- Ceci/Cowen
#5- ???
#6-Borowiecki/Gryba/Phillips
#7- Wiercioch

Now Zibanejad might break out into a 1st line Center, our top-10 pick this year could be a high end player too, Hoffman or Stone could emerge even more, Lazar is far from being done developing, and then there's guys like Prince, Paul, Puempel, Lindberg, Wikstrand, Englund, Harpur, Claesson...

So many say that this team is very far but give them a ton of experience and an upgrade on #2 D-man and #1st line Center and this team could compete. Obviously that's 2 very big holes.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

A ton of experience takes a long time to acquire though

 

[bonehead]

Ok, I'll play. Rankings strictly on ability for '15/'16 season, not ordered as actual lw+c+rw lines:


1st: Ryan
2nd: MacArthur, Turris, Zibanejad, Stone
3rd: Hoffman, Michalek, Chiasson
4th: Pageau, Lazar, Condra
out: Legwand, Neil, Smith
ahl: Prince, Puempel, Paul

#1: Karlsson
#2: Methot
#3:
#4: Ceci
#5:
#6: Boro, Cowen, Gryba
out: Wiercioch, Phillips
ahl: Claessen

As others have pointed out, team lacks top-line talent but has decent depth up front. I think the bigger issue is on defence where we lack skill and mobility to compete in today's NHL. Very happy with Boro but less so with Cowen and Gryba. Big believer we cannot play 3 slow D and win. Team lacks high-end prospects needed to simply trade for more top-end talent. Will take patience to: wait for Lazar to develop more offensive skill, see if Prince/Puempel can score at NHL level, add more high-end talent through draft, move Anderson/Lehner for a skater, turn wasted payroll into something useful.

Actually very happy with development of team this year. Many young players took major steps (Stone, Hoffman, Ceci, Boro) and solid steps (Mika, Pageau, Lazar) into reaching their potential.

 

[SuperDuper101]

In fact, we don't know what the Sens have because far too many players have yet to reach their peak... For example, who knows if Hoffman and Stone will not become first liners? They're looking very good

If you want a contender :

1st line : ???-???-Ryan
2nd line : Hoffman/MacArthur-Turris/Zibanejad-Stone
3rd line : Michalek-Legwand/Lazar-Chiasson
4th line : ???-Pageau/Smith-Condra/Neil

Defense :

#1- Karlsson
#2- ???
#3- Methot
#4- Ceci/Cowen
#5- ???
#6-Borowiecki/Gryba/Phillips
#7- Wiercioch

Now Zibanejad might break out into a 1st line Center, our top-10 pick this year could be a high end player too, Hoffman or Stone could emerge even more, Lazar is far from being done developing, and then there's guys like Prince, Paul, Puempel, Lindberg, Wikstrand, Englund, Harpur, Claesson...

So many say that this team is very far but give them a ton of experience and an upgrade on #2 D-man and #1st line Center and this team could compete. Obviously that's 2 very big holes.

I think people are badly misinterpreting the point of the thread. It's not about projection or where we think they'll go. So often we draw up our lineups penciling guys in to where we think or hope they should be in a year or twos time.

What I'm curious to explore is what you guys think of where the players are right now as of the 13th of February 2015. Do not worry about their ceilings or potential. Just where are they now.

Then sit back and think about what this franchise needs to do to become a contender. I get that projecting development is a game that sort of has to be played in order to know who to trade and who to lock up/what to pay them etc.... but for the moment imagine you can't. What do you think the team actually has right now. It makes it a lot easier to understand why they are where they are in the standings.

Zibanejad for instance is a guy many of us hope will develop into a true number one center. Spezza however, he was a number one center. And the loss is felt, all through the lineup. Particularly with Turris having tougher competition and the team not having enough talent to keep Ryan on his wing without us becoming a 1 line team.

 

[bonehead]

I think people are badly misinterpreting the point of the thread. It's not about projection or where we think they'll go. So often we draw up our lineups penciling guys in to where we think or hope they should be in a year or twos time.

What I'm curious to explore is what you guys think of where the players are right now as of the 13th of February 2015. Do not worry about their ceilings or potential. Just where are they now.

Then sit back and think about what this franchise needs to do to become a contender. I get that projecting development is a game that sort of has to be played in order to know who to trade and who to lock up/what to pay them etc.... but for the moment imagine you can't. What do you think the team actually has right now. It makes it a lot easier to understand why they are where they are in the standings.

Zibanejad for instance is a guy many of us hope will develop into a true number one center. Spezza however, he was a number one center. And the loss is felt, all through the lineup. Particularly with Turris having tougher competition and the team not having enough talent to keep Ryan on his wing without us becoming a 1 line team.

I agree with this. It's about roster construction: where we're at now, what we have to work with, where we need to go, and what moves are possible.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

To be real top flight contenders we need:

Zibanejad to be number 1 C.

A top 10-15 winger

A Sekera ontop of our current D corps unless Cowen becomes a stable number 2/3 soon.

 

[guyzeur]

To be real top flight contenders we need:

Zibanejad to be number 1 C.

A top 10-15 winger

A Sekera ontop of our current D corps unless Cowen becomes a stable number 2/3 soon.

I don't know if a signed Ryan O'reilly is a 10-15 winger in the league, but a line of Stone, Turris and him would be nice with Hoff, Zib and Ryan.

Maybe not a number 1 line per say but those two 2nd lines would be ok with me

 

[Xspyrit]

I think people are badly misinterpreting the point of the thread. It's not about projection or where we think they'll go. So often we draw up our lineups penciling guys in to where we think or hope they should be in a year or twos time.

What I'm curious to explore is what you guys think of where the players are right now as of the 13th of February 2015. Do not worry about their ceilings or potential. Just where are they now.

Then sit back and think about what this franchise needs to do to become a contender. I get that projecting development is a game that sort of has to be played in order to know who to trade and who to lock up/what to pay them etc.... but for the moment imagine you can't. What do you think the team actually has right now. It makes it a lot easier to understand why they are where they are in the standings.

Zibanejad for instance is a guy many of us hope will develop into a true number one center. Spezza however, he was a number one center. And the loss is felt, all through the lineup. Particularly with Turris having tougher competition and the team not having enough talent to keep Ryan on his wing without us becoming a 1 line team.

Weird I thought I had answered this already...

I understood your OP, I talked about the future in my post but not in my current evaluations which are (in order) :

1st liners : Ryan
2nd liners : Turris, Stone, Hoffman, Zibanejad, MacArthur, Michalek
3rd liners : Legwand, Chiasson
4th liners : Pageau, Lazar, Smith, Condra, Neil

Defense :

#1- Karlsson
#2- ???
#3- Methot
#4- Ceci, Cowen
#5- ???
#6-Borowiecki, Gryba, Phillips
#7- Wiercioch


What the franchise needs to do like you say, is continue to draft well and develop those guys to find 2 more first liners (could be any of Stone, Hoffman, Puempel, Zibanejad, etc), and a #2 D-man...

And we talk about missing Spezza, that his absence is felt throughout the line-up, which is true, but at the same time the Sens are actually 11th in goals scoring... 0.03 off the 9th position, which is the Mighty Penguins

Sens offense is better than people seem to think. What will be the downfall this season is the poor W/L record % in close games (1 goal games, OT and shootouts)

 

[Shanny]

Fully Healthy Potential Playoff Lineup

So a big IF; but assuming we sneak into the last wildcard spot and end up playing either the Rangers or Habs, what would our fully healthy lineup be going into the series if Neil, Smith, Milo, Puempel, Andy, and MacArthur(Phillips I believe is done) are all back?

Some terribly tough calls are looming for DC, but at least we have a lot more depth then many other teams heading into the stretch run.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

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

Methot-Karlsson
Wier-Ceci
Boro-Gryba
Cowen

Interchange Mac/Milo and Cowen/Wier if need be here and there.

 

[GWNR]

So a big IF; but assuming we sneak into the last wildcard spot and end up playing either the Rangers or Habs, what would our fully healthy lineup be going into the series if Neil, Smith, Milo, Puempel, Andy, and MacArthur(Phillips I believe is done) are all back?

Some terribly tough calls are looming for DC, but at least we have a lot more depth then many other teams heading into the stretch run.

If it were me.....

Milo - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - Zibby - Ryan
Condra - Pageau - Lazar
Mac - Legwand - Chiasson

Karl - Methot
Ceci - Wiercoch
Cowen - Boro

Mac brings enough aggressiveness to fit in that 4th line, even against a line of Prust - Malholtra and Weise. Neil or Smith would rotate in if we are getting pushed around. If Neil is out, I'd recommend Boro being in there in case **** hits the fan. Same with Cowen, he is willing to drop them. Chiasson would need to focus on his hitting or else he'd be replaced by Neil, but Chiasson has obvious higher offensive upside. I wouldn't break up the pesky line of Condra-Pageau-Lazar. They look like they were made ot play together adn they're an absolute spark plug line.

 

[Sens Rule]

So a big IF; but assuming we sneak into the last wildcard spot and end up playing either the Rangers or Habs, what would our fully healthy lineup be going into the series if Neil, Smith, Milo, Puempel, Andy, and MacArthur(Phillips I believe is done) are all back?

Some terribly tough calls are looming for DC, but at least we have a lot more depth then many other teams heading into the stretch run.

With everyone healthy:

Hoffman Zibanejad Ryan
Michalek Turris Stone
Condra Pageau Lazar
MacArthur Legwand Chiasson
13th Puempel
14th Neil
15th Greening
16th Smith
17th Prince

Methot Karlsson
Wiercioch Ceci
Cowen Borowiecki
Gryba
Phillips

Anderson
Hammond
Lehner

That is a lineup that is good enough to make a solid deep run in the playoffs. We can roll 4 lines as well as any team. Have speed, talent and a decent physical presence. Have an elite checking line. Have the Karlsson x factor no one else has. We have elite goaltending if we get either early season Anderson or last 2 months of Hammond.

 

[JD1]

With everyone healthy:

Hoffman Zibanejad Ryan
Michalek Turris Stone
Condra Pageau Lazar
MacArthur Legwand Chiasson
13th Puempel
14th Neil
15th Greening
16th Smith
17th Prince

Methot Karlsson
Wiercioch Ceci
Cowen Borowiecki
Gryba
Phillips

Anderson
Hammond
Lehner

That is a lineup that is good enough to make a solid deep run in the playoffs. We can roll 4 lines as well as any team. Have speed, talent and a decent physical presence. Have an elite checking line. Have the Karlsson x factor no one else has. We have elite goaltending if we get either early season Anderson or last 2 months of Hammond.

That looks like a lot of depth to me.

Sometimes I think people get too caught up in names when stats tell a different story. Currently we are the 9th highest scoring team in the NHL on a goals per game basis. So if we are missing true 1st liners and 2nd liners, I guess the rest of the league is in real trouble.

 

[TheNewEra]

If we play Montreal this needs to be our 1st line

Condra-Pageau-Lazar

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

If we play Montreal this needs to be our 1st line

Condra-Pageau-Lazar

That's not how it works, unfortunately.

You want Lazar out there for 21+ minutes? Nah, dude.

The line is very successful because the top 6 guys take the hardest match up assignments, then these guys are able to pounce. Alternatively, we use them as a sparkplug line when we need a momentum shift. That can't happen if they are over played.

 

[TheNewEra]

That's not how it works, unfortunately.

You want Lazar out there for 21+ minutes? Nah, dude.

The line is very successful because the top 6 guys take the hardest match up assignments, then these guys are able to pounce. Alternatively, we use them as a sparkplug line when we need a momentum shift. That can't happen if they are over played.

i guess i could have made my joke a bit more obvious haha

list them as our first line, mind games vs montreal is a good strategy

 

[sensR4real]

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

Methot-Karlsson
Wier-Ceci
Boro-Gryba
Cowen

Interchange Mac/Milo and Cowen/Wier if need be here and there.

This! Agree.. 100% spot on!

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

i guess i could have made my joke a bit more obvious haha

list them as our first line, mind games vs montreal is a good strategy

Oie.

It's early for me

 

[aragorn]

If we go strictly by line pts:

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

extras: Greening - Smith - Neil/Puempel

The problem with putting Michalek with Legwand & Chiasson is that you don't have a playmaker on that line but when you add MacArthur instead of Michalek you do.

 

[BigBush*]

Just think of this line up when everyone's healthy.

Milo-Turris-Stone
Hoffman-Zib-Ryan
Condra-Pageau-Lazar
MacArthur-Legwand-Chiasson

That is a very good looking line up with 4 solid defensive lines that can score. Really hoping to stay healthy down the stretch

 

[dumbdick]

That number 2 d spot is where we need to focus (even if they're bumped to the 2nd pairing). That would instantly make a huge difference for our club.