This team is terrible without Karlsson

[arglebargle]

When puck possession is the most important part of the game, losing the best possession player in the league is obviously going to hurt, but Murray hasn't made any attempt to patch the gaping hole.

I don't know what you expect Murray to do here. Have you thought about how much young talent and draft picks he'd have to give up to make the team competitive this year without Spezza and Karlsson?

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I'm not surprised when the best player in the NHL goes down the team is impacted.

It's all possession, Karlsson titled the ice in our favour, now we have to work just to balance it.

 

[Magix]

At least this forced them from relying on karlsson to do most of the work. So in the end it can only make this team stronger.

 

[Benjamin]

So terrible they still win.

 

[HavlatMach9]

At least this forced them from relying on karlsson to do most of the work. So in the end it can only make this team stronger.

Imma launch the puck to the blueline, where Karlsson will somehow keep the puck, where most Dmen couldn't. Passing to Karlsson was predictable, but he knew what to do with it.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Imma launch the puck to the blueline, where Karlsson will somehow keep the puck, where most Dmen couldn't. Passing to Karlsson was predictable, but he knew what to do with it.

You can pass the puck to Karlsson with 2 guys on him and it's still a better decision than to pass it to any one else on the team who is unmarked, not named Spezza and Alfredsson

 

[mcnorth]

I want to see some charts that show how terrible we'd be without goalies.

 

[Dionysus]

Could help the team learn how to win when EK isn't on the ice. There is still 30 minutes or so per game where he doesn't play when he's in the lineup.

 

[aragorn]

The team is doing fine without Karlsson & Spezza & all the other injured starters, we should be thankful, Everybody has taken a turn contributing to wins & pts especially the goalies. Considering the circumstances we should be grateful this team is still fighting for the Conference lead trailing by only four pts. Great team effort.

 

[v-man]

Someone has to go back to grade one and look up the definition of terrible in the dictionary. If they were winless since Karlsson's demise and out of the playoff race, then one would have a point. Instead, they've picked up points in all but two or three games in that time. They may not be exciting to watch, but they're far from terrible.

As for the charts and graphs, I find that in general SS's stats are severely flawed after nearly every game, so they can't really be trusted for anything (which is why I find it particularly amusing that they're accusing the ESPN stats they're relying upon here of being wrong).

 

[trobby]

STAND BACK EVERYONE!

I'm Dr. Obvious. I can take it from here.

 

[barabr10]

I want to see some charts that show how terrible we'd be without goalies.

Lets just say our goal differential wouldn't be a plus 8 but a minus 10 at least and there would probably be a few fire Murray threads started.

 

[Mawlrat]

I want to see some charts that show how terrible we'd be without goalies.

I think with the average 40 shots against in the last few games, Ottawa's GA column would look more realistic if Ottawa didn't have any goalies. Maybe they could pull it off and score just as many goals if they had 6 skaters and no goalie.

 

[BonkTastic]

I want to see some charts that show how terrible we'd be without goalies.

Like, if we turned the nets around to face the back boards, and played 6 skaters, like when your beer league goalie doesn't show up until 10 minutes into the game?



I wonder how NHL players would fare in a game like that, haha...

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

The team is doing fine without Karlsson & Spezza & all the other injured starters, we should be thankful, Everybody has taken a turn contributing to wins & pts especially the goalies. Considering the circumstances we should be grateful this team is still fighting for the Conference lead trailing by only four pts. Great team effort.

I think pretty much everyone is grateful. And quite proud, actually.

But it's a temporary kind of grateful, fleeting almost, where you are happy things have gone your way thus far, but know there is a long way yet, and think it unlikely to last. You hope you're wrong, but know you probably aren't. As such, you're preparing yourself for the disappointment that a week ago, will probably be looked back upon as a season high, and that we could only over-achieve for so long. The little train that could, eventually couldn't, kind of thing.

I love watching this team, but that doesn't mean it isn't also a bit painful to watch.

The only thing that gives me playoff hope is most teams in the East have some issues. If they all continue and a few implode and have injuries, and we get a body back or two, we have a shot. But the playoffs are a long shot at this point, despite where we sit in the standings.

 

[Kentti]

FYI, SM-liiga's regular season is now finished and playoffs are about to start. Karlsson's FEL team, Jokerit, won the regular season and Karlsson was also the best defenseman in points in the whole league with 9+25=34 points even though he played only 30 games out of 60.

In the FEL, the winning team receives 3 points from a regulation win, 2 points from an OT or S/O win and 1 point if the team loses in OT or S/O. I've converted the results below to NHL points.

Without Karlsson, Jokerit were 17-10-3 = 37 points (12 wins in regulation, 8 ties, 10 losses and 5 wins in OT or S/O = 49 points).

With Karlsson, Jokerit were 21-5-4 = 46 points (16 wins in regulation, 9 ties, 5 losses and 5 wins in OT or S/O = 62 points).

The stats don't lie. Jokerit were a better team with Karlsson onboard.

Ottawa has been 7-5-2 = 16 pts with Karlsson in 14 games and 6-3-3 = 15 pts without Karlsson in 12 games, so Erik's impact with Ottawa is not as big as with Jokerit.

 

[zeddyp]

OP are you kidding me...we didnt lose JUST karlsson we've lost spezz michalek, regin, anderson, Latandress...am I missing anyone else? (cowen too if you wanna be a stickler)


regin and Latty may not be that big a blow...but its still an injury that needs to be plugged

and yet oh **** we sit in 5th place while in the best division of the east

so please how is it that this team is "terrible" cause I keep expecting them to be terrible and yet they keep on finding a way to win

 

[YNWA14]

Yay optimism.

 

[HavlatMach9]

, so Erik's impact with Ottawa is not as big as with Jokerit.

Jokerit had a good record even without Karlsson, so it's good to see them do well. The Sens are hanging on, but we miss him too.

 

[misha1976]

Short view. This season has been exciting. I don't know why you would find it boring. Every game is a battle and a team that I fully expected to tank is holding on by the skin of its teeth. If we make the playoffs and Spezza isn't back, will we get annihilated? Likely. But so what? I'm a long term Sens fan and I didn't think we'd get the Cup or the Conference this year anyway.

Long view? This shortened season is literally making a bunch of players and making a team. It's a blessing in disguise and the Sens are proving their salt. The interest thing is how, once the 'stars' come back, the newbies are going to coalesce with them and how the team will play. My guess is that they'll be an initial rough patch, but once that's gets sorted out on ice we'll be a contender.

Why worry?

 

[Hammertyme]

I actually think that Karlsson being gone (temporarily) is a good thing for the team. It prevents the Sens from being one-dimensional and relying on Karlsson to provide all the offense. The team is learning to play a more complete game, sure they look bad out there but they are just kids. The team was not exactly tearing it up with Karlsson, Spezza et al in the line up anyways. I really think that next year this team will be playing more complete games and it won't be Karlsson or Spezza or even Anderson carrying the team into the playoffs. Just my two cents.

I agree, it is good in the long run....doesnt help much in shootouts with Spezza, Karlsson, and 9MM out. It will just require patience and growing pains. The coaching staff has done a fabulous job even getting the single point out of these games. How about Luke Richardson..he is going to be gone sooner than later. I would think every NHL team with a losing record is watching him closely.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

We're 5th in the East and we're playing very close games. Shots against? I wonder how many goalies want 10 shots against in a game or prefer a good amount of shots to keep them alert.

This is better for us. The less we rely on Karlsson just getting the puck then running around for minutes on end until he decides on a play and the less teams key on Spezza, the better. This is a team and teams don't need individual talent or stars to succeed. Every one of these players is doing extraordinary things and you know what? I LOVE IT.

But it's ok. Soom Karlsson will come back we'll need to make him happy by making him the focus, then Spezza will come back and he'll need to be happy too, instead of the team working together and getting it done. Huzzah.

 

[NyQuil]

But it's ok. Soom Karlsson will come back we'll need to make him happy by making him the focus, then Spezza will come back and he'll need to be happy too, instead of the team working together and getting it done. Huzzah.

I'd like to think that the team being successful without them is a bit of a wake-up call to everyone.

I for one, am not going to look down on the infusion of elite talent that accompanies their return to the line-up.

Particularly with respect to the PP and the SO.

 

[Oyabun]

The league is terrible without Karlsson.

My life is terrible without Karlsson


I wouldn't say the team has become "incredibly boring to watch" but they are certainly lacking an edge that made the sens so exciting to watch. That edge was Karlsson. I hope he comes back in the same form. I need my Senators fix in the evenings, entertain me damn you!!!

 

[aragorn]

It's mind boggling how negative some people are with their cups half empty all the time. This team is winning without (arguably) their top 4 or 5 players, they have exceeded all expectations. They are managing to stay in a playoff race in numerous one goal games which are exciting right to the last second & have lost a lot of games due to the stupid skills competition shootout. They have played the best teams in the Eastern Conference & beaten most & taken the best right to the shootout. How can that not be exciting to watch? Would you feel better if they were losing consistently every night?

Everybody in the league is talking about their resilience, how they keep winning, how they are fun to watch & then we read here from their own fans that they are boring to watch. Isn't winning suppose to be fun? I guess there are some that just enjoy watching the pretty boys skate around the perimeter waiting for the perfect tic tac toe pass to score a highlight reel goal which they can admire later while still losing by three. I love the rough & tough hockey game fighting for lose pucks, good defensive play, hard hits, dropping the mitts & great goaltending & that is basically what we are getting, real true hockey the way it was meant to be played in Canada & not European pond hockey. Terrible thread. We should be applauding this team for not quitting the way they used to in the past, give them credit for never giving up in any game & fighting to the last second in every game, it's commendable.