Until the D gets fixed, this team will continue to flounder.

[DJB]

But that's the reality in my mind. Murray continues to talk about wanting to acquire another forward, but to me, we already have a pretty solid top 6 and we were top 11 in scoring this season. Our goals against were ranked 27th!

Outside of Karlsson and Methot, we don't have any other top 4 defenceman. The rest are either too inexperienced (Ceci), washed up (Phillips), or are simply bottom pairing defenceman (Gryba, Weircioch, Cowen, Boro).

We lack a ton of mobility on the backend and it shows with our breakouts. We can't move the puck or handle the puck well enough to get it up to the forwards quickly enough to avoid pressure from the opposing forwards.

Until we acquire two top 4 d, or two of the younger guys take huge steps forward next season, we will continue to be in the bottom of the league in goals against, and in the standings.

Click to read more...

 

[BankStreetParade]

But that's the reality in my mind. Murray continues to talk about wanting to acquire another forward, but to me, we already have a pretty solid top 6 and we were top 11 in scoring this season. Our goals against were ranked 27th!

Outside of Karlsson and Methot, we don't have any other top 4 defenceman. The rest are either too inexperienced (Ceci), washed up (Phillips), or are simply bottom pairing defenceman (Gryba, Weircioch, Cowen, Boro).

We lack a ton of mobility on the backend and it shows with our breakouts. We can't move the puck or handle the puck well enough to get it up to the forwards quickly enough to avoid pressure from the opposing forwards.

Until we acquire two top 4 d, or two of the younger guys take huge steps forward next season, we will continue to be in the bottom of the league in goals against, and in the standings.

Actually our two biggest problems this year were transition defense and in-zone coverage.

 

[WhiteLight*]

The defense will always look bad if the forwards don't support them. 6 Lidstroms would not look good if they're continuously hung out to dry.

Team defense needs to be fixed. The coaching staff needs to be held responsible for that. Also, the team needs better defensive forwards. The Spezza line in particular was absolutely pitiful and was the main source of bad defense, not the defensive corps.

 

[ISensFanI]

But that's the reality in my mind. Murray continues to talk about wanting to acquire another forward, but to me, we already have a pretty solid top 6 and we were top 11 in scoring this season. Our goals against were ranked 27th!

Outside of Karlsson and Methot, we don't have any other top 4 defenceman. The rest are either too inexperienced (Ceci), washed up (Phillips), or are simply bottom pairing defenceman (Gryba, Weircioch, Cowen, Boro).

We lack a ton of mobility on the backend and it shows with our breakouts. We can't move the puck or handle the puck well enough to get it up to the forwards quickly enough to avoid pressure from the opposing forwards.

Until we acquire two top 4 d, or two of the younger guys take huge steps forward next season, we will continue to be in the bottom of the league in goals against, and in the standings.

agreed . Thwy just let guys stand in front and make no attempt to move them. They get powered past regularily. They suck

 

[Do Make Say Think]

We do need a tough forward for our top 6 though, that much is painfully clear

I don't think there's much point to saying our D needs to improve, that's a given

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Our D corps is young, the hope is they keep improving. If Cowen can make some real progression it would be huge for this team. If Cowen actually hits his full potential and starts to "get it" in that noggin of his, Karlsson, Methot, Cowen, Ceci/Patty actually doesn't look half bad at all. A lot is riding on the guy, a good Cowen vs. a bad Cowen changes the whole makeup of that D.

 

[sens4life]

You can write the same headline as a leaf fan, canucks fan, oilers fan, jets fan, etc....

...and that's why the asking price for said d will be so high...

 

[MiscBrah]

Our defense are either fast and weak or strong and slow. Only Methot has a combination of both and he didn't have a great season.

Karlsson is getting stronger and so will Ceci and Weir, but the biggest thing would be if we could get Cowen and Gryba to get faster. I really hope those guys have huge dedication to train in the off season. We need them to get fast, FAST.

Watching playoff hockey it's painfully obvious that our D is nowhere close to good enough to compete.

Actually watching playoff hockey it's clear that we were doing a lot of things wrong all season, which makes me really question Maclean. With the skill we have our PP should be one of the best in the league. Unfortunately, our players don't move around like other teams do on the PP. You need to have your players moving around so that the PKers have to choose who they are going to cover, thus opening players up to score.

This is just one example of something the Sens did wrong all season long. I've noticed quite a few other basic mistakes that our players continually made for the entire year. At the same time you can't keep blaming the coach, these guys are NHL players, if the coach doesn't adjust the players have to.

I know I got a little off topic and this could probably be placed in it's own thread, but let me know if I'm completely off base here.

 

[ISensFanI]

The D should be Karlsson on the top pair with an outisde player who would be better than the rest of these bums. then Methot with and outside player. then go with cowen and ceci on the bottom pair. trade both weir and gryba for an established guy to play with methot. We still have up and coming d prospects so trading those guys wouldnt be much of a problem. We have 1 top pairing guy one second pairing guy and probably like 8 bottom pairing guys, we have to package some of them together for an upgrade if we dont want to waste them and want to compete

 

[Scrub*]

trade for Gonchar & Benoit

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Our defense are either fast and weak or strong and slow. Only Methot has a combination of both and he didn't have a great season.

Karlsson is getting stronger and so will Ceci and Weir, but the biggest thing would be if we could get Cowen and Gryba to get faster. I really hope those guys have huge dedication to train in the off season. We need them to get fast, FAST.

Watching playoff hockey it's painfully obvious that our D is nowhere close to good enough to compete.

Actually watching playoff hockey it's clear that we were doing a lot of things wrong all season, which makes me really question Maclean. With the skill we have our PP should be one of the best in the league. Unfortunately, our players don't move around like other teams do on the PP. You need to have your players moving around so that the PKers have to choose who they are going to cover, thus opening players up to score.

This is just one example of something the Sens did wrong all season long. I've noticed quite a few other basic mistakes that our players continually made for the entire year. At the same time you can't keep blaming the coach, these guys are NHL players, if the coach doesn't adjust the players have to.

I know I got a little off topic and this could probably be placed in it's own thread, but let me know if I'm completely off base here.

We now know Maclean tried to be more of a hardass coach this year and we now know it doesn't work with this group

Maclean overhauled our system last year once we lost half of our payroll so we know he's capable of adapting

He'll be better next year.

 

[pepty]

We now know Maclean tried to be more of a hardass coach this year and we now know it doesn't work with this group

Maclean overhauled our system last year once we lost half of our payroll so we know he's capable of adapting
He'll be better next year.

Did it really not work or was it undermined by certain players not buying in and crying to the GM who as a former coach, cant stop meddling.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Doesn't matter why it didn't work

It didn't work

His job is to make sure it works

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

The defense will always look bad if the forwards don't support them. 6 Lidstroms would not look good if they're continuously hung out to dry.

Team defense needs to be fixed. The coaching staff needs to be held responsible for that. Also, the team needs better defensive forwards. The Spezza line in particular was absolutely pitiful and was the main source of bad defense, not the defensive corps.

That's a bit of a cop out for the D. I agree that the forwards were bad defensively, but Phillips and Cowen were beyond awful this year and we completely lacked a competent 2nd pairing. Everyone needs to be better, but the forwards have the skill level to fix it, I don't have that faith in the D on our roster.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

The D should be Karlsson on the top pair with an outisde player who would be better than the rest of these bums. then Methot with and outside player. then go with cowen and ceci on the bottom pair. trade both weir and gryba for an established guy to play with methot. We still have up and coming d prospects so trading those guys wouldnt be much of a problem. We have 1 top pairing guy one second pairing guy and probably like 8 bottom pairing guys, we have to package some of them together for an upgrade if we dont want to waste them and want to compete

You're forgetting the 2.5 million dollar anchor we're stuck with.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

We now know Maclean tried to be more of a hardass coach this year and we now know it doesn't work with this group

Maclean overhauled our system last year once we lost half of our payroll so we know he's capable of adapting

He'll be better next year.

Hard ass coaches don't work very well in all pro sports anymore, they just have such a short shelf life, and players have way too much bargaining power these days. Good luck courting a free agent to your team when it's coached by an ******* that just yells at everyone.

 

[Back in Black]

Doesn't matter why it didn't work

It didn't work

His job is to make sure it works

Murray is a dinosaur, that's the first change Melnyk has to make

 

[tony d]

I agree, we need to address our defense this off-season. If I was Brian Murray I'd be targeting Yandle.

 

[ISensFanI]

You're forgetting the 2.5 million dollar anchor we're stuck with.

lol yeah we have soo many crappy dmen i forgot phillips he also belongs in that group.

 

[Canadian Time]

Our D corps is young, the hope is they keep improving. If Cowen can make some real progression it would be huge for this team. If Cowen actually hits his full potential and starts to "get it" in that noggin of his, Karlsson, Methot, Cowen, Ceci/Patty actually doesn't look half bad at all. A lot is riding on the guy, a good Cowen vs. a bad Cowen changes the whole makeup of that D.

That's how I see it too, so young. Ideally you let the young guys learn on the bottom pairing for a year or two before advancing, the Sens didn't have that luxury this year. They're not bums and slugs, just inexperienced. Stay the course, we'll be surprised at the jump they all take at the same time. There seems to be plenty of growth in Bingo to choose from too.

 

[MtRundle]

Tough part is when I hear people say "our D just needs to continue to improve" as if they didn't see the horrible regression this year. Cowen got worse, Methot regressed, Wiercioch wasn't given a chance, Gryba played a 6/7 role well.

I can see Ceci progressing but I'm a bit wary of how much better Cowen and Gryba will get- maybe I'm impatient in not giving them the mythical 200 games they need, we will see.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Tough part is when I hear people say "our D just needs to continue to improve" as if they didn't see the horrible regression this year. Cowen got worse, Methot regressed, Wiercioch wasn't given a chance, Gryba played a 6/7 role well.

I can see Ceci progressing but I'm a bit wary of how much better Cowen and Gryba will get- maybe I'm impatient in not giving them the mythical 200 games they need, we will see.

So players who get sophomore slumps can't get better than that? I'd go with the bolded, heck look at the extreme case of E. Johnson and how long it took him to "get it." I wouldn't be surprised at all if Ceci struggles next year, it would be pretty common actually.

 

[thinkwild]

Tough part is when I hear people say "our D just needs to continue to improve" as if they didn't see the horrible regression this year. Cowen got worse, Methot regressed, Wiercioch wasn't given a chance, Gryba played a 6/7 role well.

I can see Ceci progressing but I'm a bit wary of how much better Cowen and Gryba will get- maybe I'm impatient in not giving them the mythical 200 games they need, we will see.

Mythical? Really? Especially for young defencemen, it seems far more apt to describe it as a well established historical pattern. A horrible regression is hardly an unusual occurrence in the development cycle of young players thrust into big roles.

 

[stevrock]

Mythical? Really? Especially for young defencemen, it seems far more apt to describe it as a well established historical pattern. A horrible regression is hardly an unusual occurrence in the development cycle of young players thrust into big roles.

It's no myth. Crappy defensemen don't play 200 games, the good ones do.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Problem is too much youth on the blueline. We simply can't insulate and properly develop everyone.

And Mandy is right as well. Our forwards didn't do all that much to support the defense this year. It's hard to do your job and make a good outlet pass or play in your zone when half the forwards are cheating up the ice. Insane why the forwards were doing that with such a young, inexperienced D behind them.