GDT: 2 losses and no GDT

[mianjo]

Philly losing 3-2 with 3 to go

 

[Burrowsaurus]

s was

Any way you shake out the lines it will end uo being a similar outcome.

Stutzle hasn’t played well with Gaudette and Giroux. We are missing too many guys the top 9 can’t keep up we have 4 AHLers on 12 forwards.

No speed on those lines either.

IMO we need a complimentary guy who can be good all around like a Blake Coleman or Connor Garland. Not enough juice in that top 9.

Gaudette even being there is a problem

When amadio comes back hopefully he and pinto and revive their chemistry

 

[Do Make Say Think]

We simply aren't good enough.

We are pretty close but not quite there yet. We desperately need another scorer.

It is insane to think we were a bottom feeder for almost a decade and that we still need more skill. How can we still be desperate for another scorer?! Oh... Right. We had Dorion for 7 years.

 

[PlayOn]

Philly losing 3-2 with 3 to go

This playoff push has me cheering for the Leafs way too often.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Aside from his faceoff wins tonight I thought Norris was putrid.

Never felt like he made his linemates any better. Used to be a trigger man but now he's just there taking space not utilizing his best asset which is his shot.

 

[SensFactor]

Still need a shutdown RD, Top 6 Winger and Backup goalie

We simply aren't good enough.

We are pretty close but not quite there yet. We desperately need another scorer.

It is insane to think we were a bottom feeder for almost a decade and that we still need more skill. How can we still be desperate for another scorer?! Oh... Right. We had Dorion for 7 years

 

[Mr Hat]

I disagree. I think most people came into this thinking we needed a winning record on this road trip if we were gonna make the playoffs. Given how the other teams around the Sens in the standings have been playing, we needed two points tonight, not one.

There's still hope that we can make hay with all the games in hand we have over teams like the Bruins.

Exactly, when that poll came out the race was less wide open. Now with the log jam for the 2nd spot, the probability of Sens playing better than 4 other comparable teams is unlikely. Combine that with watching this team struggle to put 5 shots on goal some periods, bad PK, Stu struggling, Sandy struggling, Ully injured possibly long term, it looks extremely unlikely we can get back to the pace that got us that win streak and playoff spot. It’s disgusting we can’t get 2 points against a bad team like the wings, who are on the tail end of a new coach bump and have terrible goaltending duo.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Still need a shutdown RD, Top 6 Winger and Backup goalie

Yeah we also need a big, mean RD but I think the scorer is a far more pressing need.

Our offensive game is awful.

 

[mianjo]

Philly lose 3-2

Sens are 10th

 

[Burrowsaurus]

We simply aren't good enough.

We are pretty close but not quite there yet. We desperately need another scorer.

It is insane to think we were a bottom feeder for almost a decade and that we still need more skill. How can we still be desperate for another scorer?! Oh... Right. We had Dorion for 7 years.

I mean good enough for what? We lost in overtime. Went .500 on a road trip we were worried about.

I agree on the last part. No offense outside of the top and literally NO HELP coming to speak of

 

[NinjaSens]

A 4-4-1 record on this road trip is neither good nor bad. I will not consider the result as the reason the team makes or doesn't make the playoffs.

The team is seriously struggling for offense. Travis Green doesn't have much to play with and the team needs more skills and/or to Norris to get going one way or another. Does he have another gear?

I would try this line up, stack the top6 with what's available and hope for the best. We don't have consistent offense with the line up as is.

Tkachuk - Pinto - Batherson (this line has worked well in the past)
Norris - Stu - Gaudette (Gaudette is slow; but let's try two scorers with our best playmaker)
Cousins - Grieg - Giroux
Gregor - Ostapchuk - whatever

 

[PlayOn]

Yeah we also need a big, mean RD but I think the scorer is a far more pressing need.

Our offensive game is awful.

If Yak is as advertised, he’ll do a lot for our offensive game when he’s ready. Sanderson’s even strength struggles are a big part of our offensive struggles imo. Still need another winger though.

 

[JimmyApples]

We went into the season with depth issues already and that's all but been obliterated through injuries.


Not in a great spot right now

Honestly, skater wise, I feel like our injury situation this season has been alright. Every team is missing Perron’s or Amadio’s

 

[Burrowsaurus]

A 4-4-1 record on this road trip is neither good nor bad. I will not consider the result as the reason the team makes or doesn't make the playoffs.

The team is seriously struggling for offense. Travis Green doesn't have much to play with and the team needs more skills and/or to Norris to get going one way or another. Does he have another gear?

I would try this line up, stack the top6 with what's available and hope for the best. We don't have consistent offense with the line up as is.

Tkachuk - Pinto - Batherson (this line has worked well in the past)
Norris - Stu - Gaudette (Gaudette is slow; but let's try two scorers with our best playmaker)
Cousins - Grieg - Giroux
Gregor - Ostapchuk - whatever

He tried Norris on the wing last game he looked confused. It wasn’t many shifts. I do t think green wants to play Norris AT ALL right now

 

[Cosmix]

Time to pack it up and be absorbed by America guys.

I will sell my share for $1M.

 

[DackellDuck]

Yeah we also need a big, mean RD but I think the scorer is a far more pressing need.

Our offensive game is awful.

I genuinely think our offense could be significantly improved by just moving Norris to the wing. I don't understand why the team is so resistant to do it.

Right now, he doesn't use his linemates effectively, he can't create opportunities to utilize his one elite skill (his shot), and even his all-around game has gotten bad. He's making bonehead play after bonehead play in his own end. His confidence is completely shot. The one thing he's still good at is faceoffs, but he can do that from the wing! When he's on the ice carrying the puck, our offense dies.

Put him with Stützle and let him think less. Simplify his game. Go up and down the wing and find open space to use his shot. That's it.

Tkachuk - Pinto - Batherson
Norris - Stützle - Giroux
Gregor - Greig - Cousins
Whoever - Ostapchuk - Whoever

Then when healthy:

Tkachuk - Pinto - Batherson
Norris - Stützle - Giroux
Perron - Greig - Amadio
Gregor - Ostapchuk - Cousins

Green needs to start being a tad more creative. Moving Tkachuk and Gaudette between lines isn't it.

 

[PlayOn]

He tried Norris on the wing last game he looked confused. It wasn’t many shifts. I do t think green wants to play Norris AT ALL right now

I mean Norris played 2 seconds less than Stützle and more than anyone other forward tonight. Obviously in part for faceoffs but I don’t think that last sentence reflects reality.

 

[JimmyApples]

We simply aren't good enough.

We are pretty close but not quite there yet. We desperately need another scorer.

It is insane to think we were a bottom feeder for almost a decade and that we still need more skill. How can we still be desperate for another scorer?! Oh... Right. We had Dorion for 7 years.

Crazy that we bottomed out without a 1st pick in 2019, then wasted a top 10 pick on Boucher in 2021, traded our top 10 picks in 2022 and 2023. During 2019-2023 we were bottom 10 all 5 seasons and ended up with Stutzle and Sanderson, and one of them we completely lucked into in multiple ways.

 

[Ralph Malfredsson]

Just because the 4th line played like trash doesn't mean we can't make the playoffs.

Remember it's garbage can, not garbage cannot.

 

[dpw]

Nothing is easy for these guys. So many chances to go up 3-1, 4-1 but they just can't. Every point is a grind.

Guys were gassed at the end. Shifts were like 20 seconds and line changes were late. Hopefully it's just the cold going around.

Personally, my worst-case expectation was 8 points during this road swing to stay in the fight. So, I have to be satisfied with 9 points.

 

[DackellDuck]

He tried Norris on the wing last game he looked confused. It wasn’t many shifts. I do t think green wants to play Norris AT ALL right now

You need to give him extended practice and game time to see if it works. Let him build chemistry with Stutzle.

Green is playing him 19+ minutes a night at center right now, and it's hurting the team. He's not even good defensively right now, and the puck dies on his stick.

 

[Micklebot]

I disagree. I think most people came into this thinking we needed a winning record on this road trip if we were gonna make the playoffs. Given how the other teams around the Sens in the standings have been playing, we needed two points tonight, not one.

There's still hope that we can make hay with all the games in hand we have over teams like the Bruins.

If you thought we'd need a winning record on a 9 game road trip to make the playoffs, you probably don't understand how road vs home records tend to work. A 500 road record is good for 5th in the east, only Tor, NJD, Was and Fla have a better than 500 road record.

 

[NinjaSens]

He tried Norris on the wing last game he looked confused. It wasn’t many shifts. I do t think green wants to play Norris AT ALL right now

Thanks for telling me. I missed last game. Norris may need some reps and practice at wing before being effective. imo it's too early to give up on the idea. He's not effective as a C, what's there to lose.

 

[JimmyApples]

I disagree. I think most people came into this thinking we needed a winning record on this road trip if we were gonna make the playoffs. Given how the other teams around the Sens in the standings have been playing, we needed two points tonight, not one.

There's still hope that we can make hay with all the games in hand we have over teams like the Bruins.

Who said that?

The idea was more about staying alive in the thick of things, and not letting the season slip away. We lost Ullmark a few games into it the trip and finished .500 on the road, while overall our .526 points percentage ranks 7th in the East.

We have the 5th easiest schedule moving forward, and 24 out of our last 43 are in our barn. This isn’t a bad position to be in to make the playoffs.

 

[DackellDuck]

Thanks for telling me. I missed last game. Norris may need some reps and practice at wing before being effective. imo it's too early to give up on the idea. He's not effective as a C, what's there to lose.

It surprises me how locked into "positions" NHL coaches are.

It used to be that way in the NBA, but in the last 10 years, coaches realized that players who can play multiple positions depending on team needs and matchups is incredibly valuable. Now "switchability" for forwards (guys who can play small forward, power forward, and even some center and guard) is a major asset.

But in the NHL, if you're a C you're a C and heaven forbid we move you around...

Who said that?

The idea was more about staying alive in the thick of things, and not letting the season slip away. We lost Ullmark a few games into it the trip and finished .500 on the road, while overall our .526 points percentage ranks 7th in the East.

We have the 5th easiest schedule moving forward, and 24 out of our last 43 are in our barn. This isn’t a bad position to be in to make the playoffs.

It's understandable to be disappointed, considering how the last 5 games have gone (recency bias). But if you take a step back, you're right, it is fine.

With that said, it's not "let's just keep doing what we're doing" fine. It's "we're right in the mix but have some glaring needs" fine.

There are clear issues that need to be addressed within the existing lineup, and if Staios is serious about making a wildcard run, he needs to add.

There are playoff spots up for grabs, but a lot of teams vying for them. And some of those teams (Boston, TB, NYR, MTL, etc) have shown themselves to be very aggressive. They will go out and improve. Can we get ahead of them?