Around the NHL — Episode XLXVI

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Watching the Oilers this AM and they just said Connor Brown still doesn't have a goal. 56 games and counting since he left Ottawa.

This is like Bill Muckalt throwback.

 

[Cosmix]

this is an issue the league needs to analyze and address.

If you get on Statmuse, you will see the bottom 10 teams this year, are also the same bottom 10-15 teams with a cumulatively bad record over a 5 to 10 year period.

The league is stratified. Once good, a team remains good. Once bad, it remains bad.

32 teams has meant, it is difficult to draft out of trouble (quickly). A cap has meant that you cannot spend your way out. Trade deadline, FA day in July, seems to ensure that the rich get richer and the poor remain poor.

What has happened this year is the same for years past. If you look at the data, you can go back 10-15 years and it is similar.

The league needs to find a way to be Robin Hood.. Somehow take from the rich and give to the poor (Talent wise, not money).

Insane that a mere 10% of total games played, paint the picture.

It cannot be easy to be in sales and marketing for the 10-12 teams that are out by Oct 30 or 31st. Accounting for road and home games, these teams may have 38-39 dates to fill.

Solutions are needed.. A major one may have to be expanded playoffs.

Ohh well. Imagine the chaos next Oct 31.

One idea that seems appropriate for ensuring the bottom teams get some help each year is to get rid of the draft lottery as it is currently designed. It is unfair to the teams at the bottom of the league as it allows other teams mush higher in the final standings to get the 1st and 2nd over-all picks. I would rather just let the standings determine the picks (last team picks first, second last picks second, etc.).

The standings sure are interesting atm. Divisions all still up for grabs, even Edmonton if they can win their games in hand.

With the Islanders winning 5 in a row, TB is in serious danger of being passed. Same goes for Detroit.

If Calgary could win their game in hand, they'd only be 4 points behind Vegas and play them next Thursday. They've got their chance if they're able to grab it.

A couple other teams behind them threatening, but they're running out of time.

Doubt it happens to Vegas, but that would be quite the turn of events to see both TB and Vegas outside looking in. Or for Detroit to drop out would be satisfying. Should be a fun finish.

For the Senators I think they can still get past Anaheim if they bear down here. They have a tough sked to finish off the season. Need to lose against CBJ next Thursday and start getting a point spread there. I think we can get down to that bottom 3rd spot.

Hopefully the POHO/GM and coaching staff will see the wisdom of finishing lower in the standings instead of winning meaningless games during the rest of this season!

 

[JD1]

I hear what you're saying, but wrt Formenton, we cut bait long enough ago that we've had time to fill the void.

Losing one of Norris/Pinto for essentiall all of the last two seasons is a tough break though for a team that was only expected to be a bubble team if things went right last year, this year is another story (we're too bad for it to be just that).

Young teams trying to deal with some pretty substantial adversity, it's tough, hopefully they learn from it and it makes them better down the line, but in the mean time it's rough.

I disagree on Formenton. If he was 30 sure. But he was a young player that developed into a bona fide top 9 and killer pk asset. Gone at 22. No return. Losing him for nothing hurt..

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Hopefully the POHO/GM and coaching staff will see the wisdom of finishing lower in the standings instead of winning meaningless games during the rest of this season!

I expect they will, but post trade deadline, probably don't have a lot of impact on the results either way.

This team needs a shot in the arm. I think the best way they can get that is a savvy draft this year with as high a pick as possible, another later first, and 7 picks in the first 4 rounds total. Time to get back to their roots and start building up that draft stock again.

 

[Beech]

One idea that seems appropriate for ensuring the bottom teams get some help each year is to get rid of the draft lottery as it is currently designed. It is unfair to the teams at the bottom of the league as it allows other teams mush higher in the final standings to get the 1st and 2nd over-all picks. I would rather just let the standings determine the picks (last team picks first, second last picks second, etc.).

the two leagues closest to each other are the NFL and NHL.. While NFL revenues are significantly higher, the CAP and FA rules are similar.

Baseball and basketball are insane, they are nothing more than the rich and the poor.

So, what you see in the NFL and NHL is stratification. One that takes forever to change. San Fran and Kansas city have both reached the Super bowl on several occasions and have been rock solid for 40 and 50 years respectively.

Detroit was insanely bad forever and has only managed to break through now. The 14 playoff teams were rock solid teams that have been good, either continuously since the Super Bowl was first played, or have enjoyed an incredible last 10 years.

the bottom 10-12 teams, have been bottom for years to decades.

The NHL is similar.. in fact nearly identical.

there is a fundamental flaw in the structure of North American sports leagues. And little effort to fix it.

Come October 30th of 2024, we will know if the Sens are going to be in the playoffs, or miss, or finish in the bottom 10. some 22 or 23 days into the season.

(for reference, in the NFL teams going 0-2, are done)... so 8 days in.

 

[Ice-Tray]

This team, apart from the bad mgmt. / owner situation, has just been blessed with horrible luck for two seasons

With Norris injured basically all of last season, then Pinto suspended and Norris gone again shortly after Pinto returns, we've been down a top 9 calibre player for 2 seasons now. But, we need to add Formenton to that.

Two top 9 players missing for 2 seasons and nothing to show for it in return.

I'm not making excuses for anyone but that's a tough pill to swallow for any team.

Add in losing every single draft lottery during our rebuild.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Add in losing every single draft lottery during our rebuild.

In fairness that didn't affect us too much.

In 2018 we dropped from Svechnikov to Brady, who are at worst equals.
In 2020 we dropped from Byfield to Sanderson. Byfield is having a great season, but Sanderson is our future #1D.

 

[StoicSensFan]

Tank on hat trick watch.

 

[Ouroboros]

Watching the Oilers this AM and they just said Connor Brown still doesn't have a goal. 56 games and counting since he left Ottawa.

This is like Bill Muckalt throwback.

Didn't score in his last 14 as a Senator either, so he's closing in on a full season's worth of games.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

I really miss Tarasenko. Wish he wanted to extend with us.

 

[Ice-Tray]

In fairness that didn't affect us too much.

In 2018 we dropped from Svechnikov to Brady, who are at worst equals.
In 2020 we dropped from Byfield to Sanderson. Byfield is having a great season, but Sanderson is our future #1D.

Still…. Would have been pretty nuts to have Byfield as well, but I get what you’re saying.

We had two pretty good drafts where we made due, and then nothing else while teams like NJ won a couple times etc…

I actually hate the draft lottery.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

TarasenkShow

 

[dumbdick]

Tank coming in hot.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Didn't score in his last 14 as a Senator either, so he's closing in on a full season's worth of games.

Crazy.

I guess thats the fine line for hard workers without a knack for scoring.

I actually thought he looked like the same old Connor Brown today, but still couldnt score.

 

[Senscore]

Didn't realize Tarasenko took out Ekblad.


Good for him. f*** Florida

 

[Tuna99]

If you could bottle up 1% of the passion John Torterella had on the bench last night refusing to leave the bench and combine it with the talent of the 20 players of the Ottawa Senators we’d have a Cup Parade in this city

 

[KnockHobbler]

If the Detroit redwings miss the playoffs I’ll be sooooo happy. Their fans are insufferable on the main board

 

[Silencio]

If the Detroit redwings miss the playoffs I’ll be sooooo happy. Their fans are insufferable on the main board

Lost 5 in a row, now only 2 points up on NYI (who have 2 games in hand) and 3 up on Washington (also with 2 games in hand) for the final wild card spot.

 

[Xspyrit]

I'm surprised they moved Mysak. Figured they'd keep him and develop him to be his friend Slafbustky's linemate.

They are both change of scenery guys. Pretty equivalent.

I see JP with a NHL future but not Mysak

You guys make some good points. At least now we have a real owner, and hopefully the process moves towards more sustainability. Trade deadlines are always a tough reminder for Sens fans that we're not one of the more competitive franchises in general, so I'm just feeling down today watching all these other teams have fun while we didn't even have anything worthy of plucking from for contenders. This team is in rough shape, and I don't know if I have faith this is fixable. They need a very solid summer here.

Like I have said before, Staios will have to be flawless going forward, Dorion has done way too much damage. It's sad that we have been witnessing his self destruction while being powerless.

Staios seems to be taking a patient approach which might not be popular but might be what we need. Really need to make "the right moves" from now on

 

[Icelevel]

Watching the Oilers this AM and they just said Connor Brown still doesn't have a goal. 56 games and counting since he left Ottawa.

This is like Bill Muckalt throwback.

Pretty crazy. Was there an injury situation? I forget.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

If you could bottle up 1% of the passion John Torterella had on the bench last night refusing to leave the bench and combine it with the talent of the 20 players of the Ottawa Senators we’d have a Cup Parade in this city

The Flyers lost that game 7-0.

 

[Tuna99]

The Flyers lost that game 7-0.

they are headed to the playoffs because they play with intensity - Ottawa is 5th worst overall because they don’t play with intensity

 

[Micklebot]

they are headed to the playoffs because they play with intensity - Ottawa is 5th worst overall because they don’t play with intensity

If they keep playing they way the have over the last twenty, they won't be making the playoffs at all, they are 8-10-2 while the NYI have 3 games in hand and are playing great to take over the div spot, while Det, Tbay and Was are all right there to take those wildcard spots.

 

[Tuna99]

If they keep playing they way the have over the last twenty, they won't be making the playoffs at all, they are 8-10-2 while the NYI have 3 games in hand and are playing great to take over the div spot, while Det, Tbay and Was are all right there to take those wildcard spots.

That’s all fine; the team has overcheived this year and are in a playoff spot and thats because they play with intensity and play together.

The Philly rebuild is ahead of ours not because of talent or drafting or trading - they simply play harder and more desperate then Ottawa

 

[Micklebot]

That’s all fine; the team has overcheived this year and are in a playoff spot and thats because they play with intensity and play together.

The Philly rebuild is ahead of ours not because of talent or drafting or trading - they simply play harder and more desperate then Ottawa

They started the season hot, going 18-10-3, had the 11th best goaltending in that period. Since then, they are 15-14-5 and 31st in sv% (guess who is 32nd, and by a surprisingly large amount),

All the intensity you claim they have isn't worth squat when their goaltending isn't holding up.