Current state of Sens roster formation

[Micklebot]

He's a versatile roamer but you want experience on every line and he does that for the 4th. Amadios contract, they need 20-30 points from him and that would be a steal. He will play up and down as injuries happen but I do think he starts on the 4th line for that vet experience and playing the right way attitude.

On Crooker He's going to have to battle hard but you can tell the org is going to give him a chance and tbh he is wasted on the 4th. I like him on the 3rd and he was a top player in Bellville last year. Better tools for 3LW imo.

Very weak 4th line, need an experienced vet there. Telling ya it's Amadio to start.

I have a hard time buying that Staios spent 2.6 mil to go out and grab a 4th liner or that Amadio chose to sign here to get 10 mins a night toiling away on a 4th line.

We shall see I suppose, but if the org does feel they need more experience on the fourth line, I'd expect them to pick up a UFA from what's left, someone like Nick Cousins or Matt Martin.

 

[StoicSensFan]

I like the duo options and the nhl has moved towards duos and balanced lines (typically 3 and a grinder).

I think we try to make 3 balanced lines attack. It's critical that Norris is paired with players that can get him going.

Pairs:
Stutzle Giroux
Tkachuk Norris
Pinto Batherson

Lines
Tkachuk Norris Perron
Grieg Stutzle Giroux
Crookshank Pinto Batherson

3 balanced line of attack. Pesky players on every line. Everyone playing strong sides.

I think this is the look tbh. Leaving

Gregor, Amadio and a camp battle spot or MacEwen. Amadio has done C tho has a slight RW preference; Ostapchuk can compete and hopefully MacEwen is the 13F.

I think the Norris-Batherson chemistry is really understated, they should be stapled together.

I'd go (bolded pairs with known chemistry)
Tkachuk-Stutzle-Perron
Amadio-Norris-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Giroux

Switch the unbolded people around as necessary since they can pretty much play anywhere anyways.

 

[LiseL]

I would keep Tkachuk - Pinto - Batherson together personally. Batherson played his best hockey on that line and they were tough to contain. I think I'd have that as a top/matchup and energy line. I would try to maximize the output from Batherson I think he's an X-factor in this lineup. When he's on his game he's a force and we need him to play at that level. These 3 compliment each other well.

Shelter Stutzle and give him favourable matchups with Perron and Giroux. I'm thinking this could help him slow the game down and both Perron and Giroux can make plays and shoot the puck. It would be an unpredictable line that plays with passion. This should also incentivize Stutzle to put more focus on the defensive side of the play with two vets. I also think it could help Stutzle simplify his game.

Ease Norris in with a lesser role with less expectations. Amadio and Greig should make for a great checking line and that line has good speed and reliability on both sides of the ice. If Norris can't take faceoffs put Greig at center and Norris on LW.

I'm guessing they will re-sign Katchouk. If/when they add another solid guy on that 4th line with Gregor it will be a pretty drastic change from previous years. Gregor creates with his speed and Katchouk can skate, forecheck and play a 7-8 good minutes a night. Having a 4th line that can actually put the other team on their heels will be massive for this team for generating momentum.

Tkachuk - Pinto - Batherson
Perron - Stutzle - Giroux
Greig - Norris - Amadio
Katchouk - Gregor - *Addition
MacEwen

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Jensen
Kleven - *Addition
JBD
Hamonic

We have 3 known playmakers on our roster: Stu, Batherson, Giroux. Brady, Pinto and Norris are finishers. Not sure how productive Norris would be with Greig and Amadio. Would you classify either of them as playmakers? The 2nd line would be good if Perron is a finisher as both Stu and Giroux like setting up plays. I expect a lot of line juggling until the right mix is found, especially with some new faces in the line-up.

 

[LiseL]

We need one more capable RD. Depth is pretty important and being one injury away from having JBD and Hamonic both in the lineup is not an improvement

Ideally get a dependable 3rd pairing D who can play either side. Both Chabot and Zub seem to be injured each year, we don't know yet how healthy Jensen will be. Having someone that can slot up to the top 4 on either side would be amazing. That would also mean that unless there are 2 or more injuries, Hamonic will never play.

 

[aragorn]

I have a hard time buying that Staios spent 2.6 mil to go out and grab a 4th liner or that Amadio chose to sign here to get 10 mins a night toiling away on a 4th line.

We shall see I suppose, but if the org does feel they need more experience on the fourth line, I'd expect them to pick up a UFA from what's left, someone like Nick Cousins or Matt Martin.

Is it possible that Jenik could replace Kastelic on that 4th line & bring some jam & be a guy who will drop the gloves? Gregor - Jenik - MacEwan --- Or is he strickly an AHL player? This would keep Ostapchuk & Halliday in Belleville.

 

[LiseL]

I think the Norris-Batherson chemistry is really understated, they should be stapled together.

I'd go (bolded pairs with known chemistry)
Tkachuk-Stutzle-Perron
Amadio-Norris-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Giroux

Switch the unbolded people around as necessary since they can pretty much play anywhere anyways.

What I like about your lines is there's a playmaker (Stu, Batherson, Giroux) and finisher (Brady, Norris, Pinto) on each line. Don't know yet how to classify Amadio or Perron, but regardless, if they are playmakers, they have a finisher on their line. If they're finishers, then the playmaker on their line will have 2 linemates to setup.

 

[StoicSensFan]

What I like about your lines is there's a playmaker (Stu, Batherson, Giroux) and finisher (Brady, Norris, Pinto) on each line. Don't know yet how to classify Amadio or Perron, but regardless, if they are playmakers, they have a finisher on their line. If they're finishers, then the playmaker on their line will have 2 linemates to setup.

I'd classify Amadio and Perron as lunch-pail guys who will play both ways responsibly, giving the other linemates and D space to do what they want.

 

[Ice-Tray]

We need one more capable RD. Depth is pretty important and being one injury away from having JBD and Hamonic both in the lineup is not an improvement

I don’t disagree, in fact I would love another 3rd pair RD to play/mentor Kleven above all else right now, I just don’t agree they are going to make or break the team. We will live and die by our top 9, top 4, and top goalie.

 

[JackieDaytona]

Wonder how low Justin Shultz is willing to go? Prolly just out of price range. You gotta think someone will pick him up.

Fits the ‘vet with cup’ criteria.

Maybe not the bruising defender archetype folks want for the 3rd pair, but he’s sound defensively relative to hamonic and a decent pmd; not a small dude either.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

If Crookshank or Jarventie could actually win a spot on the 3rd line, that could be really good for us, we could move Amadio down to line 4

Crookshank/Jarventie-Greig-Perron
Gregor-Ostapchuk-Amadio

 

[Cosmix]

Is it possible that Jenik could replace Kastelic on that 4th line & bring some jam & be a guy who will drop the gloves? Gregor - Jenik - MacEwan --- Or is he strickly an AHL player? This would keep Ostapchuk & Halliday in Belleville.

Possible but not likely IMO. I think he is an AHL level player.

 

[KevinRedkey]

I'm definitely worried about our depth on D right now. Chabot never plays a full year, and we could use a real 6D to push JBD and/or hamonic down the depth chart.

I wonder if a team like Anaheim or Calgary would eat 50% of Jan Rutta (1.250 salary / 1.375 cap hit) from San Jose for mid/late round pick? I think he would be kind of the perfect 3RD at a more reasonable cap hit. The only other guy that makes any sense to me is Radko Gudas (also at 50%), but I think he'd be way more expensive to acquire.

 

[armani]

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

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-JBD

Ullmark
Forsberg

Extra: Hamonic, MacEwen

*Training camp winner. Hoping it's Ostapchuk. Halliday is more impactful with skilled players he can set up and does not appear to be an ideal 4th line fit. If nobody from Bingo is a fit than Gregor can play C, with Cousins being a LW and MacEwen a RW for a 4th line that play limited but impactful minutes as shift disturbers. All have NHL experience, with Cousins winning the Stanley Cup this year.

Once again, that bottom pairing is really inexperienced, so some coaching/tactical decisions will need to go into their deployment, with the top-4 D playing majority of the minutes. Would still have preferred a veteran shutdown guy, but c'est la vie. The the roster has improved. For the results to improve, a lot of the returning players - Chabot and Norris in particular - need to stay healthy and productive. I expect Chabot's game to improve with Jensen as his partner. Pinto will be in full-time to start the season, with Stu and Greig expected to take another step.

 

[LiseL]

Me either too slow not heavy, especially up front. They won't have any sort of forcheck. Teams with no forcheck don't sustain zone time. This d core is gonna be tired.

I'd like them to sign Nick Cousins. He brings speed and tenacity.

You got your wish...guess you and SS are on the same wavelength

 

[SpezDispenser]

Nice roster - if we stay healthy. Aggressive, heavy forecheck, nasty, skilled, decent D, good goalie. Let's do it.

 

[aragorn]

There are approximately 60 faceoffs per game, if Ottawa can get over 50% in faceoffs they will control possession more, simple as that & more possession means more opportunities for & less opportunities against. The guys in bold are all good at faceoffs & all of them need to be over 50% for Ott to be better at possession, Tkachuk, Giroux & Cousins were all over 50% last yr.

Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson
Stutzle - Pinto - Giroux
Greig - Cousins - Perron
Gregor - Ostapchuk - Amadio/McEwan

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Jensen
Kleven - JBD/Hamonic

Ullmark - Forsberg

 

[Golden_Jet]

If Crookshank or Jarventie could actually win a spot on the 3rd line, that could be really good for us, we could move Amadio down to line 4

Crookshank/Jarventie-Greig-Perron
Gregor-Ostapchuk-Amadio

Jarventie is oilers property now

 

[Dionysus]

There are approximately 60 faceoffs per game, if Ottawa can get over 50% in faceoffs they will control possession more, simple as that & more possession means more opportunities for & less opportunities against. The guys in bold are all good at faceoffs & all of them need to be over 50% for Ott to be better at possession, Tkachuk, Giroux & Cousins were all over 50% last yr.

Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson
Stutzle - Pinto - Giroux
Greig - Cousins - Perron
Gregor - Ostapchuk - Amadio/McEwan

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Jensen
Kleven - JBD/Hamonic

Ullmark - Forsberg

Cousins has barely played any center in the NHL. Few games in Nashville.

Stutzle is the #1 center on the Sens. It's not particularly close. Only way this team contends is if he develops into a high-scoring two-way center.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Jarventie is oilers property now

I made my post before the trade, bud.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I made my post before the trade, bud.

Ahh ok, it was only 8 posts ago lol, not a lot of posts since.

 

[aragorn]

Cousins has barely played any center in the NHL. Few games in Nashville.

Stutzle is the #1 center on the Sens. It's not particularly close. Only way this team contends is if he develops into a high-scoring two-way center.

He's too erratic to play centre & irreponsible with the puck. How many games did he cost us last yr when he gave the puck away or simply lost it trying to do too much at the wrong time? He is better suited for the wing until he learns to manage the puck better. You can't keep giving the puck away & expect to win games, they have to mangage the puck better & possession this coming season.

 

[Dionysus]

He's too erratic to play centre & irreponsible with the puck. How many games did he cost us last yr when he gave the puck away or simply lost it trying to do too much at the wrong time? He is better suited for the wing until he learns to manage the puck better. You can't keep giving the puck away & expect to win games, they have to mangage the puck better & possession this coming season.

He certainly has gaffes. Exacerbated by his injuries no doubt. He also creates offense and drives play.

He is a center. Best player on the Sens at driving play from the middle, exiting the zone and entering the oppositions. Best puck distributer from the middle.

Has room to grow, and he will. Most important forward to the Sens future success. Putting him on the wing as a second line player isn't going to happen.

He consistently leads the Sens forwards in ice-time. 5th in the entire league in ice time among centers last season at 21:07 per game.

You can put him as a second line winger in a mock lineup, sure. He will be the #1 center when the season starts though.

 

[aragorn]

He certainly has gaffes. Exacerbated by his injuries no doubt. He also creates offense and drives play.

He is a center. Best player on the Sens at driving play from the middle, exiting the zone and entering the oppositions. Best puck distributer from the middle.

Has room to grow, and he will. Most important forward to the Sens future success. Putting him on the wing as a second line player isn't going to happen.

He consistently leads the Sens forwards in ice-time. 5th in the entire league in ice time among centers last season at 21:07 per game.

You can put him as a second line winger in a mock lineup, sure. He will be the #1 center when the season starts though.

He can do that from that wing where it is safer for the team. It doesn't mean he stays there forever though, he's still quite young & as he learns to manage the puck better he can always go back to centre. He certainly has a dynamic skillset that he has to learn to manage better & I suspect he will. I don't see him as the best player on the team though, that's Tkachuk & Giroux who both play a smarter game.

 

[Dionysus]

It's a fine opinion to have. Stutzle will be starting where he has the past 2 seasons though. #1 Center. Mistakes or not. He plays the most minutes by far of any Sens forward. At center, while G and Brady are on the wings.

 

[Samsquanch]

This team is honestly so good to go. Natural positions and roles for every player on the team (hear me out), and easy to mix and match the forwards on the fly if need be.

Norris-Stu-Giroux
Brady-Pinto-Batherson
Perron-Greig-Amadio
Cousins-(XXXX) - McEwen
Gregor/Crookshank

Ostapchuk/Highmore/Halliday fight it out for the 4C role. The 4th line wingers are going to bang hard and piss people off, and the centerman just needs to be the responsible one up high and up and down the middle. But the roles are finally going to be crystal clear on the 4th line - and that is to provide the most energy possible for team without hurting us. No illusions of offensive grandeur.

Chabby-Jensen
Sandy-Zub
Kleven-JBD
Hamonic/Guenette

ULMARK
Forsberg

Adding three effective cup winning grinders (each with a very different skillset) to the bottom 6 is huge. Our 3rd line could change some games with their "emotion invoking abilities" hehe, and bite, and also give the top 6 some legitimate support and take some pressure off them every once and while offensively. And between those 3rd and 4th lines of ours, some nasty folk might I say (in the best of ways), other teams are going to know they were in a battle if Brady and the gang up front didn't make it abundantly clear already.

Give Norris a chance on the wing with Stu imo. He has all the attributes of a top line caliber, athletically gifted two-way winger that can shoot and score while being in good spots at both ends of the ice. A powerful skater with stamina that can handle a lot of starts and stops, and gifted enough to carry the puck in on his stick when attacking with speed. But His vision and playmaking just aren't good enough for a $$ center imo. Not when he could be better used a workhorse kind of top line two-way winger with cannon of a shot, and not while we have Pinto and Greig in the lineup behind Stu.

The bottom 6-8 Dmen isnt perfect, but very few great teams have great 3rd pairings in reality if you look around the NHL. Kleven could be a beast, JBD is fine for a 3rd line RHD and has legitimate room left to grow into a reliable NHLer - so at least there is potential. And we have a well balanced high end top 4 d corps that devour hard minutes now (in theory), so the 3rd pairing can be spoon fed minutes if need be.

But Ulmark is an absurdly huge upgrade in our weakest area. And by far the biggest reason why I think this team is going to smash all expectations next season. We got a f***ing goalie and I pray to god we can keep him.