Player Discussion Dominik Kubalik

[KingAlfie11]

You win with your top 6 forwards, top 4 D, and of course the most important is goaltending! Some of you guys are focusing way too much on the bottom 6. Sens are solid with their top 6, top 4 D is also very strong, and if Korpi and Forsberg stay healthy the Sens are in very good shape!

 

[bicboi64]

Reading that Kubalik can produce throughout the line up is nice. If someone like Sokolov, Jarventie, etc... breaks out in camp or if we sign someone before the season starts, we can spread out productive players throughout the line up.

 

[NyQuil]

Reading that Kubalik can produce throughout the line up is nice. If someone like Sokolov, Jarventie, etc... breaks out in camp or if we sign someone before the season starts, we can spread out productive players throughout the line up.

They scored relatively few goals on one of the worst AHL teams in the league.

 

[bicboi64]

They scored relatively few goals on one of the worst AHL teams in the league.

The weathers nice outside, lemme have hope.

 

[JD1]

You win with your top 6 forwards, top 4 D, and of course the most important is goaltending! Some of you guys are focusing way too much on the bottom 6. Sens are solid with their top 6, top 4 D is also very strong, and if Korpi and Forsberg stay healthy the Sens are in very good shape!

Define win.

I'd say top 6 top 4 gets you the playoffs but you need a lot of depth to go deep

 

[NyQuil]

You win with your top 6 forwards, top 4 D, and of course the most important is goaltending! Some of you guys are focusing way too much on the bottom 6. Sens are solid with their top 6, top 4 D is also very strong, and if Korpi and Forsberg stay healthy the Sens are in very good shape!

Most teams we are chasing already have a good top 6 and a good top 4.

Buffalo has like a good top 19 and a good top 4.

 

[stempniaksen]

This is peak off-season think, but I'm on board splitting up the 2nd best line in team history to spread the offence through the top-nine.

Kubalik - Stutzle - Tarasenko/Giroux
Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson/Giroux
Greig/Joseph - Pinto - Giroux/Tarasenko
Joseph/Greig - Kastelic - MacEwen/Kelly
Kelly/MacEwen

I'm expecting a jump from Pinto if we don't saddle him with anchors, in this scenario I think you can comfortably roll the top-nine and you can cross your fingers that you can play low event hockey when the 4th line is on.

 

[NyQuil]

I expect we'll see a few different looks during camp.

It'll be interesting if the team struggles early (again) and there's pressure on DJ Smith to find the winning combination fast.

Typically I like to see a line get a few games to gel as opposed to switching them incessantly but he may feel the fire under that head coaching chair.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Read somewhere that he plays with alot of physicality and has a been a PPG bruiser for the past 2 seasons now in some pro euro league. Could turn out being another Zub if he can be a solid bottom 6 player

I no very little about him. Just needs to slot into the right role.

 

[JD1]

Most teams we are chasing already have a good top 6 and a good top 4.

Buffalo has like a good top 19 and a good top 4.

Must be time for Buckley

 

[swiftwin]

I don’t think either is a defensive stalwart. They are both offence first guys.

I agree. That's the point I was trying to make.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Big <> Smart

 

[Sun God Nika]

Honest to god I am fien giving the 4th liners the lowest ice time in the league

 

[Micklebot]

Could definitely hit 60 on a line with Stu and Giroux

Won't have a dominant line offensively like last year, but would spread the talent around.

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson was pretty dominant for a while,

 

[KingAlfie11]

Most teams we are chasing already have a good top 6 and a good top 4.

Buffalo has like a good top 19 and a good top 4.

Yes I would agree that Bufalo looks pretty deep, but do you really think that they will make the playoffs with Levy and Comrie? Buffalo are in the same boat as we are goal scoring is not problem is keeping the puck out of our net. Sabres finished 26th in goals against, we finished 20th and we Korpi and Forsberg for a full season I think it gives us the advantage.

 

[Sensators]

I think if we wanna pass Buffalo chabot needs to close the gap on dahlin. Ottawas goaltending is probably better and I think the top 6 is better - but the senators front office could all fit in the chasm between chabot and dahlin last yr.

 

[Daffy]

I think if we wanna pass Buffalo chabot needs to close the gap on dahlin. Ottawas goaltending is probably better and I think the top 6 is better - but the senators front office could all fit in the chasm between chabot and dahlin last yr.

That's where Sanderson will come in.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I think if we wanna pass Buffalo chabot needs to close the gap on dahlin. Ottawas goaltending is probably better and I think the top 6 is better - but the senators front office could all fit in the chasm between chabot and dahlin last yr.

Chabot and Dahlin were very similar prior to Dahlin's breakout last season.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I expect we'll see a few different looks during camp.

It'll be interesting if the team struggles early (again) and there's pressure on DJ Smith to find the winning combination fast.

Typically I like to see a line get a few games to gel as opposed to switching them incessantly but he may feel the fire under that head coaching chair.

That's why you gotta think we will stick with what works/worked to start the season.

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux (proven trio)
Kubalik-Norris-Batherson (proven duo and Kubalik's still could work well)
-----Pinto-Joseph

Will likely be the lines unless Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson go nuts when they get put together for an inevitable pre-season game or two.

 

[Boud]

You win with your top 6 forwards, top 4 D, and of course the most important is goaltending! Some of you guys are focusing way too much on the bottom 6. Sens are solid with their top 6, top 4 D is also very strong, and if Korpi and Forsberg stay healthy the Sens are in very good shape!

I don't think that's completely true. I think you ultimately win with your depth. Most teams in the playoffs have a very very good top end. What separates a team like Vegas and Edmonton is the depth that Vegas has in all positions. There was no way Edmonton could counter since Vegas had 4 lines coming at them all game and a deeper defensive core.

The teams that win have both depth and the top end players. In the playoffs and especially as you go deeper you see the teams with depth really shining through. Seattle last year is the perfect example of a team that was very well rounded but that did not really have any top end talent. They beat the Avs who undoubtedly have better top end talent at forward and on defense. They beat the Avs because everyone played their part and they played a strong system game.

It's the same thing for a team like Tampa, they still have a strong top end but their depth has suffered a lot with their best players getting new contracts. The league is now at a point where the window to win is pretty small and the competition is harsh. You have a chance to win when you have your best players under team friendly contracts and you are able to fill out your roster with players that can matchup with the other teams best players or if you have a bunch of guys who can contribute on ELCs. If your bottom 6 isn't able to match against good players you might make the playoffs but you're not winning the cup.

I think for this team the defense is set. I think that's the area where you can look at and say I think we have the pieces to make it work and the depth to withstand injuries. On the forward front though we are lacking quite clearly. If Kubalik produces and plays a good all around game I think we have the top 6. We arguably only have 1 legit 3rd line player right now with Pinto, let's see what happens with Greig he might be another. I think you at least need another 3rd liner. Joseph is the type of guy you want on your 4rth line who can step in the top 9 when injuries will come, and they will happen. Then on the 4rth line you have Kastelic who'll be a staple there. Kelly/MacEwen are 13th forward material. Can Sokolov/Crookshank/Reinhardt take those spots? A lot of question marks and that's not even considering that we will likely face some injuries.

With Kubalik being very streaky you hope he can own that top 6 spot. If one of our top 5 forwards gets injured we are extremely thin really quick (Same situation as last year). We're missing probably 2 bottom 6 forwards to really take the next step and compete with teams like Buffalo and New Jersey who are getting better and better with young players coming in to their roster.

I think a guy like Laughton would go a long way in making us tougher to play against and give some trouble to other teams top lines.

 

[JD1]

I think if we wanna pass Buffalo chabot needs to close the gap on dahlin. Ottawas goaltending is probably better and I think the top 6 is better - but the senators front office could all fit in the chasm between chabot and dahlin last yr.

Chabot was god awful last year. There's always a lot of chatter about his ice time being too high. He was 9th in the league last year in toi/g and that's not at all inconsistent with his AAV. Guys also say it's the cumulative impact over years.... well he hasn't been in the playoffs and there's obviously a ton of guys playing harder playoff hockey with less body recovery time

This season I think Chabot has to have a really strong season. We need that to ascend to the playoffs but for him personally if he has another season like last, his contract will become a huge boat anchor

I don't think that's completely true. I think you ultimately win with your depth. Most teams in the playoffs have a very very good top end. What separates a team like Vegas and Edmonton is the depth that Vegas has in all positions. There was no way Edmonton could counter since Vegas had 4 lines coming at them all game and a deeper defensive core.

The teams that win have both depth and the top end players. In the playoffs and especially as you go deeper you see the teams with depth really shining through. Seattle last year is the perfect example of a team that was very well rounded but that did not really have any top end talent. They beat the Avs who undoubtedly have better top end talent at forward and on defense. They beat the Avs because everyone played their part and they played a strong system game.

It's the same thing for a team like Tampa, they still have a strong top end but their depth has suffered a lot with their best players getting new contracts. The league is now at a point where the window to win is pretty small and the competition is harsh. You have a chance to win when you have your best players under team friendly contracts and you are able to fill out your roster with players that can matchup with the other teams best players or if you have a bunch of guys who can contribute on ELCs. If your bottom 6 isn't able to match against good players you might make the playoffs but you're not winning the cup.

I think for this team the defense is set. I think that's the area where you can look at and say I think we have the pieces to make it work and the depth to withstand injuries. On the forward front though we are lacking quite clearly. If Kubalik produces and plays a good all around game I think we have the top 6. We arguably only have 1 legit 3rd line player right now with Pinto, let's see what happens with Greig he might be another. I think you at least need another 3rd liner. Joseph is the type of guy you want on your 4rth line who can step in the top 9 when injuries will come, and they will happen. Then on the 4rth line you have Kastelic who'll be a staple there. Kelly/MacEwen are 13th forward material. Can Sokolov/Crookshank/Reinhardt take those spots? A lot of question marks and that's not even considering that we will likely face some injuries.

With Kubalik being very streaky you hope he can own that top 6 spot. If one of our top 5 forwards gets injured we are extremely thin really quick. We're missing probably 2 bottom 6 forwards to really take the next step and compete with teams like Buffalo and New Jersey who are getting better and better with young players coming in to their roster.

I think a guy like Laughton would go a long way in making us tougher to play against and give some trouble to other teams top lines.

Very solid post

 

[NyQuil]

Chabot was god awful last year. There's always a lot of chatter about his ice time being too high. He was 9th in the league last year in toi/g and that's not at all inconsistent with his AAV. Guys also say it's the cumulative impact over years.... well he hasn't been in the playoffs and there's obviously a ton of guys playing harder playoff hockey with less body recovery time

This season I think Chabot has to have a really strong season. We need that to ascend to the playoffs but for him personally if he has another season like last, his contract will become a huge boat anchor


Very solid post

I think Norris, Chabot and Chychrun will be under a lot of scrutiny this year, with good reason.

We need all three to produce and play at the level of their contracts / acquisition price.

 

[JD1]

I think Norris, Chabot and Chychrun will be under a lot of scrutiny this year, with good reason.

We need all three to produce and play at the level of their contracts / acquisition price.

I was pretty happy to hear PD say Norris's shoulder was fixed. I'm not a doctor but I guess that means fixed as opposed to maintenance surgery? I liked the heavy hockey he played with Tkachuk and Batherson and would like to see that trio together. Norris is also going to get his goals as the PP shooter.

Why Chychrun? He's indisputably a top 4 D and more of a top pair guy imo. And I think he'll bring that. He needs to stay healthy. So long as he's playing I think we gave up peanuts for him

 

[NyQuil]

Why Chychrun? He's indisputably a top 4 D and more of a top pair guy imo. And I think he'll bring that. He needs to stay healthy. So long as he's playing I think we gave up peanuts for him

Mainly because we've only seen him for 12 games. I hope he's the right fit for this team.

He absolutely needs to stay healthy which he hasn't done in his career very much.

With both Norris and Chychrun we are looking at relatively small sample sizes to date in a Senators uniform.

We gave Norris 8 million bucks over 8 years for 52 goals over 122 games, and I'm a big Norris supporter.

He still has to live up to that contract post-injuries.

In the wake of the ADB trade, a lot of the rationale for how Ottawa will exceed last year's point totals is that we will have Norris and Chychrun for a full season.

 

[RickyLafleur]

The weathers nice outside, lemme have hope.

Enjoy, because it's probably the only good day we're gonna have all summer.

Yes I would agree that Bufalo looks pretty deep, but do you really think that they will make the playoffs with Levy and Comrie? Buffalo are in the same boat as we are goal scoring is not problem is keeping the puck out of our net. Sabres finished 26th in goals against, we finished 20th and we Korpi and Forsberg for a full season I think it gives us the advantage.

Levi looks pretty legit, they just need to fix their team defense just like we do.