EMERGENCY FAN MEETING: The Senators are Soft, Broken, and Have No Identity - Here's My Fix. Share Yours.

[Sens of Anarchy]

Sanderson/JBD

Not because I think JBD is good but because it’s one of the few things they haven’t tried this season and maybe they have good enough chemistry that it works better than Sanderson/Hamonic.

Need to get Sanderson going above all else.

Worth trying

 

[SweSensFan]

Bring up Yak and take out Hammer.

Make everyone accountable, they should play every game as if it was a playoff game from now. If someone is not giving it all every shift he sits.

 

[SensFactor]

This is my core (players we keep because we will be looking for the same player if we trade them away down the line)

1. Brady 2. Stutzle 3. Sanderson 4. Ullmark 5. Jensen

Trades I would try and make:

1. Norris - I always liked him but Dorion gave him too much $$$ and some teams around the league are desperate for center help. He has an injury history, but he has been relatively productive and has no signs of issues with his shoulder. I would look for a legit two-way winger to play in the top 6.

3. Shutdown 4-5 D—We need a big, strong shutdown RD. Tanev would have been perfect, but we need to find someone similar who can jump up and play the top four minutes. Zub is highly injury-prone, and we can't rely on Hamonic/Jensen to play that role.

3. Get Pinto help! I'm stunned to see his game drop off so much this year. We may need to acquire some actually good 3rd line forwards to play with him. Amadio is awful, Cousins is not the answer, Greig is still trying to learn how to play consistently & Perron is washed. Gregor to me is a 4th liner.

4. Trade Chabot in the offseason - I know he has been much better with Jensen, but he has 1 goal this season and unlike Sanderson who is much younger, you expect him to be in his prime earning that $8M paycheque by scoring more.

 

[Loach]

Only 4 teams are pacing at over .666 but yeah sure they can go 2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1... lol

...and I'm the one with arguments made of straw.

 

[DrEasy]

Name the 1st thing you would change in December. @Gil Gunderson excluded lol

Bring in an experienced POHO who is not part of their groupthink.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Play Pinto at RW with Stutzle and G/T
Play Greig at C with Cousins and Amadio

 

[Yak]

I'm not a fortune teller so I won't make claims about what will happen, but i did see you making straw man claims of what needed to happen.

What they need to do is win enough games to finish ahead of 8 other EC teams after 82 games, how they go about it, what order they get the points in is irrelevant,

I don't see that happening. There is no consistency to this team that give us any indication. We are capable of even playing .500 hockey moving forward.

 

[Micklebot]

Only 4 teams are pacing at over .666 but yeah sure they can go 2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1... lol

It's a twelve game stretch, not a quarter season pace. We did a 7-3-2 stretch last year, that's .750, and then later in the year, 8-5-0, again, .750 but yeah, sure, lol that's certainly impossible for this team, right?

 

[Micklebot]

...and I'm the one with arguments made of straw.

Yes

 

[Tuna99]

Yes

Ouch, guys c’mon, hug it out. It’s been a long 8 years, let’s not do this before Pizza night.

 

[Alex1234]

It's a twelve game stretch, not a quarter season pace. We did a 7-3-2 stretch last year, that's .750, and then later in the year, 8-5-0, again, .750 but yeah, sure, lol that's certainly impossible for this team, right?

What do you mean 12 games stretch?
What do you mean 7-3-2 that's .750?
What do you mean 8-5-0 that's .750?

 

[Senovision]

Lloydie on TSN 1200 this morning said The Sens haven't won 5 games in a row for 11 years in the first half of the season. Since 2013 or 2014 or whatever. They are always hitting a wall after about 2 wins in a row.

 

[PlayOn]

Lloydie on TSN 1200 this morning said The Sens haven't won 5 games in a row for 11 years in the first half of the season. Since 2013 or 2014 or whatever. They are always hitting a wall after about 2 wins in a row.

Well we aren’t winning five in a row starting now either because the fifth game is vs Carolina.

I will settle for a 4 game winning streak.

 

[Micklebot]

What do you mean 12 games stretch?
What do you mean 7-3-2 that's .750?
What do you mean 8-5-0 that's .750?

Apologies, I did the math wrong, and used your post to base the number of games I would look at. I originally used a 10 game run of 7-1-2 and made a mistake adjusting the .800 run to 12 games to match your post but instead of adding the win and lose in the two games leading in to the record to get .750, I added the two loses after the ten game stretch. Either way, I should have gone back to my original post but I was on my phone so I relied on you accurately quoting me.

What I should have done is use the full 11-4-3 run from 13 Jan to 24 Feb to get 25 pts in 18 games to match my initial post instead of yours. That gave us a .694 pts % and so the point remains, we did it last year. Alternatively I could have pointed to the 12-8-0 run (.666) that we had from 12 mar to the end of the year which also met your allegedly unreasonable target.

So yeah, we did it last year, twice. Sorry if I made a math mistake trying to quickly reply on my phone, but you're still wrong about the run I suggested being outlandish.

 

[LiseL]

It's a twelve game stretch, not a quarter season pace. We did a 7-3-2 stretch last year, that's .750, and then later in the year, 8-5-0, again, .750 but yeah, sure, lol that's certainly impossible for this team, right?

If I remember correctly, those stretches were after they were out of the playoff race so no pressure. When the pressure's on, most of this team folds.

 

[Micklebot]

If I remember correctly, those stretches were after they were out of the playoff race so no pressure. When the pressure's on, most of this team folds.

Well, that works great since they're saying we're already cooked now, so no pressure

 

[Alex1234]

Apologies, I did the math wrong, and used your post to base the number of games I would look at. I originally used a 10 game run of 7-1-2 and made a mistake adjusting the .800 run to 12 games to match your post but instead of adding the win and lose in the two games leading in to the record to get .750, I added the two loses after the ten game stretch. Either way, I should have gone back to my original post but I was on my phone so I relied on you accurately quoting me.

What I should have done is use the full 11-4-3 run from 13 Jan to 24 Feb to get 25 pts in 18 games to match my initial post instead of yours. That gave us a .694 pts % and so the point remains, we did it last year. Alternatively I could have pointed to the 12-8-0 run (.666) that we had from 12 mar to the end of the year which also met your allegedly unreasonable target.

So yeah, we did it last year, twice. Sorry if I made a math mistake trying to quickly reply on my phone, but you're still wrong about the run I suggested being outlandish.

Im not one to school people on their education or their math so I understand mistakes happen
But of course every team can go on a .694% 18 games run once or twice a year it"s a given
Everything can happen
St-Louis won the Cup after being dead last January 1st in 2018-9
What I understood from what the OP claimed and I know you understand it is highly unlikely they go 6 wins in a row to be in the mix wich is not the same thing as .694 over 18 games because you are deeper into the season to get past the mix and into PO sort of
Anyway

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

The State of the Senators: SENATORS: NO IDENTITY, SOFT, BROKEN & LOST - I Have Solutions, What Are Yours? (A 30-Year Fan's Deep Dive)

[Warning: Grab a coffee and get comfortable. Like our playoff drought, this is going to take some time.]

---------------------------------------------------------------
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
---------------------------------------------------------------

1.1 The Journey

I've been here since day one - from Rick Bowness to Jacques Martin, from the Civic Centre to the Canadian Tire Center, from Laurie Boschman to Brady Tkachuk. I've witnessed the brutal 10-win season in '92-93 and felt the excitement of our Cup run against the Ducks. After 30 years of bleeding Senators red, I've seen it all - the good, the bad, and the "maybe next year." I am super passionate about this team and have kept my thoughts to myself for the most part this year, but I just can't hold back anymore.

1.2 Current State

Here we are again, watching another November meltdown torpedo our playoff hopes. Yes, we're seeing flashes of brilliance in some games, moments where we look like world-beaters. But those two points we let slip away in October and November? They don't come back in April.

The frustrating part? On paper, everything's fixed:
• New ownership ✓
• New management ✓
• New coaching staff ✓
• Fans back in the seats ✓
• Relatively healthy roster ✓

Yet here we are, still stuck in the basement, still making excuses about bounces and bad luck.

---------------------------------------------------------------
PART 2: CORE ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------------------

2.1 The Identity Crisis

For five years straight, we've been "searching for an identity." That's NHL-speak for "we don't know what we are." When a team with this much talent still can't define itself, there's a deeper problem. Every team claims they want to be "hard to play against" - that's like saying water is wet. We need something more concrete, something that actually means something in today's NHL.

2.2 The Leadership Dilemma

Let me preface this by saying I'm Brady's biggest fan, but here's the hard truth: we threw him into the captain's seat too young and then tried to change his game. Why? Because we had no one else ready for the 'C'. Instead of bringing in a veteran to show him the ropes, we went with trial by fire.

Here's the real kicker - we're telling a power forward to play like a finesse player. His brother just won a Cup in Florida playing the exact style we're trying to coach out of Brady. When Brady plays with edge, throws the body, and gets in your face, that's when he's at his best. That's when he's the leader this team needs.

The coaches want him to avoid fights, limit the big hits, stay out of scrums. No! That's exactly what this team needs - that's the identity we should be building around. I'll take 23 Bradys any day (heck, put one in net while we're at it).

2.3 The Clone Factory

Our roster is like a bunch of photocopies, and here's why:

Looking at our forward group:
• Tim Stützle: Skilled but not physical
• Josh Norris: Great shot, but won't win board battles
• Drake Batherson: Skilled but disappears in tough games
• Shane Pinto: Not living up to early promise
• Claude Giroux: Veteran skill but not changing the culture


We've got snipers and playmakers, but where's the edge? Where's the nasty? Brady brings it, but he needs company. Even Greig, who has some bite to his game, isn't consistent enough with it.

The bottom six? They might as well be invisible most nights. Our third and fourth lines aren't changing momentum, aren't wearing teams down, aren't making opponents pay a price.

---------------------------------------------------------------
PART 3: DEFENSIVE ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------------------

3.1 The Soft Blue Line

Let's break it down:
• Nick Jensen (+11): Quietly our best defensive D-man. Nothing flashy, just solid positioning and smart plays
• Jake Sanderson (-14): Great potential but getting exposed against top lines
• Thomas Chabot (+5): Making $8M to play like a #2/3 D-man. Great offensively but not the shutdown guy we need
• Artem Zub (-7): Struggling with injuries and consistency
• Hamonic: Looking done. Time to move on

The bigger issue? No physical presence. Nobody clearing the crease. Nobody making forwards pay a price for cutting through the middle. Our hits might look good on paper, but watch the games - they're love taps, not momentum-changers.

3.2 The Goalie Graveyard

Let's talk about our goaltending situation, because it's beyond ridiculous at this point. We've become the place where good goalies come to lose their mojo, and it's not by accident.

Take a look at our recent history:

• Ullmark: Walks in with swagger and an $8M contract, six weeks later looks like he's seen a ghost
• Talbot: Solid elsewhere, struggles here, Solid Elsewhere
• Forsberg: Can't find consistency
• Daccord: Leaves and suddenly looks like a Vezina candidate
• Gustavsson: Finds his game the moment he leaves

Here's the thing - we can't be this unlucky with goalies. When EVERY goalie struggles here but plays well elsewhere, that's not a goalie problem. That's a US problem. Let's break it down:

The Defense Problem:

Our "defensive" corps is about as protective as a screen door in a hurricane:
• Scattered coverage in front of the net
• No consistent net-front clearing
• Defensemen built for offense trying to play shutdown roles
• Constant positional breakdowns
• Zero intimidation factor for opposing forwards

The Coaching Issue:

We're trying to develop NHL goalies with AHL-level goalie coaching. It's like trying to fix a Ferrari with a hammer and screwdriver. Our goalie coaches seem overwhelmed and out of their depth. These aren't beer league goalies - they're elite athletes who need elite coaching.

The Mental Game:

Goalies are a different breed to begin with - they need special handling. Instead, we're:
• Hanging them out to dry defensively
• Providing inadequate technical support
• Offering zero mental health support
• Watching their confidence erode game by game

Look at Ullmark - guy showed up looking like he owned the place, had that championship swagger. Now? Six weeks in and he looks like he's questioning if he remembers how to stop a beach ball. That's not bad goaltending - that's a systematic destruction of confidence.

---------------------------------------------------------------
PART 4: ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------------------

4.1 The Money Problem

Under the old regime, we were always worried about losing players we couldn't afford. So what did we do? Backed up the Brink's truck before guys even earned it. Everyone got $8M based on potential, not production.

Think about it - if someone backs up a truck full of cash to your house, are you working as hard at your job tomorrow? These guys can retire and never play another game in their lives and be set. Where's the hunger? Where's the drive? Yes, they want to win - all players do - but that desperate edge that comes from having something to prove? That's gone.

4.2 Development Issues

We're failing our players at every level of development, but nowhere is this more evident than with our goalies and young defensemen. We're throwing kids into the deep end without proper support systems in place:
• AHL-level coaching for NHL-caliber talent
• No veteran mentorship program
• Inadequate mental preparation
• Poor physical conditioning oversight
• No clear development path

It's like we're building a house without a foundation and wondering why everything keeps falling apart.

---------------------------------------------------------------
PART 5: THE SOLUTION
---------------------------------------------------------------

5.1 Identity Reset

Stop trying to be something we're not. Want an identity? Look at your captain when he's playing his natural game:
• Physical presence every shift
• Making opponents pay a price
• Playing with emotion and edge
• Leading by example
• No shift off, no excuses

That's your identity right there. When Brady plays his game - the way his brother played to win a Cup - that's who we should be. Instead, we're trying to be some watered-down version of a skill team when we don't have the right mix for that.

5.2 Roster Reconstruction

Too many similar ingredients don't make a good meal. We need:
• Different player types throughout the lineup
• More edge in the top nine, not just the fourth line
• Guys who make opponents dread coming to Ottawa
• Players who complement each other instead of duplicating skills

Sometimes good players aren't good together. Having six playmakers doesn't make you six times better - it makes you predictable. We need sandpaper, we need nasty, we need guys who make opponents check the schedule and groan when they see Ottawa coming up.

5.3 Cultural Revolution

The culture needs a complete overhaul:
• Stop waiting for someone else to step up
• Play like you're down a goal even when you're up by two
• Make teams earn every inch of ice
• Hold each other accountable
• Get angry about losing
• Play like Florida - aggressive, relentless, physical

Look at what Florida did last year - they weren't the most skilled team, but they made you pay a physical price every single shift. That's what we need. That's what we're missing.

5.4 Specific Action Items

Immediate changes needed:
• Bring in a proper sports psychologist for the goalies
• Add veteran defensive presence who can actually clear the crease
• Upgrade goalie coaching to NHL caliber
• Rebuild the bottom six with purpose, not just bodies
• Let Brady be Brady - take the leash off
• Create accountability at every level

---------------------------------------------------------------
PART 6: CONCLUSION
---------------------------------------------------------------

6.1 Final Thoughts

This isn't about one player, one coach, or one bad stretch. This is about fundamental changes needed in how we build and play as a team. The talent's there, but the mixture is wrong. Chemistry isn't just about putting good players together - it's about putting the RIGHT players together.

6.2 The Way Forward

We need to be the team that makes you wake up the next morning feeling like you've been hit by a truck, not the team that lets you dance through the neutral zone untouched. Make Ottawa feared again - not just for skill, but for the complete package:

• Physical dominance
• Mental toughness
• Complete game
• Clear identity
• Winning culture

No fear. No excuses. The time is now.

[P.S. - Feel free to disagree and reference any section number in your replies. That's what makes these discussions valuable. But something needs to change, and it needs to change now. We can't keep doing the same thing and expecting different results - that's the definition of insanity, and we've been insane long enough.]

Liked for effort and clean organization!

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Well, that works great since they're saying we're already cooked now, so no pressure

We are in the advanced class

 

[Micklebot]

Im not one to school people on their education or their math so I understand mistakes happen
But of course every team can go on a .694% 18 games run once or twice a year it"s a given
Everything can happen
St-Louis won the Cup after being dead last January 1st in 2018-9
What I understood from what the OP claimed and I know you understand it is highly unlikely they go 6 wins in a row to be in the mix wich is not the same thing as .694 over 18 games because you are deeper into the season to get past the mix and into PO sort of
Anyway

The point I was making is we don't need to go on a 6 game winning streak to get back into the mix, that's the strawman. A 3-1 followed by 3 more wins does pretty much the same thing, as does the 18 game stretches we did last year. There are any number of permutations that can get us back in the mix without requiring a 6 game winning streak, something we haven't done since the 2016-17 season. I was just showing more reasonably achievable ways that we have done recently.

Edit, it's worth noting a 6-0 run would put us on pace for 93 pts, currently the wild card spot is pacing at 89, 6-0 doesn't put us back in the mix, it puts us in the lead, and actually likely in a divisional spot. We don't need to go 6-0 to get back in the mix, something like 4-0-2 puts us on pace for 87-88 pts, not quite good enough, but certainly in the mix to fight for that wild card spot through the rest of the season. What we can't do is bomb during this stretch,

 

[Alex1234]

The point I was making is we don't need to go on a 6 game winning streak to get back into the mix, that's the strawman. A 3-1 followed by 3 more wins does pretty much the same thing, as does the 18 game stretches we did last year. There are any number of permutations that can get us back in the mix without requiring a 6 game winning streak, something we haven't done since the 2016-17 season. I was just showing more reasonably achievable ways that we have done recently.

Nothing is pointing in that direction but let's hope they can do it
Some players (in particular Pinto, Linus, Perron ,Jake) have to be A LOT better for that to happen

 

[DackellDuck]

The point I was making is we don't need to go on a 6 game winning streak to get back into the mix, that's the strawman. A 3-1 followed by 3 more wins does pretty much the same thing, as does the 18 game stretches we did last year. There are any number of permutations that can get us back in the mix without requiring a 6 game winning streak, something we haven't done since the 2016-17 season. I was just showing more reasonably achievable ways that we have done recently.

Edit, it's worth noting a 6-0 run would put us on pace for 93 pts, currently the wild card spot is pacing at 89, 6-0 doesn't put us back in the mix, it puts us in the lead, and actually likely in a divisional spot. We don't need to go 6-0 to get back in the mix, something like 4-0-2 puts us on pace for 87-88 pts, not quite good enough, but certainly in the mix to fight for that wild card spot. What we can't do is bomb during this stretch,

What is “back in the mix”? Seems like a very subjective metric that we should be way beyond at this point. Is 4 points out of a wildcard in the mix? 6 points out? 8?

Assuming a 94 point target line, we have to play .620 hockey for the next 58 games. Not 6 games. Or 18 games. But 58.

It’s wild that they’ve dug themselves such a hole already, again.

If you take an objective view of it having watched this team play, the chances of going on such a run really are close to zero.

We’d need some sort of Hammond-esque miracle player to come in and save the season. How often does that happen? So far, once in 32 years…

 

[Micklebot]

What is “back in the mix”? Seems like a very subjective metric that we should be way beyond at this point. Is 4 points out of a wildcard in the mix? 6 points out? 8?

Assuming a 94 point target line, we have to play .620 hockey for the next 58 games. Not 6 games. Or 18 games. But 58.

It’s wild that they’ve dug themselves such a hole already, again.

If you take an objective view of it having watched this team play, the chances of going on such a run really are close to zero.

We’d need some sort of Hammond-esque miracle player to come in and save the season. How often does that happen? So far, once in 32 years…

Back in the mix needs to be relative to the other teams you are competing with right now, not an arbitrary number you pull out of the void. Our competition are currently pacing at 89 pts or lower, so back in the mix is striking distance from that.

You think having a hammond-esque miracle is needed to save the season, and at the same time try to pass yourself off as the objective one? That's wild. Do you actually remember the Hammond run? 20-1-2 is what he went on. We don't need anything close to that.

 

[Micklebot]

Nothing is pointing in that direction but let's hope they can do it
Some players (in particular Pinto, Linus, Perron ,Jake) have to be A LOT better for that to happen

Well, Ullmark has been pretty damn good the last two starts, so that's pointing in that direction. We are 2-1-1 in our last 4 games, keep that up for the rest of the year, and we finish with 94-95 pts,

 

[DackellDuck]

Back in the mix needs to be relative to the other teams you are competing with right now, not an arbitrary number you pull out of the void. Our competition are currently pacing at 89 pts or lower, so back in the mix is striking distance from that.

You think having a hammond-esque miracle is needed to save the season, and at the same time try to pass yourself off as the objective one? That's wild. Do you actually remember the Hammond run? 20-1-2 is what he went on. We don't need anything close to that.

The number that you’ve historically had to hit to get the wildcard:

23/24 - 91 pts
22/23 - 92 pts
21/22 - 100 pts
18/19 - 98 pts
17/18 - 97 pts

So assuming 92-94 pts would be needed is not pulling a number out of nowhere.

And if you accept the possibility that the Senators can play above their current pace for the next 58 games, you have to accept the possibility that one, two or three of the 7 teams currently ahead of us for that final wildcard will also play above their current pace.

So no, 89 points most likely won’t get it done.

Not only do the Senators have to play better than .600 hockey the rest of the way, they have to hope that 7 other teams all play worse.

Again, the hole they’ve put themselves in after spending the last 6 months talking about how they wouldn’t let it happen, is ridiculous.

There’s zero reason an objective person would think this team could turn it around. Only the biggest fanboy would think it’s realistic. And that’s fine, fans can believe. Up until last week, I had Jets fans in my life telling me that Rodgers would still get them into the playoffs.

But that’s not an objective view.