GDT: GAME 55 | Golden Knights @ Senators | Last Minute Edition | Sat Feb 24 7PM, 2024 | SN1, TVAS

[Joeyjoejoe]

Even though he had 0 points, that was one of the best games Tarasenko has played here. It’s like he knew that Vegas might be one of the interested teams at deadline for him.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

If tarasenko wants to come back…. Would be hard to say no. Not at 5 tho.

 

[Samsquanch]

I mostly agree with you, but I don't think they are unlearning a bad system....


.. They never had a system (outside of "being hard on pucks") so the whole system thing is new to many on this team.

Love this team now though

Agreed. This team still plays fast and with speed, and they are hard on pucks and their opponents bodies. The system has not changed dramatically from a forcheckers perspective.

Having said that, i find were noticeably more aggressive in the neutral zone. Not in a trap team kind of way.

But there is much less collapsing into their own zone when the opportunity to attack the puck carrier around the blueline is there. We're more committed to battling for the puck in the neutral zone as a whole team.

And for whatever reason, they just don't get plastered into their own end for extended periods of time anymore. There's just so much less panic in the whole rosters decision making with the puck.

 

[Samsquanch]

If tarasenko wants to come back…. Would be hard to say no. Not at 5 tho.

Quietly one of the best FA signings in years for us. I don't want to trade him, but even if we do everything will have been very amicable between us, and he will fetch a free asset.

Having said that, he really really fits in well all over this lineup and with anyone. Doesn't complain. And he produces.

Bridge Pinto and Greig for 2-3 years and keep the Tank if at all possible.

 

[misplacedsensfan]

Agreed. This team still plays fast and with speed, and they are hard on pucks and their opponents bodies. The system has not changed dramatically from a forcheckers perspective.

Having said that, i find were noticeably more aggressive in the neutral zone. Not in a trap team kind of way.

But there is much less collapsing into their own zone when the opportunity to attack the puck carrier around the blueline is there. We're more committed to battling for the puck in the neutral zone as a whole team.

And for whatever reason, they just don't get plastered into their own end for extended periods of time anymore. There's just so much less panic in the whole rosters decision making with the puck.

I think a huge change JM made is the shorter shifts. That’s why our 2nd periods were so bad under DJ. They would stay out a little too long and with the long change would get tired and eventually hemmed in their own zone.

 

[Bileur]

Quietly one of the best FA signings in years for us. I don't want to trade him, but even if we do everything will have been very amicable between us, and he will fetch a free asset.

Having said that, he really really fits in well all over this lineup and with anyone. Doesn't complain. And he produces.

Bridge Pinto and Greig for 2-3 years and keep the Tank if at all possible.

I’d be open to bringing him back for sure but if he isn’t ready to commit before the deadline you have to be ruthless and move him for picks/prospects. The pool is way to shallow and needs all the help it can get.

 

[Samsquanch]

I’d be open to bringing him back for sure but if he isn’t ready to commit before the deadline you have to be ruthless and move him for picks/prospects. The pool is way to shallow and needs all the help it can get.

It all depends on the return for me I guess. Like if this team continues at the same 0.700 wining percentage, I'm also willing to roll the dice and hang on to him in the interest of not draging the whole room down and telling them the white flag is up.

It's complicated haha. But if it's just a 2nd round pick coming back, it's not moving the needle much for me when you consider the blow to team morale its gonna be.

 

[SpezDispenser]

This is where I think, yes! we're good, we can compete next with this lineup...and we start all over again, because FYOUS

 

[Samsquanch]

This is where I think, yes! we're good, we can compete next with this lineup...and we start all over again, because FYOUS

They're all gone man. Either fired and/or have been legally declared deceased. And they can't hurt you or anyone you love anymore.

It's okay to be happy again. That doesn't mean you can't get hurt again, or that you should trust everyone. But it also means you can retire the FYOUS acronym and let it die in peace with its former owners.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

If they want the best shot a major run, Forbes must play majority of the games that much is obvious.

What a clutch shootout performance.

 

[SpezDispenser]

They're all gone man. Either fired and/or have been legally declared deceased. And they can't hurt you or anyone you love anymore.

It's okay to be happy again. That doesn't mean you can't get hurt again, or that you should trust everyone. But it also means you can retire the FYOUS acronym and let it die in peace with its former owners.

No, not really. It has nothing to do with Melnyk and co. anymore, it has more to do with just jokingly saying we've been given glimpses of what this team could be, only to have it descent into shittyness.

I'm an eternal optimist with this team, but I will need to see proof they can be good please.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Agreed. This team still plays fast and with speed, and they are hard on pucks and their opponents bodies. The system has not changed dramatically from a forcheckers perspective.

Having said that, i find were noticeably more aggressive in the neutral zone. Not in a trap team kind of way.

But there is much less collapsing into their own zone when the opportunity to attack the puck carrier around the blueline is there. We're more committed to battling for the puck in the neutral zone as a whole team.

And for whatever reason, they just don't get plastered into their own end for extended periods of time anymore. There's just so much less panic in the whole rosters decision making with the puck.

I agree to a degree. But there is a pretty seismic change in how they forecheck. They do it in a much smarter way. They've been taught to keep a forward high with a mind towards defending. Then they pressure the puck at all times. In the DJ era all they did was get the puck deep and then attack. but they never had a 5 man unit moving up the ice and the good teams could just break out and cruise through the neutral zone with all 3 of forwards going the wrong way.

We can be more aggressive in the NZ not just by design but because the team has, at least, 3 defenders there. Plus our new staff has demanded that forwards apply back pressure.

As for not getting plastered in our own zone, it's because Martin has implemented a breakout that relies on short passes using the whole zone. DJ had us using only the boards with the exception of the stretch pass, which we tried to rely on. Which was garbage.

Our ability to exit our own zone in control of the puck is what makes us better now.

There are so many changes to our system beyond the lack of collapse. It's night and day,

 

[Samsquanch]

No, not really. It has nothing to do with Melnyk and co. anymore, it has more to do with just jokingly saying we've been given glimpses of what this team could be, only to have it descent into shittyness.

I'm an eternal optimist with this team, but I will need to see proof they can be good please.

That's totally all fair, and I'm just poking fun at the fact that FYOUS is actually still a thing in 2024. Given the all the changes and time... Spoiler alert: it was always an empty promise that was meant to deflect and extend a dying owners lease on his NHL life (and increasing the value of his estate). And after Covid and a full ownership and regime change, it just needs to go away lol.

This team is so far away from having meaningful success yet. But this is by far the most encouraging sign of life we've ever seen from the young core together as group before.

 

[misplacedsensfan]

It all depends on the return for me I guess. Like if this team continues at the same 0.700 wining percentage, I'm also willing to roll the dice and hang on to him in the interest of not draging the whole room down and telling them the white flag is up.

It's complicated haha. But if it's just a 2nd round pick coming back, it's not moving the needle much for me when you consider the blow to team morale its gonna be.

Totally agree. If teams aren’t offering a 1st just keep him. He is a legit good player

 

[Samsquanch]

I agree to a degree. But there is a pretty seismic change in how they forecheck. They do it in a much smarter way. They've been taught to keep a forward high with a mind towards defending. Then they pressure the puck at all times. In the DJ era all they did was get the puck deep and then attack. but they never had a 5 man unit moving up the ice and the good teams could just break out and cruise through the neutral zone with all 3 of forwards going the wrong way.

We can be more aggressive in the NZ not just by design but because the team has, at least, 3 defenders there. Plus our new staff has demanded that forwards apply back pressure.

As for not getting plastered in our own zone, it's because Martin has implemented a breakout that relies on short passes using the whole zone. DJ had us using only the boards with the exception of the stretch pass, which we tried to rely on. Which was garbage.

Our ability to exit our own zone in control of the puck is what makes us better now.

There our so many changes to our system beyond the lack of collapse. It's night and day,

I don't disagree with you when you put it that way. But what I'll say is that we haven't become a static or flat-footed team that just clogs the neutral zone up.

They're forchecking smart and more conservatively, but everyone else is still moving their feet and being active at all times. It's not a passive team defense, and they can still attack at a moments notice. And we really haven't sacrificed much offense in the process of playing tight defense either....

And yes shorter and quicker passes seems to be a huge part of the new team mentality.

 

[SpezDispenser]

That's totally all fair, and I'm just poking fun at the fact that FYOUS is actually still a thing in 2024. Given the all the changes and time... Spoiler alert: it was always an empty promise that was meant to deflect and extend a dying owners lease on his NHL life (and increasing the value of his estate). And after Covid and a full ownership and regime change, it just needs to go away lol.

This team is so far away from having meaningful success yet. But this is by far the most encouraging sign of life we've ever seen from the young core together as group before.

It's always encouraging when the season is done. Let's see this for extended periods in November.

It's also pretty incredible when you get NHL standard goaltending.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

I don't disagree with you when you put it that way. But what I'll say is that we haven't become a static or flat-footed team that just clogs the neutral zone up. They're forchecking smart, and everyone's still moving their feet and being active at all times. It's not a passive defense, and they can still attack at a moments notice.

And yes shorter and quicker passes seems to be a huge part of the new team mentality.

Agreed. Martin has always been a puck pressure advocate. It's how he turned us around the first time and he's doing it again.

Other than his smart breakouts it's what is making us better.

DJ had no idea how to exit our zone with control of the puck.

 

[Samsquanch]

Agreed. Martin has always been a puck pressure advocate. It's how he turned us around the first time and he's doing it again.

Other than his smart breakouts it's what is making us better.

DJ had no idea how to exit our zone with control of the puck.

DJ was a let his horses go kind of guy, and Martin is the old school horse whisperer guy that broke wild thoroughbred stallions like Yashin, Hossa and Spezza and turned them into more complete players. And a lot of lesser ones too like Fisher, Kelly, Neil, Vermette, ect ect.

I've heard DJ preaching specifically about making an effort to make short passes before during a presser. He just didn't have the ability to demand it from his players, and he only punished his regular scapegoats for breaking the plan.

 

[Max Power]

I get that HNIC is Leaf focused but am I the only one that thought it was strangely personal tonight? Not discussing them in the first segment then in the post game Bieksa is asked about the Sens win and his response was “what was your favourite part of the leafs game?” then laughed. That was the extent of Sens coverage on HNiC. I don’t usually watch it anymore so maybe this is the norm now? It was so childish it made it surreal.

 

[ottawagm]

I get that HNIC is Leaf focused but am I the only one that thought it was strangely personal tonight? Not discussing them in the first segment then in the post game Bieksa is asked about the Sens win and his response was “what was your favourite part of the leafs game?” then laughed. That was the extent of Sens coverage on HNiC. I don’t usually watch it anymore so maybe this is the norm now? It was so childish it made it surreal.

They're still mad about Rielly.

 

[Answer]

Very interesting replies by fans around the league. Some neutral perspective on this Team

THE RED HOT OTTAWA SENATORS - 39 goals in last 10

Last 10 game notable wins (won 8 of last 10) Won 4-1 VS DAL Won 4-3 VS VGK Won 4-2 VS TB Won 5-3 VS TOR Everyone talks about how Devils are a goalie away from being a real threat, I never hear that Senators are a good goalie away from being one of the easts biggest threats, and I think that...

forums.hfboards.com

 

[maclean]

It's a Czechvar tallboy, in honor of @maclean

I was drinking Samson last night, aka the other beer from České Budějovice (the town Budvar takes its name from )

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

What's more impressive from this team though: Being in full control from the start or coming back down 2 goals against a team we haven't beat in like 4 years?

I say the latter.

A team without Eichel and Stone in their line up, yes still a top tier team, but with the Sens having their full roster, with no one on the injured list, the two missing Knights may have tipped the balance in their direction.

Chabot and Norris piss me off a lot but gotta give credit they been playing very well lately

Their trade deadline stock are both rising in value…… just saying .

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Sens need to go 7-1 in the road in the next 8 games to get to .500 road record and a chance at the playoffs - all easy winnable games

Sens will go 7-1 in the next 8 road games

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I can’t believe 2 of those regulation losses were against the ducks and hawks….as much of a pipe dream it is, those two losses may be the difference in making the wild card spot

even if they won those two games, the Wild Card spots would still be well out of reach…. the playoffs became unobtainable back in mid December