Is Ottawa good?

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Detroit and Buffalo are unremarkable teams that are majorly flawed, and Ottawa is in the exact same boat. Same for Montreal, Pittsburgh, NYI, Philly. All these teams are about equal.

They win a stretch of games and they are “figuring it out”, they lose a stretch of games and “they’re the worst in the league”.

Ottawa lost 5 in a row, then won 6 in a row, and now losing 6 in a row again. No good team does that. Good teams figure it out. Good teams don’t look back when they get in a playoff spot.

Buffalo was in a wildcard, lost 13 in a row, now 5-2-1 last 8 games.

Bottom line… all those teams are bad, really bad teams pacing around 80-84 points (teams pacing 80 points are BAD). The difference between a good and a bad team is consistency. None of these teams can win consistently. It’s all about winning 10 in a row and losing 15 in a row. This is why you see doomers threads and other “is this the year?” Threads in the same month. These teams don’t learn, quite simply, and don’t have enough pieces or a strong enough leadership to pull through.

None of these teams deserve to be in the playoffs and I would include the Bruins in that category.

All those teams are in the "figuring it out" stage. But that's gunna come with looking wildly different during stretches of the season. THe team that sucks less than its good,and can prove that over a full season is the team that will emerge from it. But until we can look back after a season and see more good than bad . .. you just don't know and there will always be questions.

Who the hell knows really.

 

[Divine]

What is it with Ottawa where every time they get close to the playoffs and/or get in a playoff spot the team immediately tanks?

Team is 1-5-1 since getting in a playoff spot. They did the exact same thing in the old Senators waltzing to the playoff thread. Maybe the players like their summers off?

 

[devbouz12]

I Mean, let us know when you’re team is capable of beating the Wings.

Idk why you and NyQuil continue to blindly defend the Sens and their woes. It's ok to admit as a fan that they are lacking in many areas. I'm done excusing their piss-poor play. It's always something: long road trip, flu, vibes are low...enough is enough.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Idk why you and NyQuil continue to blindly defend the Sens and their woes. It's ok to admit as a fan that they are lacking in many areas. I'm done excusing their piss-poor play. It's always something: long road trip, flu, vibes are low...enough is enough.

Yep the combo of can’t score anymore, and the Ullmark injury, means they are struggling currently, however they we’re in a WC spot by points percentage until yesterday.

 

[Boud]

What is it with Ottawa where every time they get close to the playoffs and/or get in a playoff spot the team immediately tanks?

Team is 1-5-1 since getting in a playoff spot. They did the exact same thing in the old Senators waltzing to the playoff thread. Maybe the players like their summers off?

A lot of things you could point to.

Goaltending, injuries, coaching in previous years, inconsistent play, defensive structure, depth, bad trades, lack of focus, lack of effort in some cases.

Goaltending speaks for itself the last 3-4 years when they were supposed to start winning games. Norris, Pinto, Zub, and Chabot have all missed significant time throughout those years. All key players on this roster.

The Chychrun trade turned out decent because Jensen has been great and the Debrincat trade resulting in Ullmark have been fine but undoubtedly it set the team back targetting the wrong players.

I think the main issues though are:

Goaltending
Lack of depth on defense and defensive lapses
Lack of consistency in effort from the forwards.

Ullmark has a back injury so who knows what happens here. He might play 30-35 games this year and the rest of the time you’re not playing well enough to offset the bad goaltending.

 

[Dotter]

What is it with Ottawa where every time they get close to the playoffs and/or get in a playoff spot the team immediately tanks?

Team is 1-5-1 since getting in a playoff spot. They did the exact same thing in the old Senators waltzing to the playoff thread. Maybe the players like their summers off?

I believe that is called being 'mental midgets'.

 

[Peasy]

What is it with Ottawa where every time they get close to the playoffs and/or get in a playoff spot the team immediately tanks?

Team is 1-5-1 since getting in a playoff spot. They did the exact same thing in the old Senators waltzing to the playoff thread. Maybe the players like their summers off?

Weak mental

 

[Divine]

A lot of things you could point to.

Goaltending, injuries, coaching in previous years, inconsistent play, defensive structure, depth, bad trades, lack of focus, lack of effort in some cases.

Goaltending speaks for itself the last 3-4 years when they were supposed to start winning games. Norris, Pinto, Zub, and Chabot have all missed significant time throughout those years. All key players on this roster.

The Chychrun trade turned out decent because Jensen has been great and the Debrincat trade resulting in Ullmark have been fine but undoubtedly it set the team back targetting the wrong players.

I think the main issues though are:

Goaltending
Lack of depth on defense and defensive lapses
Lack of consistency in effort from the forwards.

Ullmark has a back injury so who knows what happens here. He might play 30-35 games this year and the rest of the time you’re not playing well enough to offset the bad goaltending.

If they wanted stability in goaltending Ullmark was the worst guy to target. He's almost always injured. He also seems to never want to take on a full workload and is conveniently injured whenever he has to. It reminds me of F. Andersen.

Now that he has a retirement contract secured, it's likely his play and or availability (or both) will drop off. Is he going to try to play 50 games for the first time in his career at the ripe age of 32? If he's your guy, you need a solid 1B. That was the problem with paying him at 8.25M, he's always been a tandem guy.

Also if you need elite goaltending just to be the 8th best team in the conference, there's got to be a lot of other issues with the team. I get needing elite goaltending to win a cup, or win the conference/division - but when you're competing to be the top 50% of the conference it shouldn't be essential.

If Ullmark pulls off his career season every year, he'll give you 49 games with elite goaltending (the most he's ever played). That will leave 33 games where you need to be able to win games without him.

 

[NyQuil]

Idk why you and NyQuil continue to blindly defend the Sens and their woes. It's ok to admit as a fan that they are lacking in many areas. I'm done excusing their piss-poor play. It's always something: long road trip, flu, vibes are low...enough is enough.

I'm also the guy who says, when we win 6 in a row, that there's a lot of season left when others are busy planning the parade.

I'm told that "I'm not a real believer in the team" and that "I should just enjoy the fact that they've finally arrived".

My expectations were 3-6 for the road trip and they went 4-4-1.

It's not great but it kept them in it.

Obviously they have to turn it around now that they've put it behind them and so far they haven't.

I do find it hilarious that I'm being accused of being too positive and too negative by the same fanbase in the same season.

HF is all about the hot takes but it's a grind and we've just hit the halfway mark.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Now that he has a retirement contract secured, it's likely his play and or availability (or both) will drop off.

Yeah Bobrovsky and Vasilevskiy have really mailed it in since getting their deals. Dumb thing to say.

 

[Sens9292]

Detroit also lost to Buffalo this season in case you’ve forgotten.

You’re really getting worked up about this.

Wings must’ve won a couple games. He’s out in full force

 

[Divine]

Yeah Bobrovsky and Vasilevskiy have really mailed it in since getting their deals. Dumb thing to say.

Bob and Vasi weren’t tandem goalies their whole career.

You’re essentially expecting Ullmark to do more than he’s ever done at age 32+. Not a bet I’d personally make.

If Ullmark was 26, fine, but he’s not. He’s 31. His contract starts when he’s 32. He’s never played 50 games in a season ever. Your examples aren’t even comparable at all - they were playing 50+ games in their 20’s.