Making playoffs next season

[Do Make Say Think]

or toews or backstrom or sign a hossa, etc.

You're proving my point. We're several moves away.

I realize this thread is about just making the playoffs. If we're content just making the playoffs and hoping and praying we stay healthy to make them,and think anything can happen...then sure.

But if we actually want to go somewhere in the playoffs, there's several roster spots that need improvement, not just a small piece.

We are talking about making the playoffs, not winning a Stanley Cup.

 

[jbeck5]

Which guys ??

I'd have to go back and see specifically, but it could have also been everyone by a tiny bit.

The fact we didn't produce up to the same level as a lot of other teams spending the same amount meant players weren't living up to their contacts as much as players on other teams.

 

[jbeck5]

We are talking about making the playoffs, not winning a Stanley Cup.

Then let's just keep doing what we're doing and hope we make it in every other year and lose in the first round. yayyyy.

I wish we would aim higher.

We seem to lack confidence.

 

[SpezDispenser]

We need to make sure we upgrade Zibanejad to a real #1 C and let Turris reign supreme as a 2C (or 1B).

If they can do that, the rest of the pieces fall into place IMO.

 

[topshelf15]

Then let's just keep doing what we're doing and hope we make it in every other year and lose in the first round. yayyyy.

I wish we would aim higher.

We seem to lack confidence.

We are ,but the way to get there is how everybody does it .And its takes a long time ,just dont understand what people expect .And who exactly these people are comparing our team too

 

[topshelf15]

We need to make sure we upgrade Zibanejad to a real #1 C and let Turris reign supreme as a 2C (or 1B).

If they can do that, the rest of the pieces fall into place IMO.

Yep,as much as i want to see him use his entire toolbox ,i just feel he will always be a player that leaves you wanting more.

 

[tony d]

We need to get a new coach plus make a few tweaks to our roster (A top 6 forward being 1st priority)

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

I think it's great center depth, but lacks a top line center.

If we had that center depth behind yashin way back, or behind spezza, we would have been a team to reckon with. It's missing elite skill, especially puck distribution skill. Not depth.

Signing some depth 3rd line center will not do anything. The only way i would add a center is for it to be a clear cut #1 guy.

sorry I didnt word that right, an upgrade was what i meant, something like packaging zibanejad with other pieces for a legit top line center. The problem is elite centres are among the most difficult players to acquire, not many teams will want to trade a #1 centre in a quantity for quality deal. any ideas on how they could acquire one?

 

[jbeck5]

We are ,but the way to get there is how everybody does it .And its takes a long time ,just dont understand what people expect .And who exactly these people are comparing our team too

I'd like progression. I compare to other teams that are contenders. I compare to the sens of years ago.

I became a sens fan in the mid to late 90s. You know what i saw? progression. We went from a playoff long shot, to a playoff bubble team, to a home ice team, to a stanley cup favourite. Progression.

95-96: 41 points (long shot)
96-97: 77 points (playoff bubble)
97-98: 83 points (playoff bubble)
98-99: 103 points (home ice team)
99-00: 95 points (home ice team)
00-01: 109 points (cup favourite territory)
and we would go on to get to the 2nd and 3rd round of the playoffs.
(remember we cant compare points directly as back then there were a lot less loser points therefore lower totals across the board)


Then i can look at other teams in the league that are cup favourites the last few years, LA, CHI, PIT, WAS and they have the same progression from very crappy, to finally making the playoffs, to becoming a home ice team, to become favourites people are predicting to win the cup.

Shouldn't we strive to be that? Where is our progression the last 5 years?

 

[topshelf15]

We need to get a new coach plus make a few tweaks to our roster (A top 6 forward being 1st priority)

Macrther getting to where he was would lessen this ,but i could see Mac taking the role Milo had when he was here and us adding a young guy for the top 6

 

[jbeck5]

sorry I didnt word that right, an upgrade was what i meant, something like packaging zibanejad with other pieces for a legit top line center. The problem is elite centres are among the most difficult players to acquire, not many teams will want to trade a #1 centre in a quantity for quality deal. any ideas on how they could acquire one?

Chiasson,guptil, paul and a 2nd?

Soooo useless 4th liner, ECHL level prospect, a bottom 6 prospect and a 2nd.

I'm really liking paul, but i wish we could have done more to keep spezza here. Add good players,around him and make him want to stay.

I'm picturing this team+spezza and don't see how we aren't competing for home ice. Huge loss with nothing of note coming back.

Picture spezza with karlsson(we know thats good) but with prime hoffman and stone. Turris as #2. Zibby owning the 3rd line. Ruined opportunity indeed.

 

[topshelf15]

I'd like progression. I compare to other teams that are contenders. I compare to the sens of years ago.

I became a sens fan in the mid to late 90s. You know what i saw? progression. We went from a playoff long shot, to a playoff bubble team, to a home ice team, to a stanley cup favourite. Progression.

95-96: 41 points (long shot)
96-97: 77 points (playoff bubble)
97-98: 83 points (playoff bubble)
98-99: 103 points (home ice team)
99-00: 95 points (home ice team)
00-01: 109 points (cup favourite territory)
and we would go on to get to the 2nd and 3rd round of the playoffs.
(remember we cant compare points directly as back then there were a lot less loser points therefore lower totals across the board)


Then i can look at other teams in the league that are cup favourites the last few years, LA, CHI, PIT, WAS and they have the same progression from very crappy, to finally making the playoffs, to becoming a home ice team, to become favourites people are predicting to win the cup.

Shouldn't we strive to be that? Where is our progression the last 5 years?

Expansion team ,high picks .No cap ,low expectation .Lots of factors go into why we chose to rebuild on the fly, instead of gutting our cup team .

Just because fans want it now ,doesnt mean they were willing to give it all up .And blowtorch the team ,back down to expansion level again

 

[topshelf15]

Chiasson,guptil, paul and a 2nd?

Soooo useless 4th liner, ECHL level prospect, a bottom 6 prospect and a 2nd.

I'm really liking paul, but i wish we could have done more to keep spezza here. Add good players,around him and make him want to stay.

I'm picturing this team+spezza and don't see how we aren't competing for home ice. Huge loss with nothing of note coming back.

Picture spezza with karlsson(we know thats good) but with prime hoffman and stone. Turris as #2. Zibby owning the 3rd line. Ruined opportunity indeed.

Why ,do you think he is a 7.5 a year player anymore ??It was time ,we have kids progressing and more coming ,just enjoy the ride.Our window hasnt opened yet but it will

 

[Alfie#11]

Expansion team ,high picks .No cap ,low expectation .Lots of factors go into why we chose to rebuild on the fly, instead of gutting our cup team .

Just because fans want it now ,doesnt mean they were willing to give it all up .And blowtorch the team ,back down to expansion level again

More importantly, the restricted free agency until the players hit their 30s.

Lowering the UFA age alone killed the Sens are makes it even harder to compete on a limited budget. Instead of older, (usually) declining players having their prices go up dramatically it's the young stars.

 

[topshelf15]

More importantly, the restricted free agency until the players hit their 30s.

Lowering the UFA age alone killed the Sens are makes it even harder to compete on a limited budget. Instead of older, (usually) declining players having their prices go up dramatically it's the young stars.

Ty, for that very important point .Rebuilds arent an exacting science.So putting a timeline on them is just well....dumb .The rebuild will be over when our cup is returned to us

 

[Aurilius]

sorry I didnt word that right, an upgrade was what i meant, something like packaging zibanejad with other pieces for a legit top line center. The problem is elite centres are among the most difficult players to acquire, not many teams will want to trade a #1 centre in a quantity for quality deal. any ideas on how they could acquire one?

Realistically, to gain a top line center you have to overpay. Stamkos at 11 million is one way. Or you can tank, lose all the remaining games on the year to get a shot at Mathews, then wait 3 years for him to develop fully while building onto the roster to contend, something Ottawa will never do.

Our only option is to find a player who like Spezza was is unhappy with his current team and miraculously wants to come here of all places, and forces his team to take a bad deal to make it happen. Tradeing Zibby plus castoffs will never net us a Giroux, or Johanson. It would take Zibby plus Stone and a 1st, a crippling overpayment, to bring that kind of return.

So we wait, and hope Zibby decides to stay in shape over the summer and improve, rather than just playing dj party animal.

It's extremely frustrating as a fan and a player when you realize that the management isn't trying to win a cup, and it doesn't bring out the hunger to win in your players.
Thats our biggest issue, we are trying to make the playoffs, not contend.

 

[beaniewong]

It would be miracles for the sens if Zibby magically was the 4th line centre for Sweden at the World Cup, which means that he would have to take the summer seriously in order to be fit for the tournament.....

 

[Holdurbreathe]

Murray declared a rebuild what, 5 years ago? So if we're a stanley cup favourite by next year i'll apologize.

Yup, but it took Chicago 7 years and draft picks like Seabrook, Keith Toews and Kane.

Washington on the other hand has been building for years and finally found a coach that could make a team out of the individuals.

Ottawa has had neither of the above so far!!!!

 

[Holdurbreathe]

It would be miracles for the sens if Zibby magically was the 4th line centre for Sweden at the World Cup, which means that he would have to take the summer seriously in order to be fit for the tournament.....

IMO Zibby needs to work harder in the off-season, but so do Karlsson, Ryan and Stone.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

An actual system.

 

[Xspyrit]

95-96: 41 points (long shot)
96-97: 77 points (playoff bubble)
97-98: 83 points (playoff bubble)
98-99: 103 points (home ice team)
99-00: 95 points (home ice team)
00-01: 109 points (cup favourite territory)
and we would go on to get to the 2nd and 3rd round of the playoffs.
(remember we cant compare points directly as back then there were a lot less loser points therefore lower totals across the board)

Then i can look at other teams in the league that are cup favourites the last few years, LA, CHI, PIT, WAS and they have the same progression from very crappy, to finally making the playoffs, to becoming a home ice team, to become favourites people are predicting to win the cup.

Shouldn't we strive to be that? Where is our progression the last 5 years?

Yes we can't compare points because there was no shootout for the extra point but teams were playing clutch and grab and extremely conservative hockey, looking for ties when the score was tight.

Team points in standings the last few years :

2010–11: 74 points
2011–12: 92 points
2012–13: 96 points * (pro-rated)
2013–14: 88 points
2014–15: 99 points
2015-16: ? points

What if the progression is not as linear as the last time? What if instead of a set-back in 99-00, we have 2 set-backs in 13-14 and 15-16? And next year we reach the next level...

Let's compare year to year :

41 vs 74
77 vs 92 (87% raise vs 24% raise)
83 vs 96 (8% raise vs 4% raise)
103 vs 88 (24% raise vs 9% regression)
95 vs 99 (8% regression vs 13% raise)
109 vs ?

Problem is this year should have been a progression, more than 100 pts and at least 1 round win. That's what we thought, that's what we hoped and that's the disappointment this fanbase is going through. Expectations were high. This team is capable of much more, it sucks.

I am scared that until we get the proper coaching, we won't be able to reach our potential