NHL Team Prospect Pool Strength Rankings (July 2024)

[umma gumma]

Everyone complained endlessly that the Coyotes were bad for the NHL's bottom line. Ottawa is right there at the bottom with them. Why does Ottawa get a pass?

Coyotes have been bad for the bottom line since pretty much the beginning. Ottawa hasn't been bad for the NHL's bottom line, Eugene Melnyk was. Ottawa was often near the top of attendance numbers, its no coincidence it started dwindling once he started losing his mind and slowly steering the franchise to the joke that it became. The city knew what he was doing and we weren't going to reward him for it. But you keep with your facts.

 

[SensontheRush]

You only say this because you're a Sens fan. 141-159-35 isn't impressing anyone.

Who you getting instead? No thanks on Keefe, and as stated, Berube was a miss.

And yet, despite making him sell the franchise and buyers knowing they had an advantage the franchise still sold for more. Interesting.

BRO. No shit the franchise is going to sell for more if you aren't locked into just one location and all the billionaires from across the country can bid on the franchise.

Again, you're stating predictions as fact. We'll see if things dramatically change in the future with a new owner. As of right this minute they're very much Canada's version of the Coyotes.

Bro, what have I even predicted? What part of my last post is even a prediction? Commenting on behaviour in the present and what has already been accomplished by the new ownership group is not a prediction.

You've lost a lot of credibility with this last post. Before you had something to at least pretend to stand on. This time you are forgetting to even read.

 

[Shane Diesel]

Coyotes have been bad for the bottom line since pretty much the beginning. Ottawa hasn't been bad for the NHL's bottom line, Eugene Melnyk was. Ottawa was often near the top of attendance numbers, its no coincidence it started dwindling once he started losing his mind and slowly steering the franchise to the joke that it became. The city knew what he was doing and we weren't going to reward him for it. But you keep with your facts.

You could literally copy and paste your post with any other team in the league that's struggling.

Why does Ottawa get the benefit of the doubt when other franchises don't? Why does Ottawa get to disavow bad ownership, but that excuse doesn't fly with other organizations?

 

[SensontheRush]

You could literally copy and paste your post with any other team in the league that's struggling.

Why does Ottawa get the benefit of the doubt when other franchises don't? Why does Ottawa get to disavow bad ownership, but that excuse doesn't fly with other organizations?

Everyone should be able to disavow bad ownership. It's why we don't have the Coyotes anymore. It's why Atlanta moved.

Ottawa went as far as to BOYCOTT our own owner. So yeh, we would like a little bit of extra kudos for that. We still have our team for a reason.

 

[Shane Diesel]

You've lost a lot of credibility with this last post. Before you had something to at least pretend to stand on. This time you are forgetting to even reread.

I read your post. You were clearly inferring the franchise will get better because of the change in ownership and the changes that have been made to the organization. We haven't seen improvement this past season on the ice so you're clearly predicting.

Here's your post for posterity:

So, all signs suggest otherwise from the premise of this thread. We are on the right path.

Your prediction is different from the premise of the thread. Until proven otherwise they're one of the worst franchises in the NHL. I've provided the links and facts to back it up.

Bro, you lose all credibility when you can't remember what you've previously posted.

Everyone should be able to disavow bad ownership. It's why we don't have the Coyotes anymore. It's why Atlanta moved.

Ottawa went as far as to BOYCOTT our own owner. So yeh, we would like a little bit of extra kudos for that. We still have our team for a reason.

And yet it remains one of the worst in the league by any relevant metric of success.

 

[umma gumma]

I read your post. You were clearly inferring the franchise will get better because of the change in ownership and the changes that have been made to the organization. We haven't seen improvement this past season on the ice so you're clearly predicting.

Dude, do you have any idea who Pierre Dorion is? You think his nots are undone in one season?

 

[The Management]

They have a lot of promised potential to deliver on, in an unforgiving division.

I don't think their future outlook is bad, but whenever I watch that team I do question if they'll ever live up to the lofty expectations I've seen from a select segment of their fanbase.

Last year was so catastrophically terrible that it almost comes full circle, in the sense you can just write it off for a multitude of reasons, because there's no way that constellation of misfortune comes together twice. There's no excuse for them not to take a step this year, however.

Liked the acquisition of Ullmark, provided he sticks around. Didn't think the Jensen trade was bad either, given they probably had to lose a trade to address that need on the right side of their blueline. I thought they looked like a mess defensively last year, and Jensen and Ullmark (in addition to a full season of Pinto) should theoretically mitigate that weakness.

 

[Tuna99]

All seven of you, sure.

ironically the same amount of brain cells you have.

They have a lot of promised potential to deliver on, in an unforgiving division.

I don't think their future outlook is bad, but whenever I watch that team I do question if they'll ever live up to the lofty expectations I've seen from a select segment of their fanbase.

Last year was so catastrophically terrible that it almost comes full circle, in the sense you can just write it off for a multitude of reasons, because there's no way that constellation of misfortune comes together twice. There's no excuse for them not to take a step this year. None.

Liked the acquisition of Ullmark, provided he sticks around. Didn't think the Jensen trade was bad either, given they probably had to lose a trade to address that need on the right side of their blueline. I thought they looked like a mess defensively last year, and Jensen and Ullmark (in addition to a full season of Pinto) should theoretically mitigate that weakness.

The depth helps for sure, we have improved the goaltending but Ottawa only takes its next step when Pinto, Stutzle Chabot and Brady take another step. And that’s why Sens fans are bullish because these kids have tons of heart and skill, they simply need to be better for Ottawa to make the playoffs

And they are switching from a rush team to a cycle team, they’ll get more shots from the point and want better balance through the lineup which they have now. Special teams will be improved and we’ll have better coaching so everything is pointing up - just how high up is the real question

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Not even remotely close, what the hell.

If they had even just below average goaltending, they'd have been in the playoff race. This year they will have that and more.


There's quite a few teams in much worse shape. Vegas, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh to name a few.

 

[SensontheRush]

I read your post. You were clearly inferring the franchise will get better because of the change in ownership and the changes that have been made to the organization. We haven't seen improvement this past season on the ice so you're clearly predicting.

Here's your post for posterity:



Your prediction is different from the premise of the thread. Until proven otherwise they're one of the worst franchises in the NHL. I've provided the links and facts to back it up.

Bro, you lose all credibility when you can't remember what you've previously posted.

This stupid argument is so arbitrary. Bro, EVERYTHING in Hockey is a prediction. Especially at this point in the offseason, EVERYTHING remains to be seen.

No I didn't make a single prediction in my comment, and this is why.

Consider this analogy. I have two plates of food. One is clearly rotten, and one that is ostensibly palatable and smells good. You can easily see in the present moment which dish to go with, ie, the right path. In Ottawa, we are currently enjoying our ostensibly palatable dish that smells good. We are no longer eating the rotten Melnyk dish that you are trying SO hard to drag us back into.

As much as you are attacking people for looking towards the future, you sure are stuck in the past.

 

[cg98]

I'm not complaining. I'm comparing and contrasting Ottawa and Arizona.

It sure is a bad comparison, considering the Coyotes were booted out of the league and spent 20 odd years being the leagues basement dweller and kicked out of their arena. Last I checked Ottawa still has their team, a full size arena to play in, and have at least done some shit worth a damn before this lmao

 

[GirardSpinorama]

They were the seventh worst team in the league, not the third worst.

The prospect pool is a major concern, yes.

Yes, the current core does need to take a major step forward this year. If not, they risk having to go through yet another rebuild cycle.

I would finish by saying that they were among the worst run franchises for quite a stretch. They are slowly going to trend towards stability with an improved management group and a motivated owner.

With an unproven management group.

 

[conFABulator]

That's 7 wins from a real goaltender vs 0 wins from Korpisalo - who literally couldn't stop anything. All of those games we lost 4-3 or 5-3 or 6-3 are completely winnable games with league average goaltending, let alone Ullmark.

Yeah, Ullmark should help for sure. He is a good goalie. It's a team game though and seven wins difference is a lot to pin on just a goalie.

Korpisalo played 55 games last year and five times Ottawa lost by one goal where he had a save percentage of .900 or lower. That's only five.

Ullmark played in 40 games for Boston last year and seven times they lost a one goal game where his save percentage was .900 or lower. He has down nights too.

I like the move and think Ullmark is going to make a difference. He can't make all the difference though. I also like Jensen, Amadio and Perron.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Nothing is within walking distance from the hotel they stay at. Nothing at all.

As someone who grew up where you had to make a life choice- I realize the irony of a Pink Floyd name with a Led Zeppelin avatar picture. Well played!

With an unproven management group.

I'd say that every management group is "unproven" at the start. Since I'd place Melnyk at 31 in the NHL only in front of Merulo, I feel pretty confident in saying that the Sens new ownership group will be better with more stability and resources than their recent past. IMO, you can't reasonably assume they'll still be worst in the league in that regard.

I'm a Hawks fan and there was a noticable difference when Dollar Bill passed away and his son took over 15+ years ago. I would expect that this will be same in OTT, if for no other reason you don't spend $1.2B and then cheap out on the infrastructure to make it successful.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Yeah, Ullmark should help for sure. He is a good goalie. It's a team game though and seven wins difference is a lot to pin on just a goalie.

Korpisalo played 55 games last year and five times Ottawa lost by one goal where he had a save percentage of .900 or lower. That's only five.

Ullmark played in 40 games for Boston last year and seven times they lost a one goal game where his save percentage was .900 or lower. He has down nights too.

I like the move and think Ullmark is going to make a difference. He can't make all the difference though. I also like Jensen, Amadio and Perron.

I agree with everything here. I would add - from a Sens fan POV - that Korpisalo was much, much worse than just looking at 5 games where Ottawa lost by one goal. He would absolutely crush and deflate a young team by getting scored at at an incredible rate on the first 2 shots of the game. I believe they (some of this is on Forsberg too] ended up giving up a goal on the first 2 shots of the game twenty one times. Twenty one.

Imagine how young and fragile Ottawa was to begin with last year - for a myriad of reasons - then imagine spotting your opponent a lead immediately. Soul crushing.

Also, I am not familiar with Ullmark's record in regards to one goal games last year, but I would guess he gave up 2, maybe 3 goals. For Korpisalo, I believe Ottawa as a team had to scrape to score 5 to tie a lot of the time and ended up scoring 3 or 4. I would look it up, but I'm at work and lazy at the best of times.

 

[HolyCrap]

Ehh. That was 7 years ago…

That’s like yesterday. I’m a Leaf’s fan so I don’t even know and most likely will never know what it’s means winning a cup. Fml.

 

[dirtydanglez]

they have a lot of young talent already in the nhl but they are so poorly run they are pissing it away. a better front office could make something good of the assets they already have

 

[conFABulator]

I agree with everything here. I would add - from a Sens fan POV - that Korpisalo was much, much worse than just looking at 5 games where Ottawa lost by one goal. He would absolutely crush and deflate a young team by getting scored at at an incredible rate on the first 2 shots of the game. I believe they (some of this is on Forsberg too] ended up giving up a goal on the first 2 shots of the game twenty one times. Twenty one.

Imagine how young and fragile Ottawa was to begin with last year - for a myriad of reasons - then imagine spotting your opponent a lead immediately. Soul crushing.

Also, I am not familiar with Ullmark's record in regards to one goal games last year, but I would guess he gave up 2, maybe 3 goals. For Korpisalo, I believe Ottawa as a team had to scrape to score 5 to tie a lot of the time and ended up scoring 3 or 4. I would look it up, but I'm at work and lazy at the best of times.

Those are excellent points and much more difficult to quality with data. The impact of being deflated by giving up the first goal, or a bad goal is very real but hard to support with data.

Like I said, Ullmark is a great addition and Ottawa should be improved. It is a team game though. Having a tem that scores first more often will help. Having a more mentally strong team that is not so easily deflated will help too.

It's not just a goalie having a .900+ save percentage every night. That won't happen.

 

[albator71]

No the Sens have a bright future, they might have one of the best under-24 group of players with Tkachuk, Stutzle, Pinto and Sanderson, it takes time to learn how to win on a regular basis in this league go ask Buffalo, Detroit, Columbus, Anaheim those team have been worst then Ottawa! I think now with a new owner, new management, new coach I think the Sens are on their way up the standings. And they also have a few very good prospects in the pipeline also, last year the Sens would have had a far better record if they had decent goaltending. This year they have Ullmark so just that should help a lot Atlantic division is a tough a division.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Shane Diesel just dominating sens fans in here

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Well somebody is going to be last in revenue no matter what. Guess we should fold the league.

Maybe the bigger concern is that there are teams with fairly recent Cup wins and have been perennial contenders that can't get out of the bottom 10 in that department? You think if Ottawa had the same last 7 years that Florida, Carolina, Winnipeg, Nashville, and Colorado did they'd also be there? All those teams were bottom 10 (Colorado 11th) in revenue last year.

What if those teams had a long playoff drought instead of contending? Florida and Carolina were pretty much seen as dead markets and were in every conversation for Quebec relocation before they were good, and Carolina already had a Cup.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

The Senators are almost there they have a lot of young talent that has graduated and they just need to find the right talent to be around them.

Just need to break through. Those Atlantic teams at the top have been doing a good job holding on.

 

[StreetHawk]

The Senators are almost there they have a lot of young talent that has graduated and they just need to find the right talent to be around them.

Just need to break through. Those Atlantic teams at the top have been doing a good job holding on.

Young talent is there, but again some really questionable decisions over the past couple of years for them really hurt their progress and asset base to use for real help.

 

[Crow]

Just applying the same standards to Ottawa that are applied to other warm weather teams, specifically the Coyotes.

The reactions sure are wildly different and revealing, aren't they?

What is different about the reactions? If you were posting this shit about the coyotes to their fans I’m sure you’d get the same reaction.

You could literally copy and paste your post with any other team in the league that's struggling.

Why does Ottawa get the benefit of the doubt when other franchises don't? Why does Ottawa get to disavow bad ownership, but that excuse doesn't fly with other organizations?

What are you talking about? Also what’s with the holier than thou attitude? Why do you think you are a better fan or maybe even person because your team is in a different situation? Makes no sense to look down your nose pridefully when your team could also be bought up by some new owner or employ some incompetent manager at any point and you wouldn’t be able to do f*** all about it.

Yeah, Ullmark should help for sure. He is a good goalie. It's a team game though and seven wins difference is a lot to pin on just a goalie.

Korpisalo played 55 games last year and five times Ottawa lost by one goal where he had a save percentage of .900 or lower. That's only five.

Ullmark played in 40 games for Boston last year and seven times they lost a one goal game where his save percentage was .900 or lower. He has down nights too.

I like the move and think Ullmark is going to make a difference. He can't make all the difference though. I also like Jensen, Amadio and Perron.

I don’t see why only 1 goal games would be important. A goalie can give up multiple bad goals. Even if the margin of defeat were important for some reason (feel free to explain why), a lot of 1 goal games turn into 2 goal games with the empty net.

 

[Crow]

Specifically I don’t understand what teams are not getting the “benefit of doubt” that are in a similar situation. And from whom?