Not Making the Playoffs Next Season Will Be An Epic Failure

[Adrianopolous]

ottawa could be going into Washington territory where after their rebuild (always compared to Pitt) they couldn’t quite figure out their goaltending and had to wait for Hotlby to develop and to be fair Holtby probably wasn’t ready for the pressure of carrying a Cup finalist in his early years. He got it done eventually, but not having a goalie to carry those super young and enthusiastic Caps teams may have cost Washington a Cup or two.
Pitt of course got their Cup first with MAF, and multiple Cups. Pitt ahead of the goalie curve vs Washington and they got a Cup out of it.
Ottawa gets a legit goalie - like a top 10 who can be Craig Anderson in the playoffs and they can win a Cup in the next 2 years with a couple more good depth moves

Those caps teams were powerhouses though - I don't see us finishing top 3 in the standings

 

[bicboi64]

Yeah. They did choke but how many players on this team have experience being in the race this late in the season? Or any significant experience? They’ve all been part of rebuilding teams except for giroux. It’s part of the growing process.

Thankfully in sports there’s USUALLY a next season. This year may be different tho and there is no next season and you have to live with the team choking until you die lol

Reading this made me think of the random article I came across about avian flu lol

 

[Silky Johnson]

I can guarantee you if we don't make the playoffs, everyone is going to say that the expectations were exactly this and that we achieved our goals.. should be proud the the team and all that fuzzy jazz that this management and the fanbase is programmed to say

heck they will even say the same thing if we are a lottery team, and will continue to point out how the team is taking steps forward

buckle up!

This is a really bad take that does not conform to the reality or the consensus opinion on these boards.

This was the first year in the rebuild with any real expectations. Consensus opinion was bubble team. That is exactly what we are. On the lower end due to important injuries.

Next year we should be (with anything resembling a good offseason) a consensus playoff team. Young players getting better, full year of really good defence core and hopefully a better coach.

The team has really good bones and should be moving into a contention window.

If the team does not make the playoffs, the consensus opinion will be that it is a failure.

 

[Silky Johnson]

To become a playoff team we need:
1. better goaltending
2. improved bottom 6 players
3. tighter defensive play by the forwards in the D zone (coaching)
4. healthy players
We will see what happens in the off-season to address those needs.

I think we would have been a playoff team this year if:

1. We didn't have really bad injury luck. (This assumes without Forsberg and Talbot play a bit better in a injury free full season).

...that's is. With some goaltending, Norris, and a healthy blue line is really hard not to see 4 or 5 more wins.

Imagine if we had an NHL calibre coach...

If we get all the things you are suggesting then we should be a (second tier) contender.

Maybe Formenton on a cheap "penance" contract will really help that depth. (Formenton-Pinto-Grieg )

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

The thing about this rebuild is in the pre-seaosn Dorion said the organization had followed the rebuild plan perfectly and the plan was to play meaningful games.

So they have missed the playoffs for 6 straight years and didn’t plan to make it this year and people say the plan is going perfectly, they have no reliable goalies and the coach needs to go and they completely doo-doo the bed when they needed to just go .500 to be alive.

6 years no play offs and that’s the plan being done perfectly / his evaluations makes no sense to me

so should have said at the beginning of each of the past 6 seasons that their goal was to “win the cup”?

No of course not.

PD sets the bar, only so high each season that even if they come close, he can point to other factors that prevent editing them from achieving that goal….. but in most cases, like this past season, he set a bar at a level that could mean different things to different people….and he will claim in his season ending press confrontation that they met, or exceeded the bar he set.

He is going to spin this as a successful season, by his measure…. And he hoes this will be enough for the new ownership to keep him on, for the foreseeable future.

 

[Tuna99]

so should have said at the beginning of each of the past 6 seasons that their goal was to “win the cup”?

No of course not.

PD sets the bar, only so high each season that even if they come close, he can point to other factors that prevent editing them from achieving that goal….. but in most cases, like this past season, he set a bar at a level that could mean different things to different people….and he will claim in his season ending press confrontation that they met, or exceeded the bar he set.

He is going to spin this as a successful season, by his measure…. And he hoes this will be enough for the new ownership to keep him on, for the foreseeable future.

If you’re a new owner staring across from a desk from a person who’s missed the playoffs 6 years in a row, still has no goalie after a rebuild and led the fans through some of their most agonizing years and he’s telling you “It’s All Going Perfectly To The Plan” I’d say thanks and lock him out of the building

(This is the G.M. Who at one point had 8000 fans in the building to watch his teams and said into a microphone there were real and not real fans)

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

If you’re a new owner staring across from a desk from a person who’s missed the playoffs 6 years in a row, still has no goalie after a rebuild and led the fans through some of their most agonizing years and he’s telling you “It’s All Going Perfectly To The Plan” I’d say thanks and lock him out of the building

(This is the G.M. Who at one point had 8000 fans in the building to watch his teams and said into a microphone there were real and not real fans)

well neither You or myself will be that new owner(s), so let’s wait and see whose prediction comes true…If I read you right, you expect the first thing the new owners will do the instant they take over, is to fire PD and DJS… would that be correct?
Don’t want to put words into your mouth, but it seems that you believe the new owners are gong to be passionate long time Senators fans, and will take into account all the perceived or actual bad decisions from the past, and will see that as the reason to fire him….. but please correct me if I have you wrong.


My prediction is that they take some time, get the feel of the organization, interview the GM, Coach and other staff and the team leaders…. Review how the team is set up for the future in-terms of players signed to long term contracts and prospect depth etc

and at the end of that I can still see them retaining PD until he provides them with a reason to let him go.

 

[Tuna99]

well neither You or myself will be that new owner(s), so let’s wait and see whose prediction comes true…If I read you right, you expect the first thing the new owners will do the instant they take over, is to fire PD and DJS… would that be correct?
Don’t want to put words into your mouth, but it seems that you believe the new owners are gong to be passionate long time Senators fans, and will take into account all the perceived or actual bad decisions from the past, and will see that as the reason to fire him….. but please correct me if I have you wrong.


My prediction is that they take some time, get the feel of the organization, interview the GM, Coach and other staff and the team leaders…. Review how the team is set up for the future in-terms of players signed to long term contracts and prospect depth etc

and at the end of that I can still see them retaining PD until he provides them with a reason to let him go.

Do I believe the new owners will evaluate the decisions of the GM as you say - yes that’s why I think he gets fired.

And I also think they will bring in people like Alfie and a real POHO who will have their own people to do the job and even further in the case of Alfie may have a history with Dorion he doesn’t feel will be helpful to the team as they grow.

Dorion has friends - also has enemies. Hasn’t been an easy 6 years. Hasn’t been an impressive 6 years.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Do I believe the new owners will evaluate the decisions of the GM as you say - yes that’s why I think he gets fired.

So what decisions do you think, will be enough to get PD fired?

 

[Tuna99]

So what decisions do you think, will be enough to get PD fired?

Having a 6 year rebuild and not having a solid coach and no goalies.

And I think his history speaks for itself, so many low moments with this fanbase I just can’t see someone spending $1 billion dialled and trusting Dorion and his penchant for saying stupid things to be the face of your massive investment

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Having a 6 year rebuild and not having a solid coach and no goalies.

And I think his history speaks for itself, so many low moments with this fanbase I just can’t see someone spending $1 billion dialled and trusting Dorion and his penchant for saying stupid things to be the face of your massive investment

So you can’t make a list of PDs fireable “ bad decisions” ?

Are you assuming these big time Billionaires are 100% completely Senators fans, and have followed the team as intensely are you have for the past 10 years or so?

Am not saying you have made this claim, but many have Blamed the previous owner for all of the “Bad Decisions” the GM has made… so wouldn’t it be possible for PD to make that claim too…. Pointing to the last season as an example of how he worked unfettered by an “meddling owner” watching his each and every move?

In any case, we’ll see… as it looks like PD will be the GM calling the shots at the Entry draft, in my opinion.

 

[Tuna99]

So you can’t make a list of PDs fireable “ bad decisions” ?

Are you assuming these big time Billionaires are 100% completely Senators fans, and have followed the team as intensely are you have for the past 10 years or so?

Am not saying you have made this claim, but many have Blamed the previous owner for all of the “Bad Decisions” the GM has made… so wouldn’t it be possible for PD to make that claim too…. Pointing to the last season as an example of how he worked unfettered by an “meddling owner” watching his each and every move?

In any case, we’ll see… as it looks like PD will be the GM calling the shots at the Entry draft, in my opinion.

Not sure why the owner being a Sens fans has to do anything with Dorion being retained - I’m saying PD and DJ will be evaluated on their body of work and fired on the evaluation of their body of work and they both should be.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Hire a hypnotist to make the players think they're out of the playoff race from game 1. Then they'll go 82-0 for the season.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Not sure why the owner being a Sens fans has to do anything with Dorion being retained - I’m saying PD and DJ will be evaluated on their body of work and fired on the evaluation of their body of work and they both should be.

Would I be correct in assuming you believe they (owners) know everything you do about the team for the past 10 years, and have no choice to come to the same conclusions you have, and both PD & DJS be fired immediately as they take control of the franchise?

If so, then just how disappointed will you be if they keep one or both of PD or DJS?

 

[Tuna99]

Would I be correct in assuming you believe they (owners) know everything you do about the team for the past 10 years, and have no choice to come to the same conclusions you have, and both PD & DJS be fired immediately as they take control of the franchise?

If so, then just how disappointed will you be if they keep one or both of PD or DJS?

I will be extremely disappointed if DJ and PD are retained because it’ll lead me to believe the new management is stupid

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I will be extremely disappointed if DJ and PD are retained because it’ll lead me to believe the new management is stupid

some people would say it would stupid to assume control of the franchise, and then on day one walk into the CTC offices and start swinging the axe and get rid of everyone before getting to know them, interview them, question them about the past, present and future.


I look forward to your “New ownership is stupid” thread, in about a week after the new ownership takes over.

IF RR is part of the ownership group, will you include him with your blanket assessment of being “stupid” and organize a boycott of his movies, or a bring you RR VHS & DVD movies to a bonfire in front of the CTC?

 

[Tuna99]

some people would say it would stupid to assume control of the franchise, and then on day one walk into the CTC offices and start swinging the axe and get rid of everyone before getting to know them, interview them, question them about the past, present and future.


I look forward to your “New ownership is stupid” thread, in about a week after the new ownership takes over.

IF RR is part of the ownership group, will you include him with your blanket assessment of being “stupid” and organize a boycott of his movies, or a bring you RR VHS & DVD movies to a bonfire in front of the CTC?

I don’t know, depends on how stupid Ryan Reynolds wants to get but if he’s stupid enough to demean the fans and threaten to move the team then we have some old billboards we can get out.

Ryan Reynolds is not bigger than the Ottawa Senators. Might feel like that right now but he’s not

 

[OD99]

It would be an Epic Disappointment, not failure.

The progress the players have made shows they can continue to set new personal records and that means more wins.

Sanderson being the #1D is huge. Chabot should be an incredible #2. Chychrun beginning the season with us will have a significant impact and then Zub as a competent #4 gives us a nice looking top 4 that will be better defensively but also provide the most offence from the back end that we have had since...Karlsson I guess but this will be by committee.

Norris, the perennial under-rated C will be a massive upgrade in the 2C spot and Pinto, in turn will be significantly better as the 3C, particularly if we add Formenton and Greig. The 3rd line is instantly in position to have a significant impact on games, not just survive.

Then we get to 4th line and with guys all shifting, Kastelic being injury free, they would be improved.

The glaring weakness with the most uncertainty remains in net but playing style could help compensate for that and we could conceivably outscore some of our defensive woes.

Spring has sprung and nothing but Sens coloured glasses over here for now.

 

[Xspyrit]

Starting from the 2020-21 season, there was no reason to be a terrible team anymore

We had one of the best drafts in NHL history in 2020 (called it not long after) and the proof is that we started to spend more on "vets" (just terrible ones though) and we reached like 20 spots on our first round pick after that season

It shows that the team thought they were ready to progressively get out of their own rebuild

Another time where Dorion is passed by the events, just like when he traded for Duchene in 2017-18, never accounted for the major injuries after the playoffs run, or the aging/decline/career ending of several key guys like Ryan, Methot, Phaneuf, McArthur, etc

We ended up giving up a 4th OA pick as a result

 

[ottawah]

I still believe we are a bubble team next year, albeit more at a should make. Its not just the Sens, its the other teams. We are in a tough division.

All things aside, Boston and Toronto have to be considered playoffs locks. At that point, while Tampa is aging, I still see them as a likely lock for the third spot. Even if not they fall into the second category (below).

I can see both WC teams coming from our division, and its between Florida, Buffalo and Ottawa. Florida is better this year, have no noticeable Fa's and10m in cap space. Buffalo has been better and their entire team is intact for next year, minus the goaltending situation, but they have 20M in cap space. Ottawa has 15M cap space, but if Debrincat and Pinto eat up 11.5M of that with several more positions to fill its like having zero. Ottawa has some young players we expect improvement out of and the return of Norris, but in truth Buffalo will likely be getting more as they have younger players just starting to produce. And if only one WC team comes from the Atlantic, odds keep falling.

We play the least games against the west teams (89 point average), next most against Metro (90 point average) and most in our division (94 point average).

Its not that we may not be better than the above listed teams, but on paper its still an uphill battle. Its a fail if we do not make the playoffs, but certainly not an epic fail.

 

[Sensfan5]

I agree it would be disappointing, however it`s not a shoe in. Our division is ridiculous.

Us, Detroit and Buffalo are on the rise. Tampa is Tampa until they arent. Toronto is a good season team, Florida seemed to regroup after a tough start, I thought Boston were gonna fight for the last wild card spot but instead they went on to be one of the best teams of all time.

Its gonna be tough and some teams will end disappointed.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Not sure how anybody can argue that missing the playoffs for 7 straight season wouldn't be a failure, in a league where half the teams make it.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

I still believe we are a bubble team next year, albeit more at a should make. Its not just the Sens, its the other teams. We are in a tough division.

All things aside, Boston and Toronto have to be considered playoffs locks. At that point, while Tampa is aging, I still see them as a likely lock for the third spot. Even if not they fall into the second category (below).

I'm not sure that's true of Boston. They've been ridiculous this year, but it's not unreasonable to think they could be entering next year without Bergeron and Krejci. I don't care how well-structured the rest of the team is, that's a big loss up front. Any team would have trouble losing two players of that caliber.

Not sure how anybody can argue that missing the playoffs for 7 straight season wouldn't be a failure, in a league where half the teams make it.

Longest active playoff droughts:
1. Buffalo, 12 years
2. Detroit, 7 years
3. Ottawa, 6 years.

Just for some added context. Things are getting better, I think some slack can be cut to this particular group, but yeah. You're bang on. Missing the playoffs next year would be bad. It's time to take the next step.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Longest active playoff droughts:
1. Buffalo, 12 years
2. Detroit, 7 years
3. Ottawa, 6 years.

Just for some added context. Things are getting better, I think some slack can be cut to this particular group, but yeah. You're bang on. Missing the playoffs next year would be bad. It's time to take the next step.

Agreed, but those are also big failures, especially Buffalo.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

It is imo undeniable that the last couple years have been rougher than necessary with a few different decisions and some better luck, but it was only a lost opportunity to have done better, not do anything of consequence, so whatever at this point. We got rid of Matt Murray the ship sinker, so yahoo.

Next season playoffs are a must or it is absolutely a disaster.

Gonna have to figure out goaltending to do damage. Ours were almost as bad as Calgary's season sinking sieves.