GDT: Ottawa Senators at Colorado Snowslides| 9PM EST | TSN5, RDS1, ESPN+ | Must win situation™ - Late Night Edition

[jbeck5]

No team ever “plays a full 60 minutes”. It’s about playing good at the right time.

It means they're not making a consistent enough effort.

Bobby Ryan last year, Marc Methot, and Jason York, all ex players, have all said on more than one occasion that this team doesn't know how to put in a 60 minute effort.

It's always talked about on tv. It's always talked about on the locked on senators podcast. It's always talked about on the coming in hot podcast. It's always talked about on the radio.

Why are all these ex senators players saying the team can't put in a 60 minute effort consistently enough if you're saying no team ever puts in a good 60 minute effort???

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

It means they're not making a consistent enough effort.

Bobby Ryan last year, Marc Methot, and Jason York, all ex players, have all said on more than one occasion that this team doesn't know how to put in a 60 minute effort.

It's always talked about on tv. It's always talked about on the locked on senators podcast. It's always talked about on the coming in hot podcast. It's always talked about on the radio.

Why are all these ex senators players saying the team can't put in a 60 minute effort consistently enough if you're saying no team ever puts in a good 60 minute effort???

lol....ouch!

Well, Bobby was the expert in that area of the game, for sure.

 

[Adrianopolous]

This core just isn’t it

 

[Tuna99]

We've played the last 4 cup winners. All have cup aspirations. Were 2-2. That's not average difficulty. That's hard.

This team needs to be not out of it after 20 games, then we'll see where the season goes


Which games didn't we show up for?

Montreal and Colorado. Both games they were 100% not ready to play hockey.

lol....ouch!

Well, Bobby was the expert in that area of the game, for sure.

It isn’t great, but it’s not as bad as “Bobby Ryan wants to see more effort” bad. When we get to that point that Bobby Ryan looked like he was trying harder then this team it’ll be time to drain the canal and move to Nashville

 

[jbeck5]

lol....ouch!

Well, Bobby was the expert in that area of the game, for sure.

He would know an inconsistent effort when he saw one considering he was the master of inconsistent efforts.

If HES calling us out, it must be pretty bad.

But honestly, I've had many friends who are fans of other teams say there are times when we look amazing and then there are times we look like dog shit and pile on the losses.

People want to say there's no such thing as 60 min efforts...well, it's obviously an expression to say we're wildly inconsistent, and it's ever so obvious and never seems to improve.

You'll always hear Yorkie say this team is too young and that it takes a veteran who knows how to handle the long season with ups and downs and learns how to bring it consistently.

We replace half our roster with vets...same thing.

Maybe it's the core that doesnt have the ability to mature and play with a consistent defensive effort?

 

[Tundraman]

Watched the 2nd and 3rd at 1.5x speed this a.m. Still too many puck watchers around their net. Close and coulda, shoulda doesn't cut it anymore. I don't like the feeling of starting not to care like the middle of last year.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

I watched the first two periods and then had to stop. Too frustrating.

The thing that I've found to be true of this team for 3 or 4 seasons now is that they just don't win enough puck battles. You watch those first two periods and it seemed like every single time there was a loose puck it was the Avs player coming away with it.

I haven't quite convinced myself whether that is an effort issue or just a lack of talent.

 

[jbeck5]

Don't forget, Brady and Stu are bffs. Trade one and the other will likely demand out, too. Or at least be really sour on the organization.

What we need, is a reboot in our scouting. Both amateur and pro. Focus more on hockey IQ, skating, and willingness to work and improve. Slide size down the list of priorities a few notches.

Size? Do we even draft for size? Who????

 

[BondraTime]

Size? Do we even draft for size? Who????

I mean, Sens absolutely factor size in their drafting process, for good reason, size matters in the league. They do however take it, paired with hopeful growth, to an extreme. They draft a lot of bad big players with tools, and are banking on them turning those tools into a hockey player. The Ben Rogers, Filip Nordberg, Gabe Eliasson's of the hockey world. Loads of size and tools, but no toolbox as of the draft.

Just looking at the past 2 drafts the average size of a guy drafted by Ottawa is about 6'4 205

2024
Yak - 6-4, 210
Eliasson - 6'7, 214
Ellinas - 6'2, 200
Moore - 6'4, 205
Montgomery - 6'4, 185
Wallenius - 6'4, 215

2023
Stanley - 6'3, 200
Andonovski - 6'2, 215
Beckner - 6'2, 180
Nikitin - 6'5, 200 (goalie, not the same)
Van Tassel - 6'4, 200

 

[Micklebot]

24th in the league
.500
+- 0 differential

That's not average that's bad

a +- of 0 is the definition of average since every goal for one team is a goal against for another. Average can't be anything but.

Worth noting, our opponents are collectively on pace for 97 pts, league average was 90 pts, so we weren't facing average opponents either.

 

[Tuna99]

a +- of 0 is the definition of average since every goal for one team is a goal against for another. Average can't be anything but.

Worth noting, our opponents are collectively on pace for 97 pts, league average was 90 pts, so we weren't facing average opponents either.

Opposition is facing an average opponent because Chabot and Tkachuk puck watch like they are high on Snoops supply

 

[BondraTime]

Sens have played the 3rd hardest schedule thus far, and have the 4th easiest schedule remaining

 

[Tuna99]

Sens have played the 3rd hardest schedule thus far, and have the 4th easiest schedule remaining

Boo-Hoo

Rememeber 2-3 years ago when Sens were making a push with. Winning streak and went to Vancouver and Calgary for east wins to get them into a playoff spot and they got blown out in both games.

Sens play down to their competition and don’t win games they should. They didn’t show up vs Montreal or last night.

Ease of schedule means nothing when your crease is left wide open to the opposition

 

[Micklebot]

Opposition is facing an average opponent because Chabot and Tkachuk puck watch like they are high on Snoops supply

Not sure what that has to do with my post,

We have areas that need to improve, but we've done a lot of things well, last game aside. Forsberg has really bounced back and is giving us what you need from a backup. Jensen has been really good mitigating the lose of Zub. Kleven and JBD are doing well as a bottom pair. We need our top players to play to their abilities, Tkachuk, and Stu need to step it up, we need to finish our chances, and we need our secondary scoring of Greig, Amadio and Perron (I know he's out right now) to start putting up points too

There are 11 teams with a 500 record right now, included in them are some teams you wouldn't expect, in Toronto, Boston and Edmonton. Good teams can have slow starts too, we just need to turn things around and build off the positives because there have been positives, and the areas were we are struggling are imo correctable.

 

[DrEasy]

Lack of D depth hurting us again. Wonder what our W-L record is with and without Zub?

Actually, it's lack of depth in general, having Pinto last night would have stabilized our play too. This team needs close to 100% health to have a chance to compete. But that's just not going to happen in general, and especially when it comes to the Sens.

Positives:

a) Chabot had a great game. He's playing with a lot of confidence right now.

b) Giroux with another great game.

c) there is no c).

Answering my own question: according to statmuse.com

The Ottawa Senators were 33-32-4 with Artem Zub in 2023-24.​

The Ottawa Senators were 4-9-0 without Artem Zub in 2023-24.​

Basically, the difference between making and missing the playoffs?

 

[Knave]

Taking Giroux off the Tkachuk-Stutzle line seems like a bad move. Since we've added a grinder Tkachuk has taken a turn at being more of a skilled playmaker trying to create opportunities for others or trying to go for a finesse self-created opportunity and it's not working well.

Green needs to tell Tkachuk to stop trying to change to be a guy he's not.

And I feel like Hamonic-Sanderson is such a drain. Hamonic is trying, I don't hate the guy but he has no business being paired with Sanderson. He's a #7 guy who goes on the bottom pairing when there's an injury at this point in his career. He's 34 years old. This isn't Chara or Lidstrom or some other star, superstar or generational talent that can play into their late 30s and look good doing that. This is a guy who was okay who is at the end of his career.

 

[Tuna99]

Travis Green’s post game reaction was disgust. He is a pro and tried to hide it but you can see in his face the effort and concentration level of his players level to him was inexcusable and completely amateur and probably rage inducing.

Sens players in front of the microphone are a pro team. On the ice they are not

 

[BondraTime]

Boo-Hoo

Rememeber 2-3 years ago when Sens were making a push with. Winning streak and went to Vancouver and Calgary for east wins to get them into a playoff spot and they got blown out in both games.

Sens play down to their competition and don’t win games they should. They didn’t show up vs Montreal or last night.

Ease of schedule means nothing when your crease is left wide open to the opposition

Ok?

 

[Tuna99]

Not sure what that has to do with my post,

We have areas that need to improve, but we've done a lot of things well, last game aside. Forsberg has really bounced back and is giving us what you need from a backup. Jensen has been really good mitigating the lose of Zub. Kleven and JBD are doing well as a bottom pair. We need our top players to play to their abilities, Tkachuk, and Stu need to step it up, we need to finish our chances, and we need our secondary scoring of Greig, Amadio and Perron (I know he's out right now) to start putting up points too

There are 11 teams with a 500 record right now, included in them are some teams you wouldn't expect, in Toronto, Boston and Edmonton. Good teams can have slow starts too, we just need to turn things around and build off the positives because there have been positives, and the areas were we are struggling are imo correctable.

It’s not the losing, it’s the effort level not showing up for a game 8 of the season is inexcusable. Not showing for game 2 of the season is inexcusable.

I still have hope but the team being complete no shows for 2 games in the first 8 is massive cause for concern. And watching Chabot puck watch like he’s high on mushrooms and Takchuk looks as big as Ryan Shannon in the D zone, it’s a joke.

These guys don’t get and never will. This was supposed to be different. That’s the cause for concern.

 

[Golden_Jet]

24th in the league
.500
+- 0 differential

That's not average that's bad

15-25th are all .500

 

[Burrowsaurus]

When he isn't being anchored by at best a 7/8 defender?

I think Quinn Hughes and makar would still do their thing

Side note chabot another good game

Man hamonic on that fourth goal. Why doesnt he get the guy with puck?

 

[SpezDispenser]

I think we're ready to see the real Ullmark. His rust must be almost off and he's a way above average nhl goalie, which we would have won both games with. Or at least it would have been an ot game.

Starting forsberg in Colorado was a choice, let's put it that way.

The season rides on goaltending. So far it's been almost like last year, which won't do.

 

[Micklebot]

I think Quinn Hughes and makar would still do their thing

Side note chabot another good game

Makar didn't actually do much last game, ironically, Toews was the one creating all the offense on that pair.

 

[Micklebot]

Side note chabot another good game

He's been a bit snakebit with his offensive chances, seems to hit a lot of iron...

 

[BankStreetParade]

A chance to compete.

Unpack that. On the road against two teams with cup aspirations. Both games tied in the 3rd. And we're full value for being tied in the 3rd.

We haven't been in a position for years to go into opposing barns and give them all they can handle.

Colorado had a run-in the 2nd where they dominated and got a goal that should have been blown dead. Even TSN said it was a missed call. We had the lead or tied for 55 minutes against Vegas.

We're in better shape now then we've been in in years

Can you send me copies of the games you've been watching? Because clearly we're not seeing the same thing.