Speculation: Simple question, Playoffs Yes or No

[Ice-Tray]

Yes obviously!

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

We're going to state.

 

[SweSensFan]

Probably not.

You mean: "Uhmmmm, problably not!"

 

[senswon]

No hedging. Yes or No

Ima say yes.
Hope springs eternal-- I believe in this group

 

[Icelevel]

the Dorion mentality.
No patience, no plan.

One shift at a time boys.

 

[Micklebot]

I think we make it this year, I'm a believer in Ullmark, and I have to think one of these years we'll manage to stay healthy and free from 40+ game suspensions, why not this year.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I think we make it this year, I'm a believer in Ullmark, and I have to think one of these years we'll manage to stay healthy and free from 40+ game suspensions, why not this year.

If Ullmark saves 90.5% or higher of his shots

Travis green is just as good or better than Jacques Martin
And Jensen and Perron are just as good or better than chychrun and tarasenko.

We will make the playoffs.

I’m pretty confident on the first one.

I don’t think green is as good a coach as Martin. Can he get them to play as well as Martin got them to play? Remans to be seen.

Not sure on the third point

 

[Stutzlaaaa]

I will say No or Yes, they will be a lot of team fighting for those 2 wildcard spots and we will be one of them. I think we will not know only until last 2/1 weeks of the season. Also if Chabot has the same kind of seasons we used and we miss playoff he getting traded for sure.

 

[coladin]

YES

 

[jbeck5]

I will say no until they do.

I've said yes too many times only to be all sad or angry when the answer is inevitably no.

We talked about this as a group a whole lot over the boards last year.

It's funny how quickly people forget.

 

[aragorn]

I think it could be close & yes they will make it, given they are a much harder to play against & reduce their goals against.

 

[Masterplan]

 

[Answer]

It is going to be a No for me

 

[Micklebot]

If Ullmark saves 90.5% or higher of his shots

Travis green is just as good or better than Jacques Martin
And Jensen and Perron are just as good or better than chychrun and tarasenko.

We will make the playoffs.

I’m pretty confident on the first one.

I don’t think green is as good a coach as Martin. Can he get them to play as well as Martin got them to play? Remans to be seen.

Not sure on the third point

Here's some things I'm pretty confident in:

1. Stutzle won't be playing with a bum wrist from game 4 onward. He put up 90 pts the previous year (20 more than this past season) when healthy,
2. Pinto won't be suspended for 41 games
3. Jensen will at least be better defensively than Chychrun, and be a better partner for Chabot
4. Dominik Kubalik won't be in our lineup.

Here's some things I'm reasonably confident in
1. Norris should be better than last year when his shoulder clearly wasn't right from game 1,
2. Kleven will add a dimension we lacked that Brannstrom simply couldn't
3. Chabot will be healthier and thus more effective after getting his wrist fixed
4. The combination of Green and Yeo will be superior to DJ and Capuano

I do believe having Jensen and Kleven will help the PK. We're going from Brannstrom and JBD being 3 and 4 on our PK depth chart to pushing JBD into the 5th spot and replacing Brannstrom with a guy built for PK.

It's also worth noting that replacing Korpisalo's sv % with a .905% would have shaved off 24 goals against, which would have put us tied with Washington in GA right around the middle of the league, 11 fewer than the lightning, and 6 fewer than the NYI and Leafs. This of course assumes that Forsberg repeats his career worst performance (which came off double knee injuries). I should probably add "Forsberg will bounce back" to my list of things I'm reasonably confident about.

Whether we make the playoffs is more complex than just whether we've improved or not, but I think looking at our team in a vacuum, we should be much better than last year.

 

[Tuna99]

Yes 100% - and they will be in a playoff spot from game 1 (they will finally win a season opener) and stay in the a playoff spot all season.

Ullmark will win the Vezina
Coach Green will win the Jack Adams
Steve Staois will win the Pierre Dorion 112 page plan GM on the year award
Chabot will get down ballot Norris votes
Pinto will get down ballot Selke votes.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Here's some things I'm pretty confident in:

1. Stutzle won't be playing with a bum wrist from game 4 onward. He put up 90 pts the previous year (20 more than this past season) when healthy,
2. Pinto won't be suspended for 41 games
3. Jensen will at least be better defensively than Chychrun, and be a better partner for Chabot
4. Dominik Kubalik won't be in our lineup.

Here's some things I'm reasonably confident in
1. Norris should be better than last year when his shoulder clearly wasn't right from game 1,
2. Kleven will add a dimension we lacked that Brannstrom simply couldn't
3. Chabot will be healthier and thus more effective after getting his wrist fixed
4. The combination of Green and Yeo will be superior to DJ and Capuano

I do believe having Jensen and Kleven will help the PK. We're going from Brannstrom and JBD being 3 and 4 on our PK depth chart to pushing JBD into the 5th spot and replacing Brannstrom with a guy built for PK.

It's also worth noting that replacing Korpisalo's sv % with a .905% would have shaved off 24 goals against, which would have put us tied with Washington in GA right around the middle of the league, 11 fewer than the lightning, and 6 fewer than the NYI and Leafs. This of course assumes that Forsberg repeats his career worst performance (which came off double knee injuries). I should probably add "Forsberg will bounce back" to my list of things I'm reasonably confident about.

Whether we make the playoffs is more complex than just whether we've improved or not, but I think looking at our team in a vacuum, we should be much better than last year.

What are the things you’re not confident in.

 

[Tuna99]

What are the things you’re not confident in.

Not confident for me is we don’t have enough offense from the defence. Sandy and Chabot need to have big years, if those 2 are average or only good every other night the Sens won’t make the playoffs.

 

[Micklebot]

What are the things you’re not confident in.

I mean,. I can make large list of unreasonable expectations, like Ullmark will win the vezina, Brady the Hart, Stu will win the art ross, but I don't see how that adds anything to the discussion.

I think the only way to look at it is to say, what are the non-negotiables for making the playoffs.

1. Goaltending needs to be at least close to average or better. I'm very confident we have the guys in place to make the playoffs.
2. Less than 270 goals against. I think goaltending alone should get us there, but I also believe our D is better suited to achieve that. I'm targeting 255 as a team goal, but I do think we can be better than that.
3. More than 255 goals for. We were close last year, and I think from a personnel perspective we should be able to hit that mark without a problem, assuming the next Non-negotiable is met.
4. Reasonable healthy season. This one is a wild card. Lose a key player like Ullmark, Stutzle Sanderson or Brady for an extended stretch and it becomes an uphill battle, lose multiple guys overlapping and it might just be insurmountable for most teams

 

[Cosmix]

It's a "no" for me.

 

[albator71]

I'm gonna say YES
I think that the Sens will take the place of Tampa in finish 4th in the division and have a WC spot

 

[The Waffler]

Easiest yes I’ve ever yes’d

 

[Samboni]

No! I predict a slow start as the team adjusts to the new coach and system. Can the bottom 6 produce? Will the defence send Ullmark to the goalie graveyard? They need to bring in a Shaman and break the curse!

 

[Answer]

If I am objectively looking at this team players in the aftermath of me observing last season's playoffs

Tkachuk - Not that tough to play against for other teams top skilled line, since he lacks speed and high-end offensive talent
Stutzle - A lot of flash and dash, not enough substance
Norris - Lacks a lot puck handling skills for a #1/2 center. Has gotten weaker defensively, as well, after his multiple shoulder injuries
Batherson - Shouldn't even be in the top 6 for a playoff Team. Shouldn't be in the top 9 of a contender
Pinto - Young and still a lot to prove
Greig - Young and still has a lot to prove
Giroux - Not in his prime anymore. Still a smart player who is slowly declining
Chabot - Completely burnt out and is getting very injury prone. Also seems mentally fatigued because of continuous losing for half a decade now
Sanderson - Still young and has a lot to prove

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

No! I predict a slow start as the team adjusts to the new coach and system. Can the bottom 6 produce? Will the defence send Ulmark to the goalie graveyard? They need to bring in a Shaman and break the curse!

I would argue that the goalie graveyard in Ottawa is more because of the quality brought in, and injuries.

Ullmark is the first guy in a long time that actually has the proper resume to inspire belief.

Korpisalo had a long career to tell us it was a UFA outlier season getting him paid, while the rest of his career was mostly abysmal. That contract was very predictable. Forsberg isn't a starter, obviously. Murray was washed. Guys like Nilsson, Condon, Hellberg and Hogberg are bottom of the barrel waiver wire fodder. Anderson was over the hill his last few years in Ottawa. Gustavsson had a decent go but was moved out and is obviously hot and cold.

I just don't see what they brought in that could be expected to do that much better than they did. Talbot is one I expected more from but was injured off and on and has a relatively low ceiling too.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

If I am objectively looking at this team players in the aftermath of me observing last season's playoffs

Tkachuk - Not that tough to play against for other teams top skilled line, since he lacks speed and high-end offensive talent
Stutzle - A lot of flash and dash, not enough substance
Norris - Lacks a lot puck handling skills for a #1/2 center. Has gotten weaker defensively, as well, after his multiple shoulder injuries
Batherson - Shouldn't even be in the top 6 for a playoff Team. Shouldn't be in the top 9 of a contender
Pinto - Young and still a lot to prove
Greig - Young and still has a lot to prove
Giroux - Not in his prime anymore. Still a smart player who is slowly declining
Chabot - Completely burnt out and is getting very injury prone. Also seems mentally fatigued because of continuous losing for half a decade now
Sanderson - Still young and has a lot to prove

together though that is a lot of talent. like when was the last time we had so much? 2011? 2007? and weve had a bunch of less skilled teams make the playoffs.

the thing with these guys is mental and accountability. but hopefully new coaches, new mentors, new management puts them right.

we have guys like Staios and Alfredsson over guys like Dorion and DJ. two guys who are all business and winning vs two guys who were just happy they were there.

massive difference.