Pre-Game Talk: Washington vs SENS, Thursday 7:30 pm on TSN

[NyQuil]

He reminds me of Trump because he somehow absolves himself from any responsibility for the issue.

He should be asking, "Why aren't the fans coming back? Is there anything we can do?"

Looks like more tarps are on the way.

 

[Fandlauer]

I guarantee it would be sold out if f***head Eugene sold the team.

 

[Spartachat]

I looked on Ticketmaster and the opener it getting pretty close to a sell-out. The game on Saturday has loads of unsold seats though.

 

[Micklebot]

Can we really blame him this time around? The team went to the conference finals and lost in game 7 double OT. I'm as shocked as anyone that even now we're not able to sell out on opening night. Used to be a guarantee back in the day. If fans' motivation to go to games is only based on UFA signings, than that will be a tough sell in any market as fewer stars are hitting UFA status.

I'm disappointed that it looks like attendance will still be a hot topic. If I was there, I wouldn't wanna miss out on opening night

I suspect there are a lot of people holding off their ticket purchases till Karlsson returns. Nobody wants to see the team lose, and chances of that happening are typically much higher without him in the lineup.

 

[Masked]

Last year's home opener didn't sell out either and it was against the Leafs and Austin Matthews' first ever NHL game. We need that downtown arena!

And we need to government to pay for most of it, just like Edmonton did!

 

[InTkachukWeTrust]

I'm a big sens fan I just don't like going out to Kanata for the games lol

 

[SensHulk]

Hey Eugene spent big bucks this offseason on Oduya and Thompson! Fans should be thrilled he did so much to support his conference finalist. Who can't get excited about those guys!?

The same ppl complaining about sens only signing the likes of Oduya and Thompson in the offseason will be the same guys crying if we can't retain any one of Stone, Turris, or Karlsson...

 

[danielpalfredsson]

I suspect there are a lot of people holding off their ticket purchases till Karlsson returns. Nobody wants to see the team lose, and chances of that happening are typically much higher without him in the lineup.

This is a good point. I don't think it's so much about losing, but for people who go to single games and can't afford or don't want to go to all 40 home games this season, why waste money on a game where you already know Karlsson won't be playing when it'll be just as easy to wait a week or two and get tickets to a game he will be playing? I get it's the season opener, but I think Karlsson playing is more enticing than a game without Karlsson that happens to be the season opener.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

The same ppl complaining about sens only signing the likes of Oduya and Thompson in the offseason will be the same guys crying if we can't retain any one of Stone, Turris, or Karlsson...

Yeah, I definitely will be complaining if they don't retain those guys. Especially when money is being wasted on players like Burrows, Smith and Hammond (probably Boro). If they want people to go to games give us players we want to watch. Give us Chabot. Give us not Burrows.

I have my tickets purchased for tomorrow night btw.

I'll give them a pass on not signing Karlsson because its not up to them, its up to Karlsson. He can play for whomever he wants after next year. He can become the richest player in the NHL or pursue Cups. I will understand if he doesn't want to stay in Ottawa. I WILL however hold management accountable if they don't do the right thing and trade Karlsson for top value in the offseason if he doesn't sign an extension after July 1st. He should be offered a blank cheque to the second he's eligible to be extended. If he says no, it'll be time to face a post Karlsson Sens rebuild.

 

[Micklebot]

This is a good point. I don't think it's so much about losing, but for people who go to single games and can't afford or don't want to go to all 40 home games this season, why waste money on a game where you already know Karlsson won't be playing when it'll be just as easy to wait a week or two and get tickets to a game he will be playing? I get it's the season opener, but I think Karlsson playing is more enticing than a game without Karlsson that happens to be the season opener.

Yeah, I should have said "also nobody likes lossing..." It was intended as two rationales, less entertaining game without Karlsson, and losing sucks.

Chabot and White might have drawn some ticket sales too, had they been in the lineup, though tbh, I'm interested to see how Brown does. I like that they gave him something to work with even if it's not our top wingers. I'd have been a bit upset if he was with Pyatt and Thompson.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

I looked on Ticketmaster and the opener it getting pretty close to a sell-out. The game on Saturday has loads of unsold seats though.

Really? -- I just looked and it seemed like there are still tons of unsold seats for the opener. I'll be surprised if its a sellout at this point.

For me it's not about the owner or the players gone or the Karlsson injury -- I'm just not ready to start going to hockey games yet.

I'll watch in October, but I don't go to games til November.

 

[EK65IsAGod]

EZ win.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Melnyk is 100% right. The fans in this city suck and are so cheap. Team goes on a huge run yet can't increase season ticket sales. Shameful.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

This is a good point. I don't think it's so much about losing, but for people who go to single games and can't afford or don't want to go to all 40 home games this season, why waste money on a game where you already know Karlsson won't be playing when it'll be just as easy to wait a week or two and get tickets to a game he will be playing? I get it's the season opener, but I think Karlsson playing is more enticing than a game without Karlsson that happens to be the season opener.

I watch the sens. I don't go to see Karlsson . Bad mentality by people

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Hey Eugene spent big bucks this offseason on Oduya and Thompson! Fans should be thrilled he did so much to support his conference finalist. Who can't get excited about those guys!?

Such a shitty attitude. Melnyk doesn't make signings or trades

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Really? -- I just looked and it seemed like there are still tons of unsold seats for the opener. I'll be surprised if its a sellout at this point.

For me it's not about the owner or the players gone or the Karlsson injury -- I'm just not ready to start going to hockey games yet.

I'll watch in October, but I don't go to games til November.

Yeah, i looked on TM quickly looks like 1,500 maybe more seats still unsold for tomorrow's game.
I would be surprised if it's sold out at this point as well.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

I watch the sens. I don't go to see Karlsson . Bad mentality by people

Yeah because it'd be crazy for people to deliberately avoid a game where the team's franchise player is hurt when they can only afford to go to a finite number of games a year.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Yeah because it'd be crazy for people to deliberately avoid a game where the team's franchise player is hurt when they can only afford to go to a finite number of games a year.

I don't think people realize the cost of the games but that's another story

 

[OttawaSenators11]

What are the chances this team moves?

 

[Fandlauer]

What are the chances this team moves?

Slim to none, and slim just left town.

There is a group waiting to buy this team from Melnyk at any point who wants to keep it here. If he was actually bleeding cash, he'd sell.

Unless of course the NHL allows him to pull a Spanos and just up and move us, but there aren't really any big markets with stadiums ready to rock. I'm sure if Hamilton or somewhere closer to the GTA was ready to go, he'd move us there in a heartbeat. It's pretty clear our owner would rather be in Toronto.

 

[Masked]

What are the chances this team moves?

Pretty good. I think Lebreton Flats is a, more or less, done deal. They'll move there eventually.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Melnyk is 100% right. The fans in this city suck and are so cheap. Team goes on a huge run yet can't increase season ticket sales. Shameful.

He should just sell the team so it can be someone else's problem

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Pretty good. I think Lebreton Flats is a, more or less, done deal. They'll move there eventually.

That deal is FAR from done. Until there're shovels in the ground do not count on that stadium being built, you're setting yourself up for massive disappointment at the hands of Melnyk and the NCC. These are two entities that do not play well with others.

 

[Masked]

That deal is FAR from done. Until there're shovels in the ground do not count on that stadium being built, you're setting yourself up for massive disappointment at the hands of Melnyk and the NCC. These are two entities that do not play well with others.

I'd actually prefer the team stays at the CTC. But the two sides need each too much for a deal to not get done. Melnyk will probably use the Bettman playbook to get the taxpayers to pay as much as possible for it though.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

What are the chances this team moves?

Melnyk can't just take the team and move it. The NHL board of governors would never approve a Senators relocation, especially with another group out there willing to purchase the Senators and keep them in Ottawa.

Someone who is more in the know can correct me if I'm wrong, but even if a downtown arena doesn't come to fruition, the CTC isn't nearly old enough that it's a do or die situation. With the costs associated with renovating the CTC as it reaches a certain age and the perceived disadvantages of having an arena located in Kanata, relocating downtown would be beneficial rather than pouring money into the CTC. But if a downtown arena is no longer on the table, I'm guessing the Senators could make the CTC work going forward for a little while longer.