Player Discussion What is the solution to this teams consistency problem?

[Cosmix]

Our fans are just as bad lol win a few games and it's all roses and lose a few games and it's all doom and gloom lol maybe more consistency from our fan base will go a long way.

Jk.

If the team would win more games than it loses, fans would be much happier.

I think "coaching" is very important; the coaches have to motivate the team to play a solid defensive game every game. They can't let the players run the team like a country club. Demand solid play in all zones!

 

[aragorn]

What is the solution to this team's consistency problem? Maturity.

 

[DueDiligence]

Looking at advanced stats as of today:

The Senators are 5th overall in team Corsi and 3rd in team Fenwick when 5 on 5. They are tied for 4th in the fewest high danger shots allowed and 1st in the fewest medium danger shots allowed.

Their record may not be that different this year compared to past few seasons but they are playing a far better game and that will translate into a playoff spot.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

I think the team is doing OK and have showed some signs of improvement. I think it just boils down to coaching and for the players to make it routine what the coach is teaching them especially in terms of team D. Hopefully over time with repetition and practice, strong team D becomes ingrained.

The goal I think has to be shooting for the 3rd divisional seed in the Atlantic. At this early stage, it appears like it will be a battle with Tampa and Boston as the competition for that 3rd playoff seed.

If there’s any moves to be made, maybe its late season when they’ve accumulated enough cap space for a 3rd pair RD assuming they are in a firm playoff position at that time. I would expect/hope it would be a defender with not much remaining term on his contract (i.e., one year or 2 years max) as Yakemchuk is in the pipeline.

 

[Cosmix]

What is the solution to this team's consistency problem? Maturity.

Coaching feedback; it needs to be immediate, specific and objectives/role-focused. They still need some "learnin'".

 

[Dionysus]

Edit: wrong thread

 

[Knave]

Well we had 3 straight consistent efforts from our skaters. It's just tonight Ullmark shit the bed. Thank goodness we got a point but my god was that horrific goaltending.

 

[swiftwin]

Well we had 3 straight consistent efforts from our skaters. It's just tonight Ullmark shit the bed. Thank goodness we got a point but my god was that horrific goaltending.

I think we can say it's 4 straight consistent efforts now. The only difference in the last game is the quality of the opposition (and the refs).

 

[Adrianopolous]

This was a good thread I can’t lie I wish I started it

 

[HSF]

we need to stop bleeding points and close out games. These missed points can really come back to hurt us in a bad stretch of games

 

[BigRig4]

Ullmark is gonna lock in and we’re gonna go 3-0 this week

 

[robsenz]

we need to stop bleeding points and close out games. These missed points can really come back to hurt us in a bad stretch of games

Pretty sure they already have

 

[SensFanInMTL]

 

[armani]

I think I have found the solution. The solution is to play consistently so they are not inconsistent.

They have yet to reach their stride under the new regime. The solution is from within, they have to figure it out, with an improvement of the 3rd pair in mind when they have accrued enough cap space (who btw cannot be blamed for the poor performances from peers making more than them).

Ullmark and Forsberg will have to create a fort as a duo, instilling more confidence for the players in front of them.

 

[Norris4Norris]

Our best players might not be good enough.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Need better goaltending and need a ruthless finisher.

 

[swiftwin]

Our best players might not be good enough.

Good enough to do what?

 

[LiseL]

In Batherson’s post-game interview he mentioned how they get rolling when they score, and said something like maybe if they get a goal in the second instead they have a strong 30 minutes to close out the game as opposed to the last 10 minutes where they were really piling on.

Then if you look at all the games this year, the Sens pretty much win if they score first and lose if they don’t. The exceptions to this were they won against LA despite going down 2-0 and lost in Vegas even though they scored first.

It’s hard to say exactly what it is but it does feel like it’s at least partially that they get in their own heads. I get the concept of momentum, but they take it to a whole new level.

Pesky Sens they are not.

 

[LiseL]

I'm not sure with this team anymore. The way we played against Boston was amazing. However, the way we played against Buffalo was scary. They talk about consistency for a reason and it certainly is an issue.

Dudes literally don't show up on nights. It's really sad how guys are like MIA then other days play lights out. November is like making the playoffs for the Senators. If they play this month right? They're set up for the year. They dropped the ball now and they don't make it in April.

This is a schizophrenic team. I'm never sure which team is going to show up. Some consistency. Certainly would be nice and if this team has what it takes it needs to go on a good run to build its confidence up. These stretches of three four games is not enough to build their confidence. This team has a fragile psychology from over the years of losing. They need a good run and learn how to play like that every night and get a swagger. I feel like a broken record saying the same thing year after year. Expecting a different result. It's time for this team to show up or shut up.


There seems to be always injuries and excuses and all kinds of stuff. Those mean very little to me. Every team that makes the playoffs goes through injuries all the time. This is the NHL injuries are just part of it. What isn't part of it is excuses. Dreams. The only thing that people remember is that you didn't make the playoffs. They don't care what you do in the regular season, except if you're losing. Playoffs are all that matter and these guys need to get there. It's not like you can just Coast through the season and turn it up in the playoffs. This team will never play well in the playoffs if they can't learn to elevate their game on a consistent basis. We all know the playoffs are a seven game series and if you play as schizophrenic as we do, you get bounced in the first round.

Swept would be more likely if they don't score the 1st goal. I'm not as confident in this team as I was before the season started. But I remember a lot of posters saying in the off-season that if this year is another failure, then it's on the core as everything else has already been changed.

 

[Norris4Norris]

Good enough to do what?

Good enough to be consistent and play winning hockey.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

This was a good thread I can’t lie I wish I started it

Still relevant two weeks after I made it. Lack of consistency is why we're a .500 team and no one really knows in which direction we're heading.

 

[swiftwin]

Still relevant two weeks after I made it. Lack of consistency is why we're a .500 team and no one really knows in which direction we're heading.

They've been alot more consistent lately. Most of us know in which direction they're heading, even if you don't.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

They've been alot more consistent lately. Most of us know in which direction they're heading, even if you don't.

Which direction are they heading in? I'm not seeing anything to convince me they're a lock for the playoffs unless Ullmark gets back to his Vezina-winning self.

There's no doubt there's improvement in team play, but they still come up short against trash teams and can't compete against fast, high-scoring teams like Carolina. So how can anyone be so sure they're making it to the post-season?

Then again, you've been overly confident every year even as we finish bottom-10 so maybe sit this one out chief.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Still relevant two weeks after I made it. Lack of consistency is why we're a .500 team and no one really knows in which direction we're heading.

Seems pretty obvious by both every single underlying stat, and my own eyes the direction this team is going.
The goaltending may be costing us games but the team in front of them is playing great hockey most nights.

 

[swiftwin]

Which direction are they heading in? I'm not seeing anything to convince me they're a lock for the playoffs unless Ullmark gets back to his Vezina-winning self.

There's no doubt there's improvement in team play, but they still come up short against trash teams and can't compete against fast, high-scoring teams like Carolina. So how can anyone be so sure they're making it to the post-season?

Then again, you've been overly confident every year even as we finish bottom-10 so maybe sit this one out chief.

Ok bud. The team is currently tied with the Islanders (by p%) for the last playoff spot. Meanwhile, they've had the 6th best expected goal differential in the league, meaning they'll likely regress to the mean, which means their record should improve. Not only that, but they've had one of the toughest schedules so far this season:

Are they making the playoffs for sure? Of course not. Only a few teams get to say that. But this is by far the best chance we've had since the rebuild, and the odds appears to be greater than 50%. Ullmark clearly doesn't need to be Vezina caliber. We just need him to be league average, and we should make the playoffs. If he's Vezina caliber, we're looking at a top 2 finish in the division.

Your little emotional hedge routine is getting old. We get it, you shit on the team so that you win one way or another. Either you're happy because the team does well, or you get to say 'told you so' to everyone. It's a pretty cowardly thing to do.