Petry is just as bad as Cowen.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Petry is a way better all around player IMO.

Cowen had some bright spots this season but I'd be more then willing to include him in a package that could potentially bring back another t4d.

1. Goaltending: People should relax about Lehner. He's young, he will develop. He's inconsistent, which is a hallmark of a young player. This will get better.
- sensano

I think if some people would relax on the notion of prematurely trading Anderson, then other people might relax on the expectations they're placing on Lehner. Obviously he's still fairly young, but he's shown persistently that he's just not ready to be a #1 goaltender. I'm not sure why some people are so anxious for a crash course reminder of the importance of decent goaltending, but until Lehner starts pushing Anderson out of the crease with the quality of his play, any talk of a goaltender trade is borderline irresponsible.

I think if some people would relax on the notion of prematurely trading Anderson, then other people might relax on the expectations they're placing on Lehner. Obviously he's still fairly young, but he's shown persistently that he's just not ready to be a #1 goaltender. I'm not sure why some people are so anxious for a crash course reminder of the importance of decent goaltending, but until Lehner starts pushing Anderson out of the crease with the quality of his play, any talk of a goaltender trade is borderline irresponsible.
- khawk

^^^^^THIS^^^^^^

Ottawa should run with Anderson(1A) and Lehner(1B) tandem for the next couple seasons.

I think if some people would relax on the notion of prematurely trading Anderson, then other people might relax on the expectations they're placing on Lehner. Obviously he's still fairly young, but he's shown persistently that he's just not ready to be a #1 goaltender. I'm not sure why some people are so anxious for a crash course reminder of the importance of decent goaltending, but until Lehner starts pushing Anderson out of the crease with the quality of his play, any talk of a goaltender trade is borderline irresponsible.
- khawk

Any talk of trading Anderson now, is as good as dead thanks to the play of Lehner. We are a team in transition. Teams in those positions trade assets to try and help the future. Biggest issue for Ottawa is that we have no assets (at least assets willing to trade away) to ship out of town for a nice package. Methot was the closest, but now he's resigned. Anderson was a logical choice if you go by that notion. It would probably be irresponsible to deal him now with the way Lehner has played the last week or so. I thought Lehner would be further ahead now then he is, so I was partly on the trade Anderson wagon. I wouldn't make a move with him now until Lehner turns a corner.

Sens get to play against Tokarski...great chance to grab the 2pts and continue their playoffs march

Sens get to play against Tokarski...great chance to grab the 2pts and continue their playoffs march
- Symba007

Sens get to play against Tokarski...great chance to grab the 2pts and continue their playoffs march
- Symba007

Our 3rd stringer Hammond is starting...

Malholtra might even score.

It's that bad

The defence is the exact same as last season and big (frank)ing surprise they are getting dominated every night.

Karlsson, Methot, and Ceci are solid but everyone else is basically a 6-7.

We need to get Mctavish drunk and tell him to send a Petry over for Cowen. Resign Petry to 4 per and voila a decent T4D

Karlsson-Methot
Ceci-Petry

Jared Cowen has arguably the worst hockey IQ on planet earth...we're talking Jeff Finger bad
- SENS 613

Maybe I should have put 'going forward' in front of my post.

To me, we have 3 of a top 4 going forward. Ceci will easily develop into a second pairing Dman.

We have a ton of 5-6s, so we are missing at top 4 Dman going forward. That could easily be addressed at the draft or through a trade.

Finding a legit first line center on the other hand......

Our weakness is clearly at center because we don't have a top line center and our 2nd line center (Turris) seems to be a shell of himself this year (probably because we don't have a first line center).

If you honestly think that I, or anyone, would say that Zibby will somehow suddenly get worse and stop being an NHL player then that person is so stupid that there would be no point in even responding to them.
- Charliebox

Exactly. This is why am not responding to you further.

Your assessment of hockey and analysis of players is horrible. End of story.

Exactly. This is why am not responding to you further.

Your assessment of hockey and analysis of players is horrible. End of story.
- BodyCheckRadio

Responding to me? I'm the one responding to you, dumbass.

Dude, you've trolled me like 5 times now after a win where Zibby has a decent game. It's like you can't wait to rush to your computer and shove it into my face. You're one of the first 4 or 5 people to post in the post-game blog and you bold my name and say something moronic to me directly.



As for my analysis, what other players have I got wrong? You don't even know me or what I think about any of the Sens, except for Zibby, who you seem to have a hard on for.

You're a clown man. You showed you were a clown with the very first post that you made after I said Zibby may be a bust as a top 6.

Maybe I should have put 'going forward' in front of my post.

To me, we have 3 of a top 4 going forward. Ceci will easily develop into a second pairing Dman.

We have a ton of 5-6s, so we are missing at top 4 Dman going forward. That could easily be addressed at the draft or through a trade.

Finding a legit first line center on the other hand......

Our weakness is clearly at center because we don't have a top line center and our 2nd line center (Turris) seems to be a shell of himself this year (probably because we don't have a first line center).
- Charliebox

I agree with this. Defensive depth is usually addressed through trade or free agency or having a guy in the system take the reins. The third seems to have not happened, so the other two will have to do. Karlsson, Methot, and Ceci are a good top 3. I still think Cowen can be in that mix, but who knows. Adding consistent 5/6 guys shouldn't be a priority as they are a dime a dozen in this league. Just a matter of putting the right guys in the right situations.

Great centres are hard to come by, and this draft has the potential to have several. To me it just makes sense to go that route. Trading and signing great centres doesn't happen everyday. You cannot bank on that. I wouldn't be surprised either if you saw a deal that moved us up in the draft. Murray loves trading in the 1st round. That said, if all the good centres are gone by the time our pick rolls around and the best players available are only d-men, then by all means. Maybe Murray even trades down in that situation.

I said as a top 6, dumbass. Love how you always purposely omit that.

Of course he is going to be an NHL player. Put him on a 'good' team, and he would be a 3rd or 4th line center right now.

I am honestly not sure what some of you see in him, but he just doesn't have the 'smarts' to me to be a first line center. Unless something magical happens to him, he's a 2nd line center at best. Which is ok with me.

Realistically, I think he will be like a Mike Fisher. 3rd line center on a good team and 2nd line center on a mediocre to weak team.

Like Fisher, he is very "North/South" with a heavy shot and but not much playmaking ability.
- Charliebox

Fisher is the 2nd line centre on a very, very good team...best in the league in fact.

Fisher is the 2nd line centre on a very, very good team...best in the league in fact.
- ahjnkn

Yes, but that doesn't necessarily make him a second line center.

Nashville's strength lies in other positions.

Fisher is the 2nd line centre on a very, very good team...best in the league in fact.
- ahjnkn

Nashville wasn't a very, very good team until this season.

Hey, I would love if Zibby became the next Mike Fisher.



Having expectations higher than that seems unrealistic.

Yes, but that doesn't necessarily make him a second line center.

Nashville's strength lies in other positions.
- david22

So? He's still the second line centre on the best team in the league.

Would he be on the 2nd line in Pit? No. In LA? Maybe. Chicago? Probably. Montreal? Hells yea. Dallas? No.

A team's perceived depth chart is meaningless if not judged by the results of a team's record. Fisher is, by that logic, the best 2nd line centre in the game today. Like, gawwh.

Continue rabbling, this thread has been hilarious so far.

Don't rag on Lehner too hard. He's still young. Keep Anderson and Lehner and the team is still good in that position for the foreseeable future.

The kid is young and is learning every game. Goalies face a ton of adversary so it's good to get the losing out now when he's young. A guy like Lehner will be hungrier year after year. Out of Anderson and him I'd trade Anderson well before trading Lehner. Not even close in my opinion.

Hoffman, Zibanejad, Stone and Prince were all great as far as the forwards were last night. I'd like to acknowledge that every game I've seen Stone play live I've always noticed the good habits he has on the ice and how dangerous he is to the opposing team in clogging up passing lanes and being responsible with the puck. I'm more excited about Stone's career than I am about Hoffman's. I think they will both turn out to be very good players but I have more joy in seeing Stone's development because I view him as a better player in taking into account all situations.
- riceroni

If you could somehow combine Hoffman's speed and shot with Stone's vision and hands, you'd have the best player in the damn league.

But that's just how it goes, you can't have it all!

Nashville wasn't a very, very good team until this season.

Hey, I would love if Zibby became the next Mike Fisher.



Having expectations higher than that seems unrealistic.
- Charliebox

Expectations are ridiculous sometimes. I find going back to draft years when guys were taken or when guys were traded to a team and revisiting the expectations often makes fans look silly.

Zibby was drafted with the potential to be a 2nd line centre. Some people now see 1st line potential for some reason.

Turris was brought in to be a 2nd line centre. Some people thought he could become a 1st line centre for some reason.

Cowen was drafted to be a potential top 4 d-man. Some people thought he was going to be the next Weber or Chara for some reason.

Lazar was drafted to be a potential top 6 forward. Some people think he's going to be our next captain.

That's just a handful. People see a little bit of good in a player and then overestimate what that player will become. Often it ends up making the player look like a flop, which really isn't fair. People need to keep some expectations more down to earth. Sure there are guys who are an exception to the rule, but they are few and far in between.

Fisher probably was a bad comparison. The guy has only seemed to get better since going to Nashville.

He certainly is a bona-fide 2nd line center in the NHL now.

Back when he was in Ottawa, all the talk was about how he was a little too good to be a 3LC and not quite good enough to be a 2LC. When I say 'good', I mean offensively. He's always been a great two way player.

Back then, we had Spezza, a gaping hole it seemed, then Fisher. Every trade deadline it was the same story: Ottawa needs a good 2nd line center.

Zibby was drafted with the potential to be a 2nd line centre. Some people now see 1st line potential for some reason.

Turris was brought in to be a 2nd line centre. Some people thought he could become a 1st line centre for some reason.

This is exactly right. And this is why I say our weakness is still at center.

When I made my comment about Zibby potentially being a bust, it was with the context of
1. out of all of Murray's high picks (ie guys that went in the top 15)
2. a bust as a top 6 (which I said at the time and repeated again over and over).

Then clown boy decided to jump on me like a rabid dog and call me every name in the book.

I have lowered expectations of Zibby than some. It doesn't mean I think he sucks. Even if he develops into a great two way 3LC, that's fine with me. At least Murray's top picks are all NHL caliber players, which we can't say about a lot of NHL teams.

If you could somehow combine Hoffman's speed and shot with Stone's vision and hands, you'd have the best player in the damn league.

But that's just how it goes, you can't have it all!
- TommyDeVito

Hoffman has really impressed me. I wasn't huge on him prior to the season, but his skill set is going to keep him in this league. My concern now is if he can keep this pace up in the NHL. He'll be more of a marked man come next season. Him and Stone are going to be nice pieces going forward.

End of story?!? God you're an idiot.

Ever heard of a 'qualifier' before? When someone makes a statement and they qualify it with another statement? If you honestly think that I, or anyone, would say that Zibby will somehow suddenly get worse and stop being an NHL player then that person is so stupid that there would be no point in even responding to them.
- Charliebox

I still don't see how a guy putting up 20G and 50P in his second NHL season is a bust for a top 6 player.

Do you also believe that Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog are busts? destined to be third liners? Because their point totals and +/- are similar, in their 2nd and 3rd seasons.

Is Ryan Strome a bust? because he's from the same draft, and has even less points! OMG loser!

Are Logan Couture, Max Pacioretty, and Anze Kopitar busts? Because those guys weren't stars until 4-5 years after their draft years, and yet here they are, among the best in the league today.

Truth is just a simple thing: fans have very short, selective memories, and they can't deal well with disappointment when they don't see a star right away.

Zibanejad is following a perfectly fine development curve, and getting better by the game. He will be a top 6 easily, and has #1 upside.

Same with Lehner, it's amazing to me to see people piling on these guys when one is 21 and the other is 23, both in their sophomore seasons.

Fisher probably was a bad comparison. The guy has only seemed to get better since going to Nashville.

He certainly is a bona-fide 2nd line center in the NHL now.

Back when he was in Ottawa, all the talk was about how he was a little too good to be a 3LC and not quite good enough to be a 2LC. When I say 'good', I mean offensively. He's always been a great two way player.

Back then, we had Spezza, a gaping hole it seemed, then Fisher. Every trade deadline it was the same story: Ottawa needs a good 2nd line center.
- Charliebox

Fisher virtually the same in Nashville. Biggest difference is that Nashville has always been a defence first team and Ottawa was an offence first team. When offence was a priority, his contributions seemed less than ideal. But in a defence first system, that same contribution is fine. I think Zibby has a little more offensive bite than Fisher, so he could thrive in a 2nd line centre role. Just a matter of finding a centre than is capable of playing 1st line minutes and thrive.

I was at the game and noted a few things:

1. Goaltending: People should relax about Lehner. He's young, he will develop. He's inconsistent, which is a hallmark of a young player. This will get better.

2. Shane Prince: He looked great out there with the puck. Was strong on the boards and made a couple of great opportunities for himself. He looked a little lost without the puck a couple of times, but I think that comes with adjusting to a new system. He's exciting to watch (nice ovation from the crowd too).

3. Mika: Had a very strong game. He's using his strength and his poise with the puck well. I think he will become a very solid player - not a star, but a dependable and productive player.

4. Stone and Hoffman: these guys are for real. Mike Hoffman's skating is on another level. He is light-years faster than some of the other players and, to be honest, his smarts with the puck make him look like a veteran. Mark Stone has some of the best hockey sense on the team. He is always in the right place when he doesn't have the puck, and seems to know exactly where his teammates are when he does have the puck. These guys will be great for us in the long run.

5. Gryba/Cowen was the most frightening combo out there. While I thought Cowen looked decent, I felt nervous every time they were out there together - neither seems to know when they should be checking, skating, passing or shooting. That's troubling.
- sensano

IMO, the best part of Murray's legacy will be building us a great second line from the scrap heap (Hoffman, Turris, Stone)

I agree with this. Defensive depth is usually addressed through trade or free agency or having a guy in the system take the reins. The third seems to have not happened, so the other two will have to do. Karlsson, Methot, and Ceci are a good top 3. I still think Cowen can be in that mix, but who knows. Adding consistent 5/6 guys shouldn't be a priority as they are a dime a dozen in this league. Just a matter of putting the right guys in the right situations.

Great centres are hard to come by, and this draft has the potential to have several. To me it just makes sense to go that route. Trading and signing great centres doesn't happen everyday. You cannot bank on that. I wouldn't be surprised either if you saw a deal that moved us up in the draft. Murray loves trading in the 1st round. That said, if all the good centres are gone by the time our pick rolls around and the best players available are only d-men, then by all means. Maybe Murray even trades down in that situation.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

soooo.....through one of all three possible ways of acquiring a player for the roster?

Sorry Gord, just made me laugh when I read it.

soooo.....through one of all three possible ways of acquiring a player for the roster?

Sorry Gord, just made me laugh when I read it.
- TommyDeVito

Poorly worded. I just don't think we need to use a top 10 pick to address our defence right now as our bigger longterm need is at the centre position, in my opinion. You see teams at the deadline trying to acquire 5/6 d-men. It's just not huge of a priority. It's easy to fix, but hard for us with the 4 man pile up we have in Phillips/Gryba/Wiercicoch/and Boro and an owner with no cash to buy players out or dump in the minors.