Jared Crozier: Game Day: Canucks @ Senators; Karlsson The Key To Rebound

EK needs to be much better everywhere ,and the rest of the defense should collectively pull their head from thier a@se as well

Should be a fast good game. 4-3 either way.

Karlsson did not work out all summer and only has himself to blame. If you listened to Mehtots comments yesterday he said the team runs out of steam in the 3rd period, meaning the key players on the team are not in top shape - EK, Ryan, Zibby.

UPDATED: Wiercioch is out, Wideman is in.

UPDATED: Wiercioch is out, Wideman is in.
- JaredCrozier

There is a god
Maybe ship Weircoch off to Sweden now to play for the team Vikstrand wants to play for

Karlsson did not work out all summer and only has himself to blame. If you listened to Mehtots comments yesterday he said the team runs out of steam in the 3rd period, meaning the key players on the team are not in top shape - EK, Ryan, Zibby.
- tuna99

????

UPDATED: Wiercioch is out, Wideman is in.
- JaredCrozier

Karlsson did not work out all summer and only has himself to blame. If you listened to Mehtots comments yesterday he said the team runs out of steam in the 3rd period, meaning the key players on the team are not in top shape - EK, Ryan, Zibby.
- tuna99

This is very skewed and jumping to conclusions. Karlsson did not work out the same as he has passed seasons. He tried to add more weight to be more effective in his physical game. I believe he gained 15 pounds? Perhaps this has caused a bit of a learning curve to his play? I don't think letting guys walking around him is a result of not working out. His play in his own end has always been average, but his offence usually made people, forget it. Lately, his offence hasn't seemed as dynamic (as it was late last season) and thus people are getting ancy and looking for complaints. His style of play is easy to bash when he isn't playing to his normal standard. He will be fine.

Ryan and Zibby have looked better of late. Nor reason to jump on them. I've come to the conclusion Zibby is just a slow starter. Happened last year too.

The issues are the depth on this team. Lines 3 and 4 need to be more consistent and D-men 3-6 need to be NHL calibre guys. When is the last time Michalek, Chaisson, Neil, etc did anything useful? How much money is being pissed away with Cowen, Wiercioch, and Boro? I think most people wish we could scratch all 3 right now.

This is very skewed and jumping to conclusions. Karlsson did not work out the same as he has passed seasons. He tried to add more weight to be more effective in his physical game. I believe he gained 15 pounds? Perhaps this has caused a bit of a learning curve to his play? I don't think letting guys walking around him is a result of not working out. His play in his own end has always been average, but his offence usually made people, forget it. Lately, his offence hasn't seemed as dynamic (as it was late last season) and thus people are getting ancy and looking for complaints. His style of play is easy to bash when he isn't playing to his normal standard. He will be fine.

Ryan and Zibby have looked better of late. Nor reason to jump on them. I've come to the conclusion Zibby is just a slow starter. Happened last year too.

The issues are the depth on this team. Lines 3 and 4 need to be more consistent and D-men 3-6 need to be NHL calibre guys. When is the last time Michalek, Chaisson, Neil, etc did anything useful? How much money is being pissed away with Cowen, Wiercioch, and Boro? I think most people wish we could scratch all 3 right now.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

With this team it is not about the 4th line and 5-7 adman - this team is lacking serious leadership. Who is the player they put out after we get scored on that hits people, gets the puck in deep and reverses momentum. Who is the player that gets the next shot when we are being outplayed.

This team is lacking character and a winning attitude. Nice guys on this team, not enough guys with winning attitudes, winning is serious business, does this team look serious to you - who does this team turn to when we need some anger, when we need some determination, when we need some confidence, when we need a play to get momentum on our side - exactly, we don't have that player.

Ottawa is a great group of guys, last season was fun, but hearing 5hem say at game 82 they were tired, they had a long season - do winners sound like that when they are 16 W from a Cup? When the season ended and all we heard was they were ready for a rest, do winners sound like that.

Softest team in the league, nicest team in the league. Easiest team to play against in the NHL. We are a team of 20 Jay Bouwmeesters, no one worries about us when they play us, they don't worry about not scoring, 5hey don't worry about physicality, they only worry about getting points and boosting their personal stats line.

People have mentioned it before but I will say it again.

This team just isn't that good.

They are taking great strides in becoming the worst D core in the league. At the start of the season I ranked them in the bottom 5 but surely they have now positioned themselves in the bottom 3.

With all that negativty being said, they somehow someway are still in a playoff spot.

Its 8th in the East or bust until they make changes on the back end. IMO this team hasn't had a problem scoring for the past 3 years. The main problems have always been on Defence

Rinse Repeat
Rinse Repeat

5-2 Canucks

People are singing a different tune about Karlsson. I remember the 100 points this year talk

Wow, you guys.. the team is 7-5-3 with one of the lowest salaries in the league.
They are also without a #3 and #5 Defenseman, a legitimate 2nd line center and a top 6 forward.

They are missing two key pieces up front and 2 on the back end, yet they are still holding down a playoff spot. Not to mention one of the worst 4th lines in the league.

It is not a matter of effort, or character, or heart or being 'soft'.

They lack talent. Plain and simple, this team lacks talent.

For what they have, the ages of the players, and what they make, this team is still overachieving.

It's almost like most of you expect the Sens from last March/April to be the real Sens. I'll tell a secret. They played those games as if it was the playoffs. You can't sustain that through an 82 game season. Effort and Heart can do you well over 20-25 games, but it won't over a full season.

As for Karlsson, the guy has always started slow and finished well. He is playing a ton of mins against bigger and stronger players than him. He knows his body. If he gives 100% now for 27 mins a night, he is going to be burnt out by January. Obviously, the mistakes he makes are bad and he needs to clean those up, but please stop questioning his desire or fitness.

Bobby Ryan on the other hand is slow and out of shape..but he has been his whole career..we knew what we were getting when we got him.

I am usually the negative guy around here, but this is just nuts.

Karlsson did not work out all summer and only has himself to blame. If you listened to Mehtots comments yesterday he said the team runs out of steam in the 3rd period, meaning the key players on the team are not in top shape - EK, Ryan, Zibby.
- tuna99

Feck me, don't tell the Toronto media.

Wow, you guys.. the team is 7-5-3 with one of the lowest salaries in the league.
They are also without a #3 and #5 Defenseman, a legitimate 2nd line center and a top 6 forward.

They are missing two key pieces up front and 2 on the back end, yet they are still holding down a playoff spot. Not to mention one of the worst 4th lines in the league.

It is not a matter of effort, or character, or heart or being 'soft'.

They lack talent. Plain and simple, this team lacks talent.

For what they have, the ages of the players, and what they make, this team is still overachieving.

It's almost like most of you expect the Sens from last March/April to be the real Sens. I'll tell a secret. They played those games as if it was the playoffs. You can't sustain that through an 82 game season. Effort and Heart can do you well over 20-25 games, but it won't over a full season.

As for Karlsson, the guy has always started slow and finished well. He is playing a ton of mins against bigger and stronger players than him. He knows his body. If he gives 100% now for 27 mins a night, he is going to be burnt out by January. Obviously, the mistakes he makes are bad and he needs to clean those up, but please stop questioning his desire or fitness.

Bobby Ryan on the other hand is slow and out of shape..but he has been his whole career..we knew what we were getting when we got him.

I am usually the negative guy around here, but this is just nuts.
- Charliebox

It's not a lack of skilled talent, it's a lack of talent on the attrition side, guys like Seabrooke, Bergeron, Fisher. We have s tom of guys who know what to do with the puck, we don't have enough guys that can play without the puck. We have Methot and Lazar and that's about it

People are singing a different tune about Karlsson. I remember the 100 points this year talk
- ClarksonDavid

Now, realistically, who was saying 100 point seasons for Karlsson?

Now, realistically, who was saying 100 point seasons for Karlsson?
- david22

spatso

People are singing a different tune about Karlsson. I remember the 100 points this year talk
- ClarksonDavid

What are you even talking about? Nobody is saying Karlsson isn't putting up points (he's basically at a point per game right now, and he's apparently "not playing well"). His point have nothing to do with the issue.

As for the heart and soul comments, I just don't get how you can say that about the team that went on that run last year. That was one of the most historical runs in the history of the NHL, and ya, to say that it was probably taxing, physically AND mentally isn't exactly a stretch. Try and remember that these guys are human beings before you claim that "they aren't winners" because they said it was a tough ride (they won A LOT, so kind of counter-intuitive).

The talent comments on the other hand are a little more justified. There are some depth issues. There's lots to complain about in that department along with a bunch of players having slow starts. However, if Bobby and Zibby can start turning it around, why can't other players?

Easy on that panic button folks.

It's not a lack of skilled talent, it's a lack of talent on the attrition side, guys like Seabrooke, Bergeron, Fisher. We have s tom of guys who know what to do with the puck, we don't have enough guys that can play without the puck. We have Methot and Lazar and that's about it
- tuna99

Dude, it's a lack of skilled talent.

Skilled players: Turris, Stone, Hoffman, Ryan, Karlsson

Borderline: Zibby, Ceci

Methot is good at what he does.

The rest of the team is pretty much a bunch of plugs. Sure, some of them like Lazar have potential going forward, but as of this moment, they are plugs.

Compare that to the really good teams. They have talent through their top 2 lines and even some on their 3rd line. They also have talent in their 2nd pairing D and sometimes even 3rd pairings.

It's not a lack of skilled talent, it's a lack of talent on the attrition side, guys like Seabrooke, Bergeron, Fisher. We have s tom of guys who know what to do with the puck, we don't have enough guys that can play without the puck. We have Methot and Lazar and that's about it
- tuna99

Stone led the league in take aways, for what its worth. That's pretty good away from the puck.

I see your point, but I'm going to agree with the other comments that toughness isn't the real issue here, the team just doesn't have top end talent, most notably on the back end.

We knew defense would be the teams achilles heel, I just don't think anyone expected it to be this bad.

And the shots against/for.

Karlsson did not work out all summer and only has himself to blame. If you listened to Mehtots comments yesterday he said the team runs out of steam in the 3rd period, meaning the key players on the team are not in top shape - EK, Ryan, Zibby.
- tuna99

Aaaaaand that's completely untrue. I don't even know where people come out with this stuff. He trained differently, put on more weight, which is what people have been saying to do (including management) for years. You don't put on 15lbs of lean mass over the summer by "not working out"

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

The only possible exception is if you bottom out and get a bunch of super skilled, cheap young guys.

The Sens haven't bottomed out NOR spent any money.

It's mind blowing that people expect more than a fringe playoff team out of this group (or any group under the same circumstances).

Just making the playoffs is overachieving.

With this team it is not about the 4th line and 5-7 adman - this team is lacking serious leadership. Who is the player they put out after we get scored on that hits people, gets the puck in deep and reverses momentum. Who is the player that gets the next shot when we are being outplayed.

This team is lacking character and a winning attitude. Nice guys on this team, not enough guys with winning attitudes, winning is serious business, does this team look serious to you - who does this team turn to when we need some anger, when we need some determination, when we need some confidence, when we need a play to get momentum on our side - exactly, we don't have that player.

Ottawa is a great group of guys, last season was fun, but hearing 5hem say at game 82 they were tired, they had a long season - do winners sound like that when they are 16 W from a Cup? When the season ended and all we heard was they were ready for a rest, do winners sound like that.

Softest team in the league, nicest team in the league. Easiest team to play against in the NHL. We are a team of 20 Jay Bouwmeesters, no one worries about us when they play us, they don't worry about not scoring, 5hey don't worry about physicality, they only worry about getting points and boosting their personal stats line.
- tuna99

look at what Ottawa had to do in those final 30 games just to make the playoffs. they were life and death for over 2 months. that is absolutely exhausting, not just physically but mentally. any team in that situation would have been suffering from burnout.

look at what Ottawa had to do in those final 30 games just to make the playoffs. they were life and death for over 2 months. that is absolutely exhausting, not just physically but mentally. any team in that situation would have been suffering from burnout.
- DoubleDown

Exactly.

look at what Ottawa had to do in those final 30 games just to make the playoffs. they were life and death for over 2 months. that is absolutely exhausting, not just physically but mentally. any team in that situation would have been suffering from burnout.
- DoubleDown

I agree, but you are looking at the playoffs with an attitude you like that you are dead already. You can't be thinking you're done before you are done.

Could you see Pat Roy tolerating his teammates complaining about doing their jobs before the job is done, no.

Ottawa has an attitude problem, they have the mentality of a soft team. This is 3 years of watching them sulk on the ice, and you never see anyone take the bull by the horns. We need a mike fisher, an Afliee, a Chara - someone who is willing to play a game that opposing teams do et want to play.

That's what teams do to us, when we have a lead they just start playing hard deep hockey and we fold every time.