Well, and this is where I get a bit irritated with the people who were talking about Stutzle as a "sure fire" #1C. A true centre plays the C position... and if you aren't, then your chances of being a legitimate #1C go down quite a bit. As you said, it doesn't make Stutzle a bad player, and it doesn't mean that he might not eventually play out as a #1C, but it brings me back to feeling that: a) Stutzle might actually be more suited to the LW in the NHL, and b) there was a missed opportunity to land a clear-cut #1C prospect in a draft where forward talent was abundant.
- khawk

Stutzle is a natural center, who played wing ONLY in his first year in Manheim. From what I've read, Manheim wanted him getting top six minutes without the pressure of him centering one of those 2 lines as a 17 year old (given that it's a pro league and most of his teammates were in their late 20's). Other than that, and including all the tournaments for Germany, he's played center. He has 41 games as a LW in Manheim, and countless hundreds of games as a center.

he's not a winger who can play center....he's a center who can play wing.

maybe Ottawa decides he's a better winger, who knows, impossible to tell until he skates with the team.....but the narrative that he's a natural winger is wrong.

Stutzle is a natural center, who played wing ONLY in his first year in Manheim. From what I've read, Manheim wanted him getting top six minutes without the pressure of him centering one of those 2 lines as a 17 year old (given that it's a pro league and most of his teammates were in their late 20's). Other than that, and including all the tournaments for Germany, he's played center. He has 41 games as a LW in Manheim, and countless hundreds of games as a center.

he's not a winger who can play center....he's a center who can play wing.

maybe Ottawa decides he's a better winger, who knows, impossible to tell until he skates with the team.....but the narrative that he's a natural winger is wrong.
- sensarmy_11

But you have to admit that if the rumblings of him starting on the wing rather than centre is curious. I don't buy the "trying to ease him into the lineup" or "protect him" arguments. All elite centres in this league have always played centre. The few that have played wing usually only do so in powerplay/urgent situations.

But like you say, no way to know for sure until he skates with the team.

Additionally, it's not a knock on the guy if he plays wing. However, it is naïve to assume that he will excel at both positions. Sens have to go with one or the other I think to reach his full potential.

But you have to admit that if the rumblings of him starting on the wing rather than centre is curious. I don't buy the "trying to ease him into the lineup" or "protect him" arguments. All elite centres in this league have always played centre. The few that have played wing usually only do so in powerplay/urgent situations.

But like you say, no way to know for sure until he skates with the team.

Additionally, it's not a knock on the guy if he plays wing. However, it is naïve to assume that he will excel at both positions. Sens have to go with one or the other I think to reach his full potential.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

to be fair, how much of those rumblings have come from people in the know. a majority of that has come from fans and bloggers.

I understand Manheim not wanting a 17 year old to play center....they're the premier team in their league. they see the talent in the kid, want him on the ice a lot in an offensive role, but don't want to put the defensive pressure on him that comes along with playing center.

Ottawa is clearly not a team that is competing for league championships, like Manheim, so there isn't nearly the same pressure on players here (relatively speaking) as there is there.

anyways, like we both said, we won't know until we see him on the ice here.........but most scouting reports have him as a natural center

to be fair, how much of those rumblings have come from people in the know. a majority of that has come from fans and bloggers.

I understand Manheim not wanting a 17 year old to play center....they're the premier team in their league. they see the talent in the kid, want him on the ice a lot in an offensive role, but don't want to put the defensive pressure on him that comes along with playing center.

Ottawa is clearly not a team that is competing for league championships, like Manheim, so there isn't nearly the same pressure on players here (relatively speaking) as there is there.

anyways, like we both said, we won't know until we see him on the ice here.........but most scouting reports have him as a natural center
- sensarmy_11

Well Pierre Dorion actually said it, so that's why there are rumblings

Playing in the NHL is a whole new development curve. I would hate to see him bounced from wing to centre, back to wing, back to centre, etc. They tried doing that with White and results are well, he played ok when Stone was on his line...

Well Pierre Dorion actually said it, so that's why there are rumblings

Playing in the NHL is a whole new development curve. I would hate to see him bounced from wing to centre, back to wing, back to centre, etc. They tried doing that with White and results are well, he played ok when Stone was on his line...
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

he was asked the question and didn't give a definitive answer........that doesn't surprise me. when do you ever get a black and white answer from a GM, when they can just as easily take the grey answer.

my feeling is that he'll be a center until they decide that he can't play center at this level........I feel like if their plan was to put him on the wing, then they would have taken Rossi or Perfetti at 5.

again, just my gut feeling

“Tim Stuetzle is an elite talent, he’s a dynamic offensive player,” Dorion said. “He’s got great speed, great hockey IQ, great skills. At the same time, he just generates offence shift after shift.

Is this a good thing?
- Michael_Stuart

lol you don't?

I think he played really well in his 1st year - although the +/- scares me

Melnyk has apparently discovered recreational drugs...
https://www.thescore.com/...cup-winner-within-4-years

Well Pierre Dorion actually said it, so that's why there are rumblings

Playing in the NHL is a whole new development curve. I would hate to see him bounced from wing to centre, back to wing, back to centre, etc. They tried doing that with White and results are well, he played ok when Stone was on his line...
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

He’s played center, it’s his natural position.

European leagues run things much different, so I’m not too concerned.


With White, he sucked on the face off dot, which is/was a big reason for his shift to the wing. I’m sorry, but 47% doesn’t cut it. And your center is supposed to generate opportunities for your line mates and he couldn’t (had him in fantasy as my last pick and he was awful)

He’s played center, it’s his natural position.
European leagues run things much different, so I’m not too concerned.
- Trilla

Right, but the concern is not just that he was playing on wing in Germany, so much as the Senators seem to be prepared to continue playing him as a LW next season as a rookie in the NHL. The point being that high-end C prospects don't normally get played out of position, even in their rookie year. At some point it stops being overly relevant what his supposed natural position was as a 16/17yo, and more relevant what position he actually seems to be playing in the DEL/NHL.

on ufa day TSN panel listed Canada’s likely Olympic line up.

they named Chabot as the #1 partnered with Pietrangelo.

some Sens fans still don’t grasp just how talented he is.

as the season wore on opposing team concentrated on trying to shut Chabot down.

i like the extra snarl in the Sens roster- my guess is it will help in cutting down guys running the sens star dman
- spatso

good