No doubt that the D is in need of a major upgrade......and i think inserting Sanderson/Thomson/JBD/Brannstrom would go a LOOOOOOOONG way to making this a better team.

i think given the contract structures of certain guys (namely Zaitsev and MDZ) i think we'll be stuck with a few anchors back there for the rest of this year, and maybe a part of next year, which will keep this team from being a playoff threat

i think by the end of next season our D could look something like


Chabot/Zub
Sanderson/JBD
Brannstrom/Thomson

that would be REAL good
- sensarmy_11

It should be really good. It's also pretty rare that a team hits on basically all of their top defense prospects in a short time.

Can't be worse than Brown though...I don't watch all of the NHL, but he's easily one of the worst defensemen in the NHL.

Starting Murray.

A really tough call. What happens if they start Gus and he plays lights out again? And, if the pattern is repeated, the problem grows larger. An entry level goalie who can win. But a $6.5m guy who can't.

Pretty soon we have an asset that has no negotiable value.

I thought the Sens had a really strong first period. But, you could see the air come out of them with every goal Murray gave up.

No simple answers.

How is it silly? When they lost to 2 of those teams you say they are better then. Not to mention right now they are 29th. But i did agree its possible but they will have toprove it against the teams you mentioned.
- spazzbot

if you want to use single game samples to determine which team is better then have it.

by this logic:

det is better than tampa and wash

sea is better than minny

ott is better than tor

SJ is better than tor


etc, etc, etc

It should be really good. It's also pretty rare that a team hits on basically all of their top defense prospects in a short time.

Can't be worse than Brown though...I don't watch all of the NHL, but he's easily one of the worst defensemen in the NHL.
- AdamFrench

zaitsev is giving him a run for his money, that's for sure


I know that not all dmen will work out.........but i haven't seen a single indication that JBD and Thomson won't be good NHLers.....and it's hard to imagine that Sanderson will flop

zaitsev is giving him a run for his money, that's for sure


I know that not all dmen will work out.........but i haven't seen a single indication that JBD and Thomson won't be good NHLers.....and it's hard to imagine that Sanderson will flop
- sensarmy_11

Sanderson is going to be a beast

if you want to use single game samples to determine which team is better then have it.

by this logic:

det is better than tampa and wash

sea is better than minny

ott is better than tor
But please explain why they are not

SJ is better than tor


etc, etc, etc
- sensarmy_11

Well det is lower in the standings then tmp and wash
San jose may be a better team
Ottawa is .500 with toronto and is lower in the stands

I like the rosey outlook you have and agree its possible but right now all considering untrue.

But please convince me why they are not bottom 10. I would like to believe.

Sanderson is going to be a beast
- AdamFrench

watching him in the NCAA......he reminds me of Makar but with a mean streak

Well det is lower in the standings then tmp and wash
San jose may be a better team
Ottawa is .500 with toronto and is lower in the stands

I like the rosey outlook you have and agree its possible but right now all considering untrue.
- spazzbot

sure, RIGHT NOW, after 7 games or whatever......they are in 29th place........and if they win tonight they're tied for 19th.

look at my original post.....i said "by the end of the season this won't be a bottom 10 team". you can't judge RIGHT NOW because the sample sizes are too small

use the SJ game as an example....SJ won, but ottawa was the better team in that game....same with the ranger game.

the only game where ottawa was thoroughly beat was last night

I'm wondering how Sanderson, Thompson and Bernard-Docker would have any immediate impact as they would be brand new to the NHL game. I find it hard not imagining the leagues top forwards clobbering these kids in their own end. Would they also be able to turn up the offense enough to help out our pale forward group?

On coaching I agree with Kevin big time. Not necessarily on that Gus should have played this game to me that is meh. The team would not have seen that as a punishment to Gus at all. The problem comes when he punishes Tim Stutzle while ignoring that anyone with functioning eyeballs can see that Josh Brown and Mete do not belong in the lineup over even a struggling Brannstrom. I don't know what he sees in practice that would make him think that he should not be rolling Chabot-Zub, Holden-Brannstrom and Zaitsev-MDZ while they are healthy.


What is with Ottawa and getting prideful coaches that would rather be right than be winners. Remember when Guy Boucher was running Tom Pyatt on the first line... That was a decision that was repeatedly made.

sure, RIGHT NOW, after 7 games or whatever......they are in 29th place........and if they win tonight they're tied for 19th.

look at my original post.....i said "by the end of the season this won't be a bottom 10 team". you can't judge RIGHT NOW because the sample sizes are too small

use the SJ game as an example....SJ won, but ottawa was the better team in that game....same with the ranger game.

the only game where ottawa was thoroughly beat was last night
- sensarmy_11

I agree its young season. Close to 10% way through.But they have to beat all the teams you mentioned to be better then bottom 10.
Use the dallas game as an example .ottawa was well out played and won.
Actually you can use info right now to forecast. Its only going to get harder. And you start relying on other teams losing. Like tonight for them to make a quantum jump in the standings requires some losses
I still want to be convinced. Is it their D , goaltending, forwards , depth, coaching?that will elevate them?

In order for this Ottawa team to win a game they need both stellar goaltending and a big helping of puck luck. Take away either of those and that's all she wrote, and that's not going to change this year.

Once their D improves, and it will improve dramatically next year, and the young guys up front mature a bit this year this will be a much better team.

The problem will be in net. Dorion needs Murray to be the number one guy and that's probably going to be true at least till the end of next season so everyone just better get used to it.

I think we pick top ten next draft. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for a lottery win for a change.

I'm also thinking that guys like Norris and Stutzle might not be dreaming in Technicolor when it comes round to their next contracts and that will be very good for the team long term.

I disagree that they're a bottom 10 team. I don't think they're a playoff team yet, but by the end of the season i think they're comfortably outside of the bottom 10.

off the top of my head, they're better than:

buf, det, mtl, nj, chi, ari, dal, ana, sj, van, LA, sea

i'm sure they're are a couple of teams i missed, and a few more that they're probably neck and neck with.

i agree that they're stil rebuilding and aren't "there" yet......but they aren't picking in the top 10 this year unless they win teh draft lottery
- sensarmy_11

If you think the Wings are a bottom 10 then you should be thinking the Sens are too. Both are rebuilding and about the same in terms of missing pieces to be a playoff contender.

Wings are missing a #1 or #2 offensive center...so are the Sens. Wings are missing a top 4 defenseman or 2...so are the Sens. Wings are missing a smart coach that won't keep playing crappy slow defensemen over better options...so are the Sens. I think the Wings are better in net unless Murray is injured or not playing...then i would say it's probably a wash. Right now i would even say the Wings probably have better winger scoring depth than the Sens even though Vrana hasn't played a single game and Bertuzzi can't play in Canada. The Wings right side of their defense is much better than the Sens and the Sens left side is better than the Wings.

I'm wondering how Sanderson, Thompson and Bernard-Docker would have any immediate impact as they would be brand new to the NHL game. I find it hard not imagining the leagues top forwards clobbering these kids in their own end. Would they also be able to turn up the offense enough to help out our pale forward group?

On coaching I agree with Kevin big time. Not necessarily on that Gus should have played this game to me that is meh. The team would not have seen that as a punishment to Gus at all. The problem comes when he punishes Tim Stutzle while ignoring that anyone with functioning eyeballs can see that Josh Brown and Mete do not belong in the lineup over even a struggling Brannstrom. I don't know what he sees in practice that would make him think that he should not be rolling Chabot-Zub, Holden-Brannstrom and Zaitsev-MDZ while they are healthy.


What is with Ottawa and getting prideful coaches that would rather be right than be winners. Remember when Guy Boucher was running Tom Pyatt on the first line... That was a decision that was repeatedly made.
- TDBSenatoR

Depends. There are examples of players making the jump from College and having an immediate impact. Makar did so.

Now Makar is a very special player, but Sanderson has the pedidgree to maybe do similarly.

JBD will have a time to develop in the AHL and likely get some callups to help establish himself.

Thomson I think will need a bit more time than either.

In order for this Ottawa team to win a game they need both stellar goaltending and a big helping of puck luck. Take away either of those and that's all she wrote, and that's not going to change this year.

Once their D improves, and it will improve dramatically next year, and the young guys up front mature a bit this year this will be a much better team.

The problem will be in net. Dorion needs Murray to be the number one guy and that's probably going to be true at least till the end of next season so everyone just better get used to it.

I think we pick top ten next draft. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for a lottery win for a change.

I'm also thinking that guys like Norris and Stutzle might not be dreaming in Technicolor when it comes round to their next contracts and that will be very good for the team long term.
- Whatisavailable

Scoring Shane Wright would be a massive win for the organization. However, at some point, this team needs to show promise without another lottery pick player. There have been glimpses this season but not often enough.

Dorion has lots of pieces to be able to bring in a quality body or two. It's important to build through the draft, but that can't be the only avenue. Smart trades and signings escalate the rebuild process.

Dorion has lots of pieces to be able to bring in a quality body or two. It's important to build through the draft, but that can't be the only avenue. Smart trades and signings escalate the rebuild process.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Definitely agree - Zub is a perfect example of how valuable a well-conceived signing can be. I'd even say that Mete was a good move in terms of net value, but unfortunately it created conflict with another major asset. That's when you need to have the good sense to pull the trigger on a trade, while the value is still there... and unfortunately, Dorion has a relatively poor sense of this. However, the biggest failing has been in not finding ways to effectively weaponize the cap space... there's just been so much potential value left on the table.

With Murray as our starter and half of our D-core needing to be swapped out, we are going to put up some stinkers like this. Murray seems weak, physically and psychologically (from a sports perspective). He absolutely has the worst glove in the league, and it seems like he can get discouraged and kind of give up mid game. I think that they do need to take some caution with Gus, just because a full NHL season is a long haul, but in the games he has played in the NHL he looks ready. I think it is time to waive Forsberg, and go with a tandem of Gus and Murray.
For the D, man, Brown looks like Gudbransson 2.0, he will make the odd big hit, but he's slow and often out of position. Zaitsev seems to have lost a step this year. Mete might be getting dragged down, and DelZaster does not look like he still belongs in the NHL. I imagine we are stuck with them for this year though.

bad owner, make GM look/be bad that makes the coach look/be bad, it all starts at the top, no way is Murray going to be a back up at 6.5M no mater how good Gus plays.

Pretty standard coaching decision across the league, Murray is ready and had to come back some time. They're trying to win both games, putting him in was the smartest and safest move in terms of goaltending so that the other goalie was well rested for the other game. Fatigue is definitely an issue for goalies in today's game, it's going to be a long season, if Murray or the team didn't play well because of it, that's on them not the coach. Overall I just think the Hawks were due, plus, Kane was back and he looked dominant out there.
- 13sundin13

Yes, the Hawks were better and hungry but you don't put a goalie in because it's time. You put the best line up on the ice to win, game to game. So if you say, they are trying to win games, then your logic is flawed when looking at last night. Read my blog, Gus started 4 games in Ocotber, fatigue isn't an issue!

starting Murray wasn't the problem. i think it was the right call to give the chicago game to Murray....he's coming off IR, give him the weaker team with a fresher group in front of him. Give Gus (who i feel is the better goalie) the harder test in Minny.

the problem with this game, and it will continue to be a problem as we move forward, is that this team is icing a roster that only has 3 competent NHL dmen. Zaitsev and Brown are completely useless and Mete has been extremely underwhelming. I think Holden has been okay, but has been routinely dragged down by the whichever anchor he's paired with.

I don't care if we have Hasek in his prime between the pipes, that group of D is not capable of clearing the zone, and give up ridiculous amounts of high danger chances.

all i know is that Sanderson can't get here fast enough.

this summer, buy out Zaitsev, let Brown walk....next year

chabot/Zub
Sanderson/Holden
Branny/Thomson
MDZ ( )
- sensarmy_11

Sorry but this team isn't in a position to play a certain goalie against a team they deem weaker. The team was off all weekend, Gus started 4 games in October, if had had of had a shutout on Friday, I bet DJ starts him last night!!! Just saying. You ride the hot hand, end of story.

But as for defense, I agree with your takes! But this team needs someone to run the 2nd PP unit and Brannstrom is sitting down in Belleville. I don't think his defensive deficiencies are any worse than Brown and Zaitsev and at least he can carry the puck up the ice!

I feel Gus and Murray were going to split the back-to-back anyways, but the games could have been swapped. Considering all the distractions in Chicago, I was expecting a bit of a more competitive result. Flurey kept the Hawks in it early and then never looked back. I was surprised by the Sens lack of jump when they went down 2-0. To me that is a coaching issue.

Watching this team take face-offs is beyond frustrating. Not sure they have won a meaning face-off all year.

The powerplay needs to stop trying to be super cute. This team has some great shooters. Time to try the shot rather than try the perfect pass.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Agreed on the faceoffs, I think there have been 2 games in which Ottawa won that battle. Therefore not chasing the puck all game long! Brannstrom should be here running the 2nd PP unit, that way Chabot isn't out there for 2 minutes because nobody is capable outside of him. Not even Zub.

As for Gus and Murray, if Gus had've played and got a shutout, no way they split the 2 games. Plus like I said in my blog, Gus started 4 games in October, so fatigue isn't an issue. Just saying

Starting Murray.

A really tough call. What happens if they start Gus and he plays lights out again? And, if the pattern is repeated, the problem grows larger. An entry level goalie who can win. But a $6.5m guy who can't.

Pretty soon we have an asset that has no negotiable value.

I thought the Sens had a really strong first period. But, you could see the air come out of them with every goal Murray gave up.

No simple answers.
- spatso

I hear ya on that, but this team cant be looking ahead wondering if they are going to start a winning streak, you go game to game. This team isn't in that boat yet. Like I said in another comment, what if Gus shutout Dallas on Friday night, do you really think he doesn't start last night?

The bottom line is with this D, this team will struggle every night. Just wait until post X-mas when things heat up. Absent a competent trade for a legit top 4 Dman (to shelter Sanderson when he gets here and to get Zaitsev to under 8 minutes a game), this team will lose two games for every win. And so, I would be happy to have Gus in the AHL to develop with the young D down there and bide his time. Starting Murray was not surprising. He and Dorian are as committed to Murray as they can be since they handed him $25 plus million. It’s natural they would want him in there. And it wont change unless Murray’s glove hand gets worse. Let he and Forsberg run with it.

Kevin I am no huge fan of Smith and his odd reverence for Old Timey hockey for such a young and inexperienced coach. But IMHO it is waaaaaay too early to start speculating about a lost room. He is probably the lowest paid coach in the league. At some level, the players know what they are dealing with. The day may come, but given the never ending stream of “down and nearly out and never were” coaches we have endured here, why bother to think about a coaching change. This team will never invest in a top 10 coach.

Numbers for both players in a Sens uniform. Small sample size but.......
Filip Gustavsson -
2020-21 - 9 games - 5-1-2 .933%
2021-22 - 3 games - 2-1 .932%
Matt Murray -
2020-21 - 27 games - 10-13-1 .893%
2021-22 - 3 games - 0-2 .897%

Agreed on the faceoffs, I think there have been 2 games in which Ottawa won that battle. Therefore not chasing the puck all game long! Brannstrom should be here running the 2nd PP unit, that way Chabot isn't out there for 2 minutes because nobody is capable outside of him. Not even Zub.

As for Gus and Murray, if Gus had've played and got a shutout, no way they split the 2 games. Plus like I said in my blog, Gus started 4 games in October, so fatigue isn't an issue. Just saying
- Kevin Francis

I agree. Strong argument to reward Gus for a strong game and play him last night.

The bottom line is with this D, this team will struggle every night. Just wait until post X-mas when things heat up. Absent a competent trade for a legit top 4 Dman (to shelter Sanderson when he gets here and to get Zaitsev to under 8 minutes a game), this team will lose two games for every win. And so, I would be happy to have Gus in the AHL to develop with the young D down there and bide his time. Starting Murray was not surprising. He and Dorian are as committed to Murray as they can be since they handed him $25 plus million. It’s natural they would want him in there. And it wont change unless Murray’s glove hand gets worse. Let he and Forsberg run with it.

Kevin I am no huge fan of Smith and his odd reverence for Old Timey hockey for such a young and inexperienced coach. But IMHO it is waaaaaay too early to start speculating about a lost room. He is probably the lowest paid coach in the league. At some level, the players know what they are dealing with. The day may come, but given the never ending stream of “down and nearly out and never were” coaches we have endured here, why bother to think about a coaching change. This team will never invest in a top 10 coach.
- Helm

Not saying to fire the coach, but he needs to stick to what he says. Dont say you earn your icetime then demote Stutzle to the 4th line after Brady was awful last night but got a regular 1st line shift. He did the same with Formenton earlier in the season. There is a fine one with this coach, same goes for the defense. Enough is enough, he needs to do the same on defense. Stop giving Zaitsev big minutes, there is no reason Brannstrom shouldn't be given a 20 game shot, a sample size to see what they truly got. Heck at least he can carry the puck up the ice! I could go on and many others have about this but the bottom line is, DJ needs to act on what he preaches but he doesn't enough.

Plus this mantra of how they will be hard to play against, etc....that they will play so hard every night. Talk to any player or coach, every team plays hard, that mantra has to stop. Just coach! Last night, would've been a great spot to put Stutzle on the top line and demote Brady halfway through the game, it was clear Stutzle was far better on the night, but instead he does the reverse.