Only common sense can’t sit them and think to have teams wanting them have to showcase get something for them never know could be a hidden jewel in a late pick lol I’m ok with playing them … now after the trade deadline then yes I agree 💯 with you youngsters need to be playing … plus why isn’t Del Zotto not up here playing 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️
- sens4life1971

I'm wondering about MDZ not getting brought up myself, especially with the recent sicknesses on the blue line. Maybe it's because they're worried he wouldn't clear waivers again? Hearken back to 2015-2016, Flyers stuck Andrew MacDonald in the minors and he too was a PPG player. Now he's in Switzerland. Point is, if we don't bring MDZ up and see if that minors success translates in the NHL, we can probably forget moving him - GMs know that lots of one sided offensive Dmen thrive in the A while being total liabilities in the N. If the Sens think bolstering his minor numbers will make him a more attractive trade piece, they are making a mistake.

I was hoping to see Logan Brown back in the lineup for STL with more injuries, but again today, he is a healthy scratch! It looks more and more like Ottawa will have to give up that draft pick as part of the deal as he wont hit 30 games played this year, he needs another 12 games.
- Kevin Francis

Unless LB performed total gangbusters I suspected this was STL's plan all along. Even if he picks up his game and goes ppg those last 12 games, dollars to donuts they make him a healthy scratch to get the pick. Why not? It'll probably be in the top 100.

But no doubt when he has a give away in his third or fourth game back on a very difficult road trip Simmer will be ALL OVER White and fire up the engines on the "Buy Out Colin White" train.
- Octavarium

I'm with you on White being an NHLer. I think the 'buy out CW' dialogue is relevant only because he's 25 this offseason and if bought out, the cost is only 1/3 of the contract's remaining value. As soon as he hits 26, the buyout will cost the team 2/3 of the remaining contract, so if you're gonna do it, it makes sense to do it now as opposed to a year later. For an owner who counts nickels, it might make sense to do if this oft-injured player doesn't seriously pick up his game for the remainder of the season.

^^^^^^that is a very good point^^^^^^


Additionally on MDZ...wouldn't it be a GOOD thing to have him get plucked off waivers to get that next 2m$ season off the books?

^^^^^^that is a very good point^^^^^^


Additionally on MDZ...wouldn't it be a GOOD thing to have him get plucked off waivers to get that next 2m$ season off the books?
- Octavarium

Yes bring him up play a handful of game see if theirs a trade if not place on wavers and hope lol
Now if ya wanna buyout someone make Zeitsev not white 🤦‍♂️

I seem to be a much bigger supporter of Colin White than most... in large part, because I value players who can effectively play both C/W. Far too many teams go crazy trading for mediocre depth C, when they really should just have a couple of versatile W/C like this in the system (e.g. Ridley Greig looks like a future candidate). Plus, there are few players on the roster I can think of with more untapped potential... let him support Pinto the way Paul has helped Stutzle, and then see if he might not be able to move up into Brown's RW spot in the next year or two (who I very much doubt they'll be able to afford beyond next season).

Not much more to be said.
Coach is a weeny who is gonna stubbornly do it "his way" until the 1990's style fail catches up with him and he gets fired. But seriously. Out maneuvered by a guy who's coached no higher than pee-wee says it all. It validates all the fan complaints and criticism. It suggests that I....yes ME....could get behind that bench and play those lines better than him. I've been running the same 2 pairs of defense all year in my pee wee C house team. Chemistry, strengths, weaknesses, I identified early. Bam. I have competent defense.

And I have been bullish on Colin White. I'm not saying he'll ever live up to his contract, but I don't think he'll be far off. But instead of pumping his tires lets rip him again. And I'll call out bozo Simmer on the team. "oh I wasn't really watching him". Of course you weren't. But no doubt when he has a give away in his third or fourth game back on a very difficult road trip Simmer will be ALL OVER White and fire up the engines on the "Buy Out Colin White" train.
- Octavarium

I'm hoping to be able to write something pretty BIG about what happened in the dressing room after some of the leaders on this team found out what DJ said...what players told my source....."a back handed comment about Colin" ......don't kid yourself folks, the players aren't all in on DJ!

But you layed out it....very cut and dry when talking about the minor hockey team you coach.....the problem with DJ and what many have been telling me for months now, they said common sense needs to start to prevail in his hockey world or he will have a short shelf life as an NHL HC!

As for Colin White, why didn't the coach critique the endless lazy play of many vets on this team.....Tierney, Sanford, Zaitsev, JBrown.....its getting really juvenile with this coach and management.....has had a few talks with him!

I seem to be a much bigger supporter of Colin White than most... in large part, because I value players who can effectively play both C/W. Far too many teams go crazy trading for mediocre depth C, when they really should just have a couple of versatile W/C like this in the system (e.g. Ridley Greig looks like a future candidate). Plus, there are few players on the roster I can think of with more untapped potential... let him support Pinto the way Paul has helped Stutzle, and then see if he might not be able to move up into Brown's RW spot in the next year or two (who I very much doubt they'll be able to afford beyond next season).
- khawk

Well said! Plus, if you buy out White, then you are going to spend 2 million to bring in a competent veteran because at 25, White is a vet now.....if the team wants to take a jump forward next year, they will need vets on this team, not subtract White or Paul.

^^^^^^that is a very good point^^^^^^


Additionally on MDZ...wouldn't it be a GOOD thing to have him get plucked off waivers to get that next 2m$ season off the books?
- Octavarium

Yes, exactly! What does management have to lose when you have "skating in sand JBrown playing every night"?????

Unless LB performed total gangbusters I suspected this was STL's plan all along. Even if he picks up his game and goes ppg those last 12 games, dollars to donuts they make him a healthy scratch to get the pick. Why not? It'll probably be in the top 100.
- Bartacus

True, but I thought with the latest injury he would slide into the lineup right away. STL wont send him down as they know someone will claim him off waivers. So now Logan Brown is sitting for weeks, no games played!

Stutzle needs a legitimate RW to bring up his goals 🤷‍♂️
As for the other 3
Tkachuk on pace for 25 goal
Norris was on pace for 40 goals
Batherson was in pace for 30+ goals
I have no fear of these 4 players scoring goals lol 🤙
- sens4life1971

Yup, Stutzle needs someone for sure, plus some health would help so then teams cant focus on the Sens top line so easily as teams know they don't have much else scoring if you shut down that top line!

I'm hoping to be able to write something pretty BIG about what happened in the dressing room after some of the leaders on this team found out what DJ said...what players told my source....."a back handed comment about Colin" ......don't kid yourself folks, the players aren't all in on DJ!

But you layed out it....very cut and dry when talking about the minor hockey team you coach.....the problem with DJ and what many have been telling me for months now, they said common sense needs to start to prevail in his hockey world or he will have a short shelf life as an NHL HC!

As for Colin White, why didn't the coach critique the endless lazy play of many vets on this team.....Tierney, Stafford, Zaitsev, JBrown.....its getting really juvenile with this coach and management.....has had a few talks with him!
- Kevin Francis

Others inside the org have stated they feel Kastelic should be with the team right now and not Parker Kelly, but Kelly is yet again one of DJ's favs.....it's like being Grade 4 with this coach, playing favs!

That is quite a stat. As an outsider, I never would've thought that. I would think all 4 of those players hit 25G in a season if healthy. Tkachuk missed training camp and the first few games of the season too.

I just finished watching Bruce Boudreau in his postgame presser. As I'm capping the games for my puckpiz blog with Vancouver at NJ tonight. Even when things don't go well, this guy never throws a player under the bus. I really think the coach you guys have will not get this team to a playoff level. He criticizes his players to the media when he should be the one taken to task more often than not.
- PuckPix

To add to your comment on this.....watching the Leafs presser on Saturday night after the 10-7 fiasco, Sheldon Keefe chose not hang out his defense or gaolies, or poor defensive play by the forwards....instead he praised the good things that got the game turned around! WOW what a concept....maybe DJ loving Toronto Maple Leafs should take a cue from his close friend when it comes to how to handle your players!!!

Others inside the org have stated they feel Kastelic should be with the team right now and not Parker Kelly, but Kelly is yet again one of DJ's favs.....it's like being Grade 4 with this coach, playing favs!
- Kevin Francis

I’d take Kastelic over Kelly anytime you need some big bodies that can punish players and Kastelic is that guy , plus he can keep up in play and not to bad of stick handling 👍

Others inside the org have stated they feel Kastelic should be with the team right now and not Parker Kelly, but Kelly is yet again one of DJ's favs.....it's like being Grade 4 with this coach, playing favs!
- Kevin Francis[/quote

Is this one of the reasons Pierre Mcguire was brought in for as another set of eyes and voice?

Strangely we haven't heard from Mcguire at all...

I’d take Kastelic over Kelly anytime you need some big bodies that can punish players and Kastelic is that guy , plus he can keep up in play and not to bad of stick handling 👍
- sens4life1971

Plus many scouts have said Kastelic's hockey IQ is far greater than that of Kelly too! But I'm with you on that!!!

[quote=Kevin Francis]Others inside the org have stated they feel Kastelic should be with the team right now and not Parker Kelly, but Kelly is yet again one of DJ's favs.....it's like being Grade 4 with this coach, playing favs!
- Nimm[/quote

Is this one of the reasons Pierre Mcguire was brought in for as another set of eyes and voice?

Strangely we haven't heard from Mcguire at all...

Great point, I have been harping on it since December how silent PM has been. He did a radio hit on the 1st intermission of a BSens about a month ago. Since training camp he hasn't said a single on Ottawa radio after PD said in July when he was hired that he would do more of the media stuff as fans didn't want to hear from him as much! Its been the exact opposite. There's a true power struggle in the org right now with those two! I know PM has been largely on the opposite side of many things that PD and DJ do....

Well said! Plus, if you buy out White, then you are going to spend 2 million to bring in a competent veteran because at 25, White is a vet now.....if the team wants to take a jump forward next year, they will need vets on this team, not subtract White or Paul.
- Kevin Francis

Buying out White would be really dumb, he is the first of the new crop of players to sign long term with OTT showing commitment to a team that was rebuilding, and there are 2 other players on Sens far more deserving of a buyout than White, Zeitsev and Murray.

Buying out White would be really dumb, he is the first of the new crop of players to sign long term with OTT showing commitment to a team that was rebuilding, and there are 2 other players on Sens far more deserving of a buyout than White, Zeitsev and Murray.
- Mithos

There is no way they will! I have been told from various people in the org they wont be doing it! Plus like you said, there are 2 others more deserving of being bought out. Plus they can only buyout one player as you can only have 2 players on your cap as buyouts at once, they still have Bobby Ryan on for 2 more years!

I don't see any pressing need to buy out anybody at this point so I don't see why anybody would be talking about it.

What I worry about is if next year we have a coach that insists on playing people that have no future with the team and burying people who should be playing because he doesn't understand that they would be the future. This coach has been doing this for two years and I don't think he is going to change. Everybody sees it. If we need to buy somebody out it is Smith.

There is so much potential with this team but I don't think Smith is the guy to bring that potential to fruition because he does not seem to tolerate any player whose strengths to not mesh with his idea of how a player should play and if you don't turn yourself into that guy he will bench you.

You don't win anything with a team of grinders.

I don't see any pressing need to buy out anybody at this point so I don't see why anybody would be talking about it.

What I worry about is if next year we have a coach that insists on playing people that have no future with the team and burying people who should be playing because he doesn't understand that they would be the future. This coach has been doing this for two years and I don't think he is going to change. Everybody sees it. If we need to buy somebody out it is Smith.

There is so much potential with this team but I don't think Smith is the guy to bring that potential to fruition because he does not seem to tolerate any player whose strengths to not mesh with his idea of how a player should play and if you don't turn yourself into that guy he will bench you.

You don't win anything with a team of grinders.
- Whatisavailable

Well said and many think this believe it or not inside the org. They have tried getting the message through to DJ in soft ways, but come this summer they wont be soft about it, he will be issued an ultimatum, I know it from who I have talked too. If Eugene lets PM get his way, PD and DJ wont have there way anymore with how the team and overall org is ran. DJ's acti is growing thin.....I am telling you, poop hit the fan after Saturdays postgame presser with some of the players.....this locker room loves Colin White and some were very angered by DJ's comments about White in his game back!!!

You don't win anything with a team of grinders.
- Whatisavailable

Your 4th line does that for you! I was told a while ago that DJ got more excited about Stutzle getting into a fight than he does when Stu lights it up offensively....behind closed doors! There lies your problem with DJ!!

Finally got my new piece ready to go about the Sens UFA's. I will post it no later than lunch on Tuesday!

I know I mentioned Debrusk in a previous blog on here, sorry to hijack your blog Kevin. But Debrusk had a hat trick tonight. This guy is on fire. Do Sens fans want him now considering the tear he's on over the last few games?

Great discussion, even better that the folks posting on here hold the coach and players accountable when need be. More fan bases need to be like this.