I'm a big fan of if it's not broke don't fix it. Tkachuk, Norris and Batherson have great chemistry and work very well together. I don't much like how Stutzle plays with Tkachuk because the only thing Stutzle seems to be thinking is how can I set up Tkachuk whereas Norris will take the shot.

Stutzle has not yet developed a style of play so trying to determine who would work well with him is impossible. For now I would just try Joseph and Formenton with Stutzle and see what I can find in the UFA market but that's because I don't have the resources and inside knowledge to make an intelligent trade.

Dubois had major issues in Columbus but seems to have found his game in Winnipeg but the Jets have problems so it's hard to tell if he has had anything to do with that. He's going to want a lot of money and personally I think the Sens already have their centers.

I think they need to force Smith to play Sanderson and Thomson because an improved D would do wonders for this team and that means absolutely getting rid of Zaitsev. Top priority. The problem will be that Smith will still have Hamonic, MDZ and Brannstrom to play with Chabot, Zub and Holden so those two kids will spend the year in Belleville if he gets his way.

I don't know who or how decisions about coaches and GMs will be made in the near future but my guess is Dorion and Smith are not going anywhere. Neither will Zaitsev be going anywhere. If Sanderson is awesome playing with the likes of Hamonic he might force Smith's hand with keeping him playing otherwise it's back to Belleville first mistake he makes. There must be another Hamonic out there Dorion can trade Thomson and our first round pick for so that solves the youth problem for Smith. Then all Dorion needs to do is massively overpay for a mediocre top six winger and his work will be done.

Sorry to be so negative. It's not that I don't think the team has fabulous potential but rather that I don't that either Smith or Dorion are even remotely capable of realizing that potential. Even worse I think Dorion is entirely capable of severely damaging that potential while he blindly flails around trying to save his job and career as a legitimate NHL GM. At least the worst Smith can do is play Zaitsev to death which at least will give us a good shot at a top ten pick next year again.
- Whatisavailable

Zaitsev is a curious study. Is the problem the player or the coach or a combination of the two? Maybe it is misperception on the part of fans?

He plays 18:59 per game, 5th amoung Sens Dmen behind Chabot, Zub, Holden and Brannstrom. He is -7 on his plus/minus ratio. He is behind Chabot -3, Zub +1 and Holden 0. But ahead of Brannstrom at -17. Thomson when he was up played 16 games, average 17:15 toi and was -8.

I don't know. But I wonder if part of the difficulty with Zaitsev is that he draws difficult match up minutes against tough line up situations? If he is able to slide down in the depth charts maybe he is okay for another year.

Zaitsev is a curious study. Is the problem the player or the coach or a combination of the two? Maybe it is misperception on the part of fans?

He plays 18:59 per game, 5th amoung Sens Dmen behind Chabot, Zub, Holden and Brannstrom. He is -7 on his plus/minus ratio. He is behind Chabot -3, Zub +1 and Holden 0. But ahead of Brannstrom at -17. Thomson when he was up played 16 games, average 17:15 toi and was -8.

I don't know. But I wonder if part of the difficulty with Zaitsev is that he draws difficult match up minutes against tough line up situations? If he is able to slide down in the depth charts maybe he is okay for another year.
- spatso

I didn't mind Zaitsev until last year. I think as you do that limited minutes on a third pairing would be OK but then you've got Hamonic playing higher up the lineup and he's just not that guy. Either you saddle Chabot with Hamonic or you do in your rookie, Sanderson, by dumping Hamonic on him. By playing both Zaitsev and Hamonic anywhere you block Thomson which is exactly what Smith will do. Very frustrating.

It is easy to forget how much fun you can have following a young team as they begin to demonstrate the potential of their talents. Sens will take a big step forward next year. But, I think, in terms of playoffs they will still come up a bit short.

Patience can be really hard. Being competitive is not the same as making the playoffs. Having a great regular season does not guarantee any team that they will go deep in the playoffs.

I watched the Leaf game last night. And, I just now, finished reading through the Leaf thread on this site. Tough. I am not popular with Leaf fans so I no longer comment. Indeed, if I were to merely say "hello" and nothing more I would be likely banned. Yet, I actually believe the Leafs are in a strong position and will likely pull through and finally win a first round.

But reading the Leaf thread this morning is brutal.

I don't think Leaf fans have been happy since the day they mortgaged the future of their young team by a signing the past prime John Tavares.

The fun and joy of watching a young team grow disappeared the moment they went all in on making winning the only acceptable alternative. Every season now ends in disappointment for Leaf fans. Hope Sens avoid making the same impatient mistakes

It is easy to forget how much fun you can have following a young team as they begin to demonstrate the potential of their talents. Sens will take a big step forward next year. But, I think, in terms of playoffs they will still come up a bit short.

Patience can be really hard. Being competitive is not the same as making the playoffs. Having a great regular season does not guarantee any team that they will go deep in the playoffs.

I watched the Leaf game last night. And, I just now, finished reading through the Leaf thread on this site. Tough. I am not popular with Leaf fans so I no longer comment. Indeed, if I were to merely say "hello" and nothing more I would be likely banned. Yet, I actually believe the Leafs are in a strong position and will likely pull through and finally win a first round.

But reading the Leaf thread this morning is brutal.

I don't think Leaf fans have been happy since the day they mortgaged the future of their young team by a signing the past prime John Tavares.

The fun and joy of watching a young team grow disappeared the moment they went all in on making winning the only acceptable alternative. Every season now ends in disappointment for Leaf fans. Hope Sens avoid making the same impatient mistakes
- spatso

The Tavares signing never made any sense to me. They must have thought the cap was going to rise quite a lot and they would absorb the 11 million but even so they needed D and a goalie more. Hard to understand why they did it other than public relations. Just like Elvis or Oprah they were giving everybody 11 million.

Islanders fire Barry Trotz.

Jacques Martin once said coaches are not nearly as important as others make them out to be. He explained when training camp starts the players will figure it out in terms of who the best players are and what works best together. Coach needs to be in tune with his best players and the mood of the dressing room.

He wasn't saying coaches are not important. He was stressing the importance of knowing where your players are at and where they want to go. A coach needs to reenforce on ice success and leadership.

Both Dorion and Smith stressed that the highlight of the post season interviews with Tkachuk and Chabot was their expressed desire of wanting to win now. But nobody reported on what they think they needed get to the next level. Whatever it is...give it to them. I think both these guys have the compete drive to be champions.

I get so confused by this organization, im hearing the wrong Pierre was fired today....
Havent heard or seen anything on a reason why.

REPORT: PIERRE MCGUIRE FIRED BY SENATORS

https://thehockeynews.com...mcguire-fired-by-senators

I don't know. But I wonder if part of the difficulty with Zaitsev is that he draws difficult match up minutes against tough line up situations? If he is able to slide down in the depth charts maybe he is okay for another year.
- spatso

There's no doubt that a big part of the issue with Zaitsev is how he's being played, which stems in large part from the absurd moniker of "elite d-man" they insist on bestowing upon him. If you could trust Smith to actually deploy Zaitsev as a #5/6 d-man with PK time, the situation might work out. And if you could trust Dorion to only have one underproducing veteran D on the roster at a time, the situation might work out. Unfortunately you can't trust Dorion/Smith to do either of those things, which is why you have to treat both like children, and physically remove their toys from the equation.

How good would it be to add Barry Trotz as coach, who could actually implement a coherent defensive system? They could have higher-skill d-men like Brannstrom & Thomson in the lineup more regularly, due to improved structural support from the forwards. Plus, his track record in Nashville was incredibly good in terms of developing high-end D-men, and getting the best results out of a very cap-sensitive roster.

How good would it be to add Barry Trotz as coach?
- khawk

I would support this signing. Would he come here? I believe he will probably have a few options. Also, would ownership be OK with paying DJ to stay home?

I would support this signing. Would he come here? I believe he will probably have a few options. Also, would ownership be OK with paying DJ to stay home?
- HoweHatrick

He certainly would have options. I mean, I'd be quite happy to see guys like Claude Julien & Alain Vigneault considered as well. Would be nice to see what a real NHL coach would be able to teach these young players.

REPORT: PIERRE MCGUIRE FIRED BY SENATORS

https://thehockeynews.com...mcguire-fired-by-senators
- HoweHatrick

There is tweet by David P saying the Isles are hiring McGuire to be their next head coach, but why fire him to allow him to leave for this opportunity. Nothing in this maes sense.

There is tweet by David P saying the Isles are hiring McGuire to be their next head coach, but why fire him to allow him to leave for this opportunity. Nothing in this maes sense.
- PuckPix

a lot of mis-information with this one.....he was a Eugene hire.....

Fire DJ Smith and Hire Barry Trotz (Cup win in 2018) !!

REPORT: PIERRE MCGUIRE FIRED BY SENATORS

https://thehockeynews.com...mcguire-fired-by-senators
- HoweHatrick

This is very strange since htey just hired him.

This is very strange since htey just hired him.
- david22

yea thinking the same

This is very strange since htey just hired him.
- david22

And he hasn't done anything since then. Or said anything, in fact. Weird hire to begin with. Also a weird firing, timing wise.

This is very strange since htey just hired him.
- david22

One has to imagine Dorion was never on board with bringing in McGuire, and now Melnyk, rest in peace, is out of the picture, I am sure Dorion feels a bit more empowered to make his thoughts known (as well as have increased clout and influence) with the Board. PM didn't have a multi-year contract and could be let go whenever, which suggests the Board (or the Melnyk girls) buys into Dorion's long term game plan. Had Pierre McGuire actually uttered a single word in public about his own intentions or thoughts about this team, we might be able to determine if this was a power struggle or a difference of opinion, but since McGuire has been completely invisible and silent since his hiring, we fans have zero point of reference outside of speculation. IMO, this totally makes sense. Guy couldn't get out of your face for years in the media, only to completely disappear once on a team payroll. What a dud and embarrassing blip in his career. I'll stick with the devil I know in Dorion.

Fire DJ Smith and Hire Barry Trotz (Cup win in 2018) !!
- AlfieisKing

yes please
pay whatever he asks

Can signing Letang as a ufa be a possibility to solve the RD problem in Ottawa?

Would give Ottawa a real nhl top 3 and a good Veteran presence who as a lot of playoff experience and a good pairing option for Sanderson

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson - Letang
Holden- Thomsson

7th D: Brannstrom
call-up: heaterington and JBD

Trade: zaitsev, Hamonic , MDZ

Can signing Letang as a ufa be a possibility to solve the RD problem in Ottawa?

Would give Ottawa a real nhl top 3 and a good Veteran presence who as a lot of playoff experience and a good pairing option for Sanderson

Chabot- Zub
Sanderson - Letang
Holden- Thomsson

7th D: Brannstrom
call-up: heaterington and JBD

Trade: zaitsev, Hamonic , MDZ
- other_spartacat

sounds great but you'd have to overpay (in dollars and years likely) to get Letang and moving all three of those would be highly unlikely. Plus it seems the current management is 'happy' with the D they've put together, So I think we're stuck with what we've got (already too many D, mostly bottom pairing).

sounds great but you'd have to overpay (in dollars and years likely) to get Letang and moving all three of those would be highly unlikely. Plus it seems the current management is 'happy' with the D they've put together, So I think we're stuck with what we've got (already too many D, mostly bottom pairing).
- CooCooKaChoo

They need some big bodies back there our defence is soft as jello need a couple players who’s gonna punish players who no idea
But all of Zeitsev MDZ Brannstrom Hamonic maybe even Holden even tho I like him 🤷‍♂️ Has to go
I’d have
Chabot Zub
Sanderson ?????
Heatherington Thomson
JBD

Can signing Letang as a ufa be a possibility to solve the RD problem in Ottawa?
Would give Ottawa a real nhl top 3 and a good Veteran presence who as a lot of playoff experience and a good pairing option for Sanderson
- other_spartacat

It really depends on what kind of element they believe is missing, which will most effectively support Chabot/Sanderson. Adding a high-quality veteran offensive D-man has made a major impact twice in the Senators' history (Duchene, Gonchar), and in both cases it was great to have a veteran presence to bolster the PP and bring some experience to the roster. If they think Letang would fit that bill, then I'd have no problem with that. If they're looking for more of a defensive support, I'd also think that someone like Manson might be worth consideration, in more of a Methot/Phillips type shut-down capacity.

Indeed strange the Mcguire fire. I had no idea until today that he was head of player developement. I wasnt in for him becoming the next head coach but surely they could have used his hockey brain somewhere.

They need some big bodies back there our defence is soft as jello need a couple players who’s gonna punish players who no idea
But all of Zeitsev MDZ Brannstrom Hamonic maybe even Holden even tho I like him 🤷‍♂️ Has to go
I’d have
Chabot Zub
Sanderson ?????
Heatherington Thomson
JBD
- sens4life1971

I don’t disagree, but realistically this team is not picking up another dman and will get rid of at most one. Dorion has made his bed on the back end and either wants to or has to ($) lie in it.

I’d prefer to hope for a top six pickup because that might actually happen.

Sadly, they will miss His butt-sniffing talent.