Nice win against the Rangers. I still think this team may be able to grab a wildcard spot IF they can get some consistency... but it will be tough in the Atlantic. They need another team or two to go into a tailspin. It's just weird how few games Ottawa has played. They have the talent IMO... just not sure about the coaching as I don't follow the team closely. Do you guys want to get rid of Smith ??

Jacques Martin hired as a senior advisor to the Senators. I think its a good move adding someone who can teach everyone how to be more defensively oriented.
- OttawaB

List of players Jacques Martin has coached

Assistant
Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Owen Nolan, Adam Foote, Patrick Roy, Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, Chris Kreider, Olli Jokinen, Jay Bouwmeester, Joe Nieuwendyk

Head Coach
Doug Gilmour, Mark Hunter, Brett Hull, Mats Sundin, Guy Lafleur, Alexei Yashin, Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Wade Redden, Zdeno Chara, Steve Duchesne, Marian Hossa, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Chris Phillips, Mike Fisher, Scott Gomez, Max Pacioretty, PK Subban

Probably missed some, pretty impressive

Jacques Martin is 71 years old. I think his days of full-time coaching/assistant are done. Senior advisor to the coaching staff is probably a great position to give input and lessons without the travelling of the coaching staff.

However, I think this is ownership and Staios telling the coaching staff that defensive coverage is currently not good enough. So, while a coaching change is not imminent, the powers that be are saying they are not happy.

Drake Batherson has 17 points in 20 games so far. What's funny - I think offensively he's not even close to what he should be.

I see a guy that can score 30 goals and 70-75 points a year - with being a strong two-way player the way he was in junior

Jacques Martin is 71 years old. I think his days of full-time coaching/assistant are done. Senior advisor to the coaching staff is probably a great position to give input and lessons without the travelling of the coaching staff.

However, I think this is ownership and Staios telling the coaching staff that defensive coverage is currently not good enough. So, while a coaching change is not imminent, the powers that be are saying they are not happy.
- OttawaB

100% agree.

De jacques vu

I think the Jacques Martin move is a great hire. I'm hoping DJ will listen to what JM has to say.

I think the Jacques Martin move is a great hire. I'm hoping DJ will listen to what JM has to say.
- Panzer_IVA

100%

De jacques vu
- spazzbot

Nice one

did the sens decide to ice their AHL team for the 2nd period?

Sens should be frustrated with this one. Hot goalie but c'mon.

They HAVE to win against Red Wings in regulation.

Two great hockey games back to back.

Sens should be frustrated with this one. Hot goalie but c'mon.

They HAVE to win against Red Wings in regulation.
- AlfieisKing

Offensively you did enough to win but ran into a hot goalie. Great forecheck and neutral zone play.
Defensively not so much after the 1st period.
Your goaltending was just so so.

Two great hockey games back to back.
- spatso

I concur , it is hard to be upset with the loss. They are playing tighter.

I would say though, one big save on that 4th goal was needed. The sens need a goalie to step up and steal some games or at the very least make some timely big saves

Offensively you did enough to win but ran into a hot goalie. Great forecheck and neutral zone play.
Defensively not so much after the 1st period.
Your goaltending was just so so.
- Rang

Good analysis. Yes, Woll played great but the defensive lapses that we see every game were there yet again. Especially the turn over leading to the Nylander goal breaking their chance at a comeback.

Forsberg could have played better but I would put the bulk of the blame on the defense.

Good analysis. Yes, Woll played great but the defensive lapses that we see every game were there yet again. Especially the turn over leading to the Nylander goal breaking their chance at a comeback.

Forsberg could have played better but I would put the bulk of the blame on the defense.
- david22

I think if you keep playing at that level you are a playoff team.
I hope so that would be good for the city of Ottawa and to restore the rivalry with the Battle of Ontario

We have several games in hand and a positive goal differential at +4. Consider the Capitals have 7 more points with only 2 extra games played, but have a -14. I suspect we'll see some standings improvement when the games played hits parity, but it does show that this team has been remarkably unlucky for years now. At some point the law of averages says it should change. The TSN panel, Methot in particular, noted this team has really solid stretches but has these momentary brain lapses in play that almost always end with a puck in our net (last night it was a horrible line change). Unfortunately for DJ, that's coaching.

Jiri Smejkal NHL debut.

This is a must win in regulation game. BIG game

Perron is going to get a couple games for that one wow....it looked like Kelly's punch knocked Larkin out, not Joseph's.

what a pathetically soft goal let in by Korpisalo...and he still have 4 more years on that contract. he is the jack campbel of the east

Really solid game. Sens have been very good over their last four games. Korpisalo gave them NHL goaltending tonight.

I don't care if they make the playoffs, I just want them to be part of the conversation after Christmas.

Good game tonight. Some running around in the defensive zone at times ..... on a failed clear attemp but then done properly on second try. Nothing too egregious. I did not like the run and gun in the first period by both teams. Buttoned it down in the 2nd and 3rd. Korpisalo had a very tidy game .. did what he had to do. Kane's goal was a goal scorers goal ... hard for most goalies to snag that one.

This seemed like a nice tidy, calm and efficient game by the Sens. Finally scored 2 PPG in the same game. Seems like everyone in contributing. Fingers crossed, but maybe JBD has finally found (or is developing) his NHL game ... the defence playing time was nicely spread around.

JBD's "arrival" as a legit NHL d-man has, I think, allowed the Sens to play more limited minutes for Hamonic.
JBD is doing more hitting and shot blocking .... something Hamonic did. But Hamonic's play has noticeably declined which leads me to wonder why Dorion had to sign him to a 2 year deal instead of 1 year. (Same question I had with the MacEwen signing of 3 years). While these contracts are not onerous, I have to wonder if any NHL team was looking to sign either of these guys for more then a year?
As I mentioned earlier .... I think Hamonic is a buyout at some point, and MacEwen they just put in the AHL for the final 2 years. Smejkal looked okay in this call up. He is a good big body with some skill. As he acclimates to the NHL I expect he may see more penalty kill time (something he did in the Euro leagues). I think his size will be welcome on the next set of games .... Carolina, St Louis, Dallas, Vegas, Colorado, Arizona, and then closing out Dec. with Pittsburgh, Toronto, New Jersey and Buffalo. That is a difficult stretch of 10 games. A 5-5 record would be minimal, not ideal, but not horrible. A bad stretch through here will be killer to playoff hopes. At this point it is a matter of survival. We need goaltending and good defensive structure.

On the GM vantage point .... anyone get the impression that we are looking at someone like Darche or Horcoff (assistant GM's with Tampa and Detroit). But Tampa and Detroit are not letting us interview them during the season.

JBD's "arrival" as a legit NHL d-man has, I think, allowed the Sens to play more limited minutes for Hamonic.
JBD is doing more hitting and shot blocking .... something Hamonic did. But Hamonic's play has noticeably declined which leads me to wonder why Dorion had to sign him to a 2 year deal instead of 1 year. (Same question I had with the MacEwen signing of 3 years). While these contracts are not onerous, I have to wonder if any NHL team was looking to sign either of these guys for more then a year?
As I mentioned earlier .... I think Hamonic is a buyout at some point, and MacEwen they just put in the AHL for the final 2 years. Smejkal looked okay in this call up. He is a good big body with some skill. As he acclimates to the NHL I expect he may see more penalty kill time (something he did in the Euro leagues). I think his size will be welcome on the next set of games .... Carolina, St Louis, Dallas, Vegas, Colorado, Arizona, and then closing out Dec. with Pittsburgh, Toronto, New Jersey and Buffalo. That is a difficult stretch of 10 games. A 5-5 record would be minimal, not ideal, but not horrible. A bad stretch through here will be killer to playoff hopes. At this point it is a matter of survival. We need goaltending and good defensive structure.

On the GM vantage point .... anyone get the impression that we are looking at someone like Darche or Horcoff (assistant GM's with Tampa and Detroit). But Tampa and Detroit are not letting us interview them during the season.
- OttawaB

A+

I think they know exactly who they want as a GM but it would be too disruptive all around to move forward with a hire at this time.

Sens played .600 hockey last 10 games. If they continue at same pace over the balance of season they finish with 94 points. Would be toss up if that is enough points for playoff appearance.