Michael Stuart: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Senators Fall Apart, Drop 4-1 Decision to Jets

We just came out flat... I’d love to see a mostly kids lineup one day... Formenton, Stützle, Brannstrom, Wolanin and Brown all jumping in and letting the vets fight to get back into the lineup...

Goodbye to the Stepan, Coburn, Anisimov, Paquette, Reilly and Watson experiments...

Seriously, give the kids like three games and see how they do...

Quick, trade Zaitsev half retained for actual assets, while we can.

Just way too slow. Cannot get puck out of their own end.

I just hope that the starting goalie gets named through merit and not contract....
I liked the deal to bring Murray in, but hated the $ and term; especially after the season he had and the organization's prospect pool at the position. If he keeps adding to his large sample size (why are we pretending that last season didn't happen?) - then hopefully we don't protect him and Seattle grabs him. I'd hate to see the Sens move on from prospects due to budget issues while he has a 6.25 AAV.

While I understand why everyone wants to see the young guys play more minutes & they're okay with them making mistakes (and learning from them), I don't think it's just a matter of DJ simply not trusting them. A lot of discussion is going around that DJ needs to trust the young guys more & give them more ice time, but has anyone considered that he's shielding them a bit. I'm guessing most have, but there is a fine line between giving them too much ice time if they can't handle it while they're young. I'd hate to see these young guys get frustrated & lose confidence...their confidence needs to be managed as well.
Personally I think it's still early...DJ is getting to know a lot of players in a short amount of time. He's not going to dismiss PD's plan with depth players...they're treating every one of these guys as assets, particularly those with higher long term value, and handling with care. Ultimately I agree the young guys deserve to be counted on more, especially with important minutes, but give it time...I believe it will happen.

Michael Stuart: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Senators Fall Apart, Drop 4-1 Decision to Jets
- Michael_Stuart

It is still way too early in the season- remember, that alot of the second wave of prospects will be coming (ie. Brannstrom, Formenton, Brown). Stutzle, Norris, Batherson are all on the roster and have been great so far. Alot of stop gap veterans will be offloaded after (or during) the season and the future core of this team will start to take shape.

People stilll want to trade for Dubois?

He was benched for most of the game last night, due to playing lazy and not trying at all.

Seems like he really wants to be traded. One has to wonder if Ottawa is a big enough market (compared to Columbus) for him to be happy, or if what he really wants is to play in the spotlight of real big market, like Montreal.

But the cost to trade for him likely just took a big hit.

People stilll want to trade for Dubois?

He was benched for most of the game last night, due to playing lazy and not trying at all.

Seems like he really wants to be traded. One has to wonder if Ottawa is a big enough market (compared to Columbus) for him to be happy, or if what he really wants is to play in the spotlight of real big market, like Montreal.

But the cost to trade for him likely just took a big hit.
- david22

I don't know, he's still very young and an aircraft carrier of a centre. It would be Duchene 2.0 really (same contract time). We would have to be get him on an extension I think to make it worth it. I think ideally Calgary or Montreal would be the best landing spots. Both are in competitive windows and could use a 1A/B centre

I didn't watch the game, but I just looked at the ice time. They are all messed up because Ottawa had so many penalties. Nick Paul had the most ice-time of any forward (on Ottawa) because he spent over 5 minutes on the ice killing penalties. Chabot only had 20 minutes, haha.

Jets were 0-7 on the powerplay, so good job penalty killers!

We just came out flat... I’d love to see a mostly kids lineup one day... Formenton, Stützle, Brannstrom, Wolanin and Brown all jumping in and letting the vets fight to get back into the lineup...

Goodbye to the Stepan, Coburn, Anisimov, Paquette, Reilly and Watson experiments...

Seriously, give the kids like three games and see how they do...
- riceroni

I feel this happens with every version of every Sens team in the last 10 years. As much as I'd also like to see more young players in the lineup, I don't see an issue with keeping some out of the lineup right now. If this is still happening by game 30, I think that puts the coach in the hot seat. I suspect the coach wants, Tkachuk, Batherson, Norris, etc to get going consistently so they can be relied on before throwing more young blood out on the ice. We are still rebuilding and this will be a progression.

Well, that was pretty much a total $hit show... and it could actually have been worse, considering the PP numbers. Hopefully it doesn't become a trend for this team to have a competitive 1st game against a new team, but then get badly outplayed in the 2nd/3rd games... because that's basically how the entire season is structured.

A few player thoughts...

Murray - I know it's early, but I'm not getting a good vibe. He plays the first shot pretty well, but his lateral movement is way too slow. Hogberg absolutely needs to start the next game against Winnipeg to change up the look, and then maybe start every 2nd game afterwards for a while.

Galchenyuk - still think he needs to see more ice time... maybe try locking him in on a scoring line with Stepan-Dadonov to spark some offense, and give Dadonov some better options out there as well.

Wolanin - needs to be playing to increase the puck-moving ability from the back-end... at least in a 3rd pairing role with one of Coburn/Brown.

well between here and the Team we are all in agreement about who needs to come in and OUT of the line up.
The best one I heard this morning was someone calling the coach "Boucher" for playing the veterans.

I feel bad for CW. They're mismanaging this asset badly.

Where is Erik Brannstrom?? Did he not return to practise 2 weeks ago. Also Lassi Thompson I understood Dorion took him over Heinola in 2019 due to his size and maturity..

Bad game all around. Not sure you can dwell on it too much. Jets def came to play and improved on their mistakes in the previous game.

Murray has just been ok so far but last night didn’t not do anything to silent critics. He did own up that the first goal should never happen. When he was in Pittsburgh, he would get hot and cold. When he is hot, he is right up there with the top goalies, but the consistency hasn’t been there in his career. Hopefully, that is something he can fix here in Ottawa. Lots of time. People pulling for Hogberg should realize that Murray is the guy, unless Hogberg has made significant strides that no one knows about. Hogberg will get his starts with the condensed schedule.

Colin White to me was disappointing. He didn’t play with a heck of a lot of urgency (granted the whole team really didn’t) and took a very silly retaliation penalty. He didn’t look like a guy who was playing for a spot in the lineup. Will be interesting to see he gets a spot for a few games to try and generate something.

Overall, I am ok keeping some of the kids out of the lineup for veterans. I think part of the plan may be to have Tkachuk, Norris, and Batherson really get going before you add more young blood. Progressively add to the line up as the season goes. This is a rebuild. It won’t be fast. This lineup should look different at game 30. If not, and the team struggles like last night, there might be a lot of questions to be answered. Remain patient for now though.

Bad game all around. Not sure you can dwell on it too much. Jets def came to play and improved on their mistakes in the previous game.

Murray has just been ok so far but last night didn’t not do anything to silent critics. He did own up that the first goal should never happen. When he was in Pittsburgh, he would get hot and cold. When he is hot, he is right up there with the top goalies, but the consistency hasn’t been there in his career. Hopefully, that is something he can fix here in Ottawa. Lots of time. People pulling for Hogberg should realize that Murray is the guy, unless Hogberg has made significant strides that no one knows about. Hogberg will get his starts with the condensed schedule.

Colin White to me was disappointing. He didn’t play with a heck of a lot of urgency (granted the whole team really didn’t) and took a very silly retaliation penalty. He didn’t look like a guy who was playing for a spot in the lineup. Will be interesting to see he gets a spot for a few games to try and generate something.

Overall, I am ok keeping some of the kids out of the lineup for veterans. I think part of the plan may be to have Tkachuk, Norris, and Batherson really get going before you add more young blood. Progressively add to the line up as the season goes. This is a rebuild. It won’t be fast. This lineup should look different at game 30. If not, and the team struggles like last night, there might be a lot of questions to be answered. Remain patient for now though.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I think Smith's message and head games are starting to wear thin. He's slowly loosing the room. Players seem indifferent.

So, safe to assume that Paquette and Coburn are not working out?

So, safe to assume that Paquette and Coburn are not working out?
- GalacticStone

many people are not working out at the moment but the problem is that certain players haven't been slotted or placed properly. Part of it is coaching, part of it is probably 12 players playing their 1st season with the Sens (Stutzle, Norris, Batherson being rookies)

Where is Erik Brannstrom?? Did he not return to practise 2 weeks ago. Also Lassi Thompson I understood Dorion took him over Heinola in 2019 due to his size and maturity..
- Lanny88

Ya man, fair questions. Sens need to start developing their D! Thomson, Brannstrom, Bernard Docker need to develop to support Sanderson and Chabot

Ya man, fair questions. Sens need to start developing their D! Thomson, Brannstrom, Bernard Docker need to develop to support Sanderson and Chabot
- AlfieisKing

I agree but I think the time for that is next year, after the Seattle draft and during a normal season, after a normal trading camp and exhibition games.

I think this season is write off. I just want to see some development and progress and be given some hope this year

I agree but I think the time for that is next year, after the Seattle draft and during a normal season, after a normal trading camp and exhibition games.

I think this season is write off. I just want to see some development and progress and be given some hope this year
- GrimmdaGoalie

I don't understand why there is not a move to challenge some of the young D.

Right now the D is slow and unskilled. At the same time you have young skilled Dmen not even playing. Next year you will be adding JBD, Sanderson, Thomson and Brannstrom into the mix. I assume there is some kind of master plan. But right now, it appears to me the Sens are operating out of a sense of delusion.