Michael Stuart: Eight Reasons to Watch the Ottawa Senators in 2020-21

All are good points. I would like to chime in on the first two though.

1) It will be interesting to see how many players from this draft jump to the nhl. Personally if I was running a team I think it would depend on how many games are played next season. If it’s only going to be a half year I would say keep them down unless they are way too good for the league they’re in. If a player only looks borderline ready in the 9 games they get send them back. No point in burning a year of ELC for a half year as long as it doesn’t hurt development.

2) I agree in that smith did a great job with the sens this year. You want to look at the difference between a bad team with a bad coach and a bad team with a good coach try comparing the sens and wings’ years. Also I can’t remember the exact results of my research but I do recall commenting on here that most of the sens losses were a combination of OT losses and 1 goal regulation losses. Despite a terrible team on paper the sens were in many games that had bounces gone their way they could have won. That doesn’t happen for a team like that without good coaching.

It is my opinion that there are some great coaches who’ve been gifted good teams for them. The best coaches adapt their methods to the roster they’re given. Barry Trotz is a great example, he coached Nashville, Washington and the isles all different ways because of what he was given to work with. Once the sens talent starts to develop them into a good team on paper and what Smith does with that roster will determine which category he’s in.

Also am I the only one that doesn’t see enough of a difference between the 2D and the 3D logo to make one significantly better than the other?

Sens have a great young and up and coming team. They are entertaining, that's the most important reason.

Same reason to watch the Canucks...

And here I was assuming you ignored my question. Good points, and I do like Brady's game.

You've actually convinced me .. the Sens will be my Eastern time zone team next year.

Good question, good answers.

I believe most Canadian hockey fans love watching young teams and individual players grow their game. Fan bases grow along with the team. When a team gets old and their play stagnates, so does the fan base.

It is so very exciting for a fan base (like Edmonton or Colorado) to finally see all of their young talent come together as a legitimate contender. Fans have become vested in the process, we assume a shared emotional ownership.

Next year should be all about the kids. In addition to the obvious, don't forget that players like Thomson, JBD and Pinto are all going to be pushed up the depth charts because of the shut down of minor and collegiate hockey.

I hope rosters are expanded and teams are allowed to carry 3 or 4 additional players over the next year.

Shorter list of reasons to watch then to not watch.

All great points, except #3 for me.... I'm still not a fan of the 2D logo.

I am very excited about the draft and all our young prospects hopefully developing into a solid team over the next few years

Hey Stu. If Kyle Taurus gets bought out as rumoured, would the Sens be wise to bring him back? 2@4 should get it done.

Hey Stu. If Kyle Taurus gets bought out as rumoured, would the Sens be wise to bring him back? 2@4 should get it done.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Colin White, Logan Brown, Josh Norris, Chris Tierney.... and possibly Marco Rossi, why would they do that?

Colin White, Logan Brown, Josh Norris, Chris Tierney.... and possibly Marco Rossi, why would they do that?
- AlfieisKing

Byfield & or even stutzle can also play center

Only player I'd take back for the sens who left....... drum roll please. Robin lehner 👍

Byfield & or even stutzle can also play center

Only player I'd take back for the sens who left....... drum roll please. Robin lehner 👍
- SENS-sational

A+++

But, I fear he wants too much term. Sens have too many goalie prospects coming. They should not clog the top of the chart with a top dollar goalie on a long term deal. Lehner is deserving of top dollars. But, Sens would make a mistake if they went beyond 3 or 4 years.

A+++

But, I fear he wants too much term. Sens have too many goalie prospects coming. They should not clog the top of the chart with a top dollar goalie on a long term deal. Lehner is deserving of top dollars. But, Sens would make a mistake if they went beyond 3 or 4 years.
- spatso

Agree...

Colin White, Logan Brown, Josh Norris, Chris Tierney.... and possibly Marco Rossi, why would they do that?
- AlfieisKing

And Pinto. Josh Norris plays the same style and is already in the system for much less money.

And Pinto. Josh Norris plays the same style and is already in the system for much less money.
- granpa

I

I meant Josh Norris plays the same style as Kyle Turris.

Hey Stu. If Kyle Taurus gets bought out as rumoured, would the Sens be wise to bring him back? 2@4 should get it done.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Probably not, for the reasons people have listed below.

A+++

But, I fear he wants too much term. Sens have too many goalie prospects coming. They should not clog the top of the chart with a top dollar goalie on a long term deal. Lehner is deserving of top dollars. But, Sens would make a mistake if they went beyond 3 or 4 years.
- spatso

That's the only concern is how much the sens are willing to pay for him I agree with that 3-4 years we need consistent goalie and if so trade other goalies

I

I meant Josh Norris plays the same style as Kyle Turris.
- granpa

Kyle Turris will not be resigned by the Senators due to his ridiculous demands to be paid top dollar for so so results. He has been traded 2 times, plus his best days are behind him. However his work to help autistic kids locally was fantastic!

Kyle Turris will not be resigned by the Senators due to his ridiculous demands to be paid top dollar for so so results. He has been traded 2 times, plus his best days are behind him. However his work to help autistic kids locally was fantastic!
- Barrykerr1

I agree with this

Turris should've taken a 5 year $5m per year contract

Kyle Turris will not be resigned by the Senators due to his ridiculous demands to be paid top dollar for so so results. He has been traded 2 times, plus his best days are behind him. However his work to help autistic kids locally was fantastic!
- Barrykerr1

To be fair, he was a bargain at 3.5 for his prime years here in Ottawa.

To be fair, he was a bargain at 3.5 for his prime years here in Ottawa.
- david22

He was still young when Ottawa traded him 28 years old. It depends on what coaches look for in a center. He couldn't play for Tippett and Laviolette but played a lot in Ottawa with Brian Murray as GM. Now he can't play for anybody. I don't believe his talent had eroded at age 28, I think it's more his playing style. He's still only 30 years old.

He was still young when Ottawa traded him 28 years old. It depends on what coaches look for in a center. He couldn't play for Tippett and Laviolette but played a lot in Ottawa with Brian Murray as GM. Now he can't play for anybody. I don't believe his talent had eroded at age 28, I think it's more his playing style. He's still only 30 years old.
- granpa

If a player uses speed as the foundation of his game, even the slightest decline in his skating will have profound impact on his overall effectiveness.

Age 28 is generally regarded as the cut-off year. Essentially the point where performance declines.

It astounds me that people are so quick to identify a player who has a good year after age 28. However, if you compare their performance with their own numbers from previous years it always trends down.

Players who are not elite technical skaters will fall off faster than a player who is a good technical skater.

Kyle Turris will not be resigned by the Senators due to his ridiculous demands to be paid top dollar for so so results. He has been traded 2 times, plus his best days are behind him. However his work to help autistic kids locally was fantastic!
- Barrykerr1

It was hardly a "ridiculous" demand, given the sweetheart 5yr deal that he'd already signed with the team, plus the fact that at the time he was the #1C on a team that had just made the Conference Finals. Turris signing at $6M x 6yr was regarded as pretty reasonable at the time, and in fairness to Turris he's now structurally playing behind Duchene/Johansen... which is not a recipe for offensive output. However, the whole Turris/Duchene trade has now played out, and I can't see much benefit in revisiting players who left the team under any kind of negative circumstances. I'd rather see the team weaponize their cap space effectively to target a better asset, or just save the cap space for when they're clearer on the team's long-term core structure beyond Tkachuk/Chabot.

If a player uses speed as the foundation of his game, even the slightest decline in his skating will have profound impact on his overall effectiveness.

Age 28 is generally regarded as the cut-off year. Essentially the point where performance declines.

It astounds me that people are so quick to identify a player who has a good year after age 28. However, if you compare their performance with their own numbers from previous years it always trends down.

Players who are not elite technical skaters will fall off faster than a player who is a good technical skater.
- spatso

It's all about how you play the game and how smart you are. Example Alfie was a bad skater and he was good for many years. Marc Stone will be good for another 5 years. Guys like Turris don't last long in the NHL.

It's all about how you play the game and how smart you are. Example Alfie was a bad skater and he was good for many years. Marc Stone will be good for another 5 years. Guys like Turris don't last long in the NHL.
- granpa

Not saying that there is no place in NHL for guys that are more than 28 years old.

Saying a players game declines at age 28 relative to his own past performance. Most players have their best production between the ages of 24-27).

Teams should never retroactively pay players for what they did in the past.