Michael Stuart: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Senators Deliver Unmitigated Disaster vs. Canucks

Where the (frank) is tkachuck?

Murray has one of the worst gloves I've ever seen for an NHL goalie. Very slow. On top of that, the puck clanks off his glove routinely. Catches that any average tender should make.

Where the (frank) is tkachuck?
- SMS4016

I thought his line was good. They created a number of quality chances early on in the game. Sort of quieted down as the night progressed, but they were far from a problem.

Murray has one of the worst gloves I've ever seen for an NHL goalie. Very slow. On top of that, the puck clanks off his glove routinely. Catches that any average tender should make.
- madmike71

Certainly lines up with what I've seen to start this year.

Am i having a deja vu from the last 3 season?
im ready to tank this season only 56 games lets the kids play and gain some experience

out of the whole 2020 NHL draft class Stutzle is the only player in that class that has produced a point!. laffy is no where to be found. I have a strong feeling after he was drafted he didnt wanna go to NYR he has not shown any enthusiasm by any means. POOR GUY! byfield in the minors and the majority are in the minors glad we picked stutzle but still very early.

out of the whole 2020 NHL draft class Stutzle is the only player in that class that has produced a point!. laffy is no where to be found. I have a strong feeling after he was drafted he didnt wanna go to NYR he has not shown any enthusiasm by any means. POOR GUY! byfield in the minors and the majority are in the minors glad we picked stutzle but still very early.
- SENS-sational

Stutzle should also be in the minors. Rushing a kid that isn't physically ready for the NHL doesn't do anyone any good. Byfield could easily be in the NHL, but the Kings chose to let him play in the AHL and learn the system rather than get thrown to the wolves on a team that isn't going to be in playoff contention anyway. Unless Ottawa feels they can make a playoff run, there's no reason why Stutzle should be in the NHL lineup.

Funny how I wrote about Murray earlier (if you can call it that) in the season - but at that point it was "too" early. All it took was one game for him to fully flourish into the nightmare he is!

I think Byfield may be one of those kids with a huge frame that allows him to dominate kids. At the junior level his size allows him to control the game. However, against elite competition and, especially, playing against men his size advantage is quickly neutralized.

I was a Byfield supporter hoping he would fall to the Sens on draft day. Obviously, I was wrong and the Sens lucked out.

I think Byfield may be one of those kids with a huge frame that allows him to dominate kids. At the junior level his size allows him to control the game. However, against elite competition and, especially, playing against men his size advantage is quickly neutralized.

I was a Byfield supporter hoping he would fall to the Sens on draft day. Obviously, I was wrong and the Sens lucked out.
- spatso

I think you have to wait at least 7 NHL games before you can come to conclusions like that. 3 games is not enough.

I think you have to wait at least 7 NHL games before you can come to conclusions like that. 3 games is not enough.
- senstroll

i'd personally throw all my cards on the table after 6 games.....but that's just me

I think you have to wait at least 7 NHL games before you can come to conclusions like that. 3 games is not enough.
- senstroll

No. I fixed my thinking when watching the world juniors. Byfield had some really good games against weaker teams. Against the tougher teams (eg USA), he was a no show.

Perhaps he finds another level for his game. He is still very young. But, there are just too many stories of big, physical kids never being able to transition when they are challenged to play against men rather than boys.

No. I fixed my thinking when watching the world juniors. Byfield had some really good games against weaker teams. Against the tougher teams (eg USA), he was a no show.

Perhaps he finds another level for his game. He is still very young. But, there are just too many stories of big, physical kids never being able to transition when they are challenged to play against men rather than boys.
- spatso

oh so you based it on zero NHL games, thats much better

No. I fixed my thinking when watching the world juniors. Byfield had some really good games against weaker teams. Against the tougher teams (eg USA), he was a no show.

Perhaps he finds another level for his game. He is still very young. But, there are just too many stories of big, physical kids never being able to transition when they are challenged to play against men rather than boys.
- spatso

Byfield is going to be a great player man, come on.

also, side note, Stutzle only put up points against the "weaker" teams also. pretty sure he had zero points against Finland and Canada.........

Byfield is going to be a great player man, come on.

also, side note, Stutzle only put up points against the "weaker" teams also. pretty sure he had zero points against Finland and Canada.........
- sensarmy_11

My concerns about Byfeld were expressed a long time before the draft. Too many big kids fail to compete effectively once they need to play against men. However, I would still have taken him at the draft over Stutzle. But the world juniors raised my level of alarm about how easily Byfield was shut down by intense play.

Stutzle played well in every game, even when his team was overmatched. He made one bad play last night. But he shows some flashes of talent on every shift. He is going to get a lot better. Pierre LeBrun had an insightful twit.

I know the Sens are losing but, the natural awareness of Tim Stützle at NHL high speed already is crazy. Looks so comfortable in and out of traffic.

oh so you based it on zero NHL games, thats much better
- senstroll

The reason why the world juniors are so important for scouting and for the draft is because players need to face an entire team of elite talent.

If they world juniors were played before the draft there is no way that Byfield would have ranked ahead of Stutzle. It might not matter to you, but the world juniors is vitally important to the final decisions of all scouting staffs on all the first round picks.

Looking at the stats lines of many of these games, there is really only one place to point a finger, and it's in net. I cannot for the life of me believe that they handed Murray such a lucrative contract after his last few years. Maybe Logan Brown is the sweetener to Seattle to hope they pick him, but if he's sub 900 this year he'll quickly become our Martin Jones.

I'm glad someone else sees this. I wrote the same thing after last game HAHA!

oh so you based it on zero NHL games, thats much better
- senstroll

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UcZzlPGnKdU

The reason why the world juniors are so important for scouting and for the draft is because players need to face an entire team of elite talent.

If they world juniors were played before the draft there is no way that Byfield would have ranked ahead of Stutzle. It might not matter to you, but the world juniors is vitally important to the final decisions of all scouting staffs on all the first round picks.
- spatso

A world juniors was held before the 2020 draft. Both players played in that one as well.

I'm sick of hearing DJ Smith say "some guys are taking their roster spots for granted" when he's enabling complacency.

How is Artem Anisimov playing over Colin White? How? Anisimov has one assist, minus-3, and he's the slowest and laziest player on the team.

You want to light a fire under some guys DJ? Bench the lazy players, and see how the culture shifts. This isn't brain surgery.

The reason why the world juniors are so important for scouting and for the draft is because players need to face an entire team of elite talent.

If they world juniors were played before the draft there is no way that Byfield would have ranked ahead of Stutzle. It might not matter to you, but the world juniors is vitally important to the final decisions of all scouting staffs on all the first round picks.
- spatso

huh, I wonder if thats one of the reasons there is so many misses in drafting.
weighting one tiny tournament so heavily

Stutzle should also be in the minors. Rushing a kid that isn't physically ready for the NHL doesn't do anyone any good. Byfield could easily be in the NHL, but the Kings chose to let him play in the AHL and learn the system rather than get thrown to the wolves on a team that isn't going to be in playoff contention anyway. Unless Ottawa feels they can make a playoff run, there's no reason why Stutzle should be in the NHL lineup.
- tkecanuck341

100%

The reason why the world juniors are so important for scouting and for the draft is because players need to face an entire team of elite talent.

If they world juniors were played before the draft there is no way that Byfield would have ranked ahead of Stutzle. It might not matter to you, but the world juniors is vitally important to the final decisions of all scouting staffs on all the first round picks.
- spatso

I hate to bring this up as a Leafs fan, but Justin Pogge and Nic Petan say hello.