Sens Writer: Norris returns & scores 2G to lead OTT to a 6-1 win over WSH

Happy to see Norris return and have lots of early success. I hope he stays healthy and has a monster season.

Also nice to see Tarasenko producing after a ho-hum preseason.

Let's get Kubalik traded and Pinto signed.

Glad Tarasenko is playing better. Those first two games (especially the first) was worrying.

So Zub took a puck to the face. If he is out for the next game, here come the cap gymnastics in order to call up a D from Belleville because you will have to send a player down to get the cap space.

Easiest move is to demote one of Grieg or Chartier. Both are waiver exempt and on two way deals. You can put MacEwen or Kelly on waivers to send them down, daring someone to claim them.

Which would you do? And who would you bring up?

They have enough room for Kleven do they not?

I don't think you could've asked for a better debut from Norris than that. Here's hoping he sticks! Per moving a contract down to call up a D - money is so tight with this team now, it'd have to be a salary match. Grieg makes nearly 100k more than Chartier in the majors, and Kleven makes 925 in the NHL (about 60K more than Grieg). Zub is a righty - I would send Chartier down for Guénette - they have the same salary and are both waiver ineligible... Temp boost Harmonic with Sanderson and play Max with Brannstrom... makes the most sense moneywise.

https://twitter.com/SunGa...amp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

MacEwen waived...

Great blog. Thanks for keeping this going.

Very fun game last night. Tons of great things happened. While the Norris story will be the highlight, Jake Sanderson’s play was as good as any high-end defenseman I have watched in the NHL. It was incredible to watch. He will be the runaway winner for the Norris if he brings that every game. His confidence was through the roof as soon as he was placed on the 1st PP unit. Granted it was only one game, but it will be interesting to see how this progresses. Sanderson, Chabot, Chychrun, and even to some extent, Branstrom, allowed this team to move the puck well on the back end and it really created a system that Washington was having a hard time slowing down.

I was skeptical of the Sanderson pick at the time but it’s looking like a home run right now.

Indeed great game by Norris. I will admit i was nervous when he took hits,and will be for awhile.

Oh yeh the blueline is looking good. Sanderson is amazing.
Tarasenko just looks happy here. That line is crushing it
Forsberg looked great
.... hard to find any fault right now. Its a great time to be a Sens fan

Hats off to all the good news stories lately:

- Norris is back and doesn't look like he missed a step
- Cyril Leeder is back
- Daniel Alfredsson is back
- Honoring the old school Senators game 2
- Lyndon Slewage is back (!!! this made me the happiest)
- Our owner is present, visible in the community, and genuinely excited
- Andy retiring a Senator
- Positive vibes from the owner on a downtown arena and a good relationship with the City so far

Outside Pinto still on the out, there seem to be only good news stories for the Sens these days. Have to applaud new ownership for starting things out on so many right feet. I am 100% here for it.

Ottawa Senators place Zack MacEwen on waivers

Hats off to all the good news stories lately:

- Norris is back and doesn't look like he missed a step
- Cyril Leeder is back
- Daniel Alfredsson is back
- Honoring the old school Senators game 2
- Lyndon Slewage is back (!!! this made me the happiest)
- Our owner is present, visible in the community, and genuinely excited
- Andy retiring a Senator
- Positive vibes from the owner on a downtown arena and a good relationship with the City so far

Outside Pinto still on the out, there seem to be only good news stories for the Sens these days. Have to applaud new ownership for starting things out on so many right feet. I am 100% here for it.
- Bartacus

"righting past wrongs"

Is how I've heard it described. this isn't even a honeymoon period...this owner just gets it. Go Sens Go

"righting past wrongs"

Is how I've heard it described. this isn't even a honeymoon period...this owner just gets it. Go Sens Go
- Octavarium

To be fair melnyk did say this is the team he was going to deliver. Think he was a year off with his timeline. Him and dorion have created this. Unprecedent success i think was the catch phrase...btw i will never miss those gimmicky catch phrases

But without a doubt the team feels and looks more proffesional now. From interviews with management, to the in game experience. It was time for a new owner and i believe we found a great one.onwards and upwards.

Tomorrow should be a great game. So far some of the wins came against poor teams, Detroit has been good so far.

Two young teams both off to strong starts, and then you add in the Debrinicat factor.

Only one game, but having Norris on another line is so huge, since it adds a real threat other than the top line, so teams will have a real difficulty keying in on who to defend. And that doesn't even take into account Tarasenko if he's on line 3.

The defence is also really noticeable in how it drives offence.

https://twitter.com/SunGarrioch/status/1715068537549557950?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

MacEwen waived...
- PogBoi

This is really more of a comment on the extent to which Chartier and Kelly have put in the work to make it hard for the team to justify an AHL demotion. I didn't like Chartier as a #3C (much like I didn't like Gambrell as a #3C), but as a 4th line forward I can get behind it. It effectively moves Kastelic to MacEwan's RW role, and gives them a double-benefit of Kastelic/Chartier both being among the team's best in the faceoff circle. Plus, Chartier/Kelly are among the top-3 forwards on the team in terms of hits and SH time.

I like MacEwan well enough, but he's clearly limited in terms of skill other than his physical game. And right now even $750K is beyond the team's ability to carry on the bench, plus even if he was claimed it's not like Imama looked out of place in the preseason. And if he's not waiver-claimed, you'll just see MacEwan brought back up in the event of an injury to Kastelic.

My top 3 questions for this season as it stands:

(3) How serious is Artem Zub's injury? While Sanderson, Chabot, and Chychrun all have the ability to hit 40+ points in a season, Zub is the only player I believe is a + player in his career (which says A LOT). Sens need a healthy right shot defensive d-man that can log big mins. Luckily his injury doesn't seem long term and the Sens top 4 can continue to be one of the best they've seen in modern history.

(2) How long will Josh Norris stay healthy? There use to be a player that scored at an amazing clip when healthy named Joffrey Lupul. He was on pace in Toronto to score almost 90 points in a season but only played 66 games. Injuries took over his career after 5 seasons. While it's great to see Norris have the amazing night he had, my concern is more long term. He is certainly a "core" piece to this team and if the Sens are going to seriously contend, they've invested a lot into this guy. I'm torn between keeping him and maybe trading him for more of a sure thing

(1) Will the Sens receive top 15 goaltending? If the answer is yes, I think the Sens make playoffs. If not, I think the Sens will have a very difficult time (maybe squeeze in but I personally doubt it). I think Forsberg has a big role to play here. As much as the Korpisalo signing was a big move, I think Forsberg can tip the scales and push the Sens into the playoffs

*The better Ridly Grieg plays, and Josh Norris stays healthy - Shane Pinto becomes more irrelevant. Question is - where + how can the Sens improve from here?

Called up JBD for this game as Zub sits out with injury (hopefully only a game or 2 at max). It will be interesting to see the defense line combos now. JBD and Brannstrom seems like a really weak pairing if they move Hamonic up to play with Sanderson.

Called up JBD for this game as Zub sits out with injury (hopefully only a game or 2 at max). It will be interesting to see the defense line combos now. JBD and Brannstrom seems like a really weak pairing if they move Hamonic up to play with Sanderson.
- OttawaB

I would do:

Chabot - Chychrun
Sanderson - JBD (North Dakota reunite!)
Brannstrom - Hamonic

I would do:

Chabot - Chychrun
Sanderson - JBD (North Dakota reunite!)
Brannstrom - Hamonic
- AlfieisKing

My preferred pairings as well. Who do you use to shut down DeBrincat/Larkin/Raymond ?

Those passes from behind the net are shredding the Sens D.

You'd think they'd learn...

Those passes from behind the net are shredding the Sens D.

You'd think they'd learn...
- david22

Pretty brutal goal as well, deflating

Korpisalo is giving me Matt Murray callbacks

OTT is not making the playoffs, they cant even beat good teams

Det showed up to play in the first meaningfull game of the yeat. Ott has not.Lets see if they can get it together in the 3rd.
Shot clock means nothing, scoring chances mean everything

Can’t get key players under the cap, wrong goalie again, how does the GM have a job?