Sens Writer: Senators End Road Trip With Loss To Avalanche

I'm a huge believer that Hamonic should be in a suit and tie in the Bell Club. But some of Sanderson's decisions in the last couple games have been very "not him" like. The cross ice out of his zone last night that was immediately picked off and brought in for a scoring chance (they didn't score that time) is what I mean. He's forcing things.

The Avalanche game was the first game where I felt concerned about this team. Granted that the Avalanche are a superior team, the score was not indicative of the play. The Senators looked like an AHL team most of the night. Only a couple of lucky bounces and lazy Avalanche team (because they were playing an AHL team) made the score look competitive.

The team should have been ready to play after the Vegas collapse. It’s very clear that the continued losing has gotten to the team. It’s going to take more time to get out of that loop.

Claude Giroux is the only guy giving it his all and actively looks like he’s trying to turn a corner. I don’t know how others can’t follow.

Forsberg should get credit too. He’ played well since the LA game.

While Brady’s production is fine, he looks off all year. He’s slower, less physical, and squandering opportunities. He sort of looks like he’s a 3rd liner playing too high on the depth chart. I am not sure if he was told to lay off his play physically to last longer in the season, but there is a noticeable drop in his play.

The silver lining is that the Atlantic division is basically were it was before the season started, outside of the Panthers. Everyone is tied, pretty much. They have not lost ground and the schedule gets easier. It’s going to be important to string some wins together.

I'm a huge believer that Hamonic should be in a suit and tie in the Bell Club. But some of Sanderson's decisions in the last couple games have been very "not him" like. The cross ice out of his zone last night that was immediately picked off and brought in for a scoring chance (they didn't score that time) is what I mean. He's forcing things.
- Octavarium

Sanderson is trying to do too much to compensate. Hamonic is fine as a 3rd-pairing veteran presence beside Kleven, or an emergency stop-gap on the top-4D if there's a mid-game injury. But not over multiple games, and certainly not against Cup-quality rosters with experienced coaches. JBD has played better in recent games, and has historically not been terrible beside Chabot... maybe they should consider moving Jensen up to play with Sanderson so they at least have one D-pair to match up against top lines like MacKinnon-Rantanen, Stone-Eichel, etc.

Just another reminder of how valuable Zub/Jensen are.

One point vs Vegas would have changed this feeling to a large degree. But as others have noted, it's not all doom and gloom. We also haven't seen Ullmark get some consistent playing time yet.

4-4 with some tough opponents. But it's yet another season where we're looking for silver linings early in the year. And we're debating if that first 55 minutes vs Vegas was the real team or not.

hopefully, they will stay near .500 until the schedule eases up and injured players come back. A win tomorrow would help a lot. A loss and fans will really start to say it's same old same old, which says a lot since we're not even 10 games in. This a mentally fragile group, and fanbase.

Sanderson is trying to do too much to compensate. Hamonic is fine as a 3rd-pairing veteran presence beside Kleven, or an emergency stop-gap on the top-4D if there's a mid-game injury. But not over multiple games, and certainly not against Cup-quality rosters with experienced coaches. JBD has played better in recent games, and has historically not been terrible beside Chabot... maybe they should consider moving Jensen up to play with Sanderson so they at least have one D-pair to match up against top lines like MacKinnon-Rantanen, Stone-Eichel, etc.

Just another reminder of how valuable Zub/Jensen are.
- khawk

I feel this is another demonstration of how Sanderson has developed and took the role of the teams #1 D-man and the lack of defensive depth. Jensen is sticking with Chabot because there is severe lapses in Chabot’s defensive game. Rather than making a real solid pairing of Sanderson/Jensen, Green is trying to spread around the talent.

An NHL roster should not have JBD, Klevan, and Hamonic playing at the same time. I think you’d actually be hard pressed to find any of those players crack about 15 NHL lineups on a full-time basis. Sanderson/Chabot/Jensen/Zub are/should be a good top 4 when healthy. However, when you have an injury and your bottom 2 d-men are not really NHL calibre, you are going to have issues.

8 games in.

I can say the Vegas game was the only 1 they almost put a complete game together. Too bad they lost that 1.
The other 7 games , imo they were lucky to get any points out of them.

St. Louis is a game they need to win. Going below 500 is a slippery slope. Either down or up.

I do have faith they can put it all together and move forward . Starting tonight

A loss and fans will really start to say it's same old same old, which says a lot since we're not even 10 games in. This a mentally fragile group, and fanbase.
- david22

Yes, i would imagine even the players mind set is similar or more intense.
Loosing for so long is tough mentally , confidence has to be built back up.

Being a Sens fan is likely the hardest of all fan bases.

we need Pinto back.
ASAP

we need Pinto back.
ASAP
- Octavarium

I actually don't mind Greig being the #3C, but he needs more than Gregor/Cousins as veteran support. Ideally, he'd be playing that role with the likes of Perron/Amadio on his wing to help manage the tougher match-ups.