Michael Stuart: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Senators Sink Flames Again

Don't forget the speed up front as well. Everyone was flying. More speed on the back allows for the forwards to take off in transition. Fun to watch them go!

Tkachuk will lead a team to a Stanley Cup. I hope it is the Sens.

Looking at Norris, I think he can be the legit second line center the Sens need to be competitive.

That first line center will likely remain elusive, but part of that equation is there.

Stuzle COULD be that guy though.

Tkachuk was getting ragdolled by Lucic but kept coming back for more. Loved it!

Brady>Mathew

Brady's mid game shift vs. Lucic…..magical. First off it takes a set of stones to run around with a guy like Lucic on the ice. In about 20 seconds, he smokes Lucic behind the net, then gets a beating from big Milan in front of the net (including having his helmet strap repositioned across his face) and gets up and nails him again along the boards on the way out of the zone. The look on Milan's face was priceless...like..."enough of this kid!!!"

While I agree it's most noticeable on the blue line, it's really the overall team speed that's starting to rear its head. Consider the combined impact of the following shift from the roster from the early games of the season...

OUT: Stepan, Paquette, Galchenyuk, Anisimov, Gudbranson, Reilly, Coburn
IN: White, Dzingel, Formenton, Pinto, Zub, Brannstrom, Mete

There's no question the impact has rippled throughout the team, and I'd suggest is largely responsible for the improved goaltending situation as well. Murray was drowning in 2nd-chance goals early-on, but they're so much faster on the puck now, and effectively getting into shooting lanes. He's still not worth that contract, but if he's at least not losing games for them it's a bit more tolerable.

While I agree it's most noticeable on the blue line, it's really the overall team speed that's starting to rear its head. Consider the combined impact of the following shift from the roster from the early games of the season...

OUT: Stepan, Paquette, Galchenyuk, Anisimov, Gudbranson, Reilly, Coburn
IN: White, Dzingel, Formenton, Pinto, Zub, Brannstrom, Mete

There's no question the impact has rippled throughout the team, and I'd suggest is largely responsible for the improved goaltending situation as well. Murray was drowning in 2nd-chance goals early-on, but they're so much faster on the puck now, and effectively getting into shooting lanes. He's still not worth that contract, but if he's at least not losing games for them it's a bit more tolerable.
- khawk

I think you have nailed it. Speed makes a huge difference and it is becoming clear that Ottawa can skate with anyone...except for when they come up against the Oiler burners. I thought Ottawa speed was the entire difference in the recent games against Montreal and Calgary. Next year they will be better in being able to execute at high speed.

Really, really like this team.

I think you have nailed it. Speed makes a huge difference and it is becoming clear that Ottawa can skate with anyone...except for when they come up against the Oiler burners. I thought Ottawa speed was the entire difference in the recent games against Montreal and Calgary. Next year they will be better in being able to execute at high speed.

Really, really like this team.
- spatso

Well, the defence is now pretty quick, but relatively limited in terms of actual defensive ability. When they start having the likes of Bernard-Docker and Sanderson playing top-4 minutes, that's when I suspect the team will really become "hard to play against"... and not in the caveman sense of the phrase that was popular with Dorion in the off-season.

Logan Brown back skating for Belleville. Will he get some time in the NHL this season? I know that was the hope before his last injury

Crookshanks off to a good start too. I don't know much about him TBH, just that I've heard people talking about him a fair bit recently.

Logan Brown back skating for Belleville. Will he get some time in the NHL this season? I know that was the hope before his last injury

Crookshanks off to a good start too. I don't know much about him TBH, just that I've heard people talking about him a fair bit recently.
- david22

I saw his last 2 games and he's much more engaged. He's still rusty but you can see he has no business there except for conditioning. This is a very very bad hockey team.

Logan Brown back skating for Belleville. Will he get some time in the NHL this season? I know that was the hope before his last injury

Crookshanks off to a good start too. I don't know much about him TBH, just that I've heard people talking about him a fair bit recently.
- david22

It would be good to see Brown get some NHL exposure late in the season, assuming he continues to pick his game up a bit after the injury. I could see him maybe playing on the 4th line with Formenton/Dzingel, so he was supported with fast wingers and some goal-scoring ability.

Crookshank is a very underrated player... and often mis-categorized. He was undersized at the 2018 draft, but has grown into a more solid 5'11/180 frame, and plays with both quickness and tenacity. His early NCAA career showcased his goal-scoring, but his early AHL career has been more about playmaking, given his 2G-9A in 9GP. And unlike many prospects, he doesn't waste time in finding ways to make a significant impact. If he continues to exceed expectations, he could be the next F in quite a long-line of mid-late round Senators draft picks to go on to make a significant impact in the NHL (e.g. Hoffman, Stone, Pageau, Dzingel, Batherson).

I have to hand it to The Senators and you The Fans. On paper they don't look like much, however they compete every night. They are the most fun team in the North to watch.

Really good game. Good goaltending makes everything look so different.

So far Pinto comes as advertised. Really impressed to see him out there with less than two minutes to play protecting the shut out in an empty net situation.

Power play has improved and the penalty kill has been top notch.

Mike Johnson colour comment last night was simple. "These are not the same Ottawa Senators that started the season."

I fear we might see our top draft pick slip away over the final 10 games.

Would love to see a line combination of Stutzle-Pinto-Formenton before the end of the season. Last night watching Stuzle play alongside White and Dadonov was not how I'd like to see Stutzle utilized. With Pinto and Formenton, that line would have deadly speed, skill, and could create some chemistry amongst the young guns. Less experience, sure, as well as switching Formenton to RW, but what is there to lose right now?

Really good game. Good goaltending makes everything look so different.

So far Pinto comes as advertised. Really impressed to see him out there with less than two minutes to play protecting the shut out in an empty net situation.

Power play has improved and the penalty kill has been top notch.

Mike Johnson colour comment last night was simple. "These are not the same Ottawa Senators that started the season."
- spatso

Good goaltending also isn't just about the goaltender - they're playing so much better in front of the goaltender (Murray or otherwise) and winning so many more puck battles, it's like night and day. To Mike Johnson's point, they really are a different team. Had they started the season around .500 instead of 1-8-1, they'd be competing for the last playoff spot in the North right now. And if their improved play happens to push their draft pick down into the 6-10 range, well it's a good year for that - with limited consensus, and quality prospects available down to the 10-12 range.

Really good game. Good goaltending makes everything look so different.

So far Pinto comes as advertised. Really impressed to see him out there with less than two minutes to play protecting the shut out in an empty net situation.

Power play has improved and the penalty kill has been top notch.

Mike Johnson colour comment last night was simple. "These are not the same Ottawa Senators that started the season."

I fear we might see our top draft pick slip away over the final 10 games.
- spatso

That 10 game losing streak at the start of the season may be a blessing in disguise. Sens should still be able to nab someone solid even with the recent gains.

That 10 game losing streak at the start of the season may be a blessing in disguise. Sens should still be able to nab someone solid even with the recent gains.
- david22

If they do fall outside of the range for the likes of Beniers, Power, Guenther, Edvinsson, Clarke, or Hughes, there are still some interesting players available. Johnson, Eklund, and Lysell project as good secondary offensive wingers, Lucius is potentially the best goal-scorer of the draft and already committed to the University of Minnesota, and Wallstedt is regarded as the best Swedish G prospect since Lundqvist, and is already playing in the SHL. If you're feeling lucky, there's Raty as the wildcard pick, and given the Senators track record you really can't rule out Sillinger, who's the only top-15 prospect with 2nd-Gen NHL pedigree.