Sens Writer: Time For More Purposeful Roster Changes

Great read.
FYI. Because of these infuriatingly stupid whole page ads that randomly high jack the page every time one navigates throughout the site, I’d bet your user interaction is down considerably because it wipes out any well thought response making people say screw it and not reply.

That said. Great blog. For fear of some dumb@5$ ad ruining my reply I’ll just say:
Tyler Myers and Jani Hakanpaa are both likely to be better fits than the K Mart version of Brad Stuart that is Roy. He’s now a slow footed half qb at best on the blue line.

Would be nice to see Chychrun shipped out to someone like Pittsburgh who will be looking to dump Graves somewhere (looking at you Utah!) and with their 2025 1st maybe you can essentially flip JC for a guy like Kadri who brings a Ring to the room. Toughness. A solid 2C who can kill on your PK1 and is solid in the dot and serves no purpose in Calgary. Bonus points if they retain a $1m!

Should have followed this advice, when writing this blog

Einstein once suggested: "If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions".

To the commenter above, try ghostery, a good ad blocking site.

Great read.
FYI. Because of these infuriatingly stupid whole page ads that randomly high jack the page every time one navigates throughout the site, I’d bet your user interaction is down considerably because it wipes out any well thought response making people say screw it and not reply.

That said. Great blog. For fear of some dumb@5$ ad ruining my reply I’ll just say:
Tyler Myers and Jani Hakanpaa are both likely to be better fits than the K Mart version of Brad Stuart that is Roy. He’s now a slow footed half qb at best on the blue line.

Would be nice to see Chychrun shipped out to someone like Pittsburgh who will be looking to dump Graves somewhere (looking at you Utah!) and with their 2025 1st maybe you can essentially flip JC for a guy like Kadri who brings a Ring to the room. Toughness. A solid 2C who can kill on your PK1 and is solid in the dot and serves no purpose in Calgary. Bonus points if they retain a $1m!
- 13of39

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback - will admit I'm quite blind to the ads disruption, due to the fact that my account now blocks them out. I also have a premium YouTube account because I could barely handle the ads a few years back... now I nearly snap every time I watch someone else watching a YouTube video on a standard account and see the kind of endless disruption that keeps coming up.

Interesting thoughts on Roy... it could just be my limited viewings, but he's never struck me as a Stuart-style player. Of course, the Kings have a habit of dismantling the Senators, which maybe gives me a biased interpretation of his actual skill set. Then again, even if he just continued to put up 150 hits/190 blocks he would have led the team in both categories for D-men. Its really understated how bad the OTT defense was last year... literally the worst GAA and PK% since 2019/20 when they were the 2nd worst team in the NHL. They also had just 1 of their top-6 D-man putting up more than 1 Hit/GP, which is why they so badly need some physical presence in their top-4D. Myers is an interesting option, but I'd be concerned with a 34yo UFA trying to play that many minutes. Then again, he's also a bit of an unusual specimen.

OTT should maybe trade oft injured chabot over chych. having a player for 82 games is better than 40-50 games....

there is also Montour and Pesce that could be UFA on July 1st that the sens could target

Great blog.

I want the Sens to stop allowing so many soft goals.

Blog is 100% correct they need to avoid cosmetic changes.

Staios says goaltending is okay. So, are we looking for a Dman and a forward that play an effective shut down game?

Great read.
FYI. Because of these infuriatingly stupid whole page ads that randomly high jack the page every time one navigates throughout the site, I’d bet your user interaction is down considerably because it wipes out any well thought response making people say screw it and not reply.

That said. Great blog. For fear of some dumb@5$ ad ruining my reply I’ll just say:
Tyler Myers and Jani Hakanpaa are both likely to be better fits than the K Mart version of Brad Stuart that is Roy. He’s now a slow footed half qb at best on the blue line.

Would be nice to see Chychrun shipped out to someone like Pittsburgh who will be looking to dump Graves somewhere (looking at you Utah!) and with their 2025 1st maybe you can essentially flip JC for a guy like Kadri who brings a Ring to the room. Toughness. A solid 2C who can kill on your PK1 and is solid in the dot and serves no purpose in Calgary. Bonus points if they retain a $1m!
- 13of39

Ad blockers fix the advertising issues with this site.
PIT will be selling players for futures as the Guentzel trade proved. They're done contending and are looking at a long rebuild process.

Agree on spending the money (or trade capital) on the RHD. That has to be the number one priority in the offseason. Only problem is it seems the entire league is also looking for a top pairing RD this offseason.

As for G - option one is trading Forsberg away (part of a throw-in on a Chabot/Chychrun deal?) and signing someone cheaper ($2mill or less) or shorter term (1 yr max). Option 2 is trading away Korpo for someone with a higher AAV (and more risk) but with less term on contract. Option 3 is just waiting it out, hope that a year with a better coach and better RD will help the G position out.

As for other forwards - you got to figure one of the open positions come from Belleville (congrats on the playoff win! Nice to see!). So one forward position filled by a veteran 2 way player.

Then...hope they FIANLLY get off to a good start. But if they aren't in a playoff spot by US Thanksgiving, make some major changes.

PS - Gruden didn't really impress in the AHL playoffs. My worry is the Leafs get bumped and all the good coaches will wait for Keefe to get fired. Really surprised NJ hasn't signed a coach yet.

sens a need a scot laughton/ travis konecny package.....

I think the hope was always that Pinto would develop into a second line center, he certainly has those tools. It would have been great to see him have a full season to get a better idea, but he was on pace for 54 points which is right around what they'd want.

Long term,

Stutzle
Pinto
Greig

Could be a very effective center depth, but for next season that may be getting ahead of things. I don't hate the idea of going with that though, and focusing on fixing the D. Giroux could always play center too.

The Norris injury does provide opportunity with the cap space they could utilize, but it does raise the question what they'd do when he comes back, but who knows how long he'll be out for.

Touched on this on the last blog, but Belleville beat the Marlies to move on to the second round.

Good to give some of the guys get some playoff experience, even in the AHL. The hand shake line had a bit of a kerfuffle too.

Touched on this on the last blog, but Belleville beat the Marlies to move on to the second round.

Good to give some of the guys get some playoff experience, even in the AHL. The hand shake line had a bit of a kerfuffle too.
- david22

Who the frick is Imama and why is he my new favorite player?

Who the frick is Imama and why is he my new favorite player?
- GrimmdaGoalie

Imama was drafted by TBL as a 6th round pick in 2015, and played for the same Saint John QMJHL team that Thomas Chabot and Mathieu Joseph were on that played in the Memorial Cup Finals in 2016/17. He was actually the team's top goal scorer that season with 41G, but has been limited to a checking line/physical role in the AHL... though he did score the 1st goal yesterday against the Marlies and assisted on the OT game-winner Interestingly, that Saint John team also included Matthew Highmore (also now on the B-Sens), and Julien Gauthier (no doubt why he got a look last year).

Here he is making someone's head bleed like it was a fight in EA-NHL 1994.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8az5-5SmDY

Hakstol fired in Sea. another coaching space open that might take away a quality guy for Ottawa.

I'm kinda worried they haven't hired someone yet. Or the guy they wants is waiting out the first round....

Imama was drafted by TBL as a 6th round pick in 2015, and played for the same Saint John QMJHL team that Thomas Chabot and Mathieu Joseph were on that played in the Memorial Cup Finals in 2016/17. He was actually the team's top goal scorer that season with 41G, but has been limited to a checking line/physical role in the AHL... though he did score the 1st goal yesterday against the Marlies and assisted on the OT game-winner Interestingly, that Saint John team also included Matthew Highmore (also now on the B-Sens), and Julien Gauthier (no doubt why he got a look last year).

Here he is making someone's head bleed like it was a fight in EA-NHL 1994.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8az5-5SmDY
- khawk

He got a call up at the end of the year and was trying to make a name for himself by really trying to engage Rempe, who didn't take the bait, as it looks like he's been learning when to pick his battles.

Feel like Scott Laughton and/or Travis Konecny would be solid adds for OTT. Fit needs and could both help this team get to the playoffs.

Feel like Scott Laughton and/or Travis Konecny would be solid adds for OTT. Fit needs and could both help this team get to the playoffs.
- J35Bacher

return expected for PHI?

return expected for PHI?
- AlfieisKing

Depends if one or the other or both.

I would try to get the 2024 OTT first rounder but I could see OTT prefering to use the one they got from BOS.

I would try to get Pinto as he could fit with the Flyers timeline to rebuild.

Those are pieces I would try to get if I was Philly.

I think these two teams could make something work as i feel OTT really wants the playoffs next year and Philly is rebuilding.

Depends if one or the other or both.

I would try to get the 2024 OTT first rounder but I could see OTT prefering to use the one they got from BOS.

I would try to get Pinto as he could fit with the Flyers timeline to rebuild.

Those are pieces I would try to get if I was Philly.

I think these two teams could make something work as i feel OTT really wants the playoffs next year and Philly is rebuilding.
- J35Bacher

TK nor laughton alone or combined are worth a top 10 pick

Pinto is untouchable

TK nor laughton alone or combined are worth a top 10 pick

Pinto is untouchable
- Mithos

Agreed.


Here is a trade I would look at, but it is dependent on what Calgary wants to do in the end .... a retouch .... a slight rebuild ?

Remebering that Kadri comment earlier that "he didn't sign up for a rebuild in Calgary".

Calgary trades Kadri and Markstrom to Ottawa (both players would have to waive NMC so good luck with that).

Ottawa trades Chychrun, Norris (obviously dependent on shoulder), Joseph, and Boston's first round pick. Maybe someone off Belleville as well whoose name is not Klevin or Guenette.

Calgary sheds $13 million in salary and picks up a powerplay QB in Chychrun. Obviously we might need to touch up the trade a bit more .... but no Pinto/Greig/Batherson/Tkachul/Stutzle/Giroux/Chabot/Zub/Sanderson.

Then all we need is to go hard for a RD on the free agent market to round out our top 4 .... and bring up Klevin and Guenette for 3rd pairing. Maybe get a veteran for 3rd pairing on free agency as well. Cheap and inexpensive.

Depends if one or the other or both.

I would try to get the 2024 OTT first rounder but I could see OTT prefering to use the one they got from BOS.

I would try to get Pinto as he could fit with the Flyers timeline to rebuild.

Those are pieces I would try to get if I was Philly.

I think these two teams could make something work as i feel OTT really wants the playoffs next year and Philly is rebuilding.
- J35Bacher

I didn't want to reiterate the idea of Laughton, but in many ways he's a very possible fit for the #3C role described in this piece. I think the logical compensation would be straight-up for the late-first round pick from BOS, as there's no way Laughton is worth a top-10 draft pick. The deal is also unlikely to include anyone like Pinto/Greig because that's exactly what the Senators are trying to add more of to the lineup, which can also be said of both Kleven/Ostapchuk - who are the only drafted players I could see PHI having significant interest in.

TK nor laughton alone or combined are worth a top 10 pick

Pinto is untouchable
- Mithos

I think it's a mistake calling Pinto "untouchable". This guy has shown gambling problems, he has A LOT to prove and play for. It's easily for him to play now but there's no guarantee he will have a long and fruitful NHL career. He also has a lot of buzz. I would use him as a trade piece as I like Ridly Grieg WAY more. Pinto missing 41 games after missing an entire year with injury was not good, not good at all

I think it's a mistake calling Pinto "untouchable". This guy has shown gambling problems, he has A LOT to prove and play for. It's easily for him to play now but there's no guarantee he will have a long and fruitful NHL career. He also has a lot of buzz. I would use him as a trade piece as I like Ridly Grieg WAY more. Pinto missing 41 games after missing an entire year with injury was not good, not good at all
- AlfieisKing

With Norris in semi-permanent limbo, Pinto really is effectively untouchable. I really like Greig, but Pinto is at least 2 years ahead of him in terms of development, is a more polished player at both ends of the rink, and just has all of the tools you need to play a regular #2C role. He's already put up seasons with 20G or 50Pts+, is trusted with the 2nd most D-Zone faceoffs behind only Giroux, has one of the hardest shots on the team, and still has room for offensive growth. He obviously made a mistake with that gambling suspension, but it's hard to imagine a player doing more to do things right from that point forward - including providing a huge amount of positive energy to the team when he got back into the lineup. Outside of Tkachuk/Stutzle, I'm not sure they have a forward with more potential long-term value.

With Norris in semi-permanent limbo, Pinto really is effectively untouchable. I really like Greig, but Pinto is at least 2 years ahead of him in terms of development, is a more polished player at both ends of the rink, and just has all of the tools you need to play a regular #2C role. He's already put up seasons with 20G or 50Pts+, is trusted with the 2nd most D-Zone faceoffs behind only Giroux, has one of the hardest shots on the team, and still has room for offensive growth. He obviously made a mistake with that gambling suspension, but it's hard to imagine a player doing more to do things right from that point forward - including providing a huge amount of positive energy to the team when he got back into the lineup. Outside of Tkachuk/Stutzle, I'm not sure they have a forward with more potential long-term value.
- khawk

I agree.

The Sens can produce offence. They have difficulty with consistency. Even more important they can be really irresponsible in their own end. They give up too many soft goals. Often, they get trapped in their own end and struggle to regain puck possession. Pinto plays a steady defensive game. He can be trusted to grow his game into becoming one of the better two way players in the league. Having forwards play a more responsible defensive game is something a few other Sens skaters need to become better at doing.

Lets see if we can poach some good players from Tampa. They're up against it needing to sign stamkos this year and hedman next.

Boston's 1str round pick and two fourth rounders for Jeannott and Radysh.