Chabot "only" got 21 min of ice time last night. Still the going rate of ice time for a #1 d-man. Played one of his worst game of the season. I feel very strongly that the ice time is not the issue. The goals were not entirely his fault but he certainly isn't doing anything above and beyond as a #1 d-man should. Defensively or offensively. With the contract he has, more should be there.

I just wish he didn't look like he was stuck in first gear all game long. Always looks slow and indecisive. I am not sure that is on DJ. It might just be what it is. Similar to Jay Bouwmeester back in the day. Great skating d-man, but just can't get to an elite level as people want but a good 3/4 guy behind a better 1/2 d-man. You are onto something with Sanderson developing. I feel more comfortable with Sanderson as the #1 guy come October 2023 rather than Chabot. The issue is, Chabot is getting #1 d-man money.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Don't misunderstand what I was saying. The presence of another responsible and effective Dman in Sanderson means that I hope eventually Chabot will be able to free himself of the kind of game he was forced to play because Smith ran him into the ground for years. Sanderson would not have survived that. Chabot is the better Dman and I've seen glimpses of his great offensive side but he will need time to reemerge once the Dorion/Smith duo are well and gone. Unfortunately Chabot is about to be ridden hard again.

OTT needs a GM with a vision and creativity, all dorion does is throw poop at the wall and sees what sticks and hopes it helps.

Trade for Chych and then in the off season trade Chabot.

OTT should watch MTL play, they could learn a few things, they spanking EDM 6-2 so far

OTT needs a GM with a vision and creativity, all dorion does is throw poop at the wall and sees what sticks and hopes it helps.

Trade for Chych and then in the off season trade Chabot.
- Mithos

I'm not sure that's the right solution, at least until this team has a real NHL coach... but at the same time I'm tired of hearing excuses about Chabot. People can micro-analyze individual plays all they want, but on a night where they needed Chabot to step up he was just terrible. Does anyone really look at those goals, and not see where there were opportunities for Chabot to do a far better job than he did? And it's not like EDM is infallible.... four other D-men were +1 in the same game where Chabot was -4, and the same EDM team just got steamrolled 6-2 today by MTL.

At the end of the day, you don't pay a D-man $8M/yr to be good once in a while, and you don't put an 'A' on the jersey of a player to shirk responsibility for the team's performance when they're on the ice. Chabot is now playing regularly with the team's best defensive D-man, and they'll make a combined $12.6M/yr for the next 4 years. For a team with clear playoff aspirations, it can't be unreasonable to expect them to be able to match up with anyone in the NHL. If that's beyond Chabot, then maybe its not wrong to start pondering trade options, and building a different top-4D structure around Sanderson.

Elliotte Friedman was reporting that there could be a trade option for Zaitsev to a Western Conference team, and TopShelfHockey further specified potential interest from ANA/SJ. It was also noted that Austin Watson will be a likely deadline target, with speculation that CGY might be a team to watch on that front. Friedman added that the Senators were approached about the potential availability of Alex DeBrincat at the trade deadline, but the Senators won't make a move like that or negotiate a possible extension until the new ownership is finalized.

Elliotte Friedman was reporting that there could be a trade option for Zaitsev to a Western Conference team, and TopShelfHockey further specified potential interest from ANA/SJ. It was also noted that Austin Watson will be a likely deadline target, with speculation that CGY might be a team to watch on that front. Friedman added that the Senators were approached about the potential availability of Alex DeBrincat at the trade deadline, but the Senators won't make a move like that or negotiate a possible extension until the new ownership is finalized.
- khawk

Initially, I was not a huge fan of the Sens trading for DeBrincat or signing Giroux. I wanted a big power forward (Evander Kane) and physical RHD.

Obviously, I was completely wrong on Giroux. He has been great on the ice in game situations. He has also been a solid positive in the dressing room and especially with the fans.

DeBrincat is more complex. He is a 40 goal scorer and I think he will score 40 again. But, perhaps not in Ottawa.

Make no mistake. In terms of asset trading DeBrincat was a great move by Dorion. If Ottawa trades him this summer they will get a great return that will more than offset the cost of acquiring a RHD. Perhaps a huge Ottawa/St. Louis swap?

DeBrincat's value to the Sens has been complicated by the stellar play of Sanderson. There is no way the Sens can avoid having to pay Sanderson in the range of $8.5m (probably this summer). So, if the Sens have to shed big money to sign Sanderson plus add a RHD ...something big is going to need to go.

OTT should watch MTL play, they could learn a few things, they spanking EDM 6-2 so far
- Mithos

I'm pretty sure they already know that a hot goalie can make a difference. Jake Allen played fantastic while Skinner was bad.

Initially, I was not a huge fan of the Sens trading for DeBrincat or signing Giroux. I wanted a big power forward (Evander Kane) and physical RHD.

Obviously, I was completely wrong on Giroux. He has been great on the ice in game situations. He has also been a solid positive in the dressing room and especially with the fans.

DeBrincat is more complex. He is a 40 goal scorer and I think he will score 40 again. But, perhaps not in Ottawa.

Make no mistake. In terms of asset trading DeBrincat was a great move by Dorion. If Ottawa trades him this summer they will get a great return that will more than offset the cost of acquiring a RHD. Perhaps a huge Ottawa/St. Louis swap?

DeBrincat's value to the Sens has been complicated by the stellar play of Sanderson. There is no way the Sens can avoid having to pay Sanderson in the range of $8.5m (probably this summer). So, if the Sens have to shed big money to sign Sanderson plus add a RHD ...something big is going to need to go.
- spatso

Slowly the guys at TSN are starting to realize that DeBrincat has very little trade value which I've been saying since the get go. Chicago found a sucker in Dorion but I don't know if there are any GMs out there who are quite as incompetent.

DeBrincat brings zero to the even strength game and is often the guy a play ends with as he is neither big enough nor good enough to hold onto the puck. He can only contribute on the PP if very good players are constantly setting him up with ten bell chances or if they score after he happened to touch the puck. He's not a 9 million dollar guy, or an 8 million dollar guy, or a 7 million dollar guy. No serious contender would even want him in their lineup.

What worries me is that Dorion needs to sign DeBrincat at a big number to save face. It will take a couple of years for all the DeBrincat lovers to finally come to their senses (a lot of them never will admit they were wrong either) and realize that his contract, if he actually gets one, makes them a middle of the pack perennial challenger for a wild card spot because they can't afford a goalie or a top 4 RD or depth in their bottom 6. They need to just let him walk this summer when nobody else wants him.

Then there are the geniuses out there wanting to turn them into a perennial lottery team by getting rid of Chabot, Norris and Batherson. Who needs those guys when you've got Sanderson, DeBrincat and Joseph!

Never mind a "season". Forsberg may never play again.

Time to sell. We are third last in the Eastern Conference with no high impact prospects remaining in our system. The team has succeeded in drafting some high talent players for a core but the team is quite far from being a Cup contender.

Watson, Motte, Hamonic, Holden and DEBRINCAT.

I like Debrincat but not at the $9M+ that he is going to want. What value does Debrincat bring to the team on the powerplay versus the next man up? What added value does he have at 5 on 5? Certainly he is a plus player on the power play but has not had great 5 on 5 numbers. The money is better spent elsewhere.

I'd look to trade Talbot if Forsberg is available but that's no longer the case.

Connor 2.0 Watch - points per game

1) CBJ - 15 points back
2) CHI - 14 points back
3) ANA - 11 points back
4) ARI - 9 points back
5) SJS - 6 points back
6) VAN - 5 points back
7) MTL - 3 points back
8) STL - tied
9) PHI - 3 more points but 4 games in hand
10) OTT - .500

Should we be happy, and even trust Dorion to pick 9-13?

If you were told that at the beginning of the year that the Sens would finish the year outside the playoffs, not even fighting for one, and not even get a top 7-8 pick, would you think of that anything other than a failed season? I certainly think that in order to be REAL contenders, mediocre years are the WORST. From 2002-2022 (21 drafts) the Sens have never drafted well in the top 10-14 (outside Stutzle, Sanderson, and Tkachuk - who were all top 5 picks!). Outside these picks, the Sens have never drafted in the top 5 since 2002. In that time Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Toews, Kane, Doughty, Stamkos, Hedman, and many many others have gone at the top of the draft and their teams have won MULTIPLE cups. If you want to win in the playoffs, you need to get as close to the top at least for a few years and then your development has to be top notch for players drafted beyond the top 15-30. Brian Lee was a horrible pick in 2005 when Anze Hopitar and Marc Staal were taken 2 and 3 picks after. Cowen in 09, Zibnaejad in 2011 was awesome (but traded with a poor return), Logan Brown at 11 was a fail. I'm really not sold on Tyler Boucher. I would rather trade these picks and players for someone that can help now. I would've considered Ridly Grieg for JC from Arizona very strongly. These guys are just prospects and I'm not sure Sens can develop their players unless their top end talents that are too good to not f up in development

Never mind a "season". Forsberg may never play again.

- Octavarium

Yeah it's sad. Goalies are getting run everywhere

Yeah it's sad. Goalies are getting run everywhere
- AlfieisKing

I think it would be wrong to characterize what Hyman did as taking a "run" at Forsberg. Holden bumped him over towards Hamonic, and Hamonic pushed him over top of Forsberg. You can even see Hyman point to Forsberg out of concern, as he knew right away he was injured. Hardly a malicious act on anyone's part. That said, I would agree that the NHL needs to start defending the blue paint area for goaltenders, much like the NFL protects QB/kickers.

Now similar to the NFL, I have no sympathy for goaltenders who skate out to play the puck... you're fair game, as far as I'm concerned. And I don't mean going back to the fiasco of the B. Hull vs. D. Hasek Cup-winning goal. But when in the goaltender is clearly in the act of trying to stop the puck, there's no reason to allow opposing forwards to intentionally establish position within the blue paint. It's one thing if a player steps in for a second or two while battling with a D-man, but quite another to make no effort at all to clear out of the area. Even the NBA has a 3-second rule for being in the paint.

So I find it interesting how there seems to be a lot of focus on how individual players stack-up compared to perceived expectations for a season, but in those expectations it’s hard to qualify how they may have been expected in a certain line-up spot but found themselves either up or down the lineup due to injuries, suspensions etc.

Looking back to last summer, here is how I perceived the line-up to be:

Tkachuk – Norris (43) – Batherson
Giroux – Stutzle (4) – Debrincat
Formenton (51) – Pinto – Motte (16)
Watson – Brassard – Joseph (16)
*Kastelic (4)/Gambrell

Chabot (5) – Zub (29)
Sanderson (TBD) – Hamonic
Holden – Brannstrom (5)
*Bernard-Docker

*** Zaitsev (was hoping he’d be in Siberia, but I digress)

Talbot (16) – Forsberg (TBD)

The numbers beside each name is the number of games they have missed due to injury as well as Formenton missing the whole season. This is as best as I could figure out while at work.

Of note, Norris (43), Formenton (all 51), Zub (29), Motte (16) & Talbot (16) were all tagged to play important roles on this team. I know games lost to injuries plague all teams but I have to wonder how much better off this team would have showed this year if they had, had more luck with which players got injured and for how long? Now to complicate it more with “what ifs” which players who were not injured would have played better or worse with different roles, ice-time and linemates?

It’s an impossible series of questions to answer but it does make me stop to think, is the amount of panic necessary or should this team tinker in the off-season and see what they have come October?

So I find it interesting how there seems to be a lot of focus on how individual players stack-up compared to perceived expectations for a season, but in those expectations it’s hard to qualify how they may have been expected in a certain line-up spot but found themselves either up or down the lineup due to injuries, suspensions etc.

Looking back to last summer, here is how I perceived the line-up to be:

Tkachuk – Norris (43) – Batherson
Giroux – Stutzle (4) – Debrincat
Formenton (51) – Pinto – Motte (16)
Watson – Brassard – Joseph (16)
*Kastelic (4)/Gambrell

Chabot (5) – Zub (29)
Sanderson (TBD) – Hamonic
Holden – Brannstrom (5)
*Bernard-Docker

*** Zaitsev (was hoping he’d be in Siberia, but I digress)

Talbot (16) – Forsberg (TBD)

The numbers beside each name is the number of games they have missed due to injury as well as Formenton missing the whole season. This is as best as I could figure out while at work.

Of note, Norris (43), Formenton (all 51), Zub (29), Motte (16) & Talbot (16) were all tagged to play important roles on this team. I know games lost to injuries plague all teams but I have to wonder how much better off this team would have showed this year if they had, had more luck with which players got injured and for how long? Now to complicate it more with “what ifs” which players who were not injured would have played better or worse with different roles, ice-time and linemates?

It’s an impossible series of questions to answer but it does make me stop to think, is the amount of panic necessary or should this team tinker in the off-season and see what they have come October?
- JoelytheGoalie

Great post!

you gonna win lotsa games when you have no shot on net in over 15 minutes....

Bruce Garrioch has good column with a little breaking news regarding Ryan Reynolds aligning himself with the Remington Development Group (Toronto) in their bid for the Sens and LeBretton. https://ottawasun.com/spo...o-co-star-in-senators-bid

This is a clear sign that the process is moving quickly to the next stage.

As a rule of thumb, the guys who are the leading contenders would never cooperate in going public with their pitch. So, make sure to look at the names at the end of the article...the guys not talking, these are the top contenders or someone else who is not even mentioned.

Brady and Stu are the only Sens even remotely trying. Not a lot of life from the rest of the team yet again. Soogard has been fine.

Bruce Garrioch has good column with a little breaking news regarding Ryan Reynolds aligning himself with the Remington Development Group (Toronto) in their bid for the Sens and LeBretton. https://ottawasun.com/spo...o-co-star-in-senators-bid

This is a clear sign that the process is moving quickly to the next stage.

As a rule of thumb, the guys who are the leading contenders would never cooperate in going public with their pitch. So, make sure to look at the names at the end of the article...the guys not talking, these are the top contenders or someone else who is not even mentioned.
- spatso

Interesting scoop for sure. I am not sure the rules, but I thought Reynolds may have sat back a little longer before going all in on once group. Bettman has said publicly that he wants Reynolds involved, so he had cards. Perhaps he was only allowed to be involved in one group for bidding. Having his name attached, also makes the bid more of a favourite.

Quick research on the Remington group, meh. Reynolds being involved would be an immediate boost.

Tradeable imo:

Zaitsev,brassard,motte
Chabot
Talbot
Batherson
Watson
Joseph
Gambrel

And a few fringers could easily be added. Brannstrom,kelly...
I could add debrincat just because of his contract size
Thats a good percentage of the roster.... thats a lot of work to fix and
holes in the construction of this team.
Pick and chose your own chess pieces but hard to ignore the big picture.
Not to mention the cupboards are fairly empty in belleville

How long did it take Edm or buff to become relevant? Ottawa is in that group now and at least 2 more seasons to go , i would think and thats if all goes well.. building a loser culture is hard to overcome.
Even if they got docker, it would not change the current course.
1 caveat that could delete the current trajectory quickly, and the sens are lucky at this point. New ownership will likely have a fresh and aggressive outlook. And likely will be throwing money at it.

Its a lesson that slash and burn does not guarantee success or work fast and was unecessary

....all this ranting and they tie it up like world champs.

Interesting scoop for sure. I am not sure the rules, but I thought Reynolds may have sat back a little longer before going all in on once group. Bettman has said publicly that he wants Reynolds involved, so he had cards. Perhaps he was only allowed to be involved in one group for bidding. Having his name attached, also makes the bid more of a favourite.

Quick research on the Remington group, meh. Reynolds being involved would be an immediate boost.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I would be shocked if Reynolds has made an "exclusive" commitment to Remington. Nothing should prevent a similar deal being struck with another group. I would imagine Bettman is wetting his pants in anticipation of the season opener with Edmonton and Ottawa facing off in Germany with Reynolds documenting the story of Draisaitle and Stutzle supported by McDavid and Tkachuk.

Timmy Superstar!

wow, how the hell did that happen lol

Well that's what I call a feel good game!

Quite a comeback.