Sens Writer: Senators Mid-Season Grades & Review

until they can build a buffer in a WC spot, all games are essentially must wins, with 9 team within 2-3 points of each other in the WC and Tampa seeming to be breaking away from the pack every points is crucial.

all teams ahead and behind the sens are playing tonight, game VS NYI is a must win and a 4 point game.

Real "trap" game tonight. Sens on the verge of a three game win streak, and they're playing the isles who give them a lot of trouble.

Gotta start winning these games.

Sens about where we all thought they'd be.

Secondary scoring is the issue we thought it'd be. Perron being out for so long certainly hurt the team's depth, hopefully he is back soon.

Greig and Pinto both have had slow starts. If the team is going to make the playoffs they'll both need to be better, but recently they have been playing better so hopefully that continues.

Sens about where we all thought they'd be.

Secondary scoring is the issue we thought it'd be. Perron being out for so long certainly hurt the team's depth, hopefully he is back soon.

Greig and Pinto both have had slow starts. If the team is going to make the playoffs they'll both need to be better, but recently they have been playing better so hopefully that continues.
- david22

well Perron has done nothing even when he was playing,

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...ring-is-still-a-struggle/

Then there's the fact the Senators have a large discrepancy between shots (12th) and high-danger chances (27th)

OTT has become a perimeter team. Dmen don't shoot, no one goes in front of net. Sens 32nd for Goals by Dmen. Chych alone has more goals than all sens D combined.

Excellent write up.
I agree with most of it.

Chabbot still continues to frustrate me. He gets a B for not getting hurt and for not making as many mistakes. But he still makes them. And his point totals need to be higher for the errors Jensen covers up for. Jensen gets an A+ for me and an A+ to Staois. I'll take his overall game over Chychrun's offensive chaos any day. AND if Jensen wasn't being a band aid to whomever he was partnered with - he would be better offensively too. He skates beautifully up the ice when he carries it - but he can't very often because he's always babysitting.

The Sens have played their game against the Islanders and they've tried the Islanders game against them. Neither has worked. The Isles sit back and capitalize on their opponents taking chances. Special teams wins tonight.

What a snoozer of a game. I'm attributing most of that to NYI too.

But a win is a win, and have to like Merilainen's strong play.

Great write-up, love the midyear review.

Ottawa leads the league with 7 shutouts.

Hellebuyck has 6 by himself, lol.

Great write-up, love the midyear review.
- Panzer_IVA

Agreed. Excellent job.

Sometimes the Sens just need to let the game come to them .... play patient and let the chances come to them. They got lucky with no Sorokin in net. The Isles also dominated the faceoff circle, but they are the best faceoff team in the league. So it was a boring low chance game, but the Sens figured out a way to win and still shut down the other team. Our goaltending has been stellar since the original 20 games of the season. Our defensive structure has improved. Sure, there are lapses, but overall, it has improved. Like all teams this season, the Sens are streaky. We need to work on consistency.
I think we do need another top 6 forward who can play defence and offence (that magical 200 foot player). We could also use an experienced d-man for down the stretch who can play up and down the d-lineup. And NO, Klingberg is not that guy. But these are players every team is trying to get.
I think the returns of Amadio and Perron could be that missing forward link. But Perron is going to need reps (a conditioning stint in Belleville?) because he has only played 9 games this season. And yes , those 9 games were not that good ........ but how many of us would have had our heads in the game with the personal matters Perron went through. Give the guy a break.
As for goaltending, I don't know what we can do. Merilainen is playing well now ... lets give it more time. Forsberg is not the answer. But who out there is worth trading for. Ullmark will eventually return. If he doesn't come back, then our playoff chances are probably very limited anyways, regardless of what we do.
So what are some legit targets for trades that Ottawa can get without giving up the farm and major players off the roster. Forget Petersson and Miller .... ridiculously expensive. Forget Rasmus Anderson from Calgary .... they are not even looking to trade him. Forget anyone off Detroit or Buffalo. These teams are not looking to strengthen a rival for a playoff run.

Maybe someone like Palmieri from the Isles ... older and expiring contract , could play on 3rd line with small stints higher up as needed. Pageau .... still has one more year on contract at $5 million .... expensive but adds important faceoff dot experience if needed. Smallish, but still decent defensively, just won't get much goal production.
From Utah .... Alex Kerfoot .... left wing and expiring contract. Shouldn't be that expensive. Is he available?

I'm just looking at some small under the radar type trades to bring in some experience at a reasonable price.

And for those who keep pointing at the stats of Chychrun ....... why? First off, when he was here he was more of a hinderance and did not fit in. Secondly ... given all the goals he scored here, he was still a MINUS 31. Bully for him that he is having a better season in Washington. But he did not work here in Ottawa. I believe our trade for Jensen worked out much better for the Sens. And in a year or 2 we can bump Jensen to the 3rd pairing and add Yakemchuk to the 2nd or 1rst pairing depending on where he best fits.

Sure hope the Sens start Merilainen vs Washington on Thursday, and then again on Saturday vs Boston. The Sens seem to play better as well with Merilainen in net.

On Sunday vs New Jersey ..... we will probably need to start Forsberg.

Considering the Capital's ranking, I'm glad we were able to walk away with a point. Now on to Saturday and let's beat Boston!

Was at the game last night. Sens held their own against one of the leagues best teams. And looked better in many of the stretches.

They need something out of Perron and Amadio when they return....past the first two lines, there isn't much push there.

The new kid, Seberango, looked really good on the ice. Poised and big and not out of place. Highmore looked scared - too small.

We were right behind the net and man, Leevi looks so calm and postionally sound. He's played his way into a position next year if he keeps it up. Don't know what the Sens are going to do with Soogard on the one way next year at that point.

Lots of Ovi fans there last night.

OTT personifies the Term: It is better to be lucky than good sometimes because OTT is not a good team.

OTT personifies the Term: It is better to be lucky than good sometimes because OTT is not a good team.
- Mithos

All this Ottawa winning must just be killing you and your raison d'etre.

All this Ottawa winning must just be killing you and your raison d'etre.

- OttawaB

remember the 2016-2017 season when OTT got to the conference finals and just 1 goal from the finals? and then next season total crap fest and then rebuild, yup this season is like that. OTT is in a WC do to luck, luck that NYR total collapse this season, luck that Boston is struggling this season, luck the PIT is underperforming. luck that the eastern playoffs race is so tight and no team was able to take advantage if it so far.

OTT personifies the Term: It is better to be lucky than good sometimes because OTT is not a good team.
- Mithos

at what point will those morons who run OTT PP learn that not shooting wont get them goals....

at what point will those morons who run OTT PP learn that not shooting wont get them goals....
- Mithos

That is one criticism I will agree with, and not just on the Powerplay. Both goals came from just getting pucks on net. There were a few instances through the game I was saying just shoot.

But that was a real road win. One of the games they would have lost last season, despite needing the goalie to bail them out in the first. But to be fair, back to back afternoon game against one of the best teams in the league.

To be fair, New Jersey also played a game yesterday so they were also on a back to back (although both were home games). Ottawa was a bit slow in the first period and were limited to 2 shots and Forsberg bailed us out. However, we limited New Jersey to only 3 shots in the 3rd period. Defensively, this playing much better this season.

Someone made a comment that Ottawa should try to trade for Rasmus Andersson from Calgary .... still 1 more season on contract at 4.55 million per year. Right handed d-man. Modified NTC with 6 team no trade list.

First of all, he would be likely 3rd pair d-man on right with Kleven. Unless Zub or Jensen move to 3rd pair. Yes, would be great depth move in case of injury on the right side. Secondly, Ottawa would have to trade someone of value to fit him under the cap. Greig would not be enough. Unless part of a larger trade .... involving Norris ? Also, I have heard Conroy quotes that they are not looking to trade Andersson, and are waiting to hopefully re-sign him this summer.

Of interest to me would a trade with Chicago ....... a team could probably acquire someone like Taylor Hall for a 3rd or 4rth round pick. I'd also enquire about right d-man Connor Murphy if it wasn't too expensive (say a 4rth and Bernard-Docker)

Apologies for the lack of an update on the weekend games, especially the Bruins game which certainly got pretty wild. I'm actually visiting in New York City right now, so I'm really not on my regular schedule. That said, I'll be watching the Senators play live at MSG tomorrow night, which I'm really looking forward too. Living in Vancouver makes live Senators games a rare treat, so I'll aim to have a post-game story worked out mid-week.

oh look the millionth time a opponent was left all alone with zero sens players close and it ends up in the net....

sens should learn from NYR that you need to shoot the (frank)ing puck to score....that 2nd goal