General Sens Talk - Part II

[Josh]

Continued from: http://forum.highonhockey.com/forum/...eral-sens-talk

[Dean Ambrose]

still slow af

[thedaigle1]

Breaking: Dzingel is a thing that is about to happen in Ottawa. Go Sens GOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOoOoOo

[Josh]

Ken Warren reporting on Owen's story:

http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/senatorsextra/senators-recall-dzingel-from-binghamton

[Josh]

Dominik Luszczyszyn from The Hockey News has an article up on why Karlsson deserves not just the Norris, but the Hart trophy as well.

[Alfie11]

Dominik Luszczyszyn from The Hockey News has an article up on why Karlsson deserves not just the Norris, but the Hart trophy as well.

He's a true generational talent. Not only do I think he's the best defenseman in the league, but I think he's the best defenseman by a noticeable gap. He controls the game as well as anyone I've ever seen in the league, and he does it for close to 30 minutes per night. I feel really lucky that I get to watch this guy play for my team every night. It's time to start building around him and use his prime years to take a shot at the Cup.

I wonder what he'll get on his next contract. It's not for a few more years so we don't really know what the cap will even be, but it's possible he could ask for double his current $6.5M AAV.

[Matt the Aussie]

That was such a great deal at $6.5M.

[Alfie11]

It's arguably the best non-ELC deal in the NHL

[thedaigle1]

Ottawa trades Mullen for Allen (NSH). This deal is probably nothing significant (AHL dman for AHL dman) BUT I would like to congratulate Murray for getting a prospect for a non-prospect. 50K and RFA status isn't nothing and Allen does have a decent scouting report. Although really this may be nothing. Positivity in Sens-land!

[thedaigle1]

This thread seems to have lost some steam so I wanna ask you guys:

-Should DC lighten the workload on Karlsson and Anderson to prevent burnout? Do you have faith that the team is taking the time necessary with Clarke? Should Bobby maybe get some time off to finally fix his broken hand/finger recurring thingy? Should Lazar go to Bingo where he can be a man among boys?

-How are we feeling about the Hoffman contract situation now that the negotiation window is open? Am I the only one hoping he cools off just a wee bit to bring down his asking price? Prince/Wideman/Wiercioch/Ceci are having okay if not un-spectacular contract seasons, are we happy to extend them at the rate they're going?

-Is Ottawa a buyer or a seller? I think this question is dumb cos Murray is never really too far one way or the other but maybe Neil or Michalek garner some interest? Everyone seems ready to cut bait on Chiasson and Cowen (although the latter looks more primed for a buyout or even waivers) but is there any market for Ottawa's marginal players? What could Ottawa realistically go after at the deadline with the pieces they have?

-Thoughts on Claesson? Thoughts on Methot's WOWY (Karlsson)?

-Binghamton got off to a terrible start and some prospects are still struggling but Ottawa's farm system is looking a lot better than it did this time last year. Does this please you or are you sick of waiting for next year after 25 next-years?

In summary, I think I really miss Erik Condra.

[thedaigle1]

One more thing: this article is exceptional.

http://www.silversevensens.com/2016/1/15/10770592/playoffs-punching-and-passion-matt-carkners-unforgettable-influence

[Matt the Aussie]

I think perhaps expectations of this team were super inflated after the historic run they had at the end of last season. Ottawa is fringe playoff team. Middle of the pack. We may never see another run like that from any NHL team in our lifetimes.

- Yes, I do feel Anderson in particular needs some rest every now and again. Hammond is solid, not spectacular - he suits being a #2 well. As for Karlsson, the kid just doesn't ever look like he wants off the ice?! I just wonder if he pays for this in his mid 30s...

- Bobby Ryan, in a perfect world, would take some time off to recover. But the Sens still gotta sell tickets. Obviously MacArthur has some serious symptoms or else he'd be back in the lineup too.

- If I were Hoffman I'd want zero part in any kind of contract talks now. The team took him to arbitration, and while Ottawa didn't set the salary, he's got a right to feel somewhat slighted. There's also the interesting love/hate relationship between Hoffman and Cameron going on. At the very least I would make everyone wait until Free Agency and extract top dollar if I wanted to stay.

- Honestly, I feel like Ottawa should sell, except we don't have anything exciting to offer. Greening, Neil, Michalek, Chiasson, Cowen...anyone who's watched this team knows they are not pieces to win a cup with. We have youth now but I'm not about to advocate a full TML here. Maybe we can convince some team Zack Smith is actually a top 6 forward though if we just continue to give him ridiculous minutes? Kinda like we tried with Winchester a few years back... :fish2:

[thedaigle1]

I couldn't agree more with the inflated expectations thing. What really blows my mind is the number of people genuinely hoping for another Hamburglar run. Look, I'd love to see it, but it ain't gonna happen. I think Hammond and Anderson could just about split the remainder of the schedule for best results.

I'd love to know what the market for Smith really is. Any real contender needs depth down the middle and Smith is exactly that. I think he has more value than Neil but I insist that Michalek is the brightest of the bunch (too bad DC will never allow Hoffman and Prince their optimal minutes as L1 and L2 and let's not even get into PP time) and I think MM9 stays.

As for as selling tickets goes, Karlsson is worth the price of admission alone. Ryan, Stone, Turris, Hoffman, and Anderson are just icing. To me that's the silver lining if/when Ottawa misses the playoffs; this core is exceptional. They are elite no matter what the national media thinks and the supporting cast will grow into something competitive. This is one of the youngest and most cap-friendly teams in the league and maybe with the exception of Anderson this window is wide open.

What's up, haters?

[Matt the Aussie]

I just feel like Smith on any playoff bound team is maybe getting 10-12 minutes a game, and he's certainly not seeing the powerplay like he is here. Do we get maybe a pick out of it?

Speaking of, it might be time for Ottawa to use all 5 PP skaters instead of just the 3 along the blueline and half walls? Pretty sure every single person on the planet has figured out what Ottawa is cooking on the man advantage. Give it to Karlsson, who kicks it either side for a one timer, rinse and repeat if necessary.

[thedaigle1]

Speaking of, it might be time for Ottawa to use all 5 PP skaters instead of just the 3 along the blueline and half walls? Pretty sure every single person on the planet has figured out what Ottawa is cooking on the man advantage. Give it to Karlsson, who kicks it either side for a one timer, rinse and repeat if necessary.

I think a big part of Ottawa's problem right now (besides the bursting of the PDO bubble) is that the opposition has figured Ottawa out. DC is a young coach with young players and the team isn't very dynamic when it comes to playmaking. Special teams are the most glaring example but even at 5-on-5 other teams know what's coming before Ottawa even begins to break out and yes it all starts with Karlsson at the point forcing a pass through the slot for a one timer or something equally low-percentage.