Ottawa Senators

[Big Ev]

Karlsson will be signed for 3 years IMO

[notch4077]

Karlsson will be signed for 3 years IMO

So Spezza and Karlsson will both need new contracts in 2015-16? No thanks, I would rather have them staggered, but I am no capologist.

Detroit staggers their stars, Philly did with Carter and Richards, Washington with Ovechkin and Backstrom, Pittsburgh with Crosby and Malkin, Edmonton is all over the place, mostly due to ELC's, the Blues are nicely spread out and Chicago did with thier D (continue reading).

Sedins expire at the same time, but they piss together.
It doesn't surprise me that there was so much talk about Anaheim maybe trading one of their big 3 as Perry and Getzlaf are UFA's together in 2013. I expect that talk to heat up again next season.
Toews and Kane are UFA's in 2015 together, but I don't think Stan Bowman can count to 10.

Basically, I hope you are wrong. If not, just simply proves my earlier statement that I am no capologist. Probably the reason I am in overdraft acually, meh.

Don't get me wrong, your contract would be good as it would expire the year before he is eligible to become a UFA. Keeping him an RFA would be nice, leaving Ottawa his rights upon completion. All these dates and rules are subject to change depending on the new CBA though, so who knows? Not me.

[notch4077]

Congratulations to Dave ********* over at SensChirp.ca for being granted a one-day press pass to everything that comes with tonights game. Hopefully there is more to come...as long as he doesn't stand on the logo in the Sens dressing room.

He will be watching tonights game from the pressbox and be able to speak to the players post game. He had access to the pre-game skate, as well as other press conferences throughout the day.

Not bad for a self-proclaimed blogger who has been working his way slowly in the Sens organization. With that unfortunately, comes less and less "off-the-record" info for guys like me.

Best strictly Sens site out there in my opinion, depending on what you are looking for I guess.

[Achilles]

Karlsson will be signed for 3 years IMO

I get why Karlsson would want that, but I hope you're wrong. I say give him the Doughty contract....he's worth every penny.

[notch4077]

Well, if you are going to qualify for the playoffs with 3 games remaining in the playoffs, why not pick your opponent?

The Sens didn't do that obviously but heading into the final day of the season, there was a plausible scenario where the Sens could end up facing the Rangers, instead of Boston.

The needed outcomes:
- Sens lose in regulation to the Devils
- Washington wins against the Rangers
- Florida gets at least 1 point in against Carolina

Check, check and check.

Why do most Sens fans prefer a 1st round matchup with the Rangers over Boston? Where do I start?

There are many reasons:
Boston knows how to win in the playoffs. Some think they were just biding their time and just waiting for the postseason to start. The Rangers and Lundqvist more importantly, has only won 2 playoff series'. He has beaten the Thrashers and the Devils. His playoff numbers are nowhere near his regular season numbers.
I realize choosing between the Bruins and Rangers is trying to pick the lesser of two evils, but everything about the Bruins is/was a bad matchup for Ottawa. Robin Lehner is the only Sens goalie to beat them this season.
Let's look at Sens starting goalie Craig Anderson, his career stats in Madison Square Gardens facing the Rangers at home...are you ready for this? 6 GP, 6 Wins, 1.14 GAA, .965 SV% with 2 shutouts. He has yet to lose against the Rangers in their own barn. Now he is not that good at home against the Rangers, winning only 1 of 4 games, but you can't ignore my previous sentence. On the other hand, Anderson in Boston, not so good. 2 wins, 3 losses, 3.64, .901 SV%. His career against Boston 3-8, 3.45 GAA, .899 SV%.

This season, the Sens are 3 and 1 against the Rangers. We have been able to control and dictate long stretches of play and have made Lundqvist seem human as he went 1-1-1 with a 2.92 GAA and a .905 SV%. Biron was horrible in the one game he started against Ottawa.

Useless stat of the day - Only 2 Sens players are minus on the year against NYR and they are Neil with a -1 and Cowen at -2. Compare that to the 20 minus players the Rangers have against Ottawa with Richards and Fedtenko leading the way at -5.

Final score of the season series was 14-8 for Ottawa. Shots were 117-107 for the Sens

Either way, Sens are in tough, but with the date with the Rangers booked, I prefer our chances against them, versus the Bruins. Be happy Sens fans, and bring on the Rangers.

Can't wait.

[littleranger]

I've got my tickets for game 4! Hopefully I'll be able to bring my broom in Scotiabank Place when the Rangers hold a 3-0 lead

[notch4077]

I've got my tickets for game 4! Hopefully I'll be able to bring my broom in Scotiabank Place when the Rangers hold a 3-0 lead

If I wasn't a recovering gambling addict, I would love to take you for everything you own.

[Big Ev]

so many ignorant predictions it's unbelievable. Same idiots who said Sens would finish 15th. Not saying they'll beat the Rangers but it will go 6 or 7.

[fulcrum]

I'm not bold enough to say they will upset the Rangers either, but it wouldn't surprize me.

A sweep or even 4-1 series win for the rangers would surprize me. I think the sens will be more of a handful than people think.

[JagrBomb]

so many ignorant predictions it's unbelievable. Same idiots who said Sens would finish 15th. Not saying they'll beat the Rangers but it will go 6 or 7.

it's not ignorant, it's just realistic. the rangers are superior in most aspects over the sens, so unless they can somehow find a way to beat lundqvist they will be done pretty quickly. i'm assuming anderson is the starter, and he has shown he has the ability to win a game by himself, but then again so has lundqvist.

[Big Ev]

Idiots and "experts" see 1 vs 8 and assume it will be a breeze.

[Big Ev]

it's not ignorant, it's just realistic. the rangers are superior in most aspects over the sens, so unless they can somehow find a way to beat lundqvist they will be done pretty quickly. i'm assuming anderson is the starter, and he has shown he has the ability to win a game by himself, but then again so has lundqvist.

The Sens are better offensively than the Rangers, have beaten them easily at MSG since the lockout, and have more playoff experience + proven leadership. The Rangers are underachievers in the playoffs, lack the experience, and have only gotten to #1 because of one guy - Lundqvist, who has been floundering the past month and a half.

If the Sens played Boston I would have predicted a 5 game series win for the Bruins. The Rangers are just not as good matchup-wise vs Ottawa.

[JagrBomb]

The Sens are better offensively than the Rangers, have beaten them easily at MSG since the lockout, and have more playoff experience + proven leadership. The Rangers are underachievers in the playoffs, lack the experience, and have only gotten to #1 because of one guy - Lundqvist, who has been floundering the past month and a half.

If the Sens played Boston I would have predicted a 5 game series win for the Bruins. The Rangers are just not as good matchup-wise vs Ottawa.

yea i'm sure the sens would much rather play the rangers instead of boston, no doubting that. the sens might win one or two games but i dont see it going that far unless anderson gets hot or lundqvist has constant diarehha.

[Big Ev]

yea i'm sure the sens would much rather play the rangers instead of boston, no doubting that. the sens might win one or two games but i dont see it going that far unless anderson gets hot or lundqvist has constant diarehha.

Anderson 7-3-1 against the Rangers in his career. If Marian Gaborik doesn't show up, they will be in trouble.

[littleranger]

so many ignorant predictions it's unbelievable. Same idiots who said Sens would finish 15th. Not saying they'll beat the Rangers but it will go 6 or 7.

Did you really believe the Sens would finish in the playoffs prior to the season?

The Sens are better offensively than the Rangers

The Rangers are better defensively.

have beaten them easily at MSG since the lockout

The Rangers haven't been great since the lockout against many teams, Sens included. But, the Sens were pretty damn good a few years back and they had quite a bit more firepower in those seasons. Things change.

The Rangers are underachievers in the playoffs, lack the experience, and have only gotten to #1 because of one guy - Lundqvist, who has been floundering the past month and a half.

Sens do have leaders like Alfie, Gonchar, Spezza, Michalek, Neil, Phillips etc. who have made it far into the playoffs, but at the same time, how much experience does Smith, Condra, Karlsson, Foligno or Anderson have in the post season? Smith/Condra have Bingo at least I suppose. The Rangers only have a experience in Richards, Rupp and Fedotenko, but also a guy named Tortorella who has coached a decent playoff squad in years past.

To be fair, Lundqvist hasn't had the same team in front of him the past few weeks as the team has been sitting back in 1st while other teams were playing meaningful games.

Keep calling people idiots and ignorant, that'll make you friends.