Ottawa Senators

[Big Ev]

Do you think Loui is capable of replacing all the goals lost by Hoffman? I realize Loui has 27 goals this year but this is his highest goal total since 2010/11.

Hoffmans 50+ goals the past two seasons will be hard to replace for the money he will cost. I expect Hoffman to get somewhere around $4M next year (they probably could have had him for less than that if they would have shown a commitment to him), but Loui is going to cost someone $5m+ and he's having his best season in over five years.

I would easily pay Eriksson five million plus. It doesn't matter to me if he scores what Hoffman scores or not, he will help a lot more on the defensive side of the game and play better structurally. He will also score 20 goals at the worst I would imagine. Plus it's doubtful Hoffman scores more than he did this season. Ottawa doesn't need to replace all the goals, they just need to give up less. They are already a top five offense without turris for half the year and MacArthur for the whole year. Eriksson would be a perfect fit on the LW to play with turris or zibanejad, his two-way game would help a lot.

I don't want Hoffman and I can see why the sens don't want him long term. Hate the way he plays and he's been hard to coach at all levels of hockey. He will be looking for 5.5 or more and multiple years and Ottawa will definitely not give him that. It is unlikely he ever has a better year than this year and in my mind he's going to bounce around the league a specialist type player, not a major piece to any team. Plus I have heard from good sources that he is not a very well liked guy in the dressing room.

[Axeman33]

I think Hoffman is underrated and under-appreciated by the Senators but thats just my opinion. I wont be surprised to see him move on and prove the Sens that they were wrong.

I do like Loui though and think he would fit in nicely with the Senators as well. I am just not sure he will be worth the money hes going to ask for. I do agree that he will help them defensively and they sure need that.

[Big Ev]

IMO you really have to watch Hoffman closely a lot to see his warts. I think he's overrated by the sens fanbase. They think somehow the team screwed him over in arbitration when it was his own choice to go to arbitration. I'm also dumbfounded why some seem to think he's more valuable than Ryan, a more complete player who produces in different ways. I'm not saying Hoffman isn't a decent pice going forward, I just wouldn't devote high long term dollars to him when it can be better spent elsewhere.

Hoffmans hockey sense is poor, he is out of position a lot, and makes a lot of bad decisions with the puck. Mostly all his goals are from far out and the goalie is usually screened. Hes had coachability issues since junior. He doesn't get demoted in the lineup for no reason. I think he's got Mason Raymond written all over him. I'd rather devote the money to the more proven player and more responsible player in Eriksson, and the fact that he's good friends with Karlsson is a bonus. It will make the captain happy since most of his friends have been traded or left.

Im just speculating of course, no idea if Eriksson will want to come here. But if we have him, MacArthur, turris, and potentially Colin white all in the lineup next season, our team defence improves substantially.

[Zorro]

Eriksson would improve any team who was lucky enough to get him.. This will be his last chance at a huge pay day, and I think he will get it!!

[Big Ev]

seems like the coach will be fired after the season. I don't really care either way if he's fired or kept, but I wouldn't mind bringing in a legit coach with experience. I also hope Pierre Dorion gets the GM job if Murray doesn't want it anymore. I wouldn't mind if Jacques Martin returned behind the bench.

[Axeman33]

I dont think the coach is the problem. I honestly think the issue is with the GM and the players he is offering the coach. They have been a terrible defensive team for years now and until Murray does anything to change that issue, the coaching will be a moot point. Their depth has to be questioned as well. If you are in a position when you have sign someone like Scott Gomez to fill holes, again, this is a roster issue. The coach doesn't control those things, the GM does. They are too heavy with right handed shots, not enough left handed shots, especially on their PP. They dont have enough LHS offensive players to put out there (they are in a position where they have to use Zach Smith on the PP because he's a LHS). If you have to put a guy like Smith out there on your PP, that should tell you something. Again, they need to adjust their roster to make it a more balanced lineup for a coach to use.

I dont expect Bryan Murray to lose his job (mainly because of his health issues and I dont think Melnyk wants to fire him at this time because of that) although I think he's just as much of the issue (if not more) as the coaching with this team. These are just some of the issues I see with the Sens, and yes, I do watch a lot of Sens games. They are better to watch than the Leafs or Habs on the East Coast.

[Big Ev]

I dont think the coach is the problem. I honestly think the issue is with the GM and the players he is offering the coach. They have been a terrible defensive team for years now and until Murray does anything to change that issue, the coaching will be a moot point. Their depth has to be questioned as well. If you are in a position when you have sign someone like Scott Gomez to fill holes, again, this is a roster issue. The coach doesn't control those things, the GM does. They are too heavy with right handed shots, not enough left handed shots, especially on their PP. They dont have enough LHS offensive players to put out there (they are in a position where they have to use Zach Smith on the PP because he's a LHS). If you have to put a guy like Smith out there on your PP, that should tell you something. Again, they need to adjust their roster to make it a more balanced lineup for a coach to use.

I dont expect Bryan Murray to lose his job (mainly because of his health issues and I dont think Melnyk wants to fire him at this time because of that) although I think he's just as much of the issue (if not more) as the coaching with this team. These are just some of the issues I see with the Sens, and yes, I do watch a lot of Sens games. They are better to watch than the Leafs or Habs on the East Coast.

Cameron isn't a very good coach and I would rather have a much more experienced winning coach back there. Although like I said I don't think it's the end of the world if he returned. But yes it's a big issue and the roster is better than the coaching has made them out to be. A team with a top 5 offense should make the playoffs no matter how bad they are defensively. Murray has provided more than enough offensive talent, and they banked on a couple of young D who didn't work out. Shit happens. Murray already did something to address the D by acquiring a Top 4 D in Phaneuf. But he will be stepping down and Pierre Dorion will probably take over as GM who I really respect as one of the best talent evaluators in the NHL. Murray has built a great core through the draft. He hasn't been perfect but he's had to work with a lot less than other GMs and the young talent in the organization was weak when he took over. But yes it is time for him to step down and let Dorion run the show.

The PP and PK are up to the coaches and that is pretty much the reason Ottawa didn't make it this year. Ottawa isn't as bad as their record indicates, for sure. I think they're a playoff team regardless if they make changes or not due to the return of Turris, MacArthur, and a full year of Phaneuf, although I do expect Hoffman to be shipped out and another defenseman and better defensive winger acquired. I really don't see large issues going forward like other gloom and doomers do. We have a young core with excellent pieces all over the roster. I wouldn't be shocked to see people think they miss the playoffs and they finish better than an overachiever like the Panthers.

Smith is on the PP because he can screen the goalie and get a dirty goal. He has over 20 goals this season. Lots of PPs around the league have lesser-skilled guys in front of the net. and they signed Scott Gomez because there was nobody left to call up in Binghamton since a) they are already up in Ottawa or b) the Sens best prospects are not in the AHL. They didn't sign Gomez expecting he would contribute, it was simply depth for the rest of the year and doing a guy a favor which makes other players around the league respect your team.

[Axeman33]

I am not disagreeing when you say that they should be a better team than their record shows, but I have a hard time thinking the coach is the issue. They have lots of offense, but their defense is still a sore spot on this team, even with Phaneuf coming in.

I had to go back to 2009 to find a season when the Senators were not one of the worst teams in the league in giving up shots. In 2009, they were actually the fourth BEST team in giving up shots.

Since that season in 2009, they have brought in four different head coaches and all have had the same problem in giving up way too many shots on goal. This is what leads me to believe that it isn't the coach that's the issue. Bryan Murray is responsible for the players on the ice and the coach behind the bench and he's obviously making the wrong choices in both of those regards.

The buck stops with Bryan Murray. Eugene Melnyk, after his little rant earlier this week, needs to see that and make THAT change if he wants to see the changes on the ice happen. Unfortunately, the guy coming in to slowly replace Murray has only learned from his mistakes. Hopefully he doesn't make the same ones Murray has made over the years in managing this team.

[Big Ev]

I am not disagreeing when you say that they should be a better team than their record shows, but I have a hard time thinking the coach is the issue. They have lots of offense, but their defense is still a sore spot on this team, even with Phaneuf coming in.

I had to go back to 2009 to find a season when the Senators were not one of the worst teams in the league in giving up shots. In 2009, they were actually the fourth BEST team in giving up shots.

Since that season in 2009, they have brought in four different head coaches and all have had the same problem in giving up way too many shots on goal. This is what leads me to believe that it isn't the coach that's the issue. Bryan Murray is responsible for the players on the ice and the coach behind the bench and he's obviously making the wrong choices in both of those regards.

The buck stops with Bryan Murray. Eugene Melnyk, after his little rant earlier this week, needs to see that and make THAT change if he wants to see the changes on the ice happen. Unfortunately, the guy coming in to slowly replace Murray has only learned from his mistakes. Hopefully he doesn't make the same ones Murray has made over the years in managing this team.

Yes and that has to do with coaching. A guy like Jacques Martin would be able to reduce shots against no question. The Sens current system allows shots as that is what they want to have happen. They want to force shots from the outside with not much threat. I'm not arguing whether that's good or bad or smart, I'm just saying that's the system they use. A lot of goalies do want to see a lot of shots though.

I personally don't think they should have ever re-signed Marc Methot. He hasn't been good the last two years and is injury prone. I thought the money could have been used on a younger D man.

As for coaches, Murray definitely didn't bring in Cameron to replace MacLean, that was Melnyk's decision. Yes the coaches have not worked out, but they haven't had that much more coach turnover than other non-cup contender type teams in the league. The past hires could have been done better but this is a guy who hired Mike Babcock and hired Paul MacLean who was coach of the year so he isn't completely at fault for the coaches not working out. Anyway I do think the next GM will get a guy like Boudreau or Julien who can be here longer term.

I don't think management has made that many bad decisions over the last five years or so. There are some things they would do-over but they have to operate under a tight budget and some decisions just didn't work out (like trade requests, Lehner being a mental case, Cowen declining due to injury, Wiercioch not capitalizing on his opportunities, etc.) Doesn't mean they were bad ones at the time. A lot of people love to use hindsight, but the fact is the Sens overachieved one season a few years ago so the fans had greater expectations when we were supposed to be rebuilding. A lot of people are also hypocrites and love to act like Captain Hindsight, such as the Bishop trade which Ottawa had to do.

[Big Ev]

What a trash article by Damien Cox: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/m...ions-senators/. Saying the Sens could only make the playoffs if they went on another huge run like last year? Give me a break. I hate when people analyze the Sens in the media because it's clear they have no idea what they're talking about.

"Taking a stab at Phaneuf was a noble effort to try and save this season – of all the Canadian teams, at least Ottawa tried something aggressive to make the playoffs – but now you have a No. 3 defenceman making $7 million moving forward."

Moronic. They didn't trade for Phaneuf to save the season.

"But the truth is since drafting Karlsson, the Sens haven’t acquired a world class talent through the draft, in free agency or in a trade. The state of this team is about having a lineup that’s middle-of-the-pack."

Yeah they didn't trade for Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris, or draft Mark Stone. Unless "World-class talent" means superstars - who gets that of talent other than teams who pick in the Top 2?

Go away Damien.

[bondon]

Your first mistake was even reading anything from that clown.

[Big Ev]

I'm so tired of seeing anybody criticize the Sens for signing Bobby Ryan for the sole reason being you just know these HYPOCRITE ****S would have ROASTED the team a new one and cry about how they don't spend money if they never did extend him. **** off with this bullshit, it's so tiring. Of course he's a bit overpaid but don't act like hypocritical ********.

[JagrBomb]

What a trash article by Damien Cox: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/m...ions-senators/. Saying the Sens could only make the playoffs if they went on another huge run like last year? Give me a break. I hate when people analyze the Sens in the media because it's clear they have no idea what they're talking about.

"Taking a stab at Phaneuf was a noble effort to try and save this season – of all the Canadian teams, at least Ottawa tried something aggressive to make the playoffs – but now you have a No. 3 defenceman making $7 million moving forward."

Moronic. They didn't trade for Phaneuf to save the season.

"But the truth is since drafting Karlsson, the Sens haven’t acquired a world class talent through the draft, in free agency or in a trade. The state of this team is about having a lineup that’s middle-of-the-pack."

Yeah they didn't trade for Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris, or draft Mark Stone. Unless "World-class talent" means superstars - who gets that of talent other than teams who pick in the Top 2?

Go away Damien.

agree on your first point.

i guess it depends on how you define world class talent but ryan and turris shouldn't be considered regardless. stone is potentially a season or two away.

and loads of world class talents are drafted outside of the top 2. i wouldn't be surprised if an overwhelming majority of the league's best players right now weren't top 2 selections.

i think it's quite fair to say the sens haven't provided karlsson with a good enough of a supporting cast to consistently make the playoffs. he shouldn't be playing half the game most nights, and if Melnyk wasn't so cheap the sens would have a better chance at luring high end free agents to supplement their core.

but yea Cox is an idiot, no denying that.

[JagrBomb]

I'm so tired of seeing anybody criticize the Sens for signing Bobby Ryan for the sole reason being you just know these HYPOCRITE ****S would have ROASTED the team a new one and cry about how they don't spend money if they never did extend him. **** off with this bullshit, it's so tiring. Of course he's a bit overpaid but don't act like hypocritical ********.

it was definitely the right move, especially given the assets they gave up to acquire him. better to overpay than lose him for nothing.

[The Comish]

Anyone else find it interesting that Colin Greening had 15 points in 30 games with the Leafs after being relegated to the AHL by the Sens? Was there a problem between him and the coach or was it more that management did not want to pay him more than $2.6M to play in the bottom six? I'm bitter because I dropped him in my deep, deep dynasty league and now I wish I hadn't!