Re: Ottawa Senators
Originally Posted by
Big Ev
Phillips wasn't terrible last year. That's just hyperbole. He had a down year like everyone on the team. Again he was probably the best dman the other night and looks good next to Ceci. Whenever somebody says he is a 7th dman I just roll my eyes.
I disagree about cowen, he already looks better and again it's only one game. He was pretty solid the other night, just a couple of poor plays which happens to everybody. His skating is much better and he looks like he can have a decent season. People really need to focus on a guys whole game, not just one or two plays where the other team scores.
The d this the same because most are young and its a knee jerk reaction to change it based on this. They will only improve with every game. You just have to be patient. Which if you are like most Sens fans, you won't be and you will continue to have your whipping boys and engage in groupthink like Cowen sucks, neil sucks, phillips sucks. Etc.
And it's also not the same because Methot isn't healthy right now. I am not the biggest fan but once he's back cowen can play with Ceci or gryba and everyone will be in a comfortable position.
Seem to change your stance pretty quickly over "one game". This defence minus Karlsson is terrible and you can say a ton of excuses about youth and what not but at the end of the day they just aren't good. Cowen has looked like a trainwreck for more than he has looked good in his career, Phillips has experience but at this point in his career is not a top 5 defenceman and Gryba has looked pretty bad as well.
If these guys had a lot of realistic upside and looked like they might achieve it then you can be optimistic but I have seen nothing to make me confident about this team's defence. Karlsson is one of if not the best Dman in the NHL and Ceci looks like he can be a top 4 defenceman but isn't there right now. Methot is a top 4 Dman but until he comes back the Senators are going to struggle big time on the back end.
Wiercioch looks to finally be back in the lineup and should have a lot longer rope than guys like Cowen.
20 Team Keeper (H2H, Keep 15)
Roster: 2 C, 2 RW, 2 LW, 3 F, 5 D, 2 G, 4 BN, 3IR
Catg: G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, Sh%, H, Blk, W, GAA, Sv%, Saves, SO
C: Craig Smith, Brock Nelson
LW: Benn, Ryan, Andrew Ladd, Tanguay
RW: Vanek, Saad, Hemsky, Mark Stone
D:Yandle, Gardiner, Goligoski, Kulikov, Girardi, Daley
G: Scneider, Anderson, Svedberg