I agree, but only if they stay healthy. I think they lack depth in a lot of areas and if players start going down (I mean long term, not a game here or there) I think it could be a really long year in Ottawa.
- sensarmy_11

I think our depth is underrated and I think our top end is overrated. The big question marks on this team are can our top wingers (besides Stone) play 2 way hockey. Can they play an aggressive system. If they can, we make the playoffs. If they continue to pretend they are doing it, we don't make the playoffs.

Got some serious passengers in our top 2 lines, if they play hard, we can overcome injuries. If they dog it, doesn't matter - we won't improve

I think our depth is underrated and I think our top end is overrated. The big question marks on this team are can our top wingers (besides Stone) play 2 way hockey. Can they play an aggressive system. If they can, we make the playoffs. If they continue to pretend they are doing it, we don't make the playoffs.

Got some serious passengers in our top 2 lines, if they play hard, we can overcome injuries. If they dog it, doesn't matter - we won't improve
- tuna99

we have no depth at forward unless we want to rush rookies into the lineup.....the fact that Zach smith is in our top six is proof of that.

he would not crack the top six on pretty much any other team in the league. he's a legit bottom six guy, no doubt, but the fact that he's the best we can do when a top six winger goes down is sad.

now, imagine what happens if another top six guy goes down........who steps up?

we have no depth at forward unless we want to rush rookies into the lineup.....the fact that Zach smith is in our top six is proof of that.

he would not crack the top six on pretty much any other team in the league. he's a legit bottom six guy, no doubt, but the fact that he's the best we can do when a top six winger goes down is sad.

now, imagine what happens if another top six guy goes down........who steps up?
- sensarmy_11

I think Dzingel can play top 6 similar to a Peter Schaffer or Bryan Smolnski.

I like the fact that Guy didn't put a rookie on Ryan's line, it removes any excuses for the line to blame other players (insert Ryan 2016 post game interview here ) - if Ryan's line dogged it who would get the blame? Now there is no excuse, if that 2nd line doesn't perform it's all on them and they can't blame the rookie.

No excuse season. I think players like Dzingel, Perron, Verone can at least fill in on the top 6. We need another stud there to get over this hump, but for now, we have enough talent to keep it going.

I think Ottawa is going to surprise many and be a pretty good team and make playoffs
- Popcorn Kid

Thanks for being so gracious, but I'm too nervous to be so optimistic. It hasn't paid off the last few seasons...

Hey has everyone noticed that the Toronto Sports Network has ranked the Sens in 25th in their so-called 'power rankings'. Three places behind the Leafs and 16 places behind the Habs who are in 9th. Who writes for these idiots... monkeys?

Turris needs to stay healthy and get points on a consistent basis. No more disappearing mid-season.

Ryan needs to live up to his contract. 30 goals and 65pts or bust.

Stone needs to stay healthy. Time to become a star.

Hoffman needs to score consistently over the entire season. He could also learn to smile.

If these things happen, the Sens will be a solid team. If they don't, disaster.

I have to be honest, after a couple of years of elevated expectations with the Sens, I like the fact that no one expects much from this team for the 2016-17 season. The Sens always play above low expectations (conversely below high expectations), and I think that the playoffs are a definite possibility.

Just having Cowen, Greening and other "dead weight" gone is refreshing, and with Boucher at the helm, I truly believe that a player's ice time will be decided based on their performance, not some other intangibles (ex. trying to prove that a Melnyk/ Murray's acquisition was not a bone headed decision, instead of cutting bait via buy out).

I think the Sens are a trade or two away from having a solid top 3 Atlantic team, and hopefully with the 6 million in cap space Melnyk with loosen the purse strings and get the right players. Regardless, it should be a fun season and the Sens will be competitive.

For now hope is eternal - Go Sens Go!

Methot has issues by the way. Brassard was not happy to find out about it...(very good friends)

Anyway...here's hoping he's serious on the ice. I expect regression this year.

I'll be paying attention to the defense, as it was atrocious during the Maclean/Cameron era. Predicting a high scoring game. Good to have hockey back.

Methot has issues by the way. Brassard was not happy to find out about it...(very good friends)

Anyway...here's hoping he's serious on the ice. I expect regression this year.
- SENSpatriot

issues? huh??

Honestlynot trolling, just really confused by the optimism here. Pyatt, Verone, Dzingle, Kelly and Neil up front?? (the other 4 obviously fine) If the Blue Team dressed those guys, they'd be clowned mercilessly here and on Ottawa radio.

Looking forward to puck drop... Jays, hockey, NFL... the very best time of year...
- grim

I think that would be a bigger issue if the other guys weren't Brassard, Hoffman, Ryan, Turris, and Stone. These are all guys who will log 20+ minutes each. The team needs Varone, Dzingel, Kelly, Neil, Pyatt, etc to simply hold it down. Pageau and Smith are tweeners.

It's a reasonable bottom 6 group. Nothing special, but they won't win or lose based on the performance of the guys you mentioned. Boucher coaches strong offence and this team had the 9th best offence in the league last year under Dave Cameron's boring AF forecheck and one of the worst PP's in the league.

A healthy Senators group is easily top 10 in GF.

Winning or losing for this team ultimately hinges on two things. Health of star players, and everyone buying into the structured system that Boucher is building. They achieve those two goals, and they're playoff bound. Fail in either, and it's a struggle.

Why isn't anyone going to the game tonight?

Why isn't anyone going to the game tonight?
- 1979AD

Burn is!

Why isn't anyone going to the game tonight?
- 1979AD

Cause they built the arena way out in the sticks!!!

Cause they built the arena way out in the sticks!!!
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Burn's taking a 5 hour bus ride with 40 other fans. How far is Kanata from Ottawa - 7-8 hours?

I'm starting to understand why Melnyk refuses to waste money on this fanbase.

Ottawa should sign erhoff and Tanguay for depth for when players get hurt. They already have a full line of ahl players any more call ups won't go well.

Burn's taking a 5 hour bus ride with 40 other fans. How far is Kanata from Ottawa - 7-8 hours?

I'm starting to understand why Melnyk refuses to waste money on this fanbase.
- 1979AD

According to Google, CTC is 26.9km from downtown Ottawa, ON. To arrive at the arena at 6:30, it estimates that it would take 26-45 minutes (taking primarily the 417).

To put that in perspective, conversely, this is the equivalent of going from downtown Toronto to Square One Shopping Centre (26.8km). Big difference is the traffic comparison as Google estimates it would take 35-70 minutes to drive that distance (taking primarily the Gardiner).

Of course, this is all based off of Google... it's been a long time since I lived in Ottawa (currently in Toronto... traffic is radically more brutal here).

According to Google, CTC is 26.9km from downtown Ottawa, ON. To arrive at the arena at 6:30, it estimates that it would take 26-45 minutes (taking primarily the 417).

To put that in perspective, conversely, this is the equivalent of going from downtown Toronto to Square One Shopping Centre (26.8km). Big difference is the traffic comparison as Google estimates it would take 35-70 minutes to drive that distance (taking primarily the Gardiner).

Of course, this is all based off of Google... it's been a long time since I lived in Ottawa (currently in Toronto... traffic is radically more brutal here).
- GstrangWondah

Getting into the CTC on a weekday, you face all the traffic for people going to the game, and leaving work to go home.

Getting out, parking is an absolute nightmare. You spend ludicrous amounts of time just sitting in park, waiting to move an inch.

Pretty cool opening there in Ottawa!

Few quick thoughts............. great save by Andy on Marner (semi breakaway)

Overall I see a better pace by the Sens (leafs already have it with youth) but can't believe that Mathews goal happening.... Just can't believe it.... it didn't need to happen

Matthews is ridiculous (as well as marner) thankfully the rest of the team still kind of sucks

Mathews looks amazing but anderson should have had that

Toronto player #34 is pretty good

Andy should have had the second goal for sure. Surely if he is covering the near post that doesn't go in?

That #34 guy again

That #34 guy again
- Ottawa Fan

You fear for the Leafs if anything happens to him. Got to say though, in my opinion at least, he looks way way better than McDavid.