Jared Crozier: Game Day: Senators host Maple Leafs in curtain dropper

FINALLY!!!!!!!

i don't even care what happens this season (i'm sure i'll change my tune 3 minutes into game 1) i'm just happy that real hockey is back.

You said it smarmy!!

We're gonna' race the Canucks to the bottom!

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

FINALLY!!!!!!!

i don't even care what happens this season (i'm sure i'll change my tune 3 minutes into game 1) i'm just happy that real hockey is back.
- sensarmy_11

Yessss sensarmy.... no doubt.

Hopefully one day soon we organize to watch a game together; a bunch of us.

As far the Sens go, MacArthur and Ryan were my x-factors. 1 is down and out (on LTIR) and so it comes down to Ryan. I'll add Phanuef on there as well. If they can be close to what they were 7 years ago, this team will be very strong and balanced.

The defensive structure is EASILY the biggest thing the Sens need to improve. The play without the puck WITHIN the defensive zone; especially when the other team sets up was one of the biggest weakness of this team; and one of the worst I've seen from a Sens line up. But Cameron out; Zibanejad out; Kelly in; Brassard in; and now Cameron. The PP - you got so many options. The PK as well.

I wouldn't bet on the Sens winning for sure tonight but really hope they do given it's Mathews' first game. Should be a dandy !

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

I agree

4-1 Sens

Hockeys back baby

We're gonna' race the Canucks to the bottom!

I think they're going to have us beat by a mile

I have the Canucks finishing dead last in the west 27th overall. Will be trying to finalize my predictions & get my bets placed before the drop of the puck today.

I have Ottawa as a bubble playoff team in the East. With the exception of Toronto 7 through 15 could be very tight in the East.

Had Ottawa sequred a #5 Dman & a 3rd line LW that could slide into the #2 slot I would have had them as a lock to make the playoffs in the East. They didn't & I can't see how the Senators can hope to make the playoffs dressing Borowiecki, Varone, Pyatt & Dzingel. I don't want to slight Smith as his contributions filling in for MacArthur at least 5 on 5 last season were impressive but him playing as your #2 LW isn't a positive.

Not trying to troll. I like Ottawa. I have Hoffman & Stone in 1 of my fantasy leagues, Ceci in another & drafted Brassard in 2 of my 1 year draft leagues.

I just wish they signed Seidenberg or Quincey to provide some depth on D as Methot can't stay healthy. I sure hope Chabot can play & play well defensively for 12 to 15 minutes a night or that Wideman shows serious signs of improvement defensively or Ottawa 3rd pairing is going to get over exposed.

I have the Canucks finishing dead last in the west 27th overall. Will be trying to finalize my predictions & get my bets placed before the drop of the puck today.

I have Ottawa as a bubble playoff team in the East. With the exception of Toronto 7 through 15 could be very tight in the East.

Had Ottawa sequred a #5 Dman & a 3rd line LW that could slide into the #2 slot I would have had them as a lock to make the playoffs in the East. They didn't & I can't see how the Senators can hope to make the playoffs dressing Borowiecki, Varone, Pyatt & Dzingel. I don't want to slight Smith as his contributions filling in for MacArthur at least 5 on 5 last season were impressive but him playing as your #2 LW isn't a positive.

Not trying to troll. I like Ottawa. I have Hoffman & Stone in 1 of my fantasy leagues, Ceci in another & drafted Brassard in 2 of my 1 year draft leagues.

I just wish they signed Seidenberg or Quincey to provide some depth on D as Methot can't stay healthy. I sure hope Chabot can play & play well defensively for 12 to 15 minutes a night or that Wideman shows serious signs of improvement defensively or Ottawa 3rd pairing is going to get over exposed.
- striker777

Methot can't stay healthy... so they should sign Seidenberg? Sounds like you'd think a trade for Robidas would be a great idea too.

I think they're going to have us beat by a mile
- leafsfann

Agreed. SOme could say the sens lack direction, but the Canucks are that X10

The Sens will hopefully benefit from another of year of players being older and a new coaching staff implementing them being more consistent on an every night basis. Under old management they seemed to let the other teams dictate how they played whereas if they had played a high intensity attacking game every night they would take advantage of lesser hockey teams.

The coaching staff finding a team's natural style is more important then implementing a system and trying to fit a team into that system.

You know alot talk about the prospects the leafs have, but you guy's have some coming too!there's a nice mix of Veterans, but I agree with one of the other posts ,I would have liked to have seen a depth, defenseman signed! But if things go sideways, they can go trade route possibly? Good luck with your season, and hopping you can make the playoffs! !.....p.s.dont hurt marner!!😠

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...

4-1 Sens.

Hopefully 4 points for the Hoff.

Kadri with the Leafs line goal

The Guy Boucher era begins.

No Sens fans can say what to expect, we saw the kids play an amazingly aggressive system and the veterans follow that up the following game with no heart and no leadership - ottawa has the talent but do the players care enough? No one knows. I don't care how much you love the team, no fan can say Ottawa has the heart to win and play disciplined. We'all see tonight what we have.

Fred Andersen is the Leafs x-factor tonight and all season. With that D he is in tough and could be a hero or a goat.

Wouldn't it be a curtain raiser to start the season and a curtain dropper to end the season? Hopefully the curtain isn't dropping Game #1 of the season!

I think the Sens dependence on MacArthur coming back was overly optimistic. While I love what MacArthur brings to the table, his last concussion (which knocked him out for most of the season) was a mid-ice bump where he fell to the ice and maybe slightly banged his head on the ice. Something so innocuous that you generally wouldn't even look twice at it in a sport with as much contact as hockey. I figured that it was only a matter of time before a more substantial hit took him out again. Sadly, I think these concussions will ultimately do him in. This leaves the Sens seriously short handed unless someone else steps up. Not great that Stone is now working on multiple concussions either.

If the Sens stay healthy, they will be a bubble team. Any significant injuries, they will miss the playoffs again.

The Guy Boucher era begins.

No Sens fans can say what to expect, we saw the kids play an amazingly aggressive system and the veterans follow that up the following game with no heart and no leadership - ottawa has the talent but do the players care enough? No one knows. I don't care how much you love the team, no fan can say Ottawa has the heart to win and play disciplined. We'all see tonight what we have.

Fred Andersen is the Leafs x-factor tonight and all season. With that D he is in tough and could be a hero or a goat.
- tuna99

He's already somewhat of a goat after the preseason.

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.

It's a fair point. The Sens are paper thin up front. With Mac out, another injury to a top 6 guy and we're screwed.

Thing is, the Sens were 9th in scoring last season with just as bad of a bottom 6.

They aren't relying on these guys to score goals.

I think you will be surprised by Dzingel. The guy is definitely an NHLer. Verone will be replaced by Lazar when he comes back.

At the end of the day, our 3rd line will be something like Dzingel-Pageau-Lazar.. which isn't great, but not horrible either.

The 4th line will be total garbage, but with Boucher's scheme of saying he wants to go 11 forwards and 7 D for much of the season, I don't see them getting enough ice time to effect the game much.

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

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.

He's already somewhat of a goat after the preseason.
- walshyleafsfan

I know it's crazy. Gotta wonder what a bad season will do to him. I liked him in Anaheim but Toronto has such high expectations if he isn't one of their best players they'll run him out of town.

On a side note, the Anderson for Elliot trade has to be Murray's best trade as Ottawa GM. The Bishop for the 2nd would have been better.........but you know.......

curtain raiser

I have the Canucks finishing dead last in the west 27th overall. Will be trying to finalize my predictions & get my bets placed before the drop of the puck today.

I have Ottawa as a bubble playoff team in the East. With the exception of Toronto 7 through 15 could be very tight in the East.

Had Ottawa sequred a #5 Dman & a 3rd line LW that could slide into the #2 slot I would have had them as a lock to make the playoffs in the East. They didn't & I can't see how the Senators can hope to make the playoffs dressing Borowiecki, Varone, Pyatt & Dzingel. I don't want to slight Smith as his contributions filling in for MacArthur at least 5 on 5 last season were impressive but him playing as your #2 LW isn't a positive.

Not trying to troll. I like Ottawa. I have Hoffman & Stone in 1 of my fantasy leagues, Ceci in another & drafted Brassard in 2 of my 1 year draft leagues.

I just wish they signed Seidenberg or Quincey to provide some depth on D as Methot can't stay healthy. I sure hope Chabot can play & play well defensively for 12 to 15 minutes a night or that Wideman shows serious signs of improvement defensively or Ottawa 3rd pairing is going to get over exposed.
- striker777

Ottawa has that. Zach smith is a bonafide 3LW who can be a stop gap as 2LW....the problem is that with mac's career likely done, they don't have a legit 2LW