Jared Crozier: On Curtis Lazar, development, lessons learned, and impact on Colin White

Good read Jared.

Murray should've picked Matha

Or found a way to trade the 17th overall + to get down to #12 and select Max Domi

There is an argument to be made that the Sens have mishandled talent -- Cowen was rushed, Puempel wasn't given a chance to succeed and now has 5 goals in 13 games with the Rangers, Shane Prince etc.
However the onus is also on the player to some degree to perform.
There are plenty of players who had great junior careers who go on to do nothing in the NHL, just look at some of the championship WJ teams of the past few years, the Steve Downies of the world. Sometimes it happens for a player on a predictable trajectory and sometimes it just doesnt.
Then there are the Kyle Turris's of the league -- Maybe Lazar just needs a change of scenery to perform. Maybe we trade him for another underperforming 1st rounder.
Nail Yakupov? Or maybe we dont need to live through another Nikita Filatov episode...

I really like Bryan Murray and Melynk as people and understand the pressure to compete in Canadian markets..........that said what the F*** where they thinking by playing Lazar - a captain and line mate of Connor McDavid at the WJC and former 1st round pick - to play with Chris Neil on the 4th line?

What the **** were they thinking he was going to develop? This guy came in like mary poppins, smiling, picking up hamburgers off the ice.... like some of that you love to see but his game requires him to be physical and drive the net. In order to develop his offence game he shouldn't have been rushed and seen more time WITH the puck than chasing it. Now he lacks the REAL confidence young players need to play with the puck, have confidence in decision making in the offence zone, and it's cost the sens (IMO) potentially a very versatile 2nd line player than could really compliment a Turris/Ryan.

Speaking of which, Shawn Simpson tweeted it - how long can the Sens hide the elephant on the books? Ryan. Good guy, but again....

There is an argument to be made that the Sens have mishandled talent -- Cowen was rushed, Puempel wasn't given a chance to succeed and now has 5 goals in 13 games with the Rangers, Shane Prince etc.
However the onus is also on the player to some degree to perform.
There are plenty of players who had great junior careers who go on to do nothing in the NHL, just look at some of the championship WJ teams of the past few years, the Steve Downies of the world. Sometimes it happens for a player on a predictable trajectory and sometimes it just doesnt.
Then there are the Kyle Turris's of the league -- Maybe Lazar just needs a change of scenery to perform. Maybe we trade him for another underperforming 1st rounder.
Nail Yakupov? Or maybe we dont need to live through another Nikita Filatov episode...
- JN1980

Puempel has 5 goals!! (WTF!)

Zach Smith. If Curtis Lazar can achieve the same scoring output as Zach Smith, plus provide perhaps a slight improvement on defensive play, then I think we will have got the maximum out of Curtis Lazar.

Ottawa has been too fast to promote and play first round prospects at the NHL level. That said, a big part of a prospect making it is raw talent. Lazar has the character and work ethic to be an NHLer but just never had the raw talent to be a highly productive NHL player. Putting Lazar through a full AHL tour of duty would likely produce a line 3+ player, which is precisely what Zach Smith represents...

There is an argument to be made that the Sens have mishandled talent -- Cowen was rushed, Puempel wasn't given a chance to succeed and now has 5 goals in 13 games with the Rangers, Shane Prince etc.
However the onus is also on the player to some degree to perform.
There are plenty of players who had great junior careers who go on to do nothing in the NHL, just look at some of the championship WJ teams of the past few years, the Steve Downies of the world. Sometimes it happens for a player on a predictable trajectory and sometimes it just doesnt.
Then there are the Kyle Turris's of the league -- Maybe Lazar just needs a change of scenery to perform. Maybe we trade him for another underperforming 1st rounder.
Nail Yakupov? Or maybe we dont need to live through another Nikita Filatov episode...
- JN1980

I would personally love to take a chance on a player like Lazar, despite being deep in 3rd line centers, at present. Would gladly offer Yakupov, but suspect he's headed to the KHL next season...would Rattie & Lazar both benefit from a change of scenery? Not as familiar with the needs of the Sens up front...

I would personally love to take a chance on a player like Lazar, despite being deep in 3rd line centers, at present. Would gladly offer Yakupov, but suspect he's headed to the KHL next season...would Rattie & Lazar both benefit from a change of scenery? Not as familiar with the needs of the Sens up front...
- Firebrand

That's a bad deal for Ottawa IMO.......Lazar is struggling offensively but is still a good defensive forward and still very young with room to grow. Rattie is almost 24 with our lyrics 30 games of nhl experience......if he hasn't shown by now that he can't stick in the nhl I doubt that he ever will

I would personally love to take a chance on a player like Lazar, despite being deep in 3rd line centers, at present. Would gladly offer Yakupov, but suspect he's headed to the KHL next season...would Rattie & Lazar both benefit from a change of scenery? Not as familiar with the needs of the Sens up front...
- Firebrand

Lazar needs to find his confidence with the puck and in the offensive zone. He hasn't really been noticeable - which at first was a good thing - but now he has been noticed as someone that lacks confidence as well. I certainly think a change of scenery could help but at this point this disappointing part is that HAD he been sent to the minors last season he could have put himself in a position to score 15-20 g this season. He has a lot of Dustin Brown in him but his development and lack of getting on a role are the problem. What's Rattie's deal?

Lazar still could turn into an effective 2-way center, PK, and possible captain candidate down the road, but the likelihood of him becoming one are less now. I could still see him wearing an A, thats not far fetched at all. Again it really matters how he finishes this season.

Anyone who has ever had Mono will tell you, it screws you up for longer than you think. The Doctors give you the ok to play but athletically it takes a long time to come back from. The Sens are caught in no man's land here, either play with him guys who have speed not grinders on the 4th line.

The Sens rushed Lazar. There is no doubt about that.

That said, I also wonder if they (and analysts) simply overvalued the kid. Sure he put up points in junior and was over a point per game in his last season (but so was a guy like Chis Neil and many other career 4th line players).

Lazar was physically mature enough to play when he did. He also seemed to have the mental side of the game down. At the end of the day, it's hard to fault the Sens on what they did with Lazar. I would think that most NHL teams would have done the same thing. Personally, I think they rushed him, but it wasn't as obvious of a mistake as......

.....Cody Ceci.

Man, did they ever (frank) that kid over. He was supposed to be an offensive defenseman. He was eligible to play in the AHL and should have been there the entire year. When they brought him up, I thought 'ok, it will be for a few games in the 5-6 role". Nope.. he slid right into the 3-4 role.

Now, the kid gets zero PP time, even on the 2nd unit. He has completely regressed and looks like he has zero confidence. And their solution: give him more mins! What the (frank)?

They can't send him down, but they surely can put him in the 5-6 role...where he should have been since day 1. They can also give him some 2nd line PP time and give the damn kid some confidence.

Why is it that the Sens never EVER claim anybody of Waivers ?
Ty Rattie would've been a good addition in my book...

Why is it that the Sens never EVER claim anybody of Waivers ?
Ty Rattie would've been a good addition in my book...
- ShaneP22

To bingo maybe......he's 24 and has 30 nhl games. He's not an nhl calibre player

The Sens rushed Lazar. There is no doubt about that.

That said, I also wonder if they (and analysts) simply overvalued the kid. Sure he put up points in junior and was over a point per game in his last season (but so was a guy like Chis Neil and many other career 4th line players).

Lazar was physically mature enough to play when he did. He also seemed to have the mental side of the game down. At the end of the day, it's hard to fault the Sens on what they did with Lazar. I would think that most NHL teams would have done the same thing. Personally, I think they rushed him, but it wasn't as obvious of a mistake as......

.....Cody Ceci.

Man, did they ever (frank) that kid over. He was supposed to be an offensive defenseman. He was eligible to play in the AHL and should have been there the entire year. When they brought him up, I thought 'ok, it will be for a few games in the 5-6 role". Nope.. he slid right into the 3-4 role.

Now, the kid gets zero PP time, even on the 2nd unit. He has completely regressed and looks like he has zero confidence. And their solution: give him more mins! What the (frank)?

They can't send him down, but they surely can put him in the 5-6 role...where he should have been since day 1. They can also give him some 2nd line PP time and give the damn kid some confidence.
- Charliebox

I agree they rushed Ceci but his goals totals were 3,5, then 10 last year and 26 points so showed a lot of promise. Sens seem to rush their higher draft picks and let the later ones play in the AHL for a few years. Although both Puempel and Prince spent a few years in Bingo and never wowed mgmt enough to keep them around.
I think it just boils down to skill, will, and environment for a lot of these kids.
I really hope for Lazar's own sake he's seeing a Sports Psychologist, cant be easy for him right now.

To bingo maybe......he's 24 and has 30 nhl games. He's not an nhl calibre player
- sensarmy_11

I haven't watched Rattie enough but I think that's a big premature. It's possible to mature into a decent 3rd liner. Again I don't think Rattie fits but age + GP doesn't always = that.... but your probably right about him

I haven't watched Rattie enough but I think that's a big premature. It's possible to mature into a decent 3rd liner. Again I don't think Rattie fits but age + GP doesn't always = that.... but your probably right about him
- AlfieisKing

If he was 21 or 22 then fine......but he's gonna be 24 in less than a month. I'm sorry but if you can't get a regular spot on an nhl roster more than 6 years after you were drafted than I'd say the odds of him ever being an nhl regular (even as a 4th liner) are less than 1%

If he was 21 or 22 then fine......but he's gonna be 24 in less than a month. I'm sorry but if you can't get a regular spot on an nhl roster more than 6 years after you were drafted than I'd say the odds of him ever being an nhl regular (even as a 4th liner) are less than 1%
- sensarmy_11

maybe your right but don't forget he was on a very deep STL lineup and he didn't really get his chance to shine...

Colin white looking pretty good right now

Nonsense. There is no way to tell whether or not a kid has been "rushed". There are good arguments for why one would develop better in the AHL, and good ones for the NHL.

I feel bad for GMs being subject to this unmeasurable criticism.