Jared Crozier: Game Day: Senators @ Blue Jackets

Should be a good one. Columbus and bob have been killing it htis year.

I picked up a good number of them off waivers in my pool, so i have mixed feelings about htis game

20 straight start for Condon is getting ridiculous. Am I the only one who think we should give O'connor or Dreidger a start ?

I respect your opinion, but I disagree on a few points. Pageau is a pretty solid 3LC if you compare his overall play with some across the leauge. Seems to fit well in that caliber. Karlsson won't leave the team. This discussion should have never even existed in the first place. He is a captain on a team that is on the rise, that is all motivation to stay here. In a league that is based on Cap spending, the mentality that all great players leave to be on all star teams is no longer a reality. Teams won't frontload their entire budget on 2 players. It's too risky in case one or both get injured. Great players like Ovechkin, arguably the best goal scorer of all time (besides Gretzky) didn't even win a cup yet. That kind of puts things into perspective for many players today playing the game. Also noticed sens cap is low, that's because the organization is saving money to re-sign him and keep him long term.

IMO Chabot should either play top 4 minutes in the NHL or play in the AHL to develop. He isn't the type of defender to play in 5 or 6 role. He needs to play top minutes against best opponents the other teams have to excelerate his development. White is very good player and I think he is underrated just because he isn't a flashy player. I wouldn't trade White, simply because he will be the natural replacement of either Turris or Brassard, which will be much closer to retirement when he is developed. Logan Brown is a projected number 1 centre.

I was away from the computer for the rest of the day yesterday and I just wanted to keep this discussion going. I am going to go point form to make it easier.

-I am going to leave Pageau alone.. we clearly disagree on that, and it's fine. Bottom 6 players aren't impact guys anyways.

-In my opinion, if we don't show a commitment to winning, EK will absolutely leave. And he should. A guy with that much talent should be competing for cups every year, not competing to get into the playoffs. It's not about money. He'll get the max anywhere he goes. It's about legacy and being on a winner. You can't compare to Ovie because, outside a couple years, he's always been on a contender. They've lost in the playoffs, but they've always had a good chance. EK has spent zero years on a contender. Which leads me to my next point.

-Why do you think this team is on the rise? Cause we have a couple good prospects? So does everyone else. Ryan is on the decline. Brassard isn't getting better. Phaneuf's contract sucks and he's only getting older and worse. Methot is getting older and is super injury prone. Our bottom 6 is one of the worst in the league. Andy is getting older and we don't have any bona-fide # 1 prospects coming up the pipe in nets. In 3-4 years, this team is going to have holes galore. To top it off, our farm team sucks ass. Where is the help coming from? You can't assume.....

-All our prospects turn out. It's highly unlikely. Saying Brown is a projected #1 center is kind of ridiculous. How many players drafted outside the top 10 are bona-fide #1 centers right now? Look around the league. Go through the teams. The vast majority are high picks. The fact of the matter is that we have no idea what he's going to turn out to be. Saying #1 center is unbelievably premature right now. Let's just hope he makes the league in a non-4th line role.

-Finally, you don't start a guy like Chabot (or any other prospect D) in any role other than the 5-6 role. poop, who knows if he will even be on the big team next year. He may start in Bingo. Even EK started in the 5-6.. struggled.. went down to the farm and came up better. Chabot is going to need, at the very least, a half season in the 5-6 role, playing sheltered mins against lower quality opponents. That is how you get a guy's confidence up. You need to let a guy make some mistakes... and when he does, it probably won't end up in the back of your net cause he's playing against 3rd and 4th lines. What we did with Ceci (calling him up and throwing him immediately into the 2nd pairing) has to be the dumbest development decision this team has made in a long time.....probably even worse than how they handled Lazar.

20 straight start for Condon is getting ridiculous. Am I the only one who think we should give O'connor or Dreidger a start ?
- ShaneP22

They should, but it should be a night where Condon is a scratch. Likely that one of the others might not have a good game (or get hurt) and they would have to put in Condon. Then would waste the benefit of night off

Some players reportedly will be out tonight due to the flu.

Any word on who specifically? I just heard that claesson will be in.

20 straight start for Condon is getting ridiculous. Am I the only one who think we should give O'connor or Dreidger a start ?
- ShaneP22

Yea, over-working Condon didn't really pan out for MTL last year...

What a beautiful pass by Karlsson.

OMG, how many trips do we have to take before we get a (frank)ing call?

Hey Leaf trolls, by my calculations Austy Wee Wee Matthews should be tied for 34th on the PGA today, coming in with his tidy -3 performance.

Oh, and by the way, yer outta a playoff spot as of now.

I was away from the computer for the rest of the day yesterday and I just wanted to keep this discussion going. I am going to go point form to make it easier.

-I am going to leave Pageau alone.. we clearly disagree on that, and it's fine. Bottom 6 players aren't impact guys anyways.

-In my opinion, if we don't show a commitment to winning, EK will absolutely leave. And he should. A guy with that much talent should be competing for cups every year, not competing to get into the playoffs. It's not about money. He'll get the max anywhere he goes. It's about legacy and being on a winner. You can't compare to Ovie because, outside a couple years, he's always been on a contender. They've lost in the playoffs, but they've always had a good chance. EK has spent zero years on a contender. Which leads me to my next point.

-Why do you think this team is on the rise? Cause we have a couple good prospects? So does everyone else. Ryan is on the decline. Brassard isn't getting better. Phaneuf's contract sucks and he's only getting older and worse. Methot is getting older and is super injury prone. Our bottom 6 is one of the worst in the league. Andy is getting older and we don't have any bona-fide # 1 prospects coming up the pipe in nets. In 3-4 years, this team is going to have holes galore. To top it off, our farm team sucks ass. Where is the help coming from? You can't assume.....

-All our prospects turn out. It's highly unlikely. Saying Brown is a projected #1 center is kind of ridiculous. How many players drafted outside the top 10 are bona-fide #1 centers right now? Look around the league. Go through the teams. The vast majority are high picks. The fact of the matter is that we have no idea what he's going to turn out to be. Saying #1 center is unbelievably premature right now. Let's just hope he makes the league in a non-4th line role.

-Finally, you don't start a guy like Chabot (or any other prospect D) in any role other than the 5-6 role. poop, who knows if he will even be on the big team next year. He may start in Bingo. Even EK started in the 5-6.. struggled.. went down to the farm and came up better. Chabot is going to need, at the very least, a half season in the 5-6 role, playing sheltered mins against lower quality opponents. That is how you get a guy's confidence up. You need to let a guy make some mistakes... and when he does, it probably won't end up in the back of your net cause he's playing against 3rd and 4th lines. What we did with Ceci (calling him up and throwing him immediately into the 2nd pairing) has to be the dumbest development decision this team has made in a long time.....probably even worse than how they handled Lazar.
- Charliebox

What's your point?

I think most reasonable fans see the team as being a playoff bubble team with potentially 3 mid to high end prospects (Chabot, White, Brown). My view is that we try and prepare for a run in 2 years time, on the last year of Karlsson's contract, when Chabot and White should be significant contributors.

What are you suggesting we do?

Shane22 - on resting Condon - yes there's merit in that point but don't try to fix what's not broken. Guy just had a shutout. Fair point tho

Charliebox - Karlsson - yes he's a superstar. yes he deserves to be on a contender. But I don't see him leaving. Also majority of teams can't give him max contract or are worse situations to be in. Although he WILL have options. He will be 29 and the Sens could offer him 8 years @10m next summer.

On team ...i'll write in my next post

What's your point?

I think most reasonable fans see the team as being a playoff bubble team with potentially 3 mid to high end prospects (Chabot, White, Brown). My view is that we try and prepare for a run in 2 years time, on the last year of Karlsson's contract, when Chabot and White should be significant contributors.

What are you suggesting we do?
- SensFan25

I suggest the Sens push forward and trade Ceci, White, Dzingel, and a pick for Duchene and Beauchemin.

It's time for this time to contend and not pretend. Charlie brings up good points: Phaneuf, Brassard, Turris, Methot... these guys got about 2-3 more solid years left (If that). Beyond that it's a guess to how effective they will be. Obviously they'll still be effective but except for Phanuef, all will be much more expensive. Sens lost Bishop, Spezza, Alfie with nothing to show for it. They didn't land Drouin last year (even if the price was a White). The Sens need a game breaker; and it's only going to come on left side. The deal I purpose gives Sens 3 strong centers and fit the LW problem. Even MarArthur comes back even better. The team could also slide Chabot in perhaps down the stretch with extra D-men for a long run:

Duchene - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - Brassard - Ryan
Smith - Pageau - MacArthur/Lazar
Pyatt - Kelly - Neil

*can swap Brass for Duchene; or Ryan for Stone; or Hoffman for Duchene.

Methot - Karlsson
Phaneuf - Beauchemin
Borowieci - Wideman
Chabot*

Anderson
Condon

What would your PP look like?

Clark Mccarthur will not play this season.

Really feel bad for the guy. He should retire for his own safety.

Clark Mccarthur will not play this season.

Really feel bad for the guy. He should retire for his own safety.
- david22

He should get every cent of his contract. Several players have already established that injuries will prevent them from playing, and they didn't retire (Pronger, Horton).

Both players have been traded so their teams can use the money for something else. It's time for Clarke to admit that so the Sens can at least get something for it. Maybe someone like Dustin Brown, who I am sure the Kings would love the cap space for just eating the contract. As long as the Kings pick up the difference. Unfortunately, the worst thing he can do is keep trying to come back. The Sens have issues with spending to the cap as it is.

The hit that hurt him in practice was a little aggressive, but I didn't consider it that bad

He should get every cent of his contract. Several players have already established that injuries will prevent them from playing, and they didn't retire (Pronger, Horton).

Both players have been traded so their teams can use the money for something else. It's time for Clarke to admit that so the Sens can at least get something for it. Maybe someone like Dustin Brown, who I am sure the Kings would love the cap space for just eating the contract. As long as the Kings pick up the difference. Unfortunately, the worst thing he can do is keep trying to come back. The Sens have issues with spending to the cap as it is.

The hit that hurt him in practice was a little aggressive, but I didn't consider it that bad
- Ottawa Fan

Yeah, I mean it was not a good hit, and certainly not something you'd expect in a scrimmage.

But for that to shut you down for the whole season, he probably shouldn't have been playing at all at that point.

Landeskog for 2017 1rst, Lazar ,gagne and/or perron

Hoffman turris stone
Landeskog brassard ryan
Smith pageau pyatt
Dzingel kelly neil

I suggest the Sens push forward and trade Ceci, White, Dzingel, and a pick for Duchene and Beauchemin.

- AlfieisKing

I'd take that trade any day, even if it includes the 2017 #1 pick. Adds a top end center, while allowing us to keep Chabot who will be needed on the second pairing. I don't think Colorado does that trade though.