Jared Crozier: Its going to get worse in January before it gets better for Senators

Everything always appears worse before it gets better. A spiral like this is no different. Sens have been through it a couple of times already. Retooling is likely the scenario going forward. Unless the players want out themselves, moving guys like Stone and Karlsson probably isn't going to happen. Both are young enough to be part of the solution.

Biggest issue with a retooling is the existing contracts that Eugene has most generously approved. Guys like Dion, Ryan, Burrows, Thompson, Condon, Smith, all have contracts that are difficult to move right now. Not sure how you deal with that.

The roster the way it was set up needed to line up for serious runs this past season, this season, and next. After that, there was going to have to be a roster landscape change anyway. So most if these issues aren't new just being dealt with sooner.

Until Eugene either sells or smartens up, the retooling will probably continue to be a bumpy road. I don't agree with everything Dorion has done, but you gotta feel for the guy in his situation.

Not trolling at all, but:

Why is Melnyk such a curmudgeon?

I only follow this from afar, but he seems to love to antagonize the fan base, and yet he won't sell even though he would make a good amount of money.

I just don't get his M.O. at all

Everything always appears worse before it gets better. A spiral like this is no different. Sens have been through it a couple of times already. Retooling is likely the scenario going forward. Unless the players want out themselves, moving guys like Stone and Karlsson probably isn't going to happen. Both are young enough to be part of the solution.

Biggest issue with a retooling is the existing contracts that Eugene has most generously approved. Guys like Dion, Ryan, Burrows, Thompson, Condon, Smith, all have contracts that are difficult to move right now. Not sure how you deal with that.

The roster the way it was set up needed to line up for serious runs this past season, this season, and next. After that, there was going to have to be a roster landscape change anyway. So most if these issues aren't new just being dealt with sooner.

Until Eugene either sells or smartens up, the retooling will probably continue to be a bumpy road. I don't agree with everything Dorion has done, but you gotta feel for the guy in his situation.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Goaltending could be a problem going froward too.

Not trolling at all, but:

Why is Melnyk such a curmudgeon?

I only follow this from afar, but he seems to love to antagonize the fan base, and yet he won't sell even though he would make a good amount of money.

I just don't get his M.O. at all
- jcragcrumple

He's treating the Sens organization as a primary business venture. Trying to make the most possible money from the team while putting very little into it. He's fired office cleaners and has the office staff doing it themselves.

He wants more support for the team, then threatens to move it and says he isn't going to put anymore of his own money into the team. But he expects average joes to put their own money into his pocket? He's delusional and micromanages where he has no business in managing (Alfie debacle).

Those are just a few of small examples. You have have a series of blogs for weeks about all of the issues he is causing.

Would be great to have a silent owner.

Goaltending could be a problem going froward too.
- david22

Ya. It's an issue that will arise as well. Not sure how Marcus Hogberg is progressing (quick look at his stats-meh), but he may be someone to keep an eye one.

He's treating the Sens organization as a primary business venture. Trying to make the most possible money from the team while putting very little into it. He's fired office cleaners and has the office staff doing it themselves.

He wants more support for the team, then threatens to move it and says he isn't going to put anymore of his own money into the team. But he expects average joes to put their own money into his pocket? He's delusional and micromanages where he has no business in managing (Alfie debacle).

Those are just a few of small examples. You have have a series of blogs for weeks about all of the issues he is causing.

Would be great to have a silent owner.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

That'd absurd. It seems like owning a team should be fun, and if it's not fun, just sell it and make some money.

Unless he mortgaged the team and he's underwater on the value.

Goaltending could be a problem going froward too.
- david22

I agree, the Sens goaltending situation moving forward has to be addressed. They banked on Anderson/Condon being the short-term answer, that’s laughable at this point. Also with no goalie prospect close to NHL ready, seems like a definite issue.

Ottawa fans are such a nutty bunch. One bad year and they lose it. Other cities keep showing up. Last year's playoff game had nothing to do with the team or our support of it - and everything to do with a greedy pryck jacking prices from parking to almost installing pay-toilet-paper dispensaries in the ladies washrooms.

It's been a perfect storm for many reasons. Canada 150 celebrations. A year of disposable income options from a pretty small fanbase going to other things. The team isn't terrible, they're just injured, and tired, and surgically repaired, and having a bad year. And they don't benefit from great picks because they rarely finish bad enough to get a top ten pick.

I still love the Duchesne trade.
I still think Anderson has a couple more years in him.

to quote Aaron Rodgers "R E L A X"

This is a very bad time for the team to be contemplating another major trade... not just because they'd be selling low, but also because a significant portion of their roster is scheduled to essentially reset in 1.5 years' time regardless of whether they win or lose (including Brassard, Dzingel, Burrows, Pyatt, Thompson, Oduya, and even a potential 'inexpensive' buyout of Phaneuf). It would also be extraordinarily counter-productive to make any moves that would jeopardize Karlsson's interest in extending his contract (i.e. trading any of Stone, Duchene, Hoffman, or any more of the team's key prospects and high draft picks).

If I'm Dorion, I'm focusing right now on:
a) re-signing Stone without any prolonged uncertainty
b) dangling the likes of Dzingel, Smith, Ceci, and Wideman at the trade deadline to replenish the supply of draft picks

He's treating the Sens organization as a primary business venture. Trying to make the most possible money from the team while putting very little into it. He's fired office cleaners and has the office staff doing it themselves.

- Gord_Wilson_2.0

This is a big part of the problem in Ottawa. Most owners of professional sports teams buy them as a toy, a tax write-off for their real businesses, or as an asset that they will sell at a big profit years down the road. Most of them don't need the team to be a profitable entity annually.

Melynk needs the latter. He needs a profit from his hockey team to finance his life style and other - not so successful - business ventures. So he wants to squeeze ever drop of revenue each season by driving for a couple of playoff gates. This forces management to make short-sighted decisions that sacrifice the future (i.e. Dahlen for Burrows) to try and get into the playoffs.

In years where it becomes clear Melynk won't get his playoff revenue he dictates cost reduction. He needs to make a profit remember. So you can expect the contract dumping to start very soon. And some of the decisions may be just as short sighted as the moves made to get into the playoffs. The future will be sacrificed if it can save money.

I wrote this last blog but I'm going to try to be positive for 2018.

This skid sucks but there are some good things that will come from it.

#1. We're likely to get better draft picks and as long as it's a top 10 it's protected from the Avs

#2. On paper we have a very good team we shouldn't make any huge changes in terms of Karlsson, Hoffman, Stone, Ryan, Dion, Duchene etc We should lose some weight in older players like Burrows, Johnny O, etc

#3. This could be used to get players a bit cheaper. Going into a negotiations for Duchene, Karlsson etc, we can use "we couldn't get it done in 2017-2018 season and that bring the value of your contract down a bit, but good news we want you to be a part of the solution here. So, lets get a good contract done so we can build a contender moving forward"

#4. I will agree give Karlsson a blank cheque but given how much the team is doing under his leadership and how much of a media crap show him opening his mouth was about wanting a ton of money. I think he should give a bit in negotiations in order to ice a competitive team. I don't like Crosby but I will give him one thing, he and Malkin took big pay cuts to be able to ice a team and it's served them well.

Just my thoughts, Happy New Year everyone!

Maverick - happy new year to you too ^

1) I agree but picks 8-12 don't mean much to be as much as they do in the top 5. Don't need another garbage pick like Cowen or Lee.

2) Agree too - but think Duchene and Karlsson know their worth. Even if they don't play that well, they'll get $. Duchene I think is certainly not worth 7 per. Karlsson will take less to stay here

My guess is 10-11m

Maverick - happy new year to you too ^

1) I agree but picks 8-12 don't mean much to be as much as they do in the top 5. Don't need another garbage pick like Cowen or Lee.

2) Agree too - but think Duchene and Karlsson know their worth. Even if they don't play that well, they'll get $. Duchene I think is certainly not worth 7 per. Karlsson will take less to stay here

My guess is 10-11m
- AlfieisKing

Very true, but picks 8-12 don't necessarily mean garbage either. At this point we have so many prospects coming up we're good to shed some vet weight. We can always use more but Ottawa is pretty stacked for prospects as is.

Karlsson I think should take $10m and I think that is air market value, he hasn't brought us a cup and is in his prime right now. So, long term he's not getting better than he is right now.... normally how it goes. But I think we sign him 8-9 years $10m per year or less

Duchene is an interesting one, we can't afford to lose him because we gave up Turris. Even during this losing streak he's prolly been the hardest working player. The speed and skill of him and Hoffman on one line together should be competitive around the league.
I'd say $6-$6.5 for 4 years and put in some scoring bonus to keep him motivated.

I really do think we have a cup contender on paper. I don't think we should be trading any big names, like Stone, Hoffman, etc. We need a more offensive system and some chemistry and we will be fine moving forward.

Very true, but picks 8-12 don't necessarily mean garbage either. At this point we have so many prospects coming up we're good to shed some vet weight. We can always use more but Ottawa is pretty stacked for prospects as is.

Karlsson I think should take $10m and I think that is air market value, he hasn't brought us a cup and is in his prime right now. So, long term he's not getting better than he is right now.... normally how it goes. But I think we sign him 8-9 years $10m per year or less

Duchene is an interesting one, we can't afford to lose him because we gave up Turris. Even during this losing streak he's prolly been the hardest working player. The speed and skill of him and Hoffman on one line together should be competitive around the league.
I'd say $6-$6.5 for 4 years and put in some scoring bonus to keep him motivated.

I really do think we have a cup contender on paper. I don't think we should be trading any big names, like Stone, Hoffman, etc. We need a more offensive system and some chemistry and we will be fine moving forward.
- Maverick1818

now that chabot is in the nhl, you guys have a good but not great prospect in white. it's pretty barren after that.

you guys aren't a cup contender. when does it sink it that the run from last year was a fluke?

now that chabot is in the nhl, you guys have a good but not great prospect in white. it's pretty barren after that.

you guys aren't a cup contender. when does it sink it that the run from last year was a fluke?
- Tumbleweed

Chabot, White, Formenton, Brown, Chlapik, Harpur, Didomenico, Paul, Jaros, Englund, Gagne, Batherson... Should I continue? We are deep on prospects.

I don't see how anyone can call last year a fluke for the Sens. Almost the exact same thing happened when GB coached the lightning. Solid year and a good run and then off the map the next year. The problem is it's a defensive system for an offensive build team.

Chabot, White, Formenton, Brown, Chlapik, Harpur, Didomenico, Paul, Jaros, Englund, Gagne, Batherson... Should I continue? We are deep on prospects.

I don't see how anyone can call last year a fluke for the Sens. Almost the exact same thing happened when GB coached the lightning. Solid year and a good run and then off the map the next year. The problem is it's a defensive system for an offensive build team.
- Maverick1818

chabot is on the team. and every team as a lot of prospects. you just listed a lot of long-shots with max 3rd line or bottom pairing dman potential.

and please list moar 28 year-old prospects like didomenco

you really need to lay off the red kool-aid if you think the sens are cup contenders.

Chabot, White, Formenton, Brown, Chlapik, Harpur, Didomenico, Paul, Jaros, Englund, Gagne, Batherson... Should I continue? We are deep on prospects.

I don't see how anyone can call last year a fluke for the Sens. Almost the exact same thing happened when GB coached the lightning. Solid year and a good run and then off the map the next year. The problem is it's a defensive system for an offensive build team.
- Maverick1818

Can you say anything bad about your team?

Last year was a fluke. NJ went all the way to the cup final and then was poop up until this year.

Ottawa will sell of their players. It really is a horrible situation for them. If they finish in the bottom 10 and forfeit their 2019 pick what is going to stop them from finishing bottom 10 again?? It is not a good time for you Sens fans, I know it is tough to realize it. Us Leafs fans have been there.

chabot is on the team. and every team as a lot of prospects. you just listed a lot of long-shots with max 3rd line or bottom pairing dman potential.

and please list moar 28 year-old prospects like didomenco

you really need to lay off the red kool-aid if you think the sens are cup contenders.
- Tumbleweed

Chabot is still on a two way contract meaning his he still a prospect.

he may be 28 but some players peak at different times and even as a prospect he has played well for us when he's be up. You also can't discount any of the other players I listed as they are all deep prospects.

Chabot is still on a two way contract meaning his he still a prospect.

he may be 28 but some players peak at different times and even as a prospect he has played well for us when he's be up. You also can't discount any of the other players I listed as they are all deep prospects.
- Maverick1818

so is matthews still a prospect

a 28 year-old prospect. and he's played so well ... must be why you guys are so high in the standings

the state of the belleville sens should tell you that you don't have a lot of good players.

white - unimpressive points. -14
Formenton - 3rd line max.
Brown - bust from day 1. too slow.
Chlapik unimpressive points.
Harpur - 7th dman potential
Didomenico, again
Paul - 4th line potential
Jaros - 7th dman potential
Englund - 7th dman potential
Gagne - unimpressive points
Batherso 3rd line potential

these guys are the next puempels, cowens lazars, ceci's etc. etc. etc. etc.