Sens Writer: Senators lose second straight at home to Sabres

I was thinking the same since Sat. 1st players have to show up. If they cant then you have to look at the coach. Then at the end of the season look at the gm.

I turned off the game, 2 min into the 2nd. ...

All the goodwill, build a stadium of solid gold ,won't matter. Its winning that only matters in sports for the fans.

Staos and owner in the GM's box. And not looking happy.

Were there many fans in the building to begin with? This is my argument against wasting money on a down town arena. A cold Tuesday game against buffalo....you'll get the die hard fans and that's it. Unless they're on a huge winning role. But not downtown you won't. Nobody is taking a broken train or busses that used to work downtown on a -30 tuesday to see the Sabres play.

Back to last night. Other teams have adjusted and figured out how to shut down Ottawa's speed up through the middle. The team and the coaching staff haven't adjusted. And the gaff with the goalies in the third is just novice houseleague stuff.

The whole staff gets turfed after this road trip.

This cheap pandering to fans of " we care about the team and its history" is just overcompensation. why give debrincat any recognition. Why sign anderson to a contract on the same day were playing against his current team. Did anyone notice the extra love he gave to the buff netminder at the ceremonial puck drop. Yes a good senator solider at one time should be honoured , but to this extent?its not like he stole a stanley cup for us

He's the best goalie in the history of the franchise?
He's working for Buffalo as a goalie coach. (hence the love)

I don't have a problem with honouring the history.

Lets see if Brady gets suspended.
He should. It's the rule.

He's the best goalie in the history of the franchise?
He's working for Buffalo as a goalie coach. (hence the love)

I don't have a problem with honouring the history.

Lets see if Brady gets suspended.
He should. It's the rule.
- Octavarium

What about the goalies that won the cups way back in the early 1900s? We dont do ceremonies for that.... because it doesn't mean anything today.
I originally agreed he should be honoured. Just wrong game. Was it to save $800 on flying him here on a different night. Was it also neccesary to sign a 1 day contract.

Whats next ceremonies for daigle,yashin?

No sense to rush a coaching change when a GM change needs to happen.

Dorion has to go. While there were some hits on higher draft picks, there have too many questionable trades, questionable contracts and overall poor asset management.

Let the new GM pick the coach that they want.

What about the goalies that won the cups way back in the early 1900s? We dont do ceremonies for that.... because it doesn't mean anything today.
I originally agreed he should be honoured. Just wrong game. Was it to save $800 on flying him here on a different night. Was it also neccesary to sign a 1 day contract.

Whats next ceremonies for daigle,yashin?
- spazzbot

Nearly everyone even remotely connected to those early teams is dead. The other night, the old dude on the ice was actually Frank Finnegan's son I believe. I'm pretty sure Craig and Nicole maintain a property in the capital and visit often. Upstate NY to Ottawa isn't a terrible trek, I don't know the specifics perhaps they timed it for when he was here anyhow. I suspect he was travelling with the Sabres as he's on their staff. I would not have a problem with Yashin and Daigle being in the building gladhandling fans. No ceremony for them.

Silver lining: at least the offence is still clicking. And the Tarasenko signing is looking great. This team will be able to score its way out of trouble some nights, but they won't be a playoff team unless they fix the goals against.

Defensive miscues remain a major issue. Chych made a bad pass that got picked off leading to the first goal. Similar to the Detroit game where the late goal changed the momentum, this team gets disjointed far too easily following goals like that. Maybe it's mental, but that seems to me to be a coaching problem.

Sens need to play better team D.

They can crank it up and bring more offence but you won't win unless the team is committed to playing a solid team D.

Maybe getting their noses cranked by Detroit and Buffalo helps. What does it mean when you outshoot the other team but still lose on the scoreboard?

Batherson is making Tarasenko and Norris click.
However he is consistently a minus player. I don't get it.

Sens need to play better team D.

They can crank it up and bring more offence but you won't win unless the team is committed to playing a solid team D.

Maybe getting their noses cranked by Detroit and Buffalo helps. What does it mean when you outshoot the other team but still lose on the scoreboard?
- spatso

Fully agreed on the team D.

Shots on goal can be misleading though. I'd like to see a detailed breakdown of shots on goal vs quality of opportunity. Vs detroit there were numourous times where they gave up grade A chances in the slot.

sens sabres rivalry might be back

stutzle is going to drive me crazy with the embellishment

It’s either time for the players to show they can win for this coach, or time to find a coach who can teach this group how to win at the NHL level.
- khawk

Perfect statement. If people are going to say that DJ is around because the players like him so much, then the players have to show it.

Next game is do-or-die. This team can’t afford a typical DJ November.

The team up front has actually shown really well statistically. The Sens are 5th in the league in average shots a game, and 2nd in the league in average shots against. So this team *is* repressing chances, and has kept shot totals low. They *are* generating chances and outshooting opponents. Their PK has struggled at 74% (23rd), but that's coachable and it's early yet.

The biggest issue has been in net. Both goalies have a .873 right now. That puts them ranked at #53 and #54 in the league.... in a 32 team league. Both have a GAA over 3, with Forsberg 30th in the league and Korpi 48th. You could surmise it's because their team has been hanging them out to dry, but they are 24th(K) and 37th(F) in high danger chances against, far behind current league tender leaders like Oettinger, Binnington, Georgiev. For context, Korpisalo, who has fared better on HD chances, is sandwiched right between Adin Hill and Logan Thompson. So it's not like the team has been largely responsible for gifting opponents grade A chances.

Undefeated Boston and Vegas (the aforementioned Hill/Thomson) each have 2 goalies in the top 12 in SV% (!!). Undefeated Colorado has run Georgiev in all 6 games and he's #11 on that list. Every game I've watched so far I've seen soft goals. These guys need to play to an acceptable standard - if they were both at just 900 we'd have two more wins. 900 average should not be a huge ask for a 7M tandem.

Batherson is making Tarasenko and Norris click.
However he is consistently a minus player. I don't get it.
- Octavarium

Not sure that's quite right, given that Tarasenko has been playing regularly with Greig/Joseph. In fact, the Tarasenko-Greig-Joseph line are currently the top-scoring line on the team, with a combined 7G-12A. They're also by far the best +/- line on the team at +18, versus +3 for the Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux line, and -11 for the Kubalik-Norris-Batherson line. This is unfortunately not an unusual trend for Batherson, who was among the bottom-15 NHL forwards in +/- in both 2020/21 and 2022/23, while playing on very different lines (Norris/Tkachuk vs. Pinto/DeBrincat).

That said, as you noted there's obviously good chemistry between Batherson and Norris... but it seems to come at a price in terms of net even-strength results. And when I watch Batherson it feels like the work ethic is there, but maybe it's more to do with bad positioning or getting caught in transition. Regardless, it feels like their line would benefit considerably from the addition of a winger with more of a defensive conscience.

Regardless, it feels like their line would benefit considerably from the addition of a winger with more of a defensive conscience.
- khawk

I hate to break up a good thing - that 3rd line has been a revelation, and Grieg is tied with Logan Cooley for first leaguewide in rookie scoring right now because of it... But maybe Joseph in the 2LW isn't the worst experiment to try? He's far more sound defensively than we've given him credit for. As you noted in your piece, that second line got totally caved in by Buffalo. Kubalik has been a dud so far, kinda wish we'd gotten a second or third back from the Wings instead - there are replacements in Belleville waiting in Smejkal and Jarventie that would add a better dynamic to that line at a better price tag.

He's the best goalie in the history of the franchise?
He's working for Buffalo as a goalie coach. (hence the love)

I don't have a problem with honouring the history.

Lets see if Brady gets suspended.
He should. It's the rule.
- Octavarium

Sens got lucky, no suspension.

Said it last night. Feel no different today. Nip it all in the bud.

Fire DJ. Let Dorion go. Let Staios take over. We know that's happening at some point. Just do it now. What is the benefit of waiting?

Seriously consider trading Chabot. He’s redundant to the group with Sanderson and Chychrun able to move the offence more effectively. The cap space created you can add some cheaper bodies to address depth.

One goalie needs to take the reins and run. Confidence level with both is low. Likely can’t move either one easily.

3-3 out of the gate is not acceptable, especially in the fashion that it has happened in. The losing culture is creeping in.

I felt Chris Neil jersey retirement was an appropriate time to move on from the “old” generation. I even felt that way with Alfie dropping the puck at the home opener last year. Unless you are adding a player to the ring of honour or retiring their jersey, let’s move on from the nostalgic stuff. This team needs to embrace the now and future. Hanging onto past success is starting to get old.

Unless you are adding a player to the ring of honour or retiring their jersey, let’s move on from the nostalgic stuff. This team needs to embrace the now and future. Hanging onto past success is starting to get old.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Do believe the nostalgia is a product of a new owner earnestly wanting to mend fence with a historically disgruntled fan base. It might be a touch saccharine, but feel-good off ice stories have been sparse in the past years - they really don't hurt this team. That said you are certainly correct if this team recycles the same calibre of play come 2024, said owner will be criticized for it, as nobody would have batted an eye if he had chosen to come onto the scene with his own ordained crew. 500 by November is better than last year, but it's not storming out the gate that we've been craving. Fed up with PD and DJ as any, but not ready to start turning on a new owner learning to navigate a new role.

It's likely up to the next month - wonder if Andlauer gave Dorion his assessment timeline, IE you're 600 by X date or you're gone... Because if we are 500 come January and Andlauer still has these guys running the show, folks won't be inclined to be so charitable.

Respectfully disagree with some of the takes on the Craig Anderson ceremony. All good and great organizations honour and promote their past. Anderson has been the best goalie this organization has had and deserves the honours/accolades.

As for Chabot. If you want to trade him, the best time is in the offseason. Nobody is (or can ) trade for a player with that kind of contract in mid-season. But still, I don't think you want to trade him and open up another gaping hole in the top 4. Who replaces him .... Brannstrom? Hamonic? Its a step backwards. Let's face facts, as much as you may want to trade a player, nobody is trading significant pieces at this point. I also think that Chabot playing his wrong side has also affected his play.

For my mind, I think we take away smaller pieces. Trading Brannstrom and Kubalik + a sweetener. What a waste of skates Kubalik has become. Bring up Klevin so we can get some snarl on defence. JBD is just wasted space at this point. How is Matinpalo doing in Belleville? Is he ready yet?
Chychrun/Chabot
Sanderson/Zub
Kleven/Matinpalo
Hamonic as the floater
Its as simple as this ..... Chychrun and Chabot need to be better and cut down on errors. They need to be tougher at making space in front of our goalies. I think Klevin can bring that snarl element to what's missing on defence and the penalty kill. The defence has to make players pay for their time and space.
And the forwards need to play more defensive oriented and stop with their incessant fly by chequing routines (Stutzle is frustrating to watch stick checking and flopping around .... play the flipping game). Too much harmless stick chequing attempts. They are looking to add to their point totals rather then playing hard and more physical. Make the opposition work harder.

At this point I think that Andlauer and Staios need to answer a very important question ..... are Dorion and DJ part of the longer term future? If not, this is the perfect opporunity to make the changes (I would add Capuano to that list as well). If they are thinking of turning the page on the GM and coach, then do it know. Staios can take over GM until season end and then go get Darch from Tampa (unless you can get him now). Coach? I don't know, as long as its not some older retread coach.

Said it last night. Feel no different today. Nip it all in the bud.

Fire DJ. Let Dorion go. Let Staios take over. We know that's happening at some point. Just do it now. What is the benefit of waiting?

Seriously consider trading Chabot. He’s redundant to the group with Sanderson and Chychrun able to move the offence more effectively. The cap space created you can add some cheaper bodies to address depth.

One goalie needs to take the reins and run. Confidence level with both is low. Likely can’t move either one easily.

3-3 out of the gate is not acceptable, especially in the fashion that it has happened in. The losing culture is creeping in.

I felt Chris Neil jersey retirement was an appropriate time to move on from the “old” generation. I even felt that way with Alfie dropping the puck at the home opener last year. Unless you are adding a player to the ring of honour or retiring their jersey, let’s move on from the nostalgic stuff. This team needs to embrace the now and future. Hanging onto past success is starting to get old.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Agreed on virtually all of these points. It's really too bad that the ownership issue wasn't settled much earlier in the off-season. I have a feeling we'd be talking about Staios/new coach leading the way, instead of still wondering if Dorion/Smith can prove they shouldn't be immediately fired. You just have to hope the fuse is short in terms of any kind of tolerance for failure. The Pinto issue in addition to the 3-3 record after having 5-straight home games certainly could be defined as such. At minimum I would expect the next 5 games to be viewed as absolutely critical. It's five game stretch against nothing but playoff-quality teams... 3 on the road vs. NYI, PIT, and TOR, 2 at home vs. LAK, TBL. Time to put up, or shut up.

The comment about Chabot is an especially interesting one. I'd speculated at the time of the Chychrun trade that we could be seeing a fundamental shift in the upper-tier of the blueline, and the rapid emergence of Sanderson has only added kerosene to the fire. Some other "interesting" considerations are that a M-NTC clause in his contract gets activated on July 1, 2024, and he will also start to make $10M in real dollars vs. the $8.0M AAV. That's an awful lot to pay for a #3D, who's not as effectively offensively, defensively, or physically as the #1D/#2D. I'll put early money on PHI making a really serious offer.

Norris was -5.

Bath -4.

I don't really like those +/- stuff, but jeeeeez that line sucked that game.

Their defense (especially the forwards!) need to be better. They just let them skate into the zone and middle of the ice. It was really weird.

Buf and the Sens rivalry is always a good game. One I could do without.

At a bar in Ottawa on Tuesday night, watching the game, and after the 2nd goal, one of the old timers blurted, "Jesus. Call a timeout and ream them out, DJ. Do something!" and I thought, "yeah". But he didn't. And then I wondered if he ever did in the past?

I think maybe a different personally behind the bench, with a different philosophy, would do wonders.

Just make sure they make the change before EDM fires their coach.....cuz that is happening sooner than later.