I agree with burning it down...but, it needs to be a controlled fire over a few years. My heart wants them to resign Duchene but my head says the better decision is to trade him to a contender (Buffalo or Boston). Same with Stone and Dzingle. I will be pleased if we resign them, I will be okay if we trade them. Just have to trust Dorion to do the right thing.
- spatso

that would be brilliant. Yes please!!!! Leafs vs Montreal in the first round would be a treat, unless they can snag first place from the bolts. Duchene is a drag on every team he's ever been on!!!! A nice easy path to the second round against the Bolts would be fantastic.

that would be brilliant. Yes please!!!! Leafs vs Montreal in the first round would be a treat, unless they can snag first place from the bolts. Duchene is a drag on every team he's ever been on!!!! A nice easy path to the second round against the Bolts would be fantastic.
- prock

I don't think any of that matters to the Sens. If they trade Duchene it will likely be to a team that has cap space, the desire to resign him and are fighting to get into the playoffs this year. Boston, Buffalo and even Montreal fit into that profile.

Judging by this response I suspect you feel coaching was not important in the Conference Final run which in turn made the Sens a contender supposedly as you say? Just curious.

While “ubergate” showed some players calling out coaching staff, they named other coaches rather than Boucher, I believe. Something that happens on every NHL team, just not normally on camera unsuspectingly.

Boucher is the furthest thing wrong with this team. I’ll never understand people complaining about 3rd and 4th line decisions thinking it will make a difference if we dress a younger player. If a young player is projected to play top 6 minutes, they should not be playing on a 3rd or 4th line. This is precisely how you ruin young players. Let them season in the AHL and then play them in a proper spot in the NHL. You very rarely have guys like Chabot and Tkachuck able to slot into the NHL at their age.

This franchise is a tire fire right now. A new coach will do next to squat. There is no vision or desire to ice a winning team from ownership and management right now. The coach is just an easy target for them to place blame on.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

The issue I have with the bottom six decisions is not sending guys like drake down over them, it’s that guys like Paul and rodewald should get those minutes over plug veterans like pyatt and paarjavi. There are young guys who project as 3rd liners who would benefit from those minutes.

My big issue with Boucher is his distribution of minutes among dmen.

Ceci and Harpur are unmitigated disasters and they’re minutes should be sheltered bottom pairing minutes.......not 20+ mins of top pairing matchups. Boucher sees something in those 2 that clearly isn’t there.

I don't think any of that matters to the Sens. If they trade Duchene it will likely be to a team that has cap space, the desire to resign him and are fighting to get into the playoffs this year. Boston, Buffalo and even Montreal fit into that profile.
- spatso

It shouldn't matter to the Sens. But it would be great for the Leafs if a team that could snag a wildcard, or that third Atlantic division spot, picked him up, and the Leafs ended up playing a team with that anchor.

Of course, with the Leafs luck, he'd end up playing the Bolts.

I wish Tampa could pick him up!!!!

that would be brilliant. Yes please!!!! Leafs vs Montreal in the first round would be a treat, unless they can snag first place from the bolts. Duchene is a drag on every team he's ever been on!!!! A nice easy path to the second round against the Bolts would be fantastic.
- prock

Better chance of leafs going into the playofs in the wildcard then there is of them catching the bolts.

Bolts are clearly a better team.....Buffalo is just as good, with much better D, and once the bruins get healthy..........

The issue I have with the bottom six decisions is not sending guys like drake down over them, it’s that guys like Paul and rodewald should get those minutes over plug veterans like pyatt and paarjavi. There are young guys who project as 3rd liners who would benefit from those minutes.

My big issue with Boucher is his distribution of minutes among dmen.

Ceci and Harpur are unmitigated disasters and they’re minutes should be sheltered bottom pairing minutes.......not 20+ mins of top pairing matchups. Boucher sees something in those 2 that clearly isn’t there.
- sensarmy_11

Outside of Chabot (who is actually is not great defensively) every defenceman on this team is a disaster. The tools in the toolbox are limited. That isn’t Boucher’s fault. He isn’t overlooking a future Drew Doughty.

Not sure what replacing a plug like Pyatt with a plug like Paul actually accomplishes. You just bring down the average age of the team. These guys shouldn’t even in the conversation for NHL jobs let alone 3rd line minutes. That’s a management issue. Not a coaching issue.

Outside of Chabot (who is actually is not great defensively) every defenceman on this team is a disaster. The tools in the toolbox are limited. That isn’t Boucher’s fault. He isn’t overlooking a future Drew Doughty.

Not sure what replacing a plug like Pyatt with a plug like Paul actually accomplishes. You just bring down the average age of the team. These guys shouldn’t even in the conversation for NHL jobs let alone 3rd line minutes. That’s a management issue. Not a coaching issue.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Paul has actually been okay in a bottom six role, and has the potential to get better. Pyatt is what he is.....AWFUL.....and seems to get worse every game.

There are younger and better players.....so play them. Pyatt and paarjavi have no business being in the NHL

I wouldn't mind seeing Ottawa win the draft lottery if they sink lower in the standings because Dorion is a dumb GM who believes all his trades are "no brainers". I'd like to see his comments when they give their top pick to Colorado, he'll probably try to put a positive spin on it.

As much as I would love to see Stone re-sign with the Sens, I hope he doesn't or he squeezes this organization for every penny. Melnyk doesn't like players who want market value, so it's more likely he'll trade some great talent for 3rd liners and ham and eggers. I want to see Stone, Chabot, Tkachuk succeed. But like I said, Dorion is dumb and will f#ck up the trades when he decides to go for it or make moves that "Puts us over the top".

Better chance of leafs going into the playofs in the wildcard then there is of them catching the bolts.

Bolts are clearly a better team.....Buffalo is just as good, with much better D, and once the bruins get healthy..........
- sensarmy_11

Keep on hoping!!

Better chance of leafs going into the playofs in the wildcard then there is of them catching the bolts.

Bolts are clearly a better team.....Buffalo is just as good, with much better D, and once the bruins get healthy..........
- sensarmy_11

Lets be honest here, Buffalo has made some real improvements, but they are not as good as the leafs.

Leafs should be a lock for 2nd in the division.

It shouldn't matter to the Sens. But it would be great for the Leafs if a team that could snag a wildcard, or that third Atlantic division spot, picked him up, and the Leafs ended up playing a team with that anchor.

Of course, with the Leafs luck, he'd end up playing the Bolts.

I wish Tampa could pick him up!!!!
- prock

Thus improving the first round pick Ottawa got back in the deal. It's win win baby.

To Ottawa

William Karlsson
Cody Glass
Colin Miller
2019 1st (if vegas misses playoffs becomes 2nd + 3rd)
2020 2nd (1st if Vegas makes playoffs in 2020)

To Vegas

Matt Duchene (8 x 7.5m)
Mark Stone (8 x 7.5m)
Cody Ceci (5 x 4.25m)

*tax free state so add almost 1m to all those cap hits*
Thoughts on value

To Ottawa

William Karlsson
Cody Glass
Colin Miller
2019 1st (if vegas misses playoffs becomes 2nd + 3rd)
2020 2nd (1st if Vegas makes playoffs in 2020)

To Vegas

Matt Duchene (8 x 7.5m)
Mark Stone (8 x 7.5m)
Cody Ceci (5 x 4.25m)

*tax free state so add almost 1m to all those cap hits*
Thoughts on value
- AlfieisKing

I counter with:


Delete your (frank)ing account, welch.

I counter with:


Delete your (frank)ing account, welch.
- RafiDRW

This is a much better proposal than alfi’s

Paul has actually been okay in a bottom six role, and has the potential to get better. Pyatt is what he is.....AWFUL.....and seems to get worse every game.

There are younger and better players.....so play them. Pyatt and paarjavi have no business being in the NHL
- sensarmy_11

I just don't see much of a difference to make it a sticking point. Paul had potential, 3 years ago, when we were all saying he could be a top 6 power forward. Now he has the potential to be a 3rd liner? He isn't an NHL player either, sorry. Like I said, wouldn't even be part of the conversation on many other NHL teams.

People act like these coaching decisions make or break this team. They don't. This organization lacks depth and talent. Boucher can't turn poop to gold.

I don't necessarily think Boucher is the coach to lead this team to the promise land but this tale has been told before. Mclean, Cameron, now Boucher. The team has an unexpected run. Instead of trying to add to the roster to take a step, they stick with what they have or subtract, and then have the team regress (back to reality) and everyone complains about the 3rd and 4th lines until the coach is fired. Then rinse and repeat.

Why point the finger at the coach when it is so obviously the management and ownership? If there is a guy out there that can coach and win with this current model, then move over Scotty Bowman, there is another best coach of all time.

I just don't see much of a difference to make it a sticking point. Paul had potential, 3 years ago, when we were all saying he could be a top 6 power forward. Now he has the potential to be a 3rd liner? He isn't an NHL player either, sorry. Like I said, wouldn't even be part of the conversation on many other NHL teams.

People act like these coaching decisions make or break this team. They don't. This organization lacks depth and talent. Boucher can't turn poop to gold.

I don't necessarily think Boucher is the coach to lead this team to the promise land but this tale has been told before. Mclean, Cameron, now Boucher. The team has an unexpected run. Instead of trying to add to the roster to take a step, they stick with what they have or subtract, and then have the team regress (back to reality) and everyone complains about the 3rd and 4th lines until the coach is fired. Then rinse and repeat.

Why point the finger at the coach when it is so obviously the management and ownership? If there is a guy out there that can coach and win with this current model, then move over Scotty Bowman, there is another best coach of all time.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I understand that no coach would make this team a winner with the current roster, and I agree 100% that a huge portion of that is on ownership and management. The issues I take with coaching is in his development of some of the younger players, and his complete inability to recognize several deficiencies veteran players.

I question the ability and capacity of any coach who can look at players like Harpur, pyatt, paarjavi, borowiecki, Ceci, etc and think those guys are bonafide NHL players......and not only that, but give those guys big minutes in key situations.

It’s mind blowing to me, that in a rebuild, those guys are getting as many or more minutes than guys like Batherson, Lajoie, Jaros, formenton (when he was in Ottawa) etc, etc

Obviously it’s irrelevant for this year......but I have zero confidence that this coach can be successful moving forward.