I don't need Parker Kelly in the line up, unless someone is hurt. I don't need Austin Watson on the PK. Sorry. The man can't skate at the "chase" level that's needed on a penalty kill. Yes he brings things to the table...but not that.

Should be easy for Sens tonight against Washington, no Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Wilson, Brown and Hagelin plus home ice advantage.

Maybe PD is better to wait until the off-season to get a RD. There are some good UFA defenceman about to hit the market that shoot R. Severson out of NJ. And Dumba, of course, but he might be cost prohibitive. And Hamonic and Holden come off the books. You figure at that point the have to give JBD and Lassi a shot. Right?

Real issue is what is going on with the Zub resign. 4x5? 6 x 4?

D would look like this:
Chabot - UFA
Sanderson - Zub
JBD - Thomson
7th D a vet

Should be easy for Sens tonight against Washington, no Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Wilson, Brown and Hagelin plus home ice advantage.
- way i c it

DJ Smith: "Hold my beer...."

Maybe PD is better to wait until the off-season to get a RD. There are some good UFA defenceman about to hit the market that shoot R. Severson out of NJ. And Dumba, of course, but he might be cost prohibitive. And Hamonic and Holden come off the books. You figure at that point the have to give JBD and Lassi a shot. Right?

Real issue is what is going on with the Zub resign. 4x5? 6 x 4?

D would look like this:
Chabot - UFA
Sanderson - Zub
JBD - Thomson
7th D a vet
- GrimmdaGoalie

The UFA option or an off-season trade makes a lot of sense. Given that the 2023 entry draft is supposed to have both depth/high quality of prospects, there is a lot of risk in trading it away this early in the season.
Time to re-sign Zub for 5 to 6 years at $4.6M to $4.8M per season. My gut feeling is that length of contract is the cause of delay in signing.

So little engagement in the blog after a 7-5 home opener victory against a division rival. What's going on?

Should be easy for Sens tonight against Washington, no Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Wilson, Brown and Hagelin plus home ice advantage.
- way i c it

Statements like this just set the table for disappointment. There aren't really "easy" games for a team that's started the year 1-2-0, especially when it's against a team that won the Stanley Cup within the past 5yrs, led by the best goal scorer in NHL history. If they have the advantage heading into the game, that's great... but this is exactly the kind of game where either way they have to bear down and make sure they come out with 2pts. The last thing they need is to start losing focus, and playing down to their opponents the way the TOR just did against ARI & MTL.

DJ need to get Chabot 22 min. consistently and like yo said, spread out the minutes. Outside of Parker Kelly taking a dumb penalty in Toronto or getting into a dust up last night, his game has easily been the most underwhelming of all 12 forwards.
- LawyerSens4Life

As long as the team wins at home, DJ probably wont make a lineup change unless due to injury. Kelly has a very low hockey IQ from what I've been told by a few people in the org.

I don't need Parker Kelly in the line up, unless someone is hurt. I don't need Austin Watson on the PK. Sorry. The man can't skate at the "chase" level that's needed on a penalty kill. Yes he brings things to the table...but not that.
- Octavarium

Watson shouldn't be in this lineup every night. DJ should be using a guy like Brass in certain spots against teams that arent as physical. And don't get me started on Kelly.

Should be easy for Sens tonight against Washington, no Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Wilson, Brown and Hagelin plus home ice advantage.
- way i c it

You would think and hope so, hopefully the vets on this team make sure no letdown happens with this young team.

Statements like this just set the table for disappointment. There aren't really "easy" games for a team that's started the year 1-2-0, especially when it's against a team that won the Stanley Cup within the past 5yrs, led by the best goal scorer in NHL history. If they have the advantage heading into the game, that's great... but this is exactly the kind of game where either way they have to bear down and make sure they come out with 2pts. The last thing they need is to start losing focus, and playing down to their opponents the way the TOR just did against ARI & MTL.
- khawk

100% they need to bag these points early in the season! Some fans were suggesting giving Forsberg a rest on Saturday against AZ. This team has to beat AZ and dress their best lineup, not give someone a shot in goal.

Should be easy for Sens tonight against Washington, no Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Wilson, Brown and Hagelin plus home ice advantage.
- way i c it

Well I am on your Sens tonight, bet them small.

Well I am on your Sens tonight, bet them small.
- PuckPix

i think sens are gonna make you go crazy, they have the talents to win despite the worst coaching in the NHL but which nights will they overcome the bad coaching is gonna be a guessing game.,

Lol, that Sanderson penalty was BS!

all 3 sens were puck watching....

Oh my eff, Hamonic is horrible, just put another youngin beside Sanderson ir flip zub to the second pairing with him and put Lassi up with Chabot, He will be the new Zaitsev, havent seen him do anything positive but DJ doesnt want to let the kids play

The pucks are bouncing like crazy off the Sens sticks. Don't know what's going on. Nerves?

Oh my eff, Hamonic is horrible, just put another youngin beside Sanderson ir flip zub to the second pairing with him and put Lassi up with Chabot, He will be the new Zaitsev, havent seen him do anything positive but DJ doesnt want to let the kids play
- RyeDog13

I've lost track of how many goals Hamonic has been responsible for but Smith will die before he plays the young guys.

I don't know what happened to the team I saw two days ago but if I had to guess I'd say that they were told to play more defensively. Spend the whole period in your own end. Who needs offense? Don't want everybody running around trying to score goals.

I've lost track of how many goals Hamonic has been responsible for but Smith will die before he plays the young guys.
- Whatisavailable

Exactly, the amount of times he makes the quick play instead of the right play that bites him in the ass, completely stalls the zone exit and keeps the line changes out of sync.
He is definetly not the steadying veteran resence for Sanderson they sell him as.

Statements like this just set the table for disappointment. There aren't really "easy" games for a team that's started the year 1-2-0, especially when it's against a team that won the Stanley Cup within the past 5yrs, led by the best goal scorer in NHL history. If they have the advantage heading into the game, that's great... but this is exactly the kind of game where either way they have to bear down and make sure they come out with 2pts. The last thing they need is to start losing focus, and playing down to their opponents the way the TOR just did against ARI & MTL.
- khawk

... aaaand there's the disappointment.

Down 2-0... outshot 12-6... to go with 9 turnovers in just the first period. Silver lining that both GA were on the same 5-3PP, but there's going to have to be a major shift of gear for the 2nd/3rd periods.

After such a high flying home opener, a very underwhelming amount of energy in the first period and very questionable deployment. Sens lucky to be down only 2-0.

Oh my eff, Hamonic is horrible, just put another youngin beside Sanderson ir flip zub to the second pairing with him and put Lassi up with Chabot, He will be the new Zaitsev, havent seen him do anything positive but DJ doesnt want to let the kids play
- RyeDog13

100% with you, this aspect has to change! Hamonic playing up higher on this defense than he is capable of. Exactly let the young guns play now.....ugh.

Anyone really still thing Chabot is a true #1 d-man and potential Norris candidate still?

I feel folks use the large amount of ice time he gets to negate the offensive and defensive results he actually produces. I think he is a top 4 guy but I am not seeing legitimate progress in his game to warrant the red carpet he has been given since Karlsson left.

After such a high flying home opener, a very underwhelming amount of energy in the first period and very questionable deployment. Sens lucky to be down only 2-0.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Sadly this letdown for this game from the home opener, just cant happen for the 4th game of the season. Watson on the PK, ugh...has to end....man Nick Paul, Connor Brown and Alex Formenton really made the Sens PK lethal. And another no show from Mathieu Joseph, he has been beyond average to start the season. If this continues, DJ needs to deploy this lineup far better! He needs to have a pulse on this team and tonight he needs to realize what lines are going and what players are crapping the bed.....then play the best players in the last 2 periods more!

... aaaand there's the disappointment.

Down 2-0... outshot 12-6... to go with 9 turnovers in just the first period. Silver lining that both GA were on the same 5-3PP, but there's going to have to be a major shift of gear for the 2nd/3rd periods.
- khawk

I couldn't have said it any better.....lets see how they respond in the 2nd period. But lately Sens 2nd periods have been ugh.