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.
- RyeDog13

Well said, the other problem with this entire defense is that the puck doesn't move North enough, but that is a coaching problem and with little defensive zone structure, teams with skill and speed at the forward position just hammer Ottawa in their own end.....

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!
- Kevin Francis

In my opinion, just run with Pinto, Motte, and Joseph as your main PK guys and have Giroux/Norris/Tkachuk rotate as the 4th forward for faceoffs. The 4th line is the 4th line and the ice time should reflect that.

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.
- Whatisavailable

Dont get me started on Hamonic, but the coach has him playing 3/4 when he was far more effective last year to end the season in the 5/6 spot. That is also on Dorion! DJ has them dumping and chasing again too. The fact the team fed off the crowd last game, now we are back to what they looked like in the first 2 games. Frustrating!

In my opinion, just run with Pinto, Motte, and Joseph as your main PK guys and have Giroux/Norris/Tkachuk rotate as the 4th forward for faceoffs. The 4th line is the 4th line and the ice time should reflect that.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Exactly, Kastelic is the only on that 4th line that is noticeable. The love affair this coach has for Kelly is mind boggling! He needs to recognize that he needs more speed on the PK.

all 3 sens were puck watching....
- Mithos

]
Very few players moving their feet and like I keep I saying over and over, the puck goes east and west too much, it needs to be moving North WAY MORE!

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!
- Kevin Francis

his speed made the other team fall back more and wary of him, he is underrated

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!
- Kevin Francis

hge was good for OTT when he came after the trade, wanna who else was really good for OTT after he came over? Mete and we all know what happened the following year, lets see if Joseph follows in his footsteps.

Shawn Simpson tweet at first intermission.

Four games in the structure and turnovers are big problems for the Sens. Let's see if they can regroup in the second. I like the pace of the Norris line.

The replies in the his feed is crazy, fans are sounding off big time!

hge was good for OTT when he came after the trade, wanna who else was really good for OTT after he came over? Mete and we all know what happened the following year, lets see if Joseph follows in his footsteps.
- Mithos

I said in my blog at the time, I didn't get the 4 year deal for Joseph.....almost felt like the Colin White, paying for potential!

I still do not understand why they continue to utilize a collapsing dzone structure. Makes it so easy to cycle around them (points are constantly wide open due to wingers being too low, and they just cycle low to high).
One of the many fans sounding off on Twitter.....who absolutely nailed it.

I said in my blog at the time, I didn't get the 4 year deal for Joseph.....almost felt like the Colin White, paying for potential!
- Kevin Francis

best comparable is matt murray and we all know how that ended

best comparable is matt murray and we all know how that ended
- Mithos

TRue!

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.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I'm glad you mentioned this, a few fans have called in on the radio lately saying this too. I'm very disappointed with how Chabot has progressed under this coaching staff. I would truly love to see Wade Redden in Capuano's role!

I'm glad you mentioned this, a few fans have called in on the radio lately saying this too. I'm very disappointed with how Chabot has progressed under this coaching staff. I would truly love to see Wade Redden in Capuano's role!
- Kevin Francis

While I don't think he's a bust of a player or an awful d-man overall, I am just getting tired of him not taking the next step. There isn't anything about his game to warrant a discussion of him being one of the elite d-men in the game. He should be having a similar career arch as Fox, Josi, and Maker. He's about to be past by Dahlin, Seider, Hughes, etc.

His leash has been massive ever since Karlsson was traded. Maybe it's time to tighten up that leash.

maybe if DJ stops playing him 30 min a game he would be able to be more rested to be able to play properly in the O zone....

Nice to see a better 2nd period than we are used to seeing. 15SOG and 2G.

maybe if DJ stops playing him 30 min a game he would be able to be more rested to be able to play properly in the O zone....
- Mithos

The physical part of his game declines when he plays him a ton, then the mental part leads to bad mistakes by Chabot. This coaching staff, has failed him on his progression!

The physical part of his game declines when he plays him a ton, then the mental part leads to bad mistakes by Chabot. This coaching staff, has failed him on his progression!
- Kevin Francis

played him for no reason to try and pad wins to make him look good as a coach, OTT had no chance of playoffs so they burned out Chabot and his progression....

For a guy that was a healthy scratch in Toronto, he's had two very solid games since and stepped up when Sanderson went down in the 2nd period, props to Holden!

maybe if DJ stops playing him 30 min a game he would be able to be more rested to be able to play properly in the O zone....
- Mithos

This is the exact excuse I am tired of. I am not sure reducing ice time by 5 minutes or whatever a game would magically turn him into a Norris calibre d-man.

Last year Chabot averaged 26:11 min of ice time. Makar averaged 25:40. Josi averaged 25:32. There were about 20 NHL d-men with an average of 24:00 min and over.

Of that group of, Chabot was 16th in d-man scoring and 1 of only 7 minus players.

Perhaps, instead of complaining about the ice time, there should be some expectation that comes with that ice time. I won't discount coaching and deployment mistakes, but let's stop giving Chabot a golden leash.

I said in my blog at the time, I didn't get the 4 year deal for Joseph.....almost felt like the Colin White, paying for potential!
- Kevin Francis

They gave him the money they didn't want to give to Nick Paul. When they made that trade I posted that Joseph wasn't any good. Skates around fast but does nothing. Bad contract and a weaker bottom six.

OTT has 3 posts so far this game

They gave him the money they didn't want to give to Nick Paul. When they made that trade I posted that Joseph wasn't any good. Skates around fast but does nothing. Bad contract and a weaker bottom six.
- Whatisavailable

I agree with lack of logic of the contract. However, I am hesitant to rile on a 3rd line guy too much. 3rd and 4th line guys are generally inconsistent, lack a wide range of skill, and will get outplayed depending on matchups. Even Paul had these kinds of stretches. If these 3rd and 4th line guys were as good as people want them to be, they would be top 6 players.

Nevertheless, I do agree that the bottom 6 could be addressed to be improved. I don't mind Motte-Pinto-Joseph (nice goal by that line as a type) and want to see that line gel a bit more. However, the 4th line is a joke and could be upgraded relatively easily.

OTT sure has hit the gas peddle in the 3rd

OTT sure has hit the gas peddle in the 3rd
- Mithos

Night and day difference from the 1st period. Really good to see the bounce back after a lack lustre 1st and going down 2-0. This is something they struggled with in the past. If this can be seen on a regular basis, you'll see them finish higher in the standings.