A loyal reader is looking to sell their SJ Sharks tics for Dec 3rd. $150 - $175 for the pair in section 118. If anyone is interested, DM me and I will put you in touch with the individual. Oh, face value is $350 for the pair. He also has tics for the Bruins game on Dec. 27th.

DM me on Twitter or on Hockeybuzz.

This rings true. At the same time, Dorion would want to do whatever he can to keep the job - I am sure he is of the mindset that if the team turns it around, a new ownership group might be inclined to keep him on. While we fans can preach patience, I don't think Dorion is afforded that luxury. If he makes/doesn't make moves that drive this team further into the ground, he might never get tapped to be a GM again. I'm with you in being skeptical of his long term choices, but vis a vis job security, he's operating on a short term mind set.
- Bartacus

Dorion definitely wants to keep his job as no other NHL team would want him! Dorion has made too many mistakes over the last few years to the point he has basically no credibility left. His coaching hires have been a disaster, why DJ is still there reflects poorly on PD. With the once again terrible start basically due to having a junior coach behind the bench does not go down well with the fan base.


We need to face facts, the Sens are the second worst team in the NHL and their chances of making the playoffs are near impossible. It’s time to tank and draft a really good player in a deep draft year. The new ownership will look kindly at getting a certain superstar over PD trading away draft picks, great young players to nab a defenseman that may help us miss the playoffs by 25 points!

Dorion definitely wants to keep his job as no other NHL team would want him! Dorion has made too many mistakes over the last few years to the point he has basically no credibility left. His coaching hires have been a disaster, why DJ is still there reflects poorly on PD. With the once again terrible start basically due to having a junior coach behind the bench does not go down well with the fan base.


We need to face facts, the Sens are the second worst team in the NHL and their chances of making the playoffs are near impossible. It’s time to tank and draft a really good player in a deep draft year. The new ownership will look kindly at getting a certain superstar over PD trading away draft picks, great young players to nab a defenseman that may help us miss the playoffs by 25 points!
- Barrykerr1

It is a hard message for Sens fans to swallow but I think you are right.

Unlikely a new GM is going to endorse Smith as his head coach. The Board of Trustees is probably reluctant to want to make any changes at this time. We are a mere few weeks away from having a very good idea as to who the final purchase contenders are going to be. The current Board of Trustees will know how important it is in the sale process to let the new owners map out and sell their own direction on the future of the team and the LeBreton rebuild. If there are any short term changes that are made at this time, they would almost certainly come with an interim designation.

But, you know all the prospective ownership groups are pumped about coming into a new situation where they have will a clean slate in terms of GM, head coach and a possible top 3 draft pick in an exceptional draft year.

Sometimes what looks like a negative from one side of the fence appears as a positive from the other.

GM: Barry Trotz
Head Coach: Chris Kelly
Draft Pick: @# 2, Adam Fantilli. C. | Michigan 6'2" 187 lbs

R.R is getting loads of free publicity marketing for his soccer show. Brilliant .

Tanking would be admitting the last 5 years were completely built wrong and the team is another 4 years away from being relevant. Quite, and likely possible.
Have no fear though, once playoffs are next to impossible, the fools gold will shine.

With Dorion and Smith I even wonder if Chabot is being rushed back before he is ready to be played 30 minutes a night just to avoid picking in the top 5.

With Dorion and Smith I even wonder if Chabot is being rushed back before he is ready to be played 30 minutes a night just to avoid picking in the top 5.
- Whatisavailable

I have the same concern. There is no need to rush Chabot back after 1 or 2 symptom free days. His long term health is far more important to the team, even if we were in playoff contention.

Chabot is out tonight and Lassi Thomson draws back in.

I have the same concern. There is no need to rush Chabot back after 1 or 2 symptom free days. His long term health is far more important to the team, even if we were in playoff contention.
- SensFan25

Agree 100% (with Whatisavailable* too)

I think 99% of Sens fans would agree, any trade made now should be with next season and the years to follow in mind - not just for making playoff push this year! This year is a wash now

I will have a new piece up tonight after the game! Sorry folks, crazy week.

I think 99% of Sens fans would agree, any trade made now should be with next season and the years to follow in mind - not just for making playoff push this year! This year is a wash now
- AlfieisKing

Absolultey!

It is a hard message for Sens fans to swallow but I think you are right.

Unlikely a new GM is going to endorse Smith as his head coach. The Board of Trustees is probably reluctant to want to make any changes at this time. We are a mere few weeks away from having a very good idea as to who the final purchase contenders are going to be. The current Board of Trustees will know how important it is in the sale process to let the new owners map out and sell their own direction on the future of the team and the LeBreton rebuild. If there are any short term changes that are made at this time, they would almost certainly come with an interim designation.

But, you know all the prospective ownership groups are pumped about coming into a new situation where they have will a clean slate in terms of GM, head coach and a possible top 3 draft pick in an exceptional draft year.

Sometimes what looks like a negative from one side of the fence appears as a positive from the other.

GM: Barry Trotz
Head Coach: Chris Kelly
Draft Pick: @# 2, Adam Fantilli. C. | Michigan 6'2" 187 lbs
- spatso

Just so you know, the board has no part in this right now.....they will have an owner picked out by mid to late January, but then its a up to a 6 month process, for paperwork, board of governors approval....this from my long time friend who has worked in the league office for over 12 years. End of story.

Just so you know, the board has no part in this right now.....they will have an owner picked out by mid to late January, but then its a up to a 6 month process, for paperwork, board of governors approval....this from my long time friend who has worked in the league office for over 12 years. End of story.
- Kevin Francis

everything will be done a few months before the Lebreton deadline so new ownership can work out Lebreton details with the NCC

Detroit claimed Magnus Hellberg off waivers from Seattle.

everything will be done a few months before the Lebreton deadline so new ownership can work out Lebreton details with the NCC
- Mithos

They have until September for the letter of intent, I see the sale wrapping up by June so then Ottawa can do what it needs to do for free agency, at the draft....new coach and GM, etc....

They have until September for the letter of intent, I see the sale wrapping up by June so then Ottawa can do what it needs to do for free agency, at the draft....new coach and GM, etc....
- Kevin Francis

ya June will be big for OTT, gonna have to trade Chabot after he asks to be traded after OTT finished in the bottom 5, maybe Brady too, draft Bedard, trade cat for Chabot replacement, wonder how many more players in OTT will ask to be traded from now till the draft/July 1st.

Leafs get Connor Timmins from AZ, RD.

ya June will be big for OTT, gonna have to trade Chabot after he asks to be traded after OTT finished in the bottom 5, maybe Brady too, draft Bedard, trade cat for Chabot replacement, wonder how many more players in OTT will ask to be traded from now till the draft/July 1st.
- Mithos

Brady wont, not a single chance. Chabot, I'm telling you he was furious in his exit interviews, I reported that back in June. I could potentially see Chabot asking for a trade if this season really goes sideways and he continues to take heat.

Dorion definitely wants to keep his job as no other NHL team would want him! Dorion has made too many mistakes over the last few years to the point he has basically no credibility left. His coaching hires have been a disaster, why DJ is still there reflects poorly on PD. With the once again terrible start basically due to having a junior coach behind the bench does not go down well with the fan base.


We need to face facts, the Sens are the second worst team in the NHL and their chances of making the playoffs are near impossible. It’s time to tank and draft a really good player in a deep draft year. The new ownership will look kindly at getting a certain superstar over PD trading away draft picks, great young players to nab a defenseman that may help us miss the playoffs by 25 points!
- Barrykerr1

Great post!

They're hard to play against in terms of things like hits and PIM... unfortunately not so much in terms of goals and wins. Last year's 4-15-1 start was supposed to be the kind of thing they absolutely could not tolerate... yet here we are at 6-11-1. Last season they went a catastrophic 1-10-1 to end the 1st quarter of the season... as of last night they're now 2-9-1 in their past 12 games. If you hadn't seen what they did in the summer, you'd swear they were making a play for Bedard.

How about some accountability... for God's sake.
- khawk

The stats don't lie!!!!

Now here's a Dorion move that's 100% worth criticism... there was absolutely no reason to give Joseph a 4yr contract, especially given the complete anomaly of his 11GP stint with the team. I mean he's fine as a bottom-6 winger for the most part, but it's clearly a very bad contract that was signed with unnecessary term.
- khawk

he has another year of control and as I stated in a blog when they signed Joseph, he put up 3/4 of his production against Buffalo, Detroit and Montreal when he arrived here. They were in the bottom 8 of the league! He did nothing against superior teams! Joseph skates miles every night and does nothing.....no hockey IQ.

There's no trading Chabot or Tkachuk or any of the core pieces. This team has got a lot of the key pieces in place and locked up for years. They're just too young to win anything. Stutzle is 20 years old playing first line C. How old is Pinto or Sanderson or Kastelec or Batherson or even Norris?

I have said it before many times. This team is still too young to win anything. Take a pill and chill. These damn sports talking heads created out of thin air a crisis. They need to win NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! I could continue with this NOW nonsense forever. I'm totally sick of it.

This is a really good team and they are only going to get much better. The only ones under the gun are Dorion and Smith and because everybody knows Dorion is under pressure they won't deal with him unless they can take him to the cleaners.

This summer showed what the problem was. Signing a guy like Marino would have been a good move but it wasn't sexy., Signing Giroux was a great move but it wasn't sexy. Trading for DeBrincat was stupid but it was sexy and had the bulk of the posters on this site and the Sens broadcasters in general creaming in their pants

Now that some of them are awakening from their wet dream I'm starting to hear things like trading DeBrincat for a top 4 D. There actually are people who think this is a possibility!

Some of the talking heads are starting to come down to earth and acknowledging the fact that DeBrincat needs to be qualified at 9 million which is why Chicago got rid of him and found a sucker in Dorion. At the deadline any taker will not be giving much even if anyone is interested because everyone outside of Ottawa knows that 9 million is a stupid number. Even at 5 it would be a stupid number. Dorion will never get back that first round pick but it was a great marketing move. Dorion obviously understands what excites people better than I do. I would have been happy with Marino. Not Chychrun at some stupid price - but Marino.

Also I'm starting to see a little reluctant give from all the Chabot bashers out there. The great Zub came back but surprise surprise didn't make that much of a difference. I like Zub but make no mistake about who is the man on the Sens D and it's not Sanderson either. The best Sens D this year has been Chabot and it's not even close. Maybe next year Sanderson will challenge and that will be great but right now it's not even close.

Hopefully it's recognized that Zub is a number 4 D. Not a top pairing D. A number 4 D. What do those guys get? 3 to 4 million. Not more and if he insists on more he'll get you something good at the deadline.

9 players still out with injuries in Belleville......Greig, Crookshank and Sogaard to name a few!

Two 1st round picks and a top prospect for Chychrun.....no longer 4 pieces as I mentioned late in the summer.....if PD trades 2024 and 2025 picks along with Greig, would you do it Sens fans?!

Two 1st round picks and a top prospect for Chychrun.....no longer 4 pieces as I mentioned late in the summer.....if PD trades 2024 and 2025 picks along with Greig, would you do it Sens fans?!
- Kevin Francis

I'd do Greig for Chychrun straight up with a second and third round pick as sweeteners. Don't really want an offensive LD so the only reason I don't hang up the phone is because I think I can flip Chychrun at the deadline for something good.

Armstrong knows he's getting something good at the deadline - he's just looking for a big fish right now.