I'm pretty sure Kessel has been playing with various injuries for parts of this season.
- daeth

Have not heard of any, did you?

Have not heard of any, did you?
- Doppleganger

Not surprised. You're too busy making up injury excuses for Ottawa senators.

Not surprised. You're too busy making up injury excuses for Ottawa senators.
- prock

Can we not just say our guys suck right now, fellas? I mean, neither team is going to challenge for the cup in the near future - Toronto MIGHT compete for a wildcard spot over the next year or two, but we're not exactly being held back by injuries... we're being held back by low quality play. As fans, why aren't we able to just see things for how they are?

Can we not just say our guys suck right now, fellas? I mean, neither team is going to challenge for the cup in the near future - Toronto MIGHT compete for a wildcard spot over the next year or two, but we're not exactly being held back by injuries... we're being held back by low quality play. As fans, why aren't we able to just see things for how they are?
- Mr_Squeaks

Oh I have been doing just that. I've pointed out the advantages Ottawa has in respect to all the Cap space they have going forward through the next two seasons when a number of RFAs and those who have expiring ELCs.

Advantages that a team jammed up against the cap does not have.

From the beginning of the season I posted (optimistically) that both Ontraio based teams would, at best challenge for a WC spot.

But when Ottawa dropped further behind in the standings about a month ago, I posted on how they were not going to make the playoffs, and not even challenge for a WC spot...............and at the same time upgraded my prediction of the leafs, to being a "lock" to make the playoffs when their chances were sitting at 95.5% about three weeks ago.


It's quite clear, now today, after both teams have fired their respective coaches, that the challenges both teams face, involve more than coaching.

Since the coaching change, I have seem incremental improvements in Ottawas' play, and though welcomes, these improvements are not going to be enough to seriously challenge for a playoff spot as there are two many teams in the mix for the last WC spot, that it'll be to little to late for the Senators.


I've shared my opinion on where I see the leafs, and their hard choices to move forward, but have yet to engage anyone in a serious dialogue, or anyone willing to acknowledge there's even a problem, other than the parade of coaches.

January 9 @ 9:44 AM ET

Kessel 41 games 18 goals 23 assists 41 points
Ryan 37 games 12 goals 15 assist 27 point

On pace for

Kessel 36g 46a 82p
Ryan 24g 31a 55p


Ryan has missed 3 games..so only played 37 of the sens 40
so I calculated based on 40 sens games
- senstroll

oh oh, Bobby is closing the gap.............. now sitting at .82 PPG this season, while Phil is at .9 PPG.


Bobby is a PLUS Seven and Phil is a MINUS Fourteen.

January 9 @ 9:44 AM ET






oh oh, Bobby is closing the gap.............. now sitting at .82 PPG this season, while Phil is at .9 PPG.


Bobby is a PLUS Seven and Phil is a MINUS Fourteen.
- Doppleganger

I like yours and Procks arguments, but I will officially say that Pacioretty is an overall superior player.

Better goal scorer without question, might be a little lighter on points than them overall, but Max plays the PK like a pro and has begun to crash the net. Never thought I would say this, but he is becoming a true power forward imho. I was a Debbie Downer on him earlier in his career, but as of next year he is the Habs Captain. He is as clutch as you can get. Never been glad to be so wrong!

Discuss....

I like yours and Procks arguments, but I will officially say that Pacioretty is an overall superior player.

Better goal scorer without question, might be a little lighter on points than them overall, but Max plays the PK like a pro and has begun to crash the net. Never thought I would say this, but he is becoming a true power forward imho. I was a Debbie Downer on him earlier in his career, but as of next year he is the Habs Captain. He is as clutch as you can get. Never been glad to be so wrong!

Discuss....
- habman75

True power forward?

He can't take a hit. One little nudge and he lies motionless on the ice with habs fans calling the cops, only to "win his life back" the next day. He's soft as butter.

True power forward?

He can't take a hit. One little nudge and he lies motionless on the ice with habs fans calling the cops, only to "win his life back" the next day. He's soft as butter.
- prock

Do you still think Price is not elite

True power forward?

He can't take a hit. One little nudge and he lies motionless on the ice with habs fans calling the cops, only to "win his life back" the next day. He's soft as butter.
- prock

You are either an IDIOT / JERK / $%#^#&&% of the absolute highest order or have no concept of humour.

You are either an IDIOT / JERK / $%#^#&&% of the absolute highest order or have no concept of humour.
- ght120

Guys.............he's the resident troll of this site. He got you.

Guys.............he's the resident troll of this site. He got you.
- Doppleganger

I'm mostly positive he does this on purpose...

Guys.............he's the resident troll of this site. He got you.
- Doppleganger

Irony.

Do you still think Price is not elite
- jordan456789

It depends what you think of as elite. Borderline top 5 now, as he seems to be FINALLY stringing two decent seasons in a row together.

You are either an IDIOT / JERK / $%#^#&&% of the absolute highest order or have no concept of humour.
- ght120

Why so angry? He can't take a hit. You know it's true, and that's why it bothers you so much.

It depends what you think of as elite. Borderline top 5 now, as he seems to be FINALLY stringing two decent seasons in a row together.
- prock

this message brought to you by prock....who just last season claimed that bernier was an elite vezina goalie, and that phaneuf was a top 5 d-man in the NHL

this message brought to you by prock....who just last season claimed that bernier was an elite vezina goalie, and that phaneuf was a top 5 d-man in the NHL


- sensarmy_11

Neither of these things was claimed, unlike the Sens being a playoff team by Sens fans. Better by subtraction of Spezza, right? Great group of prospects, right?

Neither of these things was claimed, unlike the Sens being a playoff team by Sens fans. Better by subtraction of Spezza, right? Great group of prospects, right?
- prock

You claimed them both......it was my location quote for about 8 months.

nice to see you back track on your statements though.....proving that you are just a troll.

You claimed them both......it was my location quote for about 8 months.

nice to see you back track on your statements though.....proving that you are just a troll.
- sensarmy_11

No, I didn't.

At one point, for the first 30 games, Phaneuf was on fire. At the halfway point, someone asked whether I thought he was elite. I said for the first half of the season, he'd been playing among the top 10 Dmen. You, like a total moron, took that and ran with it.

Nice to see you ignore that the biggest embarrassment of a team in the entire NHL, the Sens, was claimed to be a playoff team by you and your fellow fans.

Addition by subtraction right? I mean, by that logic, if you remove the 20 or so players not really belonging on an NHL roster, the Sens would be elite though, right? Kyle turris, great two way number 1 centre, right? Bobby Ryan, gonna reach his career highs with 30 goals, 70 points, right?

No, I didn't.

At one point, for the first 30 games, Phaneuf was on fire. At the halfway point, someone asked whether I thought he was elite. I said for the first half of the season, he'd been playing among the top 10 Dmen. You, like a total moron, took that and ran with it.

Nice to see you ignore that the biggest embarrassment of a team in the entire NHL, the Sens, was claimed to be a playoff team by you and your fellow fans.

Addition by subtraction right? I mean, by that logic, if you remove the 20 or so players not really belonging on an NHL roster, the Sens would be elite though, right? Kyle turris, great two way number 1 centre, right? Bobby Ryan, gonna reach his career highs with 30 goals, 70 points, right?
- prock

watching you backpedal and try to change subjects is hilarious

watching you backpedal and try to change subjects is hilarious
- sensarmy_11

I haven't backpedaled at all. Unlike you, ignoring the other claims from Sens fans.

I haven't backpedaled at all. Unlike you, ignoring the other claims from Sens fans.
- prock

here's a perfect picture showing your backpedalling on your statements about phaneuf and bernier

here's a perfect picture showing your backpedalling on your statements about phaneuf and bernier


- sensarmy_11

So provide a link then.

So provide a link then.
- prock

if you want to go back through 230 pages of that "who's better...." thread, be my guest. we both know you said it

if you want to go back through 230 pages of that "who's better...." thread, be my guest. we both know you said it
- sensarmy_11

Oh, I know exactly what I said, and I know you're full of crap.

Addition by subtraction, right? Maybe you should continue, and subtract Kyle Turris, Jared Cowen, Michalek, Clark Macarthur, etc.

Actually, come to think of it, following the logic of "subtracting a terrible defensive player like Spezza will make the team better", wouldn't subtracting one of the worst defensive dmen in the league, in Erik Karlsson, make the team better?

Oh, I know exactly what I said, and I know you're full of crap.

Addition by subtraction, right? Maybe you should continue, and subtract Kyle Turris, Jared Cowen, Michalek, Clark Macarthur, etc.

Actually, come to think of it, following the logic of "subtracting a terrible defensive player like Spezza will make the team better", wouldn't subtracting one of the worst defensive dmen in the league, in Erik Karlsson, make the team better?
- prock