Kevin Francis: Ottawa wins in OT over Winnipeg in pre-season opener!

Wow! what a win!

Pinto and Greig better make the roster. Definitely outshined today. Tyler ennis played alright. Rather Greig take the LW

Pinto is the real deal. He plays a 200 ft. game. Pinto’s best attribute is his shot. Everywhere he’s played he’s been good on the face off, killed penalties, been dangerous on the power play, and driven offense.

Wow! what a win!

Pinto and Greig better make the roster. Definitely outshined today. Tyler ennis played alright. Rather Greig take the LW
- SENS-sational

Time in the AHL wont hurt either. He got 7 games last year in the AHL. It will depend on how the battles in camp shake out too. Pinto, I hear ya, what else can you say?!

Pinto is the real deal. He plays a 200 ft. game. Pinto’s best attribute is his shot. Everywhere he’s played he’s been good on the face off, killed penalties, been dangerous on the power play, and driven offense.
- Minnyhock

Well said my friend! His shot is definitely underrated, but he showed fine form with it in OT!

Dreger: I don't think the Sens/Tkachuk are talking short term just yet.

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/...t-term-just-yet-1.1698644

They also talk about Logan Brown and Zach Sanford.

Pinto and Formenton playing together have the potential to be an elite defensive forward duo against opposing top lines and on the penalty kill.

Who is the guy you put with them to finish off that line? Sanford, Watson, Ennis...

I was very impressed with Ennis last night. He was all over the ice and had an impact every time he was out there. I dare say that, barring a terrible performance in the coming 6 pre-season games, he did a lot to make the case for a contract. I would have no issue with that based on what I saw last night.

Pinto and Formenton playing together have the potential to be an elite defensive forward duo against opposing top lines and on the penalty kill.

Who is the guy you put with them to finish off that line? Sanford, Watson, Ennis...

I'd say Sanford off the top of my head.

I recall Pinto looking good with Stuzle last season, and wouldn't mind seeing that again. Stutzle could be playing with Batherson and Norris though.

Send Brady to Calgary already.
(Yes I know it’s a troll comment sry)

For all the Sokolov hype.......I thought he was pretty invisible.

Was Mette in the game last night? I thought while their defense played ok defensively against the Jets "B crew" they didn't do much offensively.

I was very impressed with Ennis last night. He was all over the ice and had an impact every time he was out there. I dare say that, barring a terrible performance in the coming 6 pre-season games, he did a lot to make the case for a contract. I would have no issue with that based on what I saw last night.
- jaz258

I had the same thought. But where does he fit?

A player (or two) from last year may need to be moved.

Hard to figure out how Tierney gets a roster spot if Pinto makes the team. Colin White gets harder to fit into the lineup every year.

St. Louis is moving into rebuild and they will begin to sell off assets once the season starts unfolding. If the Sens have serious playoff aspirations, the guy that I watch for once the season starts is Ryan O'Reilly.

For all the Sokolov hype.......I thought he was pretty invisible.

Was Mette in the game last night? I thought while their defense played ok defensively against the Jets "B crew" they didn't do much offensively.
- Octavarium

Only noticed Sokolov a few times. I still think he'll need another year in Belleville, but he's only 21.

Read something interesting on Dobber Prospect Report this morning.

St. Louis Blues are a development wasteland with virtually nothing in their prospect pool, Not unusual for a team that won a Stanley Cup only a few years ago. But, to understand just how empty their system is Dobber this morning is listing 23 year old Logan Brown as their 6th best prospect overall. Now that is ugly.

When Ennis started out in the NHL, he was very inconsistent. The last few years he’s been pretty consistent. When he played for the Wild, he was skilled but it was frustrating that he lacked strength and got muscled off the puck so easily.

Ennis and Spurgeon were best friends growing up and Ennis was a lock to make the NHL and Spurgeon wasn’t supposed to make it. Spurgeon has had a much better career. Go figure.

No way I want Ennis signed I’d rather see Parker Kelly get that job
Pinto has to be our #2 Center 🤷‍♂️
I really wanted Sokolov to have a big game but after the first 10 mins of game he went invisible 🤦‍♂️
Grieg played really well too
And I liked how #47 played all night sorry forgot his name 😂🤦‍♂️

Read something interesting on Dobber Prospect Report this morning.

St. Louis Blues are a development wasteland with virtually nothing in their prospect pool, Not unusual for a team that won a Stanley Cup only a few years ago. But, to understand just how empty their system is Dobber this morning is listing 23 year old Logan Brown as their 6th best prospect overall. Now that is ugly.
- spatso

You and many others seem to be on a mission when it comes to Logan Brown. He's gone now so why keep crapping on the player. Your even quoting hockey sites where their source of info is 95% advanced stats and we all know how efficient that is. In the past 10 years or so everybody in the hockey media is an expert because of advanced stats. Most of their evaluation is done by compiling stats on players they don't even know exist. They wouldn't know where to start if they had to pick a team out of 40-50 players based on what they see on the ice.

I had the same thought. But where does he fit?

A player (or two) from last year may need to be moved.

Hard to figure out how Tierney gets a roster spot if Pinto makes the team. Colin White gets harder to fit into the lineup every year.

St. Louis is moving into rebuild and they will begin to sell off assets once the season starts unfolding. If the Sens have serious playoff aspirations, the guy that I watch for once the season starts is Ryan O'Reilly.
- spatso

They just signed Saad (28 yo) for 5 years, dealt for Buchnevich (28 yo), signed Bozak 1-year, extended Parayko 8 years. These aren't signs of an imminent rebuild.

They just signed Saad (28 yo) for 5 years, dealt for Buchnevich (28 yo), signed Bozak 1-year, extended Parayko 8 years. These aren't signs of an imminent rebuild.
- Not_Yan

Some of their core is aging but they’re still formidable and I don’t see a rebuild. They owned the Wild last year.

You and many others seem to be on a mission when it comes to Logan Brown. He's gone now so why keep crapping on the player. Your even quoting hockey sites where their source of info is 95% advanced stats and we all know how efficient that is. In the past 10 years or so everybody in the hockey media is an expert because of advanced stats. Most of their evaluation is done by compiling stats on players they don't even know exist. They wouldn't know where to start if they had to pick a team out of 40-50 players based on what they see on the ice.
- granpa

Says the guy who does literally nothing but post about how bad a coach DJ is.

Assuming Tkachuk is here opening night, is it a foregone conclusion that he plays with Batherson and Norris, or would people like to see Stutzle there.

You and many others seem to be on a mission when it comes to Logan Brown. He's gone now so why keep crapping on the player. Your even quoting hockey sites where their source of info is 95% advanced stats and we all know how efficient that is. In the past 10 years or so everybody in the hockey media is an expert because of advanced stats. Most of their evaluation is done by compiling stats on players they don't even know exist. They wouldn't know where to start if they had to pick a team out of 40-50 players based on what they see on the ice.
- granpa

Says the fellow that has pissed and moaned about LB's unfair treatment for a dog's age. Well, the young man is going to sink or swim real quick here.

EK has posted that the Blues and Sens are talking a BT trade for Parayko.

That has to be one of the worst rumors he has created.

Ottawa Center Ice - the last 7 drafts

2015 - 21st Overall - Colin White
2016 - 11th Overall - Logan Brown
2017 - 19th Overall - Josh Norris
2018 - 95th Overall - Jonathan Gruden
2019 - 32nd Overall - Shane Pinto
2020 - 28th Overall - Ridly Grieg
2021 - 39th Overall - Zack Ostapchuk

My Ranking of these players:

My Draft Order

11th Overall - Josh Norris
19th Overall - Shane Pinto
21st Overall - Ridly Grieg
28th Overall - Colin White
32nd Overall - Zack Ostapchuk
39th Overall - Logan Brown
95th Overall - Jonathan Gruden

Is this center ice good enough to contend for a cup from 2024-2029ish?

contend, maybe. Win--nope.
Competitive but not dominant.
They'd need things to fall their way in the playoffs with match ups and injuries.

Ya that rumor on the front page is obviously click bait. But I don't think he came up with it on his own. I bet there have been rumors floated about a deal between them. I mean if he's only gonna sign a short term deal, if he's becoming a head ache and if you can ship him to the western conference.......