Kevin Francis: Sens win, Sens win! Pierre Dorion failing this team with minor moves!!

Great piece

GM has f'ed up with minor moves. It worked in first few years but you had the Stone, Karlsson, and other guys that could support those moves. Now it's not working because the core (Tkachuk, Chabot, Norris, Stutzle, etc) are all still too young/raw and developing

i think Dorion is afraid to make a big buying trade, he does not want to get Duchened again.

If dorion or Mcguire cannot see the damage smith is doing to OTTs young players then they are incompetent and its clear melnyk doesn't care about winning.

OTT is the Buf sabers of canada. (no offence sabers fans)

i think Dorion is afraid to make a big trade, he does not want to get Duchened again.

If dorion or Mcguire cannot see the damage smith is doing to OTTs young players then they are incompetent and its clear melnyk doesn't care about winning.

OTT is the Buf sabers of canada. (no offence sabers fans)
- Mithos

Hmmm

Big BUYING moves for sure. Which player has Dorion traded for that has turned out to be a big player? Stutzle and Norris came in the way of the Karlsson deal but that was a SELLING move. I'm concerned that for trying to get a BIG piece will be difficult but they need to do that at least one time.

Dadanov is only playing slightly better on a much better team. So far seems to be a good move.
Daccord so far seems to be the right goalie to leave for the kraken
Overall Dorion is still below .500 . The biggest problem is, he overated how fast this rebuild was going. I think a pageau would have been great to keep for veteran continuity . Stone also but who knows what he was offered? Regardless 1 or 2 of those guys would have insulated the young guys and sped up the process.
Dorion will be here at least until summer 22. Then i suspect Mcguire steps in like dumbass did to Lou Lameriello..
Im not sure thats the right move. I am sure the rebuild tear down wont be complete until Dorion is gone.

Man. That list really puts things into perspective. Dorion has pulled off some good moves in his tenure but reading that list made me worry about the future. You can’t pull off 1 good move for every 5 or 10 bad ones and expect to be competitive.

For every Colorado and Edmonton rebuild, there is a Buffalo and New Jersey rebuild struggling. Even Edmonton, rebuilt once and ended up doing it again once they realized they still stunk. There was a time Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hall were the saviors.

Which way will the Sens go?

While some patients is needed, Dorion has proven he cannot surround the core of this team with suitable options. Not unlike Edmonton before the Connor McDavid days, who eventually changed the GM.

You can't force players to develop faster. With all the talent in the pipeline this team is about 3 years away from being good for a long time. When you try to rush guys along you end up like the Edmonton Oilers who sucked for a decade even with all those 1-OAs, and despite having the 2 top scorers in the league they still don't have enough depth to make a serious playoff run. Losing sucks and if the coach is legitimately impacting the development of the core players then that's a separate issue, but no one is playing for this season in Ottawa.

Man. That list really puts things into perspective. Dorion has pulled off some good moves in his tenure but reading that list made me worry about the future. You can’t pull off 1 good move for every 5 or 10 bad ones and expect to be competitive.

For every Colorado and Edmonton rebuild, there is a Buffalo and New Jersey rebuild struggling. Even Edmonton, rebuilt once and ended up doing it again once they realized they still stunk. There was a time Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hall were the saviors.

Which way will the Sens go?

While some patients is needed, Dorion has proven he cannot surround the core of this team with suitable options. Not unlike Edmonton before the Connor McDavid days, who eventually changed the GM.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

The difference between those four rebuilds is McDavid and Mackinnon vs Hughes (and what a stupid contract that is) and Dahlin as the core players. Ottawa desperately needs a generational player.

It's been largely said already, but in general what's most disappointing is the relative lack of progression. Last year saw the successful introduction of Batherson/Norris/Stutzle to the lineup, but this year has been a complete face-plant in terms of Formenton/Pinto being effectively brought in, plus Stutzle has to some extend regressed. They clogged the D-pairings once again, which has come at the direct expense of Brannstrom, and limited the ability of Thomson to prove his value. You could argue that demoting Murray has created a deserved opportunity for Gustavsson/Forsberg to share the net... but that's also a major unforced error on Dorion's part, in terms of wildly over-paying a player that had all kinds of yellow flags about their rate of decline.

Three very easy improvements they could start making right away would be:
1) No more adding NHL veterans, unless they can play a 3rd line F, or 2nd D pairing role better than the young players in the system
2) Let the young skill players (e.g. Stutzle, Formenton) start to develop chemistry by playing together, instead of isolating them with fringe NHL players
3) Have at least 1 AHL prospect on the 4th line at all times (with 2nd unit PP time), as a development opportunity (e.g. Sokolov, Jarventie, Crookshank)

None of that will happen, of course, but it would at least stop the congestion of the lineup with mediocre players that absolutely nobody really wants to pay good money to watch.

The difference between those four rebuilds is McDavid and Mackinnon vs Hughes (and what a stupid contract that is) and Dahlin as the core players. Ottawa desperately needs a generational player.
- GrimmdaGoalie

I agree in part.

Buffalo got that guy in Eichel, and was still a bad team for years.

Its not so muc you need a generational player as you need your high first rounder to nab you an elite guy. You need a combination of luck to be bad at the right time to nab that elite level player, and also solid drafting / development.

Like Florida: Barkov / Ekblad.

Or you you need to find an Aho in the second round like Carolina did.

Good observations!

I think the main problem is Dorion and Smith are terrified of losing their jobs. The season is lost but their focus is on win now so play the veterans and don’t take a chance on grooming the young players. This thinking worked for them at the end of last season when other teams were tanking, the Sens put the pedal to the medal. This worked for them but the Senators went from a top 5 pick to finish 10th and picked Boucher. The pick of Boucher at 10 was ridiculed by all other NHL scouts and hockey analysts. So far this year they are right, it was a very bad choice. I expect the boys will do the same thing this year, try to stomp on the tanking teams to save their jobs.

Meanwhile, Pierre McGuire seen wandering around LaBreton Flats sniffing butts enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, Pierre McGuire seen wandering around LaBreton Flats sniffing butts enthusiastically.
- Benny Blanco

I had someone tell me this years ago when I was visiting Montreal and McGuire was in MTL for a game with TSN. Many told me he was a different guy than what everyone saw on TV, but I had a great time when I was at the Baton Rouge restaurant near the arena. Great city to party in.

I like this team a lot.

Rebuilds are tricky. Positive outcomes will always seem so far away until they actually happen. Injuries to White and Pinto were serious disruptions.

The future of this team is the #1 power play (Norris, Tkachuk, Batherson, Stuetzle and Chabot). Some positive adds coming through the system and maybe another lottery pick on the horizon. This year is a hiccup in the rebuild process. Be patient! Give the kids a chance to grow into their game.

I had someone tell me this years ago when I was visiting Montreal and McGuire was in MTL for a game with TSN. Many told me he was a different guy than what everyone saw on TV, but I had a great time when I was at the Baton Rouge restaurant near the arena. Great city to party in.
- PuckPix

But He was allegedly sniffing Cuthbert's butt in Studio because he ate a lot of prunes.

Senators WHL prospect Carson Latimer (4th round pick, 2021) was traded earlier in the week from Edmonton to Prince Albert, as part of a deal that sent Kaiden Guhle to the Oil Kings.
https://whl.ca/article/nh...apped-in-blockbuster-deal

Latimer had an assist in his first game, where he attacked the offensive zone with pretty good speed, and put a nice pass across to the player driving the net. Hopefully it's an indication of things to come, and the Raiders will provide him with better ice time opportunities, as he seemed like a good value pick in the 4th round. He most likely projects as a bottom-6 supporting winger, who plays with speed and good 200ft awareness. But as a natural RH shot he may have a greater opportunity than some other depth wingers for a chance at a 3/4RW roster spot down the line.

There's a good article here on his rookie season in Edmonton.
https://oilkings.ca/artic...-spotlight-carson-latimer

Great piece

GM has f'ed up with minor moves. It worked in first few years but you had the Stone, Karlsson, and other guys that could support those moves. Now it's not working because the core (Tkachuk, Chabot, Norris, Stutzle, etc) are all still too young/raw and developing
- AlfieisKing

Thanks!
Great point though on with the other players being able to support the moves, because when you look back to Stone and Karlsson, look at the terrible trades and extensions he gave out, similar to this garbage he's pulling now! Alex Burrows sure comes to mind. Plus gives him a 2 year extension at the time, ugh!

i think Dorion is afraid to make a big buying trade, he does not want to get Duchened again.

If dorion or Mcguire cannot see the damage smith is doing to OTTs young players then they are incompetent and its clear melnyk doesn't care about winning.

OTT is the Buf sabers of canada. (no offence sabers fans)
- Mithos

True on the trade comment, we definitely don't need that happening again!

As for DJ, it was the same last year with young players, some he trusted and were given all the rope in the world, but others were given the same trust! I still don't understand why he only gave Stutzle 3 games at center, the first 2 games he was very good and then when the entire team played very average in Anaheim he pulls him from center in LA. He still has messed up Brannstrom this year, let him make the same mistakes that he allows Brown/Mete and Zaitsev to make over and over. Plus the same goes for Formenton, he continues to bury him on the 3rd line playing with nobody. I too feel he's hurting the growth of these young players. Thomson lately hasn't been given that same rope either. All these players developed so well under Mann in Belleville, but then they get here and DJ jerks them around. I found it interesting how Matt Murray talked about Mann in his interview earlier this week, how he stressed how great the communication the was the moment he arrived, the pace of the practices, etc...

I think the blockbuster move is coming, I'm quite sure that Melynk will love this one, he will save almost $2M over the next 8 years! Blues send Colton Parayko to Sens for Brady Tkachuk, the Sens will have their star defenseman they have been looking for!

Hmmm

Big BUYING moves for sure. Which player has Dorion traded for that has turned out to be a big player? Stutzle and Norris came in the way of the Karlsson deal but that was a SELLING move. I'm concerned that for trying to get a BIG piece will be difficult but they need to do that at least one time.
- AlfieisKing

All 4 centers in the Sens line up are way of SJ, it\s just wild, plus like you said they will need another big piece, so maybe that will come this summer in the draft. As long as they don't have another hot ending to their season, driving them back down to the 10th spot instead of a top 5 pick last year. Still so frustrating to see what we could've had in the top 5 this past draft.

Dadanov is only playing slightly better on a much better team. So far seems to be a good move.
Daccord so far seems to be the right goalie to leave for the kraken
Overall Dorion is still below .500 . The biggest problem is, he overated how fast this rebuild was going. I think a pageau would have been great to keep for veteran continuity . Stone also but who knows what he was offered? Regardless 1 or 2 of those guys would have insulated the young guys and sped up the process.
Dorion will be here at least until summer 22. Then i suspect Mcguire steps in like dumbass did to Lou Lameriello..
Im not sure thats the right move. I am sure the rebuild tear down wont be complete until Dorion is gone.
- spazzbot

I wonder too if Dorion makes it past this season. If Melnyk does make a change with Doroin, then he better make it before the draft so then McGuire can put his finger prints on the team starting at the draft and going into free agency. Dadonov got a lot more icetime when Vegas had all those injuries and he still couldn't produce. 6 goals in 23 games.

Sens have recalled Heatherinogon from Belleville. He will play in Mete's spot. Yet Dorion's UFA signing in MDZ will be a scratch again, so bizarre! Mete and MDZ scratches, like why not just put Mete on waivers if they want to play other guys.

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Paul Stützle CBrown
Formenton Tierney Ennis
Sanford Gambrell Watson

Chabot Zaitsev
Holden Zub
Heatherington Thomson

Forsberg-in starters end
Gustavsson

Dorion spoke to the media this morning! I will post some notes with the highlights of his presser later.

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Paul Stützle CBrown
Formenton Tierney Ennis
Sanford Gambrell Watson

Chabot Zaitsev
Holden Zub
Heatherington Thomson

Forsberg-in starters end
Gustavsson
- Kevin Francis

what terrible lines... Smith is not even a AHL coach yet alone a NHL one....