Kevin Francis: Ottawa makes it 3 wins a row for the first season!!!

Sens now tied with Montreal and NYI for last in the Eastern Conference, baby steps!

Stützle's metrics at left wing this season (16 games): 1 goal, 6 assists, 45.76 CF% (5th), 51.5 xGF% (4th)

Stützle's metrics at centre (6 games): 2 goals, 2 assists, 53.93 CF% (1st), 54.16 xGF% (2nd)

Saw this on Twitter! Crazy!!!

Stützle's metrics at left wing this season (16 games): 1 goal, 6 assists, 45.76 CF% (5th), 51.5 xGF% (4th)

Stützle's metrics at centre (6 games): 2 goals, 2 assists, 53.93 CF% (1st), 54.16 xGF% (2nd)

Saw this on Twitter! Crazy!!!
- Kevin Francis

If I didn't know any better I'd think that maybe the guy should be playing the C position.

If I didn't know any better I'd think that maybe the guy should be playing the C position.
- Whatisavailable

Like I said in a comment in my last blog, Stutzle gets jammed up on the boards and has less space when playing the wing. At center, he can utilize his speed and skill far better as he has way more space!

Brent Wallace tweeted this earlier.

Sens looking for their 1st 4 game winning streak in 6 years as they host the NYI on Tuesday. The last time Ottawa won 4 in a row
@MarcMethot3
played on the team (March 2017 they won 6 in a row). Side note Pageau scored the GWG to win the 4th game.

I still don't get how TSN has Claire Hanna doing Sens games when Wally was so connected to the community and the Sens.

Love these kids.

Hope they do not get too far ahead of themselves. Still lots of growth needed and the draft offers the best hope to fill in the holes.

I wonder if both Nick Paul and Connor Brown get moved at deadline?

Good game overall. The Sens best players were their best players. I’d like to see Formenton – Stu – and Ennis as a line. I feel Stu has been just as effective at centre as LW, the quality of the wingers he is playing with still isn’t great, but is a step up from the centres he was playing with as a winger at the start of the year.

As for the Dorion presser, big meh. Apparently, the team didn’t even alert a lot of media that it was going to happen. I was also annoyed how he used injuries as an excuse up the middle. Colin White was injured before the season even started and to rely on a raw rookie like Pinto is just crazy. He took no ownership of having paper thin depth. The fact he had to quantify his “rebuild is over” statement is also comical.

The reason we don't have Wally anymore is $... 'Talent' at the moment needs to be as cheap as possible.

Stützle's metrics at left wing this season (16 games): 1 goal, 6 assists, 45.76 CF% (5th), 51.5 xGF% (4th)

Stützle's metrics at centre (6 games): 2 goals, 2 assists, 53.93 CF% (1st), 54.16 xGF% (2nd)
- Kevin Francis

How about the team being (3-3-0) over that same 6 game stretch, vs. (3-12-1) in the previous 16 games. They had a similar boost when Pinto joined the roster last year, and they were getting an improved 2nd line contribution. Would love to eventually see Formenton with Stutzle, but at the same time Paul/Brown are good insulation for him as he's learning the C role. It's a really positive sign that Stutzle has gone 2/5, 4/8, and 3/5 in faceoffs over the past 3 games, even though he's almost exclusively getting only Neutral Zone face off chances. In support, Paul has gone 5/7, 6/10, and 2/5 in faceoffs over the same stretch, which at least shows that Stutzle is starting to pull his weight more in the faceoff dot. Another very positive sign.

To be honest, I'm just excited to watch Stutzle playing at C, and see that he appears to be up to the challenge. For my money, it drastically changes the outlook of the team, and makes it a lot more palatable to watch losses knowing there's at least a reasonable plan they're working towards. Another interesting stat they were showing last night, was that Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson are now 3rd in the NHL in terms of ES production, behind the top lines in WSH/CGY. That's pretty impressive for a bottom-5 team, where one of the players missed games early in the season. Flipping that around shows just how badly the rest of the team has been contributing, and the importance of eventually getting Stutzle better support on the 2nd line.

I'm not an Ottawa fan but this team Is to young and talented for D.J. Smith to be holding them back!

Fans noted before tonight's game Pierre McGuire lurking outside the Dressing Room waiting to enthusiastically sniff butts.

Welcome back Sens 🤦‍♂️

Love these kids.

Hope they do not get too far ahead of themselves. Still lots of growth needed and the draft offers the best hope to fill in the holes.

I wonder if both Nick Paul and Connor Brown get moved at deadline?
- spatso

Brown has another year after this season under contract, they need some vets on this team. But I Nick Paul is an interesting case!!

I'm not an Ottawa fan but this team Is to young and talented for D.J. Smith to be holding them back!
- Shady1962

With no expectations now, he needs to let Formenton get top 6 minutes, something I've been saying for weeks plus others on this board have saying too! I hope he lets Brannstrom get quality minutes when he returns in a month.

Welcome back Sens 🤦‍♂️
- sens4life1971

Honestly, I didnt expect much from them tonight. It was such a tough spot for them, 5 in 7 nights.

The reason we don't have Wally anymore is $... 'Talent' at the moment needs to be as cheap as possible.
- riceroni

True, I'm with ya, but still too bad as he connected well with not only the players but the fans in this City too.

Good game overall. The Sens best players were their best players. I’d like to see Formenton – Stu – and Ennis as a line. I feel Stu has been just as effective at centre as LW, the quality of the wingers he is playing with still isn’t great, but is a step up from the centres he was playing with as a winger at the start of the year.

As for the Dorion presser, big meh. Apparently, the team didn’t even alert a lot of media that it was going to happen. I was also annoyed how he used injuries as an excuse up the middle. Colin White was injured before the season even started and to rely on a raw rookie like Pinto is just crazy. He took no ownership of having paper thin depth. The fact he had to quantify his “rebuild is over” statement is also comical.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Ennis played his best game this season in NJ, he uses his speed well and his board play was very strong, leading to chances for his linemates. Speed kills as they say, I like your idea of Stutzle and Formenton with Ennis. But we all know it wont happen with DJ!

How about the team being (3-3-0) over that same 6 game stretch, vs. (3-12-1) in the previous 16 games. They had a similar boost when Pinto joined the roster last year, and they were getting an improved 2nd line contribution. Would love to eventually see Formenton with Stutzle, but at the same time Paul/Brown are good insulation for him as he's learning the C role. It's a really positive sign that Stutzle has gone 2/5, 4/8, and 3/5 in faceoffs over the past 3 games, even though he's almost exclusively getting only Neutral Zone face off chances. In support, Paul has gone 5/7, 6/10, and 2/5 in faceoffs over the same stretch, which at least shows that Stutzle is starting to pull his weight more in the faceoff dot. Another very positive sign.

To be honest, I'm just excited to watch Stutzle playing at C, and see that he appears to be up to the challenge. For my money, it drastically changes the outlook of the team, and makes it a lot more palatable to watch losses knowing there's at least a reasonable plan they're working towards. Another interesting stat they were showing last night, was that Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson are now 3rd in the NHL in terms of ES production, behind the top lines in WSH/CGY. That's pretty impressive for a bottom-5 team, where one of the players missed games early in the season. Flipping that around shows just how badly the rest of the team has been contributing, and the importance of eventually getting Stutzle better support on the 2nd line.
- khawk

Having Stutzle at center takes a lot of pressure of the top line as teams cant match up so easily with the Sens! It forces the oppositions coaches to line match better, rather than just take away the Sens top line.

Great stats though!!! Thanks for posting.

I dont know if anyone noticed but the Blues only dressed 10 forwards and went with 7 Dmen against Florida. Logan Brown had almost 15 min. of ice time and added an assist.

0.747 - F Alex Formenton
0.787 - G Filip Gustavsson
0.900 - G Anton Forsberg
0.925 - F Shane Pinto
0.925 - F Josh Norris
0.925 - F Tim Stutzle
1.350 - F Nicholas Paul
2.500 - D Artem Zub
3.600 - F Connor Brown
4.975 - F Drake Batherson
= $ 17.634M

1.250 - D Victor Mete
1.500 - F Austin Watson
2.000 - D Michael Del Zotto
3.500 - F Chris Tierney
4.500 - D Nikita Zaitsev
4.750 - F Colin White
6.250 - G Matt Murray
= $ 23.75M

GM needs to spend money better on veteran players

With no expectations now, he needs to let Formenton get top 6 minutes, something I've been saying for weeks plus others on this board have saying too! I hope he lets Brannstrom get quality minutes when he returns in a month.
- Kevin Francis

They really need to let Formenton take on more minutes... he's got the 4th most goals behind only Tkachuk/Norris/Batherson, which includes one of their GWG and their only SHG, he's got the 3rd best shooting % behind just Batherson/Norris (Tierney's is BS, as half his goals just bounce off his body), starts in the OZ just 36% of the time, has the 2nd best Takeaway/60Min ratio on the team (better than Connor Brown's), is probably the fastest forward on the team, and plays with a noticeable edge.

Personally, I'd like to see:
Formenton-Norris-Batherson
Tkachuk-Stutzle-Brown

Moving Formenton into the top-6 means Paul has to come out, which means they need to find another way to give Stutzle FO support. This is especially true after Stutzle went 1/7 in faceoffs against NYI, but Tkachuk went 8/10 (now has the best FO% on the team), and Norris can handle himself in the dot. This is another reason to pursue Giroux as a UFA in the offseason... he's a beast in the FO circle, and can play both C/RW, and still has major PP upside, which would give them a lot of good scoring line options.

Brown has another year after this season under contract, they need some vets on this team. But I Nick Paul is an interesting case!!
- Kevin Francis

I agree they do need vets but not from free agent or waivers
They need to make good trades for solid vets to come in and play the game right and help the kids get to next level

So trade at deadline: J.Brown Tierny Gambrell Ennis Guadette Mete gone, buyout Del Zotto, trade Brannstrom for top RW
Do they keep Paul and Sanford next year or trade 🤷‍♂️

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Formenton Stutzle ???
Paul Pinto Brown
Sanford White Watson

Chabot Zietsev
Zub Sanderson
Holden Thomson
Heatherington

Question is do they trade Forsberg and have Gus n Murray??

They need to trade for a legitimate top 6 RW who can thrive and keep up with Stutzle and Formenton 👍

So trade at deadline: J.Brown Tierny Gambrell Ennis Guadette Mete gone, buyout Del Zotto, trade Brannstrom for top RW
Do they keep Paul and Sanford next year or trade 🤷‍♂️

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Formenton Stutzle ???
Paul Pinto Brown
Sanford White Watson

Chabot Zietsev
Zub Sanderson
Holden Thomson
Heatherington

Question is do they trade Forsberg and have Gus n Murray??

They need to trade for a legitimate top 6 RW who can thrive and keep up with Stutzle and Formenton 👍
- sens4life1971

I keep Gambrell and Del Zotto for depth

I resign Forsberg one more year to be our third goalie

I sign Sanford

I trade Paul + Branns vs Giroux