Kevin Francis: Sens Gameday Notes/Ottawa back in last place/Zub contract talks

Maybe Dorion will trade Zub for a second round pick in 2025.

Maybe Dorion will trade Zub for a second round pick in 2025.
- Whatisavailable

Oh dont get me going lol on the Connor Brown trade.

This is how desperate Ottawa is to sell tickets to the next two home games!

In honour of retiring Chris Neil’s number 25, your Ottawa Senators are having a flash sale. You can now purchase tickets to the next two home games for $25, get in on this amazing deal before it’s too late!

Available online on select tickets only, while quantities last. New purchases only. Not available in conjunction with any other offer.

PASSCODE : SENS25

A tweet on my timeline from a Season Ticket holder.

32nd place and Alex DeBrincat playing with Derick Brassard and Mathieu Joseph.

I’m officially tapping out. I don’t even find it funny anymore.

A tweet on my timeline from a Season Ticket holder.

32nd place and Alex DeBrincat playing with Derick Brassard and Mathieu Joseph.

I’m officially tapping out. I don’t even find it funny anymore.
- Kevin Francis

Do you know what the lines are going to be?

Do you know what the lines are going to be?
- Whatisavailable

From TSN1200 Twitter feed.

Morning skate lines with the Sabres visiting town tonight at 7.

Tkachuk-Stützle-Giroux
DeBrincat-Brassard-Joseph
Motte-Pinto-Batherson
Kelly-Kastelic-Watson
XXXX-Gambrell-XXXX

Sanderson-Hamonic
Brannstrom-JBD
Holden-Larsson
Zub- Zaitsev

Forsberg (starters end)
Talbot.

From TSN1200 Twitter feed.

Morning skate lines with the Sabres visiting town tonight at 7.

Tkachuk-Stützle-Giroux
DeBrincat-Brassard-Joseph
Motte-Pinto-Batherson
Kelly-Kastelic-Watson
XXXX-Gambrell-XXXX

Sanderson-Hamonic
Brannstrom-JBD
Holden-Larsson
Zub- Zaitsev

Forsberg (starters end)
Talbot.
- Kevin Francis

Here's hoping Pinto and Batherson show some chemistry. Man did Dorion ever screw up this team's depth by moving Paul and Brown. Summer of Dorion my a_s. He set back this team's progress by one or two years.

I will be watching with interest to see how Joseph meshes with the wonder boy. It would be hysterical if it actually worked. Poor Brassard must be thinking what have I done?

Here's hoping Pinto and Batherson show some chemistry. Man did Dorion ever screw up this team's depth by moving Paul and Brown. Summer of Dorion my a_s. He set back this team's progress by one or two years.

I will be watching with interest to see how Joseph meshes with the wonder boy. It would be hysterical if it actually worked. Poor Brassard must be thinking what have I done?
- Whatisavailable

There was no rush to Connor Brown, in fact he would have fetched more at the trade deadline. Bad asset management! Brassard must also be thinking, this is a great opportunity, he has a chance to reach 1,000 games now. For 2 summers PD hasn't addressed the back end, you build from the goal out, but everyone pumped his tires all summer, now here we are, last in the league! You cant make this stuff up!

The start has been disappointing.

On the other hand, the goal differential (less empty net goals), suggests that this team has been competitive almost every night. They still don't know how to win.

I tend to agree with Dorion that the problem is not the coaching. It seldom is for any team at the NHL level.

Hard to ask folks to be patient....but, this is not a time for Chicken Littles spooking panic reactions. Panic moves are almost always the result of a team not having leverage. Right now the Sens have no leverage and they need to commit themselves to playing their way out of the fix they are in.

If I am one of the new prospective owners considering a bid for the purchase of the club I am making it very clear that I do not want draft picks or prospects being traded at this time. And, I am entirely supportive of anything that increases my draft leverage for next year.

There was no rush to Connor Brown, in fact he would have fetched more at the trade deadline. Bad asset management! Brassard must also be thinking, this is a great opportunity, he has a chance to reach 1,000 games now. For 2 summers PD hasn't addressed the back end, you build from the goal out, but everyone pumped his tires all summer, now here we are, last in the league! You cant make this stuff up!
- Kevin Francis

Right now I think it would be counter productive to acquire and almost certainly overpay for a top 4 D. I'm comfortable with Chabot, Sanderson, Zub and JBD. I never really expected them to challenge for a playoff spot this year and they certainly had no chance after moving Paul and Brown. Give that D a year to mature and that's going to be a really good looking top 4.

What they need is some depth like a Connor Brown or a Nick Paul but I don't see a rush because they are too thin at every position right now and not going anywhere soon.

Summer of Pierre. Please please don't let that incompetent double down and give DeBrincat 8 x 9+. Right now they're just stuck with Joseph for 3 years. A DeBrincat extension would sink them forever.

Right now I think it would be counter productive to acquire and almost certainly overpay for a top 4 D. I'm comfortable with Chabot, Sanderson, Zub and JBD. I never really expected them to challenge for a playoff spot this year and they certainly had no chance after moving Paul and Brown. Give that D a year to mature and that's going to be a really good looking top 4.

What they need is some depth like a Connor Brown or a Nick Paul but I don't see a rush because they are too thin at every position right now and not going anywhere soon.

Summer of Pierre. Please please don't let that incompetent double down and give DeBrincat 8 x 9+. Right now they're just stuck with Joseph for 3 years. A DeBrincat extension would sink them forever.
- Whatisavailable

Objectively some forward depth would help for sure particularly with Norris down and no Formenton.
But the defense you are putting on the ice tonight would be mediocre in the AHL.
That is not DJ Smith's fault.

Objectively some forward depth would help for sure particularly with Norris down and no Formenton.
But the defense you are putting on the ice tonight would be mediocre in the AHL.
That is not DJ Smith's fault.
- Rang

If Chabot and Zub did not exist then I would say there was an urgent need to address the defense but the fact is that both Chabot and Zub do exist and should be back in a week god willing.

Paul and Brown are never coming back and guys like Joseph and Kelly are the ones who are mediocre and DeBrincat is a one trick pony who is completely useless when not scoring. Dorion seriously damaged the depth of the team up front and that needs to be addressed before running around and getting fleeced for a Dman you won't need in a week and who will be completely in the way a year from now.

If Chabot and Zub did not exist then I would say there was an urgent need to address the defense but the fact is that both Chabot and Zub do exist and should be back in a week god willing.

Paul and Brown are never coming back and guys like Joseph and Kelly are the ones who are mediocre and DeBrincat is a one trick pony who is completely useless when not scoring. Dorion seriously damaged the depth of the team up front and that needs to be addressed before running around and getting fleeced for a Dman you won't need in a week and who will be completely in the way a year from now.
- Whatisavailable

2 weeks from tomorrow is the deadline to get Formenton signed. That would bump out a guy like Kelly, he truly has no hockey IQ out there. No wonder he has got so little icetime lately. Watching him the other night from behind the bench, was very telling for me as he brings little to the table. He isn't engaged at all with his linemates on the bench or other teammates, I found that surprising. But he's a DJ guy.

This is how desperate Ottawa is to sell tickets to the next two home games!

In honour of retiring Chris Neil’s number 25, your Ottawa Senators are having a flash sale. You can now purchase tickets to the next two home games for $25, get in on this amazing deal before it’s too late!

Available online on select tickets only, while quantities last. New purchases only. Not available in conjunction with any other offer.

PASSCODE : SENS25
- Kevin Francis

Wait.... They're retiring Nealers number? I guess he was a career Sen, but that seems like a reach.

Objectively some forward depth would help for sure particularly with Norris down and no Formenton.
But the defense you are putting on the ice tonight would be mediocre in the AHL.
That is not DJ Smith's fault.
- Rang

Agree with you Formenton, Norris.
With the defense, DJ needs to know each players strengths then use it to the teams advantage, not force a ridiculous system on the team that fails over and over.

Wait.... They're retiring Nealers number? I guess he was a career Sen.
- Bartacus

It was announced last week at the game Ryan Reynolds was at.

There was no rush to Connor Brown, in fact he would have fetched more at the trade deadline. Bad asset management! Brassard must also be thinking, this is a great opportunity, he has a chance to reach 1,000 games now. For 2 summers PD hasn't addressed the back end, you build from the goal out, but everyone pumped his tires all summer, now here we are, last in the league! You cant make this stuff up!
- Kevin Francis

The media here really let him off the hook for that Brown trade because of the Talbot, Debrincat and Giroux additions. Otherwise, had he done that when nothing positive was happening, Dorion would've been roasted by fans and media.

If Chabot and Zub did not exist then I would say there was an urgent need to address the defense but the fact is that both Chabot and Zub do exist and should be back in a week god willing.

Paul and Brown are never coming back and guys like Joseph and Kelly are the ones who are mediocre and DeBrincat is a one trick pony who is completely useless when not scoring. Dorion seriously damaged the depth of the team up front and that needs to be addressed before running around and getting fleeced for a Dman you won't need in a week and who will be completely in the way a year from now.
- Whatisavailable

I think we are missing the fact that Paul never played particularly well with the Sens, certainly not like he is in Tampa. Joseph got overpaid by a million dollars but with his exceptional play after the deadline last season, I can't fault Dorion on that. The Brown deal was a headscratcher when it happened, but he's out for the season and if that had occurred in Ottawa there's no way we'd have gotten a second for him. With hindsight it was not a bad move, though he should've been moved at the deadline for more, as Kevin says. Same with Formenton - could've flipped him for something real, but Dorion figured him into long term plans until the WJC business, which again, not predictable. Debrincat is near a PPG and shooting the puck, when his sh% shifts back to his norm he should be fine. Point is it's hyperbole to suggest Dorion has destroyed this team's depth. Motte signing, solid. Dorion would've screwed things up had he traded away any meaningful draft assets, but he didn't - you can certainly fault him for not doing anything on the blue line, but outside that I think you're pointing the finger at the wrong person.

27-3 send

Names of bidding groups for Sens are being floated. Preferred bidding groups will be identified and given access to financials and LeBretton agreements. Target appears to be moving towards naming probable buyer by mid January and finalize sale by mid May.

Sounds realistic. Not sure that Dorion will have mandate to do any substantial deals once they start negotiations with a potential buyers.

Not sure that Dorion will have mandate to do any substantial deals once they start negotiations with a potential buyers.
- spatso

I suspect you are right about this, he might not have a mandate to do anything even now.

I think we are missing the fact that Paul never played particularly well with the Sens, certainly not like he is in Tampa. Joseph got overpaid by a million dollars but with his exceptional play after the deadline last season, I can't fault Dorion on that. The Brown deal was a headscratcher when it happened, but he's out for the season and if that had occurred in Ottawa there's no way we'd have gotten a second for him. With hindsight it was not a bad move, though he should've been moved at the deadline for more, as Kevin says. Same with Formenton - could've flipped him for something real, but Dorion figured him into long term plans until the WJC business, which again, not predictable. Debrincat is near a PPG and shooting the puck, when his sh% shifts back to his norm he should be fine. Point is it's hyperbole to suggest Dorion has destroyed this team's depth. Motte signing, solid. Dorion would've screwed things up had he traded away any meaningful draft assets, but he didn't - you can certainly fault him for not doing anything on the blue line, but outside that I think you're pointing the finger at the wrong person.
- Bartacus

Obviously the Tampa boys disagree with you with respect to how well Nick Paul was playing when they decided to dump Joseph in exchange for Paul. When the trade was made I came on here and asked why in the world Dorion would make that trade because in watching Joseph play when he was with Tampa you could see he had zero hockey IQ. He skates around really fast and does nothing is what I said but you think it's understandable that Dorion gave him an overpaid extension based on the 6 goals he scored in two meaningless games. Like he had no history or record to go by.

If Brown was in Ottawa he wouldn't have been in the situation that got him injured so he would be healthy and playing. I would have given him the extension because he's a really good player that can move up and down the lineup.

Formenton is just bad luck.

DeBrincat is a one dimensional one trick little pony that brings absolutely nothing to the table if he's not scoring. You can pad his stats by sticking him out on every PP with everybody constantly trying to set the boy wonder up so he gets a few secondary assists. Woohoo! 9 million bucks!

Motte is an adequate 4th liner but how are you going to compare Motte and Joseph to Paul and Brown. That's just ridiculous along with that other Smith favourite, Kelly.

They're sitting Kastelec and playing Kelly tonight. Wizard move! (sarcasm alert)

Are you watching, Stutzle? When you've got the puck in the slot shoot the friggin thing instead of trying to pass it into the net. I like Watson. Good goal.

the level of ass kissing by the SN announcers is unreal..coaching not the problem...forsberg is long term #1 for OTT, idk if they pretenting to be morons or just are morons