In all honesty, it doesn't really surprise me that the Sens are in a borderline playoff position. The fact that they've won a few games that they've been outplayed, and are in a borderline playoff spot, is nothing to be proud of.


But if the Sens aren't riding an extremely high pts% by the time December starts, those two months could render them out of the playoff race by the all-star break.
- prock

So which games do you think they've been "outplayed" and why?

Yes, when December starts, any team that is not in a playoff position, at that time, is pretty much out of the playoff race.


Ottawa is currently sitting at .700 P%, fifth overall. I doubt no one saw that coming, and no one is thinking they'll remain in that neighbor hood, as they get deeper into the season. They do have 9 of their next 14 games at home, so you know the latter half of the season will have a higher percentage of road games .......... so they'll need to make hay while the sun is shining, and that was a problem last season.

So which games do you think they've been "outplayed" and why?

Yes, when December starts, any team that is not in a playoff position, at that time, is pretty much out of the playoff race.


Ottawa is currently sitting at .700 P%, fifth overall. I doubt no one saw that coming, and no one is thinking they'll remain in that neighbor hood, as they get deeper into the season. They do have 9 of their next 14 games at home, so you know the latter half of the season will have a higher percentage of road games .......... so they'll need to make hay while the sun is shining, and that was a problem last season.
- D0PPELGANGER

"Phaneuf has been outstanding during the recent run. It has taken awhile but Boucher seems to have his players buying into his system.

Boucher believes they are starting to jel now, however. He says Ceci was “terrific” against the Hurricanes.

“We gave him our player of the game, along with our goaltender,” said Boucher. “I thought it was one of his best games, and it was the same last game.

“What he’s learning now as a young defenceman is how to manage the time of the game, how to manage the puck under pressure, know when to jump, know when not to jump … and I think Dion did a great job of leadership with him. It’s a tandem that’s growing now. I think the tough start at the beginning was expected, from me. But we didn’t want to change it, and it’s paying off for us now.”

"Phaneuf has been outstanding during the recent run. It has taken awhile but Boucher seems to have his players buying into his system.

Boucher believes they are starting to jel now, however. He says Ceci was “terrific” against the Hurricanes.

“We gave him our player of the game, along with our goaltender,” said Boucher. “I thought it was one of his best games, and it was the same last game.

“What he’s learning now as a young defenceman is how to manage the time of the game, how to manage the puck under pressure, know when to jump, know when not to jump … and I think Dion did a great job of leadership with him. It’s a tandem that’s growing now. I think the tough start at the beginning was expected, from me. But we didn’t want to change it, and it’s paying off for us now.”
- spatso

with all due respect, how would you expect a Coach to speak about his players?

Face it, you'll never convince leaf fans that Phaneuf is even a minor upgrade on who he replaced on the Senator's roster. They're not objective, and have all kinds of back up reasons to dismiss his play on the ice, such as "he's paid too much" or his "cap hit is too high and restricts the GM from making certain moves" and others. They just can't accept the fact that he's just playing a steady, non flashy game, and is an obvious benefit to the roster, however much or little, than the player who spent more games in the press-box, who's spot he has taken.

with all due respect, how would you expect a Coach to speak about his players?

Face it, you'll never convince leaf fans that Phaneuf is even a minor upgrade on who he replaced on the Senator's roster. They're not objective, and have all kinds of back up reasons to dismiss his play on the ice, such as "he's paid too much" or his "cap hit is too high and restricts the GM from making certain moves" and others. They just can't accept the fact that he's just playing a steady, non flashy game, and is an obvious benefit to the roster, however much or little, than the player who spent more games in the press-box, who's spot he has taken.
- D0PPELGANGER

Why would we dismiss it. He has some of the worst stats in the entire league. Until that changes you're correct, youre going to have everything a hard time. Convincing us that someone who is not scoring, but gets scored on in droves, terrible possession stats, etc, is an asset.

Why would we dismiss it. He has some of the worst stats in the entire league. Until that changes you're correct, youre going to have everything a hard time. Convincing us that someone who is not scoring, but gets scored on in droves, terrible possession stats, etc, is an asset.
- prock

Phaneuf appears to have had the hardest adjustment to Boucher's system. But the transformation over the last 5 games has been remarkable. Karlsson is playing the best hockey of his career.

Why would we dismiss it. He has some of the worst stats in the entire league. Until that changes you're correct, youre going to have everything a hard time. Convincing us that someone who is not scoring, but gets scored on in droves, terrible possession stats, etc, is an asset.
- prock

You can interpret your "advanced" stats to confirm your already hardened opinion on Dion........... but IF you watched him play every game, as a lot of Senators fans do, you'd see what we see, a steady veteran D Man, who is not flashy, has slowed down a bit, but otherwise is much better than what the Team had in that roster spot last season.

So it's an improvement, not a step backwards as you'd love to believe.

Seven wins, in their first Ten games is better than last season when they were 5 and 5 after 10 games.

I know you probably don't care, as you rely almost exclusively on your "advanced" stats, but the new Coaching staff has implemented a new and much different system than what Ottawa used the few seasons, and there has been some obvious incremental improvements as each game has been played .......... which you would have noticed if you had actually watched the 10 games so far. Is it too early to say if the new system is going to yield more improvements as the season moves on? Probably it is, and I will still stand by my earlier prediction that neither team in Ontario will be playing any games after April ninth.

I am glad Sens fans are very happy with Dion

Sounds like a perfect match

You can interpret your "advanced" stats to confirm your already hardened opinion on Dion........... but IF you watched him play every game, as a lot of Senators fans do, you'd see what we see, a steady veteran D Man, who is not flashy, has slowed down a bit, but otherwise is much better than what the Team had in that roster spot last season.

So it's an improvement, not a step backwards as you'd love to believe.

Seven wins, in their first Ten games is better than last season when they were 5 and 5 after 10 games.

I know you probably don't care, as you rely almost exclusively on your "advanced" stats, but the new Coaching staff has implemented a new and much different system than what Ottawa used the few seasons, and there has been some obvious incremental improvements as each game has been played .......... which you would have noticed if you had actually watched the 10 games so far. Is it too early to say if the new system is going to yield more improvements as the season moves on? Probably it is, and I will still stand by my earlier prediction that neither team in Ontario will be playing any games after April ninth.
- D0PPELGANGER

No no. ALL stats. Not just the advanced ones.

I am glad Sens fans are very happy with Dion

Sounds like a perfect match
- senstroll

So far what's not to like? He's playing a regular shift, the guy he replaced was only good enough to appear in 37 games last year, and is now out of the NHL.

Is he the best defenceman in the NHL? No, but he's better than the guy he replaced. Can't understand why something that I've explained numerous times, at a grade 7 level, is not registering with some people.




I'm glad you leaf fans are happy with Cowen, Greening and Michalek ............. oh wait!!! None of them are playing in the NHL anymore.

Well maybe Tobias Lindberg, a former 4th round of the Senators will pan out, or maybe that highly coveted 2nd rounder who will be selected somewhere around 45th overall will put the leafs over the top!!!





Ottawa wanted to get rid of their deadwood, and the leafs wanted to get rid of theirs.
leafs needed to clear up some salary Cap issues, the Senators wanted a 2nd pairing Dman who would play a regular shift.

Win - Win ........... even Steven, everyone received what they were looking for.

It's a no brainer .......... but someone will try to make it sound like the steal of the century.

So far what's not to like? He's playing a regular shift, the guy he replaced was only good enough to appear in 37 games last year, and is now out of the NHL.

Is he the best defenceman in the NHL? No, but he's better than the guy he replaced. Can't understand why something that I've explained numerous times, at a grade 7 level, is not registering with some people.
- D0PPELGANGER

Would you pay $10,000 for a Big Mac, just because it's better than a Subway sandwich?

Would you pay $10,000 for a Big Mac, just because it's better than a Subway sandwich?
- Feeling Glucky?

Why would you pay for a Subway sandwich, which is never going to be eaten, just because the Big Mac is a little pricey, but well within your budget?

Better to spend the money and eat, than starve and die with $10,000 in your pocket.





Cowen, Greening and Michalek would have costed (the Senators) 11.7 Million this season, Phaneauf is costing them 7.5 Million ........ a savings of 4.2 Million, that is now being used to pay Hoffman his 3.8 Million this season.

Would you pay $10,000 for a Big Mac, just because it's better than a Subway sandwich?
- Feeling Glucky?

I'd say it's more like "would you rather take it in the rear with a chainsaw twice a day for a year, or once a day for five years?"

Why would you pay for a Subway sandwich, which is never going to be eaten, just because the Big Mac is a little pricey, but well within your budget?

Better to spend the money and eat, than starve and die with $10,000 in your pocket.
- D0PPELGANGER

Except that the Big Mac is ridden with cockroaches.

All the power to you, enjoy your big mac. That one has extra protein.

Would you pay $10,000 for a Big Mac, just because it's better than a Subway sandwich?
- Feeling Glucky?

A Big Mac has 530 Calories & 27 gms of Fat




while a Subway (6 in Turkey) has only 280 Calories & 3.5 gms of Fat.

http://www.twofoods.com/c...ery/QmlnIG1hYw==/U3Vid2F5

A Big Mac has 530 Calories & 27 gms of Fat




while a Subway (6 in Turkey) has only 280 Calories & 3.5 gms of Fat.

http://www.twofoods.com/c...ery/QmlnIG1hYw==/U3Vid2F5
- D0PPELGANGER

meanwhile, phaneuf's caphit has about $5M worth of fat.

settle for mediocre players, end up with a mediocre team.

meanwhile, phaneuf's caphit has about $5M worth of fat.

settle for mediocre players, end up with a mediocre team.
- Tumbleweed

How many times do I have to tell you ......... The Cap Hit does not Matter. The Sens have 4,825,344 in cap space, that's more than 4 times what the leafs have (1,058,535) in cap space.


Besides, the Senators are now on the Paleo Diet, and they can eat all the meat and fat they want.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/paleo-diet

How many times do I have to tell you ......... The Cap Hit does not Matter. The Sens have 4,825,344 in cap space, that's more than 4 times what the leafs have (1,058,535) in cap space.


Besides, the Senators are now on the Paleo Diet, and they can eat all the meat and fat they want.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/paleo-diet
- D0PPELGANGER

This is a cap NHL. It always matters. To some teams, salary matter more than cap hit, but the cap hit ALWAYS matters.

How many times do I have to tell you ......... The Cap Hit does not Matter. The Sens have 4,825,344 in cap space, that's more than 4 times what the leafs have (1,058,535) in cap space.


Besides, the Senators are now on the Paleo Diet, and they can eat all the meat and fat they want.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/paleo-diet
- D0PPELGANGER

I'm glad you leaf fans are happy with Cowen, Greening and Michalek ............. oh wait!!! None of them are playing in the NHL anymore.

- D0PPELGANGER

you make it sound like the leafs were taking them expecting that they contribute to the Leafs... The whole point in taking them was to get them off the team as fast as possible...much quicker than the huge Dion contract expired

you make it sound like the leafs were taking them expecting that they contribute to the Leafs... The whole point in taking them was to get them off the team as fast as possible...much quicker than the huge Dion contract expired
- senstroll

Why would you pay for a Subway sandwich, which is never going to be eaten, just because the Big Mac is a little pricey, but well within your budget?

Better to spend the money and eat, than starve and die with $10,000 in your pocket.





Cowen, Greening and Michalek would have costed (the Senators) 11.7 Million this season, Phaneauf is costing them 7.5 Million ........ a savings of 4.2 Million, that is now being used to pay Hoffman his 3.8 Million this season.
- D0PPELGANGER

well, I guess when you think those are the only two options, you're bound to have a bad diet... and an empty wallet.

well, I guess when you think those are the only two options, you're bound to have a bad diet... and an empty wallet.
- Feeling Glucky?

It's okay. Getting Phaneuf was like finding a wallet.

It's okay. Getting Phaneuf was like finding a wallet.
- systemtool

Ottawa Senators .700 (5th overall)
toronto maple leafs .500 (19th overall)

thanks Dion

Ottawa Senators .700 (5th overall)
toronto maple leafs .500 (19th overall)

thanks Dion ;)
- D0PPELGANGER

Thanks Ottawa

Problem is I'm not worried about wins or points. It's a development year and id love another top pick. They seem to work out well.