Polak and hunwick elite defenders as well then.



- burn

Marincin is even better, he only spends a minute in his own end. Granted it's always cut short by a goal against but hey, at least it's not 2 minutes.

are you referring to the end of the game, when the bruins had their goalie pulled and had an extra attacker.

if so, and I'm assuing that's the case, you're (frank)ing retarded. did you expect him to set up in the offensive zone being down a man. the ENTIRE point of pulling your goalie is to get an extra player so you can, you know, control the puck.

I think that fact that he played a 2 minute shift, down a man, and the bruins didn't get a scoring chance or even a shot on goal I believe is a testament to how good he is.
- sensarmy_11

Remarkable Karlsson leads the league in blocked shots by double digits. Full credit to Boucher in getting he Sens to play winning hockey. Big test against Rangers coming up.

sens looking like a contender in the east!!
- daeth

Was at the game, both teams playing boring structured defensive systems, Sens managed to capitalize on Bruins mistakes, a couple of times. Less solo flashy rushes from Karlsson and Ryan, more lane and shot blocking in defensive zone.

Erik Karlsson, leading the NHL in blocked shots.......... who-duh-thunk?

The train is probably better than flying on a short route like that.
- golfingsince

That's why they've been doing the train thing for a few seasons now, City center to City Center.

Remarkable Karlsson leads the league in blocked shots by double digits. Full credit to Boucher in getting he Sens to play winning hockey. Big test against Rangers coming up.
- spatso

Blocking 8 shots in a game is a sign of elite defending now?
I thought it was a sign of being hemmed into your own zone, chasing the puck.
I guess Kris Russell is an elite defender.

That's why they've been doing the train thing for a few seasons now, City center to City Center.
- D0PPELGANGER

where does the train stop in Ottawa city Center?

Blocking 8 shots in a game is a sign of elite defending now?
I thought it was a sign of being hemmed into your own zone, chasing the puck.
I guess Kris Russell is an elite defender.
- daws44

leaf fans are the best.....

"karlsson sucks defensively cuz he never plays on the PK"

- karlsson starts playing big PK minutes and Ottawa goes from worst PK in the league to 3rd best

"karlsson sucks defensively because he doesn't block shots"

- karlsson leads league in blocked shots

"yeah, well karlsson sucks defensively because blocking shots means you're always hemmed in your own end"

meanwhile, guys like weber and doughty are elite defensively because they kill penalites and block a lot of shots.

where does the train stop in Ottawa city Center?
- senstroll

Don't be silly.

You know very well it's much easier to get to and from, the Ottawa train station which is centrally located, right beside the 417 (ever look at a Map of the GOA?) when compared to the Airport, located in the south end, basically only accessible by the Airport parkway.

http://tinyurl.com/h9bxzb5

Big win for the Sens last night. While the Leafs are in the much better situation longer term talent, age and cap wise the Sens seem to have the edge for another year. Though it's only a quarter of the season and thinge can change before seasons end. Karlsson is a great player. Only time I've ever been envious of a player on the Sens. Sad though that they haven't built much around him.

Something like 70% of the teams in a playoff spot at this time of the year finish in a playoff spot. The Sens are probably making the playoffs.

SENS

Something like 70% of the teams in a playoff spot at this time of the year finish in a playoff spot. The Sens are probably making the playoffs.
- daeth

U.S. Thanksgiving provides an early glimpse of Stanley Cup contenders

Pat Graham

DENVER — The Associated Press

Since the 2005-06 season, NHL teams in postseason position entering the American Thanksgiving holiday have gone on to make the Stanley Cup playoffs 77.3 per cent of the time.
http://www.theglobeandmai...ntenders/article21817710/


I suspect Ottawa may fall into the 22.7 % again this season, unless they improve their corsi numbers, also their PDO, GF60 & GA60 numbers.



compared to last season (after 20 games) they have two more wins, but same number of points .......... so last season they were collecting more "loser points" than this season........... a slight improvement, but is it enough to challenge for a WC spot???? Not going to put any money on it.

LEAFS

to fly into montreal, when you factor in getting to the airport in Ottawa, waiting for the flight, landing in Dorval (or whatever the airport is called now) which is like an hour away from downtown.......that's like a 4 hour trip. the train takes 2 hours and drops you off right next to the rink. Ottawa has been taking the train to montreal games LONG before melnyk was the owner......pretty sure the habs also take the train to games in ottawa
- sensarmy_11

Just a better overall experience. Far more comfortable.

Just a better overall experience. Far more comfortable.
- golfingsince

yup, plus flying sucks......haha ( I hate flying )

OMG 1 play.....he must suck. you're right, he's awful, they should trade him right now for whatever they can get....he's dragging this team down. he makes the leafs D all look like Norris calibre players.


- sensarmy_11

Only 3 SA from the slot.

One on the PP (goal), and one in the dying minutes, goaltender pulled and the Bruins keeping the Sens hemmed in their own end (Karlsson's two minute shift)

Karlsson must return his two Norris trophies, as he's clearly not buying to the more defensive system brought in this season .......... maybe a stint in the AHL?

Remarkable Karlsson leads the league in blocked shots by double digits. Full credit to Boucher in getting he Sens to play winning hockey. Big test against Rangers coming up.
- spatso

Blocked shots are a result of weak possession... something that 's supposed to be one of Karlsson's strengths, no?

Blocked shots are a result of weak possession... something that 's supposed to be one of Karlsson's strengths, no?
- Feeling Glucky?

actually he's always had high blocked shot totals (relatively speaking) but the reason they're so much higher this year is a result of him playing an addition 2+ minutes per game on the PK.

Blocked shots are a result of weak possession... something that 's supposed to be one of Karlsson's strengths, no?
- Feeling Glucky?

His possession numbers are fine, so maybe you're wrong? Again?

His possession numbers are fine, so maybe you're wrong? Again?
- golfingsince

Glucky? Wrong?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, not possible.

Blocked shots are a result of weak possession... something that 's supposed to be one of Karlsson's strengths, no?
- Feeling Glucky?

He's never had "strong" possession numbers. He's had average possession numbers, which are strong when compared to the rest of his team. i.e. the relative numbers.

His long-standing trend of giving up a poop tonne of goals, has somewhat subsided this year. The Sens are still getting scored at a lot with him on the ice, just not astronomically, or some might say, historically high numbers.

I'd say he's playing acceptable defense at this point. Certainly not spectacular, just average.

But, as I've always said, if he's actually forced to play defense, he simply won't be able to put up the points that the Karlsson fanboi's always point to.

Lo and behold, he's on a 60 point pace or so, and even lower, over the most recent 15 games. No surprise. I suspect he ends up somewhere in the 50s.

I've said it in the past, but whether he can or can't play defense didn't really matter to me, in years past. Fact is, he wasn't. Didn't want to, couldn't. Makes no difference to me. FAct is he has been a trainwreck defensively for years. now that he's playing decent defensively, he may not crack the top 10 in defensive scoring.

it's a trade off. Very few can be elite at both, at the same time. Which is why guys like Lidstrom, Doughty, Keith, Chara, Pronger, etc, are in a class of their own. the kind of player you build a championship team around. Karlsson just isn't in that tier yet. I hope watching Karlsson's points dwindle when finally starts to play responsible hockey, they gain an appreciation for the things those other players did. Like Doughty, last year.

He's never had "strong" possession numbers. He's had average possession numbers, which are strong when compared to the rest of his team. i.e. the relative numbers.

His long-standing trend of giving up a poop tonne of goals, has somewhat subsided this year. The Sens are still getting scored at a lot with him on the ice, just not astronomically, or some might say, historically high numbers.

I'd say he's playing acceptable defense at this point. Certainly not spectacular, just average.

But, as I've always said, if he's actually forced to play defense, he simply won't be able to put up the points that the Karlsson fanboi's always point to.

Lo and behold, he's on a 60 point pace or so, and even lower, over the most recent 15 games. No surprise. I suspect he ends up somewhere in the 50s.

I've said it in the past, but whether he can or can't play defense didn't really matter to me, in years past. Fact is, he wasn't. Didn't want to, couldn't. Makes no difference to me. FAct is he has been a trainwreck defensively for years. now that he's playing decent defensively, he may not crack the top 10 in defensive scoring.

it's a trade off. Very few can be elite at both, at the same time. Which is why guys like Lidstrom, Doughty, Keith, Chara, Pronger, etc, are in a class of their own. the kind of player you build a championship team around. Karlsson just isn't in that tier yet. I hope watching Karlsson's points dwindle when finally starts to play responsible hockey, they gain an appreciation for the things those other players did. Like Doughty, last year.
- prock

Never change......your obsessive hatred makes me laugh every day.

Never change......your obsessive hatred makes me laugh every day.
- sensarmy_11

hatred? Exactly what is hatred? What do you feel about what I wrote is not factual?

To be clear, if I were a Sens fan, I'd rather have him scoring in the 50s, with decent d, than in the 80s, and horrific defensively. Maybe he's finally learning, and would like to see some more team accomplishments, instead of just POINTZZZZ YAYYYY. that's a good thing, not a bad thing.

hatred? Exactly what is hatred? What do you feel about what I wrote is not factual?

To be clear, if I were a Sens fan, I'd rather have him scoring in the 50s, with decent d, than in the 80s, and horrific defensively. Maybe he's finally learning, and would like to see some more team accomplishments, instead of just POINTZZZZ YAYYYY. that's a good thing, not a bad thing.
- prock

This is not nearly good enough. In past years you were never this sloppy.

Last year Karlsson put on a big second half push. He ended the season with 82 points, the team scored 230 goals. Karlsson was on the scoresheet in 35.6% of goal scoring. This year, his pace is 34.0%. He is playing the best hockey of his career, the team is winning. The primary goal has been to reduce goals against and they have succeeded brilliantly, so far. Karlsson has been the team leader in all aspects of the turn around. No idea of the point your trying to make.

His possession numbers are fine, so maybe you're wrong? Again?
- golfingsince

What did I say that was wrong?

Blocked shots are pretty clearly a lack of possession, unless Karlsson is blocking his own teammates shots.