About being awol...
So this post is incredibly overdue and for that I apologise.
Life has a habit of getting in the way and after a breakup, an issue with my living accommodation, my dog being seriously ill, starting a new job and deciding to apply for a master's degree I've been rather stressed out. To add insult to injury, I began this post a while ago and had almost finished it before my laptop decided to crash and despite my belief that I had saved my work about 10 times, I lost most of what I'd written.
Anyway, I'm back on track, and it's looking like the Sens are too.
Sort of.
This season: a few thoughts
We are just coming out of the All-Star break and to be honest, this season is for the most part going exactly how I wanted it to.
I no longer feel as much despair as I used to, and watching Sens games seems fun again. I actively want to watch/listen to games! Who is she?!
From a fan point of view, we don't have the UFAs to worry about as much anymore (note my use of as much) and the trade fears looming over us have happened. As much as I am sad to have lost the players we did, I do not miss the anxiety that came from it all.
In terms of the team itself, they're playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Not only that, but as reckless as they can be defensively, the team are for the most part, faster, with much more energy. It's like they have a spark, a feistiness to them. You could even say they were pesky.
Even when we lose, which is still often, for the most part the team are scoring goals and are at least giving us entertaining hockey, which makes the tank far easier to swallow in comparison to last year.
Speaking of the tank and the draft lottery- we have 11 draft picks this year alone, in what is said to be one of the strongest draft classes in years. Topping the list this year is Alexis Lafreniere, who lit up the world juniors and is constantly showing us that he will be a star in the future.
Sadly however, we have Detroit to contend with for Lafreniere, and it's looking like we are losing the losing battle. To be honest I'm not sure there is literally any catching up to Detroit. Or should I say catching down? Either way, I just don't know how they are SO bad. Even if Detroit get first overall pick, it's not the end of the world though, as the Sens could get not one but two top 5 picks in the draft, courtesy of the Sharks.
San Jose are falling off a cliff in a way that is bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase shark tank. They traded picks for star players but grossly misjudged how they would perform, leaving them a mess of a team missing crucial draft picks (including their first rounder) that they can use to rebuild. Sound familiar?
The Sharks lost Joe Pavelski in free agency, then re-signed suburban dad and playersitter Patrick Marleau (but put him on the 1st line), Joe Thornton is a skeleton on skates, Brent Burns isn't getting any younger, Logan Couture is out for at least another 4 weeks with an ankle injury and they've already had a coaching change. It has also just been announced that Tomas Hertl is now out for the rest of the season. Most of their players have suitcases under their eyes when those bags should be in their hands on the way to the airport in return for some much needed draft picks.
As bitter as it sounds, it's nice to no longer be that team that doesn't have their first rounder in a surprise tank year. And with Erik Karlsson on a 56 point pace, do you reckon they'd trade him back for a second rounder?
Some player thoughts: the kids are alright in the AHL and it's reclamation project season
The roster going forward for the next few years doesn't look clear. We have a few key players who I don't see getting moved any time soon, but also we have far too many interim players/third line plugs, a massive log jam in goalies/goalie prospects and some average centers that need shifting and organising. In my opinion, the Sens should ideally be taking some of their centers or goalies to market, or at least flipping some reclamation projects to any desperate teams trying to make a last minute playoff push.
I'm going to jot down some thoughts I have regarding some of the players this year (although I'm not covering the entire roster as this post is going to be long enough).
Jean Gabriel Pageau
One of the biggest debates at the moment is what the Sens will do with JGP. Up until recently he has been on a heater and he would provide scoring and speed to anyone in need. He is a valuable asset on the penalty kill and gets shorthanded opportunities, as well as being a center, a position coveted by most teams. However, I'm not sure how I personally would feel if he got traded. Pageau is one of very few players left after the 2017 cup run, the year where I became a Sens fan, and it would be sad to see another Sen from that era leave. I still remember visiting my best friend in Toronto and us watching Pageau's four goal game against the Rangers. It was one of the most tense and exciting games I'd watched so far and even some Leafs around us that were watching admitted they were happy the Canadian team won that game.
tl;dr:
My head says send him to a desperate team that will overpay for him and get a damn good return.
My heart says keep our precious son in Ottawa and let him have a career here.
Anthony Duclair
The Duke has arguably been one of, if not the best player on the Sens so far this season. He gets more breakaways than I get takeaways and lights the lamp for us the most. Having been announced as the representative for the Sens at the All-Star game (subsequently scoring an albeit pointless hatty in the semi-final game) and currently sitting on 21 NHL goals and 12 assists, he is definitely showing that he is one of the biggest surprises this season. Pretty good going for someone who apparently couldn't play NHL hockey.
Give the man a contract.
(Real talk though how great was it when Duclair got a hatty against Torts and the Blue Jackets?)
Brady Tkachuk
Brady Tkachuk is a strange demonic child and yet I absolutely love him. He's a pest and yeah, maybe he does take a few too many penalty minutes but watching him get under other players' skin is just so addictive. He spends more time in the opponents net than in front of it, he usually falls ass over tit when he scores and he is perhaps the human embodiment of a baby bull in a china shop. He also went to the All-Star game instead of Auston Matthews, so we have no choice but to stan.
Colin White
Vladislav Namestnikov
The acquisition of Vlad Namestnikov was confusing to me. While he has been a good player, his presence on the team never really seemed necessary to me. I think Dorion saw an opportunity to get him cheap and sell higher, or maybe he just wanted more veteran leadership on the team (that currently doesn't even have many young players on it for god's sake). Who knows, he may be a solid roster player, or he could provide a good return at the deadline. Either way, I don't believe that Sens fans have become particularly attached to him.
Bobby Ryan
It was announced in November that Bobby Ryan would be entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Neither the NHL, NHLPA or the Sens disclosed the reason for him doing so, and currently as I write this he has not returned to the team. We have had no subsequent update re his wellbeing and future with the Sens, but either way I want to wish Ryan the best and hope that he recovers soon from whatever is ailing him (not that he would ever read this, but ya know).
The Torontawa Maple Sens: Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown, Tyler Ennis and Ron Hainsey
Back in July the Sens received Nikita Zaitsev from the Leafs in a deal that sent Cody Ceci back the other way. At first what seemed like an attempt to fix each other's problems has quickly become a shuffling of very broken deck chairs that has left fans of both teams frustrated. Many have compared the two players due to the nature of the trade, however I would say that in reality, they are very different. Ceci's play was always sublime to the ridiculous, going from one extreme to the other. He'd score a goal after taking a wicked shot and we'd all be like "Hey look Ceci did a thing!!!" but then two minutes later he'd make a catastrophic mistake and cost us the game. Zaitsev on the other hand is just... there. He's done some good things, some bad, but for the most part he's basically invisible.
I'm not sure if that's better or worse.
Connor Brown, the "throw-in" in that trade (in order for the Sens to agree to taking on Zaitsev's contract) however, has been something of bright spark this season. He has been getting assists like his life depends on it and is second in points for the Sens, sitting just behind the Duke and tied with JGP. I'd like to see him re-signed but like many of the other contracts I'd prefer it to be a shorter deal.
Tyler Ennis is a fast and decent 4th liner that could fetch a good return, and Ron Hainsey has just returned from injury (bless his cottons) on a contract that we needed just to reach the cap floor, so no surprises from either of them there.
Scott Sabourin
Sabourin is a player I can't help but like. Yes, I know that he is taking a roster spot from one of the kids down in Belleville, and he is rather scrappy, but his contract isn't that bad, and his story is rather feel-good. A local guy from Orleans starts with his hometown NHL team in the preseason on a PTO, gets chirped by Auston Matthews but takes it well, signs a one year two-way contract for league minimum, and then scores his first NHL goal in his first official NHL game against the Leafs of all teams. For a blissful two minutes he had more NHL goals this season than Matthews. A brief time, but a good time.
So this post is incredibly overdue and for that I apologise.
Life has a habit of getting in the way and after a breakup, an issue with my living accommodation, my dog being seriously ill, starting a new job and deciding to apply for a master's degree I've been rather stressed out. To add insult to injury, I began this post a while ago and had almost finished it before my laptop decided to crash and despite my belief that I had saved my work about 10 times, I lost most of what I'd written.
Anyway, I'm back on track, and it's looking like the Sens are too.
Sort of.
This season: a few thoughts
We are just coming out of the All-Star break and to be honest, this season is for the most part going exactly how I wanted it to.
I no longer feel as much despair as I used to, and watching Sens games seems fun again. I actively want to watch/listen to games! Who is she?!
From a fan point of view, we don't have the UFAs to worry about as much anymore (note my use of as much) and the trade fears looming over us have happened. As much as I am sad to have lost the players we did, I do not miss the anxiety that came from it all.
In terms of the team itself, they're playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Not only that, but as reckless as they can be defensively, the team are for the most part, faster, with much more energy. It's like they have a spark, a feistiness to them. You could even say they were pesky.
Even when we lose, which is still often, for the most part the team are scoring goals and are at least giving us entertaining hockey, which makes the tank far easier to swallow in comparison to last year.
Speaking of the tank and the draft lottery- we have 11 draft picks this year alone, in what is said to be one of the strongest draft classes in years. Topping the list this year is Alexis Lafreniere, who lit up the world juniors and is constantly showing us that he will be a star in the future.
Sadly however, we have Detroit to contend with for Lafreniere, and it's looking like we are losing the losing battle. To be honest I'm not sure there is literally any catching up to Detroit. Or should I say catching down? Either way, I just don't know how they are SO bad. Even if Detroit get first overall pick, it's not the end of the world though, as the Sens could get not one but two top 5 picks in the draft, courtesy of the Sharks.
San Jose are falling off a cliff in a way that is bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase shark tank. They traded picks for star players but grossly misjudged how they would perform, leaving them a mess of a team missing crucial draft picks (including their first rounder) that they can use to rebuild. Sound familiar?
The Sharks lost Joe Pavelski in free agency, then re-signed suburban dad and playersitter Patrick Marleau (but put him on the 1st line), Joe Thornton is a skeleton on skates, Brent Burns isn't getting any younger, Logan Couture is out for at least another 4 weeks with an ankle injury and they've already had a coaching change. It has also just been announced that Tomas Hertl is now out for the rest of the season. Most of their players have suitcases under their eyes when those bags should be in their hands on the way to the airport in return for some much needed draft picks.
As bitter as it sounds, it's nice to no longer be that team that doesn't have their first rounder in a surprise tank year. And with Erik Karlsson on a 56 point pace, do you reckon they'd trade him back for a second rounder?
Some player thoughts: the kids are alright in the AHL and it's reclamation project season
The roster going forward for the next few years doesn't look clear. We have a few key players who I don't see getting moved any time soon, but also we have far too many interim players/third line plugs, a massive log jam in goalies/goalie prospects and some average centers that need shifting and organising. In my opinion, the Sens should ideally be taking some of their centers or goalies to market, or at least flipping some reclamation projects to any desperate teams trying to make a last minute playoff push.
I'm going to jot down some thoughts I have regarding some of the players this year (although I'm not covering the entire roster as this post is going to be long enough).
Jean Gabriel Pageau
One of the biggest debates at the moment is what the Sens will do with JGP. Up until recently he has been on a heater and he would provide scoring and speed to anyone in need. He is a valuable asset on the penalty kill and gets shorthanded opportunities, as well as being a center, a position coveted by most teams. However, I'm not sure how I personally would feel if he got traded. Pageau is one of very few players left after the 2017 cup run, the year where I became a Sens fan, and it would be sad to see another Sen from that era leave. I still remember visiting my best friend in Toronto and us watching Pageau's four goal game against the Rangers. It was one of the most tense and exciting games I'd watched so far and even some Leafs around us that were watching admitted they were happy the Canadian team won that game.
tl;dr:
My head says send him to a desperate team that will overpay for him and get a damn good return.
My heart says keep our precious son in Ottawa and let him have a career here.
Anthony Duclair
The Duke has arguably been one of, if not the best player on the Sens so far this season. He gets more breakaways than I get takeaways and lights the lamp for us the most. Having been announced as the representative for the Sens at the All-Star game (subsequently scoring an albeit pointless hatty in the semi-final game) and currently sitting on 21 NHL goals and 12 assists, he is definitely showing that he is one of the biggest surprises this season. Pretty good going for someone who apparently couldn't play NHL hockey.
Give the man a contract.
(Real talk though how great was it when Duclair got a hatty against Torts and the Blue Jackets?)
Brady Tkachuk is a strange demonic child and yet I absolutely love him. He's a pest and yeah, maybe he does take a few too many penalty minutes but watching him get under other players' skin is just so addictive. He spends more time in the opponents net than in front of it, he usually falls ass over tit when he scores and he is perhaps the human embodiment of a baby bull in a china shop. He also went to the All-Star game instead of Auston Matthews, so we have no choice but to stan.
Colin White
Vladislav Namestnikov
The acquisition of Vlad Namestnikov was confusing to me. While he has been a good player, his presence on the team never really seemed necessary to me. I think Dorion saw an opportunity to get him cheap and sell higher, or maybe he just wanted more veteran leadership on the team (that currently doesn't even have many young players on it for god's sake). Who knows, he may be a solid roster player, or he could provide a good return at the deadline. Either way, I don't believe that Sens fans have become particularly attached to him.
Bobby Ryan
It was announced in November that Bobby Ryan would be entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Neither the NHL, NHLPA or the Sens disclosed the reason for him doing so, and currently as I write this he has not returned to the team. We have had no subsequent update re his wellbeing and future with the Sens, but either way I want to wish Ryan the best and hope that he recovers soon from whatever is ailing him (not that he would ever read this, but ya know).
The Torontawa Maple Sens: Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown, Tyler Ennis and Ron Hainsey
Back in July the Sens received Nikita Zaitsev from the Leafs in a deal that sent Cody Ceci back the other way. At first what seemed like an attempt to fix each other's problems has quickly become a shuffling of very broken deck chairs that has left fans of both teams frustrated. Many have compared the two players due to the nature of the trade, however I would say that in reality, they are very different. Ceci's play was always sublime to the ridiculous, going from one extreme to the other. He'd score a goal after taking a wicked shot and we'd all be like "Hey look Ceci did a thing!!!" but then two minutes later he'd make a catastrophic mistake and cost us the game. Zaitsev on the other hand is just... there. He's done some good things, some bad, but for the most part he's basically invisible.
I'm not sure if that's better or worse.
Connor Brown, the "throw-in" in that trade (in order for the Sens to agree to taking on Zaitsev's contract) however, has been something of bright spark this season. He has been getting assists like his life depends on it and is second in points for the Sens, sitting just behind the Duke and tied with JGP. I'd like to see him re-signed but like many of the other contracts I'd prefer it to be a shorter deal.
Tyler Ennis is a fast and decent 4th liner that could fetch a good return, and Ron Hainsey has just returned from injury (bless his cottons) on a contract that we needed just to reach the cap floor, so no surprises from either of them there.
Scott Sabourin
Sabourin is a player I can't help but like. Yes, I know that he is taking a roster spot from one of the kids down in Belleville, and he is rather scrappy, but his contract isn't that bad, and his story is rather feel-good. A local guy from Orleans starts with his hometown NHL team in the preseason on a PTO, gets chirped by Auston Matthews but takes it well, signs a one year two-way contract for league minimum, and then scores his first NHL goal in his first official NHL game against the Leafs of all teams. For a blissful two minutes he had more NHL goals this season than Matthews. A brief time, but a good time.
Mark Borowiecki
One of the best surprises this season has been how much Sens fans have grown to love Mark Borowiecki. While in the past many of us Sens fans have been critical of Boro and his on-ice performances, this year he is having a career high season for both goals and total points, is spending less time in the penalty box than before, and the value he brings to the team and the community is second to none.
He defended Scott Sabourin and called out Auston Matthews after his actions in the preseason, he actively supports the LGBT+ community, and is the honorary captain of the Capital City Condors. He even stopped a robbery in Vancouver, earning him the nickname BoroCop, which provided the social media team for the Sens with even more inspiration for their incredible content.
One of the best surprises this season has been how much Sens fans have grown to love Mark Borowiecki. While in the past many of us Sens fans have been critical of Boro and his on-ice performances, this year he is having a career high season for both goals and total points, is spending less time in the penalty box than before, and the value he brings to the team and the community is second to none.
He defended Scott Sabourin and called out Auston Matthews after his actions in the preseason, he actively supports the LGBT+ community, and is the honorary captain of the Capital City Condors. He even stopped a robbery in Vancouver, earning him the nickname BoroCop, which provided the social media team for the Sens with even more inspiration for their incredible content.
Thomas Chabot
Chabot in my opinion hasn't had the best of years, and I wonder if that is down to his ice time. The Sens have gone through some injury issues on D this year and Chabot's minutes skyrocketed at times. I'm concerned if this carries on we are going to burn him out.
Chabot to me is turning into Karlsson 2.0 - some horrific turnovers but the dirtiest hands on D and some ankle-breaking moves that leave fans in awe.
Dylan DeMelo
Chabot in my opinion hasn't had the best of years, and I wonder if that is down to his ice time. The Sens have gone through some injury issues on D this year and Chabot's minutes skyrocketed at times. I'm concerned if this carries on we are going to burn him out.
Chabot to me is turning into Karlsson 2.0 - some horrific turnovers but the dirtiest hands on D and some ankle-breaking moves that leave fans in awe.
Dylan DeMelo
While his on ice performance this year perhaps hasn't as good as we'd hoped it would be (although he has been injured), Dylan DeMelo is still a odd fan favourite. As well as being well known for his film directing prowess off the ice, DeMelo has a strange ability to aid his defence partners and make them look better. I think he is of more value to the Sens than what we would get back for him at this point, so I'd like to see him stay in Ottawa.
Also, put him back on the top pairing with Chabot goddamn it.
Also, put him back on the top pairing with Chabot goddamn it.
Craig Anderson, Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg
My hope for this season was that Smith would play his goalies in tandem, giving them starts based on rest and injuries, and so far this has indeed been the case.
Craig Anderson is getting older and while he has played okay so far, its looking increasingly likely that he will be traded at the deadline to a team needing more depth for the playoffs. It saddens me due to his long tenure with the Sens however I feel like after everything him and his family have been through he deserves one last cup run and to be able to retire on a beach or something.
Anders Nilsson (albeit currently out with a concussion) is for the most part playing like a man possessed, but perhaps the biggest surprise this season is the emergence of Marcus Hogberg. Many feared it may have been too late for the 25 year old rookie, however despite a few games where our defence have left him out to dry, Hogberg has absolutely robbed some games for us.
Final thoughts
The boys down in Belleville are doing bits.
They currently sit top of the North division and 4th place in the league overall, meaning that it's looking likely at least one Senators team will reach the playoffs this year. Special shoutouts go to Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, Alex Formenton and Joey Daccord (who is far better than okay).
It's now less than two months until I'm back in Ottawa. I'll be over in March/April and will be descending on some poor pub in Byward to watch the final game against the Penguins. I'll post more details closer to the time on my twitter but I'd love to see people!
Finally, with Bell Let's Talk day just having gone, I'm trying to remind myself that even though this post is well overdue, it's okay. It's important to take time to heal or recover, and there's nothing wrong with admitting sometimes you're struggling.
Rest is a weapon after all.
P.S. In England we call takeout food a takeaway. But takeout didn't rhyme.
My hope for this season was that Smith would play his goalies in tandem, giving them starts based on rest and injuries, and so far this has indeed been the case.
Craig Anderson is getting older and while he has played okay so far, its looking increasingly likely that he will be traded at the deadline to a team needing more depth for the playoffs. It saddens me due to his long tenure with the Sens however I feel like after everything him and his family have been through he deserves one last cup run and to be able to retire on a beach or something.
Anders Nilsson (albeit currently out with a concussion) is for the most part playing like a man possessed, but perhaps the biggest surprise this season is the emergence of Marcus Hogberg. Many feared it may have been too late for the 25 year old rookie, however despite a few games where our defence have left him out to dry, Hogberg has absolutely robbed some games for us.
Final thoughts
The boys down in Belleville are doing bits.
They currently sit top of the North division and 4th place in the league overall, meaning that it's looking likely at least one Senators team will reach the playoffs this year. Special shoutouts go to Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, Alex Formenton and Joey Daccord (who is far better than okay).
It's now less than two months until I'm back in Ottawa. I'll be over in March/April and will be descending on some poor pub in Byward to watch the final game against the Penguins. I'll post more details closer to the time on my twitter but I'd love to see people!
Finally, with Bell Let's Talk day just having gone, I'm trying to remind myself that even though this post is well overdue, it's okay. It's important to take time to heal or recover, and there's nothing wrong with admitting sometimes you're struggling.
Rest is a weapon after all.
P.S. In England we call takeout food a takeaway. But takeout didn't rhyme.
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