Senators

[Stever]

I'm sticking with the SENS as they rebuild but, they gotta rid of GONCHAR and KUBA. These 2 are the laziest, most useless defence we have. I wouldn't want them mentoring our young guys - they're certainly not role models. Neither one of them wants to get hit or hit anyone else. No effort, no heart from these guys. Opposing teams just push them aside and go around them. GO SENS!

[Wilster]

I'm sticking with the SENS as they rebuild but, they gotta rid of GONCHAR and KUBA. These 2 are the laziest, most useless defence we have. I wouldn't want them mentoring our young guys - they're certainly not role models. Neither one of them wants to get hit or hit anyone else. No effort, no heart from these guys. Opposing teams just push them aside and go around them. GO SENS!

Gotta agree with that , and they have to stop giving teams 4 goal leads
Go Sens !

[Weazl]

Cowen has not looked NHL ready! Karlsson has been great and we need Carkner back.

[Stever]

Cowen has not looked NHL ready! Karlsson has been great and we need Carkner back.

Yes, Cowen needs some more development time for sure. Karlsson is great, at least offensively, still weak on the defensive side. Having Carkner back would definitely help on the defensive end.

[Mattchew]

loved the fan reaction to Gonchar as they were announcing the team. So sick of him and Kuba! Disappointed they sat Lee, Brian gets the crap end of the stick every time!

[Paulio]

Way too early to sit Filitov tonight.. Let the guy gain some freakin' confidence.

[davevandyk]

good game tonite for the Sens, a very hard working Shootout win.

They are going to have their low lights on the point this season but the offense looked exciting tonight.

[Weazl]

Gonchar was horrible all night, as was Kuba and Cowen. Runblad looked lost at times. The D is not good. Bailed out by the line of Neil, Foligno & Greening who were monsters all night, especially Neal.

Yelling at Heatley was fun too!

[justsomeguy]

I have to disagree. I don't think you should boo a member of your own team - especially when its only the first home game of the year. I was at the game and I was embarrassed.

I'm not a big fan of Kuba or Gonchar either, but I though they played fine last night. Neither of them play a physical style, but Gonchar especially defended well and was not afraid to get in the face of opponents in front of his own net. Rundblad did look a little overwhelmed, but he's young. I agree that Lee didn't deserve to sit - but at the beginning of the year they need to look at the new guys in order to make a decision to about whether they play here or in Bingo.

loved the fan reaction to Gonchar as they were announcing the team. So sick of him and Kuba! Disappointed they sat Lee, Brian gets the crap end of the stick every time!

[jeffc]

I have to disagree. I don't think you should boo a member of your own team - especially when its only the first home game of the year. I was at the game and I was embarrassed.

I'm not a big fan of Kuba or Gonchar either, but I though they played fine last night. Neither of them play a physical style, but Gonchar especially defended well and was not afraid to get in the face of opponents in front of his own net. Rundblad did look a little overwhelmed, but he's young. I agree that Lee didn't deserve to sit - but at the beginning of the year they need to look at the new guys in order to make a decision to about whether they play here or in Bingo.

these guys get paid millions to play a game, in Gonchar's case $5.5M. They deserve to be booed if they don't perform, that is what paying for your ticket entitles you. Don't want to get booed? Play well and put forth an effort. Gonchar has been brutal since he put a Sens uniform on and deserves every boo he gets. Maybe he'll get the message (or maybe he won't).

[davevandyk]

I have to disagree. I don't think you should boo a member of your own team - especially when its only the first home game of the year. I was at the game and I was embarrassed.

I agree with you.
How can you tell me Gonchar/Kuba deserve booing, yet De Costa, Regin, Smith and 5 other forwards that are unproven deserve at least polite applause??

If they are still at this level come Game 42, then they may EARN the boos, but they haven't yet.

You see that the skill up front is there to make plays, but we don't have the 'slam dunk' finishers like the top teams do.
Look at nearly all playoff teams and they have 2+ cold-hard finishers, we have 0; Spezza is close though I think.

[cleek]

regarding the Senators defence : Gonchar, Kuba , Phillips would have been a pretty good trio about 4/5 years ago ; Karlsson , Cowan , Runblad will be a very good trio in about 2/3 years from now. Right now the combination of the six is a bit of old and slow combined with young potential ( but prone to make mistakes).

The Senators forwards hustle and cycling down low is what won the game vs. Minnesota

[justsomeguy]

Its a team game.

I'm not saying Gonchar doesn't deserve some of the criticism he gets, but IMHO when its game time in your home opener you should show your support for your team. Boo one player on YOUR team and you're disrespecting the whole team.

Of course fans paid for their ticket so they can boo whenever they want to, but I guess I was hoping Ottawa fans had more class. A lot of players were terrible last year - now its a new season. A lack of applause would have sufficed.

these guys get paid millions to play a game, in Gonchar's case $5.5M. They deserve to be booed if they don't perform, that is what paying for your ticket entitles you. Don't want to get booed? Play well and put forth an effort. Gonchar has been brutal since he put a Sens uniform on and deserves every boo he gets. Maybe he'll get the message (or maybe he won't).

[Mattchew]

Im sick of players coming into Ottawa and turing into lazy selfish pushovers and get their money and move on. Put Gonchar in Montreal, New York or Philly and see what happens. Throwing things at players or making derogatory comments are 0 class moves but letting a player who makes more than everyone on this fourm at this moment combined Know that he is crap is more then warrented! Getting any reaction from this city at a Sens game is about 0 to none so im sure it wont happen again!

[cleek]

I recall lots of people disagreeing with me when the Senators re-signed Phillips @3 million a yr for 3 yrs. I said let him go & move on or if he wants to sign a 1yr deal at a hometown discount keep him around for a bit. Sens did the loyality thing ( 3 yrs and a raise !) and it's gonna bite them in the ass for the next coulpe of years. He looked like he was playing with boots on last night.

Sens have 3 vet d-men that no longer have much to offer.

Runblad is far from ready, send him to Bingo for a few months, give the kid a chance to get used to North American hockey without destroying his confidence.

[Wilster]

Great effort last night , Vokoun was brilliant for the Caps , but if the team plays that that every night , they'll do ok this season.

[Stever]

What happen to Gonchar last night? Did he get injured or was coach fed up with his play?

[Paulio]

He left after taking a slap shot to the foot.

[Wilster]

He left after taking a slap shot to the foot.

I heard that it was a slap shot to his purse , and that it caused considerable damage to his blouse

[Paulio]

I heard that it was a slap shot to his purse , and that it caused considerable damage to his blouse

[Stever]

9 game deadline is coming up. Who goes to Bingo, who stays? Who do we try and trade, and hopefully get something for?

[Wilster]

9 game deadline is coming up. Who goes to Bingo, who stays? Who do we try and trade, and hopefully get something for?

i'd like to see Zibenejad ? stay , he's coming on better every night , although this season could be quite the "trial by fire" for any rookies , and may not be the way to develop them .
Cowan , looks like he needs a bit more time before keeping him up.

Whatever the decision , its only a matter of time before we see all these kids breaking into the first team regularly.

[cleek]

while I think Zibanejad has a bright future he is not a 2nd line center at this stage (imo), a hole the Sens need to fill. One thing Murray has done that could pay off is that the team was built on low budget so the Senators have lots of cap space. I am sure BM is trollling to see what he can get to help the team. They have lots of youth , a younger player may need to be sacraficed to create more balance.
Derick Brassard CLB would be a nice fit , he's young but already established . I'd bet the Habs have their eyes on him too.

[jeffc]

I don't think they need to trade for anyone right now. Why spend the $ if you're not going to make the playoffs anyways. Other than shipping out one of Gonchar or Kuba which no one is going to take, I don't see any trades in the near future.

Would Zibanejad go back to Sweden or would he go to Bingo? Bingo would be a good place for him right now, not sure Sweden is. Regin's injury may change that though. I think he needs another year outside the NHL to get used to playing on the small ice surface before he can be effective.

[Stever]

I read Cowen has been told to find a place to live so it appears's he's staying. As far as Zibanejad goes, Bingo doesn't appear to be an option. It looks like it's with the Sens or back to Sweeden. Runblad is not NHL ready. He needs a year in Bingo to get used to the smaller ice as well as the speed of the game and his defensive play. Unfortunately he may be in the same boat as Zibanejad - it's with Sens or back to Sweeden.

[Stever]

Keeping these guys that are not NHL ready is not good for their development as they end up getting very limited icetime at a time when they need lots of icetime. Bingo is the best place for them, not back over in Europe.

[Stever]

Greening played another really good game in Carolina. He is definitely NHL ready and a solid all around player. I really like him - sure hope he sticks around! Gonchar actually played a half decent game except for the royal screwup on the first goal - 2 defencemen & goalie fail to touch puck on what should have been a routine icing. Other that that I thought it was a good road game and win by the Sens. It's wait and see now as far as Zibanejad goes.

[cleek]

I agree that Greening is playing well , I also thought the line of Daugavins -Zack Smith - Condra was very effective, they worked hard.
Defence played much better , decent puck movement , kept it simple. Anderson was also solid in nets.

The Senators have to grind and back check / fore check to have a chance of winning.

[Stever]

Just announced - Zibanejad is being sent back to Sweeden. I disagree, he should be in Bingo. He needs more time to develop and get used to North American game, speed, ice surface, etc.

[jeffc]

Just announced - Zibanejad is being sent back to Sweeden. I disagree, he should be in Bingo. He needs more time to develop and get used to North American game, speed, ice surface, etc.

I don't think they have a choice. If they don't keep him on the team, he has to go back there. They could keep him here and send him down I guess but that would eat up a year of his contract.