Bears vs. Powerful men GDT

[SLY]

Not good... Kampfer hurt.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Good 3rd for the Sens and Craig Anderson are the only reason they won.

Anderson picking up right where he left off.

They may struggle this year but I love the heart the young guys are showing for the Sens in the preseason.

 

[SLY]

good game Kenny. They definitely showed heart and never let up. Bruins had some great chances in the third but just couldnt seal the deal.

 

[Urkie]

I'm back after a long hiatus. It's been a very frustrating 3 or 4 months while I've been looking for a job after graduating from college. Finally got one but it took longer then I'd hoped.

Anyway, I watched the game and did the Sens ever get outplayed in the first 2 periods. Anderson was incredible though and held them in to set up the comeback.

A couple things I want to point out.

- Cowen is ready. He's just a beast really and the surprising part is that he has some offensive upside as well and that's not something that I really expected.

- Rundblad is close but 10 or 15 games in the AHL would do him wonders. He needs to adjust to the North American game and the smaller ice surface. He has tons of skill though and if Kuba wasn't on the team (I wish), he'd be on the starting roster.

- Zibanejad is also ready. I thought he would have to go back to Sweden for another year, especially after the first couple games but he's been impressive since. I see him being a good 2 way center that can chip in offensively. Kind of like Mike Fisher only he has more offensive upside.

- Filatov is not the floater I expected him to be but he seems to be snake beaten. He's worked hard, gotten tons of chances but failed to score. He'll have a good season if he keeps it up because he has the skill to do it.

- I've really liked Lee's game and I've also been impressed with Zack Smith. Michalek has been good as well and so have the goalies. Anderson, Auld and Lehner were all pretty good in the games they played.

- On to the disappointing players. Butler leads the way. He's looked lost every game he's played so far. I guess he's one of those guys who is useless unless he's scoring goals. Foligno is another one. He just hasn't been good at all. Maybe he'll improve when the season starts but right now he looks dreadful.

- Kuba has been unbelievably bad. Worse then last year and he doesn't belong on the team or in the league for that matter. Phillips was not very good either. I'm hoping he gets back to himself but I don't think he has been since Volchenkov left. Gonchar has been meh...he's sometimes too slow for my liking.

- Spezza has been really bad I think. He looks like he needs a good slap in the face because he's been careless with the puck, floating and just overall lacking any kind of effort. He's one of the leaders now and he needs to show it.

- Alfie has been hard to get a good read on but at least he looks like he's kind of healthy now. 60 points this year is about as much as we can really expect.

This isn't a playoff team though and I would say bottom 5 is likely. Anderson would have to have a pretty special year to even give them a chance to get in.

 

[IPostedWhat]

A couple things I want to point out.

We have very different definitions of what "a couple" means.

 

[Urkie]

We have very different definitions of what "a couple" means.

haha....Well, I wasn't expecting to have a list that long to be fair.

 

[IPostedWhat]

I was pissed when the Sens managed to get Cowen. I really wanted him to be paired up with Myers.

 

[Urkie]

I was pissed when the Sens managed to get Cowen. I really wanted him to be paired up with Myers.

Yeah, the kid is a stud. The only reason he dropped to 9 in the draft was because of his knee injury. Up until then he was looked at as a potential top 3 pick in that draft. Now that he's gotten over his knee injury he's back to his beastly self. I'm really excited about him.

 

[TOX1]

Welcome back Urkie. Good luck to your boys this year.

 

[Urkie]

Welcome back Urkie. Good luck to your boys this year.

Thanks Tox and good luck to your Flyers this year too!!!

 

[SLY]

Im not wishing luck to anyone, fuckers.

I hope all teams stay healthy, how 'bout that?

 

[IPostedWhat]

Im not wishing luck to anyone, fuckers.

I hope all teams stay healthy, how 'bout that?

Teams need to be lucky for that.

 

[SLY]

:pops:

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I'm back after a long hiatus. It's been a very frustrating 3 or 4 months while I've been looking for a job after graduating from college. Finally got one but it took longer then I'd hoped.

Anyway, I watched the game and did the Sens ever get outplayed in the first 2 periods. Anderson was incredible though and held them in to set up the comeback.

A couple things I want to point out.

- Cowen is ready. He's just a beast really and the surprising part is that he has some offensive upside as well and that's not something that I really expected.

- Rundblad is close but 10 or 15 games in the AHL would do him wonders. He needs to adjust to the North American game and the smaller ice surface. He has tons of skill though and if Kuba wasn't on the team (I wish), he'd be on the starting roster.

- Zibanejad is also ready. I thought he would have to go back to Sweden for another year, especially after the first couple games but he's been impressive since. I see him being a good 2 way center that can chip in offensively. Kind of like Mike Fisher only he has more offensive upside.

- Filatov is not the floater I expected him to be but he seems to be snake beaten. He's worked hard, gotten tons of chances but failed to score. He'll have a good season if he keeps it up because he has the skill to do it.

- I've really liked Lee's game and I've also been impressed with Zack Smith. Michalek has been good as well and so have the goalies. Anderson, Auld and Lehner were all pretty good in the games they played.

- On to the disappointing players. Butler leads the way. He's looked lost every game he's played so far. I guess he's one of those guys who is useless unless he's scoring goals. Foligno is another one. He just hasn't been good at all. Maybe he'll improve when the season starts but right now he looks dreadful.

- Kuba has been unbelievably bad. Worse then last year and he doesn't belong on the team or in the league for that matter. Phillips was not very good either. I'm hoping he gets back to himself but I don't think he has been since Volchenkov left. Gonchar has been meh...he's sometimes too slow for my liking.

- Spezza has been really bad I think. He looks like he needs a good slap in the face because he's been careless with the puck, floating and just overall lacking any kind of effort. He's one of the leaders now and he needs to show it.

- Alfie has been hard to get a good read on but at least he looks like he's kind of healthy now. 60 points this year is about as much as we can really expect.

This isn't a playoff team though and I would say bottom 5 is likely. Anderson would have to have a pretty special year to even give them a chance to get in.

Pretty much agree with all of this except the bolded.

1) While it's obvious that Zibby could play in the NHL immediately, I'd like to see him go back and dominate in the SEL. Why waste a year of his entry-level contract on a year that means nothing.

2) I think Phillips and Gonchar have looked a lot better. Veteran guys always start kind of slow. I think they'll be OK. Gonchar for one looks WAY more into it than he was last year.

3) Spezza just isn't trying. He's gotten a nagging injury in camp the last 2 years. I think his focus right now is to stay healthy.

I'm liking the new coaching staff so far.

Good to see ya back, Urk.

 

[Urkie]

Pretty much agree with all of this except the bolded.

1) While it's obvious that Zibby could play in the NHL immediately, I'd like to see him go back and dominate in the SEL. Why waste a year of his entry-level contract on a year that means nothing.

2) I think Phillips and Gonchar have looked a lot better. Veteran guys always start kind of slow. I think they'll be OK. Gonchar for one looks WAY more into it than he was last year.

3) Spezza just isn't trying. He's gotten a nagging injury in camp the last 2 years. I think his focus right now is to stay healthy.

I'm liking the new coaching staff so far.

Good to see ya back, Urk.

That's true on Zibby although he may have to start the year in Ottawa with the injury to Regin. After 9 games maybe he goes back but for now he's made the team I think. And those 9 games will give us a really good indication of whether he is ready or not. If he isn't then he goes back and doesn't burn a year of his ELC. If he is then Murray has a decision to make on Regin.

Yeah, it's too early to tell with the vets. They're just pacing themselves but I still would have like to see better efforts from them. Younger players feed off of that. Hopefully they pick it up when the season starts.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

What the hell was Colorado thinking? Anderson has been great with Ottawa. I know he could have left as an UFA, but to give up a 1st & a conditional 2nd for Varlamov when they could have kept Anderson is just STUPID.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

That's true on Zibby although he may have to start the year in Ottawa with the injury to Regin. After 9 games maybe he goes back but for now he's made the team I think. And those 9 games will give us a really good indication of whether he is ready or not. If he isn't then he goes back and doesn't burn a year of his ELC. If he is then Murray has a decision to make on Regin.

Yeah, it's too early to tell with the vets. They're just pacing themselves but I still would have like to see better efforts from them. Younger players feed off of that. Hopefully they pick it up when the season starts.

Yeah, I think Mika will at keast get his 9 games. He's earned it too. I just don't want to rush this kid because he looks like he could be something pretty special.

The good thing about Regin is his versatility. He can the wing, center and is defensively responsible. Even if Zibby makes the team he can have a role.

My god has Butler looked bad this preseason. He just might be this year's Bozak; good part of a season and then falls off of a cliff.

 

[Urkie]

Yeah, I think Mika will at keast get his 9 games. He's earned it too. I just don't want to rush this kid because he looks like he could be something pretty special.

The good thing about Regin is his versatility. He can the wing, center and is defensively responsible. Even if Zibby makes the team he can have a role.

My god has Butler looked bad this preseason. He just might be this year's Bozak; good part of a season and then falls off of a cliff.

Butler has been awful. He fumbles the puck every time he gets it which makes it tough for him to use his shot and that seems to be the only good attribute he has. If he doesn't pick it up then he may find himself down in Bingo again or somewhere else. He's been the biggest disappointment for me by far. I was thinking 20 goals was realistic this season but not now.

 

[Urkie]

What the hell was Colorado thinking? Anderson has been great with Ottawa. I know he could have left as an UFA, but to give up a 1st & a conditional 2nd for Varlamov when they could have kept Anderson is just STUPID.

I think there was kind of a falling out when Anderson was in Colorado. They didn't want him anymore and he didn't want to be there. Oh well....their loss.

I'm happy with him for sure though and the Sens will need him to be good all season with a young defense and new coaching staff. It's also giving Robin Lehner more time to develop as well.