Well, that felt even more disappointing than the two or three seasons before.
I watched every game this season and started out in September insisting to people I know that the Senators would make the playoffs.
#bummer
Even during a dismal and disappointing season, it is a pleasure to watch Tkachuk and Stutzle play the game. Guys like Giroux, Kelly, Batherson, and Norris, typically don’t take a shift off and they play like they care, which, if I’m not getting any playoff action, is all I ask.
In the April 7th game against the Devils, Tkachuk threw a record 16 hits for a single game. He is a big-time player, scoring big goals, making big plays, and doing what has to be done to show his team intensity and leadership. No surprise that he’s been nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for a third time
Stutzle is a whiz, with creative, split second moves, and great vision. Maybe he doesn’t shoot enough and he gives the puck away at times but, for all his exciting talent, I can easily live with the few mistakes he makes.
I’ve developed much more appreciation this year for Joseph’s speed and work ethic, as well as Grieg’s more pesky approach to the game.
Last year at this time, I was so impressed with Sanderson. He rarely made a wrong decision with the puck, or without it. I ordered one of his t-shirts. He is an outstanding player who, this year, proved he’s human, making many questionable decisions with the puck. I’m hoping next year he’ll rediscover the incredible form he showed last season.
Jacob Bernard-Docker really impressed me compared to his earlier seasons. He made good decisions with the puck and showed a lot more physicality.
I keep saying it; while others on the team play like they care, Chabot rarely looks like he does. There was a point in the third period of the final Panthers game that he flew back to the Ottawa defensive zone after an offensive rush and I wondered why he doesn’t always skate like that?
That same game, Korpisalo had a solid third period, but one solid period here and there will not the playoffs make.
Goaltending yet again was sucky and suspect, poor and porous. At one point during the season, Forsberg was ranked 42 of 51 goalies while Korpisalo was 51 of 51. The recurring goaltending issues are bogus and should have been addressed long ago.
As inconsistent and unreliable as goaltending seemed to me, I think the season’s low point, apart from Norris being injured again, was the fact that Ottawa failed to record a shot for the entire third period against Nashville, unless I heard wrong.
The arrival of Jacques Martin did nothing for me and did nothing for the team. His arrival seemed to coincide with a sag in enthusiasm, or a fizz in the chemistry, between players. Before Martin’s arrival, the guys seemed to have fun playing for each other, but Martin’s arrival seemed to dampen the mood on the ice. The guys seemed to lack the same jump. Just my observation.
Hopefully, there are no dumb and drastic decisions in the off season.
I wonder what the players themselves believe the problem is with the team. Goaltending and defense must be at the top.
BTW - If you’re curious to know how a Montrealer became a Senators fan, I refer to you my September 25, 2010 blog, titled “You Can Keep Kovalazy”.
Go Sens Go.
Next year will be better.
Can it get any worse?
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