|
"I love it when a plan comes together" - Col Hannibal Smith, the A Team
Perhaps a cheesy line from an equally cheesy 80's TV show (or for the younger readers a mediocre but entertaining movie), but it seems to fit and I could imagine Guy Boucher uttering something like that last night.
As I said in the preview yesterday, the Senators need to get back to the game plan and take care of the defensive end first, and also give Mike Condon some help given his recent two month workload. Check. The Senators limited the Lightning to just 21 shots and capitalized on chances of their own en route to a 5-2 victory.
Pretty much what the Senators needed to happen to recover from consecutive losses sandwiching the All-Star break happened. Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Erik Karlsson and Kyle Turris, the Senators best players, were indeed the Senators best players and most of the other guys filled their roles. They went 2-for-5 on the power play, were perfect in killing off three Tampa man advantages. Condon was good when he had to be, even if there was almost another cough-up behind his own net remarkably similar to the game-changer in Florida, but fortunately the puck didn't end up in his net this time or it could have been a drastically different outcome.
Tampa scored first on a Tyler Johnson goal but Ottawa answered that one pretty quickly with a Stone marker and Ottawa never trailed again. The power play went to work and in the middle of the second, when Turris' shot got through the glove of goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to give them the lead, and then Hoffman also counted with a power play goal early in the third. After Brayden Point got the Bolts within on, Stone again had the answer in short order to restore the two goal cushion and snuff any Tampa momentum. Chris Kelly iced the game with the empty netter, his 122 goal in his 800th game.
The Senators won one that they were supposed to win, and looked pretty good doing it, playing the system they are deployed to play. They will try to do that all over again on Saturday, when their trek home from the Sunshine state lands them for a stop in Buffalo before returning home for a four game homestand. The Blues did the Senators a favor by downing the Leafs so Ottawa opens a 5 point gap on their most likely first round opponent at the moment and used one of their games in hand on the Bruins. With Montreal also spinning their wheels a bit at the moment, Ottawa is just 7 points behind the Habs with three games in hand for first in the Division, although looking at potential matchups 2nd might be a more favorable position because at this point in time it looks like the Atlantic winner will get one of Pittsburgh, Columbus or the New York Rangers, while second place (assuming it is the Senators will get one of the Bruins, Leafs or Panthers.
But the playoffs are still a long way away, and the next big moment is the upcoming trade deadline. Ottawa has a number of areas they could improve upon, but what is the single most pressing need, and who is available to fill it. And finally, is the price to be paid worth it?
I will look at it from the net out. The goaltending is adequate, with two capable goalies (once Craig Anderson returns) and either one of them are capable of going on a hot streak that could carry into a playoff series. Not really a need to go out and get a goalie.
On the blue line, the Senators seem to have everyone slotted properly and the top 4 is pretty solid, despite what the underlying numbers say about the Dion Phaneuf - Cody Ceci pairing. With Freddie Claesson stepping in and showing he can be a good 5-6 player, they have 7 guys they can choose from and be relatively satisfied. If there is a need on the blue line it would be for a veteran who can play in the top 4 should the need arise due to injury, and can stabilize or improve the bottom pair. It would be nice to have, but if they enter the playoff run with that group of 7 healthy, I would be ok with that.
The Senators biggest need is elite level scoring. Not just a top 6 forward, but a legitimate top 3 guy. Bobby Ryan was expected, and is paid, to be that guy, but for whatever reason he just can't seem to get his game together for any significant length of time and is on pace for somewhere around 40 points. Ryan Dzingel has stepped up and filled a role nicely, as has Zack Smith but should one of the current top 6 go down to injury, there isn't a ready player to step in. The Senators addressed the need to add depth to the bottom 6 with last weeks acquisition of Tommy Wingels, but there is a need at the top end.
That certainly won't be an easy spot to fill, either with a rental or by way of opening the wallet for an established, signed player with term.
If you look at TSN's Tradebait list, Colorado is ready to deal, either Matt Duchene and/or Gabriel Landeskog. Both come with contracts in the $5.5-$6M range, with Duchene (26) having 2 years left and Landeskog (24) having 4 years left after this season. Either would be a nice fit and you could argue Landeskog could really use a change of scenery and was maybe given the "C" a little too early in Denver.
The same thing for a guy like Jordan Eberle in Edmonton, who also appears on TSN's list of players either likely to be moved or players teams are dangling. Eberle also carries two more years at $6M so Ottawa would have to shed some salary in a trade involving any of these guys with term.
If you were going the rental route, one that might not be as costly, there are a pair of Coyotes available, centre Martin Hanzal and winger Radim Vrbata. Vrbata is intriguing because he plays the wing, is a pretty consistent 50-60 point guy and is cheap ($1.5M this season then UFA).
The Senators aren't in a position to take on a bunch of salary, and any deal bringing on term would rely on someone being willing to take Bobby Ryan and his salary off Pierre Dorion's cap. I don't know how many takers there would be at that price tag, unless it is problem for problem.
In a perfect but unlikely scenario, someone finds the magic elixir to get Ryan back to his 30 goal Anaheim form, and while they are at it find out what is wrong with Lazar and fix that so he can fulfill his expectations which are certainly higher than a 2 point season, and Colin White's college campaign ends earlier than he would like and he turns pro at the end of the season to join the club for a playoff run. Then there isn't much need up front and they can maybe look for that stabilizing defenseman.
Second best scenario would be to bring in an upgrade while moving Ryan and his salary out, even if it means adding other pieces to the deal to make it happen. There is apparently some interest in Lazar, to give him a new start, and that could be one of the pieces.
The club's lack of depth, of NHL ready prospects and a couple of bad contracts are standing in the way. And while a potential Ryan/Lazar for Eberle swap might be good from one side, Edmonton can't afford to take the chance that Ryan just didn't fit in Ottawa and they probably can't afford the contract either without Ottawa eating some of his salary.
In the end they will probably do what Ottawa does, bring in a middling rental or do nothing at all.
Today at 11:14 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/24/24 Support - USA- Turkey - Timing- Currency Value - Tabled
Today at 9:08 am by Rocky
» MM&C 4/25/24 National Bank of Iraq goes live with Temenos core banking and payments
Today at 9:06 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/26/24 Iraqi Dinar - US Treasury Exchange Rates- Focus - Banking Partnerships - Rate C
Today at 9:06 am by Rocky
» A banking official indicates a "danger" to Iraq by depriving more than half of its banks of dollars
Today at 8:55 am by Rocky
» With the participation of the Association of Private Banks, investment opportunities are on the tabl
Today at 8:45 am by Rocky
» Within a month... an Iranian border crossing recorded a noticeable increase in exports of goods to I
Today at 8:44 am by Rocky
» The Association of Private Banks appreciates the efforts of the government and the Central Bank to c
Today at 8:43 am by Rocky
» Al-Maliki's coalition presents a third candidate for the position of governor of Diyala
Today at 7:57 am by Rocky
» Arab gathering: The Kirkuk problem is getting complicated and the Sudanese must intervene
Today at 7:56 am by Rocky
» Next week.. a Kurdish delegation will visit Baghdad to meet with the Minister of Finance
Today at 7:54 am by Rocky
» Under the pretext of salaries... Al-Party refrains from handing over port revenues to Baghdad
Today at 7:53 am by Rocky
» Association of Banks: For the first time, we are witnessing a clear targeting of depriving half of t
Today at 7:51 am by Rocky
» Parliament does not know the reason for the delay in sending the 2024 budget schedules: Voting takes
Today at 7:49 am by Rocky
» Applicants for the 2024 Hajj are demanding that the Central Bank secure the dollar for them through
Today at 6:09 am by Rocky
» Governmental and private banks will showcase their services tomorrow during Financial Inclusion Week
Today at 6:08 am by Rocky
» Iraq's oil exports rise despite OPEC+ cuts
Today at 6:06 am by Rocky
» A study explodes a "surprise"... Iraq is among the countries that export oil to "Israel": How is the
Today at 6:04 am by Rocky
» Al-Araji emphasizes working to strengthen national identity
Today at 6:02 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani visits Saudi Arabia to participate in the World Economic Forum in Riyadh
Today at 6:01 am by Rocky
» Iraq is talking about producing one million additional liters of gasoline
Today at 5:59 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers approves the implementation of the Baghdad Metro project
Today at 5:56 am by Rocky
» Minister of Commerce: We formed a joint economic committee with Türkiye
Today at 5:55 am by Rocky
» Resources: Government measures have contributed to improving the water situation in Iraq
Today at 5:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Baghdad will continue to send salaries to the region’s employees until settle
Today at 5:51 am by Rocky
» A parliamentarian describes the corruption of Iraqi ports as “ghouls” and reveals the involvement of
Today at 5:49 am by Rocky
» Obelisk Hour: Basra is the subject of political conflict and ambiguity over the fate of the funds al
Today at 5:48 am by Rocky
» Turkmen leader: An agreement on the local government of Kirkuk is near
Today at 5:45 am by Rocky
» Anbar calls for the operation of its factories despite financial obstacles
Today at 5:44 am by Rocky
» Turki: The crisis of the Presidency of Parliament prompted the Sunnis to amend the Council’s interna
Today at 5:43 am by Rocky
» The Agriculture Committee confirms the existence of Iraqi-Turkish-Iranian discussions on water
Today at 5:42 am by Rocky
» Resources diagnose the challenges facing the water file in Iraq
Today at 5:38 am by Rocky
» Parliament pledges to the Interior Ministry: We will transfer money to buy weapons from citizens
Today at 5:33 am by Rocky
» Al-Issawi is the closest.. Parliament sets the date for deciding the choice of the new president
Today at 5:31 am by Rocky
» Deputy: Iraq's investments have risen and need a comprehensive review of previous years
Today at 5:30 am by Rocky
» Iraqis consume 7 billion eggs annually and import about $900 million
Today at 5:28 am by Rocky
» The Iranian role complicates attempts at open cooperation between Iraq and Turkey. Turkey is trying
Today at 5:26 am by Rocky
» Move in Iran to obtain $242 billion from Iraq in compensation for the eight-year war
Today at 5:25 am by Rocky
» 12 decisions from the Council of Ministers regarding the Baghdad Metro and Najaf-Karbala train proje
Today at 5:23 am by Rocky
» Sudanese Advisor: The path to development has begun... the Baka and the militias “we silence them wi
Today at 5:21 am by Rocky
» Not from Kurdistan.. How did Iraq become a source of oil for “Israeli tanks”?
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Agriculture criticizes the Sudanese and Erdogan agreement: Türkiye will control water
Today at 5:16 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi government issues new decisions
Yesterday at 3:35 pm by Rocky
» The story of “reduced oil” to Jordan, from “compulsion” to mutual benefit.. Is there a loss?
Yesterday at 3:33 pm by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers takes 12 decisions for the Baghdad Metro and the Najaf-Karbala train
Yesterday at 3:32 pm by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/23/24 Iraqi Dinar - IQD Update - Development Road Project - Saviour of Global Banking
Yesterday at 11:18 am by Rocky
» Kidney from pig transplanted into deathly ill New Jersey woman — and begins working almost immediat
Yesterday at 11:15 am by Bama Diva
» The most difficult option.. Warnings of the danger of floating the Iraqi dinar without achieving an
Yesterday at 10:48 am by Rocky
» Trade from the “Economic Committee” with Türkiye: It will overcome all obstacles facing the traders
Yesterday at 10:46 am by Rocky
» Washington's hope for stable relations with Baghdad clashes with Iraqi parties' rejection of the Ame
Yesterday at 10:41 am by Rocky
» Karim Badr: Development is America’s will to kill silk
Yesterday at 10:36 am by Rocky
» Oil: Opening of a new port for liquid gas for vehicles in Baghdad
Yesterday at 10:33 am by Rocky
» A media advisor warns of corruption in a draft law on the Parliament’s agenda
Yesterday at 10:21 am by Rocky
» Economist: There is serious work to lift US sanctions on Iraqi banks
Yesterday at 10:16 am by Rocky
» Will the agreements signed with the US Treasury reflect positively on the exchange rates?
Yesterday at 8:52 am by Rocky
» Iraq continues its quest to join the World Trade Organization
Yesterday at 8:51 am by Rocky
» Iraq completes the completion of the files for the initial offer of goods and services to join the W
Yesterday at 8:50 am by Rocky
» Economist: Travelers' dollars are leaking into the parallel market...and this is what the Central Ba
Yesterday at 8:32 am by Rocky
» President of the Federal Court: It is not permissible to force anyone to join any party, and the pol
Yesterday at 8:30 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers holds its session headed by Al-Sudani
Yesterday at 8:27 am by Rocky
» America weakens Baghdad...and increases Kurdistan's military capabilities
Yesterday at 8:26 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi government plans to build 10,000 schools throughout the country
Yesterday at 8:23 am by Rocky
» American threats close the Iraqi Stock Exchange at a loss
Yesterday at 8:21 am by Rocky
» Increase in external transfers at the Central Bank
Yesterday at 8:20 am by Rocky
» Al-Maliki calls on Britain to cancel restrictions on the entry of its companies into Iraq
Yesterday at 8:18 am by Rocky
» Planning and the European Union are discussing signing a number of agreements in the development, en
Yesterday at 8:16 am by Rocky
» Parliament talks about the mechanism for recovering smuggled funds and hints at the next stage
Yesterday at 8:13 am by Rocky
» Interior Ministry: The number of completed national cards reached 37 million cards
Yesterday at 8:06 am by Rocky
» Amnesty International: Violations of freedom and human rights continue in Iraq and the Kurdistan Reg
Yesterday at 8:04 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Oil: The government is proceeding with the decision to raise the price of improved gas
Yesterday at 8:03 am by Rocky
» A parliamentary committee in Basra to investigate violations of the port company and the local gover
Yesterday at 8:00 am by Rocky
» Revealing the 10 most important American exports to Iraq
Yesterday at 6:31 am by Rocky
» A noticeable increase in the rate of Iraq's import of Chinese cooling devices
Yesterday at 6:30 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: Working on projects without completing the infrastructure is a waste of money
Yesterday at 6:28 am by Rocky
» Iraq.. Extending the deadline for registration procedures on plots of land
Yesterday at 6:27 am by Rocky
» What is the main purpose of conducting the population census in Iraq?
Yesterday at 6:25 am by Rocky
» A plan to transform Iraq from a barren land to green with 5 million trees
Yesterday at 6:24 am by Rocky
» The Housing Fund announces the acceptance of more than 11 thousand loans through the Ur platform
Yesterday at 6:23 am by Rocky
» The Bank of Baghdad is moving to increase its capital to 400 billion dinars
Yesterday at 6:20 am by Rocky
» The electronic payment system will soon be adopted on Iraqi buses
Yesterday at 6:19 am by Rocky
» “It threatens our interests and destroys our economy.” An Iraqi project “irritates” the Kuwaiti stre
Yesterday at 6:18 am by Rocky
» Warning from the Central Bank about “misuse of electronic payment cards”
Yesterday at 6:17 am by Rocky
» Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman are discussing sending capacities through the Gulf countries
Yesterday at 6:16 am by Rocky
» The fact that a decision was issued to deport Syrian workers from Iraq
Yesterday at 6:14 am by Rocky
» Rice comes first... America exports 10 foodstuffs worth more than 350 million dollars to Iraq
Yesterday at 6:14 am by Rocky
» A sixth licensing round for gas exploration
Yesterday at 6:12 am by Rocky
» Baghdad is preparing to host the 50th session of the Arab Labor Conference
Yesterday at 6:11 am by Rocky
» Scientific symposium on the future vision of the tripartite budget
Yesterday at 6:09 am by Rocky
» Five conversion power stations enter service in Najaf
Yesterday at 6:08 am by Rocky
» Planning: Conduct a population census next November
Yesterday at 6:07 am by Rocky
» Experts: Spreading misleading information harms development and investment
Yesterday at 6:03 am by Rocky
» Economists call for tightening money laundering laws and port controls
Yesterday at 6:02 am by Rocky
» Today's newspapers are interested in Sudanese's visit to Anbar Governorate and preparations for cond
Yesterday at 6:00 am by Rocky
» Iraq and Russia discuss cooperation between the two countries in the field of information and artifi
Yesterday at 5:58 am by Rocky
» With international and Arab participation. Diyala University hosts the International Specialized Sci
Yesterday at 5:56 am by Rocky
» The Basra government discusses with a UN delegation support for owners of qualified companies to est
Yesterday at 5:49 am by Rocky
» Oil stabilizes amid signs of an economic slowdown in America
Yesterday at 5:48 am by Rocky
» More than 11 thousand loans announced by the Housing Fund via the Ur platform
Yesterday at 5:47 am by Rocky
» A parliamentarian talks about the "tsunami of multinational begging" and identifies their crossing p
Yesterday at 5:43 am by Rocky