One Big Question: Do Sens have the core it takes to win?

[@TheGreatJohnny]

It’s exciting that Craig now thinks the Sens can’t do it because it means that they are going to have a great season

[@johnpinke784]

Button DONE! The name of the game is GOALIE. We finish ahead of TORONTO.

[@andrewclarke8163]

They had over 34 goals against above expected. That's almost 13 more than the 2nd worst in the league. Combine that with the Pinto suspension and all the off-ice turmoil (not using injuries as an excuse)... According to advanced stats, they literally would've made the playoffs with league average goaltending. They're so much closer than last year's point total suggests. We'll have to wait see if it's enough though.

[@bradleyblokland]

I agree with Mike and Craig on this topic. No more chances. No more excuses!.

[@sachinruparelia]

I would have shook up the core this off season a bit with Chabot on D.

[@scottdunlop7442]

Yes they can!!

[@StanleyCup1927]

Button is a bozo. No clue how anyone considers him an expert when he is dead wrong sooooo many times

[@kamwo183]

I’m a huge Sens fan…… teams red but I’m blue because I’m used to holding my breath every god damn year!

[@scottmiller8617]

It all depends on Ulmark and avoiding injuries. Jensen is a better fit than Chychrun, but their D core doesn't have the depth to handle any injuries.

[@wainber1]

Thatcher Demko during the 2020 postseason started three of four games in which he had played, putting up a 2-1 record and 98.5 save % we are having a loud, just two goals on 130 shots while last postseason he started the only game in which he had gotten to play, allowing two goals on 24 shots, before that season appears, would end due to knee injury issues. As of last week Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet claimed of there having still not been a timeline for that goalie’s return to play. Ullmark, against the Sabres in a home preseason game last week, stood on his head, stopping all but one of 29 shots he had faced. Talk about going full Demko-mode. Yet relying too heavily on Ullmark will IMO only take the Sens so far. Demko last didn’t play an NHL regular-season or playoff game during the 2016-17 season while during the respective 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 regular seasons: - started 1, 8, 25, 35, 61, 32 and 51 games - otherwise played in 0, 1, 2, 0, 3, 0 and 0 games Demko, due to a knee injury he had sustained during a December 2022 home loss to the Panthers, missed almost 3 months although even before that game, but after the 2022 preseason, he had put up a rather poor 3-9-1-1 win-regulation loss-OT loss-shootout loss record and allowed 53 goals on 461 shots, translating to a save % 88.5. In the game against the Panthers, he allowed, in just under 19 minutes of ice time, three goals on 18 shots. After his return from injury, but before that season was to end for his team, he was rather inconsistent, even with a rather impressive 11-4-2-0 record over that time span. Will the Sens have competent backup goaltending this regular season or will Ullmark have to play anywhere close to approaching the 64 games (61 of them starts) that three seasons ago, Demko played? Jaro Halak, the main Canucks’ backup that season, started and otherwise played in 14 and three respective games but was quite inconsistent including, in all three games in which he had played in February 2022, sub-90.0 SV% in each.

[@FirewagonHockey]

Sens lose that trade by a landslide.

[@scottmiller8617]

​@@FirewagonHockeyunless they wanted picks/prospects, the sens couldn't "win" the chychrun trade, but Jensen is a better fit because he actually plays defense. Chychrun was trash defensively so Jensen is a better fit. Jensen is also a RHD which the sens needed.

[@FirewagonHockey]

@@scottmiller8617 Jensen is a fucking pylon lol have u seen him play? He's also 33 and is worse than Chychrun at nearly every facet of defense. Chychrun kept getting shitty linemates like JBD and was noticeably better playing with Sanderson or Zub.

[@DirtyMoneyHipHop]

Agreed, Chychrun let in as many points as he scored (-35 last year). Plus, the Sens wouldn't want to resign him at $6M X 4 or 5 years. They already have Chabot and Sanderson who are puck moving defenseman. The real issue is the bad trade Dorion made to acquire Jacob in the first place.

[@afzalhakeen4941]

i want sens and sabres to make play-offs this season

[@wainber1]

To the question that forms the title of the TSN video in question, I honestly dunno if the Sens have the roster to effective this spring snap their existing playoff appearance drought.

[@timmanto1022]

Who do you trade?

[@toofrosty2207]

Cry baby tim

[@googleisshit3220]

​@@toofrosty2207..you've confused Tim with Mitch 😂

[@Scott_Henderson]

if norris plays well, most likely him due to the clog in centre with pinto greig and stuzle. Although not sure what he could demand in the trade market

[@Proph3cy]

Start with Norris. If someone wanna shoulder Norris' contract, its him.

[@corylaughton265]

​@@Proph3cynow that's punnu

[@Silica_Packer]

Thank you, Craig! I was so worried you would do your lousy predictions again! Your ability to predict is so bad it gives me a little hope that they will do better. My prediction, is to go the opposite of you. It gives me a least a 75% chance of being correct! Why couldn't you keep your mouth shut last year!

[@Spanishflea.]

I think an unspoken topic is the player fatigue. Internally, they're riddled with doubt and frustration. They all know they're better than this and i can see some of them asking for a trade if they fail to make the playoffs again.

[@robertharrison2.055]

no ''

[@Silica_Packer]

No.

[@ricklatour2794]

hey johnson you can say the same about your beloved leafs but you won't

[@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa369]

Mike Johnson is a known leafs hater 😂 you’re a casual

[@ricklatour2794]

@@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa369 you must be kidding? he's a cheerleader when he broadcasts their games - of course, he isn't as bad as craig simpson on Leafnet

[@wainber1]

@@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa369 Johnson has not been afraid to criticize the Leafs, Canada’s adult men’s team or Canada’s World Junior team when any of those teams has underperformed. A good TV commentator should do that.

[@michaelnextdoor8726]

Button is arguing for idiocy and it's absolutely no wonder he isn't in NHL management. Have you seen his player moves when he worked for Calgary? The stupid thing to do is show a lack of patience or strategic vision and trade away a cornerstone on a stupid deal. This is just clickbait. Senators have had enough of the clown shoes hockey operations.

[@natalieb.8548]

Do I have to listen to Another season of how great Senasnores are, regardless of who they play against? I thought broadcasters were supposed to be unbiased?! I guess watch an American feed. They are unbiased!

[@ShayneMacGregor]

Nobody forced you to watch this you fuckin dummy

[@OneAndOnlyKJx]

Absolutely not. They've had the same core for years now. Time to retool like the Rangers did not to long ago.

[@COBJTW]

trade brady to stl already.

[@afzalhakeen4941]

trade brady to my fav team -oilers

[@COBJTW]

@@afzalhakeen4941 you guys couldnt even afford to keep holloway

[@nahiyanishtiaque1283]

they can have him when he's 35

[@COBJTW]

@@nahiyanishtiaque1283 maybe the sens will be good by then

[@Jerry-lw6uf]

They have no chance of making it in the Atlantic division