Mika Zibanejad

[NanoSF]

So they sent him back to Sweden. I know it sounds typical to bash the underachieving before giving a chance, but I'm still not happy that we passed up on Sean Couturier for him. The Flyers coach is raving about Couturier, and using him in all the most important situations (offensive and defensive). This is on a team with top talent too.

I have watched every Sens game so this is not a simple read of the stats to see 1 assist. Mika has turned over or lost control of the puck repeatedly , he shoots from everywhere when there is a better play, he is lost out there at times, and his accuracy has been crazy erratic.

Yes I know down the road maybe he has the potential to be better than Couturier but I don't see it. I bet this will be a mistake for years to come. Also, it's always nice to have a top Canadian player on the Canadian teams. 

[Cheebs]

I'd have to agree to a certain extent. He clearly wasn't ready for the NHL, and the coach did put a lot of faith in him, but it didn't work out. He will be a good player, but I think tat overall we got screwed in several ways in the drafts. Oh well, at least the Sens are making for some enetertaining hockey. So far sliiiightly better than I'd hoped for, but the wins they do have are by the skin of their teeth.

[Hookup]

but the wins they do have areby th skin of their teeth.

this is the truth here...

[NanoSF]

The Sens may lose their fair share of games, or just squeak out some wins, but I like the individuals they have on the team now. There is still a small group that need to move on (Kuba, Gonchar lead this list), but overall this seems like a good team in the making. They will take some time to play like a team, but there are a lot of really good pieces here. I am loving Greening (strong as a bull, fast, and decent skills), Rundblad (watch his passing closely, almost always picture perfect), Da Costa (great vision and skill) , Cowen (never seems to make a mistake), and a few others.

Besides some of these squeaked out wins have shown some excellent resolve for a fragile young team. It has been pretty exciting to watch as of late. Kind of helps offset those massively lopsided painful defeats. Did you know that only 3 teams have more goals for than Ottawa in the whole NHL? One of them has two more games played too (in fairness one has the same amount with two games less played)

[bt]

I still don't know why people think Gonchar needs to go anywhere.  He's back to playing like the player we thought we were getting before last season.

[NanoSF]

Seriously? Gonchar....really? He has had a few decent games lately but he is being booed for a reason. He is quiting on plays, and not putting very much effort in at all. There has even been a few between periods stories about this on CBC and Sportsnet. This lack of effort and his now famous requirement for having his ego stroked. He is a baby, and clearly just collecting a paycheck.

[bt]

I don't think you've been watching the same games I have.  Yes, his effort level was low in the first two games - but only the first two.  He's been pushing hard since then, and it's pretty visible both watching the games and the stats sheets.  He's been quarterbacking the power play, now 2nd in the league since Gonchar has heated up, which he was brought in to do.

So yes, seriously.  Gonchar.

[NanoSF]

Well I have watch every game and he has been better than last year for many games. He still is not a player I want around for much longer. Most of his points have been second assists. There have been very few of his passes that actually set up the goal. He is benefiting from a power play that is racking up the points because of many other talented play makers. He touches the puck and collects the assist. When have you seen a goal that was all because of Gonchar? If it has happened it may have been 2 of his 7 assists at the most. In no way was it only the first two games. He was a big part of the lopsided scores in those blowouts. That wasn't the first two games.

[bt]

I disagree.  He was one of the better players against Colorado (though that's setting the bar pretty low), and was only on the ice for one of the 7 Colorado goals (and was in on the only Ottawa goal).  You definitely can't blame a single goal on him from the Philly game - he wasn't dressed that game.

Sure, they're 2nd assists.  But he's the one setting up the play on the PP.  If you actually pay attention to the flow of the play, it's pretty obvious he was a critical part of the goal.

[NanoSF]

Ya I shouldn't have added the lopsided blowout loses part, you got me there. I must admit I don't pay much attention to him any more. Now that I think about it, I really haven't noticed as many defensive breakdowns from him this year other than those games where he wasn't hustling to get back and it was very obvious.

So in my mind no matter what you do for the other 10 game, if you quit in one that tells more about you than playing well in the other 9. I mean you will never see Alfie, Niel, Greening, and most of the others quit. It just tells a lot about you as a player I think.

I watched replays of all of his assists and there was 3 first assist. One was a pass to a wide open Konopka (sp?) before center ice (decent pass, but nothing special), and the other was a shot that was tipped in by Michalek. Now the shot was a good low one, but anyone can do that really. The last he barely touched a one foot pass back to Greening. What we paid to get him hear for was the cross ice passes right in the wheelhouse on the power play. Admittedly, Ottawa doesn't have the snippers to put those home, but there hasn't been much creativity and skill shown by Gonchar, even this year. The rest of his assists were nothing but outside passes or pucks that just touched him. And I disagree after watching them all that he was crucial to the flow of the play that led to the goal. None of these other assist created space for anybody or put anyone is a good position. He really was just part of the outside passing and got lucky to get the assist.

Anyway, I do admit he has been better, but not worth the money, and not someone who should be here for the future. He is still a big baby who quits from time to time when the going gets rough.

[Cheebs]

In any case, in a team like this, if the vets can get the rookies in line, and the rookies can get the vets fired up again, good things will happen. In fact, anything can happen, but was this meant to be rebuilding year where we take the losses, suck it up, and have an even stronger team next year? I don't know, but that's what they keep saying. I'd like to think that they can show us otherwise! I like what I'm seeing so far!

[bt]

So in my mind no matter what you do for the other 10 game, if you quit in one that tells more about you than playing well in the other 9. I mean you will never see Alfie, Niel, Greening, and most of the others quit. It just tells a lot about you as a player I think.

We saw the entire team quit more than once last year...  Well, other than Alfie.

[brotherluv]

A lot of Gonchars' woes came due to lack of confidence in himself and especially his team.  Our whole team has been lacking mental toughness.  The young blood has sparked something inside our team we lost against Anaheim a few years back...hope, heart and persistance.  I too have liked what I've seen so far.  We've shown more character so far this season than the past 2 seasons combined.  Exciting times indeed.