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2011/12 Ottawa Senators = 2009/10 Colorado Avalanche?


Before the start of the 2009 season I recall looking at the Colorado Avalanche roster and thinking they could surprise, having a young roster, a few veteran presences in the lineup and an upgraded goaltending situation. I remember being told I was crazy, that they were too young to make noise yet.  Craig Anderson had been a good backup, but was unproven in the starters role, while a player like Matt Duchene wasn't even projected to be NHL ready when compared to highly touted John Tavares and Victor Hedman. The team went into the season, entirely unheralded, especially after the retirement of their longtime captain Joe Sakic.

They proceeded to finish 2nd in the Northeast division and make the playoffs, losing in the first round.  Craig Anderson stood on his head for much of the season, keeping the club competitive sometimes in spite of itself during spells of the season.

Star-divide

Now I look at this 2011/12 Senators team and ask why the Sens couldn't achieve something similar? We have a young team with a veteran core. Colorado was a team that had been competitive for a very long time, much like the Sens and you wouldn't say they were stacked with premium top 5 picks.  We have that same Craig Anderson in between the pipes, a guy who should viably have plenty in the tank still given he spent a good portion of his early career as a backup.  We have a mixed d corps. Chris Phillips had one of his worst seasons last year and I would figure is training hard to come back strong this year to show it was an aberration and not a trend.  Erik Karlsson avoided the sophomore slump and figures to continue his development.  We will probably be adding 2 first round picks into our defensive rotation.

The Sens play in what most people would agree is the inferior of the 2 conferences. Our farm club is in the Calder Cup finals and has shown a lot of heart and guts in getting there.  I know not to put too much stock in short term performances from the likes of Colin Greening or Erik Condra given the type of season we saw from Peter Regin last year.  But with that said, I would figure the Senators organization will be very well served by the experience many of these prospects have received from this playoff run.

I posted this mainly as I see much pessimism when it comes to our ability to compete next season, so I figured I'd bring a contrarian perspective.

Poll
Do you think the Sens will make the playoffs next season?
Hells no! Is everyone around here taking crazy pills?
26 votes
Maybe, but I'm also a lousy fence sitter
53 votes
Of course! I'm already planning the parade
19 votes

98 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost was written by a member of the Silver Seven community, and does not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of the site managers, editors, or Sports Blogs Nation, Inc.

Comment 12 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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Voted Hells no

Too many young kids on the roster. Is a 2012-13 playoff campaign realistic? I’d vote hells yes, depending on how the kids perform this year.

I think this season is a lost season barring a major influx of NHL-ready talent. There’s going to be a lot of growing pains.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Jun 6, 2011 1:15 PM EDT reply actions  

I voted "Maybe, but I'm also a lousy fence sitter"

I think the Sens will finish better than 13th but I can’t logically say they will definitely make the playoffs. A lot of things that could go wrong last year, did go wrong, so I don’t think it will be as bad this year if it a year of averages.

I would say the Sens will finish between 7th and 11th. I also don’t see us finishing 19 points out of a playoff spot next season. My heart says we will just squeak into 8th, but my head says they will 10th or so and finish 6-7 points out.

I won’t make an official prediction until I see the offseason moves though.

An Ottawa Senators supporter in Toronto, Ontario. I am cool like that.

by Adnan on Jun 6, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions  

I wouldn't exactly cherish the notion of an 8th place finish

Especially if it means a massive regression the next year like Colorado.

by TheGuineaPig on Jun 6, 2011 9:56 PM EDT reply actions  

Why do people forget to mention that the 09/10 Avs almost fell out of the playoff race at the end of the regular season? The trend continued into “this” season.

The cupboard is bare and that’s why I prefer a 2-4 building period before uttering that word which starts with p and ends with y.

by Acer9 on Jun 7, 2011 5:28 AM EDT reply actions  

It's clearly plutocracy

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Jun 10, 2011 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions  

Hell no!!!

Hell no. Console yourself that next year is supposed to be a REALLY good draft year and Karma will have us moving up in the lottery. And console yourself with watching the young guns develop.

by Marvellous on Jun 7, 2011 7:50 AM EDT reply actions  

I hope we're not the 2009-10 Avalanche

Because they had an abysmal 2010-11, and I don’t want to take one step forward and then two back.

by Peter Raaymakers on Jun 11, 2011 2:17 PM EDT reply actions  

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