Senators ups and downs: Week 19

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 7:00 AM EST in Ottawa Senators ups and downs

(Ups and downs is a feature that looks at the individual performances of the Ottawa Senators during the past week.)

Before we start, I want to give a big shout out to community members SwedeTom and TheGuineaPig for their most excellent fan posts this weekend. Since there's a ridiculous afternoon game today, the front page is about to get spammed with a GDT, a recap, and maybe even some Silver Nuggets if there's no Star Trek marathon anywhere, so you may miss them, and that would be a shame. Check them out here:

Jakob Silfverberg is ready. Let's just nickname him "Bonesaw" and be done with it.
All-Time Sens Killers. Because masochism is okay if it's well-written, apparently.

Anyway, the Senators only played two games last week and won them both. That's because their daddies were with them. They don't lose when they do this dad's trip thing, and head coach Paul MacLean was smooth enough to include the dads in the locker room for pre-game preparations.

Why don't the Senators just have their dads along all the time, you ask? Because eventually they'd get fed up and hate hockey. Just ask Robin Lehner's dad's son.

Biggest gains: Hasse Alfredsson
No, I'm just kidding. Our newer readers may not understand the meme behind the image, which is not of Alfie's actual dad. During the Sens' first dad's trip, Hasse had missed a goal Alfie had scored. It was quickly decided in the comments that Hasse wouldn't have been impressed anyway, because as a dad, he would have been the one to teach Alfie everything anyway, having done it all before himself. Now Hasse is unimpressed by everything according to Silver Seven.

Biggest gains: Jason Spezza
We wanted to give this to the much-maligned Bobby Butler, who had a great week, but Spezza had seven points (3G, 4A) in two games. And on back-to-back nights. When you consider that the team scored 10 goals in those two games, Spezza's impact becomes even clearer: he was involved in some way on 70% of all of Ottawa's offense for the week. That's a good little run, there.

Biggest losses: Matt Carkner
Scratched for the entire father's trip, Carkner doesn't have much to show for himself recently. Considering Brian Lee's strong play and Carkner's UFA status, there's a very real chance that he might have played his last game in a Sens jersey this year--he might be eyed by a playoff team seeking toughness. If MacLean isn't going to play him, general manager Bryan Murray might just trade him.

(read on for the full rundown...)

ok, I believe you

Goalies	Trend	Notes
Craig Anderson		A shutout and a strong win over Florida. This is the Anderson the Senators need.
Alex Auld		And back to the bench he goes!
Defensemen
Matt Carkner		See "Biggest losses."
Jared Cowen		We really liked his play in both games this week--it was a far cry from the nonsensical puck-chasing of the recent past.
Sergei Gonchar		Had an assist in the win over Tampa Bay, but it's a warning sign that Karlsson and Kuba have taken over as the team's top power play defensemen.
Erik Karlsson		Three points (1G, 2A) in two games. Whatever was causing his little slump, it seems to have disappeared.
Filip Kuba		Is too valuable to trade.If you thought this would happen a year ago, you are a liar.
Brian Lee		Notched two assists against Florida, and they were both crucial, as he and the fourth line kept the team afloat until the stars woke up.
Chris Phillips		Well, he can't play every game like it's his thousandth.
Forwards
Daniel Alfredsson		There is no amount of praise we can heap on this man that would be too much. Did you see his 20th goal of the season?
Bobby Butler		Had exactly four fewer points than Spezza in as many games. What a bust.
Erik Condra		Just chillin' on the third line and killing penalties.
Kaspars Daugavins		Had a great game against Florida, and it was a long time in coming.
Nick Foligno		Give him credit--he's not letting his demotion affect his hustle.
Colin Greening		Has yet to show any chemistry with Turris and Alfredsson.
Zenon Konopka		Scratched due to Jim O'Brien's hustle.
Milan Michalek		Three points (1G, 2A) in two games. So, if you're keeping track, Jason Spezza outscored his two wingers combined.
Chris Neil		We still feel like he's not really fitting on the fourth line.
Jim O'Brien		Scored his first NHL goal this week!
Zack Smith		We loved his two-fight night in Florida. But we're not sure where the offense has gone. It's possible the third line has evolved into the team's checking line.
Kyle Turris		The effort is there, but the points are not. Still scoreless in February, even though he's hit a bunch of posts and had an open net or two.
Jason Spezza		See "Biggest gains."

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Comments

I think the ups and downs are on the ball

I wonder whether Greening’s slump is related to that of his new centre, although I thought there were a few games, back when Greening was on the first line, in which he scored some points while Spezza was on a bit of a scoring slump.

I’m not too worried about Turris, but I think it might work better if Foligno were moved back up to the second line and Greening put down to the third for a while. I thought Foligno with Alfie and Turris was a good line.

The Islanders have been playing some almost decent hockey these days, so the Senators had better get scoring from throughout the line-up. This would be a good game for Z. Smith or Erik Condra to score a goal. DO YOU HEAR ME, Z. SMITH & CONDRA?!?! (Not like Z. Smith would give a crap, but still.)

The Marginal Virtues

by JonathanA on Feb 20, 2012 7:28 AM EST reply actions

Slumping Greening and Turris

It’s definitely not for a lack of opportunity or effort though. Greening and Turris are both getting their shots in… especially in the Florida game, I think they each had 5 shots each, and that’s not counting posts!

by ek65 on Feb 20, 2012 8:59 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm pleased with their effort

I actually thought Paulrus should have made a Michalek-Turris-Butler line against Florida, because they were the three with the most hustle.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 9:30 AM EST up reply actions

Turris and Greening

Turris just seems snakebitten. Thought on the combined comments on Greening and Neil – do you think it’s worth bumping Neil up to the 3rd and maybe letting Greening plug it out on the 4th line for a couple of games? i’m wondiner if with his big body, he should be trying to develop the more physical side of his game – putting him on a 4th checking line might force that into him.

I think your arrows are right on the mark though – pun totally intended…

by west-sider on Feb 20, 2012 9:44 AM EST up reply actions

I have no idea

Long term, I think the solution is to get Greening and Foligno on a third line with either Da Costa or Zibanejad, if he’s not converted to a top-six winger. Condra, Z. Smith and Neil would make up a fourth line that could actually play valuable shifts for more than five minutes a game.

As for this year, if the third line really has evolved into a checking line, I don’t think that I’d want Neil on there. I have confidence in Z. Smith’s defensive game based on his PK skills, but how many top-six wingers do you want Neil covering defensively, you know?

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 11:16 AM EST up reply actions

point taken.

so, in your world where does Daugavins wind up? Trade-bait, progression to a top-6, press-box? (personally, i don’t see the top-6)

i like your bottom 6 and that line could more than provide a 4th-line’s worth of offense.

Man, we sure are building up a stable of players/assets.

by west-sider on Feb 20, 2012 11:24 AM EST up reply actions

Man, I don't know

My bottom six doesn’t have room for guys like Winchester, JOB, or Daugavins. I guess I’d offer them two-way contracts for as long as I could, and if I couldn’t find a regular spot for them in the lineup, I’d try to trade them to a team where they could get NHL minutes.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

I like all the green arrows

Also, Kuba is useful and a core part of our team. What the hell.

But he’s going to be valuable at the deadline – if Gill can get two prospects and a second on an expiring contract, Kuba’s got to be worth at least that.

BMurr’s gonna have some tough decisions to make at the deadline.

by The Tif on Feb 20, 2012 11:20 AM EST reply actions

I bet he stands pat

No draft pick is worth a playoff berth.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

Carks

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of love for this guy, which I don’t really get. I will come out and say I hope Carkner doesn’t go anywhere. I agree Lee has been playing better than earlier this season and especially last season, but Carkner is a good insurance policy for the playoffs should one of our D-men succumb to injury. Given the age of Gonchar, Phillips, Kuba, that’s not an unlikely scenario. He’s the 5th-toughest guy in the league, according to CBC’s survey of NHL players and he’s a local boy who loves playing for his home town. Toughness in the playoffs can’t be overrated, and let’s face it, if he was from anywhere near Toronto there would be a campaign to get him in a Leafs jersey!
If Murray is going to make some moves, I’d personally rather see him trade Konopka as part of a package (maybe a young prospect like Peterssen, who seems to have turned the entire city of Binghamton against him) to bring in a solid first-liner who can slot in where Greening, Condra and Butler have all failed to entrench themselves.

by heybeerguy on Feb 20, 2012 11:28 AM EST reply actions

I don't have anything against Carkner, but I think Lee is the better option right now

I’m fine with him being our 7th defenseman, but I could see Murray moving him if the price is right.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 12:56 PM EST up reply actions

I'm with you

I like him, and would be happy if he sticks around. However, the way the team (and particularly Brian Lee) is playing right now, he’s not going to get a sniff in the lineup.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2012 3:42 PM EST up reply actions