Ottawa Senators: Just Good Enough
The Ottawa Senators Are Just Good Enough To…
The Ottawa Senators should be just good enough to make the playoffs. The Senators currently sit 7th in the Eastern Conference. The Senators are 16-11-5, posting a 4-6 record over their last ten games. Coach Dave Cameron has done some interesting things during the last ten games. Coach Cameron thought it would be wise to move the teams leading goal scorer down in the line-up for a defenceman… Yes, Mike Hoffman was bumped down in the line-up for Mark Borowiecki.
The Hoff
The Ottawa Senators have mishandled Mike Hoffman several times. I don’t know what Hoffman must do to be recognized as a star by Cameron and Management. If Bryan Murray could have recognized his talent last season and given him a contract, instead of going to arbitration, then the Senators would not have to pay him the crazy amount he will receive at the end of this season. I am hoping Hoffman stays in Ottawa, but will he? Hopefully the benching, demotions during the playoffs, and lack of respect don’t encourage him to go elsewhere.
I do not want to dwell on the Cameron decision or Hoffman situation. It has been covered extensively by most writers who cover the Senators. I have decided to check in on the Senators team statistics and see where they stack up against the rest of the league. First lets examine the injuries the team is currently dealing with.
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Injuries
The Senators are still without Clarke MacArthur and Milan Michalek. MacArthur has only played four games this season so it is hard to really note his impact this year. Losing Michalek resulted in the team losing a veteran player who could fit in on several lines including the Penalty Kill and Power Play.
Statistics
The Senators have the 2nd worst Even-Strength Corsi% in the entire league with a 46.1%. The Senators are quite a puzzling team. They get dominated in terms of Corsi, but are still 5th in the league in Even-Strength Goals For. This is due to the team having an incredibly high shooting percentage. The Senators are 4th in team Even-Strength shooting percentage with 8.7%.
The Senators are 10th in the league with a 93.2% save percentage during Even-Strength and 24th in the league for goals against during even strength. The Senators give up a ton of chances to the opposition. The Senators have been out chanced via Corsi in 22 of 32 games this season. It is quite fortunate that the Senators are 10th in Even Strength save percentage. If Craig Anderson was not having the impressive season he is having the Senators would have many more losses.
Special Teams
The Ottawa Senators have the 8th best power play percentage in the league with a 20.4%. The Senators are 22nd in the league with a 78.3% on the penalty kill. The team has been on the penalty kill many times this season, the team is tied for 8th in the league with 106 times short handed.
Many Senators players have taken many penalties this season. Several players have recorded ten penalties this season. Mark Borowiecki, Alex Chiasson, Erik Karlsson, Marc Methot, Chris Neil, and Patrick Wiercioch have all taken ten penalties. Bobby Ryan and Curtis Lazar have been the best at drawing penalties with Ryan taking three and drawing eleven, and Lazar taking one penalty and drawing seven.
Next: Clarke MacArthur Not Nearing Return
Just Good Enough
The Ottawa Senators have some very talented players. Erik Karlsson could be the best defenceman in the league, Kyle Turris is evolving into a top centre, and Mike Hoffman is proving he is a legitimate scoring machine. I believe the Senators will make the playoffs this year but I do not believe they will make a deep push unless some things change.
The team gives the opposition way too many chances to score and does not generate enough of their own. Few players outside of players on the top lines have really stepped up. Will Bryan Murray make any meaningful acquisitions at or near the trade deadline? Probably not. Will Dave Cameron continue to mess with the lines and try to find gold? Probably. It will be interesting to see where the team sits at the All-Star Game. The Senators have many talented players on their rosters and great goaltending, but I feel as if they are short of being a serious contender unless some things change. They are just good enough to make the playoffs.