FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-We’ll start with a good thought because the next four are going to be less than positive. Zack Smith continues to turn in a career season and despite what concerns about an inflated shooting percentage might suggest, he really does look like a guy who can play a top six forward position in a pinch. Now that doesn’t mean he should or that the Senators should make decisions with that in mind but he really has shown that he has the ability to play up in the line up. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of “Zack Smith the Winger” but a 20 goal season and consistently looking like one of the best forwards on the ice is enough to make me wonder if that really is the best place for him.
-If there was any lingering doubt about whether or not this team could make a late push for a playoff spot, a dreadful effort against a Division rival should just about seal it. This team is not going to make the playoffs this year and all that’s really left is to think about what went wrong this year. It’s a pretty long list unfortunately and it’s sort of a mix of things within their control and some that aren’t.
-The most frustrating thing about this year’s team is the inconsistency. And the most frustrating thing about inconsistency is it’s always kind of difficult to pin point a root cause. You see flashes of brilliance like that first period against Carolina and then somehow that same group of individuals turn in a third period like they did in Florida. Ebbs and flows like this are pretty normal in hockey but with the Senators it seems like there’s such a disparity between the highs and lows.
-Which brings me to Coaching. When a team can’t turn in a consistent effort, that usually falls on the Head Coach. And really, it’s not always fair. These are professional athletes and as long as the Coach gives them a system to work with, they should be able to find that inspiration to do what the Coach is asking them to do. To execute the plan on a nightly basis. But maybe in the case of the Senators, that system isn’t always all that clear. Puck support through the middle of the ice, both forwards and defenceman knowing where to be in the defensive zone, breakouts where every player on the ice is an option. These are all fundamental elements of a well-structured team and those things just haven’t been there for the Senators. So maybe there is no system?
-But really, why would a Coach go through an entire season without a system? And at the NHL level? So it can’t be that. It’s either the wrong system, a reluctance by the players to completely buy in, or it’s the wrong group players. And honestly, it’s probably a combination of those three things. And that’s why this off season is going to be so important for the Senators. There are really good pieces in place here and it would be a damn shame to waste it. They don’t need a rebuild but what they do need is a serious evaluation of the Coaching staff and of the mix of players in that locker room. And yes, they also need to think long and hard about exactly who should be making those decisions.
