Are the Ottawa Senators mentally (or physically) tough enough right now?
While GM Steve Staios and his staff use the rest of this season to evaluate where things have gone wrong, there is one question that needs to be addressed.
Are the Ottawa Senators collectively hard enough to play against?
To be clear, we're talking about not only being physical and robust, but also about mental fortitude.
Since removing DJ Smith as head coach, the Senators have not only registered a 4-9 record, but five of their losses have come after surrendering a lead in the third period.
Approaching the halfway point of the season, the Senators have yet to collect a loser’s point in any of their 24 losses.
Not only do they not seem hard enough to preserve a lead, they also seem too fragile to reclaim it.
After the club’s 7-4 loss to Colorado on Tuesday night, in which the Senators surrendered five unanswered goals (and two while their own goal was being still being announced), Martin suggested as much.
“I definitely think part of it is mental," Martin said. "You've got to build some resistance. You've got to build some mechanism that when you face adversity it brings the best out of you, instead of folding, you know?"
The natural place to look for answers is the leadership group.
As captains, Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux seem to be holding up their end of the bargain. Giroux is tied with Tim Stutzle in points and Tkachuk is only four points back. In addition, Tkachuk has delivered these results while leading the team in penalty minutes and fighting majors.
Ridly Greig is a feisty player who, not for a lack of effort, won’t intimidate people physically. However, he is clearly a player who can irritate and annoy while producing offensively. There are many ways of being difficult to play against.
No one on the defensive core fits the description of a punishing hitter who slows people down when they approach the blue line.
In fact, it’s hard to forget Tage Thompson wandering unencumbered over the blue line into the slot before roofing his first of two goals last week. An eerily similar play took place against the Avalanche which was, fortunately for the Senators, ruled offside upon review.
The truth is that the list gets short on players who can turn the tide physically. There are no Chris Neils or Zdeno Charas who can keep the other team honest AND be effective on the ice.
Having Tkachuk fill that role is admirable. However, almost every fighting major he incurs is against a player far less valuable to the opposition.
Zack MacEwen was signed in response to Ryan Reaves joining the Leafs. Getting six minutes of ice time a game doesn’t allow for much opportunity to do that and he can’t seem to find a dance partner regardless. The same can be said for Mark Kastelic and his 7:15 per game.
Both of them don't mind dropping their gloves. However, if they don’t play enough to make an impact on the game, what’s the point?
The team hasn’t successfully replaced Alex Formenton and, though his name may not be a popular one, he brought a combination of speed, hard forecheck and offence that doesn’t exist on today’s roster.
Does salvation lie within? Are there answers in Belleville?
Tyler Kleven plays the type of game that doesn’t exist on the current defense core. Is he ready? Perhaps an audition after the trade deadline will tell.
Jiri Smejkal is no pugilist. His 6’4 frame and ability to skate is intriguing. Perhaps this is another audition that needs to happen. Tyler Boucher is a wait and see at best. Same for Zack Ostapchuk. Beyond that, there are prospects but not those kinds of prospects.
Surely this void has an impact on the mental side of the game from the crease on out and vice versa.
By no means are the Senators soft physically. But are they hard enough to win consistently? At the moment, it doesn't appear so, and it seems to affect their psyche when the game matters most.