Ottawa Senators Ups and Downs: Week 4

The Senators actually had a pretty good week, beating the Flames in a shootout despite outplayed, then splitting a home-and-home with the Red Wings in which the Sens managed to hold their own. If the team plays .667 hockey for the rest of the year, no one will complain.

Biggest Gains: Bobby Ryan

Ryan had a disappointing start to the year, and many were calling for him to be traded. This week though he had three goals and an assist in three games (though to be fair, one goal was an empty-netter), and was one of the better Corsi players on the team for the week. He may be the highest paid player on the team, but this week he was one of the best players too.

Biggest Losses: Chris Wideman

There wasn't an obvious loser this week, so I give the loser to Wideman because he didn't find his way into any games. Not for lack of merit, but it's clear the team won't play him unless someone else is injured. "Best players play" doesn't seem to apply in his situation.

Goaltenders	Trend	Notes
Craig Anderson		Not a great week when you're sub-.900 in both games you play.
Andrew Hammond		I was very concerned after Hammond's first game, but he responded in a big way with a huge win against the Wings.
Defensemen
Mark Borowiecki		I hate to beat a dead horse, but he and Cowen aren't good together.
Cody Ceci		He and Wiercioch haven't looked great, and the two got eaten alive against the Flames. The only plus is that he at least had one point this week.
Jared Cowen		I hate to beat a dead horse, but he and Borocop aren't good together.
Erik Karlsson		Three points in three games, on the team's best possession pairing in 2/3 games (score effects helped about nearly everyone against the Wings on Saturday). The only problem is that we know he can be better.
Marc Methot		Came back and made the D-corps instantly better. He and Karlsson are pretty dominant together.
Chris Phillips		Hi Chris!
Chris Wideman		Didn't play. See Biggest Losses.
Patrick Wiercioch		I don't get Patty W. His possession stats aren't great and he has two assists on the year (none this week). I don't think he's the guy that's been raved about online for the past two seasons.
Forwards
Alex Chiasson		Chiasson is still the least noticeable player on the team
Mike Hoffman		I hate to hassle the Hoff, but this team really needs him back.
Curtis Lazar		This team could also use young Curtis back.
Clarke MacArthur		No news is not good news.
Max McCormick		Hard to stand out as a grinder on the Smith-Neil line.
Milan Michalek		Milo actually had two points this week, though he hasn't been much of a driving force on the puck.
Chris Neil		Remember when Neil had changed and it was evidenced by him not putting the team shorthanded? Yeah, turns out he hasn't changed.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau		I'm not sure what standard to judge Pageau by. In the interest of my pro-Pageau bias not shining through, I'll keep him and his lone goal as a neutral on the week.
Shane Prince		Got promoted to the top line and didn't look out of place. That's pretty good for a guy who couldn't make the team out of camp.
Matt Puempel		First goal of the season is good enough for me for the surprise call-up.
Bobby Ryan		See Biggest Gains.
Zack Smith		Smith had an impressive individual effort for a goal against Calgary, and then got benched for the entire third period in the first game against Detroit. Definitely wasn't unnoticeable though.
Mark Stone		Four points in three games, and is up to his old tracks, being third in the NHL in takeaways (second in TkA/Game). Side note: Stone could get suspended for a hit, which could be deserved, though I'm not sure why Zetterberg doesn't get talked to about this hit on Pageau.
Kyle Turris		Also had four points this week, including his 100th career goal. Someone pointed out that Turris and Stone are becoming the Sens' Getzlaf and Perry, and I can't say I disagree
Mika Zibanejad		Zibanejad was just fine.