Senators Ups and Downs Week 8
Ups and downs is a feature that looks at the individual performances of the Ottawa Senators during the past week.
Just another inconsistent week. What else is there to say? Two losses well-deserved, one win well-deserved, and one loss undeserved. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2013-14 Ottawa Senators.
Biggest Gains: Clarke MacArthur
Sometimes numbers lie. Sometimes they don't. MacArthur had 5P (3G, 2a) in 4 games this week, and was Ottawa's most consistent--and therefore, best--forward on the week. It's great fortune that the team's top line has three players who can pick up each others' slack when one isn't killing it. If they had that kind of interchangability across the lineup, they'd be in great shape. So... everyone try as hard as Clarkey Mac.
Biggest Losses: Craig Anderson
Paul MacLean can keep declaring him the number one goalie, but if he doesn't start playing like it soon, it won't matter anyway.
| Goaltenders | Trend | Notes |
| Craig Anderson |  | See "Biggest losses." |
| Robin Lehner |  | Didn't like his play on Sunday. LOVED his play on Saturday. Good enough. |
| Defensemen | ||
| Mark Borowiecki |  | Physical karma? BoroCop might miss some time after taking a rough boarding hit against the Carolina Hurricanes. Being on the receiving end for a big hit has to be a new experience for him. |
| Joe Corvo | | If Borowiecki misses time, does Corvo draw in? Who knows at this point? |
| Jared Cowen | | Everybody pile on! |
| Eric Gryba | | Hasn't played since the buttwhippin' in Philly. |
| Erik Karlsson | | 4A in 4G this week. Leads the team in scoring. |
| Marc Methot | | Looks better with Karlsson. Doesn't everybody? |
| Chris Phillips | | Was pretty invisible this week. So, that's not terrible, I guess. |
| Patrick Wiercioch | | Picked up two assists in his first game since being scratched. Dave said it best: This team needs preseason Patty. |
| Forwards | ||
| Cory Conacher | | Not a great week for Conacher. He only had one assist and was called for more penalties than he drew. That got him bumped out of the top six. |
| Erik Condra | | I dreamed Condra's return would fix so many problems. Then I woke up. |
| Derek Grant | | Love the way Grant plays the PK. But is being good at the PK enough to make an NHL career? |
| Colin Greening | | 15 hits in four games this week. Still no goals. |
| Matt Kassian | | Kassian didn't play this week. But the inconsistency continued with Condra in the lineup, so it's not like Kassian was the problem. |
| Clarke MacArthur | | See "Biggest gains." |
| Milan Michalek | | Where's Milo? There's Milo! |
| Chris Neil | | Neil's fine. |
| Bobby Ryan | | Had one multi-point game and three no-point games. Not quite what we're looking for. |
| Z. Smith | | Z. Smith and his line had some very good third line performances this week. |
| Jason Spezza | | Two points (1G, 1A) since being united with Zibanejad. I think they should probably try that for a little while longer. |
| Kyle Turris | | Just two goals on the week. Right... just two. |
| Mika Zibanejad | | Big timin'! DJ Z-bad is trying to turn a limited engagement into a full-time gig. Played well enough to earn top six minutes. Now needs to deliver with them. |
Special thanks to our friend winterion at Japer's Rink for our icons!