After five games behind the bench and 11 contests since rejoining the organization, Jacques Martin's evaluation of the Ottawa Senators is becoming more clear: there's a lot of work to be done.
Martin spoke candidly about the team's growing pains following Friday's 6-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
"One of our biggest problems was the gap between our (defensemen) and our forwards," Martin said, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "I didn't think our forwards came back hard enough. When the D got the puck, (the forwards were) too far. A lot of passes got intercepted. We have to be more composed and ready to compete harder. This team has a lot of learning to do."
Martin was known as a detailed, defensive coach during his first run with the Senators from 1996-2004. But it hasn't been smooth sailing in his second tour of duty, as Ottawa has surrendered 22 goals in five games (4.4 per contest) since Martin was named interim head coach. The Sens are 2-3-0 since the change.
The club appeared to be making progress after reeling off back-to-back victories entering Friday, making it a frustrating defeat for a team that's longest win streak on the season is just three games.
"We took a step back," Martin said. "There's no sense being angry. But there's disappointment because I feel like the team was going in the right direction, making some progress. To a man, we have to be better. We're capable, we've shown it."
Defensive inconsistency has plagued the Senators in recent years. They rank 29th this season with 3.58 goals against per game and haven't finished higher than 20th since they last made the playoffs in 2016-17.
The Senators are tied for last place in the Eastern Conference in points percentage (.419) after entering the season with playoff aspirations.
Matt and Blake discuss a desultory 4-1 loss to Philly, Casey DeSmith getting the start instead of Thatcher Demko, Nikita Zadorov's stinker, and the lack of a top-6 winger to play with Elias Pettersson. They debate whether a top-4 right-handed defenceman is a bigger need than that winger, the club's record in December and a looming 7-game road trip in January. They also talk about the Broncos cutting bait with Russell Wilson, the rise of Joe Flacco in Cleveland and the NFL playoff picture. As well as a Welcome Matt on the Winter Classic, and how it should have included the Canucks.
Jeff Paterson stops by with his impressions of the game. Jeff tackles DeSmith getting the start, the power-play struggles, Pettersson's season split in 18-game halves, Vancouver's form against defensive-minded teams, Quinn Hughes' frustration, the imminent return of Carson Soucy, early-January wheeling/dealing, the schedule ahead. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
This year in sports was defined by inspiring stories, historic achievements, and surreal events that not even Hollywood could script. We loved them all. With 2023 drawing to a close, theScore is looking back on 50 moments that resonated most with us over the past 12 months. The five-part series wraps up below with our 10 favorite moments from our latest trip around the sun.
Connor Bedard solidified his superstar status in our earliest highlight of the year. Tied 3-3 in overtime against Slovakia in the World Junior Championship quarterfinal, Bedard deked three defensemen and the goalie to score the game-winning goal. The crucial tally only added to his already impressive stats, finishing the tournament with nine goals and 14 assists.
The hype was through the roof. The subsequent NHL draft was considered the Bedard lottery, and the 17-year-old was selected first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. He lived up to the praise, scoring his first NHL goal in just his second game, and has over 30 points in under three months of play. Almost exactly one year from that pivotal goal at the world juniors, Bedard has all but exceeded the mounting expectations. - Sarah Wallace
9. Biles destroys the field in return 🥇
LOREN ELLIOTT / AFP / Getty
The GOAT of gymnastics returned with a bang in 2023. Two years after her infamous case of the "twisties" at the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles started her comeback at the U.S. Classic, winning gold in the all-around, beam, and floor events. She didn't just win; she steamrolled her competition, finishing five points clear of second place in apparatuses usually separated by tenths or hundredths.
On vault, she completed an incredibly difficult Yurchenko double pike, the only female gymnast to ever land the skill successfully in competition. She later went on to win gold in all-around, beam, floor, and team at the World Championships in October. - Wallace
Nick Taylor became the first Canadian golfer to win the RBC Canadian Open since 1954 when he drained a 72-foot eagle putt to defeat Tommy Fleetwood on the fourth hole of a playoff. The celebration was one for the ages, with the crowd going wild before fellow Canadian TOUR member Adam Hadwin tried to join the festivities on the 18th green. Security, not recognizing Hadwin, proceeded to tackle him to the ground, thinking he was a threat.
Cooler heads eventually prevailed, and Taylor received a celebration fit for such a momentous occasion. - Josh Goldberg
7. Darts?? Darts!! 🎯
THE BEST LEG OF ALL TIME! 🤯🔥
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN MISSES D12 FOR A NINE-DARTER, AND THEN SMITH PINS A PERFECT LEG HIMSELF!
A nine-darter is, in sports terms, rarer than a no-hitter. It has only been caught on television a few times. But it happened again in January 2023, in the World Darts Championship, no less. Michael Smith was trailing famous Dutch player Michael van Gerwen when he duly reeled off the mystical nine-darter, scoring 501 points, the maximum available on the board, in an incredible 61-second flurry of action at Alexandra Palace in London.
Van Gerwen was on a similar pace, matching Smith dart for dart as the 3,200 people in attendance lost their minds. Van Gerwen narrowly missed his ninth shot, going just wide of double 12 and allowing Smith to produce the finish of a lifetime. "That is the most amazing leg of darts you will ever see in your entire life," Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle shouted to the world. - Anthony Lopopolo
6. Alcaraz dethrones Nole at Wimbledon 🍿
Tim Clayton - Corbis / Corbis Sport / Getty
Carlos Alcaraz was staring down the barrel in the Wimbledon final. The Spaniard, anointed as tennis' next icon, already had one Grand Slam title in his pocket, but this was another level of adversity and tension. After being blown away in the opening set of the championship match, the 20-year-old found himself just one point away from a demoralizing two-set deficit. That would've been daunting against anyone, let alone Novak Djokovic, who hadn't lost on Centre Court in a decade. The Serbian was chasing his fifth consecutive crown at the All England Club - and record-tying eighth overall - while also pursuing a rare calendar slam. On this surface, on this stage, he was nearly unbeatable. Nearly.
Alcaraz, unlike the many others who've been dispatched by Djokovic over the years, didn't cower. He kept going for big, bold shots. The end result was an epic five-set victory that took nearly five hours and included an unforgettable 26-minute game in the third set that helped propel Alcaraz to victory and make good on the promise that he's the next dominant force in men's tennis. "I haven't played a player like him. Ever," said Djokovic, who's spent the bulk of his career battling fellow GOAT candidates Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Praise doesn't come any higher. - Gianluca Nesci
5. Welcome to Wemby's world 🤩
Brian Babineau / National Basketball Association / Getty
Players like Victor Wembanyama, a 19-year-old, 7-foot-4 rookie from France, are an anomaly. His playmaking abilities are far beyond what's expected for someone his size - he's tied for tallest active NBA player - making him a generational talent. In his time in the French pro league, he was the youngest to win MVP after leading in rebounds and blocks per game. During his first two friendlies on U.S. soil with his French club, he dropped a combined 73 points on the G League Ignite, a team full of NBA prospects.
His performances attracted global attention - and the San Antonio Spurs struck gold by winning the NBA lottery and the right to draft him first overall. Arguably the best prospect since LeBron James, the rookie's been tres bien despite the Spurs struggling this season. He punctuated his arrival with a 38-point performance against the Phoenix Suns in his fifth career start, joining James and Kevin Durant as the only teenagers to score at least 38 points in a game. - Wallace
Before the greatest free-agent chase of all time and winning the second MLB MVP of his already illustrious career, Shohei Ohtani made waves at the 2023 World Baseball Classic when he helped "Samurai Japan" take down a stacked Team USA in the gold-medal final to capture the nation's third event title.
With Japan holding a slim 3-2 lead and two outs in the ninth, "ShoTime" squared off against (now former) Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout with the game on the line. As fans stood on their feet and sweat beaded the faces of the two legendary baseball combatants, Ohtani proved victorious, firing 100-mph fastballs past Trout before ending their showdown with a filthy slider in a 3-2 count to clinch the win and secure tournament MVP honors in the process. The storybook moment felt like a passing of the torch, with Trout's strikeout signaling that Ohtani had become the world's best player. - Bryan Mcwilliam
Some of the biggest sports stars and celebrities had gathered in Fort Lauderdale to witness Lionel Messi's debut for Inter Miami. LeBron James and Serena Williams, two of the greatest in their own disciplines, came with entourages in tow, and Kim Kardashian brought one of her sons. "He's so excited to see Messi," Kardashian said at the time. Fans had paid thousands of dollars just to catch a glimpse of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, and everyone got their wish when he trotted onto the pitch midway through the second half.
What followed was classic Messi: Standing in front of a free-kick deep into second-half stoppage time, the Argentine arrowed a magnificent left-footed shot into the top left corner to win the game. Inter Miami agreed to pay Messi upwards of $100 million over the next two-and-a-half seasons precisely for moments like these. - Lopopolo
2. LeBron is crowned 👑
HISTORY.
With this bucket, LeBron James moves past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer! pic.twitter.com/N6V5RxPe6r
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA scoring record had long been considered unbreakable until a kid from Akron began to exceed every expectation placed on him. On Feb. 7, with Abdul-Jabbar in attendance at Crypto.com Arena, James swished a fadeaway from the top of the key for his 38,388th career point to pass his fellow Lakers great as the NBA's scoring king.
LeBron pointing to the heavens immediately became an iconic basketball image and one that should stand the test of time - just like his scoring record. - Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb
1. Bills do it for Damar 🫶
The @BuffaloBills return the opening kick. You couldn't write this script.
Can a moment precipitated by an NFL player's heart stopping be considered great?
Six days after safety Damar Hamlin's brush with death, the Buffalo Bills stepped onto the field with the eyes of the sports world on them - including a stadium vibrating with Bills Mafia members ready to explode with pride and love for Hamlin, gratitude for the heroism of the first responders who saved his life, and a desire to return to normal and play some late-season football. It took only 14 seconds from the opening kickoff for all that pent-up emotion to be released. The swell as Nyheim Hines raced down the sideline, past every New England Patriot, and into the arms of the deafening crowd was pure football catharsis.
Hines did it again in the second half because why not?
Hamlin's remarkable resilience and eventual return to the field help make this a moment that'll endure far beyond 2023. But it's also the sort of moment we all hope never to see again. - David P. Woods
What was your favorite sports moment of 2023? Let us know in the comments!
Sat Shah and Bik Nizzar breakdown the Canucks 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in their return home from the Christmas break. Hear from Head Coach Rick Tocchet (39:14): and Quinn Hughes (1:23:29) post game. Plus Iain McIntyre (1:26:45) and Randip Janda have provide their analysis.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
Dan and Sat are back from a short holiday and tee up a game against the Flyers as the Canucks go in with the best record in the NHL. The guys discuss what the peak for Vancouver could look like and whether the step from being a good to great team might have to involve an infusion of some more talent to the lineup. Irfaan Gaffar joins and breaks down what the future could hold for Elias Pettersson and the Canucks. A deal has yet to be made between the two sides and the guys discuss the rumours that continue to circle surrounding what could come next.
This podcast was produced by Ben Basran & Lina Setaghian
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski is expected to be sidelined week-to-week after an awkward collision with Ondrej Palat forced him out of Wednesday's loss to the New Jersey Devils.
Columbus defenceman Zach Werenski has left the game after an awkward collision with Ondřej Palát. pic.twitter.com/XW1i8pLEmg
"He's still being evaluated by our docs," Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent said, per NHL.com. "It's not going to be day-to-day, most likely. I'm sure it's going to be week-to-week now. How many weeks? I don't know."
Werenski leads the Blue Jackets with 25 points this season while also averaging more than 24 minutes per contest. He missed two contests earlier in the year after a knee-on-knee collision and was limited to only 13 games last season due to a shoulder injury.
Columbus drafted Werenski eighth overall in 2015. He's produced 270 points in 450 career games since breaking into the NHL as a 19-year-old.
Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes won't let his club rest on its laurels down the stretch despite exiting the holiday break atop the Western Conference standings.
"Sometimes after games, you're like, 'Holy crap, we're right there (in first place).' But we haven't earned the right to just like put our feet up and cruise to the playoffs," Hughes said, per Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre. "So every game is a test for us, a challenge for us to keep it going. And that's good for us."
Vancouver is 23-9-3 so far, two points clear of the Vegas Golden Knights for top spot in the West as well as the Pacific Division with a game in hand. The Canucks are tied with the New York Rangers for the top spot in the NHL but have played two extra contests compared to New York.
Some critics expect Vancouver to regress in the second half of the campaign based on its potentially unsustainable on-ice results. The Canucks lead the league in five-on-five shooting percentage at 12.2% while also ranking fourth with a .929 save percentage at even strength, according to Natural Stat Trick.
"I don't blame anyone for saying anything," Hughes said. "I mean, we're not a team where we've been in the playoffs the last five years ... I think we have a great team. I mean, we're going to go through a stretch here where we lose a couple of games, but we're also going to go through stretches where we win a lot of games."
The Canucks went on a 7-1-2 run before Christmas, but head coach Rick Tocchet was impressed by his players not getting carried away with the success.
"Guys are pissed about some games," he said. "I sleep at night when I hear that from players. I like the feeling that guys are uncomfortable, that they're not happy. They're happy in certain respects, but they're unhappy about some of the play. And I like that."
Tocchet is in his first full season behind the Canucks' bench. He's 43-21-7 since taking over in January. Vancouver has only made the postseason once since 2015, winning two series in the bubble playoffs in 2020.
The Canucks return to the ice Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
