BLOG: There Will Be Blood

beedub wrote:I agree, there is a trade brewing. Too much of a logjam, both at forward and at D. Nice problem to have, I guess, but it keeps you guessing about what the lineup will look like come the season opener.

Absolutely. Murray's rebuilding our D slowly but surely, but I know he wants a top 6 impact forward. Gerber's good, but not good enough IMO.

beedub wrote:The name Khabibulin keeps popping up. Do you think they are creating a surplus of D men in order to make a trade there. I would not be surprised to see him land here, because I don't think Murray is entirely sold on Gerber.

How much of an upgrade is he though? If he help a lot, then great, but for 7 million dollars, will that make us weaker in the depth department?

504Heater wrote:

beedub wrote:The name Khabibulin keeps popping up. Do you think they are creating a surplus of D men in order to make a trade there. I would not be surprised to see him land here, because I don't think Murray is entirely sold on Gerber.

How much of an upgrade is he though? If he help a lot, then great, but for 7 million dollars, will that make us weaker in the depth department?

We don't need Khabibulin for that price tag. What we got already is right on par. I still think people give Gerber too bad a rap. His numbers were more than respectable on a team that showed no defensive prowress whatsoever. Plus, we have a very stable backup in Auld. We can wait until next year or the deadline if we have to address the goaltending situation, but I think Gerber in front of the guys we have now is going to win close to 40 games this season. We've got one of the best shut down crews (potentially) in the league.

Go to the Sens site and go to the bio's of Picard and Kuba and check out the video highlights of these two. They offer so much more than the pairing of Reddena and Meszaros and both are capable of playing the power play.

IMO Murray has made me forget about the COrvo and Eaves trade, plus has made this team that much better. Meanness (sp?) a plenty with Volchenkov, Smith and Picard. Mobility in Kuba, Picard, Lee. And shot blocking guru's in Smith and A train, then there's always mister reliable in Philly!!!

beedub wrote:The name Khabibulin keeps popping up. Do you think they are creating a surplus of D men in order to make a trade there. I would not be surprised to see him land here, because I don't think Murray is entirely sold on Gerber.

I think the people who keep reporting that are the same people who were saying two years ago that everybody in Ottawa hated Alfie and were looking him to run him out of town. In other words, it media fantasy / myth / BS.

Khabby is way too expensive and injury-prone to take the risk on, especially since he's not much of (if at all) an upgrade on Gerber. I think the whole topic is a non-starter.

The only time I think we would even consider Khabby would be at the trade deadline, if our goaltending is that awful and he can be had for cheaper. Even in that situation, I'd expect Elliott to get a shot first.