GAME DAY: Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm Jan. 17th, 2009

Number Twenty Nine wrote:It would seem to me that both Spezza and Heatley have massive egos. What Danny showed us on Saturday is the he can "light it up" when he wants. Actually I think he plays better pissed off. Some of his best play was against Buffalo in that magic year. I remember him screaming at the crowd in Buffalo when he was getting booed.

We just need him to channel that pissed off Heatley instead of the complacent and indifferent Heatley we've seen for a year.

During the Sens Skills yesterday, Heatley did have an F U aura about him. Like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

I think he doesn't like that the fans are fickle. But unfortunately, that's the price you pay to play in a hot Hockey market. God one day and Devil the next... He needs to think less about that and more about the one's that are paying his massive salary.

I just don't think he likes people...He's not a people person.
In that same way, I don't think he likes to showoff for people when people want him to. Imo he would rather shatter expectations (in one way or another) than live up to them. He and Spazz are two sides of the classic narcissistic personality structure.

PKC wrote:Let the records show that not all of us were on the trade Spezza wagon. Some of us vehemently defended him and his talent and his ability to change to become a better all around player.

However, when it comes to Heatley, I think the return would be so massive, that a move could simultaneously be hurtful in the short-term but great in the long term.

*Hem, hem.* Like me. 8)

I was going to chime in a week ago when everyone (else) around here finally starting realizing that Spezza is not a guy you trade under any circumstances, like I've been saying for months on end, but no one like (another) gloater, I guess. :D

Now I'll just sit back and wait for the sane view of Heatley as equally untouchable to return.

Very few of us wanted to trade Spezza, but there came a point when things were so bad and so low, that he was the logical one to go. The return would've had to be unbelievable though - and even then it was a scary thought.

I've been tearing this team down on paper and then reconstructing them for almost a calender year now and I still don't see how we can manage with the 24 million tied up in 4 forwards, but if this is the front end that I'll be seeing for the next 5 years or whatever, it could be a heck of a lot worse. 8)

That being said, there comes a time when you have to let go of a 'good' guy like Kelly and take the 3rd round pick and use that money for D. I would say that Vermette should be in there as well. In the summer we should explore heavily the markets for these guys and see what we can get. I would love to turn Vermette into a D-man (probably have to give a prospect and a high pick to get a decent one) - but I'd be just as happy keeping him, letting Kelly and Jason Smith go and revamping our D that way.

What can you say? There are only a couple of ways Murray (or whoever) can approach this - and one scenario involves trading a big salary.

It never had anything to do with Spezza 100% having to be the guy to go, but the logical guy to go if the Sens want to improve their defense and work from the back end up, which still should be done. (It's pretty clear how bad the D is here). If people want to waive thier NTC's, awesome, but if they dont, your stuck, and there isnt enough cash goign forward when considering the cap is going down, Spezza still might be the odd man out, fair or not.

6 years of J Bo vs 7 years of Spezza, I wouldnt have a second thought, its J Bo every time. That probably isnt realistic either, but thats what Im trying to say in a very simplistic way.

You can do it, it's just gonna require some slick maneuvering.

Heatley (7.5) - Spezza (7) - Alfie (5.4)
Foligno (.850) - Fisher (4.2) - Zubov (.850)
Winchester (0.55) - Vermette (2.75) - Neil (1.5)
Ruutu (1.3) - Bass (0.5) - Donovan (0.6)

Subtotal: 33.0

Bouwmeester (7.5) - Lee (1.3)
Phillips (3.5) - Volchenkov (2.5)
Picard (0.9) - Schubert (0.9)

Elliot (1.1)
Auld (1.0)

Total: 51.7

There are flaws in this going forward, but you keep everything intact for the moment, while bringing in a huge D-man.

504Heater wrote:You can do it, it's just gonna require some slick maneuvering.

Heatley (7.5) - Spezza (7) - Alfie (5.4)
Foligno (.850) - Fisher (4.2) - Zubov (.850)
Winchester (0.55) - Vermette (2.75) - Neil (1.5)
Ruutu (1.3) - Bass (0.5) - Donovan (0.6)

Subtotal: 33.0

Bouwmeester (7.5) - Lee (1.3)
Phillips (3.5) - Volchenkov (2.5)
Picard (0.9) - Schubert (0.9)

Elliot (1.1)
Auld (1.0)

Total: 51.7

There are flaws in this going forward, but you keep everything intact for the moment, while bringing in a huge D-man.

If Elliott doenst work out?

Neely4Life wrote:
If Elliott doenst work out?

We're a little Diddle then. We hope Auld can handle 50+ games. Or we deal for a goalie next year. Let's pretend that Elliot works out in this scenario (which I really think he will). :D

Haha, ok, thats fine. In reality its not clear cut like that and there is no room for error even pretending that is the scenario going into next year.

In all honesty, that wont be the roster next year, there will have to be a top 4 salary moved or there wont be much improvement unless Elliott plays out of this world.

At some point you have to go with youth. If Elliot continues to progress, I would say he'll be just fine with him next year.

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:
If Elliott doenst work out?

We're a little Diddle then. We hope Auld can handle 50+ games. Or we deal for a goalie next year. Let's pretend that Elliot works out in this scenario (which I really think he will). :D

We're franked without Elliot working out. There are no star goalies out there up for grabs. None in the draft that can step in. Our options are very limited here.

504Heater wrote:At some point you have to go with youth. If Elliot continues to progress, I would say he'll be just fine with him next year.

No one is on the Elliott band wagon more than I am, thats for sure. But the reality is, you still need the ability to make a move if you have no other options.

Being tied down by the cap when there are other more important issues with the team is a bad situation.

Do I think Elliott will work out, Absolutly! Will he, thats anything but a garentee.

Unless you have the requisite budget to get a Vokoun or someone of that ilk.

Neely4Life wrote:
No one is on the Elliott band wagon more than I am, thats for sure. But the reality is, you still need the ability to make a move if you have no other options.

Being tied down by the cap when there are other more important issues with the team is a bad situation.

Do I think Elliott will work out, Absolutly! Will he, thats anything but a garentee.

At that point, we would have to dump Auld, Vermette and a pick to get a goalie. There's some wiggle room, not much, but some.

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:
No one is on the Elliott band wagon more than I am, thats for sure. But the reality is, you still need the ability to make a move if you have no other options.

Being tied down by the cap when there are other more important issues with the team is a bad situation.

Do I think Elliott will work out, Absolutly! Will he, thats anything but a garentee.

At that point, we would have to dump Auld, Vermette and a pick to get a goalie. There's some wiggle room, not much, but some.

The reality is they will do evertyhing they can to avoid that situation.

To be honest, if this team is going into any kind of re-build then they won't spend close to the cap and will give their young guys a lot of leash. If they expect to have a complete turnaround next season then they'll try to reload in the offseason I would think.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:To be honest, if this team is going into any kind of re-build then they won't spend close to the cap and will give their young guys a lot of leash. If they expect to have a complete turnaround next season then they'll try to reload in the offseason I would think.

They need to rebuild the backend. A couple reliable puck movers, along with the subtraction of 1 German, the team should be fine. Where will that money come from without getting into a bad situation? Not sure.

Neely4Life wrote:
They need to rebuild the backend. A couple reliable puck movers, along with the subtraction of 1 German, the team should be fine. Where will that money come from without getting into a bad situation? Not sure.

Then definitely no to Bouwmeester, trade for 2 puck movers.

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:
They need to rebuild the backend. A couple reliable puck movers, along with the subtraction of 1 German, the team should be fine. Where will that money come from without getting into a bad situation? Not sure.

Then definitely no to Bouwmeester, trade for 2 puck movers.

J Bo would be the best thing to happen to the Sens in a long, long, long time.