Jonathan Cheechoo speaks; Sens fans debate the hot issues.

sidstu wrote:I'm a habs fan and I've been Gainey's biggest critic but to trade heatley for this is not good---I always liked B. Murray but Heatley got the better of him on this one and he just gave San Jose a possible stanley cup---this trade is a joke to say the least

hahah you're kidding right?

Michalek is the best player we could have got in any deal that has been discussed all offseason and he's only 24...you clearly just looked at stats and have no idea what either of these players brings to the team and thats not including the depth that it gives us

I disagree. BM made the best of a bad situation. Michalek is a player on his way up and Cheechoo, if healthy, is a lock for 20-25 goals.

I gotta say sidstu, it's one thing to critisize the trade or the GM. One thing your criticism lacks completely though is any level of analysis.

There is no criteria for posters here, provided they stay within the rules. All I'm saying is that you haven't made an argument at all. I'm curious to know what your reasoning is behind your post.

sidstu wrote:I'm a habs fan and I've been Gainey's biggest critic but to trade heatley for this is not good---I always liked B. Murray but Heatley got the better of him on this one and he just gave San Jose a possible stanley cup---this trade is a joke to say the least

Agree, player for player, Murray lost this tilt. But when you look a the whole picture, Heatley was NOT going to play to his potential with Ottawa this year and absolutely needed to go, other wise he was risking dragging the whole squad down with him.

Murray got the best deal he could, and received two very serviceable players in return, along with the 2nd.

He has my support for having the balls to do this trade

sidstu wrote:i'm not sure if you read my email correctly--i've said that i'm the biggest critic of gainey's moves--why--b/c the habs are brutal tat roster but what does that have to do with this joke trade--you are basically saying that this trade is justified b/c the habs have a garbage team--get a better arguement than that

You brought up the 2 different GM's, I simply compared the 2.

Murray absolutly made the best of a bad situation. Michalek will probably top 70-80 points sometime in the near future while having the ability to play in any and every situation. Cheechoo is a good top 6 forward who will get you 25-30 goals with top 6 ice time.

There is tons of discussion on the actual trade everywhere on this site, read through that and you will find the same opinion.

Heatley has 80 goals the last 2 years here in Ottawa, yet we have 0 playoff wins... wiiiiiiiierd.

beedub wrote:

sidstu wrote:I'm a habs fan and I've been Gainey's biggest critic but to trade heatley for this is not good---I always liked B. Murray but Heatley got the better of him on this one and he just gave San Jose a possible stanley cup---this trade is a joke to say the least

Agree, player for player, Murray lost this tilt. But when you look a the whole picture, Heatley was NOT going to play to his potential with Ottawa this year and absolutely needed to go, other wise he was risking dragging the whole squad down with him.

Murray got the best deal he could, and received two very serviceable players in return, along with the 2nd.

He has my support for having the balls to do this trade

100%. The question is, are the Ottawa Senators a better team because of this trade? I think the answer is defently a yes.

If Michalek comes here, gets 70-80 points, kills penalties, is on the ice the last minutre of 1 goal games, is that better then Heatley being in SJ, scoring 50 goals, getting 100 points and really doing nothing else?

I dont think Michalek is that much less of a player then Heatley is AND he is 4 years younger sgned for almost over 3 million less.

I don't think we can analyze this trade until we find out where Mihalek's peak is and what we get with that second rounder. Based on the last two second round picks Murray chose I expect that we win this trade in the long run.

Mihalek has point per game potential who can also realistically be counted on in all areas of the game.

2nd Rounder could turn into players like Wiercioch or Lehner.

Cheechoo? Even if he finishes off his contract as a 20 goal scorer that ain't bad for a salary dump on SJs part.

If we get a top player with that pick and Mihalek reaches his potential then it's a hands down win for Ottawa. Don't forget Mihalek is locked up for 5 years on a very nice contract.

It's a win for OTtawa getting Heatley out of town for a good return.

N4L wrote:Cap, I dont think there is any way we miss out on the playoffs now. This season The Sens might not be on top of the conferance but they will most certainly be in 5-8 spot.

This as complete a team as The Sens have had in years, top to bottom. There is no glaring hole in that lineup. Look at the 12 forwards that will be on this team at this point and how mobile our D is. Mix in the best trandom we have had ever in between the pipes, it's about as good as it gets.

Now, you mix in two rookies in Karlsson and Smith who are going to get a real shot here with those vets... this team has everything. (I think Murray finds a way to put Smith on this team)

I can't Diddling wait.

Agreed...Murray took a messy situation and somehow seems to have put together a pretty solid team, all around. I think the major issue now is, with all these changes, how well is this team going to gel? And how long is it going to take? Luckily, even with all of these changes, the core is the same and I'm sure it won't take long as most of the players will just be thrilled to have teammates that want to be there and want to win. It's no cooincidence that all the center peices in rumored trades were players that compete and wear their hearts on their sleeves.

I've made not analysis--listen some of you are no different than some hab fans--can't take any crticism

are you kidding me---Michalek is going to be compared to Heatley--I think Heatley is a spoiled brat and he doesn't deserve to be on Ottawa but he is 3000 times better than Michalek--there no comparison between the 2

now, I know BM had no choice--all I am saying is that Heatley got the better of the senators on this one

clowe needed to part of this deal

Another thing is that we have some options next year. We can buy out Cheechoo if he doesn't perform or possibly, if unlikely, trade him. That frees up some $$$ to get under the cap or sign a UFA.

I like this trade a lot. You can't just look at the stats to get a full read on what just happened. I think Cheechoo is a question mark if unhealthy, but a nice addition if healthy. I liken us to Philly last year now with our scoring depth. We could legitimately have the following players score 20 this year: Spezza, Kovalev, Alfie, Cheechoo, Michalek, Fisher, Foligno, and Shannon. I'd be surprised if at least 7 of those 8 didn't hit that mark.

sidstu wrote:I've made not analysis--listen some of you are no different than some hab fans--can't take any crticism

are you kidding me---Michalek is going to be compared to Heatley--I think Heatley is a spoiled brat and he doesn't deserve to be on Ottawa but he is 3000 times better than Michalek--there no comparison between the 2

now, I know BM had no choice--all I am saying is that Heatley got the better of the senators on this one

clowe needed to part of this deal

It can already be argued that Michalek is a better overall player then Heatley. Is he or will he ever be the offensive threat Heatley is? Absolutly not. Can Michalek be more valuable to The Sens the Heatley was? I think he can.

It's not about who's the better player, it's who's the better fit for The Ottawa Senators.

sidstu wrote:I'm a habs fan and I've been Gainey's biggest critic but to trade heatley for this is not good---I always liked B. Murray but Heatley got the better of him on this one and he just gave San Jose a possible stanley cup---this trade is a joke to say the least

Still looking for analysis.

To say that we can't take criticism when you aren't backing up your position is, IMO, a little silly. Suggesting that we can't take criticism isn't the same as analysis.

sidstu wrote:I've made not analysis--listen some of you are no different than some hab fans--can't take any crticism

are you kidding me---Michalek is going to be compared to Heatley--I think Heatley is a spoiled brat and he doesn't deserve to be on Ottawa but he is 3000 times better than Michalek--there no comparison between the 2

now, I know BM had no choice--all I am saying is that Heatley got the better of the senators on this one

clowe needed to part of this deal

Would you agree that the Ottawa Senators are better off with Michalek on the team than they are with Heatley on the team?

Vandelay wrote:

sidstu wrote:I've made not analysis--listen some of you are no different than some hab fans--can't take any crticism

are you kidding me---Michalek is going to be compared to Heatley--I think Heatley is a spoiled brat and he doesn't deserve to be on Ottawa but he is 3000 times better than Michalek--there no comparison between the 2

now, I know BM had no choice--all I am saying is that Heatley got the better of the senators on this one

clowe needed to part of this deal

Would you agree that the Ottawa Senators are better off with Michalek on the team than they are with Heatley on the team?

No point in even asking.. this person is blind..

I dont think he is blind, just not all that informed.

N4L wrote:

beedub wrote:

sidstu wrote:I'm a habs fan and I've been Gainey's biggest critic but to trade heatley for this is not good---I always liked B. Murray but Heatley got the better of him on this one and he just gave San Jose a possible stanley cup---this trade is a joke to say the least

Agree, player for player, Murray lost this tilt. But when you look a the whole picture, Heatley was NOT going to play to his potential with Ottawa this year and absolutely needed to go, other wise he was risking dragging the whole squad down with him.

Murray got the best deal he could, and received two very serviceable players in return, along with the 2nd.

He has my support for having the balls to do this trade

100%. The question is, are the Ottawa Senators a better team because of this trade? I think the answer is defently a yes.

If Michalek comes here, gets 70-80 points, kills penalties, is on the ice the last minutre of 1 goal games, is that better then Heatley being in SJ, scoring 50 goals, getting 100 points and really doing nothing else?

I dont think Michalek is that much less of a player then Heatley is AND he is 4 years younger sgned for almost over 3 million less.

Have to agree with you on that one N4L. And don't forget that both players are reputed to be real team players, which will fit right in with the rest of the team quite nicely.

On the whole, I think Ottawa gained pieces that will be of greater value to the team than Heatley's 40-50 goals.

N4L wrote:I dont think he is blind, just not all that informed.

disagree.. he says we can't take criticism, I don't get it... we all agree with him that it wasn't the best deal.. no one has come on and said

"THIS IS THE BEST DEAL EVER!"

But I think most of us understand it wasn't the best return but we also understand that BM's hands were tied...

Now, is Kovalev a better player then Heatey? I think it's about the same. That makes the trade that much easier to digest as well.