Gonchar to Ottawa

hemlock wrote:

Devo wrote:haha michalek has signed in Pittsburgh..
We'll see which move helps more

EDIT
4 million a year...way way too much..

Hemlock, you like him for that money now?

Enough with the antagonistic attitude. My opinion is my opinion and because it differs from yours doesn't make it wrong.

For the record, Michalek on the Pens where he'll have more of an offensive role, is a great signing.

Haha. We said the same thing.

I can't believe there's anyone in here not happy as pigs in Dung. I can't believe it.

Gonchar is amazing, to the extent that I think this contract, with the length in there is one of the best possible outcomes for us.

I had Gonchar pegged at 18 million over 3 years - and we got him for less.

I had Z.Michalek @ 3.75 and he got 4, so to pay effectively 1.5 million more and get Gonchar on a shorter term is ludicrous.

No matter of the age difference. Amazing move.

Pittsburgh didn't need Gonchar for 3 years, as they have a great PP QB in waiting in Goligoski and another in Letang. Gonchar is great on the PP, BUT he is also very good at taking the puck and entering the zone, which was sometimes VERY frustrating to watch during Sens games. We had 1 guy who could do it, and he is 19 or whatever.

Gonchar would have taken less to play in Pitt by the way.

Big Ev wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Devo wrote:haha michalek has signed in Pittsburgh..
We'll see which move helps more

EDIT
4 million a year...way way too much..

Hemlock, you like him for that money now?

Enough with the antagonistic attitude. My opinion is my opinion and because it differs from yours doesn't make it wrong.

For the record, Michalek on the Pens where he'll have more of an offensive role, is a great signing.

He will still be a shut-down guy primarily, with some time on the 2nd PP probably.

I think he'll see more PP time than that. Goligoski has been up and down from the AHL. He hasn't proven to be consistent enough yet. That leaves Letang as the one huge threat.

CockRoche wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Devo wrote:haha michalek has signed in Pittsburgh..
We'll see which move helps more

EDIT
4 million a year...way way too much..

Hemlock, you like him for that money now?

Enough with the antagonistic attitude. My opinion is my opinion and because it differs from yours doesn't make it wrong.

For the record, Michalek on the Pens where he'll have more of an offensive role, is a great signing.

Haha. We said the same thing.

Comrade!

hemlock wrote:

Big Ev wrote:4 million for Michalek is NOT too much.

Not at all. He's a premier shot blocker with offensive upside. He's entering his prime as well at 27 (or 28 I can't remember). Plus, he's a rightie.

If Volchenkov is worth 3.5 or so, Michalek is worth $4.

If Volchenkov was worth $3.5M we'd still have a D-man playing the right side with Phillips and this thread wouldn't exist.

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Big Ev wrote:4 million for Michalek is NOT too much.

Not at all. He's a premier shot blocker with offensive upside. He's entering his prime as well at 27 (or 28 I can't remember). Plus, he's a rightie.

If Volchenkov is worth 3.5 or so, Michalek is worth $4.

If Volchenkov was worth $3.5M we'd still have a D-man playing the right side with Phillips and this thread wouldn't exist.

Are you kidding me? Worth is relative. Why do you think Murray once again backed the Brinks truck up to a lazy Russian?

If you can't see the merits of Michalek at $4 million, then you haven't see enough of him.

This isn't just directed at you wprager, but it's hilarious to see people who PINED for Michalek as recently as two hours ago, now trashing this signings by the Pens.

hemlock wrote:

asq2 wrote:

hemlock wrote:Again, I am not debating that. But there are negatives as well, and it seems that I'm the only one willing to talk about them.

Part of it is the exhilaration of finally landing a big ticket after all the teasing with Boyle, Campbell, Bouwmeester etc. through the years.

We didn't land Lidstrom, Keith or Doughty. But we did land an elite offensive defenceman. I think the potential positives outweigh the potential negatives. What's your worst-case scenario?

That he declines, or gets lazier then he already is at times.
That he has a NTC and should worse come to worse, and we need to trade him, we can't.
That we overpaid him for his age.

It's laughable to suggest that he won't decline at all over the duration of this contract. Downright laughable. EVERYONE declines. Lidstrom has (although its just starting to show in the last year or so) and so does Alfie.

This guy played with a partially torn ACL. He's not the "gets lazier" type. He wants to play in Sochi in 2014 so He'll want to continue to be in good playing shape.

I *would* like to add to those who think our PP will be running at 50% next year: Pittsburgh had Gonchar plus two pretty good forwards and still had one of the worst powerplays in the league. Even after Gonchar got back in the lineup.

And for those who say the Pens still have great PP QBs in Goligoski and whatever, recall that Pittsburgh was fighting us for last place in the league for a while.

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

asq2 wrote:

hemlock wrote:Again, I am not debating that. But there are negatives as well, and it seems that I'm the only one willing to talk about them.

Part of it is the exhilaration of finally landing a big ticket after all the teasing with Boyle, Campbell, Bouwmeester etc. through the years.

We didn't land Lidstrom, Keith or Doughty. But we did land an elite offensive defenceman. I think the potential positives outweigh the potential negatives. What's your worst-case scenario?

That he declines, or gets lazier then he already is at times.
That he has a NTC and should worse come to worse, and we need to trade him, we can't.
That we overpaid him for his age.

It's laughable to suggest that he won't decline at all over the duration of this contract. Downright laughable. EVERYONE declines. Lidstrom has (although its just starting to show in the last year or so) and so does Alfie.

This guy played with a partially torn ACL. He's not the "gets lazier" type. He wants to play in Sochi in 2014 so He'll want to continue to be in good playing shape.

Good playing shape and laziness are not the same thing. I'd bet my bottom dollar we'll see several complaints about his defensive work ethic this season, and beyond.

Good signing by the Pens, and I'm happy with what the Sens have done too.

I think lots of Sens fans were so keen on the idea of ZM because he was a guy that most Sens fans thought we could get. I think Gonchar was almost an afterthought because people assumed he would go elsewhere.

For what it's worth, I like the Gonchar deal. I think he'll be worth every penny for the first two years. That third year scares me, but obviously he wouldn't have come here otherwise so it's a risk worth taking.

hemlock wrote:

Good playing shape and laziness are not the same thing. I'd bet my bottom dollar we'll see several complaints about his defensive work ethic this season, and beyond.

Of course we will, the Ottawa Sun is always looking for a new target

He'll be arriving Monday or Tuesday to look at houses. He's very excited - tweets Mendes.

Should Kuba still even be a Senator right now?

I forgot that Kuba was even on the team.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Should Kuba still even be a Senator right now?

No he shouldn't, Volchenkov should.

Big Ev wrote:I forgot that Kuba was even on the team.

I think Kuba still plays with Karlsson. For the time being. Just wait till someone's top-4 goes down and we can fleece them. Remember, with all his minute-munching goodness, we still did pretty well and would have gotten past the Champs if not for two torn ACLs and playoff rookyness in goal and behind the bench.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Should Kuba still even be a Senator right now?

No he shouldn't, Volchenkov should.

If Volchenkov wanted to be on the team, he still would be. Simple as that.