GAME DAY:Ottawa Senators @ New Jersey Devils - 7:00pm ET - Tue. Mar. 8, 2011

wprager wrote:
Butler grew up in or around Boston. Chances are he was a big Sox/Bruins/Pats fan.

Hoags wrote:

wprager wrote:
Butler grew up in or around Boston. Chances are he was a big Sox/Bruins/Pats fan.

yeah but I remember when he signed he commented on while he grew up in the area he was never a bruins fan and I believe he said he liked the Sens (one reason why he signed with us).

rooneypoo wrote:
People who play the stats game, well, that one falls on its face. Spezza's totals have been on the decline for 4 years, and he hasn't hit a PPG pace in any of those years. Do with that what you will.

I occasionally say incautious things about Spezza when provoked -- the Tin Man comments, for instance, date back to people talking about him as the 'obvious successor' to Alfie some 5-6 months ago. Or people talking about him as one of the top 5 or 10 centres in the game, or an elite player, or a PPG player (he hasn't been for 4 years).

SpezDispenser wrote:Greening is an absolute gem, we have a hell of a young power forward emerging IMO.

In fact, the Senators also haven’t given up a power play goal since Anderson arrived. They are 27-for-27 in the kills...

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Greening is an absolute gem, we have a hell of a young power forward emerging IMO.

That Condra kid ain't bad either.

Also, I haven't read the whole thread but holy crap did you see Spezza playing possessed on the 5 on 3? Wins a faceoff, wins the battle for the puck and gets it down the ice. Gets his stick on a Devils player to eliminate an almost sure goal at another point during a 5 on 3. Absolute monster game. Throw in a sick offensive zone dangle and pass for the game winner.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I think it also helps to go through this kind of adversity coupled with his age and possibly fatherhood?

It certainly doesn't hurt. It looks more and more like the Mississauga Miracle is on his way to being the player and leader some of us have been expecting him to become and had said he would become for at least several months.

Like I said to Cap, lets not pretend Spezza wasn't at a cross road, his career was close to becoming that of a Pierre Turgeon, a guy that would get the points but not really be a leader or a guy to be counted on.

Right now, for sure he is starting to show signs that he could be that guy going forward, but he's not there yet but it's encouraging to say the least watching him play right now, getting points or not.

I certainly didn't. The only thing I will say is that I didn't merely write Double-M off and assume he would take a wrong direction when he came to that crossroad.

NEELY wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:I'm glad Neely is arguing me case for me. LOL.

I have long since acknowledged that Spezza is starting to play a better game, and that I'd be ecstatic to see him become a 70-80 point-player who is a key guy, playing all situations. But what I want to see is a consistent run for him, where he does both things, in situations that matter, consistently. Say what you will, he just hasn't done that yet, and a lot of that has to do with health.

People who play the stats game, well, that one falls on its face. Spezza's totals have been on the decline for 4 years, and he hasn't hit a PPG pace in any of those years. Do with that what you will.

I occasionally say incautious things about Spezza when provoked -- the Tin Man comments, for instance, date back to people talking about him as the 'obvious successor' to Alfie some 5-6 months ago. Or people talking about him as one of the top 5 or 10 centres in the game, or an elite player, or a PPG player (he hasn't been for 4 years). You don't hear me say that stuff unless some idiot sees Spezza have a 4-point game & then declares that "obviously he's a PPG+ player, elite, a fantastic player, etc." It's that stupid-Donkey bravado and inattention to context that drives me up the wall and leads me to making fun of Spezza when what I'm really making fun of is the stupid point of view.

You stick to the facts, and you'll see that I'm actually a Spezza supporter and have been since 1 July 2010. I'm just not willing to sit down quietly and have people lie to my face and others about what Spezza is. If Spezza becomes a Toews-esque player, I will be positively delighted. But I'm still waiting to see it on a consistent basis.

To clarify he's always been a PPG in the playoffs when the chips are down and when it matters most but I really don't care if he's a PPG or .95 PPG (See last season).

Really all this comes down to is most of us "dreamers" didn't write off Spezza as early as a couple seasons ago and he's proving to us that he can grow and mature at the ripe old age of 27.

I hate this argument more than anything in the world. Last year the chips were down and he burried The Sens with that play in game 4 where he gave it away at the blueline. The only time I'll bring that up is when people say "he's a PPG player in the playoffs when it matters". That was the worst play he made in his entire NHL career and it basically cost The Sens the series. That's when the fans turned on him.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Greening is an absolute gem, we have a hell of a young power forward emerging IMO.

That Condra kid ain't bad either.

Also, I haven't read the whole thread but holy crap did you see Spezza playing possessed on the 5 on 3? Wins a faceoff, wins the battle for the puck and gets it down the ice. Gets his stick on a Devils player to eliminate an almost sure goal at another point during a 5 on 3. Absolute monster game. Throw in a sick offensive zone dangle and pass for the game winner.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:I'm glad Neely is arguing me case for me. LOL.

I have long since acknowledged that Spezza is starting to play a better game, and that I'd be ecstatic to see him become a 70-80 point-player who is a key guy, playing all situations. But what I want to see is a consistent run for him, where he does both things, in situations that matter, consistently. Say what you will, he just hasn't done that yet, and a lot of that has to do with health.

People who play the stats game, well, that one falls on its face. Spezza's totals have been on the decline for 4 years, and he hasn't hit a PPG pace in any of those years. Do with that what you will.

I occasionally say incautious things about Spezza when provoked -- the Tin Man comments, for instance, date back to people talking about him as the 'obvious successor' to Alfie some 5-6 months ago. Or people talking about him as one of the top 5 or 10 centres in the game, or an elite player, or a PPG player (he hasn't been for 4 years). You don't hear me say that stuff unless some idiot sees Spezza have a 4-point game & then declares that "obviously he's a PPG+ player, elite, a fantastic player, etc." It's that stupid-Donkey bravado and inattention to context that drives me up the wall and leads me to making fun of Spezza when what I'm really making fun of is the stupid point of view.

You stick to the facts, and you'll see that I'm actually a Spezza supporter and have been since 1 July 2010. I'm just not willing to sit down quietly and have people lie to my face and others about what Spezza is. If Spezza becomes a Toews-esque player, I will be positively delighted. But I'm still waiting to see it on a consistent basis.

To clarify he's always been a PPG in the playoffs when the chips are down and when it matters most but I really don't care if he's a PPG or .95 PPG (See last season).

Really all this comes down to is most of us "dreamers" didn't write off Spezza as early as a couple seasons ago and he's proving to us that he can grow and mature at the ripe old age of 27.

I hate this argument more than anything in the world. Last year the chips were down and he burried The Sens with that play in game 4 where he gave it away at the blueline. The only time I'll bring that up is when people say "he's a PPG player in the playoffs when it matters". That was the worst play he made in his entire NHL career and it basically cost The Sens the series. That's when the fans turned on him.

Just wanted to dispel the myth of Spezza not being a PPG for the past 3 seasons is all. Call me funny that way when that is pointed out and it is false.

marakh wrote:Spezza is a treat to watch these days

NEELY wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:I'm glad Neely is arguing me case for me. LOL.

I have long since acknowledged that Spezza is starting to play a better game, and that I'd be ecstatic to see him become a 70-80 point-player who is a key guy, playing all situations. But what I want to see is a consistent run for him, where he does both things, in situations that matter, consistently. Say what you will, he just hasn't done that yet, and a lot of that has to do with health.

People who play the stats game, well, that one falls on its face. Spezza's totals have been on the decline for 4 years, and he hasn't hit a PPG pace in any of those years. Do with that what you will.

I occasionally say incautious things about Spezza when provoked -- the Tin Man comments, for instance, date back to people talking about him as the 'obvious successor' to Alfie some 5-6 months ago. Or people talking about him as one of the top 5 or 10 centres in the game, or an elite player, or a PPG player (he hasn't been for 4 years). You don't hear me say that stuff unless some idiot sees Spezza have a 4-point game & then declares that "obviously he's a PPG+ player, elite, a fantastic player, etc." It's that stupid-Donkey bravado and inattention to context that drives me up the wall and leads me to making fun of Spezza when what I'm really making fun of is the stupid point of view.

You stick to the facts, and you'll see that I'm actually a Spezza supporter and have been since 1 July 2010. I'm just not willing to sit down quietly and have people lie to my face and others about what Spezza is. If Spezza becomes a Toews-esque player, I will be positively delighted. But I'm still waiting to see it on a consistent basis.

To clarify he's always been a PPG in the playoffs when the chips are down and when it matters most but I really don't care if he's a PPG or .95 PPG (See last season).

Really all this comes down to is most of us "dreamers" didn't write off Spezza as early as a couple seasons ago and he's proving to us that he can grow and mature at the ripe old age of 27.

I hate this argument more than anything in the world. Last year the chips were down and he burried The Sens with that play in game 4 where he gave it away at the blueline. The only time I'll bring that up is when people say "he's a PPG player in the playoffs when it matters". That was the worst play he made in his entire NHL career and it basically cost The Sens the series. That's when the fans turned on him.

Just wanted to dispel the myth of Spezza not being a PPG for the past 3 seasons is all. Call me funny that way when that is pointed out and it is false.

As in hasn't hit a PPG in this his 3rd straight season? Ummm, how is that even debatable? He hasn't. This is his 3rd straight season without hitting that mark. Again, I personally don't care if he does or not but he hasn't been a PPG in that time.

NEELY wrote:He didn't hit a PPG last year, he didn't hit a ppg the year before, and probably won't hit a PPG this year... how is that not a "FACT"? Even with the playoffs he wasn't at a PPG last year. Do I need to actually do the addition for you?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

NEELY wrote:He didn't hit a PPG last year, he didn't hit a ppg the year before, and probably won't hit a PPG this year... how is that not a "FACT"? Even with the playoffs he wasn't at a PPG last year. Do I need to actually do the addition for you?

Perhaps I didn't make it clear. Regular season and playoffs are two different things and from what I gather playoffs are held in a higher regard than regular season.

It's also referred to as the "second season". Stats are also kept seperate so as in the regular season over the past three seasons he hasn't hit that mark. however, during the Second season aka playoffs, generally regarded as when the games count, he has been a PPG as recently as last season.

That just about clear it up for you.