GAME DAY: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm ET - SAT. Apr. 2, 2011

marakh wrote:They say Kuba was injured and shouldn't have played in different circumstances though.
But anyway, at this point I don't even care why he is playing bad, I have had enough. It's like Leclaire.

Honestly, last night excluded, Kuba's been pretty solid for a month or more now. We've all seen that he can be a competent 3/4 guy -- but, yeah, he needs to stay healthy to show that form again.

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

Spezza sure has grown up. He's playing lots of minutes though and that scares me a little. Hopefully we can surround him next year and isolate him a bit. KUBA has got to go ...

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

Umm ... what? I think you meant game 4 of the 1st round of playoffs against the defending SC champions, while playing with 2 of our top-six out with torn-up knees.

I heard a couple of comments from so-called Sens fans last night.
One was by a lady when I was outside Sensations... stating Spezza was no good. I kinda looked at her dumbfounded and said -- have you not seen him over the past 20 games or so. She just shook her head and said he was no good.
Then after the game on the way to the car -- I heard two men talking about how Spezza misses Heatley. I was not close enough to comment... but I think they had that backwards.
Spezza has 19 goals with missing about 5 weeks or more of playing time. Heatley (unless he scored last night) has 24 goals after only missing 2 games... so tell me who misses who?

wprager wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

Umm ... what? I think you meant game 4 of the 1st round of playoffs against the defending SC champions, while playing with 2 of our top-six out with torn-up knees.

I mean the savagely bad giveaway in the offensive zone that lead to a goal against and cost us the game and the team being down 3-1 in the series.

Would we have lost that series anyway? Who knows. That's not the point. The point is, to be the player he needs to be, he needs to lead, produce, make the people around him better, and not hurt the team with stupid / selfish / rookie-ish play. He couldn't do that last spring, or earlier this year. But he's doing it now, and cudos. Now let's see him make it the new Spezza standard instead of a flash in the pan.

He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and he can be a real leader, captain, and core guy, instead of a defacto one. He's on the right track -- but let's see him do it next year, for the year, when there's a little more at stake. He plays like this next year, all year, and he will be a real Hart contender.

rooneypoo wrote:

wprager wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

Umm ... what? I think you meant game 4 of the 1st round of playoffs against the defending SC champions, while playing with 2 of our top-six out with torn-up knees.

I mean the savagely bad giveaway in the offensive zone that lead to a goal against and cost us the game and the team being down 3-1 in the series.

Would we have lost that series anyway? Who knows. That's not the point. The point is, to be the player he needs to be, he needs to lead, produce, make the people around him better, and not hurt the team with stupid / selfish / rookie-ish play. He couldn't do that last spring, or earlier this year. But he's doing it now, and cudos. Now let's see him make it the new Spezza standard instead of a flash in the pan.

He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and he can be a real leader, captain, and core guy, instead of a defacto one. He's on the right track -- but let's see him do it next year, for the year, when there's a little more at stake. He plays like this next year, all year, and he will be a real Hart contender.

Such a Spezza hater, you.

spader wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

wprager wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

Umm ... what? I think you meant game 4 of the 1st round of playoffs against the defending SC champions, while playing with 2 of our top-six out with torn-up knees.

I mean the savagely bad giveaway in the offensive zone that lead to a goal against and cost us the game and the team being down 3-1 in the series.

Would we have lost that series anyway? Who knows. That's not the point. The point is, to be the player he needs to be, he needs to lead, produce, make the people around him better, and not hurt the team with stupid / selfish / rookie-ish play. He couldn't do that last spring, or earlier this year. But he's doing it now, and cudos. Now let's see him make it the new Spezza standard instead of a flash in the pan.

He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and he can be a real leader, captain, and core guy, instead of a defacto one. He's on the right track -- but let's see him do it next year, for the year, when there's a little more at stake. He plays like this next year, all year, and he will be a real Hart contender.

Such a Spezza hater, you.

Some people have a real hard time differentiating 'being critical' from 'being a hater.'

Ha. Agreed.

shabbs wrote:GO Rags and GO 3-point game between the Sabres/Hurricanes today... screw the Leafs!!!!!

EXCELLENT!!!! Rags win, Sabres/'Canes game goes to OT. Would have preferred a 'Canes win in OT but a Sabres OT win is good as well.

Now the Panthers just have to win one and the Sens lose their last 3 games.

rooneypoo wrote:
No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

He's got to do it next year and beyond, but again, beside the giveaway against the Pens, it's been a year that he's shown tremendous signs of being that guy.

sandysensfan wrote:I heard a couple of comments from so-called Sens fans last night.
One was by a lady when I was outside Sensations... stating Spezza was no good. I kinda looked at her dumbfounded and said -- have you not seen him over the past 20 games or so. She just shook her head and said he was no good.
Then after the game on the way to the car -- I heard two men talking about how Spezza misses Heatley. I was not close enough to comment... but I think they had that backwards.
Spezza has 19 goals with missing about 5 weeks or more of playing time. Heatley (unless he scored last night) has 24 goals after only missing 2 games... so tell me who misses who?

They have it 100% backwards IMO, Heatley misses (the East) Alfie, but he misses Spezza in a big way.

rooneypoo wrote:

spader wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

wprager wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
It's been a great stretch of hockey, for sure. I want to see a calendar year of this before I'm ready to make any declarations, but the way he's playing now is the way he needs to play, and that's all anyone can ask of him. He is leading, making a difference, and making the people around him better, all while working that rookie-ish crap out of his system, at long last. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing -- and stay healthy!

It's been a calender year now. The full year got broken up by his play against the Pens in the POs, but aside from that blunder, he's been playing this way for almost exactly a calender year.

No, not even close. That brutal turnover game 4 of the SC finals, the turnover on shift 1 of game 1 this season -- for me, those tell me a lot, and that he still hadn't kicked the bad habits. Spezza has been a different player since all the trades; he plays a different role now, he is making the guys around him better, and he hasn't hobbled the team with brutal rookie-ish mistakes.

He plays like this next year, he will silence all his critics. Hell, I could see him being a serious Hart candidate -- i.e., most valuable player *to his team* -- if he keeps this up next year. But he's gotta do it first. He's gotta sustain it.

Umm ... what? I think you meant game 4 of the 1st round of playoffs against the defending SC champions, while playing with 2 of our top-six out with torn-up knees.

I mean the savagely bad giveaway in the offensive zone that lead to a goal against and cost us the game and the team being down 3-1 in the series.

Would we have lost that series anyway? Who knows. That's not the point. The point is, to be the player he needs to be, he needs to lead, produce, make the people around him better, and not hurt the team with stupid / selfish / rookie-ish play. He couldn't do that last spring, or earlier this year. But he's doing it now, and cudos. Now let's see him make it the new Spezza standard instead of a flash in the pan.

He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and he can be a real leader, captain, and core guy, instead of a defacto one. He's on the right track -- but let's see him do it next year, for the year, when there's a little more at stake. He plays like this next year, all year, and he will be a real Hart contender.

Such a Spezza hater, you.

Some people have a real hard time differentiating 'being critical' from 'being a hater.'

Maybe people just see you as a little over critical?

Spezza is playing fantastic hockey and like I have always said, if he does the small things right the points will come and they are.

Going forward I think Spezza is going to be able to keep up this kind of effort and this kind of game. Why? Because the type of game he is playing now translates into games where it's 1-0 or 7-6, he will either be on the ice taking a defensive zone faceoff with 20 seconds left or will be out trying to tie the game up. What Spezza has turned himself into is a complete hockey player.

The only thing that could really derail him are injuries, which is a pretty good possibility as he always seems to get dinged up.

Spezza keeps playing the way he has along with the team being able to put some wins together and become a playoff team, Spezza will be a Hart trophy candidate. Not because of the points he puts up either, that's just part of the compete game that a player needs to be considered in that class.

Well said NEELY. I think if he's ever considered a Hart trophy candidate then he'll have exceeded my expectations and I'll be a happy Sens Fan for sure.

Spezza being The MVP of The Sens would be just fine with a lot of people. This is the first year where Spezza is truly considered the teams best player and pretty much their MVP. He does have to do it when the games matter though, that's a pretty big issue right now with not just his play, but everyones. Easy to play hockey when there is no pressure.

Spezza is also in a different position now as well which should help him goign forward. Other players are depending on him to be the guy and it was never like that before. Ottawa was always good enough to get by without him, that has changed.