Game Day: Detroit Red Wings @ Ottawa Senators, 5:30pm, Sun. Dec. 1, 2013

Who knows but the team isn't listening to MacLean right now, that's for sure.

Meh, team is missing one top six forward and one 2nd pair D man. Pretty much that simple.

SpezDispenser wrote:Meh, team is missing one top six forward and one 2nd pair D man.  Pretty much that simple.  

so do something about it spez! jeez...

Players don't care because the owner doesn't.  Winning attitude starts at the top and trickles down.

Something is going on.

Hoags wrote:Players don't care because the owner doesn't.  Winning attitude starts at the top and trickles down.

Something is going on.

Maybe this budget crap stuff is trickling down. PMac wants upgrades, Murray can't make a move, team is treading water and inconsistent. Who knows. We don't even look like the team of last year. So strange.

shabbs wrote:

Hoags wrote:Players don't care because the owner doesn't.  Winning attitude starts at the top and trickles down.

Something is going on.

Maybe this budget crap stuff is trickling down. PMac wants upgrades, Murray can't make a move, team is treading water and inconsistent. Who knows. We don't even look like the team of last year. So strange.

The players know how owners hide money with HRR and then cry poor.  Fehr spent the lockout educating them.  Hell they have access to the audited figures so they know how much he makes.

Not a single player in that room buys Melnyk's cry poor budget routine.

And if Alfie left over this crap, that's gotta be a distraction. Hell it's distracting me as a fan.

None of this explains why a guy like Michalek, who doesn't have a contract for next season is playing this poorly. Nothing explains why Cowen has only been sat out once this year, even though he has played poorly (and consistently so) since last year's playoffs return -- at this point I'd rather have Boro/Wiercioch/Corvo/Gryba in there instead. I haven't given up on him but he needs a new perspective (and better conditioning, I think -- he seems to be really struggling on the bench after each shift).

Hoags wrote:Players don't care because the owner doesn't.  Winning attitude starts at the top and trickles down.

Something is going on.

So what you're saying is that the players don't care about fans who buy the tickets and merch either

Michalek is done because of injuries.

Cowen isn't gassed, he just breathes with his mouth open

Michalek is completely done, no question. They couldn't move him for a 4th rounder at this point.

This whole thing is a mess. And ya having your captain and the most respected player in the room leave because of mismanagement due to ownership is gonna Diddle with the room.
I think a lot of factors are at stake. I think we're bound to be better next year though. We better be able to get bobby Ryan under contract this summer. Honestly that is my main worry right now. Apart from that we can have an off year, Cowen will get back on track, dunno what the hell is up this year but he'll sort it out I believe.

Flo The Action wrote:This whole thing is a mess. And ya having your captain and the most respected player in the room leave because of mismanagement due to ownership is gonna Diddle with the room.
I think a lot of factors are at stake. I think we're bound to be better next year though. We better be able to get bobby Ryan under contract this summer. Honestly that is my main worry right now. Apart from that we can have an off year, Cowen will get back on track, dunno what the hell is up this year but he'll sort it out I believe.

Yah, you don't trade Cowen at this point even if he struggles the rest of the year. This year it's almost assured that they won't be in the playoffs and this is when and where you get the young guys playing and playing hard. Who wants to be a Senator?

They need to start moving out the vets.

NEELY wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:This whole thing is a mess. And ya having your captain and the most respected player in the room leave because of mismanagement due to ownership is gonna Diddle with the room.
I think a lot of factors are at stake. I think we're bound to be better next year though. We better be able to get bobby Ryan under contract this summer. Honestly that is my main worry right now. Apart from that we can have an off year, Cowen will get back on track, dunno what the hell is up this year but he'll sort it out I believe.

Yah, you don't trade Cowen at this point even if he struggles the rest of the year.  This year it's almost assured that they won't be in the playoffs and this is when and where you get the young guys playing and playing hard.  Who wants to be a Senator?  

They need to start moving out the vets.

exactly. (my) priority(well at the deadline): spezza, michalek, corvo... and then you listen to offers for phillips although I think he's positive leadership going maybe into another year. conacher is and can be a throw in.

I think a case has to be made for methot as captain, but i don't know if he's the best choice. maybe if they clean up you can actually make karlsson and bobby Ryan/turris assistants. start forming the new leadership that will take over.

Flo The Action wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:This whole thing is a mess. And ya having your captain and the most respected player in the room leave because of mismanagement due to ownership is gonna Diddle with the room.
I think a lot of factors are at stake. I think we're bound to be better next year though. We better be able to get bobby Ryan under contract this summer. Honestly that is my main worry right now. Apart from that we can have an off year, Cowen will get back on track, dunno what the hell is up this year but he'll sort it out I believe.

Yah, you don't trade Cowen at this point even if he struggles the rest of the year.  This year it's almost assured that they won't be in the playoffs and this is when and where you get the young guys playing and playing hard.  Who wants to be a Senator?  

They need to start moving out the vets.

exactly. (my) priority(well at the deadline): spezza, michalek, corvo... and then you listen to offers for phillips although I think he's positive leadership going maybe into another year. conacher is and can be a throw in.

I think a case has to be made for methot as captain, but i don't know if he's the best choice. maybe if they clean up you can actually make karlsson and bobby Ryan/turris assistants. start forming the new leadership that will take over.

I think Murray's too scared to deal Spezza personally. He seems very, very loyal to his guys and I think he's adopted Spezza as one of 'his' guys.

If he was to do it and could get back a player like Voracek - ie, young, big, fast and can score, that would be ideal. We can probably bank on ZBad being a huge piece of our top 6 core for the next decade, so 2C and 3C are locked up in all reality, with Turris being 1C.

If Murray can't or won't deal Spezza, then we have to look at him the same way LA looked at Carter - a second line player for the most part who excels on the PP and doesn't kill you 5 on 5 given the right wingers. Spezza and Carter are pretty similar IMO. Neither will wow you with their 2 way play, they look like they're dogging it from time to time (and they probably are), but they can score those big goals as well - and when it comes down to it, this is still a game where goals win games. Spezza's mobility is a big concern though, it appears that he's lost a step that he may not get back.

As for dealing vets...you probably don't want to deal Neil or Phillips. In fact, you want to sign Phillips ASAP IMO. Our veterans are few and far between on the blue line and Phillips has always been very good for us. Neil isn't the greatest player, but he'll soften up defences for as long as he's in the league - not to mention protect guys, so I'd prefer to not move him (who cares what we think BTW, it's obviously up to Murray and co.)

Michalek, Greening (I mean...I like him for the most part, but if you can make him part of a package to get another player, I think you do it), Anderson (lol), Conacher if there's a market, Corvo I guess, Gryba (lol).

There's some stuff to shop through for other teams I guess. Nothing fancy, that's for sure.

Oh, and Diddle yeah you trade Cowen - if the offer's right - and it won't be.