GAME DAY: Boston Bruins @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm Oct. 18th, 2008

Neely4Life wrote:
There was a lot more offensive upside with Bell in the pre season then Lee. Bell was at least creating some things, Lee has done nothing, absolutly nothing. He cant run a PP, and we arnt keeping him up here for his steller D, why not give Bell a shot, he may surprise without the concern of getting sent back down on his head. I'm all for trying some new things out this year.

He does look like he needs a little more seasoning. But don't you also think that putting him out there with another rook (pretty much) might have something to do with it? They should bring up Richardson and alternate Lee/Picard playing with the vet until one shows significant upside over the other.

COLLAR UP wrote:

504Heater wrote:I Dung you not, could we acquire Nylander?

You know...I have been thinking that for a while now...but never posted it as Nylander is a 4.875 cap hit.

But as I think about it more and more...it could work without giving up too much...

Vermette for Nylander...

Vermette just isn't going to be the player I'd hoped...every year I try to convine myself that he is going to do it...that this is the year...unfortunately I am beginning to see that he just isn't going to make that jump...so to me this deal works out nicely...

you could of course swap Vermette for Kelly...which would also work nicely for both teams...

To Ottawa: Nylander

To Washington: Vermette OR Kelly

Deal. Vermette is a dynamic PKer with blinding speed - who would probably line up well with the guys in Washington. The Caps paid Fedorov big $$ to be the 2nd line center - Vermette works out to a more affordable 2nd/3rd line center for the Caps - and they save 2 million and get a year reprieve at the end.

We'd have to entertain deals for Nylander before the 3rd year of his contract - but that's life.

We'd probably have to add something to Vermette. Not much, but possibly a Schubert. There you go:

Vermette
Schubert
Possible mid level pick

for
Nylander

If offered, I take this trade. We have guys like Bass, Smith etc. etc. etc. who would be quite good killing penalties - we acquire (and are able to keep) Nylander as a bonafide 2nd line center to play with Alfie. Winchester and Foligno get permanent addresses in the top 6 (which they deserve IMO) and Kelly plays with Fisher and Neil on line 3.

Balances checking and scoring quite nicely IMO.

***Note: I do not, nor will I write off our secondary scoring (Vermette, Fisher etc. etc.) but I like this deal and the skill level it brings.

EDIT: Nylander has a NTC - careful here, this could handcuff the Sens this summer or more importantly the summer after. Gotta be cautious (I'd still do it though).

wprager wrote:
He does look like he needs a little more seasoning. But don't you also think that putting him out there with another rook (pretty much) might have something to do with it? They should bring up Richardson and alternate Lee/Picard playing with the vet until one shows significant upside over the other.

Agreed.

Number 1: Move him away from Picard. Picard and Kuba had/have good chemistry from the PP and from TB - put them together and keep them together.

Number 2: Smith and Lee just makes too much sense to ignore.

Both of these points make sense - and neither happened in the Bruins game.
As I recall, this was the way they lined up for a while in the Phoenix game though (I don't think the whole game - maybe I'm delusional...)

I think Lee has the ability and poise to stay up, he needs someone who he is comfortable will be behind him cleaning up the occasional screw up. Smith is perfect, as he also provides the role model that we want for Lee.

I haven't been able to watch much hockey yet this year, so I'm going on what I recall from last season, but Lee looked fantastic.

If he's not looking as good this year, I'd be inclined to say it has to do with his partner. He's playing with Pickard, and he was playing with Phillips. That's going to make anyone look worse.

Maybe some more time in the minors could serve him well, but it can't be overlooked that he looked great last year. I say give him 20 games.

As for Fisher and Vermette, they do know the season has started right?

exactly. What is up with Fisher and Vermette?!?

On the other hand, I still stand by my prediction of Foligno being a McGuire MONSTER!

That was an embarassing loss and the worst part is my good luck charm (My Daughter), was 2 and 0 when going to the Sens games. She's now 2 and 1. I knew it was a bad Omen when she wouldn't stop fussing and forced us to leave early LOL. She must have know we'd lose!

Wow! Hartsburg giving the boys a day off... and apparently, he was visibly disgusted after the game.

I REALLY hope these guys learn and adapt to Hartsburg's system instead of fighting it, because even though I had a hunch they wouldn't win 2 back to back games, the WAY they lost was pathetic.

Time to step it up boys!

I think they'll struggle for the first month of the season until they realise this is the system and they need to stick with it if they expect to win games. My only hope is that the Sens are at least a 500 club at the end of the month. I think by mid-season we'll be peaking and hopefully we get some help on the back end at the deadline. On another note, who would have predicted 7 assists for Kuba already?? I'm pleasantly surprised.

The other shockers of that Boston game was the terrible give-aways at bad times by our leaders!!! Phillips and Alfie had some horrible ones.

great points Clutch.
I'll be happy if the Sens are at or slightly above 500 by mid-November.
However, all this talk of trade talks heating up I think is crap!

I think it will be a similiar scenario as what happened in New Jersey with Sutter. It took time for them to get used to the system and his style of coaching.

I do believe if things don't turn around and we are below 500 by Christmas that Murray may be gone along with Hartsburg. I have no inside info on that but the guy has to be held accountable at some point right? Perhaps Melnyk tells Murray step down and be the Coach or your fired??

that would be REALLY drastic in my view.
If you look at the Sens roster as of right now, Murray brought in quality pieces, and we are a LOT tougher than we EVER were, so Murray will not be fired unless the Sens go out early in the playoffs or don't make it at all IMHO.

However, if we're still struggling by mid-November, I wouldn't be surprised to see a move made before the roster freeze.

I have no complaints about Murray, and don't think he should take the fall for anything.

He hasn't overpaid on any free agents, he's made some good trades, some great signings, and when he's behind the bench he's made some magic happen.

The jury is still out on Hartsburg so far, but we all agree that Paddock was terrible. Murray was responsible for his hiring, so that could be one knock, but I can't see two bad coach hirings as reason enough to fire the guy.

If Hartsburg can't get this team into the playoffs and past at least the first round then I say both Murray and Hartsburg are gone. That will be 2 coaching duds for Murray and Murray's attempts at improving the secondary scoring and the Offensive D will also have failed. What more would it take to get the guy fired?

Re-signing Redden would have been instant-firing for me.

Even if he'd gotten him for less the 4M per Matt?

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:Even if he'd gotten him for less the 4M per Matt?

Yeah I'd take Redden back at a Phillips like salary... Not for 6 years though! LOL

Totally agree dude. No way I'd sign him for more then 4M and no more than 3 years TOPS, and preferably 2 years.