In Defence of Spezza

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

Nope, there are a few people up here with me.

That's kingly of you. I suppose all sovereigns have advisors and a court, after all.

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

Nope, there are a few people up here with me.

That's kingly of you. I suppose all sovereigns have advisors and a court, after all.

Correct.

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

Nope, there are a few people up here with me.

That's kingly of you. I suppose all sovereigns have advisors and a court, after all.

Correct.

I'm glad where clear on where you stand here in terms of your opinion of yourself. It explains a lot.

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

Nope, there are a few people up here with me.

That's kingly of you. I suppose all sovereigns have advisors and a court, after all.

Correct.

I'm glad where clear on where you stand here in terms of your opinion of yourself. It explains a lot.

As long as we are on the same page.

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

Nope, there are a few people up here with me.

That's kingly of you. I suppose all sovereigns have advisors and a court, after all.

Correct.

I'm glad where clear on where you stand here in terms of your opinion of yourself. It explains a lot.

As long as we are on the same page.

lol, ohhhh, clever. I dont dismiss other peoples opinions, I dismiss ignorance and a complete lack of knowledge for the game, a lot like yourself.

Oh yeah. I always thought you were arrogant and conceited and totally dismissive of anyone who has an opinion that's not your's, but it's nice to hear it from the horse's mouth, as they say. Text that one to Chara and see what his opinion of the matter is.

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

beedub wrote:I have started to write this post 3 times, then erase it. I struggle, because I have never been a fair-weather fan of the Sens. I have stuck by them from the very get-go, through those absolute Dung seasons at the beginning, through to their emergence as a power-house contender.

This team did it the right way. They built through the draft and through intelligent trades. You could not help but get excited by their progress. You knew that it was destiny that they would be in the Cup Finals. And sure enough, they did.

Now, that having been said, how may teams have won multiple cups in the last while. I do believe Detroit is the only one.

The sad truth is that a team builds for a Stanley Cup run, usually cannot afford to keep the core group of players to continue onto a dynasty (Detroit is lucky, they drafted or traded for exceptional players who are very young. They will encounter parity once they try to sign Franzen, Zetterberg and Hossa).

What I don't understand, is why Murray will not come to terms with the fact that Ottawa is entering a rebuilding phase. I personally don't think you would here a word of complaint if Murray just came out and said, the Ottawa Senators are now in a rebuilding phase, please be patient. I for one, would be there, watching and waiting to see him work his magic. Yes, I think Murray should be the one to do the tinkering.


So, we sit here, frustrated with inactivity. Their play has been ......less than stellar since January of last year. People preach patience, but that's a year of waiting.

For the record. I do not think Spezza is the problem. I just don't believe he's part of the solution.

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

504Heater wrote:

beedub wrote:I have started to write this post 3 times, then erase it. I struggle, because I have never been a fair-weather fan of the Sens. I have stuck by them from the very get-go, through those absolute Dung seasons at the beginning, through to their emergence as a power-house contender.

This team did it the right way. They built through the draft and through intelligent trades. You could not help but get excited by their progress. You knew that it was destiny that they would be in the Cup Finals. And sure enough, they did.

Now, that having been said, how may teams have won multiple cups in the last while. I do believe Detroit is the only one.

The sad truth is that a team builds for a Stanley Cup run, usually cannot afford to keep the core group of players to continue onto a dynasty (Detroit is lucky, they drafted or traded for exceptional players who are very young. They will encounter parity once they try to sign Franzen, Zetterberg and Hossa).

What I don't understand, is why Murray will not come to terms with the fact that Ottawa is entering a rebuilding phase. I personally don't think you would here a word of complaint if Murray just came out and said, the Ottawa Senators are now in a rebuilding phase, please be patient. I for one, would be there, watching and waiting to see him work his magic. Yes, I think Murray should be the one to do the tinkering.


So, we sit here, frustrated with inactivity. Their play has been ......less than stellar since January of last year. People preach patience, but that's a year of waiting.

For the record. I do not think Spezza is the problem. I just don't believe he's part of the solution.

Forwards
1.Heatley (7.5)
2.Spezza (7.0)
3. Alfredsson (5.4)
4.Fisher (4.2 - although I might have to trade him at some point)
5.Ruutu (1.3)
6.Bass (550K)
7.Z.Smith (580K)
8.Zubov (850K)
9.Winchester (550K)
10.Foligno (850K)
11.O'Brien (850K)
12.Available for UFA spending

Subtotal 1:29.8

Defense
1.Phillips (3.5)
2.Volchenkov (2.5)
3.Picard (800K)
4.Lee (1.3)
5.Available
6.Available

Subtotal 2: 8.1

Goalies
1.Auld (1.0)
2.Elliot (850K)

This is without Vermette and Kelly next year, but feel free to rebuild using the 14 million or so that you should have handy. You can trade anyone in the lineup - but I'd like to keep the Big 3. Anyone else is fair game. For the value, I'd like to keep Volchenkov - and Auld is probably part of the solution. But if you feel you need to move Volchenkov or Auld, go ahead. Make sure the return is good though and make sure the guys you bring in are adaptable to the system that Hartsburg is running - because I'm keeping him on.

You can plan ahead to trade Fisher in the summer preceding the 2010-2011 season, as that's when his NMC is lifted and a limited NTC is put in.

Neely4Life wrote:
If it was that simplistic and easy to do, sure. 6 mil invested in D men eh.... might want to add another 10 mil on top of that minimum for a true contender. Got 4 left assuming the cap stays the same and Auld resigns for 1 mil the year after. I could put more holes in that, but again, what you propsed isnt possible in reality.

Neely4Life wrote:

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

Spezza has to learn how to play at both ends of the rink. His offense will obviously fall off with more defenisive responsibility but it should fall of to the point where he is held scoreless in 1/2 the games he plays in.

Give him a bit more freedom sure, but what happens in those tight checking games when the team needs him to backcheck hard, play responsibe, etc. He has to learn how to do it at some point, PMD or not.

504Heater wrote:

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

I know what you mean...I kind of feel the same way, but Hartsburg has brought in a defensive system that sees us first in the East for goals allowed. The law of averages says that we start scoring soon enough - and when we do, this team could be a lot like the Cup run team.

Problem is, we don't have a second line right now.

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

Spezza has to learn how to play at both ends of the rink. His offense will obviously fall off with more defenisive responsibility but it should fall of to the point where he is held scoreless in 1/2 the games he plays in.

Give him a bit more freedom sure, but what happens in those tight checking games when the team needs him to backcheck hard, play responsibe, etc. He has to learn how to do it at some point, PMD or not.

I'm not sure I want Spezza's points to drop off - isn't that the problem right now? Is anyone crediting Spezza's new defensive efforts for the teams low goals against? I would rather keep Spezza's points up - sure he can chip in with some backchecking, but if this system the team is playing causes his point totals to suffer, I'm not sure I like it.

504Heater wrote:

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

I know what you mean...I kind of feel the same way, but Hartsburg has brought in a defensive system that sees us first in the East for goals allowed. The law of averages says that we start scoring soon enough - and when we do, this team could be a lot like the Cup run team.

Problem is, we don't have a second line right now.

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:

504Heater wrote:

B B B B Bird is the Word wrote:Just wondering.....is this team playing defense first because management/coaches feel that we don't have the tools to play the offense first/free wheeling style we used to? Or, are they insisting on using our players to play a system that they are not capable (capalble is too strong a word) of playing? I have a feeling that Hartsburg and Paddock are/were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If we were to aquire a pmd, I would really like to see the management go back to letting the guys fire away, and play the style of hockey they are best at. (Spezza would benefit - hence this post in this thread!)

I know what you mean...I kind of feel the same way, but Hartsburg has brought in a defensive system that sees us first in the East for goals allowed. The law of averages says that we start scoring soon enough - and when we do, this team could be a lot like the Cup run team.

Problem is, we don't have a second line right now.

I think that the problem is that our high flying offense that scores when the want to is being limited by the new defense first system. The law of averages right now is that the scorers on our team will continue to play defense first, and their points will continue to be mediocre

Neely4Life wrote:

lol, ohhhh, clever. I dont dismiss other peoples opinions, I dismiss ignorance and a complete lack of knowledge for the game, a lot like yourself.