It's time ~~~~~!!!!! P-A-N-I-C !!!!!~~~~~~

DashRiprock wrote:Hedman is also a defenceman, would you like him to play center?

What I don't understand is why some of you are so insistent on arguing that Hedman is much better and/or ready than Tavares is? Did anyone question or criticize Sidney Crosby before he got drafted? Was there any doubting him? LEt's look at what Tavares has done. He had a rule bent to allow him to play in the OHL at 14. He broke Wayne "F'n" Gretzky's goal record at 16. He's proven he is a consistent point getter, both as a scorer and playmaker. He played with NHLers as an undrafted, underager in the WHC.

Tavares - best forward not in the NHL.

Hedman - the best defenceman not in the NHL

Let's just leave it at that.

Im getting a little tired of people insisting that Spezza be traded, like they expect to get an equivalent player back. I can assure you not. You can get a 1st round pick, and hope that you get someone like Tavares, who can fill his shoes right now. How would trading Spezza, and drafting Hedman help us? Tell me why any team right now would take Spezza, someone who's constantly abused by fans and hockey personalities of being a one way player, a defensive liability, immature, etc?

Crosby wasn't questioned because in addition to his skill and vision, he is a fantastic skater and has ridiculous, Jagr-esque lower-body strength. Ovechkin, too, is built like a bull and can skate like Pavel Bure.

Hedman is 6-7 and skates like he's 5-7. He's pretty ready. Regardless, that's irrelevant.

You have the impression that we'd just trade Spezza, draft Tavares (who again we're not sure will be a first-liner on his rookie deal) and go on like nothing's changed.

I have a different outlook. Rebuilding is more than a one-year deal. If you look at this draft, Hedman gives you the chance at not only a franchise defenceman, but a generational defenceman.

He won't turn a team that's bad enough to get him around in one season. Crosby couldn't, Ovechkin couldn't. So, you then look at the top of the next draft, and what do you see?

Taylor Hall, Kirill Kabanov, Teemu Pulkkinen. All forwards. There's your replacement Spezza.

Now you have a franchise forward in addition to your potential generational defenceman.

Again, I don't have anything against Tavares, I just think he's slightly over-rated and isn't as good a prospect as Hedman. I don't think there's much question that he's in the top 2 of this draft, despite the strong play of Cowen and MSP.

DashRiprock wrote:Except we'd have no #1 center.

If Spezza's as great as you say he is, which I know he is, why is there this outcry for him to be traded?

because some people have a personal problem with him

Tukker wrote:

DashRiprock wrote:Except we'd have no #1 center.

If Spezza's as great as you say he is, which I know he is, why is there this outcry for him to be traded?

because some people have an irrational problem with him

Fixed.

asq2 wrote:

Tukker wrote:

DashRiprock wrote:Except we'd have no #1 center.

If Spezza's as great as you say he is, which I know he is, why is there this outcry for him to be traded?

because some people have an irrational problem with him

Fixed.

just as good i suppose

Anyway, the important thing to remember is that drafting for need that high is pretty stupid, and even then we definitely have a need for a Viktor Hedman going forward.

There's no reason to think that trading Spezza for Hedman would mean we could not fill a #1 centre spot.

You can use the money from Spezza/Gerber's contracts to sign one, or you can convert Heatley to centre, or you can suck again like we will and then draft Taylor Hall.

asq2 wrote:

Tukker wrote:

DashRiprock wrote:Except we'd have no #1 center.

If Spezza's as great as you say he is, which I know he is, why is there this outcry for him to be traded?

because some people have an irrational problem with him

Fixed.

LOL. I hear you there.

Still, there's no denying that we're in a bit of a bind money-wise, having spent too much money up front, lacking a real #1 D or G (although the latter is less of an issue lately), and facing a potential dip in the cap for who knows how long.

If Spezza's moved, it will have more to do with economics and the team's need to address other significant gaps. That is, necessity rather than volition will be the big determiner in Spezza's fate with the Sens, I think.

asq2 wrote:Anyway, the important thing to remember is that drafting for need that high is pretty stupid, and even then we definitely have a need for a Viktor Hedman going forward.

There's no reason to think that trading Spezza for Hedman would mean we could not fill a #1 centre spot.

You can use the money from Spezza/Gerber's contracts to sign one, or you can convert Heatley to centre, or you can suck again like we will and then draft Taylor Hall.

I'd love to have Hall and Hedman. can't ask for a better anchor to build around

Tukker wrote:

asq2 wrote:Anyway, the important thing to remember is that drafting for need that high is pretty stupid, and even then we definitely have a need for a Viktor Hedman going forward.

There's no reason to think that trading Spezza for Hedman would mean we could not fill a #1 centre spot.

You can use the money from Spezza/Gerber's contracts to sign one, or you can convert Heatley to centre, or you can suck again like we will and then draft Taylor Hall.

I'd love to have Hall and Hedman. can't ask for a better anchor to build around

If our assets are managed wisely, that's very possible.

Kabanov is another name to remember from the 2010 draft. He's very similar to Ovechkin in scoring prowess and mack-truck-ness.

I get the feeling that if Murray made a move for a legitimate PMD and a TSF that it would do as much good as bringing in Stillman and Commodore did last season. Lets just ride it out, perhaps trade away some assets for picks and prospects and see if we can't win that lottery pick? Then explore moving a guy like spezza in the off season.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I get the feeling that if Murray made a move for a legitimate PMD and a TSF that it would do as much good as bringing in Stillman and Commodore did last season. Lets just ride it out, perhaps trade away some assets for picks and prospects and see if we can't win that lottery pick? Then explore moving a guy like spezza in the off season.

I agree. The short-term fix did nothing last year, and it makes zero sense to trade players when their value is the lowest its ever been.

Plus, Murray talked all summer about 'character.' Let's see what 'character' we have. The 06-07 team tightened its belt and pulled itself out of the gutter when things got tough. Let's see if this new team, with all its added 'character,' can do something similar, or if we'll go quietly into the dark night, again.

rooneypoo wrote:
I agree. The short-term fix did nothing last year, and it makes zero sense to trade players when their value is the lowest its ever been.

Plus, Murray talked all summer about 'character.' Let's see what 'character' we have. The 06-07 team tightened its belt and pulled itself out of the gutter when things got tough. Let's see if this new team, with all its added 'character,' can do something similar, or if we'll go quietly into the dark night, again.

The short-term fix came far later in the season last year.

As far as character, we added plenty but probably didn't complement it with quite enough skill. There's still an opportunity to acquire a longer-term fix that can help us immediately and in the future. We'll see what happens.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

The short-term fix came far later in the season last year.

As far as character, we added plenty but probably didn't complement it with quite enough skill. There's still an opportunity to acquire a longer-term fix that can help us immediately and in the future. We'll see what happens.

If by "longer term," you mean years and not months, I'm totally on board. I just mean I don't want to see any older guys on the last year of their deals getting brought in, especially at the expense of youth/picks. Corvo wanted out and Eaves was made of glass, so I don't really regret that trade by any stretch, but my guess is we wouldn't be so lucky 2 times in a row.

Right now, tho', there's a problem with the way the whole team plays together as a group. Our team D is shaping up nicely, but our offence is awful, and worse yet, we're too often apathetic. That can only be addressed internally.