whoa! Another Spezza rumor!

Cronenbergfan wrote:Fresh from Hockeyleaks.com, here's there latest take on swirling rumors:

"The struggling Sens are looking to shake things up, and it appears Jason Spezza could be the fall guy. While no concrete talks have taken place, two teams that have HUGE interest in Spezza are Chicago (who I really think can get a deal done with Ottawa, given their strength in goaltending and young defensemen) and Edmonton. With that said, three other teams that I have heard whispers about are Columbus, Vancouver and Calgary. More on this as we head into the new year..."

www.hockeyleaks.com

Thanks for sharing the rumor Cronie. Here's my take:

CHICAGO:
I guess losing the Sundin sweeps makes them target a guy like Spezza as second choice. Obviously they wouldn't trade guys like Toews and Kane, even Sharp, Campbell and Keith are highly unlikely to be moved. I don't think Ottawa wants to "improve" their goaltending though, and if they did, Gerber would have to be going to Chicago as well. Havlat, while he has remained healthy this season so far, is still a huge question mark, and I wouldn't take the risk. Besides he is not a center, and I don't think Ottawa experiments with Heatley at center. I suppose Barker, Seabrook or maybe Winsiewski, or Byfuglien could be moved. They have a tonne of young forwards as well, but none that fill the void of Spezza. I say pass.

EDMONTON:

Why? They have a lot of centers already. Horcoff, Gagner, Cogliano, as well as Schremp in limbo. Schremp is or could be good, but I don't think he's much of an improvement over Spezza or ever will be. He has the same knocks as Spezza. I would certainly take Gagner or Cogliano in exchange as a starting point.

COLUMBUS:
Certainly see their need for a #1 center like Spezza to play with Nash. Highly doubt they would trade away Brassard, Voracek or Filatov. I hear Leclaire, but most likely Norrena, will be moved, with Mason's rise to stardom.

VANCOUVER:
Again, seems like a contingency plan on the Sundin sweeps. Do we even have to ask who we want from them? It'd have to be either Luongo, or Hodgson and Schneider for me. Hodgson is a phenomenal player and could be a #1 for us sooner than you think. He's great at both ends, and is just a great kid. Schneider is > Elliott as well, so that helps us quite a bit.

CALGARY:
Kipper has become too inconsistent at times, how would he fair in Ottawa? And aside from Iginla, Camalleri and Phaneuf, who else do we really want? Dustin Boyd would be a good #2 at most probably.

I still think Spezza is going to be a Senator for a while, but if he has to be moved, whether it be to improve the team or save money, the time to do it is at the draft I think. A top 5 pick would be a nice starting point, but would a team trade a pick and a chance at a top 5 for Spezza?

BigRig77 wrote:

Cronenbergfan wrote:Nice call Hemi And Stargate.
I couldn't agree more.
I forget which member kept stressing this point, but I certainly agree that if Spezza is moved, a highly-touted or proven Centerman must come back...
If we snag another sweet prospect or 1st as well, it's just gravy in my eyes.

The longer Murray stands pat has me a little worried that perhaps the Sens will stay status quo, which is NOT good because I think these guys need a shakeup of some sort. Perhaps not a HUGE blow out, but something to get these guys going. Plus, our top line had better come out of their collective funk because they aren't helping either.

Let's look a t it this way....

This past summer, we blew up the defence...upgraded the goaltending.

And now it's time to take a long look at the forwards.

Safe are the Heater, Fisher, and Alfie....but Spezza, Vermette, Neil...are just a few names that could be gone come July 1st....

I'm guessing that they will try to bring in some deadline forward (S) and if the playoffs don't happen...or they end quickly...at least 6 of our current 12 forwards will be new come September. With the 6 including some Bingo players...

From a deadline deal wishlist though...I've been thinking about this more and more...

How awesome would it be to bring back Marty Halvat? Put him on the second line with Fisher?

I love Havlat and have been quietly saying we should snag him back for a long time now...

sign him to a decent contract...

Plus, doesn't Spezza's NTC come into effect July 2009 or is it 2010?

I figure if we get a slight downgrade at center, plus a prospect, plus a 1st rounder and maybe swap some of our underachievers for the other teams underachievers or somehow offer another team some cap relief that would be a fair deal.

Columbus could be an attractive fit in that case. Norrena has already been waived but they might still want to get out from under Leclaire's deal. Gerber works that way. Spezza can get us a nice bundle of other assets, including an NHL body to help immediately.

I think the notion of trading for a goaltending upgrade (Spezza for Luongo) is no longer in the cards.

COLLAR UP wrote:

I love Havlat and have been quietly saying we should snag him back for a long time now...

sign him to a decent contract...

Wow. That's not a position you hear everyday from Sens fans...

Structure the contract so that it pays according to games played, rather than a blanket number per year, and you might get a few people interested. Otherwise, there's no way we can justify shelling out any cash for a guy who spends 1/2 the season, every season, on IR.

Anyway, given the way things ended with Havlat, I'd doubt he'd want to come back, or we'd even want him back.

Cronenbergfan wrote:Plus, doesn't Spezza's NTC come into effect July 2009 or is it 2010?

2010.

Murray left himself quite a bit of time to see how Spezza responded to the new deal, and to see how/if he improves his overall game. It was one of his more prudent moves last year. I wish he had done something similar with Fisher.

rooneypoo wrote:

COLLAR UP wrote:

I love Havlat and have been quietly saying we should snag him back for a long time now...

sign him to a decent contract...

Wow. That's not a position you hear everyday from Sens fans...

Structure the contract so that it pays according to games played, rather than a blanket number per year, and you might get a few people interested. Otherwise, there's no way we can justify shelling out any cash for a guy who spends 1/2 the season, every season, on IR.

Anyway, given the way things ended with Havlat, I'd doubt he'd want to come back, or we'd even want him back.

but we already do that with Fish no??

and the BIG difference is...while Havlat may only play 60 games...he nets 60 points...

COLLAR UP wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

COLLAR UP wrote:

I love Havlat and have been quietly saying we should snag him back for a long time now...

sign him to a decent contract...

Wow. That's not a position you hear everyday from Sens fans...

Structure the contract so that it pays according to games played, rather than a blanket number per year, and you might get a few people interested. Otherwise, there's no way we can justify shelling out any cash for a guy who spends 1/2 the season, every season, on IR.

Anyway, given the way things ended with Havlat, I'd doubt he'd want to come back, or we'd even want him back.

but we already do that with Fish no??

and the BIG difference is...while Havlat may only play 60 games...he nets 60 points...

I think we're not thinking straight if we use what is generally recognized one bad contract -- and in spite of the current lack of scoring, I like Fisher, but just not for $4.2 mil -- as a means for justifying another. Learn from the mistake, don't repeat it. No one's clamouring for us to re-sign Gerber for big money because we done it before in the past.

Anyway, Fisher is not Havlat in terms of injury-proneness. In spite of his reputation, Fisher has only missed 31 games from the 2005-06 season to the 2007-08 season (14 + 14 + 3). In that same time span, Havlat has missed a whopping 137 games (64 + 26 + 47). There's really no comparison.

Havlat is the better offensive player, no doubt, but he has serious issues, heath-wise.

Problem with dealing Spezza at the trade deadline is, he will probably go in a team that's contending for a cup. meaning a 1st rounder coming back is probably not near top 15 pick.
If I trade Spezza, I want to be sure I have a top 5 pick in the next draft at least. But if a team like CHicago offers something like Keith, Sharp and a 1st for Spezza and Kuba I would consider...

jamvan wrote:Unless we got Keith, Sharp and Seabrook back our way...then nope.

Spezza is going nowhere, I can tell you that.

That's a pretty fair assessment. I would make that trade. But it's one of only a few I would make.

Spezza will never end up in Chicago. If he ever did it would be Toews coming the other way and then Tallon would be fired. It wont happen.

Would Columbus even want Spezza?

If he thinks it's tough here and can't learn a new style, wait till Wang gets a hold of him.

And while he might have some of the nicest moves, playing his high risk high reward style, Rick Nash might not be all too patient with his turnovers.

My Guess is Spezza eventually ends up in Atlanta, NYI, or St Louis. Just my guess though.

Neely4Life wrote:My Guess is Spezza eventually ends up in Atlanta, NYI, or St Louis. Just my guess though.

I'd keep EDM on that list too...

they could send over a nice little package...(including come of these...not all)

Cogliabo/Gagner...Gilbert...Schremp...#1 pick...

Atlanta has Little, Spezza would hurt his development, no? If they want Little as #1, Spezza won't take too kindly to playing second fiddle, but Spezza and Kocalchuk could be deadly.

NYI may not want someone like Spezza in their system.

St. Louis for Macdonald +?

Of all the deals I like, if you must trade him, St. Louis, cause we play them few times.

what would ATL have to offer...Bogosian...oooh...
go ahead...I am listening...

slurp up my drool.... :D

I'd even like White back...at least he puts up consistant points...

COLLAR UP wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:My Guess is Spezza eventually ends up in Atlanta, NYI, or St Louis. Just my guess though.

I'd keep EDM on that list too...

they could send over a nice little package...(including come of these...not all)

Cogliabo/Gagner...Gilbert...Schremp...#1 pick...

Ya, def wouldnt rule out Edmonton, thats a good point.

If Spezza does go to any of those 4 teams it really doesnt matter how often we play them, Spezza is not hard to stop, and especially a defense first team like Ottawa. Get the best deal possible, doesnt matter where he ends up. He has been a loser everywhere else, wont change in Atlanta or NYI.

COLLAR UP wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:My Guess is Spezza eventually ends up in Atlanta, NYI, or St Louis. Just my guess though.

I'd keep EDM on that list too...

they could send over a nice little package...(including come of these...not all)

Cogliabo/Gagner...Gilbert...Schremp...#1 pick...

Can't understand why Edmonton would deal Cogs or Gagner for Spezza. Edmonton has a fast, two-way system, something Spezza isn't.

Perhaps a team that has connections to the Peel region (where Spezza is highly liked) would take him. Columbus has Nash (Brampton born and raised) and Klesla (ex-Battalion). They also drafted John Hughes (Battalion) but he left for Austria.

The Rangers also seem to like the Battalion players (Sanguinetti and Grachev), but I (highly) doubt they are interested.