Game Day: Canes Vs. Sens Jan 13, 08

Neely4Life wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Ive been saying it for a year, Elliott will, and basicaly is already the starter here by years end. The kid has all the tools! Its great watching that kid play and play well.

People are going to say. "well, he really wasnt tested and wasnt forced to make any 2nd or 3rd saves." Sorry he doesnt put every rebound in the slot and sucks up the shots from the outside. This is Ottawa's goaltender for the next 5 years minimum.

I can't tell you how much I hope you're right.

Elliott right now has no visable weekness as a goaltender. There is still tons for him to prove and we will see what the kid is made of from here on out. He is as solid as they come and he wont be the first underdog come from the NCAA and be a star between the pipes.

Elliott is the real deal.

Agreed. I wrote a post/blog on this back in Aug/Sept I think.
The kid moves incredibly precisely; when I saw him and Price face each other (pre-season), you could see what the "modern" goalie was being taught. My son had just finished a camp with Eli Wilson, and it was like watching a film of what Wilson was teaching. It's wild.

The only thing is that he needs to be brought along properly, so we don't screw up his development.

asq2 wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

asq2 wrote:I love Elliott.

But the last thing I want him to do is turn our season around.

We need to get a Victor Hedman or Jared Cowen in front of him.

You gotta see what the kid has, now is the time, its as simple as that. I want Hedman too, but you build from the back end forward, that starts in goal.

Having our goaltending solved for the the next 5-10 years is better than having Hedman or Tavrares IMO. Its starts from between the pipes.

We've been fairly certain for the past 3 or so years that Elliott was our answer to the goaltending question.

It's not an either/or. If you let him stay in the AHL, dominate and hopefully lead the B-Sens on a long playoff run while we lose and grab Hedman, then he can come up again at the start of next season to be our guy AND we'll have a franchiser to put in front of him.

Fact of the matter is Elliott is ready for the NHL, he has worked for it, and it was promised to him that if he worked hard and did well, he would get his shot.

A turn around or not, Elliott should be up here and get his shot. There is nothing left for him to learn in the AHL, he is the best goalie down there, and by a large margin.

hemlock wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

asq2 wrote:I love Elliott.

But the last thing I want him to do is turn our season around.

We need to get a Victor Hedman or Jared Cowen in front of him.

You gotta see what the kid has, now is the time, its as simple as that. I want Hedman too, but you build from the back end forward, that starts in goal.

Having our goaltending solved for the the next 5-10 years is better than having Hedman or Tavrares IMO. Its starts from between the pipes.

But we've already got Elliott. So our goaltending is solved regardless if he plays the year out in Ottawa or not. Let him lead Bingo to a long playoff run, and we continue to ride Gerber and Auld. That sounds like a win-win to me.

He will be playing in Bingo come the playoffs anyways. After the Sens are done they will send him back down.

As for his five-hole: he isn't used to the calibre of shooters that he faces in the NHL. I'm sure he is used to "cheating" a bit, knowing he can close it down so quickly. He'll learn to tighten up a bit, and that weakness will fade too.

asq2 wrote:I love Elliott.

But the last thing I want him to do is turn our season around.

We need to get a Victor Hedman or Jared Cowen in front of him.

That's actually very funny and true.

Problem is, if you wake up the Big 3, they can single-handedly kill our chances at a top 10 pick.

That will come in practice facing the best shooters in the world everyday.

The kid has it all, it's as simple as that.

Neely4Life wrote:That will come in practice facing the best shooters in the world everyday.

The kid has it all, it's as simple as that.

Spine-tinglingly exciting talk.

We've gone from P.O'ed that they (the team) are not scoring, to upset (mildly) that they are, or might?

He has been my avitar since day 1, so I am the biggest Elliott fan on here. Last year in the game vs Atlanta you could tell exactly how much tallent the guy has. He just keeps showing it.

Now what the diddle do we do? Seriously too...

I understand what they're saying Neely. He might be ready to go, but...can he learn anything else from the AHL? No need to rush him in here now, let him get a 15 game taste and send him back.

I will say that I would gladly give up a top 5 pick for a 12th overall if Elliot begins a long period of stability in net.

Our pick, coupled with SJ's pick - couple with whatever we get for the guys we're shipping out - could land us back in the top 5 anyway. I don't know how else to look at it.

Acrobat wrote:We've gone from P.O'ed that they (the team) are not scoring, to upset (mildly) that they are, or might?

I can't personally. I was yelling and cheering every time they scored. We can't control the position in which we draft.

What I want to continue to see is improvements from guys like Brian Lee, Schubert, Picard, Foligno, Winchester etc. etc. etc. Lee had a whale of a game, same with Schubert and Winchester - but really, most of the young guys were good.

Season yourselves and prepare for next year by learning and executing as many things as possible.

Neely4Life wrote:He has been my avitar since day 1, so I am the biggest Elliott fan on here. Last year in the game vs Atlanta you could tell exactly how much tallent the guy has. He just keeps showing it.

He is a perfect example of why we need to keep Murray, and some (not all) of the scouting system intact.
Murray will ensure that kids like him - the potential diamonds in the rough - are sorted out and developed properly, even (like now) risking his own position to do so.

504Heater wrote:

asq2 wrote:I love Elliott.

But the last thing I want him to do is turn our season around.

We need to get a Victor Hedman or Jared Cowen in front of him.

That's actually very funny and true.

Problem is, if you wake up the Big 3, they can single-handedly kill our chances at a top 10 pick.

Not without solving our lack of a puck mover I don't believe. If we aren't adding that, then why bother pretending we are a competitor?

We will have a top 10 pick FOR SURE. As good as Elliott is there is no way we are making up that kind of ground this year.

Elliott basically isnt challenged int he AHL like he needs to be, he has to be in the NHL to further his development and facing the Heatley and Spezza's of the world everyday.

From a long term point of view, having Elliott develop like this is the best thing for this organization.

If the Sens are that desperate to get a top 3 pick this year, deal Spezza or Heatley, its as simple as that.

hemlock wrote:
Not without solving our lack of a puck mover I don't believe. If we aren't adding that, then why bother pretending we are a competitor?

We're not pretending any more, but the Big 3 can dominate games - like they did when they finally 'got' Murray's system. Add into that that Lee is playing like a man and Picard is moving the puck well, same with Bell and Kuba - although sporadically - and we might end up finishing 9th.

Not optimum - unless Elliot and Lee and Picard etc. etc. etc. all start coming into their own.

Acrobat wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:He has been my avitar since day 1, so I am the biggest Elliott fan on here. Last year in the game vs Atlanta you could tell exactly how much tallent the guy has. He just keeps showing it.

He is a perfect example of why we need to keep Murray, and some (not all) of the scouting system intact.
Murray will ensure that kids like him - the potential diamonds in the rough - are sorted out and developed properly, even (like now) risking his own position to do so.

Good point. Murray deserves some huge props for not making a stupid knee jerk trade to save his job. Hartsburg can't do much else to save himself unless the on ice product improves, but Murray could make such a move to benefit himself and not necessarily the team. Kudos to him for not doing that.

hemlock wrote:
Good point. Murray deserves some huge props for not making a stupid knee jerk trade to save his job. Hartsburg can't do much else to save himself unless the on ice product improves, but Murray could make such a move to benefit himself and not necessarily the team. Kudos to him for not doing that.

I think Murray had a lot to lose if he didn't promote Elliot personally.

Neely4Life wrote:We will have a top 10 pick FOR SURE. As good as Elliott is there is no way we are making up that kind of ground this year.

Elliott basically isnt challenged int he AHL like he needs to be, he has to be in the NHL to further his development and facing the Heatley and Spezza's of the world everyday.

From a long term point of view, having Elliott develop like this is the best thing for this organization.

If the Sens are that desperate to get a top 3 pick this year, deal Spezza or Heatley, its as simple as that.

Or couple our pick with SJ's pick and get into the top 5.