Game Day: Canes Vs. Sens Jan 13, 08

asq2 wrote:Yeah, what would be ideal is if we could address both the need for a #1 d-man (although Karlsson easily could be, but I prefer him as a #2 or a guy anchoring the second unit) and lack of offensive centremen behind Spezza.

If we could walk out of that draft with Hedman or Cowen and one of Tavares (no chance), Duchene (probably no chance either), Evander Kane, Brayden Schenn or Nazem Kadri, I'm as happy as a pig in mud.

Which pains me to say, considering my favourite players in the draft are MSP and Schroeder. But I feel that centres are more important than wingers.

Here's Kadri pulling a Spezza-on-Souray move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dufa-_a6LlQ&feature=related

:D

hemlock wrote:

cash wrote:

asq2 wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Snuh wrote:Wow! What a difference a goalie who makes timely saves and gives up virtually no rebounds can make. Great game!

At the risk of sounding negative after a win, this isn't what we need. A faint glimpse of hope. It's nice to see Elliott getting his shot and playing well, but goaltending isn't the biggest problem on this team. We still don't have that elusive d-man we've been after.

Personally, I will be much less impressed if Elliott continues to shine and it costs us a seeding or two. It could be the difference between getting a blue chipper and not. This season is a write off. I want to see them treat it that way.

Agreed. The thought of going on a run right now is terrifying. Hopefully it was a one-game abberation.

I agree and its obvious that against a better team, many of the individual plays that looked so great wouldn't have worked out as they did tonight.
But I disagree that goaltending hasn't been the absolute biggest issue with this team. It feeds confidence throughout the D-corps and the forwards and promotes a more free-flowing transition game.

Perhaps, but your defencemen need to have a certain level of skill and confidence to help the transition game. We just don't have anywhere close to the level we had during the cup run after losing 4 of our 6 D-men. Losing Mez, Redden, Preissing and Corvo has really hurt this team badly.

I'd say our goaltending is fine right now. We are going through a transitional period anyway, so I don't expect lights out every night. I agree that Elliot should get his look now, but I am secretly hoping it's 1-0 against the Sens every night lol.

Too many times this season, we've all had moments where we've said "Hmm, could this be where they turn it around?" Time and time again that we've seen then this team's inability to move the puck up ice, and their perceived lack of desire or effort rear it's ugly head.

A few good games from Elliot is encouraging....for next year lol.

Keeping them would have crippled this team.

Although I agree keeping those guys would not have been the right move but replacing them with Picard, Kuba, Lee, Schubert/Bell wasn't the smart move either.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Although I agree keeping those guys would not have been the right move but replacing them with Picard, Kuba, Lee, Schubert/Bell wasn't the smart move either.

What would you have done ?

I would have gone to Redden early on and explain to him he's not in the plans and we really insist on moving you so give us some teams (I don't know that they didn't do that so don't rake me over the coals for that). If he insisted that he wouldn't waive his NTC then I'd warn him that he'd be spending a lot of time watching from the 400 level or from the bench as I demoted him to 6th D. If he still insisted then I would follow through on the threat. At least I would have done all I could to move him and would rest easy knowing I tried.

As for Corvo? He absolutely had to go but why Commodore?? Get another PMD.

Meszaros? That trade I actually really like with Kuba and Picard coming back.

So, do a PMD swap for Corvo and pick up another PMD.

asq2 wrote:Yeah, what would be ideal is if we could address both the need for a #1 d-man (although Karlsson easily could be, but I prefer him as a #2 or a guy anchoring the second unit) and lack of offensive centremen behind Spezza.

If we could walk out of that draft with Hedman or Cowen and one of Tavares (no chance), Duchene (probably no chance either), Evander Kane, Brayden Schenn or Nazem Kadri, I'm as happy as a pig in mud.

Which pains me to say, considering my favourite players in the draft are MSP and Schroeder. But I feel that centres are more important than wingers.

You take that long to sell me on Schroeder, then say no? :D

Well Heater you were a lot closer to being right about the score than I ever would have imagined. I know it was a joke but that 7 - 2 final for the Sens wasn't all that far off of the end result :D

RobbyJ wrote:
What would you have done ?

Mark Streit would be a Sen, Mez would've been traded for Boyle and I would've moved some nice salary out - probably wouldn't have re-signed Kelly - instead replacing him with a 2 year, 2 million dollar contract to Yelle.

Heatley - Spezza - Fisher
Foligno - Vermette - Alfredsson
Ruutu - Yelle - Neil
Donovan - McAmmond - Bass


Streit - Boyle
Volchenkov - Phillips
Lee - Schubert

Auld
Gerber

Unfortunately this puts me at 56.5 million - and we can't be right at the cap, so I'd have to maneuver someone or something (Gerber, you're gonzo my friend).

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Well Heater you were a lot closer to being right about the score than I ever would have imagined. I know it was a joke but that 7 - 2 final for the Sens wasn't all that far off of the end result :D

I was thinking that when it hit 5-1. :D

504Heater wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Well Heater you were a lot closer to being right about the score than I ever would have imagined. I know it was a joke but that 7 - 2 final for the Sens wasn't all that far off of the end result :D

I was thinking that when it hit 5-1. :D

Here's a question. What's our record since you switched to Grover?

504Heater wrote:

RobbyJ wrote:
What would you have done ?

Mark Streit would be a Sen, Mez would've been traded for Boyle and I would've moved some nice salary out - probably wouldn't have re-signed Kelly - instead replacing him with a 2 year, 2 million dollar contract to Yelle.

Heatley - Spezza - Fisher
Foligno - Vermette - Alfredsson
Ruutu - Yelle - Neil
Donovan - McAmmond - Bass


Streit - Boyle
Volchenkov - Phillips
Lee - Schubert

Auld
Gerber

Unfortunately this puts me at 56.5 million - and we can't be right at the cap, so I'd have to maneuver someone or something (Gerber, you're gonzo my friend).

You're over the cap, the team isn't THAT much better off locked in contracts and no Eric Karlsson in the system.

RobbyJ wrote:
You're over the cap, the team isn't THAT much better off locked in contracts and no Eric Karlsson in the system.

Phillips 3.5 is off the books before Karlsson even sets foot into the NHL. Fisher's NMC is lifted before Karlsson gets here as well. If I get nervous, I trade Vermette for a pick and promote one of my prospects - hopefully not until this upcoming summer.

I'm not concerned at all about Karlsson right now - there's plenty 'o time and he still has to get the rookie contract in there before big $$ comes his way.

In fact, by the time we're negotiating Karlsson's 2nd contract, I believe Streit's 5 year package is about up - and if it's not, I think about moving him if I need to.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:
Here's a question. What's our record since you switched to Grover?

I don't know...when did I switch over? Probably 1-2 or 1-1.

504Heater wrote:

RobbyJ wrote:
You're over the cap, the team isn't THAT much better off locked in contracts and no Eric Karlsson in the system.

Phillips 3.5 is off the books before Karlsson even sets foot into the NHL. Fisher's NMC is lifted before Karlsson gets here as well. If I get nervous, I trade Vermette for a pick and promote one of my prospects - hopefully not until this upcoming summer.

I'm not concerned at all about Karlsson right now - there's plenty 'o time and he still has to get the rookie contract in there before big $$ comes his way.

In fact, by the time we're negotiating Karlsson's 2nd contract, I believe Streit's 5 year package is about up - and if it's not, I think about moving him if I need to.

You missed the point. Boyle cost SJ Carle and their 1st, so you gave TB our 1st along with Mez. Hence no EK.

RobbyJ wrote:
You missed the point. Boyle cost SJ Carle and their 1st, so you gave TB our 1st along with Mez. Hence no EK.

From next year's draft, so we still have EK in the system.

Plus, I would get Boyle for Mez and a 2nd. Trust me on that, the Lightning were wet to the knees about Mez. Look at what we got for him!

504Heater wrote:

RobbyJ wrote:
You missed the point. Boyle cost SJ Carle and their 1st, so you gave TB our 1st along with Mez. Hence no EK.

From next year's draft, so we still have EK in the system.

Plus, I would get Boyle for Mez and a 2nd. Trust me on that, the Lightning were wet to the knees about Mez. Look at what we got for him!

Sorry, you're right about the draft. I still think we'd be giving up a lottery pick this year, since all our re-signed players have the Vanek Flu. And TB would not have taken a 2nd IMO.

RobbyJ wrote:
Sorry, you're right about the draft. I still think we'd be giving up a lottery pick this year, since all our re-signed players have the Vanek Flu. And TB would not have taken a 2nd IMO.

But they gave a 1st and 2 good players to acquire Mez in the first place - AND - Boyle waived his NTC to come here. All Murray (or me) has to say to him is, tell them you'll only waive it for her. Game on. I think it's close to a one-for-one, that's how badly TB wanted to trade Boyle and how badly they wanted Mez.

Plus, adding a guy like Boyle on the backend changes this entire team, adding Boyle and Streit changes everything. We'd be very fast, mobile and powerful on the backend. It would've trickled down to Phillips and A-Train. Our forwards would be the recipients of awesome outlet passes and one of the best PP QB tandems in the NHL in Streit and Boyle.

Man...we'd be sexy as Dung right now. Goaltending would be a small issue, but imagine if Auld played the way he did in this scenario? We'd be the beasts of the East IMO.

Anyway, it didn't happen so now you have to look forward to building that kind of blue-line for the future.

Which is why a guy like Hedman or Cowen, and a centre behind Spezza, should be the target at the draft.

Also, can we stop referring to Karlsson as EK? Whenever I see that, I think of something else.

Maybe Erik the Red or something, once he puts on the Sens jersey.