GAME DAY: New Jersey Devils @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm - Jan. 27th, 2009

The all-stars have come and gone... and some didn't show and got suspended. Heh heh. NHL play resumes tonight following the all-star break in Montreal. I have to be honest - I didn't watch any of it and only saw the highlights on TSN. I really had no interest.

As for the Sens, their all-stars need to start playing like all-stars if they want to make anything of this season. They have shown some improvement since Elliott has been called up, but the Sens are so far out of a playoff spot, it's almost all but over... almost.

The Devils (29-15-3) roll into town tonight where they find themselves atop the Atlantic Division. The Sens (16-21-7) remain at the bottom of the Northeast Division and have been swimming with the bottom-feeders of the NHL all season.

From: http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/01/27/8157986-sun.html

Brian Elliott gets his 6th straight start in net tonight. Clemmenson is expected to go for the Devils. Brodeur remains out as he recovers from surgery. He's not expected back until late Feb or early March.

TSN's Ice Chips:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?id=11009

Shean Donovan, who is out with a lower body injury will miss "at least another week," according to coach Craig Hartsburg. Anton Volchenkov make his return against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday after suffering a shoulder injury on January 3. Brian Elliott is scheduled to make his seventh straight start in net. - TSN

Practice Lines

Forwards:
Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
Vermette - Kelly - Winchester
Foligno - Fisher - Ruutu
Schubert - McAmmond - Neil

Chris Neil is questionable for today's game and Cody Bass remains out indefinitely.

Gerber's days in Ottawa have come and gone as the goalie cleared waivers before the all-star break and will now either be loaned to a European team or assigned to Bingo.

So, what will the 2nd half of the season bring for the Sens? Will Melnyk's prediction of a top-4 conf finish come true and have us all talking about the "miracle turnaround" or will the Sens continue to languish and miss the playoffs? Stay tuned...

Game is on MSG PLUS (HD),SNET-E (HD). Gonna need NHL Center Ice for this one if you're outside of the broadcast area.

Any news on Gerbs...he was to meet with Murray yesterday?

Neil is out...why?

COLLAR UP wrote:Any news on Gerbs...he was to meet with Murray yesterday?

Neil is out...why?

Flu-like symptoms.

Here's what Murray had to say about Gerber's status:

"There is one team that has expressed some interest," Murray said. "I told (Gerber) that by (today) we will either have some arrangement made for him or we will assign him to Binghamton.

"I'm going to talk to the team again (today). They are kind of just mulling their options as they want the possibility of exchanging someone that's of equal dollars. At the moment that doesn't make sense to me."

Sounds like he'll be heading to Bingo...

That's a loooooong flu, he was out prior to the All-Star break with the same illness. Still...

Chris Neil (flu) = WIN

McAmmond was out for a long time with a flu that turned into Pneumonia I think.

the sun says that Neil will play tonight.

Apparently the end to the Gerber saga will happen around noon today. I hope he gets picked up by a NHL club.

Can someone explain this one to me? Gerber cleared Waivers so if he goes to another NHL club doesn't he have to clear re-entry Waivers? I'm guessing not since he hasn't been assigned anywhere yet. So assuming he's traded to a NHL club that team can keep him on their NHL club?

Hear don Team 1200 that Regin is IN, and Schubert back on D, one of Smith and Bell scratched.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Can someone explain this one to me? Gerber cleared Waivers so if he goes to another NHL club doesn't he have to clear re-entry Waivers? I'm guessing not since he hasn't been assigned anywhere yet. So assuming he's traded to a NHL club that team can keep him on their NHL club?

I could be wrong but I believe if he is traded, he can go straight to that team's NHL club without having to clear waivers. He would have to clear re-entry waivers to play with the Senators though, and if he were claimed, we'd be on the hook for half his remaining salary and the claiming team paying the other half.

marakh wrote:Hear don Team 1200 that Regin is IN, and Schubert back on D, one of Smith and Bell scratched.

Scratch Smith. Bell scored the game winner vs. Washington. What kind of message does that send? Besides with Volchie back, as someone else pointed out, we're too slow with Volchie, Smith and Phillips all in the lineup.

hemlock wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Can someone explain this one to me? Gerber cleared Waivers so if he goes to another NHL club doesn't he have to clear re-entry Waivers? I'm guessing not since he hasn't been assigned anywhere yet. So assuming he's traded to a NHL club that team can keep him on their NHL club?

I could be wrong but I believe if he is traded, he can go straight to that team's NHL club without having to clear waivers. He would have to clear re-entry waivers to play with the Senators though, and if he were claimed, we'd be on the hook for half his remaining salary and the claiming team paying the other half.

From what I recall with the Bulin in Chicago I think if he is assigned to the AH then he needs to clear re-entry. In this case Gerber has not yet been assigned.

Phoenix30 wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Can someone explain this one to me? Gerber cleared Waivers so if he goes to another NHL club doesn't he have to clear re-entry Waivers? I'm guessing not since he hasn't been assigned anywhere yet. So assuming he's traded to a NHL club that team can keep him on their NHL club?

I could be wrong but I believe if he is traded, he can go straight to that team's NHL club without having to clear waivers. He would have to clear re-entry waivers to play with the Senators though, and if he were claimed, we'd be on the hook for half his remaining salary and the claiming team paying the other half.

From what I recall with the Bulin in Chicago I think if he is assigned to the AH then he needs to clear re-entry. In this case Gerber has not yet been assigned.

I wonder if there is a timeframe. Gerber is in limbo right now, not having an assignment. I wonder what, if any, the time limit is on that. Surely there has to be one.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

marakh wrote:Hear don Team 1200 that Regin is IN, and Schubert back on D, one of Smith and Bell scratched.

Scratch Smith. Bell scored the game winner vs. Washington. What kind of message does that send? Besides with Volchie back, as someone else pointed out, we're too slow with Volchie, Smith and Phillips all in the lineup.

Mistake sorry,
Schubert stays on Offense because Volchie is back

So,
Volchie, Kuba
Philipps, Lee
Picard, Smith/Bell

hemlock wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Can someone explain this one to me? Gerber cleared Waivers so if he goes to another NHL club doesn't he have to clear re-entry Waivers? I'm guessing not since he hasn't been assigned anywhere yet. So assuming he's traded to a NHL club that team can keep him on their NHL club?

I could be wrong but I believe if he is traded, he can go straight to that team's NHL club without having to clear waivers. He would have to clear re-entry waivers to play with the Senators though, and if he were claimed, we'd be on the hook for half his remaining salary and the claiming team paying the other half.

From what I recall with the Bulin in Chicago I think if he is assigned to the AH then he needs to clear re-entry. In this case Gerber has not yet been assigned.

I wonder if there is a timeframe. Gerber is in limbo right now, not having an assignment. I wonder what, if any, the time limit is on that. Surely there has to be one.

Not sure if there is. Didn't they do that with Andrewchuk? Waived him but told him he didn't have to report to the AHL?