Gerber clears!!!!

Don't cheer for them then.

I don't think i'll be able to openly cheer for the leafs. If we lose, I'll be able to accept that as what is best for this team, but my heart will still feel as though it isn't right. This predicament is going to force me to drink heavily tonight.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=269113&lid=sublink04&lpos=topRelated_main

Sens re-assign Gerber to Bingo, Auld well enough to play tonight.

According to Mark Christopher at hockey buzz

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Mark-Christopher/The-last-Battle-of-Ontario-for-some/121/19683

"Gerber cleared re-entry waivers and has been sent back to Bingo
already. Now a confusing situation is unfolding now as I've heard the
Sens are going to put him BACK on re-entry waivers by Monday. Figure
that one out?"

Whats the point does murray thing that someone will pick him up on moday if its true?

Murray may have received a call from a team that did not have time to grab him last time. It sounds a little far fetched but stranger things have happened.

Let sleeping dogs lie. Don't drag the poor Diddle over the coals AGAIN. His professional pride took a whallop when no one took him last time on re entry, to do it again would be IMO a personal attack. They should never have bothered to call him up in the first place.

Gerber won't care if someone claims him. He wants to be in the NHL. I don't think his professional pride will suffer any more than it already has.

So, would the best thing to do now be to send Elliott down to help Bingo and ride out the season with Gerber and Auld?

IMO Shabbs, yes.

Is the best thing to trade Auld? You could get something for him. I like Auld, but if someone were to overpay, I'd deal him.

Gerber/Elliott the rest of the way, then make a big move on a goalie in the off season?

dennycrane wrote:Is the best thing to trade Auld? You could get something for him. I like Auld, but if someone were to overpay, I'd deal him.

Gerber/Elliott the rest of the way, then make a big move on a goalie in the off season?

Who though?

The only goalie they could land on the UFA market is Manny Fernandez...which I would do in a heartbeat if he isn't asking too much.

Maybe Dallas unloads Turco...I'm all over that if it happens...but who else?

It really depends on what Murray thinks of the goaltending. Here are the scenarios:

Auld - very capable #2. He can be a #1 for at least a stretch of the year.
Elliott - late bloomer. Has demonstratred flashes of #1 capability, but he has come back down to earth lately.

Scenario 1: Auld/Elliott again next year.
I think this is the most likely scenario, given the cap imbalance at forward. I think this tandem gives the team a chance, but does not guarantee a playoff spot.

Scenario 2: Auld/UFA, trade Elliott.
This is unlikely, as the NHL is all about cost control. Elliott is a RFA, and cannot command much more than what Auld is making. Halak, a goalie with better credentials, signed for 2 years at less than 1 million per season.

Scenario 3: Elliott/UFA.
If the Sens like the potential of Elliott, but feel he is not ready for the mantle of being a #1, they may get a UFA or trade for a goalie. Either way, a top end contract will have to be moved to clear cap space. This is where I could see Khabibulin or Fernandez on a 2-year deal. Backstrom is the best goalie out there, but he will want a 3-4 yr. deal for bigger money. Another interesting UFA goalie will be Craig Anderson.

I can't see Dallas trading Turco. The Sens want no part of Huet or Theodore. Vokoun is a possibility, but that's a lot of money that the Sens don't have, at least in cap space.

I suspect that the Sens will hold onto Elliott. He has potential and with some coaching over the summer could end up being #1. I think Sens management know that they have something special in Elliott or else they would have sent him back down to Bingo and let Gerbs share the games with Auld. I feel that these games have been just a test for Elliott so the coaching staff know what they have to work on over the summer.

I tend to agree, but I think Murray is going to make some bold moves between now and July 1. I just don't know what they are, only that we will be surprised.

dennycrane wrote:I tend to agree, but I think Murray is going to make some bold moves between now and July 1. I just don't know what they are, only that we will be surprised.

What are your guesses?

I have zero idea what he's up to.

Murray knows that he has to move dollars out the door soon. I predict we will see a glut of talented players being traded for next to nothing in order to clear cap space by this time next year. Look at Philly - I don't think they could move Briere even if they wanted to.

I think Murray hasn't decided about Spezza. He is wondering if Vermette/Fisher/Comrie can be good enough down the middle to trade Spezza for a skilled/physical winger. With the prospect of Chara and Pronger together in Boston, the Sens will need to get some more size up front. I pity the Comrie-Kelly-Shannon line when they chip that puck in deep.

If he keeps Spezza, the goaltending tandem will remain the same going into next year. If the goaltending is just ok halfway through the 09-10 season, getting someone like Dan Ellis, Leclaire, or even Giguere could be doable with fewer dollars left on their deal.

It's a trickle-down effect after deciding on Spezza. The Sens have six D-men under contract for next year (Picard, Schubert, Volchenkov, Phillips, Smith, Lee), but I bet at least 3 of them are gone by the draft.

Bold prediction for players traded by Wednesday:

Chris Neil
Filip Kuba
Jason Spezza
Chris Kelly
Alex Picard
Christoph Schubert

I predict six guys go.

Kuba, Neil and PIcard... THat's about it for Wednesday IMO. May be add in some prospects, if Murray wants to make a push for a goalie for Bingo. Sexsmith would be nice, I don`t think San Jose would suffer much from losing him, and they sure want Neiler.

dennycrane wrote:
Bold prediction for players traded by Wednesday:

Chris Neil
Filip Kuba
Jason Spezza
Chris Kelly
Alex Picard
Christoph Schubert

I predict six guys go.

Agree with the following:

Neil will be gone if not signed for $1.2M or less
Kuba will be gone if not signed for $3M or less (I'd like to see him go for picks no matter what)
Picard will probably stay, unless Comrie signs (gotta have something substantial from the loss of Mez)
Schubert - waived or low pick/low end prospect

Wildcards - low probability, but will bring back a premium:

Spezza - lots to gain, lots to lose; after Canada Day, Murray is tied down, and cap is an issue, so finances may be the deciding factor. As has been said though, he'll have to be blown away by the offer, because there's no doubt a trade will come back to bite Ottawa in the a$$

Heater - as above, but NMC in place now

Vermette - for some reason, I don't hear as many rumblings about Kelly moving as Vermette. Makes no sense to me, but one should go once Comrie resigns (if he resigns)

Smith - would be great to mentor the young'uns, but would also command a good premium from a contender (and he deserves to go on a cup run, if he wants it)

Phillips - I'd hate to see the Big Rig go, but he's not the player we drafted, and I don't want to watch another Redden play out.