The Sens and What IFs

Am I the only one who remembers the days of Todd White, Radek Bonk and Bryan Smolinski as our top centres?

You sure aren't, which is why I say the ONLY way to deal Spezza is if you already have a no.1 C coming back. I don't want to deal him then cross my fingers for a UFA.

You mean you don't want to try to replace Spezza via free agency? Who wouldn't want a Gomez, Drury or Briere at their respective deals?

We're in a pickle, aren't we. We might have to put Regin in as the 2nd line centre and move Fisher up. Or try Heatley at centre with Fish/Alfie on his wings.

We have a lot of 3rd/4th line centres but only two top-2; and we traded one of them away.

You mean you don't want to try to replace Spezza via free agency? Who wouldn't want a Gomez, Drury or Briere at their respective deals?

Same poop different pile haha. If you're trying to free up cap space, you don't want to hunt for a UFA replacement. The deal would have to include a no 1 guy coming back, easier said than done.

It just occurred to me that we have no third round pick this year - we traded it to move up to get Karlsson.

but we do have 2 second round picks this year

asq2 wrote:Am I the only one who remembers the days of Todd White, Radek Bonk and Bryan Smolinski as our top centres?

First line centres are hard to find. You're not just going to walk into UFA, pick up a guy at 25 like Spezza is who is top-5 in PPG since the lock-out and sign him for under $9 million, much less $7 million, especially considering we're non-competitive.

Why on earth would Boston trade Savard to a division rival?

25 year old #1 DMan with offensive prowess are harder to find.

Hockeyhero22000 wrote:but we do have 2 second round picks this year

And two fourth round picks.

RobbyJ wrote:25 year old #1 DMan with offensive prowess are harder to find.

True, but you're banking that by trading Spezza away, we can sign Jay Bo.

There are two problems with that thought.

First you have to sign him. You're hoping/praying that he signs here. Should he do that, then yes you have to trade one of the big ones and the easist to move would be Spezza only because of his lack of NTC until July 1st.

Oh but wait you would have to trade Spezza before you can sign Jay Bo...so is it wise to trade what you do have in a top line Centre who is young and under contract, for a chance at a guy who maybe won't sign here.

If you wait until after to trade One of the top 3, then if you manage to snag Jay Bo, then you're only choice is to force one of the top 3 to waive their NTC's, and if they don't then you have to send them to bingo, and that's not going to happen as they will get claimed on waivers.

If I'm wrong then just let me know, but I don't see an exit strategy for Murray here...

Unless he trades Spezza and gets a top C back who is cheap, and then make a run at Jay Bo. If he doesn't get him then we'll all scream bloody murder for losing our top 'C' and not getting the big d-man.

DW

Technically, I believe that you can be over the cap during the off-season.

However, especially if we dealt Spezza, there'd be no reason for JayBo to sign here. Apparently they're good friends.

But apart from that, we'd only improve marginally, so the only reason JayBo would sign would be for money, and in that case I don't want him.

Ya, I think if we trade Spezza the Sens will cease to exsist... no way the Sens could survive that.

asq2 wrote:Technically, I believe that you can be over the cap during the off-season.

However, especially if we dealt Spezza, there'd be no reason for JayBo to sign here. Apparently they're good friends.

But apart from that, we'd only improve marginally, so the only reason JayBo would sign would be for money, and in that case I don't want him.

by 10% i believe...that still puts you in a position of weakness when trying to trade a big salary like Spezza or Heatley when every team knows you need to dump them by the start of the season.

Neely4Life wrote:Ya, I think if we trade Spezza the Sens will cease to exsist... no way the Sens could survive that.

Enough...


Must you alwasy infer your own opinion into the mix. I simply was stating that if you managed to Sign Jay Bo then there is no way you would get fair value for Spezza as every team would know you would have to dump him.

If you're stupid enough to trade him before getting that #1 PMD stud defenseman's name on a contract then all I want to know is what the next move is. If you trade Spezza and manage to find a team to take him. Then what do you do if you don't get Jay Bo.

You're all assuming that simply throwing money at him will allow him to sign here...why here and not Toronto? Or Edmonton...or Atlanta...

Didnt say that, but Spezza is a problem here and even if they dont sign J Bo, he is on his way out.

100% you need to trade Spezza before taking a shot at him as a UFA, but hey, I guess Murray's words are not enough to convince people. Its Spezza or Heatley out the door, and unless Heatley has asked for a trade, its Spezza out the door.

Again, Vermette's words leaving Ottawa is exactly what everyone who has left this team has said... and who is left? Weather people want to believe it or not, or just choose to ignore it, thats fine, but Spezza is the problem in Ottawa with a sub-par defense.

I don't know about trading Spezza. I could see why it would be done but at the same time we're not going to replace a guy like that. I think he's improving and when he matures a little bit more he'll start justifying the contract.

I do want JBo though but in order to do it we would have to make some tough decisions. Somebody that we like would have to go.

Urkie wrote:I don't know about trading Spezza. I could see why it would be done but at the same time we're not going to replace a guy like that. I think he's improving and when he matures a little bit more he'll start justifying the contract.

I do want JBo though but in order to do it we would have to make some tough decisions. Somebody that we like would have to go.

He has defently not improved this year, at all... again, I think waiting for him to mature is a bigger risk than anything because some people never do and there is no reason to think he will. Spezza with an NTC for 6 years with Heatley, there wont be any help coming on the blue line unless you expect a 20 year old, 165lb kid to do the job.

Money needs to be moved up front, J Bo or not, way too much committed there.

Neely4Life wrote:He has defently not improved this year, at all... again, I think waiting for him to mature is a bigger risk than anything because some people never do and there is no reason to think he will. Spezza with an NTC for 6 years with Heatley, there wont be any help coming on the blue line unless you expect a 20 year old, 165lb kid to do the job.

Money needs to be moved up front, J Bo or not, way too much committed there.

You see what he can do though in tonights game for instance. If he could play that way consistently then I don't think you'd have a problem with him.

Neely4Life wrote:Ya, I think if we trade Spezza the Sens will cease to exsist... no way the Sens could survive that.

Ok, you tell me, all-knowing one.

Why the **** would JayBo sign here with Spezza gone?