Just when things were looking bleak to the east

PS - I don't want him going to another team. I still want him pretty badly.

See? What can I say? And I'm pretty level headed about these things for the most part.

^His upside is Niedermayer-esque. But can you afford to pay that kinda coin for potential?

504Heater wrote:See? What can I say? And I'm pretty level headed about these things for the most part.

As opposed to when the Sens lose to the Thrashers.

asq2 wrote:
As opposed to when the Sens lose to the Thrashers.

Yeah, I'd be the worst knee-jerk GM in the league. But to my credit, Hartsburg would've been gone much sooner and we'd have Danny Boyle. Whether that's a good or bad thing...

504Heater wrote:

asq2 wrote:
As opposed to when the Sens lose to the Thrashers.

Yeah, I'd be the worst knee-jerk GM in the league. But to my credit, Hartsburg would've been gone much sooner and we'd have Danny Boyle. Whether that's a good or bad thing...

T'would be a good thing now, but 2 years down the line...

I'm just relieved we didn't one-up Chicago for Campbell. (Sorry DTR )

asq2 wrote:T'would be a good thing now, but 2 years down the line...

I'm just relieved we didn't one-up Chicago for Campbell. (Sorry DTR )

Yeah, but that's the going rate for a 50 point D-man, pure offensive juggernaut. And really, he under-produced this year, he'll get closer to 60 when he gets a little more comfortable. Any contract like that's a major issue for a club, but I can see where they were coming from.

It's D.Keith that I'd be pooping my pants about now though.

But, one-upping Chicago? Does that mean 7.5? Because that's no dice. :****:

Although, I can't stress enough that Florida was in a decent position to take out the Rangers or Montreal. If he was worth 7 million +, Bow would have lifted that team on his back.

That kind of coin is the kind of coin that should be reserved for Hart-style players - which is amusing, because we have a couple who are indeed not anywhere near the Hart.

He'd have lifted the team - if there was a team to lift.

As a PMD, he has to move it to somebody. Who does he send it to when Horton is off?

I'd suggest that he's an elite #2, or a fabulous 1A, but not a true, dominating, #1 leader-in-the-locker-room PMD. But that fits perfectly with Ottawa's needs - we already have a couple of leaders, we need the rest of what he brings.

Acrobat wrote:He'd have lifted the team - if there was a team to lift.

As a PMD, he has to move it to somebody. Who does he send it to when Horton is off?

I'd suggest that he's an elite #2, or a fabulous 1A, but not a true, dominating, #1 leader-in-the-locker-room PMD. But that fits perfectly with Ottawa's needs - we already have a couple of leaders, we need the rest of what he brings.

Sound like we want a Kaberle at 4.25 instead of a 1A for 7+ million though, no?

504Heater wrote:

Acrobat wrote:He'd have lifted the team - if there was a team to lift.

As a PMD, he has to move it to somebody. Who does he send it to when Horton is off?

I'd suggest that he's an elite #2, or a fabulous 1A, but not a true, dominating, #1 leader-in-the-locker-room PMD. But that fits perfectly with Ottawa's needs - we already have a couple of leaders, we need the rest of what he brings.

Sound like we want a Kaberle at 4.25 instead of a 1A for 7+ million though, no?

Well said, 504H...and where would the 7MM come from, anyway?

Kaberle, Beauchemin, Zanon, Leopold (who Murray was interested in earlier this year)...there are alternatives.

And as Murray said today, he'd like to have a forward as well.

A very tough decision.

Don't think we need Zanon. Love the hits and blocked shots but it's not quite what we're looking for right now. Beauchemin hasn't quite been the player he was during the Cup run, either.

Leopold's never really been a #1.

It's not easy to find.

Tomas Kaberle is a #1, I think, but he's not as good as he used to be, and I really don't like the idea of sending our nice young assets to Toronto for him.

Personally, I like Sergei Zubov, but more as a mentor for Karlsson, and I'm not sure he'll be around long enough to be on the team when #65 joins.

Mattias Ohlund is a possibility, although for some reason I'm a little more hesitant than others in regards to him.

As always, we'll just have to wait and see.

ASQ, don't know if you heard Clouston's interview on The Team today...but he was asked by a caller what his priority was for next year, d-man or forward, if he had to choose...Clouston said "of course you always want to have that good defenseman...but they're very hard to find."

That gives you some idea of the magnitude of the task, not only of selection, but of acquisition.

IMHO the advantage Murray has with Clouston in charge, is that CC knows how to get the maximum out of whatever players B-Mu brings on board...

asq2 wrote:Don't think we need Zanon. Love the hits and blocked shots but it's not quite what we're looking for right now. Beauchemin hasn't quite been the player he was during the Cup run, either.

Leopold's never really been a #1.

It's not easy to find.

Tomas Kaberle is a #1, I think, but he's not as good as he used to be, and I really don't like the idea of sending our nice young assets to Toronto for him.

Personally, I like Sergei Zubov, but more as a mentor for Karlsson, and I'm not sure he'll be around long enough to be on the team when #65 joins.

Mattias Ohlund is a possibility, although for some reason I'm a little more hesitant than others in regards to him.

As always, we'll just have to wait and see.

I think Zubov is a dream. I would love it, but I can't imagine him choosing the Ottawa Senators as his summer destination. I don't even care if he's around to mentor Karlsson (although, that would be nice), I just want to have this killer offensive D-man with the beautiful right handed shot to man the PP. See what he can bring.

Again, I doubt he even bothers returning the call, he'll probably go back to Dallas.

I also refuse to send a guy like Nick Foligno to Toronto, I understand what you're saying for sure. Leopold is really good, but he's a tweener like Kuba, not really offensive, not amazing defensively.

Chris Pronger? Diddle...I can dream.

No one wants to look at Acouin this summer? Is he over the hill? I haven't noticed him that much in Calgary to be perfectly honest. Seems like a Murray type of guy though.

504Heater wrote:No one wants to look at Acouin this summer? Is he over the hill? I haven't noticed him that much in Calgary to be perfectly honest. Seems like a Murray type of guy though.

Yes, IMHO. And to be honest, I never thought that hill was particularly high.

How about we wait for Jbo to get the 7 MIllion before comparing him to 7 Million players?
For the record, I would take Jbo anyday of the week (twice on sundays, as usual) over Campbell. Ya know, that dude in Chicago who was supposed to "lift" the Sabres, since 7 Million players are supposed to lift the team, right?

marakh wrote:How about we wait for Jbo to get the 7 MIllion before comparing him to 7 Million players?
For the record, I would take Jbo anyday of the week (twice on sundays, as usual) over Campbell. Ya know, that dude in Chicago who was supposed to "lift" the Sabres, since 7 Million players are supposed to lift the team, right?

Excuse me, but Campbell HAS lifted the Blackhawks...and you might want to watch a few games.

The 'Hawks have certainly been lifted this season, but my personal, less informed opinion is that it hasn't really been Campbell's doing.

I haven't been impressed when I watch him, and a lot of Hawk fans over at HF haven't been either.