Dany Heatley quick hits

SeawaySensFan wrote:Ohhhhhhh. I just realized that this SensBuzz rumour is "new". I thought these were the older offers during and around the draft...

If Murray thinks our glaring needs include a Top 4 D, he's outright stupid. For that reason, I call BS on these offers (I don't think Murray is stupid )

wprager wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Ohhhhhhh. I just realized that this SensBuzz rumour is "new". I thought these were the older offers during and around the draft...

If Murray thinks our glaring needs include a Top 4 D, he's outright stupid. For that reason, I call BS on these offers (I don't think Murray is stupid )

Interesting, you should see the discussion over on BattelOfOntario with a Leafs fan and a Sens fan comparing each other's D. Both are probably a little biased, but being a Sens fan I think the Leafs fan is more biased I mean, he's defending Finger, saying it takes time to develop. He's also saying that shaving 40 goals-against should be no problem.

Anyhow, all that to say that our D was bad last season. Bad at moving the puck, and not great at defending either. Sure, we expect a rebound year for Phillips and, to a lesser extent, Volchenkov, but what if that doesn't happen? Will Campoli continue to improve? Will Lee stick around on his own rather than benefit from injuries? If Karlsson cracks the lineup, will he help or hinder?

A lot of questions, for sure.

wprager wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Ohhhhhhh. I just realized that this SensBuzz rumour is "new". I thought these were the older offers during and around the draft...

If Murray thinks our glaring needs include a Top 4 D, he's outright stupid. For that reason, I call BS on these offers (I don't think Murray is stupid )

Interesting, you should see the discussion over on BattelOfOntario with a Leafs fan and a Sens fan comparing each other's D. Both are probably a little biased, but being a Sens fan I think the Leafs fan is more biased I mean, he's defending Finger, saying it takes time to develop. He's also saying that shaving 40 goals-against should be no problem.

Anyhow, all that to say that our D was bad last season. Bad at moving the puck, and not great at defending either. Sure, we expect a rebound year for Phillips and, to a lesser extent, Volchenkov, but what if that doesn't happen? Will Campoli continue to improve? Will Lee stick around on his own rather than benefit from injuries? If Karlsson cracks the lineup, will he help or hinder?

A lot of questions, for sure.

Bass Destruction wrote:

wprager wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Ohhhhhhh. I just realized that this SensBuzz rumour is "new". I thought these were the older offers during and around the draft...

If Murray thinks our glaring needs include a Top 4 D, he's outright stupid. For that reason, I call BS on these offers (I don't think Murray is stupid )

Interesting, you should see the discussion over on BattelOfOntario with a Leafs fan and a Sens fan comparing each other's D. Both are probably a little biased, but being a Sens fan I think the Leafs fan is more biased I mean, he's defending Finger, saying it takes time to develop. He's also saying that shaving 40 goals-against should be no problem.

Anyhow, all that to say that our D was bad last season. Bad at moving the puck, and not great at defending either. Sure, we expect a rebound year for Phillips and, to a lesser extent, Volchenkov, but what if that doesn't happen? Will Campoli continue to improve? Will Lee stick around on his own rather than benefit from injuries? If Karlsson cracks the lineup, will he help or hinder?

A lot of questions, for sure.

The thing is, I don't think that it is so much that our defence has improved, or will rebound per se, but rather that it's the coaching that has gotten so much better. In the latter 3rd of the season, once Clouston stepped in and he instilled his system, our defence was solid and people knew their assignments. I think that is the biggest difference in Sens land this year, will be an organized, set defence.

Toronto's defence has certainly improved. Improved more than the Sens defence, but that is because they were also so far behind the Sens defence last year. On paper, the Leafs defence may even be better, but in games, I would take ours over theirs.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:There D will be nasty for sure but as N4 has pointed out during my SF56ing over Excelby, he's slow, as is Komisarek and neither are too bright in their own end. I don't know about Beauchemin though.

The area that the Leafs will benefit from these guys is around the net on a PK.

The problem is moving the puck up ice and once they do manage to do that who's going to score goals for them with Kubina, Moore, Antropov and likely Kaberle all gone?

Vandelay wrote:Exactly. This is why I don't think Murray's desire for a top 4 d is not that far fetched. I think he's looking to send Smith along with Heatley (this is already assumed) and wants a top 4 back. Our D was our weakness last year...so I'm not sure why people are saying it's crazy he'd want to upgrade along with getting another T6F and a prospect.

SensFan71 wrote:things are looking bleak for Heatley being dealt according to Sens Chirp, but Murray will still be busy trying to get under the cap.

The Oilers, Sharks and Avalanche continue to be the most interested parties but each is facing an obstacle of sorts preventing them from making the move. The Oilers are at a disadvantage because thus far Dany has show little to no interest in playing there. The Sharks are being slowed by some pretty significant cap space issues and the Colorado Avalanche have yet to decide what direction they want to take in the wake of the Ryan Smyth trade and the Joe Sakic retirement.

The Jackets look like they could join the fray but to this point their GM as vehemently denied any interest in the services if Dany Heatley.



The discouraging news is that thus far, I am told the Senators have not engaged in any 'serious' trade talks for Dany Heatley. Other than the very public talks with the Oilers it has mostly been a case of kicking tires and setting the asking price.



While the Heatley dilemma continues to grab the headlines in the Nation's Capital there are other issues that will need to be addressed before the 2009/2010 season. Back up goaltender Brian Elliott is close to a contract at this point and getting him inked shouldn't be a problem.

It should come as no surprise that the Senators are looking to rid themselves of contracts like Jason Smith, Chris Kelly and Christoph Schubert but have yet to find a way to do so thus far. If Dany Heatley is eventually moved you can be sure Murray would look to include one of these contracts in the swap.

SpezDispenser wrote:Agreed ^, plus he'll be a valuable on ice mentor to Regin.

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Agreed ^, plus he'll be a valuable on ice mentor to Regin.

Which "hand" did you agree with? Couldn't have been all three.

wprager wrote:Kelly is a third line center who can't win a face off, making $2.1M on a payroll that is $2M over the cap. He's a defensive specialist and gets lots of breakaways killing penalties. Very, very frustrating breakaways, for the most part. I'd seriously prefer he'd just dump it in and rest up a bit.

Hoags wrote:

wprager wrote:Kelly is a third line center who can't win a face off, making $2.1M on a payroll that is $2M over the cap. He's a defensive specialist and gets lots of breakaways killing penalties. Very, very frustrating breakaways, for the most part. I'd seriously prefer he'd just dump it in and rest up a bit.

I think Kelly is a bit overpaid and underappreciated but his frustrating breakaways always frustrated me.

Do we have a 'faceoff specialist' (so to speak) ?