Chris Neil re-signs with the Sens per TSN

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Fat Penner will bag closer to 30 than 20. Put him on line 1 and try to make the best of it.

I love that nickname...officially the best nickname in all of pro sports.

cool) I love it too.

http://senators.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=433203

Overpaid maybe, yOu can`t help but appreciate his love for this city, while certain guys paid 4 times more want to leave.

marakh wrote:

TheAvatar wrote:Murray drafted Penner right? Maybe he figures he can have a positive impact on the man.

not drafted, signed Winchester-like.

oh; my bad; sorry.

Not unhappy, but I'm not sure where I put Neil.

Unfortunately, keeping guys like Neil, Ruutu and Kelly all in town, as well as Winchester, Donovan, Bass etc. basically guarantees that we will never be more than a two-line team scoring-wise, and even that is a stretch.

Where does Regin play now?

I was content to see Neil move on. We need talent.

For me this was a crappy end to a crappy day in Sens Land. This is for too much money and for too long. Murray is way too loyal to current members of the team up for re-signing. He has done nothing to justify a raise over the last few years let alone doubling his salary. This is fine cap management!

2 mil for 4 years, ugh, what are you doing Murray, should have played hard ball and let him walk, I know he bleeds Sens red, but wow, that is too much money.

I am happy we have Neil. I am unhappy that the Leafs and Rangers put us in this ridiculous position where we had to pay big money to keep him, too much really. I think I would have let him walk.

I put the contract behind me now though and I will cheer for him. Hopefully he will pick it up offensively and chip in 10 to 15 goals and 25 to 30 pts. That would soften the blow of this. I don't see any chance of this though unless we add some complimentary toughness (Bass?). He can't do all the fighting.

MurderOnIce wrote:I am happy we have Neil. I am unhappy that the Leafs and Rangers put us in this ridiculous position where we had to pay big money to keep him, too much really. I think I would have let him walk.

I put the contract behind me now though and I will cheer for him. Hopefully he will pick it up offensively and chip in 10 to 15 goals and 25 to 30 pts. That would soften the blow of this. I don't see any chance of this though unless we add some complimentary toughness (Bass?). He can't do all the fighting.

would love to see Neil back at 30 points, let Ruutu do the yapping/fighting, he might not take the heavyweights though, we need someone to stand up to that buckethead Orr that Toronto just signed.

Late to the party but I don't like this signing either... too much, too long. BAH!

This with the Kovalev signing has me wondering what's going on in BM's head...

Sigh...

shabbs wrote:Late to the party but I don't like this signing either... too much, too long. BAH!

This with the Kovalev signing has me wondering what's going on in BM's head...

Sigh...

You too, eh...

I think BM is doing a pretty good job here - he's keeping butt's in the seats with a team that 'could' surpise (but is definitely no favourite in the east) while he's building something special for 3-6 years down the road.

Hayden wrote:I think BM is doing a pretty good job here - he's keeping butt's in the seats with a team that 'could' surpise (but is definitely no favourite in the east) while he's building something special for 3-6 years down the road.

Hayden>I understand your readiness to be optimistic, but do you think BM will actually keep butts in the seats by giving Neil $2MM a year for four years?

Last time I read news on the subject, season ticket sales for '09/10 were down 15% over last season.

I like Neil's competitiveness and his unselfish attitude...when I was going to see Sens games at SBP last year, he was always the one you could count on to stir things up even when the team was moribund.

But skillwise, aren't there less expensive and more effective alternatives?

As for 3-6 years down the road...who the heck knows what happens then?

davetherave wrote:

Hayden wrote:I think BM is doing a pretty good job here - he's keeping butt's in the seats with a team that 'could' surpise (but is definitely no favourite in the east) while he's building something special for 3-6 years down the road.

Hayden>I understand your readiness to be optimistic, but do you think BM will actually keep butts in the seats by giving Neil $2MM a year for four years?

Last time I read news on the subject, season ticket sales for '09/10 were down 15% over last season.

I like Neil's competitiveness and his unselfish attitude...when I was going to see Sens games at SBP last year, he was always the one you could count on to stir things up even when the team was moribund.

But skillwise, aren't there less expensive and more effective alternatives?

As for 3-6 years down the road...who the heck knows what happens then?

The Ticket sales being down 15% isn't good but at least that's down from the high number they obtained after having gone to the finals in 2007.

As for 3-6 years down the road...who the heck knows what happens then?

Nobody knows but I do think (hope?) it's a consideration when you're signing guys like Neil for 4 year term. IMO there's probably an aspect of leadership that Murray feels Neil brings and he wants that influence rubbing off on the young guys.

The ironic thing, though, is that he takes a roster spot away from a young guy this year and possibly going forward...

davetherave wrote:But skillwise, aren't there less expensive and more effective alternatives?

I don't think so, and certainly not in the Sens' pipeline just yet. Don't get me wrong, I like Neil - I'm a big fan of him, his role and what he does, I'm glad he has a roster spot as I don't think the Sens have anyone that can "do" what Neil does just yet. I just don't like the money that was spent on him, but I see BM was put in a tough space with the Rangers and Leafs in the hunt for Neil and I understand BM's reason for keeping him.

We're what... almost $2M over the cap and we still haven't signed Elliott... so something's gotta give, especially if we don't move Heatley.

shabbs wrote:

davetherave wrote:But skillwise, aren't there less expensive and more effective alternatives?

I don't think so, and certainly not in the Sens' pipeline just yet. Don't get me wrong, I like Neil - I'm a big fan of him, his role and what he does, I'm glad he has a roster spot as I don't think the Sens have anyone that can "do" what Neil does just yet. I just don't like the money that was spent on him, but I see BM was put in a tough space with the Rangers and Leafs in the hunt for Neil and I understand BM's reason for keeping him.

We're what... almost $2M over the cap and we still haven't signed Elliott... so something's gotta give, especially if we don't move Heatley.

I thought we were $2M over *before* moving Auld. We're still $2M over but with money for Elliott.

Smith will be either moved or off the playing roster, so that puts us $600K under. Not enough for injury callups, but enough to start the season.

Well, nhlscap.com is showing us as 1.9 over without Auld.... and no deal for Elliott.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=OTT

Yeh we need to get rid of Smith Schubert and possibly Kelly or Ruutu to be under the cap comfortbly and we still have to sign Elliot.