2009/10 Sens Roster predictions

SensFan71 wrote:
agreed, I know they have a lot of time to get under the cap, but wow, you want to have your roster pretty much set by the time training camp comes around, if we didn't have our own issues, I am okay with giving Cheechoo a chance, but well, that just clouds our forwards picture that much more.

I wanted him forever, but now we don't need him at all. If Heatley was to go and we got Cheechoo and Michalek back (Kelly included), then maybe we're onto something. But in 100% honestly, I prefer Shannon to Cheechoo, so I think we're good.

That's the thing about this whole Heatley ordeal. How many roster spots can we possibly afford? We have none as it is. Maybe we should shift our focus to a true number one D-man?

Who knows. I am happy that at some point in the next year, Heatley's salary and cap hit will belong to another team. Still nervous what we get back, but I'm excited for him to have a killer year here, then GTFO.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:
agreed, I know they have a lot of time to get under the cap, but wow, you want to have your roster pretty much set by the time training camp comes around, if we didn't have our own issues, I am okay with giving Cheechoo a chance, but well, that just clouds our forwards picture that much more.

I wanted him forever, but now we don't need him at all. If Heatley was to go and we got Cheechoo and Michalek back (Kelly included), then maybe we're onto something. But in 100% honestly, I prefer Shannon to Cheechoo, so I think we're good.

That's the thing about this whole Heatley ordeal. How many roster spots can we possibly afford? We have none as it is. Maybe we should shift our focus to a true number one D-man?

Who knows. I am happy that at some point in the next year, Heatley's salary and cap hit will belong to another team. Still nervous what we get back, but I'm excited for him to have a killer year here, then GTFO.

well as it is, if Zubov doesn't get a chance with the big club sometime soon, he will probably bolt to the KHL, which well, I don't know personally if that is a big loss or not, with the true # 1 dman, that leads us to dealing with Campoli, Picard, Lee, and possibly Karlsson, well, I know Lee can be buried in the minors if needed, but Campoli and Picard should be given a chance in the top 6, Schubert, you are done, Big Rig and A-Train together, and possibly Karlsson if he is NHL ready with Kuba, or do you push him that quick, instead maybe putting Campoli with Kuba and Picard with Karlsson?

I would show as much patience with Karlsson as possible. Could he do it? For sure, if given big minutes and a PP1 role, he'd probably be a Calder candidate, but do you want him to stumble through it a little this year, or begin his domination next year?

That's why Bryan Murray gets paid the big $$.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:
agreed, I know they have a lot of time to get under the cap, but wow, you want to have your roster pretty much set by the time training camp comes around, if we didn't have our own issues, I am okay with giving Cheechoo a chance, but well, that just clouds our forwards picture that much more.

I wanted him forever, but now we don't need him at all. If Heatley was to go and we got Cheechoo and Michalek back (Kelly included), then maybe we're onto something. But in 100% honestly, I prefer Shannon to Cheechoo, so I think we're good.

That's the thing about this whole Heatley ordeal. How many roster spots can we possibly afford? We have none as it is. Maybe we should shift our focus to a true number one D-man?

Who knows. I am happy that at some point in the next year, Heatley's salary and cap hit will belong to another team. Still nervous what we get back, but I'm excited for him to have a killer year here, then GTFO.

Since Kov was signed I think Murrays attention has turned to getting exactly that as part of a key asset in any deal for Heatley.

^ I like your thinking.

Although my thinking is aligned with Rooney; I like this game

jamvan wrote:Since Edmonton is the only place that wants Heatley, I will go with that scenario:

Alfie-Spezza-Penner
Foligno-Fisher-Kovolev
Cogliano-Kelly-Neil
Ruutu-Winchester-Shannon

Phillips-Kuba
Volchenkov-Campoli
Smid-Karlsso
Smith/Lee/Picard

I hate that line. What a waste of Cogliano's talent.

i really like the Phillips-Kuba pairing. Imo its as close as we get to having an actual 1st pairing. Both are at best a #2 D-man, but together would give us a reasonable duo. That or Volchenkov-Kuba....

Assuming the same scenario, here's my lineup:

Alfie-Spezza-Kovalev
Winchester-Fisher-Penner
Foligno-Cogliano-Shannon
Ruutu-Bass-Neil
ex: Dono (assuming he doesn't ask for a trade so he can see some playing time)

Phillips-Kuba
Volchenkov-Karlsson
Lee-Picard
ex: Smid (Smith would be gone with Heatley or on the LTIR)

Leclaire/Elliott
Elliott/Leclaire
(I'm nowhere near sold on Leclaire)

So, with it looking more and more like Heatley will remain a Sen... how's our line-up looking now?

thats isnt going to be easy to do
i know shannon shouldnt be on the third line but either shannon or foligno are going to get bumped down to third line
maybe take out dono leave him as 13th forward and use regin on th ethird line

heatley-spezza-foligno
kovalev-fisher-Alfredsson
shannon-kelly-donovan
ruutu-winchester-neil

Kuba-Campoli
Phillips-volchenkov
Smith-picard/lee

I dont think Lee will be here as the 7th D man at a 1.4 mil cap hit when we are pushing the cap. The longer we stay a little below the cap, the better.

That being said, I think that is exactly what our lineup will look like opening night.

Yeah, that looks good. We could designate Donovan as the 13th and use Bass in the bottom 6 and keep Regin for call-ups.

Either way though, we're over the cap as it stands, unless Smith starts on LTIR as has been speculated...

21-man or 22-man roster for Murray? What's his preference?

Meh.

The one adjustment Clouston could make is to swap out Kovalev and Foligno to see if a Spezza-Kovy combo works better.

Meh, I'm all for spreading it out. Who are you going to put your top pair against? Alfi/Kovalev or Spezza/Heatley?

Neely4Life wrote:Meh, I'm all for spreading it out. Who are you going to put your top pair against? Alfi/Kovalev or Spezza/Heatley?

True... true.

the only other thing i can see happening is if clouston wants to mix and match kovalev spezza heatley and alfie

shabbs wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Meh, I'm all for spreading it out. Who are you going to put your top pair against? Alfi/Kovalev or Spezza/Heatley?

True... true.

Also, Fisher will produce there and shut some people up about his actual production. Foligno will get a lot of first line time as well.

If there is one thing I know for sure as a Sens fan, putting all your eggs in one basket does not work.

Here's an idea I'd like to toss out to our community here at gmhockey.com... when the Sens' roster is pretty much finalized - ie: we know Heatley is staying, Elliott has been signed, Smith's status is known and we can fit under the cap etc... I'd like to see us put forth the "Official GMHockey.com recommended line-up for the Sens 2009/10 season". Have a full line-up with 1st and 2nd PP units as well as 1st and 2nd PK units etc...

Sort of our consensus on how we would put the team together at the start of the season.

Thoughts?

shabbs wrote:Here's an idea I'd like to toss out to our community here at gmhockey.com... when the Sens' roster is pretty much finalized - ie: we know Heatley is staying, Elliott has been signed, Smith's status is known and we can fit under the cap etc... I'd like to see us put forth the "Official GMHockey.com recommended line-up for the Sens 2009/10 season". Have a full line-up with 1st and 2nd PP units as well as 1st and 2nd PK units etc...

Sort of our consensus on how we would put the team together at the start of the season.

Thoughts?

Might be tough. Judging from the way things have been going so far this summer, we might not actually get the cap or the Heatley issue sorted out until literally days or even hours before the start of the season.

Time will tell.

Bah. Too true. This is gonna come down to the wire...