What's Murray's next move ?

Cheechoo apparently played LW on the 3rd line in SJ. Don't know if that means he can play it, or if the Sharks just didn't really care anymore.

Cheechoo - Spezza - Kovalev
Michalek - Fisher - Alfredsson
Foligno - Kelly - Shannon
Ruutu - Winchester - Neil

Kuba - Karlsson
Phillips - Volchenkov
Campoli (not a fan of him on the 3rd pairing) - Lee/Picard

Lecalire
Elliott

SpezDispenser wrote:I thought he might turn around and trade Kelly for a bruising D-man, but I have a feeling he loves the makeup of our forwards lines - so I don't think he'll do anything else.

Plus, there must be a feeling of comradely on the Sens right now. Heatley's gone and no other player got traded in the deal, Murray likes the squad, he likes them. Should instill some confidence.

Bingo. One of the things about this deal (not necessarily what I like about it) is that we did not lose any roster player other than the one who did not want to be here. Heatley's demands did not result in anyone else being shipped out. That has *got* to make them tighter. Imagine if we lost Kelly as part of this deal. Kelly by all accounts is very strong in the dressing room. If he was dealt the players left could be dealing with a little "survivor guilt". Instead, right now they are dancing ans singing "Ding-dong the witch is dead".

wprager wrote:Bingo. One of the things about this deal (not necessarily what I like about it) is that we did not lose any roster player other than the one who did not want to be here. Heatley's demands did not result in anyone else being shipped out. That has *got* to make them tighter. Imagine if we lost Kelly as part of this deal. Kelly by all accounts is very strong in the dressing room. If he was dealt the players left could be dealing with a little "survivor guilt". Instead, right now they are dancing ans singing "Ding-dong the witch is dead".

:^^^^: Always with the zinger at the end.

SpezDispenser wrote:Cheechoo apparently played LW on the 3rd line in SJ. Don't know if that means he can play it, or if the Sharks just didn't really care anymore.

Cheechoo - Spezza - Kovalev
Michalek - Fisher - Alfredsson
Foligno - Kelly - Shannon
Ruutu - Winchester - Neil

Kuba - Karlsson
Phillips - Volchenkov
Campoli (not a fan of him on the 3rd pairing) - Lee/Picard

Lecalire
Elliott

Fisher now has the wingers to play along side. I think Kelly will be the one to go depending on how our rookies play during training camp.

Fisher had his type of wingers last year too. You will get production from Fisher with Shannon and Foligno, it's been proven. Kelly does produce when he is with Alfi, put Michalek or Kovalev on the other side, you could get a 40 point season from your 2nd and 3rd line center.

SpezDispenser wrote:Cheechoo apparently played LW on the 3rd line in SJ. Don't know if that means he can play it, or if the Sharks just didn't really care anymore.

Cheechoo - Spezza - Kovalev
Michalek - Fisher - Alfredsson
Foligno - Kelly - Shannon
Ruutu - Winchester - Neil

Kuba - Karlsson
Phillips - Volchenkov
Campoli (not a fan of him on the 3rd pairing) - Lee/Picard

Lecalire
Elliott

Michalek is going 1st line w Spezza....and if Karlsson makes the big club, he's going to be paired w Philips, better to shield him physically....

I really feel for Regin and Smith....MUCH tougher now to earn a spot now...

Might be tougher to earn a spot but that's better for each of those guys in the long term.

If earning a spot this year is gonna be hard, enxt year will be worse. Unless we let Shannon, Shubert, and Donovan all go.

no way we resign dono next year or shubert

BigRig wrote:Michalek is going 1st line w Spezza....and if Karlsson makes the big club, he's going to be paired w Philips, better to shield him physically....

I really feel for Regin and Smith....MUCH tougher now to earn a spot now...

Ya wanna bet?

Seriously though, you're not given an opportunity to acquire a 50 goal man very often. Sure Cheechoo's stock has dropped like crazy, but there's still a chance he has the ability to pot a fair number of goals.

30 goals for 3 mil a year would be way more than enough IMO.

marakh wrote:If earning a spot this year is gonna be hard, enxt year will be worse. Unless we let Shannon, Shubert, and Donovan all go.

Schubert and Donovan I think will most likely be gone.

asq2 wrote:

marakh wrote:If earning a spot this year is gonna be hard, enxt year will be worse. Unless we let Shannon, Shubert, and Donovan all go.

Schubert and Donovan I think will most likely be gone.

Still leaves us with 12 forwards and if Regin or Smith want to come in, they will have to battle against more fierce competition:

Alfie
Spezz
Kovie
Fisher
Shannon
Foligno
Michalek
Cheechoo
Kelly
Neil
Ruutu
Winchester

If Vermette was still here, it would have been a total chaos.

marakh wrote:

asq2 wrote:

marakh wrote:If earning a spot this year is gonna be hard, enxt year will be worse. Unless we let Shannon, Shubert, and Donovan all go.

Schubert and Donovan I think will most likely be gone.

Still leaves us with 12 forwards and if Regin or Smith want to come in, they will have to battle against more fierce competition:

Alfie
Spezz
Kovie
Fisher
Shannon
Foligno
Michalek
Cheechoo
Kelly
Neil
Ruutu
Winchester

If Vermette was still here, it would have been a total chaos.

With guaranteed, one-way deals there is no real competition.

Ottawa forgot about Vermette pretty quick eh, haha.

N4L wrote:Ottawa forgot about Vermette pretty quick eh, haha.

sniff

Nope. I still long for him every time I see Fisher or Kelly lining up for a defensive zone face off, or Kelly going in on a short-handed breakaway.

That should make you feel better.

If Cheechoo plays anywhere like he did a few years ago when he potted 56. Heatley will be quickly forgotten.