Sens return Cowen to the Spokane Chiefs

MurderOnIce wrote:I am drooling over this dude. He will help remove some of the fierce pain I am still feeling over Chara. Scary thing is Cowen is still growing. If he maintains a bit of a nasty streak, he is going to be a special player.

He's got more of a nasty streak than a lot of posters here give him credit for IMO. Just not at Schenn-levels (on the other hand, there are parts of his game superior to Schenn's).

Also, he's not stupidly aggressive like Phaneuf who repeatedly takes himself wildly out of position in an attempt to make a big hit.

As long as he stays healthy he should dominate in Spokane and then step right into a spot on the roster. Our D will just get better and better.

Murray said it himself: he could be playing at a very high level in the NHL by November.

Pen him in to the 2010-2011 line-up for sure.

asq2 wrote:Murray said it himself: he could be playing at a very high level in the NHL by November.

Pen him in to the 2010-2011 line-up for sure.

Sounds like he tinkered around with the idea of signing him and putting him right in the lineup, eh?

I'm still hoping for Redden and Chara version 2.0 with Karlsson and Cowen.

SpezDispenser wrote:

asq2 wrote:Murray said it himself: he could be playing at a very high level in the NHL by November.

Pen him in to the 2010-2011 line-up for sure.

Sounds like he tinkered around with the idea of signing him and putting him right in the lineup, eh?

It would have crossed my mind. Shake off the rust and he's already better than Schubert, Carkner and perhaps Lee or Picard. Minus the injury he wouldn't be any less NHL-ready than Hedman, except he wouldn't have Hedman's offensive impact.

Still, there are worse fates for an 18-year old prospect coming off a long period of inactivity hockey-wise than spending a season in the WHL. I don't think it'll hurt his development any more than playing in Brampton hurt Hodgson's development.

asq2 wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

asq2 wrote:Murray said it himself: he could be playing at a very high level in the NHL by November.

Pen him in to the 2010-2011 line-up for sure.

Sounds like he tinkered around with the idea of signing him and putting him right in the lineup, eh?

It would have crossed my mind. Shake off the rust and he's already better than Schubert, Carkner and perhaps Lee or Picard. Minus the injury he wouldn't be any less NHL-ready than Hedman, except he wouldn't have Hedman's offensive impact.

Still, there are worse fates for an 18-year old prospect coming off a long period of inactivity hockey-wise than spending a season in the WHL. I don't think it'll hurt his development any more than playing in Brampton hurt Hodgson's development.

It's also important to note that had Cowen not been injured last season we probably wouldn't have been able to draft him at all.

Yeah, that too. We'd probably be talking about OEL, who's years away (but has tantalizing potential).

asq2 wrote:
It would have crossed my mind. Shake off the rust and he's already better than Schubert, Carkner and perhaps Lee or Picard. Minus the injury he wouldn't be any less NHL-ready than Hedman, except he wouldn't have Hedman's offensive impact.

Still, there are worse fates for an 18-year old prospect coming off a long period of inactivity hockey-wise than spending a season in the WHL. I don't think it'll hurt his development any more than playing in Brampton hurt Hodgson's development.

I was never under any illusion that he'd play this year with the Sens, I doubt Murray actually gave it much thought. The kid needs to go to Spokane and dominate, then hopefully to the World Juniors, then hopefully straight to the NHL next season.

SpezDispenser wrote:

asq2 wrote:
It would have crossed my mind. Shake off the rust and he's already better than Schubert, Carkner and perhaps Lee or Picard. Minus the injury he wouldn't be any less NHL-ready than Hedman, except he wouldn't have Hedman's offensive impact.

Still, there are worse fates for an 18-year old prospect coming off a long period of inactivity hockey-wise than spending a season in the WHL. I don't think it'll hurt his development any more than playing in Brampton hurt Hodgson's development.

I was never under any illusion that he'd play this year with the Sens, I doubt Murray actually gave it much thought. The kid needs to go to Spokane and dominate, then hopefully to the World Juniors, then hopefully straight to the NHL next season.

Yeah, I doubt anyone (including Cowen) was surprised that he got sent down. But I have no doubt that with more game action he'd be NHL-ready this season. If Murray was really having trouble finding that big body for the blue-line, Cowen would have been able step in in the not-too-distant future.

This is for the best, though, IMO.

asq2 wrote:
Yeah, I doubt anyone (including Cowen) was surprised that he got sent down. But I have no doubt that with more game action he'd be NHL-ready this season. If Murray was really having trouble finding that big body for the blue-line, Cowen would have been able step in in the not-too-distant future.

This is for the best, though, IMO.

Yeah, win another championship and a gold - or leave it all on the ice - and you're in pretty good odds of making this roster next season (like 99.99%). I had originally thought he'd take 2 years to develop, but from ALL accounts, it'll be 1 year - tops.

Sens fans have a lot of reasons to begin getting optimistic.

I believe that had he not been injured he would be on an NHL roster right now and be ready to play. It's a blessing in disguise he was injured because that NHL roster would not have been ours. Another year in Spokane and another WJC and this guy will be more than ready to step right into the Sens roster. Who's roster spot does he take next season I wonder?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I believe that had he not been injured he would be on an NHL roster right now and be ready to play. It's a blessing in disguise he was injured because that NHL roster would not have been ours. Another year in Spokane and another WJC and this guy will be more than ready to step right into the Sens roster. Who's roster spot does he take next season I wonder?

We'd have someone pretty good though, but yes, it's lucky he fell.

Does Murray allow Volchenkov to walk then next summer if Cowan is going to be ready? I would hate to see him go, but would not miss him for long if Cowan was in the line up.

Bramlet07 wrote:Does Murray allow Volchenkov to walk then next summer if Cowan is going to be ready? I would hate to see him go, but would not miss him for long if Cowan was in the line up.

I hope not personally. I know what you mean, but I hope not.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Bramlet07 wrote:Does Murray allow Volchenkov to walk then next summer if Cowan is going to be ready? I would hate to see him go, but would not miss him for long if Cowan was in the line up.

I hope not personally. I know what you mean, but I hope not.

Holding onto Volchenkov may be harder than we think. Hopefully Volchie will take a big home town discount...

shabbs wrote:Holding onto Volchenkov may be harder than we think. Hopefully Volchie will take a big home town discount...

What's a hometown discount? 4 million?

SpezDispenser wrote:

Bramlet07 wrote:Does Murray allow Volchenkov to walk then next summer if Cowan is going to be ready? I would hate to see him go, but would not miss him for long if Cowan was in the line up.

I hope not personally. I know what you mean, but I hope not.

Ya but they dont have the cap space to sign him long term. How long can he even keep up his style of play? I wouldnt be surprised if the sens struggle early on to see him traded. He could bring back a nice return and it would help fix the log jam on D.