No goals, no problem for Spezza

Dash wrote:Team Canada should not be a concern for some people.

And this. Diddle Team Canada. The focus should be, now and for the duration of the contract, on the Ottawa Senators.

SensFan71 wrote:

N4L wrote:This is where the Ottawa media pisses me off... who caaaaaaares if Spezza isnt scoring, he's playing great hockey. I hope he just pots one or two against Nashville just to shut people up (in a winning effort).

If he just keeps doing what he's doing along with Cheechoo they will be scoring in short order, no doubt in my mind about that.

wow, Neely just complimented Spezza, I am glad I am sitting down for this or I could have fainted/hurt myself. Just kidding Neely, this is definitely the best hockey Spezza has ever been playing, the points will come for the playmaker, moreso when the PP finally gels.

Wow! The word "compliment" has been used on GMH in its correct form (as opposed to "Spezza's passing should compliment Cheechoo's shooting").

Just kidding

Still, are you really, really all convinced that Spezza is playing *great* hockey? I like what he's doing, and I'll like it even better when he starts scoring as well, but he is playing an OK two-way game. It's not like he's hitting people 3-4 times a game, blocking shots, diving to break up passes and so on.

It's good for him (and good on him) but he isn't Datsyuk yet. I know it almost sounds like Neely and I have switched keyboards, but I'm just being realistic here.

Spezza's playing great hockey right now. No mistakes costing his team, he's skating hard, he is producing a little, and he is playing ES, PP, and PK. That's great hockey to me.

Ive always said I dont care how many points the guy puts up, I care about how many wins the team has. He's a huge part of that right now.

wprager wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

N4L wrote:This is where the Ottawa media pisses me off... who caaaaaaares if Spezza isnt scoring, he's playing great hockey. I hope he just pots one or two against Nashville just to shut people up (in a winning effort).

If he just keeps doing what he's doing along with Cheechoo they will be scoring in short order, no doubt in my mind about that.

wow, Neely just complimented Spezza, I am glad I am sitting down for this or I could have fainted/hurt myself. Just kidding Neely, this is definitely the best hockey Spezza has ever been playing, the points will come for the playmaker, moreso when the PP finally gels.

Wow! The word "compliment" has been used on GMH in its correct form (as opposed to "Spezza's passing should compliment Cheechoo's shooting").

Just kidding

Still, are you really, really all convinced that Spezza is playing *great* hockey? I like what he's doing, and I'll like it even better when he starts scoring as well, but he is playing an OK two-way game. It's not like he's hitting people 3-4 times a game, blocking shots, diving to break up passes and so on.

It's good for him (and good on him) but he isn't Datsyuk yet. I know it almost sounds like Neely and I have switched keyboards, but I'm just being realistic here.

The team is winning and Spezza is being defensively responsible, that is deemed as great by my standards, the scoring will come in time, moreso when the pp actually gets above 15 %. I don't expect Spezza ever to be Datsyuk, that will just be completely unrealistic. man it is almost like the twilight zone to see you and Neely take a 180 flip on your positions when it comes to Spezza.

Meh, I'm ready to see more. I've been ready for a while. Fisher is hte #1 center on this team right now. He's skating faster, hitting harder, making beauty passes and more than doubling Spezza's PK time. His face off wins are just a shade behind Spezza (although he likely faces stiffer competition) and he's outscoring him by a wide margin.

Of course we all know this will not last. By the time the season is done Spezza should have 70+ points and Fisher will be fortunate to get 60. That said, if Spezza is playing like Mike Fisher (with or without the scoring) -- that's when I'll say he's playing great hockey.

Oh, and, by the way, the world is back in its normal place -- I'm disagreeing with Neely.

wprager wrote:Oh, and, by the way, the world is back in its normal place -- I'm disagreeing with Neely.

It is but it still doesn't quite feel right ya know? I mean Neely thinking Spezza is great just seems odd. Also Prages going out of his way to point out that Spezza is not that great is very Neelyesque but just with a more Prage-esque approach as it were.

With Heatley gone, it's forced Spezza to change his game. I think it was N4L who said it but the departure of Heatley is the best thing that ever happened to Spezza. He doesn't have to worry about just passing to Heatley anymore and he can worry more about playing a complete game.

I'm sure the points will come soon though. He's playing far too well to not get points and he has so much talent that it's only a matter of time. I hope he sticks with it because if he does then I think he'll quickly become one of the best center's in the league.

I did say that, thaaaank you. So far, Ive been correct and The Sens have been a better team for it.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Oh, and, by the way, the world is back in its normal place -- I'm disagreeing with Neely.

It is but it still doesn't quite feel right ya know? I mean Neely thinking Spezza is great just seems odd. Also Prages going out of his way to point out that Spezza is not that great is very Neelyesque but just with a more Prage-esque approach as it were.

I can be more offensive but I won't put away the spellchecker. I can't. I won't.