POLL: Newly acquired Sens

Which of the newly acquired Sens are you the most excited about. Kovalev is due to explode, we've seen it a hundred time. Perrenial slow started, but starts cranking it up as the season goes on. Leclaire's numbers aren't anywhere near tops in the league, but he's a very solid goalie - perhaps the most solid we've had here since Hasek. Michalek is Havlat all over again, but perhaps without the goal-scoring consistency - BUT - definitely with more of an overall game (PK, size, etc.). And if anyone feels adventurous, there's Cheechoo, who's looked better and better as each game goes by.

This poll will come down to 2 players. I'm curious to see which wins.

I went with Michalek. He's Havlat with size, durability, and versatility. He's not as much of a game breaker as Havlat can be but just wait for Spezza to return and he'll get rolling I'm sure. He's also that big power forward we've needed for a while now.

Cheechoo has been getting chances and works his arse off. Kovalev has had a slow start coupled with his lack of effort at times makes it such that he's only an asset if he starts producing.

Can we mix these two together and make Kovalchoo or Cheevalev? Imagine if we could give some of Kovalev's abilities to Cheechoo? One can dream.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Cheechoo has been getting chances and works his arse off. Kovalev has had a slow start coupled with his lack of effort at times makes it such that he's only an asset if he starts producing.

Can we mix these two together and make Kovalchoo or Cheevalev? Imagine if we could give some of Kovalev's abilities to Cheechoo? One can dream.

Once Kovalev starts to score and do his thing I'm hoping we're in the clear and he can be the game-breaker. Cheechoo has to score soon or his confidence will be ruined. The minute he scores and more importantly he and Spezza start to click...well, good things could happen for sure.

Easy choice for me. Pascal Leclaire gives the Sens the best goaltending they have had in their history. Yes even during the Hasek months.

Here's hoping when Cheechoo pots one the flood gates open and here's hoping that Kovalev can get going and make our PP deadly. With Alfie back on the point as a legitimate point shot threat that should open things up for Kovalev and company. Getting Spezza back also seems to be key as well right now. Of course getting Volchie back should bolster our PK and move all our D back to their proper rolls.

It's good that we have vote cancelling because as the season goes on I may change my mind. Right now though I didn't go with Leclaire because I haven't seen him outright steal a game. Now I'm not expecting a 50 save performance like Pavelec or anything but, I personally need that to happen and for his stats to look better than they have thus far.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Cheechoo has been getting chances and works his arse off. Kovalev has had a slow start coupled with his lack of effort at times makes it such that he's only an asset if he starts producing.

Can we mix these two together and make Kovalchoo or Cheevalev? Imagine if we could give some of Kovalev's abilities to Cheechoo? One can dream.

or some of Cheechoo's heart and grit to Kovalev?

I went with Michalek. To me it was his contract length to pull him slightly ahead of Leclaire. Also, why do you (SpezD) think Michalek is Havlat all over but without the scoring? In his first 4 full seasons both players had very similar numbers (Havlat had something like 4 more points and 5 more goals). Havlat achieved his results while playing 37 fewer games over that stretch, so his per-game production (goals and points) was higher. However someone else had to be paid to play those extra 37 games in Martin's case.

Havlat may be a more prolific goal scorer when looking at goals per game stats, but a difference of 4 points/5 goals over a 4 year stretch is not much of a difference to me. Total production-wise, they were very similar.

Also, Michalek has become a fairly important part of the Sens PK -- Havlat averaged 4 seconds of PK per game last year and is up to 11 seconds this year, so far. Michalek was close to 2 minutes last year and is up to 2:46 this year.

To me Michalek is just as productive (now) as Havlat at a smaller cap hit ($4.33M vs. $5M). He is 4 years younger, which leads me to believe that Havlat's production will drop off much sooner than Michalek's. And Michalek kills penalties to boot.

Lastly, I wonder what a full year with Spezza as his center will do to Milan's goal scoring? He is currently outscoring Martin by a 6 to 1 margin -- is that the final answer? Not likely, but it's a nice start.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Cheechoo has been getting chances and works his arse off. Kovalev has had a slow start coupled with his lack of effort at times makes it such that he's only an asset if he starts producing.

Can we mix these two together and make Kovalchoo or Cheevalev? Imagine if we could give some of Kovalev's abilities to Cheechoo? One can dream.

Only if one dares. Dare to dream...

wprager wrote:I went with Michalek. To me it was his contract length to pull him slightly ahead of Leclaire. Also, why do you (SpezD) think Michalek is Havlat all over but without the scoring? In his first 4 full seasons both players had very similar numbers (Havlat had something like 4 more points and 5 more goals). Havlat achieved his results while playing 37 fewer games over that stretch, so his per-game production (goals and points) was higher. However someone else had to be paid to play those extra 37 games in Martin's case.

Havlat may be a more prolific goal scorer when looking at goals per game stats, but a difference of 4 points/5 goals over a 4 year stretch is not much of a difference to me. Total production-wise, they were very similar.

Also, Michalek has become a fairly important part of the Sens PK -- Havlat averaged 4 seconds of PK per game last year and is up to 11 seconds this year, so far. Michalek was close to 2 minutes last year and is up to 2:46 this year.

To me Michalek is just as productive (now) as Havlat at a smaller cap hit ($4.33M vs. $5M). He is 4 years younger, which leads me to believe that Havlat's production will drop off much sooner than Michalek's. And Michalek kills penalties to boot.

Lastly, I wonder what a full year with Spezza as his center will do to Milan's goal scoring? He is currently outscoring Martin by a 6 to 1 margin -- is that the final answer? Not likely, but it's a nice start.

Quite a nice post there Prags. I only meant in terms of being a consistent threat out there. Havlat had some dazzling moves that Michalek doesn't have, while Michalek lacks any fear about going straight to the net - something that Havlat did once in a while, but not all the time.

I definitely agree that Milan has more qualities than Havlat, I only meant that I viewed Havlat as more of the scoring threat - especially considering Havlat seemed to be on line 3 a lot of the time.

However, Alfie and Volchenkov aside (they kinda are the Sens), I think Michalek is my favourite Ottawa Senator. If not him, it's really, really close between Spezza and him - and if he is my favourite Senator (and I think he is), that means he's my favourite player in the entire league (because I definitely play favourites when it comes to the Sens) - which is nuts to consider that we got this guy for Dany Heatley.

So, obviously, I voted Michalek. I'm excited to have him for 5 more years and beyond. He makes the Senators a heck of a lot more dangerous and exhibits every single quality that we all want in our team and our players.

Easily Michalek. I wish I could say that it was a closer race, but he leaves the likes of Leclaire and Kovalev in the dust.

Leclaire has made spectacular saves, yet he lets in a lot more goals than anyone of us would like to see despite not seeing a whole lot of shots. A sub-.900 save percentage is simply not acceptable.

Kovalev would have had to exceed expectations because we all know what he's about. So far he's right about as expected and that's nothing to be excited or disappointed about.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Easily Michalek. I wish I could say that it was a closer race, but he leaves the likes of Leclaire and Kovalev in the dust.

Leclaire has made spectacular saves, yet he lets in a lot more goals than anyone of us would like to see despite not seeing a whole lot of shots. A sub-.900 save percentage is simply not acceptable.

Kovalev would have had to exceed expectations because we all know what he's about. So far he's right about as expected and that's nothing to be excited or disappointed about.

Weird start for Leclaire though. Sick as a dog, no games for days on end. I think once he settles in we're in for a consistently nice treat.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Weird start for Leclaire though. Sick as a dog, no games for days on end. I think once he settles in we're in for a consistently nice treat.

Dare to Dream.

Kovalev has been mildly disappointing in that I expected our PP to improve significantly with him out there. Other than that and only a slightly lower production than I expected from him I'm seeing what I thought I'd see from Kovalev. I had no expectations from Cheechoo so anything he gives is gravy to me. I have to wonder with only 2 assists and being a minus how he's still part of the top 6 though. I wonder if Clouston is expecting him to bust out with some goals soon?