Murray likes the Sens post-Heatley trade

asq2 wrote:Burns is too light, and I'm not sure he's averaging 25 minutes.

Also, he's been struggling mightily (well, Minnesota has anyway, so it's reflected in his -11) for the past while.

Definitely hasn't re-reached his '07-'08 form.

Yeah, I'm no longer enamored with him. He can still play - and well - but he's no longer franchise right now. He's got a long way to go to get back there IMO. Too many knocks on the noggin.

asq2 wrote:

Devo wrote:Just my opinion, but I'd take a rock solid top 1 or 2 dman on my team any time before a top 6 forward. The phrase "defense wins championships" isn't outdated yet. Even a top goalie like Luongo would admit that he could only do so much in Florida, but now with a good d-corps in Vancouver the team has for the last couple of years been a top tier team.

Give me a stud big defenseman before a 30 goal guy any day.

I agree with you mostly, except that Nashville's been a goalie and defenceman factory and hasn't really gone anywhere.

True, but take the Defense out of the picture and replace it with a bunch of highly skilled forwards and are the goalies performing as well?

Or take the good goalies out of the picture and replace them with so so goalies and are we questioning their defense?

I guess my point was that I'd take goalies and demen before a forward any day. I'd take another top d-man this year if there was a 1/2 like Cowen available before a potential 2nd line forward.

You can always trade a stud d-man for a proven forward in the NHL, but I think everyone has seen how hard it is to get that stud dman to anchor your blue line.

shabbs wrote:

marakh wrote:WE shouldn't really care anyway. Cowen was a no-brainer top 5 pick without the injury question. Now that we know he is performing right where he left, it's evident we got a steal. Whatever player Kadri will become, there will be no regret whatsoever for Sens fans.

You got that right man. I wonder if Atlanta, LA, Phoenix, Toronto and Dallas are cursing for not picking Cowen when they had a chance? Heh heh.

You are aware that Evander Kane is on pace for almost 30 goals this season and has had stints on Atlanta's top line? They're ecstatic.

LA got a really nice player in Schenn and their blue-line is so ridiculously stacked (Doughty is on pace for almost 70 points at the moment, then toss in JJ, Hickey, Teubert etc.), I think they're fine with their choice. Can't go wrong with a second line tandem of Brown - Schenn after sending out Kopitar (yes, I am jealous).

The Phoenix scout I talked to back at the Sweden - Carleton friendly seemed very happy with the OEL selection (granted, you can't tell how much he's been tracking Cowen's progression). Ekman-Larsson has the potential to end up as the best defenceman in the draft, so I think that was a fine pick for them.

Toronto: well...I think they were right to pick a forward over a mostly defensive defenceman given they had just taken Schenn, were confident in signing Komisarek most likely and didn't have any top of the line forwards in their organization. Looking back, I suppose you could argue that Cowen is a superior calibre of prospect (which he is), but I think Leaf fans are more likely only concerned with when Kadri can start setting up Kessel.

Dallas picking Glennie over Cowen, MPS and Kulikov was what was bizarre for me.

/not understanding a joke

Even though you give reasons for Toronto taking Kadri instead, I still think it was a mistake personally. You have a chance to unite Schenn with Cowen for the next 10+ years, I think you do it. Kadri is a much lesser known talent - he'll make the NHL and I personally believe he'll be very, very good, but...as much as it might have fit their needs, they could have just as easily chosen Cowen and just picked up Ohlund or Beachemin and concentrated on acquiring a guy like Cammaleri, Havlat etc.

Dallas may be geniuses and we don't know it yet, but it certainly looks like they made a questionable decision with such a high pick.

OEL is a nice pick for Phoenix, no question there. They need to replace Jovo who'll either be moved at some point, or let walk as a UFA after next year - and OEL's a nice player. Still...Cowen and MPS would have been really acceptable choices for them.

LA and Atlanta are happy as pigs in Dung though, that's for sure. As soon as Schenn was available at 5 and Burke's proposals had been rebuffed, it was go time for Schenn to LA.

Every team has different needs and a vision of their future... what's good for one may not be good for another... only time will tell what works and what does not.

Luke Schenn is have a major sophomore slump... so who knows...

Well, in this day and age, IMO, you just take the BPA and you stop thinking there...