GAME DAY: Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Tue. Dec. 8th, 2009 PLUS post game thoughts

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:100% agree, it's on Elliott and Leclaire to make Ottawa a playoff team. They need all-star, rock solid, and consistant goaltending for them to even have a sniff at the playoffs.

Fact of the matter is this team needs to start over up front, in a big way. Spezza isnt an answer short term or long term and is defently a problem. Having him in Ottawa with kids is a disaster waiting to happen.

From now on you cannot call out Spezza without calling out Kovalev in the same sentence. It's the new rule. Kovalev sucks. And I've heard different 'reasons' why lately.

1.He always needs a guy crashing the net to be successful.

Dung. He was with Fisher and blew donkey.

2.He needs to have guys who can make passes on the PP to be successful.

Okay, fine, maybe I can buy into that - a little.

Fisher doesn't crash the net. Sorry.

Hoags wrote:

Michallica wrote:
Just wanna keep things in perspective. Its not a lost season when we lose to a team we outplayed.

Now, can we have a kovalev depreciation thread?

I don't think we outplayed them at all. Sure we controlled the puck a lot and had a lot of shots but their defence made pretty sure those were all very low percentage plays a pee-wee goalie could stop.

This team needs to crash the net more and screen their goalie. They also need someone who can really shoot the damn puck, especially from the point.

If we didn't outplay them, we certainly outchanced them. We made them take 7 penalties! Whether they were earned or not, that's i think the highest the sens have had this year (or close to it). And we outplayed them badly in the first period, yet were down 1-0 thanks to a bad bounce of the official and bad D by Volchie (never thought I'd say that....)

Leclaire is in full gear and facing shots again.

Back soon maybe?

http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2009/12/08/12087481.html

N4L wrote: Spezza is going to make 42 mil, Kovalev is going to make 10 in Ottawa. I absolutely can call out a guy who has gladly signed his 7 year, 49 million dollr deal who always talks through the media and spits out BS.

Kovalev is gone next year or sooner, he's a short term fix. Spezza will actually grow with the core which is the scariest possible scenario for me.

I think either midway this season (which is like a month and a half away) or at the end of the season, Kovalev will just demand to be traded himself. Murray will try with all his might to deal him at the trade deadline....and I bet some team will be desperate enough to take him. It is trade deadline, and he has proven to be quite valuable in the playoffs.

Either way, Spezza is the guy you HAVE to move come season's end.

SensGirl11 wrote:Leclaire is in full gear and facing shots again.

Back soon maybe?

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http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2009/12/08/12087481.html[/quote[/url]]

You're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think Leclaire's return will turn things around.

I think we can do very well at the draft. Spezza and Kovalev for sale!

SeawaySensFan wrote:
You're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think Leclaire's return will turn things around.

Disagree. It'll change a lot. The D has one eye on Elliott and one eye on the play the entire time. They feel what we feel - Elliott's a little shaky. You might underestimate what that can do to a team who's already fragile.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
You're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think Leclaire's return will turn things around.

Disagree. It'll change a lot. The D has one eye on Elliott and one eye on the play the entire time. They feel what we feel - Elliott's a little shaky. You might underestimate what that can do to a team who's already fragile.

You're seeing how very average defensivly A Train is. He doesnt do much out there when he isnt blocking shots or taking guys out. Last night should give you a pretty good idea of why you dont sign that guy for big money, same thing against Anahiem.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Fisher doesn't crash the net. Sorry.

You know, maybe you're right. It's Michalek that crashes the net. Where are the other guys who crash? On line 3 and 4 - right where Kovalev should be.

Michalek - Fisher - Alfredsson
Foligno - Kelly - Spezza (because, really, it couldn't get any worse)
Ruutu - Winchester - Kovalev (because, really, it couldn't get any worse)
________ (can't remember) - Regin - Shannon

Sorry, but I saw a HUGE difference in the way the team played in front of Leclaire and the way they are playing in front of Elliott. Leclaire can make those saves that pump the team up, Elliott cannot. Period.

[quote="SeawaySensFan"]

SensGirl11 wrote:Leclaire is in full gear and facing shots again.

Back soon maybe?

http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2009/12/08/12087481.html[/quote]

You're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think Leclaire's return will turn things around.

BIG TIME. I mean really, people were crying about Leclaire right before he got hurt, now he's the saviour again? People have unreal expecations of some people and then will defend others to the death who should have a ton of expectations.

We need Leclaire back so Spezza and Kovalev can start scoring!

N4L wrote:
You're seeing how very average defensivly A Train is. He doesnt do much out there when he isnt blocking shots or taking guys out. Last night should give you a pretty good idea of why you dont sign that guy for big money, same thing against Anahiem.

I dunno man....I just don't know. You take away that rock on the back end and things might just go from bad to worse.

Perhaps 4 million is pushing it though, but I thought we agreed on 3.5-3.75?

However (Don't read this Sensgirl11), one of our primary needs is a blue chip forward prospect - and I think if we can get one from a potential Volchenkov deadline deal, we might - repeat MIGHT - have to think about it.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
You're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think Leclaire's return will turn things around.

Disagree. It'll change a lot. The D has one eye on Elliott and one eye on the play the entire time. They feel what we feel - Elliott's a little shaky. You might underestimate what that can do to a team who's already fragile.

Cop outs. They have no business being fragile. They should be building on the success they've had so far. I think a pretty strong case has been stated for Elliott so far. I can't force you to accept that he has been good enough to win games that the team ended up losing through lack of desire and sustained effort.

SensGirl11 wrote:Sorry, but I saw a HUGE difference in the way the team played in front of Leclaire and the way they are playing in front of Elliott. Leclaire can make those saves that pump the team up, Elliott cannot. Period.

Like the 5-1 game against Philly? Like the shootout win against Edmonton where The Sens were domianted? Like The NJ game where they blew a 2-0 lead? This team plays no different depending on who's in nets.

It's on Spezza and Kovy to get things done, our goaltending has kept us in games, won us games, and given The Sens a chance to win on 99% of the nights. That's all you can ask.

Our two goaltenders combined dont make as much as either Spezza or or Kovy.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
You're seeing how very average defensivly A Train is. He doesnt do much out there when he isnt blocking shots or taking guys out. Last night should give you a pretty good idea of why you dont sign that guy for big money, same thing against Anahiem.

I dunno man....I just don't know. You take away that rock on the back end and things might just go from bad to worse.

Perhaps 4 million is pushing it though, but I thought we agreed on 3.5-3.75?

However (Don't read this Sensgirl11), one of our primary needs is a blue chip forward prospect - and I think if we can get one from a potential Volchenkov deadline deal, we might - repeat MIGHT - have to think about it.

Phillips makes him a lot better then people think A Train is. I like what he does for the team and like what he brings, it's not worth more then 3.5 as a max though.

SensGirl11 wrote:Sorry, but I saw a HUGE difference in the way the team played in front of Leclaire and the way they are playing in front of Elliott. Leclaire can make those saves that pump the team up, Elliott cannot. Period.

This team can't get pumped up about huge saves. Even when Leclaire makes them. And Elliott does make his share of huge saves at critical times.

This team also can't get pumped up about capitalizing on multiple power plays when they are down. Nor can they get pumped up about getting a game-tying goal after failing to solve a "hot goalie"....

Seriously? How is Leclaire going to help the PP?