GAME DAY: Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Mon. Dec. 28th, 2009

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Jordo wrote:Picard blows. I've said for a long time that the only thing holding Ottawa back is a true #1 puck moving defenseman. It might be on the way with Karlsson... but not for another few years. Kuba is not good enough to be THE guy.

What we need is a threat on the point. I think the puck movement is decent now personally. Sure an elite Puck moving D man would be nice but if he doesn't have a seriously good point shot then no thanks.

See: EDM blockbuster.

Souray says what?

To be honest, when we got that PP with Fisher being tripped, I started my post with "Another powerplay ..." and was about to type "... and why the hell is Kuba still out there?" but they scored while I was typing.

Our PP is still not close to being good -- even if we did score two PPGs. Not enough movement on the back-end, the passing is nowhere near crisp-enough, and too much holding on to the puck that chews up valuable seconds. It's one thing to have a player like Kovalev hanging on to the puck, slowing the game down, but we have too many people with half his skill doing the same.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Jordo wrote:Picard blows. I've said for a long time that the only thing holding Ottawa back is a true #1 puck moving defenseman. It might be on the way with Karlsson... but not for another few years. Kuba is not good enough to be THE guy.

What we need is a threat on the point. I think the puck movement is decent now personally. Sure an elite Puck moving D man would be nice but if he doesn't have a seriously good point shot then no thanks.

See: EDM blockbuster.

Lets call him Sheldon S. No wait that's too obvious. Um. Lets call him S. Souray.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Jordo wrote:Picard blows. I've said for a long time that the only thing holding Ottawa back is a true #1 puck moving defenseman. It might be on the way with Karlsson... but not for another few years. Kuba is not good enough to be THE guy.

What we need is a threat on the point. I think the puck movement is decent now personally. Sure an elite Puck moving D man would be nice but if he doesn't have a seriously good point shot then no thanks.

See: EDM blockbuster.

Lets call him Sheldon S. No wait that's too obvious. Um. Lets call him S. Souray.

Clever. I shall search the "internet" to crack your devious code!!!

Jordo wrote:Picard blows. I've said for a long time that the only thing holding Ottawa back is a true #1 puck moving defenseman. It might be on the way with Karlsson... but not for another few years. Kuba is not good enough to be THE guy.

Yeah, for sure. After all, he's only tied for the most points for a defenceman on the club (14), has the most goals by a defenceman (4), has 5 PPP and 1 GW, is a plus player (3), and plays PK and PP -- all for a whopping $800K / yr.

This is pure lunacy. Paired with Carkner, Picard is a perfect fit as a 5/6 D. Don't blame / hate on him just because this team lacks a true 1/2 pairing. Be pissed at Kuba (our "#3"), who is definitely not getting it done. Be pissed at the other guys paired with Kuba, who aren't getting it either. Or be pissed at the organization for not doing the obvious -- i.e., securing a true #1 for this team. But don't be pissed at Picard, who's doing everything that can be expected of him AND MORE.

Picard is not the reason this team's PP sucks or why we're not producing from the backend. In fact, he's helping to provide what little production we have, largely because he's the only guy back there who knows how to put the puck on the net. I baffled by how many people don't understand this.

Where's Neely when you need him?

Picard played a great game last night. He blocked a shot on one shift, was stung by it and went down to block another.

Besides, how does he get to show what he can do on the PP when he doesn't get to play there?

rooneypoo wrote:

Jordo wrote:Picard blows. I've said for a long time that the only thing holding Ottawa back is a true #1 puck moving defenseman. It might be on the way with Karlsson... but not for another few years. Kuba is not good enough to be THE guy.

Yeah, for sure. After all, he's only tied for the most points for a defenceman on the club (14), has the most goals by a defenceman (4), has 5 PPP and 1 GW, is a plus player (3), and plays PK and PP -- all for a whopping $800K / yr.

This is pure lunacy. Paired with Carkner, Picard is a perfect fit as a 5/6 D. Don't blame / hate on him just because this team lacks a true 1/2 pairing. Be pissed at Kuba (our "#3"), who is definitely not getting it done. Be pissed at the other guys paired with Kuba, who aren't getting it either. Or be pissed at the organization for not doing the obvious -- i.e., securing a true #1 for this team. But don't be pissed at Picard, who's doing everything that can be expected of him AND MORE.

Picard is not the reason this team's PP sucks or why we're not producing from the backend. In fact, he's helping to provide what little production we have, largely because he's the only guy back there who knows how to put the puck on the net. I baffled by how many people don't understand this.

Where's Neely when you need him?

+1

Picard is not the problem.

rooneypoo wrote:

Jordo wrote:Picard blows. I've said for a long time that the only thing holding Ottawa back is a true #1 puck moving defenseman. It might be on the way with Karlsson... but not for another few years. Kuba is not good enough to be THE guy.

Yeah, for sure. After all, he's only tied for the most points for a defenceman on the club (14), has the most goals by a defenceman (4), has 5 PPP and 1 GW, is a plus player (3), and plays PK and PP -- all for a whopping $800K / yr.

This is pure lunacy. Paired with Carkner, Picard is a perfect fit as a 5/6 D. Don't blame / hate on him just because this team lacks a true 1/2 pairing. Be pissed at Kuba (our "#3"), who is definitely not getting it done. Be pissed at the other guys paired with Kuba, who aren't getting it either. Or be pissed at the organization for not doing the obvious -- i.e., securing a true #1 for this team. But don't be pissed at Picard, who's doing everything that can be expected of him AND MORE.

Picard is not the reason this team's PP sucks or why we're not producing from the backend. In fact, he's helping to provide what little production we have, largely because he's the only guy back there who knows how to put the puck on the net. I baffled by how many people don't understand this.

Where's Neely when you need him?

Picard, for the position he's in and the money he makes he's doing quite well. I think the hate might be coming from the fact that he and Campoli were both brought here based on the potential to be top 4 offensive D men and neither have panned out as hoped. I personally like what Picard brings in the roll he's in, for the money he's paid.

Picard also signed my kid's practice jersey when he was the special guest at a summer skating camp.

Yeah, all the "problems" have been pointed out by Rooney. Our top-pairing is a shut-down pairing. Most of the top-tier teams have a top offensive guy who's very good defensively. Kuba really isn't a top-pairing guy in either the offensive or defensive category. And his play this season has gone way down from last year. He could still be bothered by his hip.

Campoli signed my Season ticket package but I still think he sucks.

I doubt Campoli sucks. Specially in the context of an EDM/OTT blockbuster.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I doubt Campoli sucks. Specially in the context of an EDM/OTT blockbuster.

Intriguing. Source?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I doubt Campoli sucks. Specially in the context of an EDM/OTT blockbuster.

Intriguing. Source?

Right here:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I doubt Campoli sucks. Specially in the context of an EDM/OTT blockbuster.

Intriguing. Source?

And who would be the focal point of this alleged blockbuster? Spezza? Kuba?

And the return... would we really want an oft-injured epxensive D-man with minimal defensive upside?

I would consider a Souray, Gagner for Spezza trade but I'd want Edm to take some more salary back (maybe include a Cheechoo or a Kuba somehow)

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I doubt Campoli sucks. Specially in the context of an EDM/OTT blockbuster.

Intriguing. Source?

How much more of a dangerous team are the Senators with say Sheldon Souray on the backend? That powerplay INSTANTLY gets an entirely new dimension added to it.

rooneypoo wrote:
Yeah, for sure. After all, he's only tied for the most points for a defenceman on the club (14), has the most goals by a defenceman (4), has 5 PPP and 1 GW, is a plus player (3), and plays PK and PP -- all for a whopping $800K / yr.

This is pure lunacy. Paired with Carkner, Picard is a perfect fit as a 5/6 D. Don't blame / hate on him just because this team lacks a true 1/2 pairing. Be pissed at Kuba (our "#3"), who is definitely not getting it done. Be pissed at the other guys paired with Kuba, who aren't getting it either. Or be pissed at the organization for not doing the obvious -- i.e., securing a true #1 for this team. But don't be pissed at Picard, who's doing everything that can be expected of him AND MORE.

Picard is not the reason this team's PP sucks or why we're not producing from the backend. In fact, he's helping to provide what little production we have, largely because he's the only guy back there who knows how to put the puck on the net. I baffled by how many people don't understand this.

Where's Neely when you need him?

Pretty much. Picard sucks, but only mildly, which is okay for the 3rd pairing. What we need so horribly desperately is a real number one D-man. Whether Karlsson, Wiercioch or Cowen can or will become that in 3+ years is still debatable, we need a number one D-man very badly. We cry and moan about Kuba sucking (and he kinda does now), Phillips, Volchenkov etc., but what we've all been pleading for for the last 3 years is a real number one. Someone to come in and at least partially replace the loss of the good Redden and even Chara. Even Corvo had a bigger impact than most of the D-men we have right now in terms of offense and puck-moving.

We're officially one of the worst D core's in the NHL and I think it's starting to show big time. Last night could have been a lot worse if not for Leclaire.

By now, with all the time to prepare from the beginning of last season through the off-season to now - the question still screams out: WHERE IS OUR NUMBER ONE D-MAN!!!!

Kovalfie wrote:
And who would be the focal point of this alleged blockbuster? Spezza? Kuba?

And the return... would we really want an oft-injured epxensive D-man with minimal defensive upside?

I would consider a Souray, Gagner for Spezza trade but I'd want Edm to take some more salary back (maybe include a Cheechoo or a Kuba somehow)

SSF is quasi-kidding, but no matter what trade we make, we need two things:

1.A bonafide top pairing D-man - Visnovsky, Gilbert or Souray.

2.To rid ourselves of the Cheechoo contract.

3.A player like Jason Arnott or Andy MacDonald (using them as an example). They would need to provide the offensive spark and hard work that would be left void by any trade of Spezza.

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
Yeah, for sure. After all, he's only tied for the most points for a defenceman on the club (14), has the most goals by a defenceman (4), has 5 PPP and 1 GW, is a plus player (3), and plays PK and PP -- all for a whopping $800K / yr.

This is pure lunacy. Paired with Carkner, Picard is a perfect fit as a 5/6 D. Don't blame / hate on him just because this team lacks a true 1/2 pairing. Be pissed at Kuba (our "#3"), who is definitely not getting it done. Be pissed at the other guys paired with Kuba, who aren't getting it either. Or be pissed at the organization for not doing the obvious -- i.e., securing a true #1 for this team. But don't be pissed at Picard, who's doing everything that can be expected of him AND MORE.

Picard is not the reason this team's PP sucks or why we're not producing from the backend. In fact, he's helping to provide what little production we have, largely because he's the only guy back there who knows how to put the puck on the net. I baffled by how many people don't understand this.

Where's Neely when you need him?

Pretty much. Picard sucks, but only mildly, which is okay for the 3rd pairing. What we need so horribly desperately is a real number one D-man. Whether Karlsson, Wiercioch or Cowen can or will become that in 3+ years is still debatable, we need a number one D-man very badly. We cry and moan about Kuba sucking (and he kinda does now), Phillips, Volchenkov etc., but what we've all been pleading for for the last 3 years is a real number one. Someone to come in and at least partially replace the loss of the good Redden and even Chara. Even Corvo had a bigger impact than most of the D-men we have right now in terms of offense and puck-moving.

We're officially one of the worst D core's in the NHL and I think it's starting to show big time. Last night could have been a lot worse if not for Leclaire.

By now, with all the time to prepare from the beginning of last season through the off-season to now - the question still screams out: WHERE IS OUR NUMBER ONE D-MAN!!!!

I think it's more like, "Picard sucks if you're looking at him as your #1 D -- but is GREAT if you're looking at him as your #5/6." Seriously, I don't know what else you want from someone who plays that role. He's better on the PP than Kuba, and more defensively responsible than Karlsson or Campoli (hence, why he plays PK, and more minutes).

If it were up to me, I'd re-sign Picard right now if I could get him for $1 mil or so -- on a 2-year deal, we'd have our 5/6 pairing locked up for next year for less than $2 mil. Done and done.

That leaves you with Phillips, Kuba, Karlson, Carkner, and Picard for sure for next year. Keep one of Lee or Campoli for your 7th, or move them both if they don't fit that role / ask for too much money. If we lose Volchenkov, then you have to go get that true #1 D, no questions asked. If you don't, then you probably have to move Kuba+ to get that true #1 D.