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

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?

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)

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!!!!

SpezDispenser wrote:

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.

rooneypoo wrote:
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.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
I think EDM can address a lot of those needs. I counted over 10 centers in their lineup. They might happily take Cheechoo, a winger, if it means unloading Horcoff. What's in it for us? Maybe Brulé?

According to Booboo, they are the most active team when it comes to contacting GMs about trades.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

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.

I think EDM can address a lot of those needs. I counted over 10 centers in their lineup. They might happily take Cheechoo, a winger, if it means unloading Horcoff. What's in it for us? Maybe Brulé?

According to Booboo, they are the most active team when it comes to contacting GMs about trades.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
I think EDM can address a lot of those needs. I counted over 10 centers in their lineup. They might happily take Cheechoo, a winger, if it means unloading Horcoff. What's in it for us? Maybe Brulé?

According to Booboo, they are the most active team when it comes to contacting GMs about trades.

I once had a notion about Horcoff and was rather quickly talked out of it by many people here. Overpaid and under-achieving were the two most used adjectives for him. I doubt we can sustain his contract as well as one of their good D-men.

Kovalfie wrote:
Of course they're the most active team.

EDM probably has the worst market to lure UFAs in the entire league which forces them to overpay average players. Very hard for Edmonton to lure top UFAs because of the city and the weather hence the offer sheets and the whole Heatley debacle.

I can guarantee that if Spezza were up for grabs EDM would make a pitch and it would be a hard one for Murray to refuse. Heatley got three active roster players. To EDM, Spezza is worth at least two roster players and a mid-level prosect. Add in Campoli and you got yourself a blockbuster:

To Ott: Gagner, Souray, Brule
To Edm: Spezza, Campoli

Would you?

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Which is why such a deal would involve on of our higher-paid D. I guess if EDM are that desperate, we don't need to take Horcoff... Maybe they still take Cheechoo for O'Sullivan or Hemsky?

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Which is why such a deal would involve on of our higher-paid D. I guess if EDM are that desperate, we don't need to take Horcoff... Maybe they still take Cheechoo for O'Sullivan or Hemsky?

I'll take O'Sullivan here, they don't like him there any more at all. He doesn't fit, but he's got a load of skill. Hemsky they'll NEVER trade, especially if they're finally getting him a center in Spezza.

asq2 wrote:Where is all this (largely facetious, I gather) Edmonton talk coming from?

asq2 wrote:Where is all this (largely facetious, I gather) Edmonton talk coming from?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

asq2 wrote:Where is all this (largely facetious, I gather) Edmonton talk coming from?

I think it all stems from the belief that Edmonton can't convince anyone of Star calibre to sign with them so perhaps they'd take Spezza in desperation.

It's all fluff as far as I'm concerned.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

asq2 wrote:Where is all this (largely facetious, I gather) Edmonton talk coming from?

I think it all stems from the belief that Edmonton can't convince anyone of Star calibre to sign with them so perhaps they'd take Spezza in desperation.

It's all fluff as far as I'm concerned.

Or... is it?