GAME DAY: Philadelphia Flyers @ Ottawa Senators - 1:00pm ET - Sun. Jan. 3rd, 2010

beedub wrote:

Devo wrote:Kovalev has easily been our best Forward for the last 4 or 5 games. I'm not going to sit here and say that he's out of my dog house, but I'm atleast thinking of letting him have 5 more feet of rope.

5 more games playing like he has and I may just buy him one of those insulated Igloos from Pet Smart. 10 more games and I'll let him come in on really cold nights.

Kovy has been performing as advertised. His streaky bunches of goals are his trademark. It's the goals that keep people believing he'll reform and be a regular contributor. Love him or hate him, Kovy is doing what Kovy does best.

beedub wrote:

PKC wrote:I'd like to point out that Kovalev has helped improve the game of so many people on this team because whether he's streaky or not he really does demand a lot of defensive attention out on the ice and he's so skilled that he's still able to make plays.

That gorgeous little float pass to Kelly as he was breaking into the zone is the reason Kelly was able to make the move that he did. If he hadn't got that puck on time or hadn't been able to coral it because it was a bad pass, then that play never even develops let alone ends up in the back of the net.

It's little things like that. I've also gotta say, it's not very often when this guy has the puck on his stick that he loses the puck. Even in a maze of players he still comes out on the other side with it. It's absolutely amazing to watch.

Anyways, I'm loving the effort this team is giving lately. This team could easily be on a five game winning streak right now if not for a little too much complacency in the Colorado game.

Oh well, 4 of 5 is the next best thing I suppose.

No doubt Kovalev's value has been more the little intangibles that he brings. You are quite right, the saucer passes to set up others are genius. I love watching this cat pass the puck.

But 5 million value.....meh

SeawaySensFan wrote:

beedub wrote:

PKC wrote:I'd like to point out that Kovalev has helped improve the game of so many people on this team because whether he's streaky or not he really does demand a lot of defensive attention out on the ice and he's so skilled that he's still able to make plays.

That gorgeous little float pass to Kelly as he was breaking into the zone is the reason Kelly was able to make the move that he did. If he hadn't got that puck on time or hadn't been able to coral it because it was a bad pass, then that play never even develops let alone ends up in the back of the net.

It's little things like that. I've also gotta say, it's not very often when this guy has the puck on his stick that he loses the puck. Even in a maze of players he still comes out on the other side with it. It's absolutely amazing to watch.

Anyways, I'm loving the effort this team is giving lately. This team could easily be on a five game winning streak right now if not for a little too much complacency in the Colorado game.

Oh well, 4 of 5 is the next best thing I suppose.

No doubt Kovalev's value has been more the little intangibles that he brings. You are quite right, the saucer passes to set up others are genius. I love watching this cat pass the puck.

But 5 million value.....meh

Yet no one minded paying Fisher 6 million for his "intangibles" last year.

PKC wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

beedub wrote:

PKC wrote:I'd like to point out that Kovalev has helped improve the game of so many people on this team because whether he's streaky or not he really does demand a lot of defensive attention out on the ice and he's so skilled that he's still able to make plays.

That gorgeous little float pass to Kelly as he was breaking into the zone is the reason Kelly was able to make the move that he did. If he hadn't got that puck on time or hadn't been able to coral it because it was a bad pass, then that play never even develops let alone ends up in the back of the net.

It's little things like that. I've also gotta say, it's not very often when this guy has the puck on his stick that he loses the puck. Even in a maze of players he still comes out on the other side with it. It's absolutely amazing to watch.

Anyways, I'm loving the effort this team is giving lately. This team could easily be on a five game winning streak right now if not for a little too much complacency in the Colorado game.

Oh well, 4 of 5 is the next best thing I suppose.

No doubt Kovalev's value has been more the little intangibles that he brings. You are quite right, the saucer passes to set up others are genius. I love watching this cat pass the puck.

But 5 million value.....meh

Yet no one minded paying Fisher 6 million for his "intangibles" last year.

It was agitating to watch Fisher struggle last year and we gave him a free ride because of all of the intangibles he brings to the team and because of his never quit attitude. But to be fair, salary is one thing and cap hit is another. If Mike Fisher's cap hit was $6 million last year, there would have been A LOT of unsatisfied people whether he's Mike Fisher or not.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

PKC wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

beedub wrote:

PKC wrote:I'd like to point out that Kovalev has helped improve the game of so many people on this team because whether he's streaky or not he really does demand a lot of defensive attention out on the ice and he's so skilled that he's still able to make plays.

That gorgeous little float pass to Kelly as he was breaking into the zone is the reason Kelly was able to make the move that he did. If he hadn't got that puck on time or hadn't been able to coral it because it was a bad pass, then that play never even develops let alone ends up in the back of the net.

It's little things like that. I've also gotta say, it's not very often when this guy has the puck on his stick that he loses the puck. Even in a maze of players he still comes out on the other side with it. It's absolutely amazing to watch.

Anyways, I'm loving the effort this team is giving lately. This team could easily be on a five game winning streak right now if not for a little too much complacency in the Colorado game.

Oh well, 4 of 5 is the next best thing I suppose.

No doubt Kovalev's value has been more the little intangibles that he brings. You are quite right, the saucer passes to set up others are genius. I love watching this cat pass the puck.

But 5 million value.....meh

Yet no one minded paying Fisher 6 million for his "intangibles" last year.

It was agitating to watch Fisher struggle last year and we gave him a free ride because of all of the intangibles he brings to the team and because of his never quit attitude. But to be fair, salary is one thing and cap hit is another. If Mike Fisher's cap hit was $6 million last year, there would have been A LOT of unsatisfied people whether he's Mike Fisher or not.

It's still 4.2 million. "Ottawa Fan" has been brainwashed into thinking that "hard hat and lunchpail" players are the stars of the team. Offensive talent just doesn't cut it in this market.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Dash wrote:One game hardly makes up for the season. YEs, Kovalev played awesome, but really, he should be.

Leclaire had another bad game. He rebounded well after losing the first of a back-to-back, so I would say consistency is an issue here. Maybe he's still not 100%, which is also a concern, cause injuries have been a huge problem for him the past few years.

I'm also hoping Michalek and Fisher start scoring again at a PPG pace.

It's pretty clear he makes players around him better. You think it's an accident that Del Shannon is suddenly producing? Kovalev is suddenly on pace for 54 points, by the way. Wasn't 60 supposed to be a good year for him?

Leclaire's problems have nothing to do with injury. If anything, his reflexes and movement are great. His positioning and anticipation are horrid.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Are we still Dung on Kovalev? Not a peep about Leclaire, I guess?

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Are we still Dung on Kovalev? Not a peep about Leclaire, I guess?

What is there to say about Leclaire SSF? He's very Gerber-esque.

shabbs wrote:That's pretty scary about Shannon. If he had taken another head shot right after coming back... who know what would have happened. I hope they re-visit their "cleared to play" procedure. Health and safety of the player has to be first and foremost in everyone's mind.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Are we still Dung on Kovalev? Not a peep about Leclaire, I guess?

What is there to say about Leclaire SSF? He's very Gerber-esque.

Now you're starting to sound like me.

Hoags wrote:Leclaire's inconsistencies have me worried somewhat. He's clearly talented enough to be a game-stealing #1 NHL goalie.

I think the Sens should play him against the Bruins. Let's not descend into TML "goaltending controversy" territory.

Besides it's the Bruins, we're not gonna win (I'm convinced this team will never beat Boston -- as long as Thomas is around anyway).