GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Edmonton Oilers - 9:30PM EST. Tuesday, March 10, 2010

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:My God, Karlsson is so incredibly good that words just don't describe it. Diddle...I'm so impressed with that guy right now.

And Brian Lee was awesome. Who the heck would have thought? Who?

Bryan Murray. That's who. And Muckler.

Let's be honest...

The only reason Lee was resigned (IMHO) is that both Volchenkov and Sutton are both UFA's and Ottawa just can't afford to let a dman with experience (even if it's lee) walk away if they can prevent it.

depth if nothing else.

Devo wrote:Can I just say this (hope no one else has said something about this yet if so sorry for not reading through the entire thread).

I'm pissed at both SNET and TSN. I watched up to the end of the 2nd period last night and then headed to sleep. When I woke up I turned on TSN right away and watched the highlights. I had to wait for a while (typical) for several other games to show their highlights before I was able to see the Sens highlights.

Then it what pissed me off was that the Sens Highlights were all of about 30 seconds long. Total! Two Canadian teams play and all I get are 30 seconds of highlights..showing Edmonton's goal, then Kelly's goal and then the winner (I think) in Michalek's.

No mention of how Ottawa dominated the first two periods and if not for Edmonton's goalie there wouldn't have been a game. No mention of Alfie getting 3 assists and having him back was probably the single biggest reason for them winning.

I then flip to S-NET east for the sens highlights and again, I had to wait for Toronto's and Montreal's highlights to stream past, before I get to Ottawa's. Same bloody thing after that..30 seconds of highlights after enduring 5 minutes of both Montreal and Toronto including interviews.

Isn't SNET-E supposed to be Ottawa's base station?

Just plain frustrating.

See, this is the big complaint I have as well. At 8 AM they have the highlights you're talking about, then at 8:30, they're a little longer, then at 9:00 they come with interviews, complete with Pat Quinn calling his team pansies, but very few people see the 9AM one, I have no idea why they don't center on hockey from 8-9 AM, full highlights and interviews etc. It's rather annoying to have to watch what's happening in basketball and soccer the day after a full slate of NHL games, I care about what happens to the Coyotes and the Avalanche, tell me!

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm very impressed right now, I really am. Karlsson is ridiculous, Sutton is the man, Cullen had a great game. Newcomers are having fun, I love it!

Again though, Brian Lee. Diddle...

Cullen or Kelly?

Sutton or Volchenkov?

That's what Bryan Murray should be asking himself.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Cullen or Kelly?

Sutton or Volchenkov?

That's what Bryan Murray should be asking himself.

Cullen or Kelly is a tough one, Cullen is older, not as defensively reliable (although, he's looked good) and will probably be looking for 3+ million on his final contract. Kelly was farmed by us, drafted, nurtured, asked to perform a certain role, being paid to perform that role - and is absolutely delivering. I've always been a strong believer in Kelly making only 1.6-1.7 million, but is that grounds to trade him? When the Sens are winning, Kelly's the guy to have out there - and he'll get better and better at it, his potential hasn't been reached as a defensive forward IMO.

Sutton or Volchenkov might be decided for Murray.

The question I would have is: how much would Sutton sign for?

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Cullen or Kelly?

Sutton or Volchenkov?

That's what Bryan Murray should be asking himself.

Cullen or Kelly is a tough one, Cullen is older, not as defensively reliable (although, he's looked good) and will probably be looking for 3+ million on his final contract. Kelly was farmed by us, drafted, nurtured, asked to perform a certain role, being paid to perform that role - and is absolutely delivering. I've always been a strong believer in Kelly making only 1.6-1.7 million, but is that grounds to trade him? When the Sens are winning, Kelly's the guy to have out there - and he'll get better and better at it, his potential hasn't been reached as a defensive forward IMO.

Sutton or Volchenkov might be decided for Murray.

The question I would have is: how much would Sutton sign for?

A cap hit of no more than 2.5 million for Sutton. If Cullen wants 3 million, and not a penny more, I would deal Kelly for a pick to make room for him. He kills penalties, has hands like soft, creamery butter and is the best thing this power play has seen in a looooong time.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
A cap hit of no more than 2.5 million for Sutton. If Cullen wants 3 million, and not a penny more, I would deal Kelly for a pick to make room for him. He kills penalties, has hands like soft, creamery butter and is the best thing this power play has seen in a looooong time.

2 years, 5 million for Sutton? A little high for my liking considering his age, but if that's what it would take, then let's just get it done, I love this guy.

As for Cullen...I don't know what to do. I would love to keep him if he'd like to be here, I hope we can.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
A cap hit of no more than 2.5 million for Sutton. If Cullen wants 3 million, and not a penny more, I would deal Kelly for a pick to make room for him. He kills penalties, has hands like soft, creamery butter and is the best thing this power play has seen in a looooong time.

2 years, 5 million for Sutton? A little high for my liking considering his age, but if that's what it would take, then let's just get it done, I love this guy.

As for Cullen...I don't know what to do. I would love to keep him if he'd like to be here, I hope we can.

2.5 might be a little high for Sutton, but 4 or 5 is a lot high for Volchenkov. I guess the ideal thing would be for Kuba to be gone and keep Volchenkov and Sutton.

Cullen is really fitting in here and he understands how important that is after the NYR fiasco.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
2.5 might be a little high for Sutton, but 4 or 5 is a lot high for Volchenkov. I guess the ideal thing would be for Kuba to be gone and keep Volchenkov and Sutton.

Cullen is really fitting in here and he understands how important that is after the NYR fiasco.

Cullen is playing a lot better thank goodness, Sutton has been electric from the moment he got here. How did this guy go unnoticed all the time? He can skate (although he apparently worked with out trainers in the summer to get faster), he can shoot, he's massive, he lays dudes out, everything. Andy Sutton is a fantastic player, easily a top 4 player IMO. While Carkner gets beat on the outside from time to time, I haven't noticed Sutton get beat often (or at all).

Kim Johnsson would be a name I would dog-ear for looking at this summer. Chicago likely won't re-sign him and he's a sturdy D-man - especially to go with his Swedish countryman Karlsson.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm very impressed right now, I really am. Karlsson is ridiculous, Sutton is the man, Cullen had a great game. Newcomers are having fun, I love it!

Again though, Brian Lee. Diddle...

Cullen or Kelly?

Sutton or Volchenkov?

That's what Bryan Murray should be asking himself.

I think it comes down to

Ruutu or Cullen (could be someone else though)
Sutton or A Train I dont think go hand in hand. It's Sutton and hopefully A Train as well.

Anyways, I think A Train is gone man, it's looking less and less likely that he will sign.

N4L wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm very impressed right now, I really am. Karlsson is ridiculous, Sutton is the man, Cullen had a great game. Newcomers are having fun, I love it!

Again though, Brian Lee. Diddle...

Cullen or Kelly?

Sutton or Volchenkov?

That's what Bryan Murray should be asking himself.

I think it comes down to

Ruutu or Cullen (could be someone else though)
Sutton or A Train I dont think go hand in hand. It's Sutton and hopefully A Train as well.

Anyways, I think A Train is gone man, it's looking less and less likely that he will sign.

Do you think that 5.4 million dollar asking price is legit?

5.4 is getting up there, but 5, absolutely. That's rediculous, he isnt worth 4 let alone 5.

I wouldnt even be shocked if they moved Carkner to the other side of Phillips next year and see what happens. He might not be A Train but he doesnt have to be.

Karlsson/Sutton
Carkner/Phillips
Lee/Kuba
???

Why not, its actually not all that bad, could be worse. Anyways, Im just thinking out loud here. But #24 at 5 plus mil, beat it.

N4L wrote:5.4 is getting up there, but 5, absolutely. That's rediculous, he isnt worth 4 let alone 5.

I wouldnt even be shocked if they moved Carkner to the other side of Phillips next year and see what happens. He might not be A Train but he doesnt have to be.

Karlsson/Sutton
Carkner/Phillips
Lee/Kuba
???

Why not, its actually not all that bad, could be worse. Anyways, Im just thinking out loud here. But #24 at 5 plus mil, beat it.

I haven't done this for a while.

Michalek (4.3) - Spezza (7) - Alfredsson (4.9)
Foligno (?) - Fisher (4.2) - Kovalev (5)
Ruutu (1.3) - Kelly (2.1) - Neil (2)
Winchester (?) - Regin (?) - Shannon (0.625)

not included: Cullen (?) , Z.Smith (0.6)

Phillips (3.5) - Sutton (?)
Karlsson (1.3) - Kuba (3.7)
Carkner (0.7) - Lee (0.9)

not included: Cowen (1.3), Campoli (?), Volchenkov (?)

Elliott (0.850)
Leclaire (3.8)

= 46.2 million.

The following players are not in there:

Foligno = ~1.8
Winchester = ~0.7
Regin = ~ 0.9
Cullen = ~ 3.0
Campoli = ~1.5
Volchenkov = ~ 4.0
Sutton = ~ 3.0

= 61.1 million dollars - NOT counting Z.Smith or Cowen - and probably overpaying Sutton and Campoli a little.

So we need to get rid of 4.4 to be at the cap and 5.4 to be comfortable. That's 13 forwards and 8 D-man, which is probably at least one player too many.

We could come close to re-signing everyone and being happy, but it would take some maneuvering for sure. We're close enough that Murray is gonna be able to bring Cullen and Sutton back if he wishes, perhaps at the expense of A-Train, but that's sometimes the way the cookie crumbles.

Also, Leclaire's 4 million can be turned to 1 million if we can trade him for a 1 million dollar "Scott Clemmenson" style backup.

EDIT: PLUS 2.3 in buyouts.

So the new total would be 63.4 million.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Do you think that 5.4 million dollar asking price is legit?

No way, do you? I would say more like 4.5 (Komisarek).

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Do you think that 5.4 million dollar asking price is legit?

No way, do you? I would say more like 4.5 (Komisarek).

Asking prices tend to creep up year after year though. Maybe they ask for 5.4 and hope for a counter offer of 4.7?

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Do you think that 5.4 million dollar asking price is legit?

No way, do you? I would say more like 4.5 (Komisarek).

Asking prices tend to creep up year after year though. Maybe they ask for 5.4 and hope for a counter offer of 4.7?

Good luck to him in all his endeavors.

Seriously, signing him for that kind of cash long term in insane and stupid. Volchankov is a nice player, he isnt special by anymeans. Making about the same as Alfi? No shot.

SpezDispenser wrote:I haven't done this for a while...

Here's what I came up with, assuming Campoli and Regin take qualifying offers, thanks to the Capgeek Cap Calculator:

(Gone: Winchester, Sutton, Zack Smith in Bingo)

Milan Michalek ($4.333m) / Jason Spezza ($7.000m) / Daniel Alfredsson ($4.875m)
Nick Foligno ($1.100m) / Mike Fisher ($4.200m) / Alexei Kovalev ($5.000m)
Ryan Shannon ($0.625m) / Matt Cullen ($3.000m) / Chris Kelly ($2.125m)
Jarkko Ruutu ($1.300m) / Peter Regin ($0.607m) /Chris Neil ($2.000m)
DEFENSEMEN
Anton Volchenkov ($4.000m) / Filip Kuba ($3.700m)
Chris Phillips ($3.500m) / Erik Karlsson ($1.300m)
Brian Lee ($0.875m) / Matt Carkner ($0.700m)
Chris Campoli ($0.668m)
GOALTENDERS
Pascal Leclaire ($3.800m) / Brian Elliott ($0.850m)

ROSTER: 21; PAYROLL: $56.821m; CAP ROOM: $0.404m BONUSES: $0.425m

I don't think the bonus is in the cap, so we would actually be about 21K over the cap