GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Atlanta Thrashers – 7:00PM EST, Thursday, March 18, 2010

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

It's back!! I'm hoping for at least as thorough and indepth analysis for post game Saturday.

Edit: Of course only if you have time. Don't feel obligated to do that kind of deep analysis for post game vs. the Stars.

I would have just said:

I thought my way was funnier.

What the hell was that call on Sutton by the way? That ref should be reprimanded. This game suffers from these horrendous calls, look at the NFL, they have just as hard a job and they don't Diddle up almost at all.

Last night's GAME WINNING GOAL came from a blown call. That's very disappointing.

I'm not blaming the goalies, if anything I am blaming the coaching for not pulling Elliott regardless if he was at fault or not. There's no point keeping a goalie in after the 5th goal, let alone the 6th.

I already called Phillips out for his awful pass, much like I did when Sutton missed the hit the game before. Yes, Spezza, Alfie, Fisher, Kovalev, Michalek all have to score. Foligno needs to get going soon, get the rust off. Going to be hard to win when we have to rely on Kelly and Ruutu to score.

Dash wrote:I'm not blaming the goalies, if anything I am blaming the coaching for not pulling Elliott regardless if he was at fault or not. There's no point keeping a goalie in after the 5th goal, let alone the 6th.

I already called Phillips out for his awful pass, much like I did when Sutton missed the hit the game before. Yes, Spezza, Alfie, Fisher, Kovalev, Michalek all have to score. Foligno needs to get going soon, get the rust off. Going to be hard to win when we have to rely on Kelly and Ruutu to score.

Pulling the goalie with 10 mins left to go in the game? There is no point in that and basically doesnt happen. Not a very good arguement. Maybe you argue you pull him after goal number 3, but 5 and 6 1/2 way through the 3rd? No.

I cant say it enough, the best and highest paid players have to play like it. There is over 20 million on the PP and they cant score a goal to save their collective lives.

SpezDispenser wrote:What the hell was that call on Sutton by the way? That ref should be reprimanded. This game suffers from these horrendous calls, look at the NFL, they have just as hard a job and they don't Diddle up almost at all.

Last night's GAME WINNING GOAL came from a blown call. That's very disappointing.

I agree with you on the reffing last night, but the NFL refs are also pretty bad. They blow calls every game.

hemlock wrote:

The Montagoose wrote:I havent seen the game and have no idea who started or how well they played but if the teams falls out of the race or bows out early in the playoffs, one would have to think that Murrays 1st priority is finding a bonafide #1 goalie.

That being said now with the way the guys have not responded well and this current stretch of loses does Brodeur get called up again to cause a shake and see how things go.

Didn't he do that at the deadline last year?

Thats what I thought and if he is to be the #1 CC needs to play him. If not send his money out the door with another piece and get someone who is going to run with it. Elliott isn't there yet.

That's funny, Mel and I went out for lunch and I was saying that Murray needs to clear Leclaire's salary this summer. Elliott's the guy for sure.

Would Detroit consider a Leclaire for Osgood swap? Something where we get back a vet. backup.

Leclaire's value is almost zero if not negative right now. I think we'll have almost as much success moving him as we had moving Gerber or Emery.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Leclaire's value is almost zero if not negative right now. I think we'll have almost as much success moving him as we had moving Gerber or Emery.

I don't believe that. If I was a team with a decent, but young goalie and I wanted to get a 2nd guy, I would give up 2 million in salary (to Ottawa) and a 4th round pick to try Leclaire out.

N4L wrote:

Dash wrote:I'm not blaming the goalies, if anything I am blaming the coaching for not pulling Elliott regardless if he was at fault or not. There's no point keeping a goalie in after the 5th goal, let alone the 6th.

I already called Phillips out for his awful pass, much like I did when Sutton missed the hit the game before. Yes, Spezza, Alfie, Fisher, Kovalev, Michalek all have to score. Foligno needs to get going soon, get the rust off. Going to be hard to win when we have to rely on Kelly and Ruutu to score.

Pulling the goalie with 10 mins left to go in the game? There is no point in that and basically doesnt happen. Not a very good arguement. Maybe you argue you pull him after goal number 3, but 5 and 6 1/2 way through the 3rd? No.

I cant say it enough, the best and highest paid players have to play like it. There is over 20 million on the PP and they cant score a goal to save their collective lives.

Kovalev was and is a huge mistake, never liked the move.

SpezDispenser wrote:What the hell was that call on Sutton by the way? That ref should be reprimanded. This game suffers from these horrendous calls, look at the NFL, they have just as hard a job and they don't Diddle up almost at all.

Last night's GAME WINNING GOAL came from a blown call. That's very disappointing.

Dude, Leclaire is 26 years old and makes 3.8, Kovalev is 37 and makes 5 mil... Kovalev is a short term solution at best, Leclaire if healthy can solve this teams goalie problems for 5-10 years.

There is no good in dealing Leclaire right now nor dealing Elliott. It is a tallented duo with the potential to be good to great for The Sens. People have to stop being so short sighted.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Leclaire's value is almost zero if not negative right now. I think we'll have almost as much success moving him as we had moving Gerber or Emery.

Again, there is no way I would move Leclaire before Kovalev. The upside for Leclaire is almost endless. He is the most tallented goaltender this team has ever had, if he puts it together he could be top 5 in the league. I love Elliott and I like Leclaire, but when on Leclaire is the better goaltender and Ive always maintained that. I just think Elliott has a lot of intangibles that Leclaire does not.

Dash wrote:

N4L wrote:

Dash wrote:I'm not blaming the goalies, if anything I am blaming the coaching for not pulling Elliott regardless if he was at fault or not. There's no point keeping a goalie in after the 5th goal, let alone the 6th.

I already called Phillips out for his awful pass, much like I did when Sutton missed the hit the game before. Yes, Spezza, Alfie, Fisher, Kovalev, Michalek all have to score. Foligno needs to get going soon, get the rust off. Going to be hard to win when we have to rely on Kelly and Ruutu to score.

Pulling the goalie with 10 mins left to go in the game? There is no point in that and basically doesnt happen. Not a very good arguement. Maybe you argue you pull him after goal number 3, but 5 and 6 1/2 way through the 3rd? No.

I cant say it enough, the best and highest paid players have to play like it. There is over 20 million on the PP and they cant score a goal to save their collective lives.

Kovalev was and is a huge mistake, never liked the move.

2 year deal and The Sens needed him big time this year already. It's a short term solution and cost them nothing to get. It was a good signing because there isnt a player in the organization that can replace Kovalev right now, inconsistant or not.

N4L wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Leclaire's value is almost zero if not negative right now. I think we'll have almost as much success moving him as we had moving Gerber or Emery.

Again, there is no way I would move Leclaire before Kovalev. The upside for Leclaire is almost endless. He is the most tallented goaltender this team has ever had, if he puts it together he could be top 5 in the league. I love Elliott and I like Leclaire, but when on Leclaire is the better goaltender and Ive always maintained that. I just think Elliott has a lot of intangibles that Leclaire does not.

I don't disagree with that at all. I was just trying to say that if the Sens chose to move him it would be tough. He's way more valuable to the Sens than in a trade for sure.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

N4L wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Leclaire's value is almost zero if not negative right now. I think we'll have almost as much success moving him as we had moving Gerber or Emery.

Again, there is no way I would move Leclaire before Kovalev. The upside for Leclaire is almost endless. He is the most tallented goaltender this team has ever had, if he puts it together he could be top 5 in the league. I love Elliott and I like Leclaire, but when on Leclaire is the better goaltender and Ive always maintained that. I just think Elliott has a lot of intangibles that Leclaire does not.

I don't disagree with that at all. I was just trying to say that if the Sens chose to move him it would be tough. He's way more valuable to the Sens than in a trade for sure.

Leclaire can be moved for sure, but not for all that much. Just not worth it for a 2nd or 3rd round pick IMO.

N4L wrote:
Dude, Leclaire is 26 years old and makes 3.8, Kovalev is 37 and makes 5 mil... Kovalev is a short term solution at best, Leclaire if healthy can solve this teams goalie problems for 5-10 years.

There is no good in dealing Leclaire right now nor dealing Elliott. It is a tallented duo with the potential to be good to great for The Sens. People have to stop being so short sighted.

Kovalev was one of the only reasons we're even in a playoff spot right now and he's got one more year left. I'm okay with him, Leclaire is talented, but Elliott's our guy, what is the point in keeping a guy making 4 million dollars when Elliott has stepped up and taken this job.

I'd much rather spend Leclaire's 4 million (minus 1 million for a Scott Clemenson type backup), so the remaining 3 million + Volchenkov's $$ and get ourselves a Pavel Kubina or a Gonchar. This team is so bereft of vet. talent on the backend it's almost embarrassing, we need a number one D-man WAY more than we need Pascal Leclaire.

I would clear Leclaire's salary and spend it on a number one D-man - it would make a world of difference for us. I would bring in a vet. back up and I'd leave everything pretty much the way it is.

rooneypoo wrote:
LOL. How long have I been saying this for?!? A team is not a group of individuals; it has to come together over time to play as a unit. Deadline deals for anything other than complementary players rarely ever work out. I wish people would keep these sentiments in mind when Feb/Mar roll around and they're screaming for OTT to make big, ridiculous moves.

And, to be fair, I like the Sutton and Cullen acquisitions. It's not that they're a problem. Rather, it's the naivete of the position that messing with the chemistry of a team in the middle of setting a record for consecutive wins is what's needed.

Yeah, it's time to take that to heart in the Sens organization. You build your team by late Dec.- early January and you live and die by the sword. Your big moves should come in the summer, your tinkering in December and nothing by the trade deadline. As I go along, I learn more and more about this game and the way the ebbs and flows work - and I would support doing absolutely NOTHING next trade deadline - PROVIDING we don't do nothing in the summer.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Dude, Leclaire is 26 years old and makes 3.8, Kovalev is 37 and makes 5 mil... Kovalev is a short term solution at best, Leclaire if healthy can solve this teams goalie problems for 5-10 years.

There is no good in dealing Leclaire right now nor dealing Elliott. It is a tallented duo with the potential to be good to great for The Sens. People have to stop being so short sighted.

Kovalev was one of the only reasons we're even in a playoff spot right now and he's got one more year left. I'm okay with him, Leclaire is talented, but Elliott's our guy, what is the point in keeping a guy making 4 million dollars when Elliott has stepped up and taken this job.

I'd much rather spend Leclaire's 4 million (minus 1 million for a Scott Clemenson type backup), so the remaining 3 million + Volchenkov's $$ and get ourselves a Pavel Kubina or a Gonchar. This team is so bereft of vet. talent on the backend it's almost embarrassing, we need a number one D-man WAY more than we need Pascal Leclaire.

I would clear Leclaire's salary and spend it on a number one D-man - it would make a world of difference for us. I would bring in a vet. back up and I'd leave everything pretty much the way it is.

There are no "number 1" D men out there. 4.4 mil on goaltending is minimal. Elliott isnt truly ready to carry the load as much as he looks like it at times and Leclaire is the more tellented goaltender.

There are a lot of other places to looks for money if it was actually an issue, not to mention Ottawa has perhaps the most over paid forward group in The NHL.