GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Dallas Stars – 2:00PM EST, Saturday, March 20, 2010

N4L wrote:What a waste of a great game from The Sens for the most part. This one was goaltending. Leclaire, well, 11 goals against his last 2 games... Elliott or bust the rest of the way.

Urkie wrote:

wprager wrote:I'd say he had at least 2, probably 3 opportunities to make a great save. I *really* don't like harping on a goalie for a loss, but between him and Karlsson that was brutal. Karlsson is a 19-year-old rookie making one third the salary (plus he was playing with a new partner for the first time).

Exactly, Karlsson had a bad game but he's a rookie that's still learning. I don't blame Karlsson at all for the loss.

But when you're a team struggling to score goals and win games then you need your goalie to get you out of the funk. Leclaire needed to make just one big save and he didn't do that when the team needed it most. Leclaire can blame the team all he wants but goalies are supposed to bail out the team every once in awhile. For him to suggest that he didn't play that bad is not what I want to hear. To me, that's him deflecting blame and being content with his game. He should be saying he feels like he let the team down and he needs to work harder.

I hope Murray can get Leclaire off the roster in the summer and hand over the reigns to Elliott once and for all. He's the only guy that's shown and kind of consistency in net this year.

SpezDispenser wrote:Z.Smith has been called up by the Sens. He'll never again play AHL hockey IMO.

rooneypoo wrote:I called this one, oh, 3 months ago or so.

I agree, he's here to stay. Guys like Winchester, Shannon, and Regin need to pick it up or they're going to find themselves watching Z. Smith play their minutes.

Gotta feel a little bad for Donovan, tho'.

N4L wrote:People think Im going to go on some Spezza bashing spree, but when people make claims that he is elite, well, thats when people need a big Donkey old slap in the face. SPEZZA IS NOT ELITE. If you want to say he is elite, better strat putting a lot of other players in that catogory. Here's one and Im only using stats because the people who say Spezza is actually elite, well thats what they use to prove it.

Jason Spezza

GP 76 82 50
G 34 32 18
A 58 41 24
P 92 73 43

Mystery Player

GP 76 82 56
G 27 22 18
A 56 56 30
P 83 78 48

Who is the mystery player? Any guesses?

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Z.Smith has been called up by the Sens. He'll never again play AHL hockey IMO.

I called this one, oh, 3 months ago or so.

I agree, he's here to stay. Guys like Winchester, Shannon, and Regin need to pick it up or they're going to find themselves watching Z. Smith play their minutes.

Gotta feel a little bad for Donovan, tho'.

N4L wrote:People think Im going to go on some Spezza bashing spree, but when people make claims that he is elite, well, thats when people need a big Donkey old slap in the face. SPEZZA IS NOT ELITE. If you want to say he is elite, better strat putting a lot of other players in that catogory. Here's one and Im only using stats because the people who say Spezza is actually elite, well thats what they use to prove it.

Jason Spezza

GP 76 82 50
G 34 32 18
A 58 41 24
P 92 73 43

Mystery Player

GP 76 82 56
G 27 22 18
A 56 56 30
P 83 78 48

Who is the mystery player? Any guesses?

rooneypoo wrote:
I'll say Ribeiro.

N4L wrote:
Good move but I kind of feel bad for Cheechoo... there is no shot that he is happy about The Sens struggles, but has he EVER played on a losing team? I dont think he has. He contributes in different ways but you have the most finkle fanbase on the planet Wing Dang Doodle about his salary and saying he isnt an NHL player. If he isnt an NHL player wtf is Jesse WInchester or Ryan Shannon. Cheechoo scored more goals ina year then those guys might have in their careers combined.

Love Smith though and it will be good to see him get another shot. He wont be going back down to Bingo, I agree with that.

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
I'll say Ribeiro.

Weird, that was my guess too.

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
I'll say Ribeiro.

Weird, that was my guess too.

I just looked it up now, too, it's Ribeiro for sure.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Good move but I kind of feel bad for Cheechoo... there is no shot that he is happy about The Sens struggles, but has he EVER played on a losing team? I dont think he has. He contributes in different ways but you have the most finkle fanbase on the planet Wing Dang Doodle about his salary and saying he isnt an NHL player. If he isnt an NHL player wtf is Jesse WInchester or Ryan Shannon. Cheechoo scored more goals ina year then those guys might have in their careers combined.

Love Smith though and it will be good to see him get another shot. He wont be going back down to Bingo, I agree with that.

Cheechoo is coming up the moment the rosters expand. He knows it too and is apparently working quite hard to prepare down there. Scored a nice SH goal in another Sens win last night.

rooneypoo wrote:

N4L wrote:People think Im going to go on some Spezza bashing spree, but when people make claims that he is elite, well, thats when people need a big Donkey old slap in the face. SPEZZA IS NOT ELITE. If you want to say he is elite, better strat putting a lot of other players in that catogory. Here's one and Im only using stats because the people who say Spezza is actually elite, well thats what they use to prove it.

Jason Spezza

GP 76 82 50
G 34 32 18
A 58 41 24
P 92 73 43

Mystery Player

GP 76 82 56
G 27 22 18
A 56 56 30
P 83 78 48

Who is the mystery player? Any guesses?

I'll say Ribeiro.

rooneypoo wrote:

The roster limit is removed after the trade deadline, I believe. Presumably, we're more concerned about re-entry waivers -- I don't think anyone claimed on waivers can play in the post-season now, but still.

N4L wrote:
Right on! Mike Ribeiro is elite!

That's Spezza's comparable, both in terms of what they bring to the game, points, and overall leadership on their current teams. There isnt a more similar player to Spezza then Ribeiro. Some might argue Savard which I can see but not a lot of people put him in that "elite" catogory either.

Spezza has turned a lot of things around and Im not trashing him, but Spezza is not elite, he will more then likely NEVER hit 100 points once in his career, and Alfi is getting on, wont be there beside Spezza forever.