GAME 4 - 2010 Stanley Cup GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators (1) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2), Tuesday Apr. 20, 2010 - 7:00PM EST.

I doubt Spezza gets moved anytime soon. They want him to be 'the guy'. What we need is some goal scoring support for him and Alfie. It's nice to have a roster of 'depth', but it would be nice to have 2 lines that can consistently score.

There's more to this team's struggles than Spezza big time. I'd ride it out personally, although I'd be at least listening if I were Murray.

Our D was putrid this series, Fisher has 1 goal and I doubt more than 1 assist, Cullen has been good, Foligno has sucked, Elliott got beaten a lot - mostly by good goals, some that were deflating.

Everything went wrong, everything. It was a nightmare. It still is I guess, but at least it'll be over soon.

Big Ev wrote:

N4L wrote:Spezza is a pathetic hockey player, he truly is. Once again, I have been proven right with what I have said about him. Going gets tough, Spezza bails. This team cant move forward with him.

Well, I don't think Spezza will ever get traded, so enjoy watching Spezza lead the Sens into the playoffs for the next 5 or whatever years he has left on his contract.

Spezza isn't even in his prime yet. It's so easy to Dung on the guy when he's down. People were calling out the Sedins out every year, but look what has happened this season. You gotta still be patient with a guy like Spezza...and again, it's not like HE'S the player who is supposed to lead this team, that would be Daniel Alfredsson who has also had a terrible series.

Not in his prime? 7 years in The NHL he is dead in his prime right now.

As for Alfi, the guy is playing with an injury and it's well known. Alfi is at least doing other things in this series to try and help his team win. Spezza does nothing, at all. The fact you are defending Spezza after 3 years of garbage play, 3 straight series where he has been one of the worst players on the ice, and his general overall level of competitivness is so minimal it's amazing that he ties his own skates.

The time for patients with Spezza was over this year, all he has done is prove people like me right calling him a loser, a quitter, and someone who hides and is ineffective when things get tough. Spezza's a loser, plain and simple. Find me one thing in his game or his history that says otherwise other then he quits, he's soft, he's a loser.

Heatley and Alfi made him, he's useless without them.

I don't know if there's a way for fans to do it. I assume there is, there must be.

Ok, Spezza isn't useless without him. He played ridiculously well after he came back from injury. He's got what it takes, just doesn't seem to use that now. I'm not sure what's up. But again, he's young, and so is michalek and regin. And lots of those guys.

If we lose thrusday I will be super super happy with how the Sens played this year. Went further than anyone expected/predicted and thats amazing. Some of the younger guys seem to really be great and up and coming. We have some really great looking prospects coming up too. So YAY!

N4L wrote:
Not in his prime? 7 years in The NHL he is dead in his prime right now.

As for Alfi, the guy is playing with an injury and it's well known. Alfi is at least doing other things in this series to try and help his team win. Spezza does nothing, at all. The fact you are defending Spezza after 3 years of garbage play, 3 straight series where he has been one of the worst players on the ice, and his general overall level of competitivness is so minimal it's amazing that he ties his own skates.

The time for patients with Spezza was over this year, all he has done is prove people like me right calling him a loser, a quitter, and someone who hides and is ineffective when things get tough. Spezza's a loser, plain and simple. Find me one thing in his game or his history that says otherwise other then he quits, he's soft, he's a loser.

Heatley and Alfi made him, he's useless without them.

I don't think you can say all that. There are 14 teams that missed the playoffs, almost half the league is watching the playoffs on TV - and like it or not, Spezza was a very big part of us making the post-season while guys like McDonald, Getzlaf, Perry, Eric Staal, Iginla, Bouwemeester etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. all sit at home holding their wieners wondering why they're not in the post season.

And yes, I realize the Sens pay a lot of money in payroll, but when dudes like Kovalev don't perform, Michalek is injured and barely finds his groove, Kuba is out almost all year, Leclaire sucks, Foligno never got going, Cheechoo was so bad that he had to be send away and Spezza himself was injured. All that happens and we still make the post-season, with Spezza ramping it up to ensure we were entrenched in a spot.

His performance tonight was horrific, but while he's only a part of the reason we're in the post-season, he's still a part of that reason. I can't see how you could possibly dispute that.

SensGal wrote:Ok, Spezza isn't useless without him. He played ridiculously well after he came back from injury. He's got what it takes, just doesn't seem to use that now. I'm not sure what's up. But again, he's young, and so is michalek and regin. And lots of those guys.

If we lose thrusday I will be super super happy with how the Sens played this year. Went further than anyone expected/predicted and thats amazing. Some of the younger guys seem to really be great and up and coming. We have some really great looking prospects coming up too. So YAY!

2 months of good hockey in 3 years... AWESOME! Simply AWESOME. 7 million dollars per year and he plays one good month of hockey for 5 or 6 bad ones.

People who think Spezza has "what it takes" havnt watched him for 10 plus years. If there is anything that has been PROVEN, it's that he cant get it done. Spezza's compete level is comparable to a rookie coming into The NHL, that's being generous.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Not in his prime? 7 years in The NHL he is dead in his prime right now.

As for Alfi, the guy is playing with an injury and it's well known. Alfi is at least doing other things in this series to try and help his team win. Spezza does nothing, at all. The fact you are defending Spezza after 3 years of garbage play, 3 straight series where he has been one of the worst players on the ice, and his general overall level of competitivness is so minimal it's amazing that he ties his own skates.

The time for patients with Spezza was over this year, all he has done is prove people like me right calling him a loser, a quitter, and someone who hides and is ineffective when things get tough. Spezza's a loser, plain and simple. Find me one thing in his game or his history that says otherwise other then he quits, he's soft, he's a loser.

Heatley and Alfi made him, he's useless without them.

I don't think you can say all that. There are 14 teams that missed the playoffs, almost half the league is watching the playoffs on TV - and like it or not, Spezza was a very big part of us making the post-season while guys like McDonald, Getzlaf, Perry, Eric Staal, Iginla, Bouwemeester etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. all sit at home holding their wieners wondering why they're not in the post season.

And yes, I realize the Sens pay a lot of money in payroll, but when dudes like Kovalev don't perform, Michalek is injured and barely finds his groove, Kuba is out almost all year, Leclaire sucks, Foligno never got going, Cheechoo was so bad that he had to be send away and Spezza himself was injured. All that happens and we still make the post-season, with Spezza ramping it up to ensure we were entrenched in a spot.

His performance tonight was horrific, but while he's only a part of the reason we're in the post-season, he's still a part of that reason. I can't see how you could possibly dispute that.

ALL of those guys have cup rings and Iginla has 2 gold medals and is the 2nd longest serving captain in The NHL.

I dont know how people defend Spezza still, he has proven to be a loser, that's all he is. He finds ways to lose games. But I guess if you dont have hope for him there isnt much else... The Spezza excuses stopped a long time ago, if tonight isnt a perfect indication of why The Sens will never ever win with him, then I dont know what else you need to see.

http://www.nhlofficials.com/contact.asp

N4L wrote:ALL of those guys have cup rings and Iginla has 2 gold medals and is the 2nd longest serving captain in The NHL.

I dont know how people defend Spezza still, he has proven to be a loser, that's all he is. He finds ways to lose games. But I guess if you dont have hope for him there isnt much else... The Spezza excuses stopped a long time ago, if tonight isnt a perfect indication of why The Sens will never ever win with him, then I dont know what else you need to see.

Replace Spezza with someone else attainable. Would we win this series?

Eastwood is even saying that it isnt far fetched that they look at trading Spezza. Not often you hear that.

There is not producing and then there is costing your team goals and games... Ive always maintained if he can help out in other ways then scoring goals or getting points, I wouldnt say a word and I didnt, this series proves that he wont change.

You can't call anyone a loser in a TEAM SPORT...you can call the team a loser, but 1 guy can't win a Cup by himself, therefore why should he be labeled a loser...was Roenick a loser? Is Tkachuk a loser? etc...

I'm not going to argue thsi at lenght, because it's claer you won't change your mind about the guy, but it's still a little harsh to call they guy a proven loser...

Spezza worked on his overall game this year and it wouldn't surprise me if he got 90 points next year, just like Lecavalier did a year after working on his defensive game

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:ALL of those guys have cup rings and Iginla has 2 gold medals and is the 2nd longest serving captain in The NHL.

I dont know how people defend Spezza still, he has proven to be a loser, that's all he is. He finds ways to lose games. But I guess if you dont have hope for him there isnt much else... The Spezza excuses stopped a long time ago, if tonight isnt a perfect indication of why The Sens will never ever win with him, then I dont know what else you need to see.

Replace Spezza with someone else attainable. Would we win this series?

Not sure, but I know that game 2 goal that tied up the game Crosby would be at least tripped or held up and the last two home games, well, hell, 95% of the guys in the league dont turn the puck over in the same spot over and over. The guy doesnt get it.

The point is that it doesnt matter if someone else would have made a difference, Spezza didnt and doesnt. Is this team ANY different at all or in any way in a different position heading into the playoffs? Probably not. I feel bad for the people that believe(d) in Spezza because he's let them down in a big way. It's like finding out there is no Santa, but at least then you still get gifts, Spezza is just a disapointing NHLer.

He can dazzle the fans in the regualr season down in Atlanta, he's good at that.

N4L wrote:

SensGal wrote:Ok, Spezza isn't useless without him. He played ridiculously well after he came back from injury. He's got what it takes, just doesn't seem to use that now. I'm not sure what's up. But again, he's young, and so is michalek and regin. And lots of those guys.

If we lose thrusday I will be super super happy with how the Sens played this year. Went further than anyone expected/predicted and thats amazing. Some of the younger guys seem to really be great and up and coming. We have some really great looking prospects coming up too. So YAY!

2 months of good hockey in 3 years... AWESOME! Simply AWESOME. 7 million dollars per year and he plays one good month of hockey for 5 or 6 bad ones.

People who think Spezza has "what it takes" havnt watched him for 10 plus years. If there is anything that has been PROVEN, it's that he cant get it done. Spezza's compete level is comparable to a rookie coming into The NHL, that's being generous.

I will admit that he is not at all worth what we pay him. Thats for sure. But who knows what happens. Honestly, we've had a good run, and its not over just yet (It will probably be over soon, but not this second)!

Dash wrote:http://www.nhlofficials.com/contact.asp

No, that's why I think we should lay off the guy. Crosby's Penguins are an extremely difficult team to face in the playoffs. They are 7-2 in the playoffs (going by series, not each win).

N4L wrote:
Not sure, but I know that game 2 goal that tied up the game Crosby would be at least tripped or held up and the last two home games, well, hell, 95% of the guys in the league dont turn the puck over in the same spot over and over. The guy doesnt get it.

The point is that it doesnt matter if someone else would have made a difference, Spezza didnt and doesnt. Is this team ANY different at all or in any way in a different position heading into the playoffs? Probably not. I feel bad for the people that believe(d) in Spezza because he's let them down in a big way. It's like finding out there is no Santa, but at least then you still get gifts, Spezza is just a disapointing NHLer.

He can dazzle the fans in the regualr season down in Atlanta, he's good at that.

Still need those wins in Atlanta to make the post-season - which again, almost half the league did not.

Big Ev wrote:You can't call anyone a loser in a TEAM SPORT...you can call the team a loser, but 1 guy can't win a Cup by himself, therefore why should he be labeled a loser...was Roenick a loser? Is Tkachuk a loser? etc...

I'm not going to argue thsi at lenght, because it's claer you won't change your mind about the guy, but it's still a little harsh to call they guy a proven loser...

Spezza worked on his overall game this year and it wouldn't surprise me if he got 90 points next year, just like Lecavalier did a year after working on his defensive game

Both won the World Cup in 96. Lecaliver has a cup and a world cup as well.

Spezza has never ever been on a winning team. It is a team sport but in a team sport one guy can defently drag a team down, tonight you saw it. It's not a coincidence that he plays on teams that end up losing.

Spezza isnt a leader, he isnt a clutch player, he folds when things get tough, and he isnt maturing as a player like you suggest, it was clear in this series, painfully clear.

N4L wrote:

Big Ev wrote:You can't call anyone a loser in a TEAM SPORT...you can call the team a loser, but 1 guy can't win a Cup by himself, therefore why should he be labeled a loser...was Roenick a loser? Is Tkachuk a loser? etc...

I'm not going to argue thsi at lenght, because it's claer you won't change your mind about the guy, but it's still a little harsh to call they guy a proven loser...

Spezza worked on his overall game this year and it wouldn't surprise me if he got 90 points next year, just like Lecavalier did a year after working on his defensive game

Both won the World Cup in 96. Lecaliver has a cup and a world cup as well.

Spezza has never ever been on a winning team. It is a team sport but in a team sport one guy can defently drag a team down, tonight you saw it. It's not a coincidence that he plays on teams that end up losing.

Spezza isnt a leader, he isnt a clutch player, he folds when things get tough, and he isnt maturing as a player like you suggest, it was clear in this series, painfully clear.

I could care less about World Cup Wins, if Spezza was on the Olympic team this past February, they still would have won.

SensGal wrote:

N4L wrote:

SensGal wrote:Ok, Spezza isn't useless without him. He played ridiculously well after he came back from injury. He's got what it takes, just doesn't seem to use that now. I'm not sure what's up. But again, he's young, and so is michalek and regin. And lots of those guys.

If we lose thrusday I will be super super happy with how the Sens played this year. Went further than anyone expected/predicted and thats amazing. Some of the younger guys seem to really be great and up and coming. We have some really great looking prospects coming up too. So YAY!

2 months of good hockey in 3 years... AWESOME! Simply AWESOME. 7 million dollars per year and he plays one good month of hockey for 5 or 6 bad ones.

People who think Spezza has "what it takes" havnt watched him for 10 plus years. If there is anything that has been PROVEN, it's that he cant get it done. Spezza's compete level is comparable to a rookie coming into The NHL, that's being generous.

I will admit that he is not at all worth what we pay him. Thats for sure. But who knows what happens. Honestly, we've had a good run, and its not over just yet (It will probably be over soon, but not this second)!

It's over, Im not gonna kid myself or BS anyone else.

Spezza isnt maturing and it's a huge problem. I honestly dont see how Murray stands pat and just lets Spezza do what ever he wants on the ice. When things matter he does what he wants, he doesnt get it, he never will.

People give it up, Spezza isnt a guy this team should be built around.