Ottawa Senators off-season talk

N4L wrote:
Id take Fisher over Plekanec every day of the week. The guy hasnt done anything since game 1 in the first round. The other 3 I agree with.

I wouldnt take Spezza over the other 3 either if we are going to bash Fisher. Sharp better player, Carter way better, Pavekski, about the same IMO. That is a huge problem as well.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Kane makes less, doesnt play as important a position, and doenst have a NTC. If you want to compare a 21 year old kid in his 3rd year vs a 27 year old Spezza in his 7th... then that says VERY LITTLE about Spezza.

It sounds like you have given up and just pray to God it worksouts. I hope if Murray and the others have given up on him they dont keep him around because at that point, they wouldnt be doing their job.

Spezza plays the 2nd most important position in hockey next to a goaltender. He sees more ice time, the teams top checkers, and it comes with a ton of pressure. You need someone who can actually handle all that, Spezza cant. Him complaining about the fans and getting boo'd basically proves it. If his biggest concern after that first round was the fans getting on him, well, there is something seriously wrong there.

The money issue is about equal, Kane makes 6.3 to Spezza's 7, but Spezza's contract was done when the market wasn't yet set for these guys unfortunately.

I agree, top line center has a major responsibility, but we don't really have a 2nd line center. I'm not here to rag on Fisher because I like his effort, but he doesn't produce consistently enough, he should either move to wing or be moved to a 3rd line center position and Spezza should be given a real 2nd liner center to help him out a bit. It goes both ways with a player like Spezza, you expect him to produce, but there are no real threats on line 2 to key on, so every team keys on him. It must be pretty frustrating from time to time, which I'm sure ultimately leads to him making dumb decisions.

Again, I'm not giving up, I'm advocating exploring our options at center on line 2.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Id take Fisher over Plekanec every day of the week. The guy hasnt done anything since game 1 in the first round. The other 3 I agree with.

I wouldnt take Spezza over the other 3 either if we are going to bash Fisher. Sharp better player, Carter way better, Pavekski, about the same IMO. That is a huge problem as well.

But see, where we'd take Carter or Sharp over Spezza, those teams have Toews and Richards - which leads us right back in a circle again: We have Mike Fisher.

N4L wrote:
These are just more excuses for Spezza. It's amazing all the different reason's for Spezza under achieving. It's always on someone else, never on him with those who defend him.

Big Ev wrote:Not everybody has to be your typical two-way Canadian hockey player. I'll take Spezza over Sharp simply because of the big difference in offensive production and look for my other players to be the two-way guys. Sharp is even older than Spezza and besides these playoffs (same goes for Pavelski) has not shown anything that would say he is a better overall player than Spezza, sorry. This isn't as silly as Spezza or Cullen, but I don't see a big argument for Sharp or Pavelski here.

N4L wrote:Their number 1 centers are also leaders and complete players. Have you noticed that as well?

Basically, your number 1 center has to be your most complete player and counted on in almost any situation. Spezza is not a "true" number 1 center. He has the production of one, but not the all around game which is where the difference lies between all those centers and Spezza.

Big Ev wrote:I hope Spezza gets traded just to end all of this discussion over him.

I'll just ask this. If you replace Toews with Spezza, do they still make the Cup Finals? Probably.

Big Ev wrote:I hope Spezza gets traded just to end all of this discussion over him.

I'll just ask this. If you replace Toews with Spezza, do they still make the Cup Finals? Probably.

SpezDispenser wrote:I'd be okay with Spezza being traded though - as long as the value is there. I'm not blind enough to not realize that that's a lot of money tied up in a guy who isn't a Toews, Richards etc.

However, I wouldn't treat this like an apocalypse if he stayed. I've seen the light and that's that Spezza will be a complimentary player for the next elite level talent(s) we get here at forward.

Also, the puck moving in Ottawa has been disgusting since Redden went to hell. Karlsson will change that thank goodness. Not many people realize how much offense is created with crafty puck movers.

Bring on Brian Campbell please!

Big Ev wrote:Yeah, I really don't care what happens to him, he's not my favourite player. I don't really have a favourite actually, leaning towards Karlsson or Regin. I just think this whole organization needs a culture change, not just Spezza.

stempniaksen wrote:There's no way Chicago would be where they would be without Toews, that was a real bad example.

However, what would we be saying in Ottawa if we had a Pavelski instead of Fisher? Are we talking about how the Sens reached the 2nd or 3rd round? Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's a possibility.