Ottawa Senators off-season talk

Take it easy guys, I wanted to quote a post then another post popped up than another one so here's my explanation :

Kovalev on the third line because Clouston used him in that role last season to balance the line-up and because he doesn't fit with Spezza or Fisher. He will get plenty of PP time and if I recall correctly he played some PK too so he should be happy with the ice time.
Wick is on the first line in my projected lineup because he's a RW and I can't see anyone with better upside at right wing in the organization than him . The guy is a star in his country and yeah pro level hockey in Europe isn't that bad, it's better than college I can assure you that. Not only that but when he started out his career - Winchester was given the chance to succeed on the first line , then Cheechoo got that opportunity. We even had Randy ****ing Robitaille play on the first line even though we were the East Conf. champions. What's wrong giving a guy a fair chance to make it - let's see if he has it in him and play with our best offensive player in his natural spot. If he can't, that's ok but Wick deserves a strong look before counting him out . And I'm not talking about 5 minutes per game with Kelly. He's a skilled offensive guy, give him the right chance to succeed.

I don't really get the Winchester love. He is a bad skater and has a very weak shot . Although he has an amazing hockey IQ,he's good along the boards and has a strong body ,he still won't beat out Ruutu,Kelly or Neil . Not a third liner on a contending team either. So what should we do with him?

Tobias wrote:Take it easy guys, I wanted to quote a post then another post popped up than another one so here's my explanation :

Kovalev on the third line because Clouston used him in that role last season to balance the line-up and because he doesn't fit with Spezza or Fisher. He will get plenty of PP time and if I recall correctly he played some PK too so he should be happy with the ice time.
Wick is on the first line in my projected lineup because he's a RW and I can't see anyone with better upside at right wing in the organization than him . The guy is a star in his country and yeah pro level hockey in Europe isn't that bad, it's better than college I can assure you that. Not only that but when he started out his career - Winchester was given the chance to succeed on the first line , then Cheechoo got that opportunity. We even had Randy ****ing Robitaille play on the first line even though we were the East Conf. champions. What's wrong giving a guy a fair chance to make it - let's see if he has it in him and play with our best offensive player in his natural spot. If he can't, that's ok but Wick deserves a strong look before counting him out . And I'm not talking about 5 minutes per game with Kelly. He's a skilled offensive guy, give him the right chance to succeed.

I don't really get the Winchester love. He is a bad skater and has a very weak shot . Although he has an amazing hockey IQ,he's good along the boards and has a strong body ,he still won't beat out Ruutu,Kelly or Neil . Not a third liner on a contending team either. So what should we do with him?

Winchester is an excellent skater, or else he wouldn't kill penalties and he's great on faceoffs. He's like Kelly-lite. Nothing wrong with that on the 4th line.

Come on man, Winchester kills penalties because he's super sound positionally and has the hockey IQ to know when to get out of position and block a shot . How many times you've seen Winnie winning races or having a break-away? Kelly's skating is so much better

Tobias wrote:Take it easy guys, I wanted to quote a post then another post popped up than another one so here's my explanation :

Kovalev on the third line because Clouston used him in that role last season to balance the line-up and because he doesn't fit with Spezza or Fisher. He will get plenty of PP time and if I recall correctly he played some PK too so he should be happy with the ice time.
Wick is on the first line in my projected lineup because he's a RW and I can't see anyone with better upside at right wing in the organization than him . The guy is a star in his country and yeah pro level hockey in Europe isn't that bad, it's better than college I can assure you that. Not only that but when he started out his career - Winchester was given the chance to succeed on the first line , then Cheechoo got that opportunity. We even had Randy ****ing Robitaille play on the first line even though we were the East Conf. champions. What's wrong giving a guy a fair chance to make it - let's see if he has it in him and play with our best offensive player in his natural spot. If he can't, that's ok but Wick deserves a strong look before counting him out . And I'm not talking about 5 minutes per game with Kelly. He's a skilled offensive guy, give him the right chance to succeed.

I don't really get the Winchester love. He is a bad skater and has a very weak shot . Although he has an amazing hockey IQ,he's good along the boards and has a strong body ,he still won't beat out Ruutu,Kelly or Neil . Not a third liner on a contending team either. So what should we do with him?

I don't disagree, but I don't like penciling in a guy onto the top line until we see what can be done in the pre-season. IMO he absolutely has a few guys to beat out before he makes it in there. Winchester and Z.Smith are gonna be really strong 4th liners in the future. They can kill penalties, have good hockey IQs and are big, sturdy guys. From what I recall Winchester is decent at skating.

Fair enough, I can see your points now. I was quick to dismiss Wick on the top line, even though it occurred to me that everyone has been given that shot before. He might start there, but it's uncertain if he will finish there, let alone in the NHL.

Tobias wrote:Come on man, Winchester kills penalties because he's super sound positionally and has the hockey IQ to know when to get out of position and block a shot . How many times you've seen Winnie winning races or having a break-away? Kelly's skating is so much better

I don't disagree with any of that. Kelly is such a good skater it doesn't make someone that's not as good a bad skater, though.

Randy Robitaille. Now there's a blast from the (not to distant) past. What an embarrassment the depth of this organization used to be.

Tobias wrote:Take it easy guys, I wanted to quote a post then another post popped up than another one so here's my explanation :

Kovalev on the third line because Clouston used him in that role last season to balance the line-up and because he doesn't fit with Spezza or Fisher. He will get plenty of PP time and if I recall correctly he played some PK too so he should be happy with the ice time.
Wick is on the first line in my projected lineup because he's a RW and I can't see anyone with better upside at right wing in the organization than him . The guy is a star in his country and yeah pro level hockey in Europe isn't that bad, it's better than college I can assure you that. Not only that but when he started out his career - Winchester was given the chance to succeed on the first line , then Cheechoo got that opportunity. We even had Randy ****ing Robitaille play on the first line even though we were the East Conf. champions. What's wrong giving a guy a fair chance to make it - let's see if he has it in him and play with our best offensive player in his natural spot. If he can't, that's ok but Wick deserves a strong look before counting him out . And I'm not talking about 5 minutes per game with Kelly. He's a skilled offensive guy, give him the right chance to succeed.

I don't really get the Winchester love. He is a bad skater and has a very weak shot . Although he has an amazing hockey IQ,he's good along the boards and has a strong body ,he still won't beat out Ruutu,Kelly or Neil . Not a third liner on a contending team either. So what should we do with him?

Kovalev doesn't fit with Fisher? I saw PLENTY of times when he and Fisher played keepaway in the offensive zone. I'm talking a cycling clinic. In fact, I'd say Kovalev was the biggest reason Fisher had such an incredible start to the year.

Brandon Bochenski with Spezza and Heatley

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Tobias wrote:Come on man, Winchester kills penalties because he's super sound positionally and has the hockey IQ to know when to get out of position and block a shot . How many times you've seen Winnie winning races or having a break-away? Kelly's skating is so much better

I don't disagree with any of that. Kelly is such a good skater it doesn't make someone that's not as good a bad skater, though.

Seriously. Winchester is a very solid 4th line guy, he fits well here, and can contribute in other ways. This leads back to what I was saying about Eager yesterday, a solid and dependable 4th line is very important to a teams success.

Bochenski...wow.

And Tobias, did you not think Fisher and Kovalev had chemistry? I would imagine they'll be together, unless Murray re-signs Cullen, then I could see Kovalev with Regin and Spezza...actually, I like that one <--------

Regin - Spezza - Kovalev
Alfredsson - Cullen - Fisher
Michalek - Foligno - Neil
Ruutu - Kelly - Winchester

game on?

^ That's the coolest lineup I've done that I can recall.

Big Ev wrote:

Andre PEtersson

Upside: Top six winger (30-40-70+, 50 PIM)
Certainty (NHLer; Upside): 75%; 45%

Upside: Top six winger? I'd say his upside is ridiculously high, top line sniper, 40 goals.

It's the certainty part that I would have lower personally.

[quote="SpezDispenser"]Bochenski...wow.

And Tobias, did you not think Fisher and Kovalev had chemistry? I would imagine they'll be together, unless Murray re-signs Cullen, then I could see Kovalev with Regin and Spezza...actually, I like that one

SpezDispenser wrote:Randy Robitaille. Now there's a blast from the (not to distant) past. What an embarrassment the depth of this organization used to be.

was one of the top scorer in the SEl last year... good for him.

SpezDispenser wrote:Bochenski...wow.

And Tobias, did you not think Fisher and Kovalev had chemistry? I would imagine they'll be together, unless Murray re-signs Cullen, then I could see Kovalev with Regin and Spezza...actually, I like that one <--------

Regin - Spezza - Kovalev
Alfredsson - Cullen - Fisher
Michalek - Foligno - Neil
Ruutu - Kelly - Winchester

game on?

no way michalek plays on the third line. i'll see kovy on the third before that happens.

oh and BTW, i don't know who mentioned the fact that kovy is like a kid loving the game playingit like pond hockey. but i remember him admiting he didn't touch his skates all summer. the fact of the matter is, he's very tallented,but... i doubt he still holds much love for the game. he loves the fame and THE $$$. i doubt you see him near a rink after he retires. it's too bad cuz if he realy did enjoy it more and get into it in the summer it wouldn't take a month at the beggining of each season for him to catch up, and then he might put in the effort instead of working for a new paycheck on contract years. seriously, i expect a better season from him this year but will be happy when we are rid of him.

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Randy Robitaille. Now there's a blast from the (not to distant) past. What an embarrassment the depth of this organization used to be.

was one of the top scorer in the SEl last year... good for him.

Swiss-A, not SEL. Different caliber league for sure. Still, I', happy for the former Sen.

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Randy Robitaille. Now there's a blast from the (not to distant) past. What an embarrassment the depth of this organization used to be.

was one of the top scorer in the SEl last year... good for him.

He was THE top scorer in the Swiss league. He got a bad rap in Ottawa.