OFFSEASON TALK: Forwards!

DirtyDave wrote:jerk

I gave you a plus for being a good sport.

I seriously have no clue what direction The Sens go in from here on out. Do they just build the young core that Murray has built? IE Karlsson, Regin, Butler, Weircoich, Cowen, Gryba, Greening, Michalek, and other guys he himself has picked up or does he try and go for it? You need guys like Alfi, Phillips, Cullen, Kelly, Carkner, and Neil around for that.

Who knows, but I just cant see them putting up with Spezza for 5 more years after this. The risk/reward with an active NTC is pretty low.

DirtyDave wrote:

N4L wrote:I dont think you or most people realize just what kind of effect SPezza, Heatley, Emery, and the rest had on The Sens and the overall organization. These guys were absolutely the biggest cancer Ottawa has ever seen together. Hell, 2 of those guys might not even be in The NHL after this year ever again.

Spezza played 1/2 this season with a toren trapizius

That's fine and truth be told, I didnt mind his game the first 20 or so games of the season and I think everyone can agree that Spezza was playing hurt for sure, I wont deny that despite no real reports coming out on it.

That said, Spezza hasnt been able to stay healthy for pretty much his entire career. Back issues only get worse, that is indeed another reason to look at his long term future and decide if he can stay healthy, and if he cant can he play through it and play well.

This year is a perfect example of that. He played trough soreness but was he effective? No, he wasnt. People say "well when he's healthy he's great". We'll leave that point as is and there is some truth to it, how often is he healthy? 30 games a year? The other 50 he is either injured or ineffective. The Sens basically paid 7 million dollars for 28 games this year, give or take.

Soooo many things you have to consider with Spezza in the next 6 weeks. Is this team competitive without him? Can he stay healthy? Can he be more concistant? Can he be trusted on the ice? Has he peaked? Is his heart in Ottawa? Can you build a team around him? Can he be a leader? Is he respected enough to be a 1st line center in Ottawa? I would say most of those question start and end with "I dont really know".

N4L wrote:I seriously have no clue what direction The Sens go in from here on out. Do they just build the young core that Murray has built? IE Karlsson, Regin, Butler, Weircoich, Cowen, Gryba, Greening, Michalek, and other guys he himself has picked up or does he try and go for it? You need guys like Alfi, Phillips, Cullen, Kelly, Carkner, and Neil around for that.

Who knows, but I just cant see them putting up with Spezza for 5 more years after this. The risk/reward with an active NTC is pretty low.

I think the Sens will likely always go for it every season. The team can't afford a re-build. Look at what happened to season ticket sales and look at the massive drop in prices. My row A 300 level seats dropped to the same price as my Molson Zone seats for cryin' out loud. A Sens re-build would be nice on my pocket book but not so much for Melnyk and I'm sure he knows it.

All that being said if the right moves are available to Murray, and he makes them, I don't think the Sens are far off.

Step 1 - Actually get that Stud D man. I agree with you on Campbell and it's workable with the right salary moving off the roster.

Step 1a - Keep Cullen

Step 2 - Now this one is the monster question mark - Get Leclaire going. Can he get going? Can he be as good as he was in game 5 of the playoffs? Can he be consistently great?

N4L wrote:I seriously have no clue what direction The Sens go in from here on out. Do they just build the young core that Murray has built? IE Karlsson, Regin, Butler, Weircoich, Cowen, Gryba, Greening, Michalek, and other guys he himself has picked up or does he try and go for it? You need guys like Alfi, Phillips, Cullen, Kelly, Carkner, and Neil around for that.

Who knows, but I just cant see them putting up with Spezza for 5 more years after this. The risk/reward with an active NTC is pretty low.

It'll be up to another GM to make an offer that Murray simply can't ignore. Otherwise, I don't think Murray is, or should, be actively shopping Spezza.

It depends, If you have a straight but you are sure buddy across from you has a full house, you throw your hand in even if it's a decent hand. I relate it to Spezza in the sense that ya, he's a good player but can you unltimatley achieve the goal of winning a cup with him? That's the question that has to be answered in terms of Spezza, staying competitive is one thing, winning a cup is another.

It isnt an easy decision but there are a ton of things that factor in and if Murray thinks in the long term it's better to move Spezza (long term being 2 or 3 years down the road) and the short term you might suffer just a bit then you have to activily shop him.

Like I said before, if Heatley doesnt ask for a trade last year, is Spezza even here? I would guess no because he was seconds away from being an Oiler the year before and then had an even worse year when The Sens didnt make the playoffs.

I'm definitely intrigued by what Spezza could bring but it also seems pretty limited to me. I don't think I'd want him dealt to a team in the East, first of all. In the West, there are only 3 teams with a Top 10 pick in this draft. That includes the first overall pick, which is obviously out of the question. Columbus at 4 seems a little high too? Minnesota maybe? I just don't see what they have to offer.

I'd still like to see Dallas give us Richards but how do you wrest that 11th overall pick from them too?

Atlanta is still a possibility and they draft 8th. I wouldnt be worried about Spezza being anywhere in The East to be honest.

Look at it this way, you end up playing a Spezza lead team in the playoffs if you're The Sens, are you worried? I wouldnt be, not for a second. Moving him for the best deal is what should be done because other teams are not scared of Spezza, The Sens wouldnt be either. That's the whole issue with him right now.

The Team without Spezza (assuming you get picks and prospects only in a trade for him)

Regin - Fisher - Kovalev
Michalek - Cullen - Alfie

Our centermen are definitely lacking on those two lines but those wingers are pretty sweet right?

throw in a top four D like this and we're doing alright.

Phillips - Karlsson
Campbell - Kuba

You have room to get a serviceable first line center near the deadline as well.

N4L wrote:Atlanta is still a possibility and they draft 8th. I wouldnt be worried about Spezza being anywhere in The East to be honest.

Look at it this way, you end up playing a Spezza lead team in the playoffs if you're The Sens, are you worried? I wouldnt be, not for a second. Moving him for the best deal is what should be done because other teams are not scared of Spezza, The Sens wouldnt be either. That's the whole issue with him right now.

I considered Atlanta as well but they only have about a dozen players under contract right now. Who do they deal? Not Bogosian.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:Atlanta is still a possibility and they draft 8th. I wouldnt be worried about Spezza being anywhere in The East to be honest.

Look at it this way, you end up playing a Spezza lead team in the playoffs if you're The Sens, are you worried? I wouldnt be, not for a second. Moving him for the best deal is what should be done because other teams are not scared of Spezza, The Sens wouldnt be either. That's the whole issue with him right now.

I considered Atlanta as well but they only have about a dozen players under contract right now. Who do they deal? Not Bogosian.

Little.

No need to trade Spezza, I said it last night, he comes along for the youth influx as our number one center.

Who knows, maybe if we give him two motivated wingers who like to crash the crease, he can flirt with 90+ points again. Or Petersson, I'd like to see his filthy wrister being set up by Spezza.

Thornton is JUST being validated (barely), there's plenty of time for Spezza. Just make sure you surround him with top notch players - like Cullen, Regin, Alfie, Fisher, Michalek. I like it. I vote we keep Spezza.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The Team without Spezza (assuming you get picks and prospects only in a trade for him)

Regin - Fisher - Kovalev
Michalek - Cullen - Alfie

Our centermen are definitely lacking on those two lines but those wingers are pretty sweet right?

throw in a top four D like this and we're doing alright.

Phillips - Karlsson
Campbell - Kuba

You have room to get a serviceable first line center near the deadline as well.

Regin is no longer a sweet winger if he's playing with Fisher.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The Team without Spezza (assuming you get picks and prospects only in a trade for him)

Regin - Fisher - Kovalev
Michalek - Cullen - Alfie

Our centermen are definitely lacking on those two lines but those wingers are pretty sweet right?

throw in a top four D like this and we're doing alright.

Phillips - Karlsson
Campbell - Kuba

You have room to get a serviceable first line center near the deadline as well.

Regin is no longer a sweet winger if he's playing with Fisher.

Didn't he have some chemistry with Kovalev though? In fact didn't Kovalev help Fisher's game as well? It was just a thought. I'm sure Karlsson and Campbell will help Regin remain a sweet winger as well.

SpezDispenser wrote:No need to trade Spezza, I said it last night, he comes along for the youth influx as our number one center.

Who knows, maybe if we give him two motivated wingers who like to crash the crease, he can flirt with 90+ points again. Or Petersson, I'd like to see his filthy wrister being set up by Spezza.

Thornton is JUST being validated (barely), there's plenty of time for Spezza. Just make sure you surround him with top notch players - like Cullen, Regin, Alfie, Fisher, Michalek. I like it. I vote we keep Spezza.

You just don't want to change your handle again.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The Team without Spezza (assuming you get picks and prospects only in a trade for him)

Regin - Fisher - Kovalev
Michalek - Cullen - Alfie

Our centermen are definitely lacking on those two lines but those wingers are pretty sweet right?

throw in a top four D like this and we're doing alright.

Phillips - Karlsson
Campbell - Kuba

You have room to get a serviceable first line center near the deadline as well.

Regin is no longer a sweet winger if he's playing with Fisher.

Didn't he have some chemistry with Kovalev though? In fact didn't Kovalev help Fisher's game as well? It was just a thought. I'm sure Karlsson and Campbell will help Regin remain a sweet winger as well.

Soupy?

I really don't want to change my handle again. I hope if he's moved it's all friendly so I can just keep it for the next 5+ years.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The Team without Spezza (assuming you get picks and prospects only in a trade for him)

Regin - Fisher - Kovalev
Michalek - Cullen - Alfie

Our centermen are definitely lacking on those two lines but those wingers are pretty sweet right?

throw in a top four D like this and we're doing alright.

Phillips - Karlsson
Campbell - Kuba

You have room to get a serviceable first line center near the deadline as well.

Regin is no longer a sweet winger if he's playing with Fisher.

Didn't he have some chemistry with Kovalev though? In fact didn't Kovalev help Fisher's game as well? It was just a thought. I'm sure Karlsson and Campbell will help Regin remain a sweet winger as well.

Soupy?

Yeah. this guy here. I can get a good deal on him. That's Soupy right?