Gonchar to Ottawa

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:That's why he was signed, to score goals. That's it, that's all. That's what he does. If he doesnt do it, it sucks, but The Sens did sign Butler to score some goals.

Wick, he's the wild card but with Cullen leaving, he has a real shot at sticking in Ottawa.

That's my point. Murray is taking an awful risk here by banking on these two. This could come crashing down hard. If we don't have guys playing well up front, it makes the Gonchar signing even less appealing.

You still have 6-8 top 6 or potential top 6 guys in Ottawa up front. The defense is very solid and the goaltending is good.

N4L wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:Michalek is a top line guy IMO and Kovalev can be, Regin might turn into one, and Fisher, well... he's Fisher.

That's the thing. Could/Can/If/Might doesn't cut it for top line on a team that claims to wants to compete.

We'll see dude. Personally, Im excited because Gonchar is going to help the offense in a huge way and guys who have had down years, well, they may very well explode.

Ottawa has a very blanaced attack, has some grit, has some talent, and more importantly, has a clear understanding of what kind of team they are.

Agreed.

I just would have taken Michalek at 4 over Gonchar, and definitely taken Martin @ 5 in a heartbeart.

Although it hamstrings the Pens, Martin at $5 million is a great deal. He's soooo underrated.

wprager wrote:I *would* like to add to those who think our PP will be running at 50% next year: Pittsburgh had Gonchar plus two pretty good forwards and still had one of the worst powerplays in the league. Even after Gonchar got back in the lineup.

And for those who say the Pens still have great PP QBs in Goligoski and whatever, recall that Pittsburgh was fighting us for last place in the league for a while.

The worst Pens team in the last 3 years was when Gonchar was out. Pretty sure when their PP was horrid he was injured too.

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:Michalek is a top line guy IMO and Kovalev can be, Regin might turn into one, and Fisher, well... he's Fisher.

That's the thing. Could/Can/If/Might doesn't cut it for top line on a team that claims to wants to compete.

We'll see dude. Personally, Im excited because Gonchar is going to help the offense in a huge way and guys who have had down years, well, they may very well explode.

Ottawa has a very blanaced attack, has some grit, has some talent, and more importantly, has a clear understanding of what kind of team they are.

Agreed.

I just would have taken Michalek at 4 over Gonchar, and definitely taken Martin @ 5 in a heartbeart.

Although it hamstrings the Pens, Martin at $5 million is a great deal. He's soooo underrated.

Martin's a solid D man, perhaps a legit number 1 guy, no doubt. I think he's awesome. That said, Gonchar might be the best power play D man in the history on The NHL. Yes, there are more tallented D men with more offensivly abilities, but not a guy that can run The PP like he does. I said that 3, 4 months ago and I stick to it. He's what The Sens need.

shabbs wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:His best signing ever IMO.

Now...if he can fit Cullen in somehow, there me a monument raised for him.

Murray said he's done at the forward position. I guess that means he's only going to focus on the RFA's he's got...

Thank God. NOt much available out there.

I think the Pens will definately sign Patty O now.

marakh wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:His best signing ever IMO.

Now...if he can fit Cullen in somehow, there me a monument raised for him.

Murray said he's done at the forward position. I guess that means he's only going to focus on the RFA's he's got...

Thank God. NOt much available out there.

And not much $$$ left with the RFA's we need to sign.

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:That's why he was signed, to score goals. That's it, that's all. That's what he does. If he doesnt do it, it sucks, but The Sens did sign Butler to score some goals.

Wick, he's the wild card but with Cullen leaving, he has a real shot at sticking in Ottawa.

That's my point. Murray is taking an awful risk here by banking on these two. This could come crashing down hard. If we don't have guys playing well up front, it makes the Gonchar signing even less appealing.

Seriously, who wouldn't want a top line player? Who other than Kovalchuk is out there? Don't you think Burke would have given contracts right and left if there was one available? Unless you want to trade Karlsson and REgin in a package.
ONe thing to want one, another to get it.

We're good. I'd like to get Cullen in there, but I honestly can't see how.

SpezDispenser wrote:We're good. I'd like to get Cullen in there, but I honestly can't see how.

The return of Comrie?

Seriosuly, some guys are going to have to pan out and play an important role, not vital, but important. Butler is coming in and he was impressive to say the least in The NCAA and looked good in his two games up in Ottawa. Zack Smith is another guy that SHOULD make the team and Wick has a real shot as well.

I actually believe Murray moves a forward or two to a team that missed out on a 3rd or 4th line guy via UFA. Ottawa has a very solid team, so excited.

If The Sens can get a good year and playoffs out of Leclaire or Elliott, they might be primed to take The East.

marakh wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:That's why he was signed, to score goals. That's it, that's all. That's what he does. If he doesnt do it, it sucks, but The Sens did sign Butler to score some goals.

Wick, he's the wild card but with Cullen leaving, he has a real shot at sticking in Ottawa.

That's my point. Murray is taking an awful risk here by banking on these two. This could come crashing down hard. If we don't have guys playing well up front, it makes the Gonchar signing even less appealing.

Seriously, who wouldn't want a top line player? Who other than Kovalchuk is out there? Don't you think Burke would have given contracts right and left if there was one available? Unless you want to trade Karlsson and REgin in a package.
ONe thing to want one, another to get it.

Bobby Ryan.

Sure it would take a bunch of picks but the 2011 draft is shaping up to be weak. Put in an offer and see what happens. Other than that, you are right in that there isn't much available FA wise, but then again, I also don't think you need to pacakge both Regin and Karlsson for one.

Kariya is another guy who could come in on the cheap if he hangs around unsigned long enough. He's not a first line answer, but he's a better answer imo than most of what we've got, at least right now.

For sure, I'd love Kariya in Ottawa. Great person and still has gas left in the tank.

hemlock wrote:

marakh wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:That's why he was signed, to score goals. That's it, that's all. That's what he does. If he doesnt do it, it sucks, but The Sens did sign Butler to score some goals.

Wick, he's the wild card but with Cullen leaving, he has a real shot at sticking in Ottawa.

That's my point. Murray is taking an awful risk here by banking on these two. This could come crashing down hard. If we don't have guys playing well up front, it makes the Gonchar signing even less appealing.

Seriously, who wouldn't want a top line player? Who other than Kovalchuk is out there? Don't you think Burke would have given contracts right and left if there was one available? Unless you want to trade Karlsson and REgin in a package.
ONe thing to want one, another to get it.

Bobby Ryan.

Sure it would take a bunch of picks but the 2011 draft is shaping up to be weak. Put in an offer and see what happens. Other than that, you are right in that there isn't much available FA wise, but then again, I also don't think you need to pacakge both Regin and Karlsson for one.

Kariya is another guy who could come in on the cheap if he hangs around unsigned long enough. He's not a first line answer, but he's a better answer imo than most of what we've got, at least right now.

Dont know about that one... Foligno would be a better option the him right now. That's the other guy we havnt really talked about, he is a potential 20 goal guy and almost got there 2 years ago.

We'll see but the Gonchar signing helps The Sens more than any player on the market right now or IMO, through trade. The only other guy I would like to see land in Ottawa is Penner.

N4L wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:Michalek is a top line guy IMO and Kovalev can be, Regin might turn into one, and Fisher, well... he's Fisher.

That's the thing. Could/Can/If/Might doesn't cut it for top line on a team that claims to wants to compete.

We'll see dude. Personally, Im excited because Gonchar is going to help the offense in a huge way and guys who have had down years, well, they may very well explode.

Ottawa has a very blanaced attack, has some grit, has some talent, and more importantly, has a clear understanding of what kind of team they are.

Agreed.

I just would have taken Michalek at 4 over Gonchar, and definitely taken Martin @ 5 in a heartbeart.

Although it hamstrings the Pens, Martin at $5 million is a great deal. He's soooo underrated.

Martin's a solid D man, perhaps a legit number 1 guy, no doubt. I think he's awesome. That said, Gonchar might be the best power play D man in the history on The NHL. Yes, there are more tallented D men with more offensivly abilities, but not a guy that can run The PP like he does. I said that 3, 4 months ago and I stick to it. He's what The Sens need.

My issue never has been what he brings offensively. I just think it's a too steep contract for too long on a player that we'd be locked into no matter what. Then to give him a NTC on top of that? Yikes.

Paul Martin can run a PP, is better defensively than Gonchar is, and even after this new 5 year deal he just signed will still be younger than Gonchar is right now.

I just can't get a handle on what Murray is doing. If you look at the D, (before Gonchar) it looks like he's building from scratch, but then does nothing to address the forward situation (actually less than nothing since he let Cullen walk).

N4L wrote:

hemlock wrote:

marakh wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:That's why he was signed, to score goals. That's it, that's all. That's what he does. If he doesnt do it, it sucks, but The Sens did sign Butler to score some goals.

Wick, he's the wild card but with Cullen leaving, he has a real shot at sticking in Ottawa.

That's my point. Murray is taking an awful risk here by banking on these two. This could come crashing down hard. If we don't have guys playing well up front, it makes the Gonchar signing even less appealing.

Seriously, who wouldn't want a top line player? Who other than Kovalchuk is out there? Don't you think Burke would have given contracts right and left if there was one available? Unless you want to trade Karlsson and REgin in a package.
ONe thing to want one, another to get it.

Bobby Ryan.

Sure it would take a bunch of picks but the 2011 draft is shaping up to be weak. Put in an offer and see what happens. Other than that, you are right in that there isn't much available FA wise, but then again, I also don't think you need to pacakge both Regin and Karlsson for one.

Kariya is another guy who could come in on the cheap if he hangs around unsigned long enough. He's not a first line answer, but he's a better answer imo than most of what we've got, at least right now.

Dont know about that one... Foligno would be a better option the him right now. That's the other guy we havnt really talked about, he is a potential 20 goal guy and almost got there 2 years ago.

We'll see but the Gonchar signing helps The Sens more than any player on the market right now or IMO, through trade. The only other guy I would like to see land in Ottawa is Penner.

Foligno has some upside sure. That's why I said most of what we have.

I think the Gonchar move is more to give the youth time to develop and learn the game as opposed to just throwing them into the fire. Also, if Gonchar is producing at a good pace for the next 3 years The Sens will get a 4th out of him for a relativly cheap cost because of The Olympics.

N4L wrote:I think the Gonchar move is more to give the youth time to develop and learn the game as opposed to just throwing them into the fire. Also, if Gonchar is producing at a good pace for the next 3 years The Sens will get a 4th out of him for a relativly cheap cost because of The Olympics.

Why are the Olympics being brought up? People want to say that he'll be productive because of Sochi. Perhaps not. His body will break down, that's a fact of life. He may not be good enough to play in Sochi or earn $5.5 per from the Sens by then, and it could very well be despite his best efforts to the contrary. That's what happens to athletes in their geriatric years...