GAME DAY: Edmonton Oilers @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - MON. Nov. 29, 2010

SpezDispenser wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:
The team is in need of more than just the wake up call of moving a long time player. A real look at the potential of the team is needed, no more add a piece or two and we can make a run. This team needs a retooling. There is no need for a complete tear down and rebuild because we have some young talent, an good #1 centre who seems to want to make this his team, great D prospects along with Gonchar and most importantly some real cap space coming up in the summer for the first time since the cap was instituted. I just hope that no resignings of FAs takes place this on this team other than possibly Phillips at a lower price.

Yeah exactly, just re-load please. I realize it's easier said than done, but I'd like to see a couple of new top sixers. Guys who have some moxy, speed, finish. I can't believe we're so fatally slow up front and we treat the f-ing puck like a grenade. What the hell has happened here? I can't believe it, what an epic fall from the days of the CASH line when teams would soil themselves at the sight of Heatley, Spezza, Alfredsson.

Oh well, it was due to happen. Team got really good, some players got pretty big payouts, the intensity seemed to get sucked out right from the moment the puck dropped after the Anaheim series. Actually, it started back in the Finals, but was cemented in the free agency period with Fisher getting 4.2, Kelly 2.1, Heatley 7.5 (which was fair for a 50 goal man), Spezza 7 (too much in retrospect), Emery getting 3.7 or whatever it was.

Fisher is a great guy, a decent player, but if you gave Chris Kelly the wingers that Fisher has had over the years, would he really be that far behind? Is it safe to assume that Chris Kelly could have netted 20 goals with more skilled wingers than Ruutu and Neil - over the course of a full season, I think the answer is 'yes'. And that doesn't take anything away from Fisher, it just makes his 4.2 million impossible to swallow right now.

SDH89 wrote:

spader wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

dennycrane wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:The rope is tightening on Clouston and Murray. Cuss we need some fresh perspective here in Ottawa, a nice new GM who can pick his own coach. Maybe he wants Clouston, maybe he doesn't, it's up to him.

Whether it's Murray or not, the GM of this team has to have the guts to move a long tenured player if need be.

The team is in need of more than just the wake up call of moving a long time player. A real look at the potential of the team is needed, no more add a piece or two and we can make a run. This team needs a retooling. There is no need for a complete tear down and rebuild because we have some young talent, an good #1 centre who seems to want to make this his team, great D prospects along with Gonchar and most importantly some real cap space coming up in the summer for the first time since the cap was instituted. I just hope that no resignings of FAs takes place this on this team other than possibly Phillips at a lower price.

Ruutu?

Ruutu has been utterly useless this year. Isn't he supposed to be a pest? I may have noticed him once tonight.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:I remember listening to the game in the car when the Oilers went up 2-1. I was wondering just >this< much if Clouston shouldn't put in Leclaire just to shake things up.

One thing you can be sure of is Ottawa will never pull their goalie when there's still a chance of a come back. The goalie always gets pulled once the game is sufficiently out of reach.

Just so we're clear I don't think Elliott should have been pulled in this game nor do I think it would have made any difference last night.

It's just an observation I've made over the years of watching the Sens. It doesn't seem to matter who the coach is it's usually the same thing - It's a 4 goal minimum before a goalie gets yanked. I have seen it happen after the third goal but that is if they come quite quickly and if it's on a very low number of shots or they're so smelly that you have to plug your nose while watching on TV.

Number Twenty Nine wrote:
again, comes down to stupid coaching. a pest is usually very effective against a really young team like the Oilers

Number Twenty Nine wrote:it's worse than it looks:

http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2010/11/29/16367246.html

when your captain and coach aren't on the same page, there's big trouble in O town.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Number Twenty Nine wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:The rope is tightening on Clouston and Murray. Cuss we need some fresh perspective here in Ottawa, a nice new GM who can pick his own coach. Maybe he wants Clouston, maybe he doesn't, it's up to him.

seems to have done wonders for the Habs

The thing too is that not much else has changed in terms of player personnel either. The only real change was a new GM and a new coach.

Oglethorpe wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Number Twenty Nine wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:The rope is tightening on Clouston and Murray. Cuss we need some fresh perspective here in Ottawa, a nice new GM who can pick his own coach. Maybe he wants Clouston, maybe he doesn't, it's up to him.

seems to have done wonders for the Habs

The thing too is that not much else has changed in terms of player personnel either. The only real change was a new GM and a new coach.

I think bringing in an entirely new 1st line qualifies as personnel changes.

Number Twenty Nine wrote:it's worse than it looks:

http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2010/11/29/16367246.html

when your captain and coach aren't on the same page, there's big trouble in O town.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Number Twenty Nine wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:The rope is tightening on Clouston and Murray. Cuss we need some fresh perspective here in Ottawa, a nice new GM who can pick his own coach. Maybe he wants Clouston, maybe he doesn't, it's up to him.

seems to have done wonders for the Habs

The thing too is that not much else has changed in terms of player personnel either. The only real change was a new GM and a new coach.

I think bringing in an entirely new 1st line qualifies as personnel changes.

That was under the new GM? My point was not much changed after the GM and coaching change. Weren't those changes made under Gainey?

SeawaySensFan wrote:What a fiasco! Time to blow this Dung up!!!

Cap'n Clutch wrote:What I'm trying to say is that the Montreal management and a lot of the fans didn't like what the GM was doing and so the GM gets fired and there's a coaching change but no real player movement. Was that all that was needed to get the team going or does it show that it was an unnecessary move?

Oglethorpe wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:What I'm trying to say is that the Montreal management and a lot of the fans didn't like what the GM was doing and so the GM gets fired and there's a coaching change but no real player movement. Was that all that was needed to get the team going or does it show that it was an unnecessary move?

Bob wasn't fired. He stepped aside on his own and remained in a consultant role.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:What I'm trying to say is that the Montreal management and a lot of the fans didn't like what the GM was doing and so the GM gets fired and there's a coaching change but no real player movement. Was that all that was needed to get the team going or does it show that it was an unnecessary move?

Bob wasn't fired. He stepped aside on his own and remained in a consultant role.

Great. Sorry I got that detail wrong. Do you want to comment on the rest of what I said now or is that a sign of agreement with my point?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:What a fiasco! Time to blow this Dung up!!!

Blowed up real good?

Oglethorpe wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:What I'm trying to say is that the Montreal management and a lot of the fans didn't like what the GM was doing and so the GM gets fired and there's a coaching change but no real player movement. Was that all that was needed to get the team going or does it show that it was an unnecessary move?

Bob wasn't fired. He stepped aside on his own and remained in a consultant role.

Great. Sorry I got that detail wrong. Do you want to comment on the rest of what I said now or is that a sign of agreement with my point?

The habs overhauled their roster two summers ago, making about 10 changes including most of their top 6 including the captain and brought in a new coaching staff. They started the year slowly (half the team was new), then they went on a playoff run which many considered lucky and based all on goaltending. They have now started this season among the best teams in the east. In retrospect the overhaul worked and it just took time for the team to gel. IMO the GM change is irrelevant, it's the massive changes HE made before stepping aside that changed the fortunes of the franchise. Almost the same amount of turnover that happened in Philly during their turnaround.