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

Ottawa has generally been ok in the first but worse in the second and then worse in the third. This means that the coaching staff is not adjusting strategy in game or they are unable to get the players to do what they want.

Ottawa's only goal was an own-goal. Gerber was quite good tonight. I don't know that he got shafted here but clearly the team didn't play for him. Just like how the team doesn't play for Leclaire.

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.

A whole new low.

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.

God I hope not.

Big Ev wrote:What an Dung of epic proportions. Anyone positive after a game like this? Murray's gonna do something soon.

No, not even I.

Now, before I get too "Blow this up" I'd like to say that we need to settle this with the personnel in the organization right now. A lot of the players are playing really badly, including some veterans and some of the young guys. Problem is we cannot sit anyone because our roster and cap room are full. So we need to move salary and that, unfortunately, probably means we have to give someone up from the roster. No-one will take Leclaire, Kovalev or Lee (not that Lee will clear that much space anyway). If we don't clear some space, then we can't really make any moves other than a trade. And Murray doesn't exactly have a good track record in trades.

The team is slowly digging a hole, I think a 5 game winning streak will be needed to go back into top 8.

I didn't see the third but I've thought Michalek has been much more effective and looked a lot better in recent games. On the other hand, something's bugging Alfie. And go figure that as soon as I praise Spezza he stops being as effective.

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.

asq2 wrote:I didn't see the third but I've thought Michalek has been much more effective and looked a lot better in recent games. On the other hand, something's bugging Alfie. And go figure that as soon as I praise Spezza he stops being as effective.

I give Spezza a pass tonight, he was clearly forcing it. Nobody else was going so he reverted to the do-it-yourself mode. When he gets going like that it's high risk/reward. It's kind of like Kobe Bryant taking the last 10 shots in the 4th quarter when the Lakers are trailing, if it works out, he is the top story on ESPN, it doesn't always work out.

asq2 wrote:I didn't see the third but I've thought Michalek has been much more effective and looked a lot better in recent games. On the other hand, something's bugging Alfie. And go figure that as soon as I praise Spezza he stops being as effective.

Michalek looks to be getting some quickness back (slowly), but he was caught standing around alot tonight, lots of looping rather than stops and starts (Kovalevesque if you will).

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?

marakh wrote:The team is slowly digging a hole, I think a 5 game winning streak will be needed to go back into top 8.

Give the team some credit, they are digging fast not slow.

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.

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?

No thanks. He may actually be our most wanted player at the deadline. Kills penalties, can score a goal or two and is a pain in the Donkey to play against. He's a luxury on a non-playoff team. You go out and get a player like him once you are a contender.

Where can we get a winger who can score? We need it now, maybe we can rejuvinate some mojo that way. I can't understand this...why can't we score? I mean...come on, Kovalev, Alfredsson, Spezza, Michalek, Regin, Foligno, Gonchar, Karlsson, Kuba and we can't buy a Cussing goal? What gives?

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.

I like Fisher as well, but he's what is referred to in Basketball as a tweener. He is a #2.5 centre. Give me Kelly as the 3rd line centre and a real #2 centre, even if it costs an extra 1M over Fisher. Screw balanced scroing. I want 2 scoring lines, a checking line and an energy line with a tough guy. You put a tough guy on the 4th line and the reason to keep Carkner in the lineup every night is diminished and Carkner becomes the 7th Dman where he belongs.

SpezDispenser wrote:Where can we get a winger who can score? We need it now, maybe we can rejuvinate some mojo that way. I can't understand this...why can't we score? I mean...come on, Kovalev, Alfredsson, Spezza, Michalek, Regin, Foligno, Gonchar, Karlsson, Kuba and we can't buy a Cussing goal? What gives?

Kovalev is on pace for 23G, Alfredsson is on pace for 27G. Those are great totals for 37 year olds. Michalek is a streaky 25G scorer coming off his 3rd or 4th knee injury. Regin and Foligno have not proven anything yet, just potential right now. Spezza needs to pick up the goal scoring, but he is at least shooting alot more so I expect him to wind up around 30G if he plays most of the season. Gonchar and Karlsson are tied for 6th on this team in Goal scoring.

Oglethorpe 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?

No thanks. He may actually be our most wanted player at the deadline. Kills penalties, can score a goal or two and is a pain in the Donkey to play against. He's a luxury on a non-playoff team. You go out and get a player like him once you are a contender.

Excellent point.