2011 NHL Draft Lottery - Tue. April 12th - 8:00pm EST

Couturier = Koivu

Big Ev wrote:Couturier = Koivu

Which Koivu?

EDIT: Mikko I see on that list. If that's true, that would be a friggin steal for the Sens.

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Couturier could very well be a solid fit in Ottawa. Any forward in the top 7 or 8 this year would probably be a pretty good fit. There is a chance in Ottawa to not only come right in and play but hit their potential a lot sooner than on a rebuilding team and perhaps over acheive.

We're fine. People freaked out last night - and I don't blame them - but when the dust settles, the 4th to 8 picks are interchangeable IMO.

Could there be another player overseas, come out of the woodwork - so to speak and move up to the top 5?

^I doubt it.

sandysensfan wrote:
Could there be another player overseas, come out of the woodwork - so to speak and move up to the top 5?

If it happens, I'd say it would be Zibanejad. Very Landeskog-esq from what I've read and he's sky-rocketing + he's got the U18 coming up. He could move up quick.

You know Burke is gonna try and make a move up to get Strome.

shabbs wrote:You know Burke is gonna try and make a move up to get Strome.

Why do you say that?

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:You know Burke is gonna try and make a move up to get Strome.

Why do you say that?

Strome's a Burke-type player... physical, gets dirty... I think he'd view Couturier as "too soft" for his likes...

shabbs wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:You know Burke is gonna try and make a move up to get Strome.

Why do you say that?

Strome's a Burke-type player... physical, gets dirty... I think he'd view Couturier as "too soft" for his likes...

Is he?

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:You know Burke is gonna try and make a move up to get Strome.

Why do you say that?

Strome's a Burke-type player... physical, gets dirty... I think he'd view Couturier as "too soft" for his likes...

Is he?

Not really, no.

Maybe 'ol Shabbers is referring to Landeskog? Or is pulling an SSF?

garblar wrote:

hemlock wrote:2) actually make a losing season worth it by not winning a bunch of useless games at the end so as to give the mostly loser, fairweather fanbase a twinkle of false hope for next year.

you honestly think that a team is going to lose games on purpose?

You're kidding me right? Did you watch any games in the last month involving the Avalanche or Panthers. There was a time, even after the Anderson deal, when we thought it wasn't even a possibility that the Panthers (and probably not the Avalanche) would "catch" us in the standings.

And yes, I think they should have done more to secure a higher pick, particularly in the last week(s) when it looked inevitable that we'd get "passed" in the standings. I'm not saying don't try, I am saying don't ice a lineup that's going to scratch and claw for every useless (harmful in fact) point. There's a distinct difference between icing a lesser lineup and actively trying to lose.

sandysensfan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Couturier could very well be a solid fit in Ottawa. Any forward in the top 7 or 8 this year would probably be a pretty good fit. There is a chance in Ottawa to not only come right in and play but hit their potential a lot sooner than on a rebuilding team and perhaps over acheive.

We're fine. People freaked out last night - and I don't blame them - but when the dust settles, the 4th to 8 picks are interchangeable IMO.

Could there be another player overseas, come out of the woodwork - so to speak and move up to the top 5?

Team scouts don't necessarily agree with central scouting. Last year Skinner was ranked 34 of North american skaters yet Carolina took him 7th. We don't know what Carloina saw that Central scouting didn't but what a great pick. Ryan Johanson was ranked 10th but drafted 4th. Of course Fowler and Gormley ranked 5 and 6th fell quite a few places.

I expect that one of NJ or NYI will draft somone ranked lower than their respective draft position.

hemlock wrote:

garblar wrote:

hemlock wrote:2) actually make a losing season worth it by not winning a bunch of useless games at the end so as to give the mostly loser, fairweather fanbase a twinkle of false hope for next year.

you honestly think that a team is going to lose games on purpose?

You're kidding me right? Did you watch any games in the last month involving the Avalanche or Panthers. There was a time, even after the Anderson deal, when we thought it wasn't even a possibility that the Panthers (and probably not the Avalanche) would "catch" us in the standings.

And yes, I think they should have done more to secure a higher pick, particularly in the last week(s) when it looked inevitable that we'd get "passed" in the standings. I'm not saying don't try, I am saying don't ice a lineup that's going to scratch and claw for every useless (harmful in fact) point. There's a distinct difference between icing a lesser lineup and actively trying to lose.

Our center depth was Spezza/Smith/Winchester. We were absolutely brutal on paper and that wasn't the issue.

Did anyone else comment on Craig Button's mock draft that went as follows:

Edm - RNH
Col - Huberdeau
FLA - Landeskog
NJ - Ryan Murphy
NYI - Strome
Sens - Larsson
Atl - Couturier

I don't expect this to happened but the unexpected does happen on draft day.

SpezDispenser wrote:

hemlock wrote:
Am I bitter much? When is Murray/Melnyk going to let the fans know what exactly this Cussing "plan" of theirs is, because I certainly haven't got a clue.

Purge some of the expensive, older players, bring in young players with upside (Butler, Greening, Condra, Rundblad, Cowen, 1st round pick, Da Costa), get a real goaltender (Anderson), make Bingo competitive so the kids can get some playoff experience (the B-Sens made it this year), have depth in the system for when injuries strike (D.Smith, Benoit, O'Brien, Wick, Gryba and so on), have a coach in place than is tough, but can handle and communicate with players (more to come), continue to build on the talent base we have by targeting a top 6 UFA (more to come).

What is it you don't get? The Sens are being built from the ground up acquiring talent to fit every position like Butler, Da Costa, etc. It's supposed to be slow - and it may be, but how do you not see the gameplan right now. It's about youth and hard work and lineup full of exciting, ultra competitive players.

It was never laid out, by Melnyk or Murray. Not once. It was only referenced to as the "plan". So what is/was it? Trying to be competitive immediately or letting the season play out and reap the one reward of being garbage, a high pick. They really did neither. Sure it was nice to see the compete level, but ANY level headed Sens fans would have been just as happy to see every game lost after the deadline if the effort was there. Flat out, they missed an opportunity to grab a high pick. I don't buy this Kool-Aid either about pick 4-10 or whatever being interchangable either. That will take years to determine, and odds are, of those 10 first players perhaps only a couple will end up being impact players. At least a couple will never have more than a cup of coffee in the NHL either so say the odds, so no, they are certainly not interchangable. A higher pick is no guarantee I admit, but statistically speaking you have a better chance of getting a guy who's going to make an impact.

Also, two other counters to points you made. I for one won't be holding my breath that the next coach is going to be all that. Murray's track record with coaches in Ottawa is downright embarrasing. I have no confidence that the right guy will be chosen, especially when there a guy (Dave Cameron) already employed by Melnyk in the mix. Cameron is NOT the right choice. Plain and simple. The guy is a junior coach up to this point. In my opinion, the least experienced I am willing to go for is an AHL guy like Cunneyworth or an NHL assistant like Muller. A guy fresh out of junior is a mistake, and a mistake Murray's already made once.

The other point is the UFA top 6 signing you reference. Who, pray tell are we going to go after?

Brad Richards. Why would he sign here? Why do we need him with Spezza around?
Simon Gagne. A possibility, but we'd likely have to overpay (At least Murray is good at that)
Brooks Laich. He's Mike Fisher. He'll get more than he's worth. No thanks.

The list goes on here: http://www.capgeek.com/free_agents.php?year_id=2011&team_id=-1&position_id=F&fa_type_id=2

The point is that if we are relying on some UFA magic from Murray, we could be in for a painful summer. Either we overpay (which is partially what got us in this mess in the first place), or we take a lesser guy and hope for a resurrection. Neither of these scenarios interests me. Besides, the UFA route isn't exactly going the way of the youth movement is it?

stempniaksen wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:You know Burke is gonna try and make a move up to get Strome.

Why do you say that?

Strome's a Burke-type player... physical, gets dirty... I think he'd view Couturier as "too soft" for his likes...

Is he?

Not really, no.

Maybe 'ol Shabbers is referring to Landeskog? Or is pulling an SSF?

I think so, because Strome is as physical as Spezza

stempniaksen wrote:

hemlock wrote:

garblar wrote:

hemlock wrote:2) actually make a losing season worth it by not winning a bunch of useless games at the end so as to give the mostly loser, fairweather fanbase a twinkle of false hope for next year.

you honestly think that a team is going to lose games on purpose?

You're kidding me right? Did you watch any games in the last month involving the Avalanche or Panthers. There was a time, even after the Anderson deal, when we thought it wasn't even a possibility that the Panthers (and probably not the Avalanche) would "catch" us in the standings.

And yes, I think they should have done more to secure a higher pick, particularly in the last week(s) when it looked inevitable that we'd get "passed" in the standings. I'm not saying don't try, I am saying don't ice a lineup that's going to scratch and claw for every useless (harmful in fact) point. There's a distinct difference between icing a lesser lineup and actively trying to lose.

Our center depth was Spezza/Smith/Winchester. We were absolutely brutal on paper and that wasn't the issue.

I'm trying to connect this comment to what I said. Help me out please.

Murray hasn't picked anybody "fresh out of junior". Hartsburg had NHL coaching experience prior to coaching the Sens.