Hockey's Future Prospect of the Year 2011: David Rundblad

Big Ev wrote:I personally think Carnker will be press box fodder.

Yeah probably. Good insurance for when Kuba stubs his toe and misses a month.

Michallica wrote:I don't believe management will want Z. Smith to be fighting all the time, he's going to become a valuable guy on the 3rd/4th line. Sure he can do it now but when he improves his game as we're all hoping for him to, he'll be relied upon alot more, don't think we will want him fighting at the frequency he does. Bass on the other hand can still provide some jam and is a big body that can ideally replace Neil in the not too distant future. I don't see why he wouldn't be needed at all

Nobody wants anyone fighting on a full-time basis, but a guy who is willing to drop them to learn-a-lesson-'bout-a-messin' with our players is gold. Gotta have 3-4 guys like that so you can spread them out and always have one on the ice.

Dash wrote:As of now, the Sens have 6 NHL defenceman (as far as contracts go). Gonchar, Kuba, Phillips, Karlsson, Lee, Carkner. It's unlikely one will be traded or waived or bought out. If Cowen is going to be on the team next year, then maybe Carkner can be moved to the 4th line forward spot, because losing a defenceman for 5+ minutes is not good. As of now there's potentially at least one spot to fill.

I wouldn't count out Kuba being moved yet. The Sens may be willing to eat a big(ger) contract from some other team if they can send Kuba back (this would work out best in a deal involving a forward, something around a Huselius type). That being said Carkner in a Shubert-esque swing role might be the best thing for the club.

Phillips - Karlsson
XXXX - Gonchar
Cowen - Lee
Carkner

Mabe that 2nd pairing slot goes to Kuba, maybe it goes to Rundbland (would love to give him a year in the AHL) or maybe even a David Hale type veteran presence on a 1 year deal.

Cowen-Karlsson
Phillips-Rundblad
Lee-Gonchar

Big Ev wrote:Cowen-Karlsson
Phillips-Rundblad
Lee-Gonchar

I'll bet you 10 bucks my prediction is closer than yours, lol.

Maybe I'm not giving Cowen enough credit and he deserves 2nd pairing duty, but him and EK would make my skin crawl.

I don't Phillips-Karlsson to play together, they were awful all year defensively until Lee started to play with Phillips.

I hope Murray doesn't look at your avatar and reach for Zibanejad!

Big Ev wrote:Cowen-Karlsson
Phillips-Rundblad
Lee-Gonchar

you really see gonchar on the third pairing?

really, either he plays on the first or second pairing or he's traded and trust me, he'll accept a trade rather then be on the 3rd.
my guess is if he is to be traded he's going to SJS.

Flo The Action wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Cowen-Karlsson
Phillips-Rundblad
Lee-Gonchar

you really see gonchar on the third pairing?

really, either he plays on the first or second pairing or he's traded and trust me, he'll accept a trade rather then be on the 3rd.
my guess is if he is to be traded he's going to SJS.

It's not really in order of 1-3.

Even if it is a thid pairing they are all gonna get the same number of minutes roughly. Don't be concerned with numbering the pairings.

Big Ev wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Cowen-Karlsson
Phillips-Rundblad
Lee-Gonchar

you really see gonchar on the third pairing?

really, either he plays on the first or second pairing or he's traded and trust me, he'll accept a trade rather then be on the 3rd.
my guess is if he is to be traded he's going to SJS.

It's not really in order of 1-3.

Even if it is a thid pairing they are all gonna get the same number of minutes roughly. Don't be concerned with numbering the pairings.

See that's where we disagree I guess because I really think that "3rd" pairing is gonna be one that get's 9-12 minutes a game whereas the other two pairings get the bulk of the minutes (especially on special teams). I don't like the thought of rushing Cowen or giving Lee big minutes when he's just proven he can handle an NHL workload.

Phillips - Cowen
Gonchar - Karlsson
Rundblad - Kuba/Carkner/Lee

I think someone off that blueline is gone.

Do you think they could trade Lee to Minnesota? He only has this one yr left on his contract at just over 1M -- and he would be a 'local' boy to them.
He really played well down the stretch... Can the Sens afford to trade him?

stempniaksen wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Cowen-Karlsson
Phillips-Rundblad
Lee-Gonchar

you really see gonchar on the third pairing?

really, either he plays on the first or second pairing or he's traded and trust me, he'll accept a trade rather then be on the 3rd.
my guess is if he is to be traded he's going to SJS.

It's not really in order of 1-3.

Even if it is a thid pairing they are all gonna get the same number of minutes roughly. Don't be concerned with numbering the pairings.

See that's where we disagree I guess because I really think that "3rd" pairing is gonna be one that get's 9-12 minutes a game whereas the other two pairings get the bulk of the minutes (especially on special teams). I don't like the thought of rushing Cowen or giving Lee big minutes when he's just proven he can handle an NHL workload.

I'm in the trade Lee camp to be honest.

I think Cowen can handle top minutes though just due to his size alone. We're rebuilding, let him grow and the best way to do that is by giving him lots of minutes. Making mistakes will help him.

Trade Lee for what? He was the only guy who made Phillips decent last year and Cowen can't play the right side as far as I know.

Phillips - Lee
Gonchar - Karlsson (hate it)
Cowen - Kuba/Carkner

Rundblad starts in the AHL.

Gotta get rid of Kuba, there's no two ways about it. Would love to add Sean O'Donnell back there to help out.

SpezDispenser wrote:Trade Lee for what? He was the only guy who made Phillips decent last year and Cowen can't play the right side as far as I know.

Phillips - Lee
Gonchar - Karlsson (hate it)
Cowen - Kuba/Carkner

Rundblad starts in the AHL.

Gotta get rid of Kuba, there's no two ways about it. Would love to add Sean O'Donnell back there to help out.

What the heck for? The guy is 40+ years old.

Big Ev wrote:What the heck for? The guy is 40+ years old.

We need a veteran guy back there for cheap. He'd be a guy I'd like to sign for 1 year to stabilize things a bit.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:What the heck for? The guy is 40+ years old.

We need a veteran guy back there for cheap. He'd be a guy I'd like to sign for 1 year to stabilize things a bit.

We've got two, Gonchar and Philips.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:What the heck for? The guy is 40+ years old.

We need a veteran guy back there for cheap. He'd be a guy I'd like to sign for 1 year to stabilize things a bit.

Wouldn't that make an already crowded blue line that much more crowded? I think someone will be traded or bought out to make room as is. Personally, I don't think - given the state of the team overall - we need another aging vet on the blue line. Let the kids play and get experience and assess where we're at after 2-3 months. I'm not into giving an old fart a roster spot unless we know it's absolutely needed first.

Hoags wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:What the heck for? The guy is 40+ years old.

We need a veteran guy back there for cheap. He'd be a guy I'd like to sign for 1 year to stabilize things a bit.

We've got two, Gonchar and Philips.

Let me change the definition of the guy I want: David Hale, but a little more experienced.

strachattack wrote:
Wouldn't that make an already crowded blue line that much more crowded? I think someone will be traded or bought out to make room as is. Personally, I don't think - given the state of the team overall - we need another aging vet on the blue line. Let the kids play and get experience and assess where we're at after 2-3 months. I'm not into giving an old fart a roster spot unless we know it's absolutely needed first.

In my humble opinion, the bluelines that are being offered about here is not good enough by any stretch of the imagination. Not only that, I'd LOVE to give Rundblad the reigns and have him get some experience, but the odds of both Cowen and Rundblad making the team as rookies is less than stellar IMO.

O'Donnell is just an example of the experience I would look for as a GM, possibly even a one for one swap of Kuba for a slightly cheaper veteran. Gonchar didn't prove he can play last year and that's a real issue. Phillips improved when we got a real goaltender, but again, I wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket either when the insurance of getting an old vet. would cost less than a million.

Cowen's ready from what I've seen and heard, Lee improved dramatically, Karlsson's there forever, Kuba blows, as of now Gonchar sucks, Carkner's a great 7th D-man IMO, Rundblad's got one of the most risky styles of hockey anyone can imagine, we'd be really better off with him in the AHL. So if the Dung hits the fan, we could have 2 defective older guys (Gonchar and Kuba) + Phillips + Lee, who was solid as a rock last year, but the jury's still out on + Cowen (rookie) + Carkner (reliable as a 6th/7th guy). Not too good.