Now that it's over, what is (realistically) our Ottawa starting lineup in October?

Dash wrote:Foligno-Spezza-Butler
Michalek-Regin-Alfredsson
Greening-Smith-Condra
Shannon-Winchester-Neil

Phillips-Karlsson
Gonchar-Lee
Kuba-Carkner

Anderson

That's the most likely roster. Maybe put Greening on the top line, move Foligno down.

SeawaySensFan wrote:You can't make a realistic lineup until we see what happens at the draft. I'm guessing at least one player out of the ones listed gets moved and that one veteran gets added as part of a deal at the draft too.

Then there's free agency...

SpezDispenser wrote:Top Line LW - Spezza - Butler
Michalek - Da Costa/Regin/UFA/Trade - Alfredsson
Greening - Z.Smith - Condra
Foligno - J.Winchester - Neil

Phillips - Lee
Cowen - Gonchar
Kuba - Karlsson
Carkner

Rundblad starts in AHL

Anderson
BACKUP

As people have mentioned, there's a long way to go. We need a top line LW, a 2nd line C (although, I would let the guys push for a spot there internally and a backup goalie (Ty Conklin please!). There's the draft, trades, UFA - tons and tons of other stuff before we can do this properly.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Really depends on our UFAs and draft but I'm predicting we pick up Gagne and draft Strome/Couturier. Kuba on waivers, Shannon lost to UFA.

Gagne - Spezza - Butler
Foligno - Strome - Michalek
Condra - Da Costa - Alfredsson
Greening - Smith - Neil
Winchester

Lee - Karlsson
Rundblad- Gonchar
Cowen - Phillips
Carkner

Anderson
Lallime


Gagne - Pure scorer. Will benefit from a solid set-up man. Help mentor Butler to score at the NHL level.

Strome/Couturier - Probably the best available pick left at the 6th spot. Both bring different things to the table but are expected to perform next year.

Rundblad/Cowen - Both make the team. No way you're convincing Rundblad to come to Canada to play in the AHL. Will take a while to adjust but will be fantastic by the midway point of the season. Cowen will be used as a shutdown defenceman similar to Volchenkov. I don't think there will be a real 5-6 pairing as a young gun will be on all three defensive lines and will be rotated as required.

Lee - I personally think Lee evolved into a better stay at home defenceman but his offensive upside will help Karlsson and will let him take chances.

Lallime - Solid vet. Liked Ottawa. No room left in Buffalo.

wprager wrote:
You have Foligno -- out powerforward of the future -- toiling on the 4th line? Slide Michalek onto the top line and Foligno to 2nd.

SpezDispenser wrote:

wprager wrote:
You have Foligno -- out powerforward of the future -- toiling on the 4th line? Slide Michalek onto the top line and Foligno to 2nd.

What I can give you is Foligno on line 3 - preferably with Z.Smith and Colin Greening, but what I can no longer give you is Foligno as a top line player. Right now, the best thing to do in my eyes is see how he does playing with two high energy, big guys who can drive the net and have some skill - when there's an injury, Foligno slides up into the top 6, but I want a solid 3rd line and I'm not sure Foligno is top 6 material.

We need to buy a guy like Leino, Tanguay, Fleishmann, Gagne to score goals - or this team will be a black hole of offense again.

wprager wrote:
Yet you put Regin down as the 2nd line center after the horrible year he's had, and the shoulder surgery that will severely limit his summer workout regimen.

Back to the drawing board.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:hmmm, i thought michalek was a RWer in San Jose and was moved to his off side to play with Spezza and Alfredsson.

Alfredsson on the 3rd line makes sense. I don't think he's fit to play against top paired defencemen and he could do wonders playing with two younger players.

Gonchar and Karlsson played together and both prefer to play on the right side.

Listen, a ton can happen with trades, draft picks, prospects, etc. For all we know Kuba can be bought out, Gonchar, Lee, Carkner traded, Rundblad not making the team, etc. I did the best with what we have, and what I think will happen.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:You think? With the team we have now I'm not too sure that a good vet on the 3rd line isn't a bad thing to have. Consider that Alfie only played 55ish games last season and has a chronic back problem. They'll limit his ice time this year to avoid injury and limiting a 2nd line player isnt a good idea

SpezDispenser wrote:Not good enough Sandy. No offense in that lineup, we'd lose 50 games.

sandysensfan wrote:
Goal scoring next season regardless of who is in the lineup will be by committee.

To get a top 6 forward by trade.. Murray will have to sell the farm... I can't see him doing that. Other than Brad Richards there are no top 6 guys out there in UFA that can notch 30+ goals. And Richards is not coming to Ottawa. Besides what top 6 player will come to Ottawa on a re-building team. My guess none.
Don't tell me whoever they draft this year is going to pull up the goal scoring.. because they won't.

I said I was off the board with my picks. Just that... re-build with youth -- that's what it is all about.

It also comes to coaching. KK did a lot with the B-Sens especially after Feb when their best players were in Ottawa. He brought out the best of his team... that helps.

Ottawa is not making the playoffs next season.... so it is best for another lottery pick and a year for the young team to grow together and learn.

Then next season Sens go for that one big UFA (when better players are available) to put them over the top.

SpezDispenser wrote:

sandysensfan wrote:
Goal scoring next season regardless of who is in the lineup will be by committee.

To get a top 6 forward by trade.. Murray will have to sell the farm... I can't see him doing that. Other than Brad Richards there are no top 6 guys out there in UFA that can notch 30+ goals. And Richards is not coming to Ottawa. Besides what top 6 player will come to Ottawa on a re-building team. My guess none.
Don't tell me whoever they draft this year is going to pull up the goal scoring.. because they won't.

I said I was off the board with my picks. Just that... re-build with youth -- that's what it is all about.

It also comes to coaching. KK did a lot with the B-Sens especially after Feb when their best players were in Ottawa. He brought out the best of his team... that helps.

Ottawa is not making the playoffs next season.... so it is best for another lottery pick and a year for the young team to grow together and learn.

Then next season Sens go for that one big UFA (when better players are available) to put them over the top.

There are players in this UFA class that are very solid. For example:

Alex Tanguay - LW - 22 goals, 69 points - 79 games
Brooks Laich - C/LW - 16 goals, 48 points, 82 games
Ville Leino - any F - 19 goals, 53 points, 81 games
Tomas Fleischmann - LW - 23 goals, 51 points, 69 games (2009, last year was a write of for him, 45 games, 31 points, 12 goals)
Simon Gagne (not a favourite of mine due to injury) - 17 goals, 40 points in 63 games.


All good options. Some will re-sign, some won't sign here, but I think we could be in the running for one of them.

Tim Connolly as well, if he'd take a low(ish) number would be a slick 2nd line C, but injuries are his issue as well. Jason Arnott as well, nice frame, might take only a 1 year, we could re-trade him at the deadline.