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

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

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.

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.

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.

Definitely agree with those names. They are good players.. but which one of them would sign in Ottawa. If they are under 30 -- Murray would look at them. Fleishmann is a very good player.. but his health issue last year (blood clots I believe?) scares me.

If they don't re-sign with their current teams ,there will be a big bidding war... when they get overpaid. Is that a good thing... when in 2012/13 better ones will be available?

I'm just hoping they can get rid of Kuba. They need space for the young D.

It's going to be an interesting time in Sens Land up to July 1st... But will Murray make a jump on July 1st or wait until later to sign someone. Also, could there be a player in Europe that could fly under the radar... they could look to. I'm talking about a 25 - 30 yr old player... not a rookie.

sandysensfan wrote:
Definitely agree with those names. They are good players.. but which one of them would sign in Ottawa. If they are under 30 -- Murray would look at them. Fleishmann is a very good player.. but his health issue last year (blood clots I believe?) scares me.

If they don't re-sign with their current teams ,there will be a big bidding war... when they get overpaid. Is that a good thing... when in 2012/13 better ones will be available?

I'm just hoping they can get rid of Kuba. They need space for the young D.

It's going to be an interesting time in Sens Land up to July 1st... But will Murray make a jump on July 1st or wait until later to sign someone. Also, could there be a player in Europe that could fly under the radar... they could look to. I'm talking about a 25 - 30 yr old player... not a rookie.

That's the most interesting part of a rebuild IMO.

Again, this is IMO, but:

Murray will make offers to Leino, Laich, The Flash (apparently he's been cleared to play after the blood clots), Tanguay and Gagne. He might lose out on all of them, or he could land one of them.

However...what he probably should be doing is waiting until late July to the end of August for a veteran who had an off year and isn't getting any offers on the market (or perhaps he only has offers from teams he's not that interested in), then Murray comes in and offers him the chance to play on one of the top 2 lines - the only catch is that they MUST sign one year contracts without NTC or NMCs so we can move them at the deadline for an asset. That's one of the best ways of enticing free agents while you're in a rebuild, tell them they can get a lot of ice time.

As for Kuba, he's due for a heck of a rebound season, but I'm sure Murray will continue to try to find someone to take him - even if it means us taking back an old vet. making too much $$ like Huselius.

Gonchar's another, ideally we trade both, take the assets from them and move Cowen and Rundblad in there, but worst case, Rundblad starts in the AHL and Cowen starts in the NHL or vice versa.

Gonna be an interesting 2 months+ from here on IMO.

No such thing as a realistic lineup because there are so many unknowns it is impossible to speculate.

Spezza
Karlsso/Phillips
Anderson

Those are the only 4 guys that will 100% be back.

SpezDispenser wrote:

sandysensfan wrote:
Definitely agree with those names. They are good players.. but which one of them would sign in Ottawa. If they are under 30 -- Murray would look at them. Fleishmann is a very good player.. but his health issue last year (blood clots I believe?) scares me.

If they don't re-sign with their current teams ,there will be a big bidding war... when they get overpaid. Is that a good thing... when in 2012/13 better ones will be available?

I'm just hoping they can get rid of Kuba. They need space for the young D.

It's going to be an interesting time in Sens Land up to July 1st... But will Murray make a jump on July 1st or wait until later to sign someone. Also, could there be a player in Europe that could fly under the radar... they could look to. I'm talking about a 25 - 30 yr old player... not a rookie.

That's the most interesting part of a rebuild IMO.

Again, this is IMO, but:

Murray will make offers to Leino, Laich, The Flash (apparently he's been cleared to play after the blood clots), Tanguay and Gagne. He might lose out on all of them, or he could land one of them.

However...what he probably should be doing is waiting until late July to the end of August for a veteran who had an off year and isn't getting any offers on the market (or perhaps he only has offers from teams he's not that interested in), then Murray comes in and offers him the chance to play on one of the top 2 lines - the only catch is that they MUST sign one year contracts without NTC or NMCs so we can move them at the deadline for an asset. That's one of the best ways of enticing free agents while you're in a rebuild, tell them they can get a lot of ice time.

As for Kuba, he's due for a heck of a rebound season, but I'm sure Murray will continue to try to find someone to take him - even if it means us taking back an old vet. making too much $$ like Huselius.

Gonchar's another, ideally we trade both, take the assets from them and move Cowen and Rundblad in there, but worst case, Rundblad starts in the AHL and Cowen starts in the NHL or vice versa.

Gonna be an interesting 2 months+ from here on IMO.

True..

Murray did tell Season Ticket Holders at a meeting near the end of the year that any UFA he gets in a trade will be under 30 -- so Gagne is out.

Getting rid of Kuba and/or Gonchar will help the re-build. Bingo has a lot of D this season. Could you see Benoit and/or D Smith filling a role in Ottawa. They played so well when they were called up.
What team do you see Gonchar being a good fit for? Could Ottawa take back a salary dump to do that? Gonchar to LA -- salary dump Ryan Smyth +.
Gonchar has a NTC I believe... so would he waive it for LA?

Or am I totalling crazy. Smyth is over 30 -- but scored over 20 goals last year.. and goes through the wall for his team... I've always liked him...

NEELY wrote:No such thing as a realistic lineup because there are so many unknowns it is impossible to speculate.

Spezza
Karlsso/Phillips
Anderson

Those are the only 4 guys that will 100% be back.

This, except I think Karlsson might be a lock as well.

Seriously though, I would add Smith and Greening as locks since they signed one-way deals and I don't think they would be moved.

why the heck would LA want Gonchar?

sandysensfan wrote:
True..

Murray did tell Season Ticket Holders at a meeting near the end of the year that any UFA he gets in a trade will be under 30 -- so Gagne is out.

Getting rid of Kuba and/or Gonchar will help the re-build. Bingo has a lot of D this season. Could you see Benoit and/or D Smith filling a role in Ottawa. They played so well when they were called up.
What team do you see Gonchar being a good fit for? Could Ottawa take back a salary dump to do that? Gonchar to LA -- salary dump Ryan Smyth +.
Gonchar has a NTC I believe... so would he waive it for LA?

Or am I totalling crazy. Smyth is over 30 -- but scored over 20 goals last year.. and goes through the wall for his team... I've always liked him...

I would bet the farm on a UFA being signed - and I think the top target might be Tanguay, who's 31. So disregard what he said, he was BSing people I think.

Tanguay is staying in Calgary, I have no doubt about that.

Big Ev wrote:Tanguay is staying in Calgary, I have no doubt about that.

How are they gonna make cap space for him?

http://www.capgeek.com/charts.php?Team=9

SpezDispenser wrote:

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.

Not really, I had him fighting with Da Costa and a possible UFA IIRC. I think Regin's best chance of making this team and having an impact has shifted from being a winger in the top 6 to either being the 2nd line C or even better, being the 3rd line C, but...I don't know how to make it work like that.

Hence why we all think one of Regin or Foligno will be moving. Da Costa could also start in Bingo - he might have to. Condra might also have to sign a 2 way and wait for his opportunity.

If you're going to the drawing board, find me a place to play Daugavins too please.

With that mustache? Anywhere he wants! He can take Ruutu's place but score more often.

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

Plenty of offense. I like the idea of having a Bingo line as your third line. I'm not crazy about the Lee-Karlsson pairing -- both a bit soft, and both righties.

NEELY wrote:No such thing as a realistic lineup because there are so many unknowns it is impossible to speculate.

Spezza
Karlsso/Phillips
Anderson

Those are the only 4 guys that will 100% be back.

That's your lineup for the 3-on-3 tournament?

Big Ev wrote:why the heck would LA want Gonchar?

How do I know? He has experience and still a good puck moving D... except for last year... but what player on the Sens had a really good year -- at least prior to the deadline.
Just a thought. Do they need a D with experience.
A lot of teams were after him last off season.... just thought they could have been one of them.

wprager wrote:

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

Plenty of offense. I like the idea of having a Bingo line as your third line. I'm not crazy about the Lee-Karlsson pairing -- both a bit soft, and both righties.

We'll see Prags. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think a lineup with Leino or Laich or Tanguay or whatever is gonna score, so I'm hard pressed to see where the goals are coming from without signing a UFA.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I honestly think Michalek and Foligno are the two candidates to move for our forwards; Michalek being the better choice in my opinion.

Foligno is still only 23, Michalek on the other hand, is more injury prone and still a tradable asset.

Michalek could fit in with several teams looking for a top-six forward; Calgary, LA, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, St. Louis all come to mind.

Why are we, a team in the perpetual hunt for "one more top-six forward" looking to trade a legitimate top-six forward? Doesn't make sense to me.

wprager wrote:

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

Plenty of offense. I like the idea of having a Bingo line as your third line. I'm not crazy about the Lee-Karlsson pairing -- both a bit soft, and both righties.

There's no way that posted lineup is gonna bring any ofence to the table, especially when Spezza misses his 10-15 games a season. That lineup would be fine if the organization is tanking, but the Anderson signing shows that even if the team is in a rebuilding phase they will still try and win hockey games.