The Week BEFORE July 1: Go!

We'll see Rooney. I'm in the same camp that wants to give him a shot with MacLean + assistants, but we have very few spots open - and at this point, if we can trade Kuba, he makes the most sense to go.

SpezDispenser wrote:We'll see Rooney. I'm in the same camp that wants to give him a shot with MacLean + assistants, but we have very few spots open - and at this point, if we can trade Kuba, he makes the most sense to go.

I agree he seems like the logical odd man out. But I'm just saying the flack he's been taking around here for a calendar year is rather misplaced.

rooneypoo wrote:
I agree he seems like the logical odd man out. But I'm just saying the flack he's been taking around here for a calendar year is rather misplaced.

I agree. I did take him a LONG time to get back up to speed though, but yes, he had a terrible calender year last year.

He was out per-game ice time leader in 2009-10. Not saying he's going to do that this year, but he's not Redden yet.

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
I agree he seems like the logical odd man out. But I'm just saying the flack he's been taking around here for a calendar year is rather misplaced.

I agree. I did take him a LONG time to get back up to speed though, but yes, he had a terrible calender year last year.

People look for villains and scape goats too often. Kuba is still a useful player in the NHL, either on this team or on another. This whole team sucked Donkey for 5 solid months last year -- singling someone out as particularly bad seems like an exercise in redundancy.

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
I agree he seems like the logical odd man out. But I'm just saying the flack he's been taking around here for a calendar year is rather misplaced.

I agree. I did take him a LONG time to get back up to speed though, but yes, he had a terrible calender year last year.

People look for villains and scape goats too often. Kuba is still a useful player in the NHL, either on this team or on another. This whole team sucked Donkey for 5 solid months last year -- singling someone out as particularly bad seems like an exercise in redundancy.

I hope so, he didn't look great defensively at any point last year. He improved his passing a lot, better outlets, but when in the defensive zone, he was weak all year. I hope he trains hard this off season, he'll need it to keep up at this point.

IMO, its a little premature to assume both Cowen and Rundblad are ready for prime-time. yeah they're gained great amounts of experience but I think it would be wise to hold onto Kuba at least for a portion of the season. That will give one of Cowen or Rundblad (or both) experience in the AHL and make it easier to trade Kuba to a team that runs into injury problems and such.

Besides like ppl have mentioned, Kuba can still be serviceable, he seemed to find his game again towards the end of the season

Big Ev wrote:Godd I hope it's Carkner. Useless.

u have gotta be kidding me.....I know he's no Kris Letang but he's still very useful. Hell he's a better d-man than schubert. The guy can actually play defence and fight. Who cares if he's not as fast as others? He's still serviceable.

I hope they just sign a backup goalie. If they sign a 2C then Zib is going to the SEL for sure.

Get as many of the up and comers in. We can always wait til August and see who is left.

Michallica wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Godd I hope it's Carkner. Useless.

u have gotta be kidding me.....I know he's no Kris Letang but he's still very useful. Hell he's a better d-man than schubert. The guy can actually play defence and fight. Who cares if he's not as fast as others? He's still serviceable.

He's a goon, plain and simple. Can be replaced by Cowen, he fights and plays D.

and it's the bad guys like him who we still need to get rid of from this team. Him and Winchester are the two bad apples in an otherwise promising bunch.

Big Ev wrote:
and it's the bad guys like him who we still need to get rid of from this team. Him and Winchester are the two bad apples in an otherwise promising bunch.

If Cowen fights we lose him for 5+ minutes, if we lose Carkner for 5 minutes whoopdie doo.

Although I see your point.

How is Winchester a bad apple ?

I dunno, I just hear his name and think back to the awful seasons we have had recently

Hoags wrote:

Big Ev wrote:
and it's the bad guys like him who we still need to get rid of from this team. Him and Winchester are the two bad apples in an otherwise promising bunch.

If Cowen fights we lose him for 5+ minutes, if we lose Carkner for 5 minutes whoopdie doo.

Although I see your point.

How is Winchester a bad apple ?

Are you new here? Don't let the suit and tie fool you, it's still the same Big Ev.

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
I agree he seems like the logical odd man out. But I'm just saying the flack he's been taking around here for a calendar year is rather misplaced.

I agree. I did take him a LONG time to get back up to speed though, but yes, he had a terrible calender year last year.

People look for villains and scape goats too often. Kuba is still a useful player in the NHL, either on this team or on another. This whole team sucked Donkey for 5 solid months last year -- singling someone out as particularly bad seems like an exercise in redundancy.

Fair enough, but I'd love to see him move to Florida. Ottawa can get a 3rd or whatever, and we free up some spots for the youth movement. I'm not saying that he's to blame for the crappy year, but I don't think he was ever a fit here. Teams that are looking to his the cap floor should take a look at him for the reasons that you outlined above.

Big Ev wrote:I dunno, I just hear his name and think back to the awful seasons we have had recently

Big Ev only deals in facts.

from Elliotte Friedman of CBC,

• A couple of things to remember as free agency begins. First, teams can go over the max by 10 per cent (that’s $6.43 million during the offseason). Second, all bonuses count immediately against the cap next season (whether they are reached or not), and that’s how some lower-spending teams will hit the floor.

• Half the league is convinced the Flyers are going after Brad Richards - hard. (I’m still wondering about Detroit making a run at him, especially since Valtterri Filppula appears available in a trade.)

• One Western coach said the trade was the best thing for Regehr: “He’ll be re-energized and better.” Several players who’ve gone from West to East add that kind of move can extend your career, because the travel is so much easier and the play is not as physical.

So, scratch off Brooks Laich and Kevin Bieksa so far.

PS, if Freidman is accurate and Fillipula is available, hopefully the Sens are after him hard. He's look good on our 2nd line IMO.