Ottawa Senators TIDBITS & QUICK HITS!

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Hoags wrote:He's probably frustrated that he hasn't scored in almost a year.

But I get the feeling MacLean has told most if not all the guys not to fight, just play to win. We can't afford to lose anyone for 5 mins.

Or someone to be injured.

Just pick on someone small with a soft face. Seriously, though, unless you are fighting a heavyweight the chances of getting hurt are pretty low.

Wprager's been in lots of fights. That's how he knows.

spader wrote:

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Hoags wrote:He's probably frustrated that he hasn't scored in almost a year.

But I get the feeling MacLean has told most if not all the guys not to fight, just play to win. We can't afford to lose anyone for 5 mins.

Or someone to be injured.

Just pick on someone small with a soft face. Seriously, though, unless you are fighting a heavyweight the chances of getting hurt are pretty low.

Wprager's been in lots of fights. That's how he knows.

A few, probably before most of you were born, and none on the ice.

NEELY wrote:

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Hoags wrote:He's probably frustrated that he hasn't scored in almost a year.

But I get the feeling MacLean has told most if not all the guys not to fight, just play to win. We can't afford to lose anyone for 5 mins.

Or someone to be injured.

Just pick on someone small with a soft face. Seriously, though, unless you are fighting a heavyweight the chances of getting hurt are pretty low.

That chances of your #1 goalie, winger, D, and goaltender going down are a lot less than someone being injured in a fight.

Laws of averages, man, laws of averages.

Laws are meant to be broken...

Ballard has apparently asked for a trade... if you are Murray what do you do here? They need a D man who can bring a little offense and play some D, Ballard is right up their alley there but are they willing to take the cap hit and real dollars for the rest of this season and 2 more?

He's a player the Sens can use and can probably be had for Regin or Gonchar.

NEELY wrote:Ballard has apparently asked for a trade... if you are Murray what do you do here? They need a D man who can bring a little offense and play some D, Ballard is right up their alley there but are they willing to take the cap hit and real dollars for the rest of this season and 2 more?

He's a player the Sens can use and can probably be had for Regin or Gonchar.

They should trade for him I think, unless he's some kind of cancer in the room. 5th rounder is all I'd offer if I was Bmurr though.

Maybe trade Lundin and a 5th for Ballard or something along those lines. I wouldn't give up a ton or anything that is part of Ottawa's long term plans but Ballard is a pretty solid player that is in the mold of an offensive, fairly speedy, puck moving D that MacLean loves.

NEELY wrote:Ballard has apparently asked for a trade... if you are Murray what do you do here? They need a D man who can bring a little offense and play some D, Ballard is right up their alley there but are they willing to take the cap hit and real dollars for the rest of this season and 2 more?

He's a player the Sens can use and can probably be had for Regin or Gonchar.

Again though, this was a question I had asked several times, both here and on HF where I know there are Vancouver fans. Can he play the right side? It's as close to useless as humanly possible if he can't play the right side, or he's 'not comfortable' playing the right side. We have Phillips, Cowen and Methot 100% locked into the left side for a while - with Wiercioch being another player who's banging at the door to play the left side.

For all the joking around some people do on here, it's a pretty bad scenario to play guys out of their normal comfort zones - especially on D.

So no, I probably wouldn't make this move.

Ballard would be coming in to help with the power play and helping the break out. Phillips, while he struggles on the right side can shift over, same with Benoit, and Gonchar obviously plays the left right now. Right now you need a guy that will help the team score and Ballard will do just that.

Next year they will need someone to replace Gonchar on the PP and there isn't a player in the organization that can do that on the top power play unit. Ballard might be that guy.

Again, all depends on the price but in a different system Ballard may be able to be a valuable enough player to make this deal for. Wouldn't give up a ton though, like I mentioned before. That cap hit will make teams pause for sure.

Keith Ballard hasn't had a power play point since he left Florida. Don't really see how he will help the team score at al, the guy has faded since he went to Vancouver.

I doubt they acquire him, there'd be creating a massive logjam on the left side D. He is the type of player they need though.

I think the caphit alone will ensure that we don't take him. Lots of other teams need D, I'm sure he'll find a home if he really asked for a trade.

If you're talking about making Phillips look even worse by sticking him on the right side, then we're in trouble. There's a big problem in Vancouver right now. Go count how many guys they have that can play the right side.

They won't go for him, although he's the type of player we need. There are already too many lefties here and not enough righties.

Ev wrote:Keith Ballard hasn't had a power play point since he left Florida. Don't really see how he will help the team score at al, the guy has faded since he went to Vancouver.

Pretty tough to get power play points when you are NEVER on the powerplay. It has been a bad fit there since day 1. They always had Salo and Edler as their PP guys, now it's Edler and Garrison, and Bieksa and Hamhuis get more time out there than he does as well.

He didn't go from a really solid D man who always put up around 30 points on 2 different NHL franchises to a loser who can't play the game in Vancouver. He's not a #5, 6, 7 shut down guy and that's how they want to use him.

I have liked Ballard for a long time and it hasn't changed, he needs to be in a position to succeed and he would do just that in Ottawa IMO. Pair him with EK on the PP next year as the LH shot and it will work IMO. But again, depends on the price it takes to get him and if the Sens actually look at it the same way as I do.

SpezDispenser wrote:If you're talking about making Phillips look even worse by sticking him on the right side, then we're in trouble. There's a big problem in Vancouver right now. Go count how many guys they have that can play the right side.

They won't go for him, although he's the type of player we need. There are already too many lefties here and not enough righties.

Uhh, he's been solid this year. Not sure what you mean by "even worse"?

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:If you're talking about making Phillips look even worse by sticking him on the right side, then we're in trouble. There's a big problem in Vancouver right now. Go count how many guys they have that can play the right side.

They won't go for him, although he's the type of player we need. There are already too many lefties here and not enough righties.

Uhh, he's been solid this year. Not sure what you mean by "even worse"?

He has good moments and bad moments. I don't really want to see him on the right side where the bad moments will undoubtedly outweigh the good.

If he's playing 12-15 mins that's fine. It's not like he's out against top lines anymore or ever will be again. If your 3rd pairing is Ballard/Phillips or vis versa, they can work with that. Ballard is a player they will need on the PP next year for sure because Gonchar is gone and Weircioch isn't ready for those important mins yet.

Again, I am very much in the camp that believes Ballard is a fantastic option now and in the future. Price matters though as I have said before.

Both Mendes and Ken Warren hint that Stone will be called up (and Grant sent down).

As for Ballard, we got too many lefties. You've got Philips, Methot and Cowen on the left for next year not to mention Wiercioch and Boro. I don't see how they make that work.

Vancouver will probably ask for a lot.

Not to mention I can't see them spending that kind of money.

Ballard and EK would be money on the PP next year though I agree.

Hoags wrote:Both Mendes and Ken Warren hint that Stone will be called up (and Grant sent down).

As for Ballard, we got too many lefties. You've got Philips, Methot and Cowen on the left for next year not to mention Wiercioch and Boro. I don't see how they make that work.

Vancouver will probably ask for a lot.

Not to mention I can't see them spending that kind of money.

Ballard and EK would be money on the PP next year though I agree.

I agree there is too many LH shots but who is going to be the LH shot on the PP next year with Karlsson? Weircioch? Maybe but I doubt they don't look for another option first. Ballard has proven he knows how to QB a 1st unit PP.