SENS OFF-SEASON TALK 2013

wprager wrote:Captain of the top team in the WHL, second highest scoring defenseman in the league, outscoring his teammate Seth Jones. He hasn't had an easy road to get here but has proven he has the character and determination.

And, yeah, he's a rightie. Don't sell him short.

At the end of the day he is still just an over-age free agent signing.

Michallica wrote:Sounds like gonchar was told he wasn't going to be back and his agent helped in orchestrating his trade. The guy in Dallas is Jim nill and I would say it's more a coup for him to get gonchar who will likely get the term and money in Dallas. But a conditional 6th rounder is too little even for his rights. The risk of trading his rights without getting a sure return is stupid.

Rumours are Gonchar would not take a paycut.... so bye bye..

Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Not sure why we didn't just pay Gonchar, but again have to trust Murray

because he just got overpaid

Come on. He proved he was worth it and more this year for us.

It is not smart to pay a 39-40 year old that type of money, except if you're a young team on the backend like Dallas who needs the veteran presence

He was worth his contract in Ottawa for most of it, but he;s not worth that anymore. I'd rather have Clitsome at cheap dollars

Yeah we'd all rather get some clit for cheap

Ian White maybe, although I doubt that's the splash we're hoping for.

Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Not sure why we didn't just pay Gonchar, but again have to trust Murray

because he just got overpaid

Come on. He proved he was worth it and more this year for us.

It is not smart to pay a 39-40 year old that type of money, except if you're a young team on the backend like Dallas who needs the veteran presence

He was worth his contract in Ottawa for most of it, but he;s not worth that anymore. I'd rather have Clitsome at cheap dollars

True, Clitsome has some intriguing upside - even at 28. Another lefty though, not sure if he's proficient at the right side.

I like the idea of White but not sure if he is capable of playing top 4 mins... maybe he is, maybe he isn't but it didn't work in Detroit and if things don't work in Detroit it should be a big red flag that it won't work in Ottawa or won't be given a chance to work. There is nothing about that organization that MacLean doesn't know and won't talk to Murray about.

Clitsome is interesting, he's a bottom 6 guy and would add some depth but is that what they need? Maybe the idea is going to be to split time in the top 4 between Gryba, Wiercioch, Benoit, Clitsome (if Ev wish comes true), and just rotate them in and out as the situation calls for,

The one guy getting shuffled back right now is Boroweicki, he's going to have a real tough time finding a regular spot in the lineup if there is even a chance he can find one. IMO he's ready and the only place he can possibly take the next step is in the NHL.

Truth be told, I would bet on one of Cowen or Wiercioch getting dealt in the off season. This isn't a knock on either of them but too many LH shots on the blueline and Ottawa needs to make a move for a top line scoring winger... you have to give to get. You hope and believe Weircioch is the guy that they will try and move but I don't think it's out of the question that Cowen would be the guy on the move, just not as likely.

Either way, the draft has to play out before Ottawa makes any serious moves. They could very well move that pick to get a guy like Ryan or Vanek, they could do a lot of things with their current roster.

Guys who I don't think see another day in Ottawa who's rights are owned by the Sens... JOB, Da Costa, and more than likely Weircioch. JOB will prob be moved for a 5th or 6th, da Costa in a bigger move, and Weircioch as a bigger piece.

DaCosta is RFA so we'll know his fate soon enough. I'd still hang onto him depending on what he does this summer. I doubt we don't resign him just because of 1 so-so year.
JOB was once in the same boat (as in having a reputation of a non hard worker) but he still managed to make the big club, at least for a year, after he organization sent him a message about his work ethic. No reason why they wouldn't at least try that with DaCosta especially given his talent level. And his trade value is non existent right now anyway.
I think the Phaneuf hit really put some doubt in his mind...

He bounced right back up after that hit, what are you talking about?

wprager wrote:He bounced right back up after that hit, what are you talking about?

He became tentative and stopped making plays in the following games.

LeKing wrote:

wprager wrote:He bounced right back up after that hit, what are you talking about?

He became tentative and stopped making plays in the following games.

It's tough to say because we didn't know what he was like before that. It was just the second game of the season and then he later scored in that very game he took the hit. Don't think that hit had any effect on his play unless we all saw what he was like in college.

Yah, not sure I am buying that about Da Costa. He's soft, there's not much to it and I don't think the Pahneuf hit did anything to really alter that. Clouston sat him because of the fly byes against Philly in his forst 2 or 3 games, I was there and noticed how soft he was then. The guy's skill is off the charts, he has decent speed and he knows what to do with the puck. Then you look at a guy like Pageau who doesn't have the same kind of skill (lots of it still) but he's not scared and he gets into the dirty area's to make plays and it drives other teams nuts when the smaller guys just have no quit int them.

Da Costa's best chance to make it in Ottawa and the NHL in general is as a winger. He doesn't play hard enough or nearly responsible enough to be a center, that's not his game. If he has the puck he can make plays, I think a lot of people believe in his skill but he has not been put in a position to succeed yet and you no what? MacLean has no reason to give him that opportunity either because you have to earn it.

NEELY wrote:I like the idea of White but not sure if he is capable of playing top 4 mins... maybe he is, maybe he isn't but it didn't work in Detroit and if things don't work in Detroit it should be a big red flag that it won't work in Ottawa or won't be given a chance to work. There is nothing about that organization that MacLean doesn't know and won't talk to Murray about.

Clitsome is interesting, he's a bottom 6 guy and would add some depth but is that what they need? Maybe the idea is going to be to split time in the top 4 between Gryba, Wiercioch, Benoit, Clitsome (if Ev wish comes true), and just rotate them in and out as the situation calls for,

The one guy getting shuffled back right now is Boroweicki, he's going to have a real tough time finding a regular spot in the lineup if there is even a chance he can find one. IMO he's ready and the only place he can possibly take the next step is in the NHL.

Truth be told, I would bet on one of Cowen or Wiercioch getting dealt in the off season. This isn't a knock on either of them but too many LH shots on the blueline and Ottawa needs to make a move for a top line scoring winger... you have to give to get. You hope and believe Weircioch is the guy that they will try and move but I don't think it's out of the question that Cowen would be the guy on the move, just not as likely.

Either way, the draft has to play out before Ottawa makes any serious moves. They could very well move that pick to get a guy like Ryan or Vanek, they could do a lot of things with their current roster.

Guys who I don't think see another day in Ottawa who's rights are owned by the Sens... JOB, Da Costa, and more than likely Weircioch. JOB will prob be moved for a 5th or 6th, da Costa in a bigger move, and Weircioch as a bigger piece.

Don't forget about Sdoa as well. They're apparently really high on that kid, so he might see some time as a call up if he performs well in Bingo.

Cowen = massive deal - not my idea of a guy I'd like to part with.

Wiercioch = a small piece in a bigger deal, but I doubt he'd be a huge piece in terms of value.

I could deal with Gryba being on the 2nd pairing and shifting guys in and out with Phillips - as long as we get a couple of scoring forward. No more farting around with guys like Lundin.

I've said it for a while, but I'm willing to deal weircioch for Boyle....

Wiercioch came in as a rookie onto a team decimated with injuries and put up close to a point every two games. Not too shabby. But he is not going to play ahead of Methot and Cowen, and unless Phillips is playing the right side that leaves him battling for the rd pairing duties with #4. It's doable, for sure, but I still would prefer having another RHS back there, which likely means trade/FA. And then you have Wiercioch as a 6/7 competing with Phillips and call-ups (assuming Benoit signs elsewhere). He needs a regular (even if a third-pairing) shift plus time on the PP. If he is not going to get it here then they may as well move him for a forward. It's not going to be a one-for-one swap, but he's going to be more than just a throw-in. He is a legit NHL defenseman with good up-side.

Michallica wrote:I've said it for a while, but I'm willing to deal weircioch for Boyle....

A doesn't sound like SJS wants to deal Boyle, it's most likely he gets an extention, B they'd want much more then Weir

NO way they should trade Cowen. A kid who basically has played 1 NHL season.

He would have been a top 5 draft pick if not for the knee injury.

You can't teach big & mean.. Sure he had a rough stint after coming back from the hip injury.. but he will be fully healed by Sept..

I don't think Murray is that stupid to trade Cowen...

Karlsson, Methot & Cowen will be the cornerstones of the Sens D in the future..

Weircioch.. maybe dealt.. but he is probably the best PMD after Karlsson the Sens have right now..

Sens do need an experienced D to play with Cowen this season... Will be interesting who they bring in..

As for getting Vanek.... only if a sign & trade. As for Ryan.. Anaheim would be better off now.. trading him to Philly for Couturier ++ now.. as they will only have Ryan for 2 more seasons...

sandysensfan wrote:NO way they should trade Cowen. A kid who basically has played 1 NHL season.

He would have been a top 5 draft pick if not for the knee injury.

You can't teach big & mean.. Sure he had a rough stint after coming back from the hip injury.. but he will be fully healed by Sept..

I don't think Murray is that stupid to trade Cowen...

Karlsson, Methot & Cowen will be the cornerstones of the Sens D in the future..

Weircioch.. maybe dealt.. but he is probably the best PMD after Karlsson the Sens have right now..

Sens do need an experienced D to play with Cowen this season... Will be interesting who they bring in..

As for getting Vanek.... only if a sign & trade. As for Ryan.. Anaheim would be better off now.. trading him to Philly for Couturier ++ now.. as they will only have Ryan for 2 more seasons...

1. Who cares. Methot would have been a 1st rounder if teams knew he would have been this good. Draft position is 100% the most irrelevant argument you could ever make for any player in any sport. It does not matter. Never use it again.

2. Murray isn't stupid enough to deal Cowen? If tomorrow the Pens came knocking and were offering up Malkin but a deal would have to include Cowen, Murray isn't dumb enough not to trade Cowen.

Guys like Cowen would only get traded if there is someone else in the organization who can bring what he brings otherwise we're filling a hole at the expense of creating one elsewhere.

I wouldn't trade Cowen, closest thing to Chara that we've had since he left.