SENS OFF-SEASON TALK 2013

With the division landscape changing, the goal should be to match the likes of Boston, Toronto, Detroit. No one can say Cowen is untouchable, but I wouldn't want to deal a person I think we'll need to match up to these teams. Having Cowen helped us beat the Habs. I don't think we're this desperate or deep to hand over Cowen for a sniper....unless it's the likes of Malkin

I have to agree with Neely on here although I'd like to point out that you have to try anything that is possible in order to keep Cowen. He's scarier to play against every year that goes by.

I find a trade might happen after the FA frenzy happens, especially if Edmonton can't make any decent aquisitions there. They need some grit in the bottom 6 and some help on defense, is it silly to believe that we could package smith with weir with next years 1st for one of the top wingers? Maybe it's a stretch but it might be a scenario

You still need to score goals to win. Hopefully the Sens can make a move where they land a top line winger without moving Cowen because he does matchup well in division and defense wins championships. With that said, all the people going "well Ryan only has 2 years left" or "I wouldn't deal this player for that player", lol, gotta do something because the current Sens roster isn't good enough to get past the likes of Pitt or Boston.

Ottawa is a depth player up front, a top 4 D man, and a legit 1st line winger away from being a legit cup contender. The depth player can probably be brought in via cheap trade of UFA, they have the cap space. The top 4 D man... not sure but they could find one from within if someone is ready to take the next step or via trade. The last part is the hardest and you have to give to get. If they could just give up their 1st rounders this year and next and maybe a mid tier prospect, that would be great but I don't see that happening.

Flo The Action wrote:I have to agree with Neely on here although I'd like to point out that you have to try anything that is possible in order to keep Cowen. He's scarier to play against every year that goes by.

I find a trade might happen after the FA frenzy happens, especially if Edmonton can't make any decent aquisitions there. They need some grit in the bottom 6 and some help on defense, is it silly to believe that we could package smith with weir with next years 1st for one of the top wingers? Maybe it's a stretch but it might be a scenario

Cowen won't be at his best for another 5 or 6 years, at that point he could be the best all around D man in the game. He has all the tools. However Ottawa needs help up front and the best asset they have to move is Zibanejad if they truly believe Pageau is a guy that will make an impact next year and all years going forward.

Tough summer ahead for Murray because he needs to take a home run swing sooner than later and there are some guys that can be had. Everything keeps coming back to Ryan.

LeKing wrote:Karlsson is the only untouchable on this team AFAIC

*AFAIC - As Far As I Care?

NEELY wrote:You still need to score goals to win. Hopefully the Sens can make a move where they land a top line winger without moving Cowen because he does matchup well in division and defense wins championships. With that said, all the people going "well Ryan only has 2 years left" or "I wouldn't deal this player for that player", lol, gotta do something because the current Sens roster isn't good enough to get past the likes of Pitt or Boston.

Ottawa is a depth player up front, a top 4 D man, and a legit 1st line winger away from being a legit cup contender. The depth player can probably be brought in via cheap trade of UFA, they have the cap space. The top 4 D man... not sure but they could find one from within if someone is ready to take the next step or via trade. The last part is the hardest and you have to give to get. If they could just give up their 1st rounders this year and next and maybe a mid tier prospect, that would be great but I don't see that happening.

Sens *were* scoring goals a year ago. Better than 26 other teams. And not a lot has changed since then other than the injuries to Karlsson, Spezza and Michalek (versus Michalek playing 77 last year) and the loss of Foligno (I don't think losing Daugavins and Konopka affected our offence negatively, even accounting for Konopka's face offs).

Would it be great to add another scoring winger? Absolutely. Is it required? Not really, not with the goaltending we have. Look at the Bruins - they survived the season without a single 20 goal scorer, just 10 from Krejci and 7 from Lucic. Is it going to be different next season with Detroit in the mix? Perhaps, but point is we were top-four in the league and we are pretty much the same team, except Alfie is 2 years older, and we have Silfverberg, Zibanejad, Pageau and Conacher replacing the likes of Regin, JOB, Winch and Konopka.

Gonchar is also gone and the ability to move the puck from the Sens zone without Karlsson on the ice is going to be a huge issue. Not sure where they will get that other offensive minded D man from, not sure if they are counting on Weircioch to do that but there needs to be someone who has the ability to do that who is a LH shot.

I don't think the lack of goal scoring this year is a real problem because we all know they can score at a better clip with a healthy lineup. BUT I don't think they are as good as they were in the offensive zone as they were 2 years ago, teams took the Sens lightly. They are somewhere in the middle, average NHL offense and IMO needs to get into the top 10 on a regular basis to be considered a contender. They need 1 or 2 more guys up front, no question.

All things point to Eberle - hopefully.

SpezDispenser wrote:All things point to Eberle - hopefully.

I don't think there's a chance Edmonton lets him go and if they do it will be at the cost of Cowen. We'll see how it plays out but Edmonton isn't going to want picks, they have enough of those.

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:All things point to Eberle - hopefully.

I don't think there's a chance Edmonton lets him go and if they do it will be at the cost of Cowen. We'll see how it plays out but Edmonton isn't going to want picks, they have enough of those.

Yeah, that's what I meant. I'd do Cowen + a little something for Eberle. Maybe Da Costa + and 3rd, something around that. Doubt Edmonton does it, but MacT isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and Murray can be, so we'll see.

Wouldn't do anything more than Cowen for Eberle unless a guy like Petry is coming back and then you throw in the plus like Stone or something.

SpezDispenser wrote:All things point to Eberle - hopefully.

We're not getting Eberle. In fact, I don't think anyone except Edmonton gets Eberle/Hall/RNH for next season. Yakupov is a wild card. I'd say they're looking to move Paajarvi, and he could likely be had for pretty cheap. I'd want a more established player than Paajarvi, but he could be had for the least amount in a trade me thinks.

I'd do Paajarvi for Wiercioch .

Ev wrote:I'd do Paajarvi for Wiercioch .

Makes sense value wise but at the same time that doesn't really make Ottawa's offense better, just more crowded with a lot of the same kind of players... and I am a MSP fan.

Ev wrote:I'd do Paajarvi for Wiercioch .

What for? We have more of a need for Wiercioch than we do MPS right now.

Weircioch ++ for Dan Boyle please instead. Find a Cussing way murray!

Michallica wrote:Weircioch ++ for Dan Boyle please instead. Find a Cussing way murray!

Would you be prepared to deal our 1st round pick this year - a year where the draft is ridiculously deep - for Boyle?

Not sure the Sharks are willing to let Boyle go... they were really close thing year and he still hasn't lost that giant step some people claim he has. He was good all year and stepped up huge in the playoffs. Such a good D man but we'll see what happens with a year left on his deal.