Ottawa Senators TIDBITS & QUICK HITS!

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:Simmonds will also toss em if need be.  He is absolutely a guy that can play with Spezza as well and make him a little better.  Put Greening and Simmonds beside Spezza and then he probably has a chance because he will have a lot more room.  Spezza needs heavy duty help now because as bad as he has been Michalek is the dead weight on that line.

Spezza is only playing in spurts right now so he's not really helping either. The game is there but I'm seeing a guy that's playing through pain.

Don't think there is any question about that and that's why he needs someone to do a little dirty work. Michalek isn't the who can or is willing (one or the other) to do that right now and going forward.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Gagner's soft?  What's Spezza?  What's Turris?  Gagner isn't any softer than a lot of other centers int he NHL.  Again, not sure what games you watch sometimes.

He's soft as butter.  Turris is much tougher IMO, so is Spezza.  Really don't find Gagner tough at all - like...at all.

And wtf is that opinion based on?  Turris isn't tougher than anyone really but he can still play the game at a very high level, same with Gagner.  Jesus man, take off the blinders sometimes.

I don't think you watch Edmonton at all.  Gagner can be moved off the puck like a pee wee player.  Turris isn't your definition of a tough center, but he's improved his board play a lot.  Spezza goes up against the best D-men in the league night in and night out and still puts ups points.

Have a watch of Edmonton some time.  Gagner is talented, but he's exactly as I described him.  Soft, soft, soft.  

Turris is evolving before our eyes right now. He's really turning into that 1st round blue chipper the Coyotes thought he was.

Gagner has had an extremely similar development curve but he is somehow considered soft in this convo...? Turris is going to turn out to be the better player IMO and will look a lot of Boston's #37 when all is said and done. I don't even think it's out of the question he is the sure fire #1 center in Ottawa before the year is up either.

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Gagner's soft?  What's Spezza?  What's Turris?  Gagner isn't any softer than a lot of other centers int he NHL.  Again, not sure what games you watch sometimes.

He's soft as butter.  Turris is much tougher IMO, so is Spezza.  Really don't find Gagner tough at all - like...at all.

And wtf is that opinion based on?  Turris isn't tougher than anyone really but he can still play the game at a very high level, same with Gagner.  Jesus man, take off the blinders sometimes.

I don't think you watch Edmonton at all.  Gagner can be moved off the puck like a pee wee player.  Turris isn't your definition of a tough center, but he's improved his board play a lot.  Spezza goes up against the best D-men in the league night in and night out and still puts ups points.

Have a watch of Edmonton some time.  Gagner is talented, but he's exactly as I described him.  Soft, soft, soft.  

And who in Edmonton's top 6 fights through anything?  They have no support and 6 of the same player (more or less).  Gagner isn't "soft" but he isn't Mike Richards either.  Like Gagner and always have and his year last year doesn't exactly sway my opinion... he had a really solid year.

My opinion on Gagner won't change until I see him not bounced off pucks like my 8 year old nephew. He's got talent, but why do you want a 1-2 punch of Turris and Gagner? Talk about a team that can be shut down in the playoffs. We need strength - and barring that, we need skill like Spezza. Again, why can't you wait and see how it plays out with Spez? Why must we discuss trades that likely won't happen?

And if we're to make a transaction, can't we package Andy with someone else to get Eberle? That's the guy you want from Edmonton. Not sure who else is even worth discussing - you're not getting Hall, Yakupov may or may not be a head case, RNH isn't going anywhere and he's tiny and injury prone.

I don't see Gagner as a need with the centre depth we have. He's a good player, but Turris, Zibanejad, and Pageau are the future in Ottawa.

If Edmonton is trading anybody, they aren't trading one of their centres. They need to get rid of a winger.

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Gagner's soft?  What's Spezza?  What's Turris?  Gagner isn't any softer than a lot of other centers int he NHL.  Again, not sure what games you watch sometimes.

He's soft as butter.  Turris is much tougher IMO, so is Spezza.  Really don't find Gagner tough at all - like...at all.

And wtf is that opinion based on?  Turris isn't tougher than anyone really but he can still play the game at a very high level, same with Gagner.  Jesus man, take off the blinders sometimes.

I don't think you watch Edmonton at all.  Gagner can be moved off the puck like a pee wee player.  Turris isn't your definition of a tough center, but he's improved his board play a lot.  Spezza goes up against the best D-men in the league night in and night out and still puts ups points.

Have a watch of Edmonton some time.  Gagner is talented, but he's exactly as I described him.  Soft, soft, soft.  

And who in Edmonton's top 6 fights through anything?  They have no support and 6 of the same player (more or less).  Gagner isn't "soft" but he isn't Mike Richards either.  Like Gagner and always have and his year last year doesn't exactly sway my opinion... he had a really solid year.

My opinion on Gagner won't change until I see him not bounced off pucks like my 8 year old nephew.  He's got talent, but why do you want a 1-2 punch of Turris and Gagner?  Talk about a team that can be shut down in the playoffs.  We need strength - and barring that, we need skill like Spezza.  Again, why can't you wait and see how it plays out with Spez?  Why must we discuss trades that likely won't happen?

And if we're to make a transaction, can't we package Andy with someone else to get Eberle?  That's the guy you want from Edmonton.  Not sure who else is even worth discussing - you're not getting Hall, Yakupov may or may not be a head case, RNH isn't going anywhere and he's tiny and injury prone.

Since when are your center's the guys that go through the boards? Gagner is only going to get better from this point on, same with Turris.

As for Eberle... yah, maybe you can get him out of Edmonton in an Anderson deal but that is still a lot of RH shots in the top 6 which makes it hard to break out of your own zone at times and easy to defend against entering the zone IE turnovers galour. If Yakupov wasn't such a Russian he would be the ideal winger to come in as a LH shot but that's a guy who is a risk no matter how you look at it.

Ev wrote:I don't see Gagner as a need with the centre depth we have. He's a good player, but Turris, Zibanejad, and Pageau are the future in Ottawa.

If Edmonton is trading anybody, they aren't trading one of their centres. They need to get rid of a winger.

I agree with the Edmonton part but Center depth means having 5 or 6 natural centers in your lineup. Not 3 guys that are really solid centers and if 1 goes down you are screwed or need to find a guy ASAP. You can move a center to the wing.

NEELY wrote:Since when are your center's the guys that go through the boards?  Gagner is only going to get better from this point on, same with Turris.  

As for Eberle... yah, maybe you can get him out of Edmonton in an Anderson deal but that is still a lot of RH shots in the top 6 which makes it hard to break out of your own zone at times and easy to defend against entering the zone IE turnovers galour.  If Yakupov wasn't such a Russian he would be the ideal winger to come in as a LH shot but that's a guy who is a risk no matter how you look at it.

I maintain that you don't need your Cs to 'go through the boards', but he's easily knocked off the puck - and frankly, even though Turris has obviously gotten a lot stronger, we have enough Cs that are easy to knock off the puck.

Anyway...we're early in the year and there's a long way to go before we need to worry about anything like Anderson being dealt IMO.

No way do I want gagne to replace spezza if we'd lose him. there's gotta be a much better replacement out there. even zib i think would do a better job one year from now in the 2 slot and turris in the one slot. I agree that we might have to look elsewhere for a number 1 C but i don't see that being Gagne or coming out of Edmonton.
they need a goalie but if we need a C back it needs to be three ways.

If Edmonton makes a deal for Anderson it will be within the next 2 weeks. Might be why you see Anderson take the next 3 games as well if they want to showcase a little.

I still maintain a decent trade would be Michalek/Anderson/Stone for Dubnyk/Yakupov but man, tough to really want Yakupov at this point, so many red flags but he's a fast, LH shot who can score goals.

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Gagner's soft?  What's Spezza?  What's Turris?  Gagner isn't any softer than a lot of other centers int he NHL.  Again, not sure what games you watch sometimes.

He's soft as butter.  Turris is much tougher IMO, so is Spezza.  Really don't find Gagner tough at all - like...at all.

And wtf is that opinion based on?  Turris isn't tougher than anyone really but he can still play the game at a very high level, same with Gagner.  Jesus man, take off the blinders sometimes.

I don't think you watch Edmonton at all.  Gagner can be moved off the puck like a pee wee player.  Turris isn't your definition of a tough center, but he's improved his board play a lot.  Spezza goes up against the best D-men in the league night in and night out and still puts ups points.

Have a watch of Edmonton some time.  Gagner is talented, but he's exactly as I described him.  Soft, soft, soft.  

And who in Edmonton's top 6 fights through anything?  They have no support and 6 of the same player (more or less).  Gagner isn't "soft" but he isn't Mike Richards either.  Like Gagner and always have and his year last year doesn't exactly sway my opinion... he had a really solid year.

My opinion on Gagner won't change until I see him not bounced off pucks like my 8 year old nephew.  He's got talent, but why do you want a 1-2 punch of Turris and Gagner?  Talk about a team that can be shut down in the playoffs.  We need strength - and barring that, we need skill like Spezza.  Again, why can't you wait and see how it plays out with Spez?  Why must we discuss trades that likely won't happen?

And if we're to make a transaction, can't we package Andy with someone else to get Eberle?  That's the guy you want from Edmonton.  Not sure who else is even worth discussing - you're not getting Hall, Yakupov may or may not be a head case, RNH isn't going anywhere and he's tiny and injury prone.

that's wishful thinking. Mac gets crucified if he does that. if they are to move one of their big guys they will have to bring back a great goalie and a solid, solid top 4 with top 2 potential. that deal starts with a
Andy and Cowen. personally i'm not willing to part with Cowen

Flo The Action wrote:No way do I want gagne to replace spezza if we'd lose him. there's gotta be a much better replacement out there. even zib i think would do a better job one year from now in the 2 slot and turris in the one slot. I agree that we might have to look elsewhere for a number 1 C but i don't see that being Gagne or coming out of Edmonton.
they need a goalie but if we need a C back it needs to be three ways.

It's about depth, not for a guy coming in and trying to replace someone. You don't need 90-100 point production from your "#1" center. You're #1 center needs to be Toews, Bergeron, Datsyuk... Those are developed over time and I think Turris might be in that conversation in 3 or 4 years. Having a Gagner type to take the pressure off in terms of production would be huge to go along with Zibanejad.

I wouldn't deal Cowen straight up for Eberle.

I think soon everyone will be on Pageau's bandwagon again. Message sent by Mac the other night - and I'm sure received by Pageau. He's the little engine that could. I'm excited to see what he brings tonight.

No need for Sam Gagner if we're thinking long term (which we are, since Spezza is still here for 2 seasons at least).

It should be Turris, Zibanejad, Pageau and Lazar down the middle in 2 years and it should be good enough.

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:I don't see Gagner as a need with the centre depth we have. He's a good player, but Turris, Zibanejad, and Pageau are the future in Ottawa.

If Edmonton is trading anybody, they aren't trading one of their centres. They need to get rid of a winger.

I agree with the Edmonton part but Center depth means having 5 or 6 natural centers in your lineup.  Not 3 guys that are really solid centers and if 1 goes down you are screwed or need to find a guy ASAP.  You can move a center to the wing.

We have that with Spezza, Turris, Pageau, Zibanejad, Smith right now.

I like Gagner I just don't see the need.

If Anderson is traded I would like to see Oscar Klefbom come back as part of the package even though he is a bit injury-prone.

NEELY wrote:If Edmonton makes a deal for Anderson it will be within the next 2 weeks.  Might be why you see Anderson take the next 3 games as well if they want to showcase a little.  

I still maintain a decent trade would be Michalek/Anderson/Stone for Dubnyk/Yakupov but man, tough to really want Yakupov at this point, so many red flags but he's a fast, LH shot who can score goals.  

I probably wouldn't cry if that deal happens. it's with the hopes that Yak could be turned around within a solidly coached and managed team. if there are teams that can do this Ottawa has to be one of them IMO. still i think EDM wants cowen in that deal or possibly someone other Dman in a mix.

NEELY wrote:I wouldn't deal Cowen straight up for Eberle.

That's a tough one. I don't think I'd do it either. The D is set in Ottawa for the next 10+ years, if you take a piece out, it's possible it'll show weaknesses exactly when we don't want it to.

That said, Eberle is a damn good player - and one of the only true 'winners' I think Edmonton has.

Eberle was the most overrated player in the league after his rookie year.