GAME DAY: New York Rangers @ Ottawa Senators :: 7:30pm ET :: Tue. Mar. 18th, 2014

SpezDispenser wrote:I'll really miss Spezza's offense though.  Even through this horrific year, he must still lead the team in points.  The other parts of his game I won't miss, but we have precious little scoring talent as it is - I hope Murray can make a trade that solidifies us and ads a power forward who can actually score.

I'm nervous and excited about this off-season - more nervous right now.

Who gives a f***? This is a none playoff team with Spezza and I'll bet you any amount of money and I'll bet everything I have that they can be a none playoff team without him too.

The Sens are a better team without Spezza, it's been proven. Would rather see them lose a game 2-1, be working and building towards something than the crap everyone has been handed this year.

Show me the PPG guys in Boston. Show me that all offense, one dimensional center in St.Louis. LA has how many players like Spezza? Players like Spezza are the reasons teams don't win so that offense you love is a mirage. Get over it because it doesn't win hockey games.

Michallica wrote:Btw how are any of the 4 goals allowed in the 2nd period spezza's fault? How about that shorthanded goal? It's not a deep rooted problem we all think it is, we just don't have good enough players nor do we have the right system

No one is blaming Spezza for the loss. The direction of the team and the way it should be being built is, right now on Spezza because you can't have him on a team that depends on structure to succeed. The Sens are way too young to have Spezza leading the way, young teams need to learn a lot of other things before they really start to win and become contenders and to do that you need to learn how to play without the puck. Spezza being a guy that has refused to do that his entire career prevents that.

Spezza has to go before the Sens turn the corner... there are other players to build around that could one day bring Ottawa to contender status. Spezza isn't one of them.

Michallica wrote:Btw how are any of the 4 goals allowed in the 2nd period spezza's fault? How about that shorthanded goal? It's not a deep rooted problem we all think it is, we just don't have good enough players nor do we have the right system

If you can't see the Sens play and the way they are talking and the actual rumours of Spezza moving at the deadline and not come to the conclusion that the room and team is totally poisoned I am not sure what to tell you.

On top of all that he has 1 year left on his deal, he's injury riddled, and chances of Spezza wanting to resign or the Sens wanting him to are pretty low even if he hasn't asked for Murray to explore a trade. I can't even imagine next season starting with Spezza unsigned and the rumours and constant talk about it all season long.

Also as I said earlier they need to give Lehner the net... he should have been given the net after getting off to an all-star/all world start before he and the team was crushed by MacLean. Anderson is also a guy with 1 year left on his deal and that has to be taken care of as well. They moved Bishop in favour of Lehner so either go with him or don't... you can't be 1/2 pregnant.

Todd White is basically saying exactly what I have been saying. The team is a reflection of Spezza.

NEELY wrote:The team was close to perfect this year without Spezza, with him they have been awful.  The best hockey the Sens have played in the last 2 seasons were all without Spezza.

Wait, what? 2 seasons ago this was a team led by Karlsson and Spezza that made the playoffs. He was fantastic. Don't mention the last 2 seasons - one of which the guy didn't even play in - without mentioning his fantastic performance the year before.

We've got two stinking wins since the all star break, and lost all absolutely winnable games.

What's a Cussing shame is if they could have gained on columbus, devils, and of course the Rangers and easily joined back into the conversation. SO. PISSED. OFF.

He was great but the team still only finished 8th. The team has been mediocre for the last 7 years.

This is all a gong show that was created by Melnyk not anteing up for Alfie - whether we thought it was a good idea or not. For the sake of 2 million dollars or whatever they disagreed on, the season is now done. I guess the flip side is we've seen there's no leadership coming from Spezza, Phillips or Neil.

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:The team was close to perfect this year without Spezza, with him they have been awful.  The best hockey the Sens have played in the last 2 seasons were all without Spezza.

Wait, what?  2 seasons ago this was a team led by Karlsson and Spezza that made the playoffs.  He was fantastic.  Don't mention the last 2 seasons - one of which the guy didn't even play in - without mentioning his fantastic performance the year before.

He was awesome 2 seasons ago. He also had Alfie aka Spezza's crutch. He doesn't have it anymore and it's more than obvious. Easy to look good when you are not the go to guy but I won't discredit the best season of his career. That said, it's over, he will NEVER have a season like that again in Ottawa. Teams with players like Spezza at the helm DO NOT WIN. You want to look for a team with similar circumstances look at Washington.

There is an obvious template in the NHL that works and the Sens with Spezza are basically exactly what those teams feast on.

SpezDispenser wrote:This is all a gong show that was created by Melnyk not anteing up for Alfie - whether we thought it was a good idea or not.  For the sake of 2 million dollars or whatever they disagreed on, the season is now done.  I guess the flip side is we've seen there's no leadership coming from Spezza, Phillips or Neil.  

This is just IMO but I don't think they resign Phillips if they planned on having Spezza back.

Ev wrote:He was great but the team still only finished 8th. The team has been mediocre for the last 7 years.

Well, this is Murray's chance to shake up the landscape a lot. He could change Michalek and Spezza and Hemsky all in one shot this summer and either crash and burn or make the team better. There's also nothing saying that the D should stay the same I guess, so maybe Methot is in play, Cowen, Wiercioch, maybe Anderson - although Lehner's been pretty average this year, maybe even Neil - although I don't think Murray wants to or has the stones.

It all depends on Spezza, the whole thing hinges on him. If he actually wants out and submits a list, then it's game on, if not...who knows what Murray will do.

Ottawa's D is the youngest in the NHL and is being carried by a 23 year old right now so any big changes there is a mistake. Again, the biggest thing that needs to change is Spezza. Michalek is a minor cog in the machine, him staying or leaving isn't going to change a lot so it's kind of pointless.

The team is void of leadership, an identity, and character. Moving Spezza forces it on someone else and that's what Ottawa needs.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Ev wrote:He was great but the team still only finished 8th. The team has been mediocre for the last 7 years.

Well, this is Murray's chance to shake up the landscape a lot.  He could change Michalek and Spezza and Hemsky all in one shot this summer and either crash and burn or make the team better.  There's also nothing saying that the D should stay the same I guess, so maybe Methot is in play, Cowen, Wiercioch, maybe Anderson - although Lehner's been pretty average this year, maybe even Neil - although I don't think Murray wants to or has the stones.

It all depends on Spezza, the whole thing hinges on him.  If he actually wants out and submits a list, then it's game on, if not...who knows what Murray will do.

It all depends on Murray. If Murray says "we don't want you" then Spezza will give a list. I've said it 100 times too I question whether Murray has the balls to do it.

He has to give a list if he has it in his contract

Ev wrote:He has to give a list if he has it in his contract

Yah but it doesn't depend on what Spezza wants... depends on what Murray wants.

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:He has to give a list if he has it in his contract

Yah but it doesn't depend on what Spezza wants... depends on what Murray wants.  

That's what I meant, if Murray's asks him for it he has to give it.

At the end of the day Murray has to make moves that will force MacLean to play a certain way and that's with youth and grit. With hard work, character, players buying in, and enthusiasm goals and wins will take care of themselves. MacLean is trying to make chicken salad with chicken sh*t and there needs to be a clear direction.