GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Florida Panthers :: 7:30pm ET :: Tue. Mar. 25th, 2014

The one guy that needs to disappear is Mr. Jason Spezza. I love him and all, but it's time to go. They were talking about it on Sportsnet last night, and basically the verdict was that he can be a very good #2 centre/PP specialist. Plus, y'know, he's getting older, and back injuries don't go away forever. Get something for him while he's healthy.

If we can keep the Turris line together with a healthy Bobby R, and end up having another top line of Z-Bad, Stone, and Hoffman, so be it.

I wouldn't mind trying to piece together three scoring lines...a new centre (or Lazar), Hemsky, and whoever on wing, and the have the fourth line of Greening/Smith/Neil.

tim1_2 wrote:The one guy that needs to disappear is Mr. Jason Spezza.  I love him and all, but it's time to go.  They were talking about it on Sportsnet last night, and basically the verdict was that he can be a very good #2 centre/PP specialist.  Plus, y'know, he's getting older, and back injuries don't go away forever.  Get something for him while he's healthy.

If we can keep the Turris line together with a healthy Bobby R, and end up having another top line of Z-Bad, Stone, and Hoffman, so be it.  

I wouldn't mind trying to piece together three scoring lines...a new centre (or Lazar), Hemsky, and whoever on wing, and the have the fourth line of Greening/Smith/Neil.

there's no telling that you can actually hand down the number 2 spot to zib and the number 3 to lazar. I expect the sens would receive a center in a trade back. I'm not sure who that is but it would be interesting to see who that is. NYR could send one our way. i'm not sure St-louis would like to part ways with one we'd want. it might come out of nowhere.
I would love to see spezza go to carolina and we get skinner back in that deal. i expect spezza would do better under less pressure in that market. now skinner isn't exactly what we'd need but he'd fit in the youth movement we're trying to build.

tim1_2 wrote:I'm not entirely sure why Michalek was put out there either, and why he tried to go glove side.  Michalek is a woeful 14% in the shootout this year.  I would've given Stone or Karlsson that 3rd shot.

Well, Spezza was 2/9 (22%) before he scored in Tampa. He hasn't been "killing it" either.

As for going glove-side, that was just a brain cramp. He stoned them with his glove all game long. And going backhand after missing the net by 20 feet from 3 feet out in regulation? Like I said, backhand is so hard to predict that unless you are Kovalev you shouldn't use it when the game's on the line. Especially if you are a left-hand shot coming in against the biggest glove in the East.

If you think Carolina is going to take Spezza for Skinner, you're higher than Rob Ford.

Hahahaha, Spezza to Carolina after they've pretty much come out and said they want in a new direction from Staal. Good one.

SpezDispenser wrote:Hahahaha, Spezza to Carolina after they've pretty much come out and said they want in a new direction from Staal.  Good one.

I haven't heard anything from them wanting a different direction from Staal. they said they want change but where did they here from the org that they want to part ways with Staal?

I'd love to see a line of Zibanejad with Hemsky and Hoffman. Imagine when the slowest guy on the line is Zibanejad.

wprager wrote:I'd love to see a line of Zibanejad with Hemsky and Hoffman.  Imagine when the slowest guy on the line is Zibanejad.

solely on paper i can see that line working well. zib with a hell of a shot with Hemsky making the play. sounds like something that could happen quite often.

everyone is saying how well spezza and hemsky are playing but honestly there's no reason those two wouldn't click well.

Flo The Action wrote:

wprager wrote:I'd love to see a line of Zibanejad with Hemsky and Hoffman.  Imagine when the slowest guy on the line is Zibanejad.

solely on paper i can see that line working well. zib with a hell of a shot with Hemsky making the play. sounds like something that could happen quite often.

everyone is saying how well spezza and hemsky are playing but honestly there's no reason those two wouldn't click well.

If that's your third line, you're in good shape. Against smaller teams, that could be your 2nd line. Question is, what is your second line? Assuming Michalek and Spezza are gone, you've got:

Stone, Greening, Smith, then Pageau, Lazar pushing for time.

Can't make a 2nd line out of that. Maybe in 2-3 years' time. Of course we should be getting *something* back for Spezza, but it could be help on D instead of a forward.

So, getting back to the line of thinking of playing Cowen or Wiercioch as a forward?

Cowen or Wiercioch would not play 2nd line forward. Right now our second line is totally up in the air.

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Hahahaha, Spezza to Carolina after they've pretty much come out and said they want in a new direction from Staal.  Good one.

I haven't heard anything from them wanting a different direction from Staal. they said they want change but where did they here from the org that they want to part ways with Staal?

Not that I put much stock in Dreger, but he was reporting it.

tim1_2 wrote:Cowen or Wiercioch would not play 2nd line forward.  Right now our second line is totally up in the air.

Cowen could be a heck of a forward. 6'5", nasty son of a gun.

Otherwise, yeah, the 2nd line is hilariously up in the air going into next season.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Hahahaha, Spezza to Carolina after they've pretty much come out and said they want in a new direction from Staal.  Good one.

I haven't heard anything from them wanting a different direction from Staal. they said they want change but where did they here from the org that they want to part ways with Staal?

Not that I put much stock in Dreger, but he was reporting it.

I have failed to locate it, where?
Friedman is of the opinion that he'd be very surprised if they traded staal.
it makes no sense. they brought in his brother, they're more then likely to add marc staal also at one point. I just don't buy it.

Dreger said it on TSN

It's highly likely Cam Ward will be traded in the summer. Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner could potentially be in play. wrote:

I saw it myself as well. He was questioned by the guys on the panel and he repeated it. Staal wouldn't have been available under Rutherford, but under Francis it's a completely different story. The likelyhood of J.Staal being available is probably high as well, but who would want him right now?

SpezDispenser wrote:I saw it myself as well.  He was questioned by the guys on the panel and he repeated it.  Staal wouldn't have been available under Rutherford, but under Francis it's a completely different story.  The likelyhood of J.Staal being available is probably high as well, but who would want him right now?

again I think those are clearly speculations on his part. I'll be blown away if they deal any of the staals. beyond them, yup they're willing to move Ward for sure. kkinner by the sounds of it.

I think it's the same as the spezza situation from a few years ago, they listened and were looking to see if they could receive an offer that would blow them out of the water.

I doubt they make that trade.

Wonder what the worth of Spezza will be by the end of the season if he keeps producing. I sure hope the trade sentiments don't vanish.

I'd be willing to bet there's significant movement in Carolina.

SpezDispenser wrote:I'd be willing to bet there's significant movement in Carolina.

ya for sure. they're probably looking at making a similar amount of change that we're hoping ottawa will make. different that might be. their defense needs some improvement.