GAME DAY: Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators :: 5:00pm ET :: Sun. Mar. 30th, 2014

Ev wrote:a couple of things. One, Da Costa would just go to Europe if he was behind everybody even next year. Two, Wiercioch and Karlsson is a complete non-starter for me - disaster waiting to happen. Cowen-Gryba, you just said we need a veteran for Cowen the other week. And we can't do a complete 180 with Spezza, you either say he's gone or you don't. We can't re-sign the guy if we can't win anything with him.

You keep forgetting that we don't have a say in this.

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:Not convinced Murray will actually trade Spezza, that's all I am saying.  Murray will obviously make some moves that will try and help the team long and short term but trading the guy he has done everything for and gone to extreme lengths to protect won't happen IMO.  Like I have said many times before he doesn't have the balls to do it.

Yeah, with Bob MacKenzie saying he's heard they are talking extension it doesn't look good for the Spezza bashers.  Me, I've come to accept his limitations and still think there is a place on a competing team for an offensively gifted/defensively challenged player.  Just as long as the rest of the team doesn't take their cue from him.

i've heard that stuff too. doesn't mean BM isn't evaluating his options. could also be pricing himself out of a deal to facilitate a trade afterwards. making it clear to spezza that it's time to move on. there's a lot of strategies possible within all kinds of negotiations.

Flo The Action wrote:

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:Not convinced Murray will actually trade Spezza, that's all I am saying.  Murray will obviously make some moves that will try and help the team long and short term but trading the guy he has done everything for and gone to extreme lengths to protect won't happen IMO.  Like I have said many times before he doesn't have the balls to do it.

Yeah, with Bob MacKenzie saying he's heard they are talking extension it doesn't look good for the Spezza bashers.  Me, I've come to accept his limitations and still think there is a place on a competing team for an offensively gifted/defensively challenged player.  Just as long as the rest of the team doesn't take their cue from him.

i've heard that stuff too. doesn't mean BM isn't evaluating his options. could also be pricing himself out of a deal to facilitate a trade afterwards. making it clear to spezza that it's time to move on. there's a lot of strategies possible within all kinds of negotiations.

Murray's history is pretty clear though, he believe in Spezza and believes players like him are almost impossible to find.  Again, if Spezza is back then you just hope it works out even if you believe it won't.

NEELY wrote:

Like I said above, if Spezza plays even hockey at ES then that's all people should expect from him and he can be successful.  Also, based on Hemsky's comments today it sounds like if Spezza is back he will be a lot more likely to sign... basically stated I won't be back if Spezza isn't (that's how I took it). 

Can you post the full comments or a link?

tim1_2 wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:MacA/Turris/Stone
Lazar/Z-Bad/Ryan
Hoffman/Pageau (or whoever, maybe Cogliano or Stastny)/Hemsky
Greening/Smith/Neil

make it happen murry

brutal... that is a very green line-up on the top 3 lines.

If we're gonna go "young", might as well embrace it.  Plus, it's #budget friendly, so you know The Euge will love it!

Our "veteran" forwards in Spezza and Michalek didn't exactly get us a lot of Ws this year, did they??

ya then there's too young like the isles or edm. even if you have to bring in someone (through a trade or FA) you do it. you need experienced direction and from what i see in that line-up it's lacking a little too much.
I believe we might be looking at placing an A permanently on Turris next season(if neal is moved out, or something similar happens) he's still too green to be a captain but i believe he might be one in the making.

BM may pull the old "Alfie" with Spezza this summer. Offer him an insulting deal that he definitely won't take and then say "Welp, we tried, but he wouldn't sign!"....and then trade him. Hopefully.

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Like I said above, if Spezza plays even hockey at ES then that's all people should expect from him and he can be successful.  Also, based on Hemsky's comments today it sounds like if Spezza is back he will be a lot more likely to sign... basically stated I won't be back if Spezza isn't (that's how I took it). 

Can you post the full comments or a link?

Check your Twitter feed....Hemsky said that Spezza is the best centre he's ever played with, and the chance to continue playing with Spezza would factor in Hemsky's free agency decision.

I honestly don't think we need Hemsky at all, so I'd like to see them both gone. I want a lunchpail team.

Ken Warren: Hemsky says Spezza is " obviously the best centre I've ever played with" and that will be factor in UFA discussions after season

https://twitter.com/Citizenkwarren/status/450650231890128896

Lots of tweets regarding this. Interesting.

I'll say this about Spezza too, him being in Ottawa as the captain and the big distraction from everyone else may allow guys like Karlsson, Turris, and who ever else just to play.  I don't envy Murray this summer but one thing that will be unacceptable is if MacLean is fired.

Ev wrote:I honestly don't think we need Hemsky at all, so I'd like to see them both gone. I want a lunchpail team.

Like I said in this entire thread no matter what I or you want, this is the direction they might go.  If they do retain Spezza they sure as hell need to retain Hemsky otherwise it's just going to be the same crap all next year... I might even add Michalek to that list on a short term deal.

I'll be shocked if they trade Spezza in the off-season. The more likely scenario is an extension for Spezza and re-signing Hemsky. But, stranger things have happened...

The one good thing about going into next year with a Michalek/Spezza/Hemsky line is that we'll quickly get the opportunity to see what life would've been like without them, once they are all injured.

shabbs wrote:I'll be shocked if they trade Spezza in the off-season. The more likely scenario is an extension for Spezza and re-signing Hemsky. But, stranger things have happened...

Don't think shocked is the word but surprised might be more apt.  I'll just say this, if Hemsky is resigned Spezza is coming back and if that happens they are probably looking to extend him.  Michalek is a wild card but if those 2 are back you may as well sign him to a 2 year deal and see where that goes, see if someone can push him out of that spot.

On a related note it isn't surprising to see 2 lines clicking after being left alone by MacLean.  Good possibility that's where a lot of the miscommunication from coaches and players along with hard feelings came from this year, the constant shuffling on lines.

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:I honestly don't think we need Hemsky at all, so I'd like to see them both gone. I want a lunchpail team.

Like I said in this entire thread no matter what I or you want, this is the direction they might go.  If they do retain Spezza they sure as hell need to retain Hemsky otherwise it's just going to be the same crap all next year... I might even add Michalek to that list on a short term deal.

your information was they made up their mind with Spezza and he was gone. Maybe this was just your opinion then.

Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:I honestly don't think we need Hemsky at all, so I'd like to see them both gone. I want a lunchpail team.

Like I said in this entire thread no matter what I or you want, this is the direction they might go.  If they do retain Spezza they sure as hell need to retain Hemsky otherwise it's just going to be the same crap all next year... I might even add Michalek to that list on a short term deal.

your information was they made up their mind with Spezza and he was gone. Maybe this was just your opinion then.

Info was for sure they talked about O'Reilly and a Spezza swap.  Neither one of those guys will end up going.  Also, this info came from before the time Hemsky was traded for and like a lot of other things in life opinions and decisions may have changed seeing them together. 

I've always said you take whatever I give out here with a grain of salt, I just share what I hear. 

One thing you have trouble with understanding it seems is today's situation might not be tomorrow's and opinions, personal views, and thus decisions and results changed accordingly.  It's not flip flopping like you claim, this isn't politics.

Again, people are judging Spezza on a year where he missed the entire previous season. I'm not saying they're wrong, but I'm not convinced Murray will just cut bait. We'll see

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:I honestly don't think we need Hemsky at all, so I'd like to see them both gone. I want a lunchpail team.

Like I said in this entire thread no matter what I or you want, this is the direction they might go.  If they do retain Spezza they sure as hell need to retain Hemsky otherwise it's just going to be the same crap all next year... I might even add Michalek to that list on a short term deal.

your information was they made up their mind with Spezza and he was gone. Maybe this was just your opinion then.

Info was for sure they talked about O'Reilly and a Spezza swap.  Neither one of those guys will end up going.  Also, this info came from before the time Hemsky was traded for and like a lot of other things in life opinions and decisions may have changed seeing them together. 

I've always said you take whatever I give out here with a grain of salt, I just share what I hear. 

One thing you have trouble with understanding it seems is today's situation might not be tomorrow's and opinions, personal views, and thus decisions and results changed accordingly.  It's not flip flopping like you claim, this isn't politics.

It is flip flopping, you did it all the time. I'm not saying this makes you stupid or not credible, but yes it is like politics.

Bryan Murray wouldn't change his opinion over Spezza's play in some meaningless games. If he does - well, he's a fool.