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

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.

SpezDispenser wrote: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

Exactly, neither am I.  I don't believe Murray will end up making that deal or "has the balls to" like I have stated before.  So I am forming an opinion or giving my view on what will make Spezza successful along with the Sens based on that hypothetical. 

Also, anyone that saw pre-Hemsky Spezza play vs post-Hemsky Spezza is kidding themselves if they say they don't feel a little more optimistic with the latter.  I think Spezza will end up going back to his old ways and the contract extension will become somewhat of an anchor but there is something to at least alter your view on things a little.

Ev wrote:

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.

Nope but he would seeing how he is playing with Hemsky.  If Spezza was playing the way he did for 66% of the season with Hemsky then I would say everyone would have thrown up their hands and said "it's not going to work".  Fact is there is something Murray and a lot of people can hang on to seeing how they operate together and yes, you can flip your opinion just like that.  You want to call it flip flopping, go ahead but it's not always a bad thing.  Rather that then someone so stuck on something that it's a done deal and no matter what there is no changing their minds, that's when people get into trouble.

And even with the losing streak Spezza has been exactly even since Hemsky showed up in Ottawa.  Again I don't like Spezza as a player, I do not like the way he plays a lot of the time, and I am of the opinion he should be traded but if you are looking for a tangible improvement that's a pretty important stat for him. 

Jesus, I feel like I am defending a player I can barely stand.

Neely, you are defending a player you can barely stand. Also, you have said forever that Spezza will never change.

tim1_2 wrote:Neely, you are defending a player you can barely stand.  Also, you have said forever that Spezza will never change.

I don't think he will, lol.  Like I said if I could trade him the day after the season ended I would.  I am simply giving reasons why Murray would take a 2nd look outside of my personal opinions and bias.  You don't have to like the guy to know he's been better with Hemsky than without him, whatever the reason for that is you can decide for yourself but it doesn't make it a false statement. 

There are probably 100 scenario's they are going through from now until the draft in terms of what to do, who to sign, who to draft, who will make the team next year (or has a shot), etc, etc, etc.  Am I wrong in saying if they sign Hemsky there is a good possibility and almost a certainty Spezza is back?

NEELY wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:Neely, you are defending a player you can barely stand.  Also, you have said forever that Spezza will never change.

I don't think he will, lol.  Like I said if I could trade him the day after the season ended I would.  I am simply giving reasons why Murray would take a 2nd look outside of my personal opinions and bias.  You don't have to like the guy to know he's been better with Hemsky than without him, whatever the reason for that is you can decide for yourself but it doesn't make it a false statement. 

There are probably 100 scenario's they are going through from now until the draft in terms of what to do, who to sign, who to draft, who will make the team next year (or has a shot), etc, etc, etc.  Am I wrong in saying if they sign Hemsky there is a good possibility and almost a certainty Spezza is back?

Come on, why do you think he's been better since Murray acquired Hemsky?

No offense to Greening and whatever crappy players Spezza got stuck with all season, but one thing's certain:  Michalek has blown arse for almost the entire year.  There's no real coincidence that when Michalek started playing better, Spezza did too.  Add in that Murray went out (too late) and got Spezza a real, NHL caliber winger and it's not hard to put 2 and 2 together.

F-ing Michalek was dreadful this year and it was NOT helped by the fact that on Spezza's right you had Cory Conacher or whatever other offensive void they plopped next to him.  Factor in also that Spezza missed the entire year, like Cowen did, and you have a pretty fair answer to the question IMO.

Trying to fit Conacher into the lineup all year long hurt the Sens more than people may want to admit and that's 100% on Murray. He made an awful deal and it cost him.

Diddle yeah. Where was MacLean's benching on Conacher? At least Wiercioch is a decent player. Conacher would look good for 5 games, then terrible for 20.

NEELY wrote:

Jesus, I feel like I am defending a player I can barely stand.

For what it's worth, he can barely stand you, old friend.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Jesus, I feel like I am defending a player I can barely stand.

For what it's worth, he can barely stand you, old friend.

This is true as well.

SpezDispenser wrote:Diddle yeah.  Where was MacLean's benching on Conacher?  At least Wiercioch is a decent player.  Conacher would look good for 5 games, then terrible for 20.

Conacher playing was absolutely on Murray. I don't buy for a second MacLean ever really wanted him in the lineup as much as he played him.

NEELY wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Jesus, I feel like I am defending a player I can barely stand.

For what it's worth, he can barely stand you, old friend.

This is true as well.

Sorry I had to put that out there.

tim1_2 wrote:Resigning MacArthur is a no-brainer (same with Ryan), but it'll come down to how much $$$ is Eugene willing to pony-up.  

If Melnyk won't pony up the money to re-sign both of these players then I think the fans revolt..

tim1_2 wrote:On Da Costa, I guess it depends if any current roster players are shown the door this off-season.  Kassian probably won't be retained, but I can see Stone being pencilled in for the big club, Hoffman, and then also maybe they keep a spot open for Lazar or Puempel or Pageau (who is a point-per-game and +17 in the AHL, btw).

Speaking of DaCosta.. .he received a bad injury on Saturday, as described below for a guy who works with the billet person that DaCosta stayed with when in Ottawa..

"just Steph's luck, he got high sticked in the face on Saturdaya nd is now out for who knows how long, his nose is shattered, he needs reconstructive plastic surgery....and the guy gets a 2 min...this is the Syracuse crunch team, they are bushwakers...i saw them a few weeks back and couldn't believe their lack of respect for the opponent/game, they kept hacking and ankles, back of leg and head, but this is just awful. his whole face is swollen and the pain is just awful"

NEELY wrote: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.

I would be extremely mad and upset if MacLean is fired. He's been here 3 yrs and had 2 really good ones.. so they fire him for 1 'disappointing' season? If you want one of the main reasons this team had the season it did, is to look to the owner who wouldn't pay Alfie..