2014 Ottawa Senators Off Season Talk

Flo The Action wrote:

NEELY wrote:

sandysensfan wrote:

NEELY wrote:We'll see.

One captain leaving after 17 yrs.  The other captain traded the next season.  Budget..  Big mouth owner.. calling other Owner's idiots..  Yeah.. I don't think too many decent UFAs will look Ottawa's way.

Drama is for the media, Sandy.  That's it.  

Drama is for sure for the media but melnyk needs to give BM a Cussing check book to go after a some of these guys. there's not many reasons why he's holding on to the lip service. that casino is long gone.

Did they not sign MacArthur and trade in salary for Ryan last summer? That's what, 9 mill right there?

Seriously. They need to spend some money so someone does need to come in.

Ev wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

NEELY wrote:

sandysensfan wrote:

NEELY wrote:We'll see.

One captain leaving after 17 yrs.  The other captain traded the next season.  Budget..  Big mouth owner.. calling other Owner's idiots..  Yeah.. I don't think too many decent UFAs will look Ottawa's way.

Drama is for the media, Sandy.  That's it.  

Drama is for sure for the media but melnyk needs to give BM a Cussing check book to go after a some of these guys. there's not many reasons why he's holding on to the lip service. that casino is long gone.

Did they not sign MacArthur and trade in salary for Ryan last summer? That's what, 9 mill right there?

spezza's actual salary reduction, silf's and alfie's money out ryan's money and mac's money in. did we over spend?

melnyk is going to justify the raises for players as spending. sure we don't need to max to the cap but some investments into FA when it's needed and with top players would be nice.

He can't justify any raises as spending this year really. Lehner and Zibanejad is it? Maybe Michalek who could even end up being a pay cut, but that won't do it at all. We'll get someone but I doubt it's statsny.

SpezDispenser wrote:He can't justify any raises as spending this year really. Lehner and Zibanejad is it? Maybe Michalek who could even end up being a pay cut, but that won't do it at all. We'll get someone but I doubt it's statsny.

They got Ryan when Alfie left; you don't think they would try to make a big splash if they move Spezza?

Ev wrote:

Did they not sign MacArthur and trade in salary for Ryan last summer? That's what, 9 mill right there?

Easy to do when you let Gonchar and Alfie go.

And they are probably letting Spezza, Michalek, and Hemsky go along with at least another 2 mil on the back end.  Would you not call that a very similar situation?

NEELY wrote:And they are probably letting Spezza, Michalek, and Hemsky go along with at least another 2 mil on the back end.  Would you not call that a very similar situation?

It is all the same. Money out, money in, total $ spent on salary not much different from previous year.

Hopefully the team will be better.

Hoags wrote:

NEELY wrote:And they are probably letting Spezza, Michalek, and Hemsky go along with at least another 2 mil on the back end.  Would you not call that a very similar situation?

It is all the same.  Money out, money in, total $ spent on salary not much different from previous year.

Hopefully the team will be better.

Well that's exactly my point right now.  I don't agree with a lot of what Melnyk says but in terms of spending right now he's right, throwing money out the window for guys who are just available and don't really have a fit in Ottawa is stupid.  They will be spending money on a UFA and they probably have a target (I know one is Stastny) and if the deal they make for Spezza involves wingers and D then they have money to use to get the center they need.

Wouldn't it be something if the Sens could walk away with a guy like Boedker, Samulsson, and a 1st?  Something along those lines?  Trade for Stewart.  Go out sign Stastny.  Salary would end up being around 56-57 mil, right where the Sens and Melnyk wanted to be.  Team is also way better than it was in game 82 as well.

NEELY wrote:
Well that's exactly my point right now.  I don't agree with a lot of what Melnyk says but in terms of spending right now he's right, throwing money out the window for guys who are just available and don't really have a fit in Ottawa is stupid.  They will be spending money on a UFA and they probably have a target (I know one is Stastny) and if the deal they make for Spezza involves wingers and D then they have money to use to get the center they need.

Wouldn't it be something if the Sens could walk away with a guy like Boedker, Samulsson, and a 1st?  Something along those lines?  Trade for Stewart.  Go out sign Stastny.  Salary would end up being around 56-57 mil, right where the Sens and Melnyk wanted to be.  Team is also way better than it was in game 82 as well.

You'll get no argument from me, I don't mind smart spending. I just think that winning a Cup being in the bottom third of spending in the NHL is going to require a Dung ton of luck.

Don't really think Stewart is a fit either, not a 2-way player at all although he fills a need.

The point is we don't win a cup right now whether we spend or not so it would be stupid to throw money. When we are ready (i.e the Lazars, Zibanejads, Cowen, Wiercioch, Ceci etc are ready) and we don't pay to keep them or to upgrade then I'll be pissed.

Spezza bounced back as the year went on, and if he's given the chance to next year, and he stays healthy, he will bounce back to being one of the top 10 - 15 players in the league. If the Sens want to compete he's going to be a very important part of that, if the Sens don't want to compete they'll move him and we're in for a few rough years.

  

Hoags wrote:

NEELY wrote:
Well that's exactly my point right now.  I don't agree with a lot of what Melnyk says but in terms of spending right now he's right, throwing money out the window for guys who are just available and don't really have a fit in Ottawa is stupid.  They will be spending money on a UFA and they probably have a target (I know one is Stastny) and if the deal they make for Spezza involves wingers and D then they have money to use to get the center they need.

Wouldn't it be something if the Sens could walk away with a guy like Boedker, Samulsson, and a 1st?  Something along those lines?  Trade for Stewart.  Go out sign Stastny.  Salary would end up being around 56-57 mil, right where the Sens and Melnyk wanted to be.  Team is also way better than it was in game 82 as well.

You'll get no argument from me, I don't mind smart spending.  I just think that winning a Cup being in the bottom third of spending in the NHL is going to require a Dung ton of luck.

Don't really think Stewart is a fit either, not a 2-way player at all although he fills a need.

Like dude said above this reply, if and when the core starts to leave because of the budget that is when you can start maybe saying "wtf is going on?".  The guy I want to see the team build around for a long time are Turris, Karlsson, Lehner (3 most important) and then Ryan, Ceci, Stone, Cowen/Wiercioch, Lazar, Zibanejad.  If they can sign MacArthur long term I would be real happy as well. Who knows what they bring in for Spezza but you can bet it will be a good piece as well.

People need to take a step back and just let Melnyk yap away and take it all with a grain of salt.

Ev wrote:Spezza bounced back as the year went on, and if he's given the chance to next year, and he stays healthy, he will bounce back to being one of the top 10 - 15 players in the league. If the Sens want to compete he's going to be a very important part of that, if the Sens don't want to compete they'll move him and we're in for a few rough years.

  

I know this isn't your opinion, lol.

People who think the Sens would be rebuilding if they traded Spezza are nuts.

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:He can't justify any raises as spending this year really. Lehner and Zibanejad is it?  Maybe Michalek who could even end up being a pay cut, but that won't do it at all.  We'll get someone but I doubt it's statsny.

They got Ryan when Alfie left; you don't think they would try to make a big splash if they move Spezza?

That's what I mean, there's no way Melnyk can justify not spending some money.

Ev wrote:People who think the Sens would be rebuilding if they traded Spezza are nuts.

Seriously, the rebuilding is done, it's all tweeking at this point and a little luck that all the players develop at a decent rate and close to their ceilings.  Franchise goalie?  Got it.  Franchise D man?  Got it.  #1 center and depth down the middle?  Got it.  Goal scoring wingers?  Got em.  Organizational depth?  Got it.  There are some pieces missing but that's the tweeking.

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:People who think the Sens would be rebuilding if they traded Spezza are nuts.

Seriously, the rebuilding is done, it's all tweeking at this point and a little luck that all the players develop at a decent rate and close to their ceilings.  Franchise goalie?  Got it.  Franchise D man?  Got it.  #1 center and depth down the middle?  Got it.  Goal scoring wingers?  Got em.  Organizational depth?  Got it.  There are some pieces missing but that's the tweeking.

Goal scoring wingers, plural? One top notch scoring winger that I can think of in Ryan, one mid-level scorer in MacArthur, then...?