Ottawa Senators (present and past) TIDBITS & QUICK HITS!

I do hope that this doesn't turn into a boo'ing fest though. That would be unfortunate.

You said it a number of times.

I have said Spezza asked to be traded and he did. That has not only been confirmed by Murray it has been confirmed by Spezza's people now.

NEELY wrote:I have said Spezza asked to be traded and he did.  That has not only been confirmed by Murray it has been confirmed by Spezza's people now.

There's more than one question here. You can chose to think one of those questions was "Can you trade me, please?" but we must also consider another question "Any chance you can spend a few bucks for some reinforcements?" One wonders if he would have preferred the answer to the latter question to be "Yes" and for the conversation to end there? Only those "close to Spezza" and Spezza himself know for sure...

There's different layers to the story... hell I don't blame Spezza for asking for a trade both times that I know of. 1) why would you want to stay in a city that booed you? 2) why would you want to stay on a team where you disagreed with the direction they were taking? These are legit reasons to ask for a trade but that's also a pretty good indication that he isn't committed to the team or city the way a player should be let alone a captain.

I agreed with the booing of Spezza in that Pens playoff series, he didn't get it and never got it in Ottawa. Even his remarks yesterday saying "he's trying to change now" means he didn't change or at least change enough while in Ottawa and never got the message clearly. He needed a change just as much as the Sens did, it was a poisonous relationship but the fact remains that he asked for a trade multiple times for legit reasons and it's not unfair to say he wasn't 100% committed to changing his game like he claims to be now or the team and city itself.

NEELY wrote:There's different layers to the story... hell I don't blame Spezza for asking for a trade both times that I know of. 1) why would you want to stay in a city that booed you? 2) why would you want to stay on a team where you disagreed with the direction they were taking? These are legit reasons to ask for a trade but that's also a pretty good indication that he isn't committed to the team or city the way a player should be let alone a captain.

I agreed with the booing of Spezza in that Pens playoff series, he didn't get it and never got it in Ottawa. Even his remarks yesterday saying "he's trying to change now" means he didn't change or at least change enough while in Ottawa and never got the message clearly. He needed a change just as much as the Sens did, it was a poisonous relationship but the fact remains that he asked for a trade multiple times for legit reasons and it's not unfair to say he wasn't 100% committed to changing his game like he claims to be now or the team and city itself.

He'll never change and that's why he deserves to be boo'd.

He's done so many fantastic things for this franchise but it all gets overshadowed by his inability to change the faults in his game.

Spezza will always be remembered as the point a game player who just never learned from his mistakes and never grew as a hockey player.

And good riddance on trading him. Had Ottawa extended him to the term and value of his new contract extension I'd be cheering for the Leafs.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:And good riddance on trading him. Had Ottawa extended him to the term and value of his new contract extension I'd be cheering for the Leafs.

You think cheering for the Leafs would be better ? Alright, ok then.

Fact of the matter is the Sens screwed up with Spezza from day 1 and Spezza screwed up as a player from day 1 with the Sens.  Martin threw a needless shot at Spezza right off the hop saying "it's a man game", right off the hop you are burying the kid.  Next Spezza basically forced his way up to Ottawa with his agent when Martin didn't believe he was ready (and he wasn't) for the pro's.  Offensively yah, he could go and always could but he was never taught the other part of the game while they could still mold him.  Martin was then fired and Murray came in not long after.

The other side of the coin was the company he kept off the ice, they were all idiots and he fell into that as well.  Once again I blame the organization more than anyone because they are the ones that drafted and developed all these guys to be pro's.  One guy was forced to play in Russia, another went to rehab, and only now are they seeing just truly how stupid they were.  Seems Spezza has reached that point as well which is a good thing.  

If you want to get down to the nitty gritty of it all, most of this is on Muckler.  He did nothing to help individuals including Spezza, he did nothing to help the team win, and he did nothing other than bring the 1980's mentality to a team playing in 2004, 2005, 2006, w/e.  

Everyone failed in terms of what Spezza had the potential to become but you are responsible for yourself as a person and player and Spezza never did himself any favours. Spezza shunned away guys like Alfie, Chara, and Hossa early on and decided to hang with guys like Emery, McGratton, Schubert, and Meszaros... to me that's a big reason he has never won anything, he hung around with losers.

Spezza failed. He needed to realize this league is no longer about one way players, he's not challenged, he could have gotten out there and improved his game, but he's not that kind of guy.

That's lazy, good riddance.

There's a lot more to it than just "he failed" and always has been. People don't like the off ice stuff but that's 100% the biggest reason Spezza failed. Surrounded himself with idiots, didn't listen to the vets or coaches on or off the ice, and it cost him IMO what could have been a legendary career. Never has a guy been so talented and did so little with it.

NEELY wrote:There's a lot more to it than just "he failed" and always has been.  People don't like the off ice stuff but that's 100% the biggest reason Spezza failed.  Surrounded himself with idiots, didn't listen to the vets or coaches on or off the ice, and it cost him IMO what could have been a legendary career.  Never has a guy been so talented and did so little with it.

If he were Russian he'd be Spezzovalev.

Let's call a spade a spade here. That's one Cussing lazy dude. He could have comes back after his first great season with MacLean and continued to play that strong game, but he didn't.

Fine, you got paid by Dallas, go nance around the ice and collect your points. Glad it's not here.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:There's a lot more to it than just "he failed" and always has been.  People don't like the off ice stuff but that's 100% the biggest reason Spezza failed.  Surrounded himself with idiots, didn't listen to the vets or coaches on or off the ice, and it cost him IMO what could have been a legendary career.  Never has a guy been so talented and did so little with it.

If he were Russian he'd be Spezzovalev.

Except without the rings.

SpezDispensed wrote:Let's call a spade a spade here.  That's one Cussing lazy dude.  He could have comes back after his first great season with MacLean and continued to play that strong game, but he didn't.

Fine, you got paid by Dallas, go nance around the ice and collect your points.  Glad it's not here.

For sure. Last thing we need is someone putting up points on this team.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispensed wrote:Let's call a spade a spade here.  That's one Cussing lazy dude.  He could have comes back after his first great season with MacLean and continued to play that strong game, but he didn't.

Fine, you got paid by Dallas, go nance around the ice and collect your points.  Glad it's not here.

For sure. Last thing we need is someone putting up points on this team.

Haha, that's the very singular last thing you need here. A guy that floats around teaching the young players that it's A-OK to play an 80 foot game, maybe 100 if the spirit really gets him.

It was even a better idea when he was Captain.

SpezDispensed wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispensed wrote:Let's call a spade a spade here.  That's one Cussing lazy dude.  He could have comes back after his first great season with MacLean and continued to play that strong game, but he didn't.

Fine, you got paid by Dallas, go nance around the ice and collect your points.  Glad it's not here.

For sure. Last thing we need is someone putting up points on this team.

Haha, that's the very singular last thing you need here.  A guy that floats around teaching the young players that it's A-OK to play an 80 foot game, maybe 100 if the spirit really gets him.

Has nothing to with Spezza. Let's not pretend we couldn't use some more production from someone. Anyone.