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PTFlea wrote:

Ev wrote:Hoffman-Turris-Stone
MacArthur-Brassard-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Lazar
Pyatt/Blunden-Kelly-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson/UFA-Wideman

Looks good

Anderson

Smith and Pageau are gonna bring it, unless Smith takes a step back in the intensity department.  I'm really not sold on Lazar's offense - at all.  And that's a big thing in this NHL IMO, you need to be able to roll out 3 lines that can score, the 4th line being the energy line that chips in once in a while.

I'll continue to feel this way until Lazar can prove us all wrong.  He looked sooo good at the beginning, but the offence never came, now...the pressure is on him and the organization if he starts out with 3 points in 20 or whatever.

I'm amazed that you actually believe that he looked "sooo good at the beginning." He looked like Dung and should have went back to Junior.

I think Puempel starts L3 instead of Lazar. They will give him a chance to perform on a more offensive line at the start of the year. If it doesn't work out they send him down and that's it for him.

Nick Paul will also start on L4. A line of Pau-Kelly-Lazar could end up being a very good two-way line.

Phaneuf will be paired with Karlsson. My guess anyway.

I can also see Sieloff getting a shot vs a UFA d-man next to Wideman

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I think Puempel starts L3 instead of Lazar. They will give him a chance to perform on a more offensive line at the start of the year. If it doesn't work out they send him down and that's it for him.

Nick Paul will also start on L4. A line of Pau-Kelly-Lazar could end up being a very good two-way line.

Phaneuf will be paired with Karlsson. My guess anyway.

I can also see Sieloff getting a shot vs a UFA d-man next to Wideman

I'd be pretty disappointed if the 3rd line was used for trial and error auditions but we should be used to that sort of crap by now.

Sieloff looks promising to me solely from the scouting reports I've read.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

PTFlea wrote:

Ev wrote:Hoffman-Turris-Stone
MacArthur-Brassard-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Lazar
Pyatt/Blunden-Kelly-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson/UFA-Wideman

Looks good

Anderson

Smith and Pageau are gonna bring it, unless Smith takes a step back in the intensity department.  I'm really not sold on Lazar's offense - at all.  And that's a big thing in this NHL IMO, you need to be able to roll out 3 lines that can score, the 4th line being the energy line that chips in once in a while.

I'll continue to feel this way until Lazar can prove us all wrong.  He looked sooo good at the beginning, but the offence never came, now...the pressure is on him and the organization if he starts out with 3 points in 20 or whatever.

I'm amazed that you actually believe that he looked "sooo good at the beginning." He looked like Dung and should have went back to Junior.  

I thought he looked just fine, strong on the puck, aware, nothing wrong at all. Just couldn't score and that never changed.

Flo The Action wrote:

Ev wrote:Hoffman-Turris-Stone
MacArthur-Brassard-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Lazar
Pyatt/Blunden-Kelly-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson/UFA-Wideman

Looks good

Anderson

Im not a big a fan of that third line as it means smith being the same type of player he was last year which I don't believe he can be (cannot replicate that shot%) and lazar has to take a step up when I think he should be in the A.
Also that second line is one hit away on Mac from being in trouble.
That third line is average but whatever. It's a fourth line.that D is the best it's looked in a long time.

Sorry, but what is your expectation for a 3rd line winger who also brings grit/szie and can take a face off? For years we had Neil in that role, scoring 10-12 goals. I think Smith is very capable of that. You shouldn't expect a 3rd liner to provide 20+ goals.

tim1_2 wrote:
- The Brassard/ZBad trade: we threw in a 2nd round pick to save on Brassard's July 15th bonus of $2M.  Likely not a huge deal, but still an asset we gave away for money-related concerns.

Can't argue with anything there. We gave up an asset to save $2M (plus the cost of developing that asset).

tim1_2 wrote:
- Brassard's actual salary: He's making $5M this coming season, then $3.5M in the final two years.  This saves actual money over what ZBad is going to make.

First, saving money is never a bad thing. Brassard has been a better player than Zibanejad and, given his slow progress, it is likely to remain like that for the next 2-3 years. After that we will have White/Brown contending for that role. I think the real story here is that the organization challenged Zibanejad (remember when Murray said he saw him as the 1C over Turris) and he responded with marginal improvements, so they have decided to cut their losses. They likely figure that there is a chance he keeps progressing slowly over the next 3-4 years and that White/Brown will catch up to him by that point in time, while still on their ELC.

tim1_2 wrote:
- Hoffman signing: He's only going to make $3.8M next season, and then $5.65M the last three.  There's a reason that the salary is lower in 16/17...maybe Melnyk is hoping that by 17/18, he'll have more cash flow?  Also, I don't think the Hoff has a NMC this coming season...something to keep an eye on.

There could be many reasons for that. Having the salary go up is actually making it more difficult to trade him. Having NTC that only starts next year actually means he'll be protected in the expansion draft. They know they will lose a player in the expansion draft so that opens up some salary space. And, of course, they probably will raise ticket prices.

tim1_2 wrote:
- All the contracts: In fact, Hoffman's isn't the only contract structured like this.  Pretty much every multi-year contract the Sens have signed with players escalates over the years (Karlsson, Stone, Turris , Smith, Ryan, Pageau, etc).  This doesn't fully align with what other teams do.  

I don't understand this comment. It doesn't appear to be stating an opinion. So not sure where you are going with it. It's different from what other teams do so what?

tim1_2 wrote:
- Phaneuf: Even the Phaneuf trade saved us real dollars in the short-term.  

Hey, we got a better defenseman and saved some money short-term and, as it turns out, we burned the Leafs (who were expecting to get $600K cap relief from the Cowen buyout that won't happen).

tim1_2 wrote:
Anyway, I agree that the Sens are doing a good job managing the cap currently, and need to maintain a bit of flexibility to continue to resign guys.  We'll see how it turns out long-term.  Resigning Stone and Turris next offseason will be the next big hurdle for the Sens accountants to overcome.

We will see how it plays out then.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

PTFlea wrote:

Ev wrote:Hoffman-Turris-Stone
MacArthur-Brassard-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Lazar
Pyatt/Blunden-Kelly-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson/UFA-Wideman

Looks good

Anderson

Smith and Pageau are gonna bring it, unless Smith takes a step back in the intensity department.  I'm really not sold on Lazar's offense - at all.  And that's a big thing in this NHL IMO, you need to be able to roll out 3 lines that can score, the 4th line being the energy line that chips in once in a while.

I'll continue to feel this way until Lazar can prove us all wrong.  He looked sooo good at the beginning, but the offence never came, now...the pressure is on him and the organization if he starts out with 3 points in 20 or whatever.

I'm amazed that you actually believe that he looked "sooo good at the beginning." He looked like Dung and should have went back to Junior.  

He looked exactly like Zibanejad in his first 9 games. Technically not out of place but not making any plays. Playing safe, not to make a mistake.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I think Puempel starts L3 instead of Lazar. They will give him a chance to perform on a more offensive line at the start of the year. If it doesn't work out they send him down and that's it for him.

Nick Paul will also start on L4. A line of Pau-Kelly-Lazar could end up being a very good two-way line.

Phaneuf will be paired with Karlsson. My guess anyway.

I can also see Sieloff getting a shot vs a UFA d-man next to Wideman

The PKL (pickle) line. Throw gherkins on the ice instead of burgers.

I've been wanting Phaneuf-Karlsson for a while but Dorion said Methot will continue to be EK's partner. Of course we'll see what Boucher/Crawford have to say about that.

Ev wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

Ev wrote:Hoffman-Turris-Stone
MacArthur-Brassard-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Lazar
Pyatt/Blunden-Kelly-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson/UFA-Wideman

Looks good

Anderson

Im not a big a fan of that third line as it means smith being the same type of player he was last year which I don't believe he can be (cannot replicate that shot%) and lazar has to take a step up when I think he should be in the A.
Also that second line is one hit away on Mac from being in trouble.
That third line is average but whatever. It's a fourth line.that D is the best it's looked in a long time.

No it doesn't - he doesn't have to score 20 goals to be a good third liner. Last year he was being used as a 2nd liner for a large portion of the season. Smith and Pageau are all third line players, so how exactly is it a fourth line? You must be expecting too much out of a third line because this is a very good third line. Lazar will also be improved but even if he is the same player, Smith and Pageau make it a good line.

Also I don't buy into the theory of "being one hit away" from retirement for guys who have had concussions. It's not a concern for me. He's back 100% healthy so nobody should think he's at more risk than other players. If he does get injured, another player will step up or they make a trade.

My mistake, that was supposed to say that fourth line is average. Not third.
But as far as smith is concerned I'm not expecting much from him. If we get 15 goals I'll be more than happy. But for that line to be good we need Lazar to take a step up and become a goal scorer. Which I don't see unless he gets sent back to bingo to work on his game or if Boucher works magic with him.
You have to worry about mac. He had a concussion 2 years ago and comes back the following season and a few games into it gets another one! What's there not to worry about! Once you are susceptible to concussions they are more easy to get. So yeah you better start believing that it's a worry no matter what management is saying.

Karlsson has been a perennial Norris nominee with Methot as his partner. Why change that?

wprager wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I think Puempel starts L3 instead of Lazar. They will give him a chance to perform on a more offensive line at the start of the year. If it doesn't work out they send him down and that's it for him.

Nick Paul will also start on L4. A line of Pau-Kelly-Lazar could end up being a very good two-way line.

Phaneuf will be paired with Karlsson. My guess anyway.

I can also see Sieloff getting a shot vs a UFA d-man next to Wideman

The PKL (pickle) line.  Throw gherkins on the ice instead of burgers.

I've been wanting Phaneuf-Karlsson for a while but Dorion said Methot will continue to be EK's partner.  Of course we'll see what Boucher/Crawford have to say about that.

Sam Gagner would round out that top-nine pretty nicely wouldn't he

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I think Puempel starts L3 instead of Lazar. They will give him a chance to perform on a more offensive line at the start of the year. If it doesn't work out they send him down and that's it for him.

Nick Paul will also start on L4. A line of Pau-Kelly-Lazar could end up being a very good two-way line.

Phaneuf will be paired with Karlsson. My guess anyway.

I can also see Sieloff getting a shot vs a UFA d-man next to Wideman

So you expect puempel to be converted from a LW to a RW? That's a winning solution...

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

wprager wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I think Puempel starts L3 instead of Lazar. They will give him a chance to perform on a more offensive line at the start of the year. If it doesn't work out they send him down and that's it for him.

Nick Paul will also start on L4. A line of Pau-Kelly-Lazar could end up being a very good two-way line.

Phaneuf will be paired with Karlsson. My guess anyway.

I can also see Sieloff getting a shot vs a UFA d-man next to Wideman

The PKL (pickle) line.  Throw gherkins on the ice instead of burgers.

I've been wanting Phaneuf-Karlsson for a while but Dorion said Methot will continue to be EK's partner.  Of course we'll see what Boucher/Crawford have to say about that.

Sam Gagner would round out that top-nine pretty nicely wouldn't he

And how!

Would Sam Gagner round things out? Maybe, but he's always been tissue soft over his career. I like the idea of it though.

PTFlea wrote:Would Sam Gagner round things out?  Maybe, but he's always been tissue soft over his career.  I like the idea of it though.

Not a fan of gagné.

We saved money and got better.....most GMs would be applauded for that. Sadly, not in Ottawa.

Also, Pierre Dorion clarified yesterday on the radio why the salary structure for Hoffman was the way it was. Basically they're giving him arbitration salary for this season ($3.8M) and then UFA salary for the next 3 years ($5.6M) perceived as what he'd realistically receive on the open market as the player he is today. It's an interesting way of structuring a contract and makes pretty good sense.

Listen, if the "budget" was no issue, and Dorion legitimately wanted to contend immediately, then there is plenty of cap space to bring in a hired gun or two for the 16/17 season to bolster the roster. The organization is still sending mixed messages about this.

As I stated, though, I think the cap has been managed well, and the team is in a good position.

tim1_2 wrote:Listen, if the "budget" was no issue, and Dorion legitimately wanted to contend immediately, then there is plenty of cap space to bring in a hired gun or two for the 16/17 season to bolster the roster.  The organization is still sending mixed messages about this.  

As I stated, though, I think the cap has been managed well, and the team is in a good position.  

I'm sure there is a budget, it's just not as close to the floor as ppl make it sound like. As folks around here have mentioned, after signing Ceci there will be about $4M in cap space leftover. Always need that for injuries during the season when calling up AHL players or making mid-season trades, if need be.

Personally I want this space for when we need to re-sign Stone, and then the year after Karlsson. Pretty sure Methot and Anderson will be gone....maybe we make a pitch for good ol' mr. bishop?