GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Carolina Hurricanes - 7:00pm Nov. 7th, 2008

Sens4thecup wrote:Anyone read HB's post about Bouwmeester going to the Rangers? Now I don't necessarily believe in anything Eklund writes, but, I do believe that Florida may be in a panic mode if they loose another 2-3 games. Word is, that Martin is looking for a center. Would Vermette or Kelly and 1st round pick suffice?

An interesting suggestion, I admit, but the cap figures don't quite work out:

FLA has $2.75 in cap space, J-Bo costs $4.875.

NYR has $285,00 in cap space, Prucha costs $1.6 mil and Dubinsky costs $633,333 (about $2.233 mil total).

NYR would have to make another move, like shipping out Mara ($1.95 mil) or Kalinin ($2.1 mil), to make this work.

After what they just did to Rismiller, I wouldn't be surprised to by any move NYR makes.

It would be a mistake on FLA's part, tho', I think. 1 month of good hockey from Dubinsky does not make him worth a franchise player. Not yet, anyway.

rooneypoo wrote:

Sens4thecup wrote:Anyone read HB's post about Bouwmeester going to the Rangers? Now I don't necessarily believe in anything Eklund writes, but, I do believe that Florida may be in a panic mode if they loose another 2-3 games. Word is, that Martin is looking for a center. Would Vermette or Kelly and 1st round pick suffice?

An interesting suggestion, I admit, but the cap figures don't quite work out:

FLA has $2.75 in cap space, J-Bo costs $4.875.

NYR has $285,00 in cap space, Prucha costs $1.6 mil and Dubinsky costs $633,333 (about $2.233 mil total).

NYR would have to make another move, like shipping out Mara ($1.95 mil) or Kalinin ($2.1 mil), to make this work.

After what they just did to Rismiller, I wouldn't be surprised to by any move NYR makes.

It would be a mistake on FLA's part, tho', I think. 1 month of good hockey from Dubinsky does not make him worth a franchise player. Not yet, anyway.

There is no way that Florida gets a player going back the other way that is better then Dubinsky. Dubinsky had a solid season last year and his ice time increased throughout the year. This is more of a continuation from the previous year for the guy.

FLR is screwed, they are dealing from a point beyond weakness. Ottawa has to put together a deal that will top everyone elses.

I'm not big on giving up either of the firsts, though - this draft is huge, and could set us up big-time for the next few years, especially if the cap drops. We're already committed to $23M in four forwards (or more? Alfie, Fisher, Heatley, Spezza) and still need to re-sign Volchenkov and Phillips in the next few years, likely representing another $8-9M. That only leaves potentially $20M or thereabouts for another 16 players, including goalies (Auld and Elliot will eat up another $2M of that.)

If J-Bo commands $7M per, then we have 7 players eating $39M (nine for $41.5, including Auld and Elliot - forget about an elite goalie). The rest will essentially have to be low-end UFA/RFA contracts or rookie contracts, which won't do good things for our competitiveness.

Acrobat wrote:I'm not big on giving up either of the firsts, though - this draft is huge, and could set us up big-time for the next few years, especially if the cap drops. We're already committed to $23M in four forwards (or more? Alfie, Fisher, Heatley, Spezza) and still need to re-sign Volchenkov and Phillips in the next few years, likely representing another $8-9M. That only leaves potentially $20M or thereabouts for another 16 players, including goalies (Auld and Elliot will eat up another $2M of that.)

If J-Bo commands $7M per, then we have 7 players eating $39M (nine for $41.5, including Auld and Elliot - forget about an elite goalie). The rest will essentially have to be low-end UFA/RFA contracts or rookie contracts, which won't do good things for our competitiveness.

What I gathered from that is we have way too much money tied up in the forward then... There are not a lot of teams who win without a stud like J Bo who can play at both ends of the ice. Every Stanley Cup Winning team aside from Caroline has had one.

The priority for the Sens is that all around PMD who can be a threat every time he is on the ice and tough to play against. J Bo is that guy. Id rather have him signed long term than Heatley or Spezza.

I think we need a puck mover but we don't absolutely need Jay Bo. There are other options are there?

J-Bo is getting a lot of love from Sens fans (calling him "stud" or "franchise"). While I'm in that camp and believe he can be a dominant D-man, a lot of Florida/SE teams' fans over at HB seem to disagree. Hopefully we aren't putting this guy on a pedestal.

Neely4Life wrote:

There is no way that Florida gets a player going back the other way that is better then Dubinsky. Dubinsky had a solid season last year and his ice time increased throughout the year. This is more of a continuation from the previous year for the guy.

FLR is screwed, they are dealing from a point beyond weakness. Ottawa has to put together a deal that will top everyone elses.

I think there's all kinds of "way" that FLA land a better player than Dubinsky.

First, we have no idea what's going to be offered, and I can think of at least 100 players in the league I'd rather have on my team than Dubinsky, especially if I have to give up J-Bo.

Second, rewind the clock to last April. Then put out this Prucha/Dubinsky for J-Bo deal and see how people would have reacted at that time.

"Dubin-who?"

The guy had a decent rookie year, but altogether his numbers (14/26/40) were pretty unremarkable season when you consider that he was playing most of the season with Jagr and Straka.

The truth is he's on everyone's radar right now because he had a great month of October, and that has a lot to do with the fact that NYR is clicking right now, and that they played something like 4 more games that month than any other team. Let's at least wait out the year before we pronounce Dubinsky as good as or better than, say, Jeff Carter, who is often mentioned in the same J-Bo rumours.

I am willing to make a picth for Cam Barker...don't think it will take much...and he has potential written all over him...

and on top of potential...he is already pretty decent...

He still has a lot to prove, but wouldn't cost much. He's an RFA at the end of the season, so it's not like he's locked into a long term deal.

mattshock wrote:He still has a lot to prove, but wouldn't cost much. He's an RFA at the end of the season, so it's not like he's locked into a long term deal.

certainly still has a lot to prove...but he is cheap...and what this team needs...

as an RFA...he will be easier to get under contract then say...Jay-Bo who could walk away after we trade half the damn team for him...

at least with Barker...you are getting something back...even if he doesn't sign...

on top of being offensive...he loves to crash around...

and finally...with Hartsburg being a big-time defenceman once...he could potentially be the guy to put Barker over the top!!

not sure how to get this deal done...

Verm seems too much...but maybe not...I dunno...

either way...I would like to add Barker...seems a lot less risky than Bouw...and at a far less cost to the team...

wow. I'm becoming more and more sold on Barker...

Would there be ANY reason not to believe that if Auld continues to be solid, and our top 6 forwards continue to press on and work hard(er) that adding a bonafide PMD like Barker could be the missing piece and then the Sens could fire on all cylinders?

As long as Murray wouldn't have to overpay to snag him, it's an experiment that I think would be worth doing.

I don't know about that. I suppose it's worth taking a chance on Barker but, I don't think it's enough to put us over the top.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I don't know about that. I suppose it's worth taking a chance on Barker but, I don't think it's enough to put us over the top.

Over the top of what?

In terms of going from somewhat competitive and likely making the playoffs only to fizzle out to getting over the hump and becoming legitimate contenders with a real shot at the finals.

mattshock wrote:J-Bo is getting a lot of love from Sens fans (calling him "stud" or "franchise"). While I'm in that camp and believe he can be a dominant D-man, a lot of Florida/SE teams' fans over at HB seem to disagree. Hopefully we aren't putting this guy on a pedestal.

I don't think anyone is putting him on a pedestal. But he's very young, a top 10 defenseman in the league, averages close to 30 minutes a night, puts up about 40 points per year, can run a powerplay, is one of the best skaters in the league, easily in the top 5, and is a big solid body who rarely misses time.

Oh, and I forgot to mention he's done that pretty much by himself all these years in FLORIDA. I could get a bunch of guys from the outdoor rink next to my house that would be better than the Florida Panthers.

Just imagine if this guy had a solid team around him with top level players like Spezza, Heatley and Alfie and solid defensive partners to play with (Volch, Phillips).

Cap'n Clutch wrote:In terms of going from somewhat competitive and likely making the playoffs only to fizzle out to getting over the hump and becoming legitimate contenders with a real shot at the finals.

I doubt we have a shot at the finals this year. We still have some dead weight on the team and some concerns of inconsistency amongst some players -- but, you never know. That's why they play the games I guess.

PKC wrote:

mattshock wrote:J-Bo is getting a lot of love from Sens fans (calling him "stud" or "franchise"). While I'm in that camp and believe he can be a dominant D-man, a lot of Florida/SE teams' fans over at HB seem to disagree. Hopefully we aren't putting this guy on a pedestal.

I don't think anyone is putting him on a pedestal. But he's very young, a top 10 defenseman in the league, averages close to 30 minutes a night, puts up about 40 points per year, can run a powerplay, is one of the best skaters in the league, easily in the top 5, and is a big solid body who rarely misses time.

Oh, and I forgot to mention he's done that pretty much by himself all these years in FLORIDA. I could get a bunch of guys from the outdoor rink next to my house that would be better than the Florida Panthers.

Just imagine if this guy had a solid team around him with top level players like Spezza, Heatley and Alfie and solid defensive partners to play with (Volch, Phillips).

That's what I thought. I'd like to hear the matter argued from the other side.

As far as what we'd have to pay to get Barker, wasn't on waivers recently and we didn't snag him?

With all the Neil for Barker rumours that were floating around, it's as if this guy would be had for a song.