Hedman or Tavares?

For forwards I am torn between MSP and Schenn. Schenn is like his big brother, but as a forward. Skilled, tough as nails, and drives the net like a machine. Have we ever had a true power forward like that?

Just checked out Brayden's profile from the WHL site... he's not really that big surprisingly. Put up a lot of points last year in the W.

Let's just stock pile a bunch of firsts. Kuba, Vermette, Neil, Kelly, Schubert....

I'm not sure we're due for the rebuild just yet there Dash

The thing is it isn't a rebuild... Kelly and Vermette are being paid $2-mil + to do what they do, and other people, Zubov, Regin, Bass, etc. can do that too, at a fraction of the price.

Kuba is unlikely to remain a Senator, as even Bryan Murray said "he might prices himself out of Ottawa they way he's playing". Depending where we are by the deadline, you can either trade him then, or if you're lucky, trade his rights.

Schubert is a piece that will be moved in some way, very likely. He doesn't fit into the Senators blue line plans, and he doesn't appear to be happy as a forward. And he's obviously not fitting into either since he is a scratch.

And many have said Neil is expendable, and his UFA status leaves a lot of concerns.

All good points Dash.

I do have to chime in on trading them for 1sts though (or picks in general, before we get into a debate of trade value).

All of those players mentioned can be pieces used to bring in a PMD, or other players that could help the team now. Picks will only help the team next year (at the earliest), and probably farther down the road.

DashRiprock wrote:Just checked out Brayden's profile from the WHL site... he's not really that big surprisingly. Put up a lot of points last year in the W.

Let's just stock pile a bunch of firsts. Kuba, Vermette, Neil, Kelly, Schubert....

Hits like a mack truck though. There are some YouTube vids showing that.

Another guy to keep in mind is Jared Cowen. Potentially a bigger Luke Schenn. Definitely a top-5er.

True that they can be used to get a key component, but maybe Ottawa takes a chance and hopes to sign, say FA Jay Bouwmeester, rather than trading for him?

the way I see it, the draft should go like this-

1st-Hedman
2nd-MSP
3rd-Tavares
4th-Cowen
5th-Schenn

But it will probably go more like this-

1st-Tavares
2nd-Hedman
3rd-Schenn
4th-Cowen
5th-MSP

Tukker wrote:the way I see it, the draft should go like this-

1st-Hedman
2nd-MSP
3rd-Tavares
4th-Cowen
5th-Schenn

But it will probably go more like this-

1st-Tavares
2nd-Hedman
3rd-Schenn
4th-Cowen
5th-MSP

I feel like everyone is under-rating Tavares here. I think it's the Crosby syndrome where we're so sick of having him forced down our throats by the Canadian media that we embrace these (originally) less-touted foreigners.

I love MSP, but I can definitely see JT going before him, and I don't think that would necessarily be a bad move.

I see the draft right now as:

1. Hedman
2. Tavares
3. Cowen
4. MSP
5. Schenn
6. Duchene

asq2 wrote:

Tukker wrote:the way I see it, the draft should go like this-

1st-Hedman
2nd-MSP
3rd-Tavares
4th-Cowen
5th-Schenn

But it will probably go more like this-

1st-Tavares
2nd-Hedman
3rd-Schenn
4th-Cowen
5th-MSP

I feel like everyone is under-rating Tavares here. I think it's the Crosby syndrome where we're so sick of having him forced down our throats by the Canadian media that we embrace these (originally) less-touted foreigners.

I love MSP, but I can definitely see JT going before him, and I don't think that would necessarily be a bad move.

I see the draft right now as:

1. Hedman
2. Tavares
3. Cowen
4. MSP
5. Schenn
6. Duchene

That's probably accurate. Tavares will go number 2 at the lowest, unless his stock plummets. It's still early and guys will move around in the rankings. He's been under the microscope so long that everyone tries to find holes in his game. He's a hell of a talent, but then again, so was Daigle. I'm not suggesting that Tavares will flop like Daigle did, but I don't expect him to score as much as he does now. His hockey sense and vision aside, his heart and skating ability may hamper him in the NHL.

hemlock34 wrote:

asq2 wrote:

Tukker wrote:the way I see it, the draft should go like this-

1st-Hedman
2nd-MSP
3rd-Tavares
4th-Cowen
5th-Schenn

But it will probably go more like this-

1st-Tavares
2nd-Hedman
3rd-Schenn
4th-Cowen
5th-MSP

I feel like everyone is under-rating Tavares here. I think it's the Crosby syndrome where we're so sick of having him forced down our throats by the Canadian media that we embrace these (originally) less-touted foreigners.

I love MSP, but I can definitely see JT going before him, and I don't think that would necessarily be a bad move.

I see the draft right now as:

1. Hedman
2. Tavares
3. Cowen
4. MSP
5. Schenn
6. Duchene

That's probably accurate. Tavares will go number 2 at the lowest, unless his stock plummets. It's still early and guys will move around in the rankings. He's been under the microscope so long that everyone tries to find holes in his game. He's a hell of a talent, but then again, so was Daigle. I'm not suggesting that Tavares will flop like Daigle did, but I don't expect him to score as much as he does now. His hockey sense and vision aside, his heart and skating ability may hamper him in the NHL.

Daigle relied so much more in his skating though.

I think JT will be a fine player.

Tavares is phenomenal. Saw him play vs. Mississauga and the moves this guy can pull off to take over a game is unbelievable. And from everything I hear about him, he is a fantastic kid. Great personality. Asked if he was anything like Spezza, and the answer was a quick "Not at all. Spezza is a me first, selfish person."

Where is this reputation of Spezza coming from? He could have cashed in, but he took a decent discount to stay in Ottawa. That alone has him winning points with me.

That said, it's not the first I've heard about his "me-first" attitude.

I've heard it from a half dozen people who knew him from his days either as a Battalion or Ice Dog. They are broadcasters, one of whom is a friend of Melnyk and was in Sweden with the team).

Spezza, while nobody denies, is a fantastic offensively gifted player. Nobody will deny that. It's the lack of discipline, the attitude, the unwillingness or inability to change his game.

Spezza was lined up to do a promo with Rogers and the Mississauga Majors and it did not happen because he either wanted the crew to come to his hotel room to shoot it, or send him a limo. Apparently a car service of some sort may have been sent and it was not to his standards, so it never happened obviously.

I've seen him change his game quite a bit this year. The Spezza of this year is not the Spezza of even last season. He went into the CORNERS apparently in the Rangers game, and I don't even remember the last dumbass backpass he tried.

The limo bit sounds like he was being a bit of a diva, but you take the good with the bad I guess.

mattshock wrote:I've seen him change his game quite a bit this year. The Spezza of this year is not the Spezza of even last season. He went into the CORNERS apparently in the Rangers game, and I don't even remember the last dumbass backpass he tried.

The limo bit sounds like he was being a bit of a diva, but you take the good with the bad I guess.

Hell, I even saw him shoot the puck in on a powerplay. I was bewildered.

Hedman is also now listed at 6'7, jesus. The kid can still grow too.

Hedman is going to be a dominant NHL defenseman for years to come.