Personally, if O'Reilly stays up and Spaling is sent down...I don't like the move. If O'Reilly is sent back when Belak returns I'll be a little happier, but not by much. Spaling has meet every expectation IMO during his recall and seems comfortable right now playing fourth line minutes with a regular shift on the PK. Cal cannot play on the PK and hasn't done squat for our PP either. Maybe Smithson moves down and centers the fourth line? I don't know, but if #16 is lined up between #28 and #3 on Tuesday...I won't be that thrilled...
Last edited by SLake: 01-31-2010 at 02:20 PM.
Reason: Corrected the spelling of title
Personally, if O'Reilly stays up and Spaling is sent down...I don't like the move. If O'Reilly is sent back when Belak returns I'll be a little happier, but not by much. Spaling has meet every expectation IMO during his recall and seems comfortable right now playing fourth line minutes with a regular shift on the PK. Cal cannot play on the PK and hasn't done squat for our PP either. Maybe Smithson moves down and centers the fourth line? I don't know, but if #16 is lined up between #28 and #3 on Tuesday...I won't be that thrilled...
Last night, they rolled a line of Tootoo-Smithson-Spaling and I loved it. I'm going to be so irked if Cal is playing Tuesday night.
Agreed! Furthermore, I question if Belak returns to the lineup and we scratch a forward...wouldn't that constitute the end of emergency conditions for O'Reilly and make him exposed to waivers?
Could O'Reilly be being showcased for a trade? One has to wonder...
Agreed! Furthermore, I question if Belak returns to the lineup and we scratch a forward...wouldn't that constitute the end of emergency conditions for O'Reilly and make him exposed to waivers?
Could O'Reilly be being showcased for a trade? One has to wonder...
It's the only thing that makes sense the roster next year is:
SAD
Erat-Legwand-Ward
Hornqvist-Goc-Jones
-Smithson-
Belak
In fact, I think both Jones and O'Reilly are on the trade block.
O'Reilly is built to play top 3 and all the spots are taken unless Jones is moved. Wilson will be on this team next year we hope.
are we sure ones is on the block? that is a farily friendly contract for us. he has 15-20 goal potential for under a million next year. that is pretty good as far as i'm concerned.
are we sure ones is on the block? that is a farily friendly contract for us. he has 15-20 goal potential for under a million next year. that is pretty good as far as i'm concerned.
O'Reilly, I'd bet money on. Jones is a 50/50, Worst comes to worse, Jones plays 4th line OR in Milwaukee.
I don't like this move at all. Spaling has really contributed on the PK and I really like what he brings to the team. There must be more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps there is a deal in the works...
The idea of playing Belak, who contributes zero, over Spaling, who can not only play on the PK, but also does a decent job of grinding and keeping the puck deep on the fourth line, is truly frustrating.
Belak is a liability, on top of not bringing anything.
Center Marcel Goc is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday after a three-game injury absence, which will mean Nashville has its top three centers in Jason Arnott, David Legwand and Goc.
Spaling had been serving as fourth-line center and contributing with two-way play and penalty killing. But General Manager David Poile hopes O'Reilly can provide an offensive spark on the fourth line and power play.
"With (Joel Ward) coming back on Saturday and with Goc hopefully playing Tuesday, those are two players that kill penalties and could take some of the ice time that Spaling had,'' Poile said. "O'Reilly has been our leading scorer in Milwaukee the last couple of seasons. He helped us at the end of last season, and he's been threatening to do that in the last few games.
"So even if O'Reilly is playing on the fourth line, I see us having more the opportunity of being a four-line team and more opportunities on the power play. So I guess you could say it's more of an offensive move.''
Maybe Belak remains "out" for a couple games, but if he returns to the lineup and we have 12 healthy skaters...I can't see how Cal can remain up on his emergency recall - which is linked to a specific player's injury and means we have less than 12 healthy skaters, 6 healthy defensemen, or 2 healthy goaltenders...
I still don't like it. I don't see a line of Smithson - O'Reilly - Tootoo being any more offensive or in general having as much success as a unit centered by Spaling...
Last edited by SLake: 02-01-2010 at 06:10 AM.
Reason: Forgot the link...
Maybe Belak remains "out" for a couple games, but if he returns to the lineup and we have 12 healthy skaters...I can't see how Cal can remain up on his emergency recall - which is linked to a specific player's injury and means we have less than 12 healthy skaters, 6 healthy defensemen, or 2 healthy goaltenders...
I still don't like it. I don't see a line of Smithson - O'Reilly - Tootoo being any more offensive or in general having as much success as a unit centered by Spaling...
Your greatest fear was realized and mine was too. Don't like the move. Don't like the idea of a guy who's normally a top 6 guy playing a 4th line role. The only way that Smithson isn't on that line is if Trotz decides to go back to his Leggy/Smitty/Ward line, move Erat up to the top line with Arnott and Sully and bump Hornqvist to go with Dumont and Goc which would then move Jones down to the fourth line with O'Reilly and Tootoo. That may provide better balance and a chance to score for that fourth line but I think you're right, Smithson/Spalling/Tootoo is exactly the type of 4th line you want, good energy, gritty, can change some momentum with some big hits. I don't get this move to be honest.
O'Reilly does better with better players and having him with any of our 4th line guys doesn't seem to be a good fit to me.
Might it have something to do with Spaling being eligible to play in the AHL during the Olympics. I thought I saw something about that somewhere else with another person going down.
Glennon reports that at the morning skate today the lineup was:
Sullivan - Arnott - Erat
Smithson - Legwand - Ward
Dumont - O'Reilly - Hornqvist
Jones - Goc - Tootoo
That at least keeps O'Reilly on a scoring line and creates a formidable fourth line...actually it fits in exactly with our organizational goal of running with two scoring lines (Arnott and O'Reilly), a shutdown line (Legwand), and a two-way unit (Goc)...
Also, Trotz indicated Rinne would start again tomorrow night. Ellis missed practice to attend the birth of his second child this morning, a daughter Kayleigh. Congrats!!!
Spaling only went down so that he could play in the A while the Olympics are going on... I can see him being called up again and if not he will start next season with the big club
Spaling only went down so that he could play in the A while the Olympics are going on... I can see him being called up again and if not he will start next season with the big club
Spaling could have been sent back at the break if that was the sole reason for the assignment or was there an actual roster freeze deadline? I didn't see a massive amount of movements on the transaction wire yesterday, so I don't believe there was...
I suspect Spaling will be back in Nashville this season and make a strong push for a roster spot in camp next year...
Edit: Looked it up. NHL roster freeze for the Olympics is from Feb. 12th to Feb. 28th
Spaling's a fantastic player.. looking forward to seeing more of him in Nashville. he has that same work ethic to him that made me excited to have Ward last season.
