LeClair?

[billpo]

Originally Posted by Fuhr86

Should we pick him up?

I know the response going through your heads is hell no but I ask you to listen to the argument for this move.

The Cap hit is 1.1 million dollars for the rest of the season and then hes a UFA.

Leclair plays LW and could go on the Spezza line instead of Kelly.

Granted he is playing poorly this season but he had 20 goals and 50 points last year and could be rejuvenated here in Ottawa.

Has the ability to crash the net and that could be huge in the playoffs.

Most likely his final season in the NHL, may want to go out with an inspirational playoff preformence.

I agree with you. I think he would bring some leadership. I also think that playing with Spezza and Heatley will make a huge difference on his performance.

[Savannah Skunk]

How is this even a question on Senator fans' minds? The guy got DUMPED by pittsburg! Why dont we bring back Andre Roy as well? Maybe we need some more entertainers kissing the plexiglass on their slow failed attempts to hit.

[hockeycoach]

I believe his experience would bring some value tothe Sens, after all, how many Sens in that dressing room have been to the finals? or the 3rd round?
This is a player who's been thru it and knows what it takes to get thru the playoffs, which is something our Sens could learn and feed off of.

I do, however, believe this is his last year, and wether he has any gas left in the tank remains to be seen, but as someone else said, "remember Dave Andreychuck". He was in the same catagory as LeClair, and look what he brought to that young team.

[trentmccleary]

Originally Posted by hockeycoach

I believe his experience would bring some value tothe Sens, after all, how many Sens in that dressing room have been to the 3rd round?

8 with the Sens alone, not counting players who did it on other teams.

[Sens Rule]

Originally Posted by discostu

That's what scares me off. If there is a team that a veteran player can be excited about playing for, it should be Pittsburgh. You have the opportunity to be the leader and mentor to possibly two generational players. You're competing for a playoff spot as well.

Pittsburgh does not have depth on the wings, and they have no use for him. To me, if we get him, he replaces Hamel. He'll sit on the fourth line, and, if we want to mix things up, you give him a shot on the powerplay, or, one of the top lines.

I'd be really worried about him with Spezza and Heatley, as, we'd really lack the speed needed on the back-check.

I'd rather have Hamel right now. He is a better player than LeClair is at this point. LeClair could be one of the least effective players in the entire NHL. Even considering picking him up is insane. Andreychuk, Trottier and other scoring vets that were far past there prime reinvented their game into being leaders and great 3rd/4th liners in defensive roles. Andreychuk had no speed at all even in his prime and he turned himself into a great checker at the end of his career as a 4th liner/PP guy on Tampa. LeClair is not an effective grinder and he will not ever be. He is a scorer who can't score at this point and is a terrible liability defensively. And LeClair has no speed now and he has not found a way to get around that and still be an effective 2-way player.

He is also really not much of a veteran leader at this point. He is a vet and probably is not a cancer or anything but he isn't a Mellanby, Roberts or Brind'Amour, Andreychuk, Brind'Amour type that is going to take on a mantle of great leadership as a veteran. If he was that type of leader then Pittsburgh would not have waived him.

While I think even considering getting LeClair is crazy I'll through out my own "crazy" idea involving a grizzled vet. Sign Leetch to the league minimum. Let him get into game shape and then see if Corvo can play LW on a line with Spezza-Heatley. Or make Schubert a 4th liner. Or both. This is a crazy idea but hey this board is full of them.