Granted I don't really know much about the guy, but hasn't Mark Stone just come off a 100+ point season? No homo love for him so far?
Consensus is to wait and see if this wasn't a Cheechoo/Carter season. Was over a .5gpg, though, so you know he's doing something right. Give him another year in the C. He'll probably be at training camp, though. So if he impresses he could be at Bingo next year.
Here is my line up for next year. Rebuild properly!!!
All starts with a blockbuster trade
To Clb
Spezza
Karlsson
To Ott
Brassard (fill in as #1 until Johansen takes it. he's a good 1b longterm)
Voracek (top 6 winger now, has the ability to be much more)
Johansen (#1 center of the future)
CLB 1st 8th
Yeah thats right, it could happen
At the Draft: Ottawa uses Nash pick and a 2nd to move up:
Landeskog (future captain of the Sens)
Hamilton/Murphy (take the sting out of loosing Karlsson)
Michalek/Brassard/Voracek
Landeskog/Johansen/Alfy (Would love to see landeskog and Johansen grow together)
Foligno/Regin/Butler
Greening/Smith/Neil
Winchester
Phillips/Lee
Cowen/Gonchar (gonchar traded at the 2013 deadline Hamilton takes his place)
Kuba/Rundblad (Kuba will be traded at the 2012 deadline Wiercioch will take his place)
Carkner
Anderson
Harding or whoever
This team will be young and exciting to watch, however they will make mistakes. I would compare them to the Oilers this year and they will finish in the bottom 5 in the league.
Alfy is a great leader and I can't think of anyone who would be better to teach the next generation of Senators.
I know most of you will hate this and that is fine, but everyone has there own opinion.
Why do you continuously post Spezza trade proposal's when everyone constantly shoots them down? Just because you think it could happen, doesn't even mean there's a chance of it happening in the NHL.
Consensus is to wait and see if this wasn't a Cheechoo/Carter season. Was over a .5gpg, though, so you know he's doing something right. Give him another year in the C. He'll probably be at training camp, though. So if he impresses he could be at Bingo next year.
I don't think Stone is old enough to go to Bingo next season, I think he will either make Ottawa or be returned to junior which is what I think will happen. He will be eligible for the WJC next season & Bingo at the end of the yr.
Running an NHL team is a business. With Alfredsson at the end of his career, Spezza and Karlsson are the two faces of this franchise both now and moving forward. The thought of dealing both in a trade that fails to return a clear franchise guy you can market to the fans is astounding. You can't just tell the fans that we have a better chance at drafting some kid in Sarnia 14 months from now who may or may not pan out in the NHL.
Even ignoring the business perspective, what GM on earth thinks the smart move in a rebuild is to trade a 20-year-old all-star?
This is a very well written post with alot of good points, thank you for that.
First, you have to sell this as a youth movement like Edmonton has done very well. Alfy is gonna be a top draw as long as he is still playing, selling young players like Brassard, Johansen, Rundblad, Landeskog, Cowen ect... should not be hard to do.
Second, I think that Karlsson will be a solid player in the NHL for a long time, will he ever be a top pairing d-man? I have my doubts. I think most of people would say that Karlsson should not have been an all-star last year, not to say he never will be but IMO his stock will never be higher then it is now.
I see Ottawa as a fringe playoff team for the next 3-4 years drafting 10-14 and stay very stagnet. I for one would rather the Sens finish last next year rebuild with a young exciting team with lots of young top 6 forwards, then watching Spezza go hot and cold with injuries and nobody to play with.
Why do you continuously post Spezza trade proposal's when everyone constantly shoots them down? Just because you think it could happen, doesn't even mean there's a chance of it happening in the NHL.
I am just posting my opinnion same as everyone else.
Yes but it's almost the same exact trade every time
It also has no chance in hell of ever happening, ever. Why don't the Sens trade for Crosby while we're all rolling up doobies if that's what this thread is all about?
Throwing out proposals is fine, it's a free country and this is an internet message board. Just don't expect people to put any time into considering that possibility when it's so ridiculous to start with.
I don't see a reason to change this line. Spezza has shown the ability to produce with these two nice talented prospetcs. I say let them continue to develop.
Michalek-Regin-Alfredsson
I think Aldi and Regin can be a nice combo and maybe allows Michalek to play a more north/south game with Regin.
Condra-Foligno-Neil
Just a solid line. They can check, have skill and can play good minutes.
Smith-Winchester-Bass
A good grinding line with toughness and decent footspeed.
Nothing fancy upfront in my books. I wouldn't ruch our pick. I personally don't think that the 6th pick may be NHL ready. Neither do I think Da Costa is ready. Excellent callups, though.
Karlsson-Phillips
Gonchar-Cowen
Rundblad-Lee-Carkner
Kuba should be gone. Can a 100% healtht Kuba recapture what was once a steady, reliable game? Can Lee continue his progression?
Anderson-McIlhenny
Solid.
I am not crazy about what is out there, UFA-wise. I think this lineup can, under the right coach, be a good team. We need healthy players. There will always be surprises at camp so who knows who steps up.
Gagne/Laich – Spezza – Butler - Top scoring line
Michalek - #6 Overall – Alfredsson - Alfie gives expreience to #6
Greening/Shannon/Raymond/Silfverburg - Gritty, get under your skin line
Winchester/ Neil/ Condra/ Smith/ Bass/ Da Costa -Let them duke it out in training camp
Phillips – Rundblad - Phillips shows him the ropes exp meets young
Cowen – Karlsson - Cowen good d, Karlsson good o, perfect combo?
Gonchar – Wiercioch - Defense line, gonchar gives exp to up and coming
I think the Sens are going to trade Nashville's 1st round pick for a young forward with upside...if I were Murray, I wouldn't...but he probably will, so add whatever it takes to that 1st rounder to get Voracek. Why would Columbus trade Voracek? I don't know, but one can dream.
Just for fun of what I'd like to see next year
Michalek-Spezza-Butler
Leino-Regin-Alfredsson (what an amazing hockey IQ line this would be)
Greening-Smith-Foligno
Condra-Winchester-Neil
I think the Sens are going to trade Nashville's 1st round pick for a young forward with upside...if I were Murray, I wouldn't...but he probably will, so add whatever it takes to that 1st rounder to get Voracek. Why would Columbus trade Voracek? I don't know, but one can dream.
I find it so disappointing that you scrapped Carkner and put Kuba in front of Lee. I don't give a **** what the front office thinks, Brian Lee was an above average bottom pairing defenceman, and Kuba would have been sent to the minors if he had a smaller contract.
The amount of people saying Weircoch, Rundblad and Cowen are going to break the team next season seriously need your heads checked.. Any GM/Coach with even a fraction of sense will not make half your defensive corps rookies...
The amount of people saying Weircoch, Rundblad and Cowen are going to break the team next season seriously need your heads checked.. Any GM/Coach with even a fraction of sense will not make half your defensive corps rookies...
I think Cowen, Rundblad are close to locks. Murray and co have mentioned them making the team next year so much it would be a shock if they didn't.
Wiercioch is also a lock for another year in the AHL.
If Lee or Kuba are not moved one of Rundblad and Cowen will have a hard time breaking in...until Kuba gets hurt.
It will be interesting, if Lee is moved at the draft or during the summer before training camp. If they keep Lee though than IMO Hale is the cheaper option to keep as a 7th D rather than have one of the rookies in the press box, I'd rather they play in Bingo then sit in the stands. My guess continues to be that Rundblad will eventually replace Lee & Cowen will eventually replace Kuba.
I still think that they will hang on to Kuba until the trade deadline & try & get something for him. That would give the rookies half a season or more to get climatized to the pro game & it gives the organization time to see if they are NHL ready too with a few callups.
The amount of people saying Weircoch, Rundblad and Cowen are going to break the team next season seriously need your heads checked.. Any GM/Coach with even a fraction of sense will not make half your defensive corps rookies...
The amount of people saying Weircoch, Rundblad and Cowen are going to break the team next season seriously need your heads checked.. Any GM/Coach with even a fraction of sense will not make half your defensive corps rookies...
Why not, it's a rebuild you're supposed to go with young guys and train the next generation.
Weircoche if he has a great summer and a big preseason could definitly crack the openeing day lineup next year - if he clearly outplays Rundblad and Cowan in preseason, how do you keep him off the team?
Not a strong top 6 with Spezza being the only true top line talent, alfie declining rapidly, michalek inconsistent and regin and Butler yet to prove they can handle the role full time
Bottom 6
ZSmith
Neil
Foligno
Winchester
Greening
Condra
Da Costa looks like he needs some time in Bingo
Defence
Phillips
Gonchar
Karlsson
Kuba
Rundblad
Cowen
Lee
Carkner is baggage, Weircoch needs more time in Bingo
Why not, it's a rebuild you're supposed to go with young guys and train the next generation.
Weircoche if he has a great summer and a big preseason could definitly crack the openeing day lineup next year - if he clearly outplays Rundblad and Cowan in preseason, how do you keep him off the team?
They always seem to say it's a numbers game. There are 6 defencemen signed for next season in Ottawa (Kuba, Gonchar, Lee, Karlsson, Phillips & Carkner). Unless something is done with one or two of these defencemen (trade/waive/sent to minors or buy out) it's quite likely that they will start in Ottawa & the rookies would start the season in Bingo. I doubt they start the yr with 8 defencemen & don't want the rookies to sit in the press box. They may need the money for near the end of the yr.
That being said it's quite likely that they start the yr with both Cowen & Rundblad in Bingo until something is done with Kuba & maybe Lee or Carkner. Of course, if their are some early injuries as there was last yr than the rookies could play in Ottawa sooner, if the regulars are hurt. Personally, I see Murray taking his time next season to see if Kuba can bounce back & if Lee can continue to play well, this would increase both their value. Murray could also trade a defencemen at the draft. Just based on seeing both Cowen & Wiercioch at the development camp IMO Cowen is ahead of him in most areas, especially defensively. Although after a yr in Bingo maybe Wiercioch is very much improved defensively, it remains to be seen but it should be an interesting camp this season.
