Friday, December 10, 2010

The Poor Old Devil!

Ya beat the poor old Devil, Martin Brodeur, as prognosticated Volchenkov and Brodeur after their performance this year will no longer be considered "elite" players!

Note: I don't know what happened to my other projection?

- Rocco, the penalty killer, loses both draws in the last and most crucial kill of the game and he managed to be slow covering Kovalchuk as he hits Leclaire in the glove, a shot that could have/should have gone in!

- Ya got an All Star College goalie and a first round Major Junior Goaler but we don't have an NHL Goal Tender on the Big Club at the moment.

- "Sarge" used to give Marc-Andre Fleury the odd tough look...imagine what he must think of our Pascal...

- Everyone talks about Alexei but if I was on the Senators @ less than Mill and was watching Philippé play night after night makin' four and half "actual" I'd call for a "Sit down strike of all the players"...maybe that's what we are seein'!

- So all together now..."Don't re-sign any of the expiring contracts!"

16 comments:

  1. I think we may need to clarify the list of expiring contracts. The ones you mention here are clear enough but is there more. #4 is playing well enough now to escape our direct attention. Is his expiring?

    ReplyDelete
  2. PvR:

    Year to date no exceptions...however as in all of life everything is subject to revision at the time of renewal...

    ReplyDelete
  3. @PVR:

    #4's only saving grace is that someone is going to have to teach "the kids" how to play defence. At no goals and a minus 10, he's not exactly playing stellar hockey. Maybe he can "rent" himself out at the trade deadline, only to come back to a team with one more prospect for his efforts.

    Nik: this solves nothing. We bearly beat a team that is in total disarray. At least we didn't give up the lead in the third (we didn't improve on our 2 goals against for every goal scored in the third)

    Don't re-sign any of the expiring contracts!

    JL

    ReplyDelete
  4. JL:

    Pascals time has run out, I think he's done...

    Lehner is going to the World Juniors...

    We still owe "our" Brodeur his chance...he maybe our only chance at a streak...a big run...

    But @ the Trade Deadline we are sellers...July 1st, 2011 we are misers as in promote the inexpensive kids!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Was it just me or did Pascal look very shaky last night? And I'm not just talking about the weak one off his glove. Rebounds everywhere. And he seemed confused as to the whereabouts of the puck much more than I would be comfortable with if I was a teammate of his, or his coach... He did seem to be holding position a bit more than usual though I think, which could be why he held in there... Either way he was F-ing lucky to squeak out that win, in my humble opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Oman:

    Agreed. "Pasglass" did indeed look shaky. Rebound control not what you would expect from your "starter". Seems like we don't have a "starter" with this goaltending "carousel".

    @Nik:

    I share your sentiments about "Pasglass" (see above). Maybe "our" Brodeur is the solution, but I don't know if he's over his concussion. Brust looks feisty: maybe give him a try (this year's version of Brodeur).

    As for Lehner, we shall see what he is made of as he starts for the Swedes. "Real Estate" (as Denny Lambert called him in Sudbury - because he's as big as a house) is still learning his craft - he may not be ready for the big show next year.

    Cowen will be another to keep an eye on (I think we'll see a substantial difference this year - coach might even play him!)

    JL

    ReplyDelete
  7. Brodeur must be near ready to return from his concussion systems.
    They would not be letting Lehner go to the WJC if he was not ready.
    I did say don't renew the expiring contracts -- but maybe Elliott -- along with Mike Brodeur. That's not a lot of $ for goaltending. I know Brodeur has only played 3 games.. but he showed something.
    The reports out of Bingo says both Gryba & Weircoch are not playing that well. Not sure what the problem is with them... but they better get going.
    Butler, Greening, O'Brien -- could all make the jump to the NHL next season. Apparently O'Brien is having a very good year in Bingo. Maybe it just took him a while to realize what he has to do to really play in that league. We don't know yet about Silfverberg -- if he will make the jump directly to NHL. He is playing in the SEL -- so maybe.
    Even if 3 or 4 of the Bingo players make it next year.. that's good.
    Go young, save on valuable cap space.. and for once Sens take possible advantage of a team in 'cap hell' to get another good young player.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gentlemen:

    July 2nd, 2011, ya bring all your DEFENCEMEN in from all over the world...ya promote a couple, three at least...ya spend one on a goalie and one or even two on a couple of solid big league forwards, 20 goal type guys, then you take the "Big Money" and buy that Dallas Cowboy or one like him!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So would you say our team could look like - my thoughts only:

    Goaltending

    -Elliott (expiring contract renewed)
    -free agent goaltender (Giguere - not as expensive and younger than Volkun or Brzygalov - I think)

    Defense:

    Gonchar - free agent defensive D (under 30)
    Karlsson - Campoli(bring him back also)
    Cowen - Rundblad

    Forwards:

    Michalek - Spezza - Alfie
    Scottie Upshall - Fisher - Foligno
    Regin - Kelly - Butler
    Neil - Winchester - Greening (love this guy)

    Not too many changes on forward positions.
    I like Upshall. He plays hard & can score.. great fit with Fisher. Wasn't quite sure where to fit Regin.. but he definitely stays -- as does Kelly. You can switch some players around.. but these would be the guys I would put on the team. No really huge extra contracts to get the team in trouble.

    I don't think the above roster will get Sens near the cap -- so some flexibility.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Big Rig is all settled in Ottawa. His play isn't going to earn him big points anywhere. Volchy's wife took one look at Newark and went back to Stittsville while he shares a condo and struggles getting a drivers license.

    Don't be surprised if he comes back in a salary dump as their Kovy makes out Kovy look easy. Big Rig will likely get Chris Neil money and Chris Neil years.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I would guess that Phillips gets 3 years at around 3 mil. Though 2.5 would be more of a home town discount.

    Haven't done the math on this, but if we were to let go of all but Phillips' expiring contract and make a key trade (hopefully for high picks and/or prospects), I think we could afford something like this with some room to spare:

    Connolly/Spez/Alf
    Laich/Regin/LaRose
    Fol/Kel/Neil
    Greening/O'Brien/Condra

    Phillips/Karlsson
    Gonchar/Cowen
    Carkner/Campoli

    Vokoun
    Elliot

    Younger, hungrier, faster, with big upside on skills and no loss of grit and determination.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oops, forgot Michalek. Guess he got traded with Fish for picks in this scenario... :P

    And Upshall would also be a fine option.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Michael
    Are you serious re: Volchy's wife -- or am I just being suckered? -- Taking Volchy back is risky. 4.25M for 6 yrs? It's not so much the $ -- it's the term that worries me. He is missing Phillips like Phillips is missing him.
    Who would you trade? It needs to be $ for $ or Ottawa can't do it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. @Sandy:

    I agree. You can't question Volchy as a player: he leaves it all (including body parts) on the ice. But the length of the term is downright scary. You also have to consider all the defensive talent we have coming up - there has to be spots (or the illusion of spots) for them, or else it's hard to keep them motivated and focussed.

    As for players, if Santa were to bring us a "finisher" for "Rocco", I'd be very happy! Looking at the list of free agents, there really isn't a name that jumps out at me.

    JL

    ReplyDelete
  15. BTW:

    Other sites indicate that "Pasglass" is injured again - didn't attend practice today. I thought I saw him wince after doing the splits on a Kovalchuk shot. Must be his groin again! I wish someone would teach him how to stretch!

    JL

    ReplyDelete
  16. JL:

    "Pasglass" has wore out his hip flexor, when that muscle doesn't work ya rip your groin all the time...anyway who wants him...I want Johnny Bower/Bary Brust, he may just be Show Time ready...crips we could pay his ECHL/AHL contract out of "Petty Cash"...heck I'd bring up Brodeur too and let Brian Elliott depressurize in Bingo for 10 games!

    ReplyDelete