Not happening ,Ryan has already stated he will be back in ottawa to get his contract done .As for elite prospects ,we have enough youth on the nhl roster .We need to get better veterans to surround them with

- top shelf 15

Hey, I'm all for optimism, but I don't think Ryan signing is a slam dunk. He'd probably get 7+ on the open market, do you think Melnyk would be willing to pay him more that Karlsson?

Hey, I'm all for optimism, but I don't think Ryan signing is a slam dunk. He'd probably get 7+ on the open market, do you think Melnyk would be willing to pay him more that Karlsson?
- BetterCallSaul

They will get it done ,they have almost no choice now .The kids are fine ,they will get better.4 of our top 6 defenders had less than 200 nhl games played .The growing pains were plentiful back there ,up front we saw some growth with zbad, stone ,and some nice flashes from hoffman.In bingo we saw Puemple score 30 as rookie down there,add to this a very good looking prospect in Lazar ,and iam not worried at all about the youth .

It just needs time ,i could easily see our team doing a complete 180 just with the kids maturing as early as next season

Hey, I'm all for optimism, but I don't think Ryan signing is a slam dunk. He'd probably get 7+ on the open market, do you think Melnyk would be willing to pay him more that Karlsson?
- BetterCallSaul

They have to bite a bullet somewhere. I sense they really like Bobby, so better him than another FA to get them above the cap floor.

You're not wrong, I just think they'll prioritize him.

I have said many times that I want Spezza to be traded.

Thing is, his situation is being handled horribly. The guy deserves a more from management/ownership than to be ripped apart.

Not only that, but talking like this is only going to devalue him on the trade market.
- Charliebox

Agreed.
The treatment of Spezza is a black mark on the organization. Same with treatment of Alfredsson and the sign & trade of Hossa.
I think that the team's players and potential UFA targets take notice of this stuff.

At least they did the classy thing with Fisher and trade him to Nashville to be with his wife.

seriously?
- DoubleDown

Yes seriously. The sens do have a good young core. Just need to add some missing pieces and for the young guys to gain more experience.

Melnyk has told us what he wants. He says he has paper losses of $10m per year for 11 years. So, he is likely looking for $100m in his pocket (tax free). Don't know but the minutes probably records him as having $100m in shareholders loans outstanding. The remainder of the debt can be restructured by the new owner and the franchise is on a solid footing for a long time.

Had the Casino approval come through all of this (in some form) would already be resolved. But, we go through another summer where the issue is not the composition of the team. It is about making the books attractive to a prospective buyer.

Remember, Melnyk is the same guy who flew the Eagles into Ottawa for a free evening concert for Senator season ticket holders to celebrate his purchase of the team. The world loves a buyer. Everyone dislikes the seller. But, right now, Ottawa fans should invest their energy into encouraging Melnyk is able to find a good sale, quickly.
- spatso

This is all contingent on the assumption that he's looking for a buyer. Everything we know or suspect, at this point, indicates that this organization is the only profitable investment he has. The only way he's selling is if he's pushed out. He also just sold millions of shares... Not sure which holding.

Last week, as Travis pointed out, the NHL created a loan entity for teams to borrow against. I'm hoping that it's the first step in a league-wide audit, forcing owners to separate team debt from other debt. Only then will we know how much money Melnyk has been siphoning from the organization.

Your post made it to the big leagues:

http://sports.yahoo.com/b...-headlines-184014428.html

Melnyk sucks.

We will never win the cup with Melnyk

In fact, we will never make the playoffs again with Melnyk as owner.

Bottom 5 team coming up next season and for the years to come.
- ctlbue796

Looks like its gonna be another summer of "The Sky is Falling" and Nancy Grace articles based on pure speculation.

Ottawa is one of the youngest teams in the league and will have a great core moving forward.

Could we maybe spend more time talking about our prospects who tore it up this season or discuss how well Lazar is producing in the playoffs? No of course not, let's just throw more poop on the wall and hope it sticks.

Can't stand the "I feel sorry for myself" attitude by some of our fans. Until Melnyk sells the team he's here to stay

Looks like its gonna be another summer of "The Sky is Falling" and Nancy Grace articles based on pure speculation.

Ottawa is one of the youngest teams in the league and will have a great core moving forward.

Could we maybe spend more time talking about our prospects who tore it up this season or discuss how well Lazar is producing in the playoffs? No of course not, let's just throw more poop on the wall and hope it sticks.

Can't stand the "I feel sorry for myself" attitude by some of our fans. Until Melnyk sells the team he's here to stay
- SENS 613

Holy crap man, this isn't a pity party. The point is that this looks like a smear campaign. Why, I have no idea. Not sure how this approach benefits the team at all. They should be pumping his tires to inflate his trade value.

Moving Spezza to TO for Kadri wouldn't make sense - we currently have a glut of high-end centres in Spezza, Turris and ZBad, switching out Spezza for another C in Kadri would only continue that problem, especially with Lazar likely coming up next year. Although I've always liked Spezza, right now he's on the losing end of the numbers game - Turris doesn't give away much offensively, and is a much more complete player overall.

ZBad needs ice time, and keeping him on the third line just doesn't cut it at this stage of his development. Make Turris #1, ZBad #2, Lazar #3 and Pageau #4. Lazar will make Smith expendable (they play a similar game but Lazar has higher offensive skills and is more disciplined).

They should focus on getting a solid top 2 D-man for a Spezza/Smith package, imo.

Eugene Melnyk has done exactly what he told everyone he was going to do last fall. Now that he is moments away from a full financial restructuring of the enterprise people are beginning to ask what is happening.

Even though this might seem painful to fans, the franchise never looked better in terms of a buyer, investor or creditor determining the scope for a comprehensive restructure.

This is not the end of the story, it is the beginning of a story. I was certain the team would be sold last fall. The books have been cleaned, they are ready for examination.
- spatso

You may very well be correct, but I'll pick nits:
- You're correct that Melnyk has said this would be low budget team - he's just lying his ass off on the reasons and details.
- People aren't just starting to ask - you read Yost a lot, you know we've been talking about this since before last season began. At large, with the yarn Melnyk is spinning, it's become too open what's going on (which brings us back to my first point)
- Melnyk is acting like he's planning to sell the team or take on partners ... except he's repeatedly stated he's not planning to do either of those things. So again, we're left going back to my first point

Moving Spezza to TO for Kadri wouldn't make sense - we currently have a glut of high-end centres in Spezza, Turris and ZBad, switching out Spezza for another C in Kadri would only continue that problem, especially with Lazar likely coming up next year. Although I've always liked Spezza, right now he's on the losing end of the numbers game - Turris doesn't give away much offensively, and is a much more complete player overall.

ZBad needs ice time, and keeping him on the third line just doesn't cut it at this stage of his development. Make Turris #1, ZBad #2, Lazar #3 and Pageau #4. Lazar will make Smith expendable (they play a similar game but Lazar has higher offensive skills and is more disciplined).

They should focus on getting a solid top 2 D-man for a Spezza/Smith package, imo.
- Heidi_w_

It's going to be Phaneuf for Spezza or #8 pick for Spezza.


Either way he is coming to the Leafs...

will people please drop the spezza to leafs talk.........it's dumb in the main blog and it's even dumber in this thread.

murray will not trade his top line center and captain to a hated division rival.......it's not gonna happen.

To Pitt:

- Anderson
- Spezza (1/2 salary and cap hit retained)
- 1st 2015
- Lazar

To Ott:

- Malkin
- Fleury

To Pitt:

- Anderson
- Spezza (1/2 salary and cap hit retained)
- 1st 2015
- Lazar

To Ott:

- Malkin
- Fleury
- riceroni

To Pitt:

- Anderson
- Spezza (1/2 salary and cap hit retained)
- 1st 2015
- Lazar

To Ott:

- Malkin
- Fleury
- riceroni

no chance pitt does that deal. we'd get a better younger center (maybe 2nd best in the league) and a better younger goalie......the pick and lazar arent close to making up that difference

- gosensgo18

i think/hope spezza gets moved to a socal team, for a young dman with top 2/4 potential and a pick or prospect.

i mentioned in EKs thread......to anaheim for lindholm and a prospect or maybe their 1st (or ours if they're generous )

no chance pitt does that deal. we'd get a better younger center (maybe 2nd best in the league) and a better younger goalie......the pick and lazar arent close to making up that difference
- sensarmy_11

I agree with everything but this... Fleury and Anderson are equally average

I agree with everything but this... Fleury and Anderson are equally average
- Mr_Clean

yeah....but fleury's younger

yeah....but fleury's younger
- sensarmy_11

Younger... But more expensive

The one spot where the Penguins don't have an advantage over the Senators

Blue Jackets are owning

Moving Spezza to TO for Kadri wouldn't make sense - we currently have a glut of high-end centres in Spezza, Turris and ZBad, switching out Spezza for another C in Kadri would only continue that problem, especially with Lazar likely coming up next year. Although I've always liked Spezza, right now he's on the losing end of the numbers game - Turris doesn't give away much offensively, and is a much more complete player overall.

ZBad needs ice time, and keeping him on the third line just doesn't cut it at this stage of his development. Make Turris #1, ZBad #2, Lazar #3 and Pageau #4. Lazar will make Smith expendable (they play a similar game but Lazar has higher offensive skills and is more disciplined).

They should focus on getting a solid top 2 D-man for a Spezza/Smith package, imo.
- Heidi_w_

so your centres next year would have 3 years, 1 year, a rookie and an AHLer with a couple dozen games ..... and you think that is better????

you are putting to much optimism on that foursome and along with it too much pressure

Obviously I don't wanna see spezz go and I hate the way management has really thrown him under the bus

But if they can't get an extension going, Nashville seems like the perfect trade partner

There are two stories here. They are related but not necessarily dependent on each other. First, Melnyk needs to resolve his financial position with the team. Spending an extra $7 or $8m a year makes very little difference to the operations of the team. Cleaning up the books has to do with obtaining a new investor, selling the team or changing the capital structure of the corporation.

Second, Ottawa has a very young and talented team. They are going to get a lot better. Spezza is not a good fit in terms of age or in the game that he plays. From my perspective, moving Spezza is a very good hockey decision.

I think these two issues have become commingled by some commentators. It is a mistake to assume that resigning Spezza is the pathway to a successful team. I believe the opposite and have thought so for several years.

man, jack johnson seems to be having a hell of a playoffs thus far. man on a mission.
pittsburg better get their #!$% together, this is frackin up my hockey pool...