g

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.
- spatso

there's a difference between realizing it's time to move a player......and completely destroying that player prior to moving him....which seems to be what is happening here.

at this point, the financials are what they are.....melnyk is a cheap (frank)er, not gonna change. but the way he, and by extension his front office (which i'm sure just do what he tells them), have handled this, and many other things in the media, has been a goddamn farce.

g

there's a difference between realizing it's time to move a player......and completely destroying that player prior to moving him....which seems to be what is happening here.

at this point, the financials are what they are.....melnyk is a cheap (frank)er, not gonna change. but the way he, and by extension his front office (which i'm sure just do what he tells them), have handled this, and many other things in the media, has been a goddamn farce.


- sensarmy_11

There is no doubt we are witnessing some mismanagement.

Pshhh

Spezza's the best player on the team

Hands down

Trading him now will be worse than.losing chara for nothing

Took him half a season to get his timing back. That is all

If you cant see that youre dumber than anne frank

Pshhh

Spezza's the best player on the team

Hands down

Trading him now will be worse than.losing chara for nothing

Took him half a season to get his timing back. That is all

If you cant see that youre dumber than anne frank
- conor_smythe

Uhhhh.....................................

Melnyk is a sideshow clown and needs to shut his mouth and stop having so much to do with this franchise. You're not the face of the franchise.

Tired of hearing about how this guy negatively affects this franchise. Criminal investigations to penny pinching their franchise player. Moron.

Pshhh

Spezza's the best player on the team

Hands down

Trading him now will be worse than.losing chara for nothing

Took him half a season to get his timing back. That is all

If you cant see that youre dumber than anne frank
- conor_smythe

i don't know what's worse..........the sheer idiocy of your opinion......or the fact that you think "dumber than anne frank" is supposed to be insulting. seems pretty clear you don't even know who she was.

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

Fleury is a joke. So its more like Spezza, 1st, Lazar for Malkin.

Still dreaming, Pitt isn't trading their stars - they're waiting for the cap to go up.

Pshhh

Spezza's the best player on the team

Hands down

Trading him now will be worse than.losing chara for nothing

Took him half a season to get his timing back. That is all

If you cant see that youre dumber than anne frank
- conor_smythe

Fleury is a joke. So its more like Spezza, 1st, Lazar for Malkin.

Still dreaming, Pitt isn't trading their stars - they're waiting for the cap to go up.
- TommyDeVito

If the Pengiuns get knocked off early again this year, there will be changes.

If the Pengiuns get knocked off early again this year, there will be changes.
- spatso

no doubt.....but wont include crosby or malkin. assume they would look to move letang first, and probably fleury

- TommyDeVito

that guy is so clueless. same guy who said that karlsson was holding cowen back and making him worse.

that guy is so clueless. same guy who said that karlsson was holding cowen back and making him worse.
- sensarmy_11

Well..if, his only purpose was just to yank your chain, he appears to have succeeded, somewhat spectacularly.

Well..if, his only purpose was just to yank your chain, he appears to have succeeded, somewhat spectacularly.
- spatso

i doubt that was his purpose..........sometimes when people right stupid things, the reason is fairly simple, and evident.

the fact that you think "dumber than anne frank" is supposed to be insulting. seems pretty clear you don't even know who she was.
- sensarmy_11

Lol, I guess that one was over your head.. get some culture and you'll understand the reference

same guy who said that karlsson was holding cowen back and making him worse.
- sensarmy_11

Karlsson is the reason we missed the playoffs

the guy is a "chucker", he just chucks the puck whenever he has it, usually to the opponents waiting to keep the puck in

couldnt make a tape to tape pass to save his life

he reminds me of a high school girl playing soccer

Lol, I guess that one was over your head.. get some culture and you'll understand the reference
- conor_smythe

getting culture will allow me to understand you calling people "dumber than anne frank"?



man, you make me miss prock. at least his stupidity stems from a desire to troll.

Karlsson is the reason we missed the playoffs

the guy is a "chucker", he just chucks the puck whenever he has it, usually to the opponents waiting to keep the puck in

couldnt make a tape to tape pass to save his life

he reminds me of a high school girl playing soccer
- conor_smythe

sweet mother of christ...........you have to be trolling, cuz i don't think evolution has allowed humans to be as clueless as you are

Hopefully Melnyk and company get their act together by September/October. It would be nice to have things sorted out by draft/free agent time, but that's optimistic and we aren't in dire need of any free agents or draft day deals. If Melnyk and company cannot clean up their finances the NHL really needs to step in. I doubt they will, but they really ought to.

Spezza should not be dealt unless the package is overwhelming. Players like him do not grow on trees. The moment we trade him is the moment we start looking for a "first line centre". Trading him signals that the Sens failed in their 3 year rebuild (mostly because of money, lets be honest) and are rebuilding again. As a fan, that would be disappointing.

Hopefully Melnyk and company get their act together by September/October. It would be nice to have things sorted out by draft/free agent time, but that's optimistic and we aren't in dire need of any free agents or draft day deals. If Melnyk and company cannot clean up their finances the NHL really needs to step in. I doubt they will, but they really ought to.

Spezza should not be dealt unless the package is overwhelming. Players like him do not grow on trees. The moment we trade him is the moment we start looking for a "first line centre". Trading him signals that the Sens failed in their 3 year rebuild (mostly because of money, lets be honest) and are rebuilding again. As a fan, that would be disappointing.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

with regards to your 2nd para, i don't necessarily disagree......but what do you consider a 1st line center?

teams like boston, chicago, LA, st louis, etc.......they all have 1st line centers who put up 70ish pts, and play a great 200foot game. to me, that sounds MUCH MORE like turris than spezza.

Lol, I guess that one was over your head.. get some culture and you'll understand the reference
- conor_smythe

Are you certain you know who Anne Frank was?

with regards to your 2nd para, i don't necessarily disagree......but what do you consider a 1st line center?

teams like boston, chicago, LA, st louis, etc.......they all have 1st line centers who put up 70ish pts, and play a great 200foot game. to me, that sounds MUCH MORE like turris than spezza.
- sensarmy_11

I really wish some people would stop inflating Turris's stats. He didn't even get 60 points let alone "70ish". To me a first line centre is a guy you can rely on to put out there to score points, first and foremost. The teams you mentioned have 1st line centres that are in Spezza's league and out of Turris's league, at the moment. Their overall game looks a lot better thanks to the tremendous offensive and defensive depth that those teams have that we unfortunately don't. Put Turris on those teams and he probably doesn't even get a crack at top 6 minutes.

I really wish some people would stop inflating Turris's stats. He didn't even get 60 points let alone "70ish". To me a first line centre is a guy you can rely on to put out there to score points, first and foremost. The teams you mentioned have 1st line centres that are in Spezza's league and out of Turris's league, at the moment. Their overall game looks a lot better thanks to the tremendous offensive and defensive depth that those teams have that we unfortunately don't. Put Turris on those teams and he probably doesn't even get a crack at top 6 minutes.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

turris isnt there right now (70 pts), but he's well on his way. he isn't spezza offensively, but he's notfar off of where spezza is NOW.....he'll never be spezza from 5-6 years ago, but right now, i thinkthe difference offensively isn't THAT great. in fact, i think if turris didnt play on the PK, and basically forgot about the defensive third of the ice, like spezza does, then he'd put up almost the same amount of pts.

do some of us overvalue turris........sure. but you're equally guilty of undervaluing him IMO

with regards to your 2nd para, i don't necessarily disagree......but what do you consider a 1st line center?

teams like boston, chicago, LA, st louis, etc.......they all have 1st line centers who put up 70ish pts, and play a great 200foot game. to me, that sounds MUCH MORE like turris than spezza.
- sensarmy_11

While I agree that Turris is a more well-rounded centre, I'm not sure that we can rely on him, Mika, Smith and one of JGP/Lazar/Grant/SDC to fill that gap. I suppose if we can get a top winger or two, and a top D man, it might make up for it. Then it's about the money again.

For all the in-depth analysis, I haven't seen Travis actually say 'This is what I'd do.' What would his ideal lineup look like for this mid-low cap team? I know we were playing with Capgeek last week, but that was looking for the cheapest team. This is different. What should this team look like in October to be competitive and within the internal budget? Let's say 56.5MM, same as it is right now.

I really wish some people would stop inflating Turris's stats. He didn't even get 60 points let alone "70ish". To me a first line centre is a guy you can rely on to put out there to score points, first and foremost. The teams you mentioned have 1st line centres that are in Spezza's league and out of Turris's league, at the moment. Their overall game looks a lot better thanks to the tremendous offensive and defensive depth that those teams have that we unfortunately don't. Put Turris on those teams and he probably doesn't even get a crack at top 6 minutes.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I think you are way off the mark in your understanding of Turris' game. He is the complete 200' player. As good defensively as he is in the defensive end. Insiders rave about his game and the positive impact he has on his line mates.

In terms of career growth he seems to be very similar to Patrice Bergeron. In fact, if you look at his numbers he is well ahead of Bergeron at a similar place and time in his career.

Turris is not the issue. The concern for the Senators has to be if a Krejci exists in the up and coming Senators roster (Zibanejad, Lazar).

Here is my stab at a trade ,Clarkson half cap hit and salary retained by the leafs for the duration of that contract.And their 1st round pick .For Jason Spezza cap hit retained by ottawa this season.

Clarkson at 5.2 in your top 6 was never gonna work ,But Clarkson in a bottom 6 role at say 2.6 mil isnt bad at all