I'm hoping so. Because the trade in and of itself is not a good one.

Perhaps he's going to use the money he has under the budget to sign a couple smart guys. I mean, I love the Pouliot idea, for one.
- Travis Yost

Agreed, I love the Pouliot idea as well.

I think Greening is gone to Chicago today.

And he'll add a d-man. Ideally it would be Ehrhoff, but who knows?

Anyways, I do agree with the fact that the return isn't what you'd like to see come back for a player of Spezza's caliber, but I do think the team on the ice this year is better with Chiasson than Spezza, if only because they're going to have an easier time backfilling Spezza's minutes because of their depth down the middle.

So to review...

We've lost a near prime Dany Heatley, the face of our franchise Alfie, and the most skilled player we've ever had that can still put up points in Spezza for

Michalek
Chiasson
and some guys that might not ever play a game

At what point do we stop defending Bryan Murray? What a disaster

Not a terrible haul given his specific demands on trade locations.

You guys will like Chiassion a lot.
- mochoson

This frees up a ton of cap space. Let's see what else they do with that space and factor it into the bigger picture that results from moving Spezza.

Then you can assess whether the Sens did well in this.

I think in the end I think they are going to be a better team as a result, both next year and definitely long term.

I know the Sens were never going to win this trade, I just wish they wouldn't of lost it this bad
- Code67

Now you know how we felt when we moved Hemsky to Ottawa.

Sure....

Trade #1 center and the team is trending up. I don't even hear that stupid poop on the Oilers boards.
- Lahey

They didn't trade their 1C, they traded their 2C, and they had the heir apparent for that position already on their roster last season dude. Pay attention.

This frees up a ton of cap space. Let's see what else they do with that space and factor it into the bigger picture that results from moving Spezza.

Then you can assess whether the Sens did well in this.

I think in the end I think they are going to be a better team as a result, both next year and definitely long term.
- maaddmike

Not so much about cap space as it is dollars, but still a valid point.

I like the Chiasson piece, but jury is still out if he is a top line player. The rest of the deal is not good. Definitely less than what everyone was hoping for. Not surprising though. I am sure Murray has a couple of moves in him today/this week. Dallas will be a solid squad next year with Spezza added.

They didn't trade their 1C, they traded their 2C, and they had the heir apparent for that position already on their roster last season dude. Pay attention.
- the_terror

I'm a big fan of Turris, but the Sens are much weaker at the C position going forward now.

Yes they're younger, and this gives Zib a lot of room to grow, but they're weaker in this position now. Both players will improve next season, but neither will replace spezzas offense.

Travis Yost: Jason Spezza Traded to Dallas
- Travis Yost

wow nice return

So, they were rebuilding when they traded a futures package for Ryan? Then traded for Hemsky?

Come on man...that isn't rebuilding. The rebuild is restarting again.
- systemtool

1) Ryan - He's 26. They traded a 22yr old roster player, a prospect, and a pick for him. If Bobby Ryan leaves, then I'll accept it's a rebuild again. Otherwise, he's one of the marquis players on the team.

2) Hemsky - They were trying in vain to make the playoffs. They traded 2 draft picks from a thin draft for him, and just added back 2 prospects in this trade, one of which probably projects to have a more realistic shot at making a NHL roster than either of the guys Edmonton picked. They were trying to figure out if he was going to be a part of the team going forward, and trying to see if they could sneak in to the playoffs.

No one is in denial here. They just aren't 'restarting' a rebuild, it's been underway for 3 seasons now, and there is more road behind them now than there is ahead of them. All they have left to do is to re-sign Ryan and MacArthur, find a partner for Karlsson, and get Phillips and Neil off the roster.

I like the Chiasson piece, but jury is still out if he is a top line player. The rest of the deal is not good. Definitely less than what everyone was hoping for. Not surprising though. I am sure Murray has a couple of moves in him today/this week. Dallas will be a solid squad next year with Spezza added.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Seguin
Spezza

Some serious center power there.

I'm a big fan of Turris, but the Sens are much weaker at the C position going forward now.

Yes they're younger, and this gives Zib a lot of room to grow, but they're weaker in this position now. Both players will improve next season, but neither will replace spezzas offense.
- david22

If you can extend Bobby Ryan now with the internal budget, its a side factor of this trade. As soon as Spezza said he wanted out, locking up Ryan has to be a priority.

Called it. Not a disaster if Murray gets a Patrick Bergeron type player with that 2nd pick, other muse a horrible return for a good pmYer making very little money

Seguin
Spezza

Some serious center power there.
- david22

The Stars Avs games were fun to watch last season, and they are going to be even better now. Seguin vs Duchene and now MacKinnon vs Spezza

I like Chiasson. The rest of the package is pretty underwhelming.
- Travis Yost

Guptill is a pretty good piece, apparently he underachieved this past year but he has skill and size in spades.

I'm a big fan of Turris, but the Sens are much weaker at the C position going forward now.

Yes they're younger, and this gives Zib a lot of room to grow, but they're weaker in this position now. Both players will improve next season, but neither will replace spezzas offense.
- david22

Spezza had 66 points last year. Turris had 58 and Zibanejad had 33.

You don't think Turris can get 70 and Zibanejad can get 55? Because if you have that down the middle, you're better off than a lot of teams in the NHL, and that basically replaces most of Spezza's points, except you've got 2 centers now who will not turn the puck over at will and play in all zones.

So yeah...you can argue that they'll lose some points, but that GAA is gonna drop too.

1) Ryan - He's 26. They traded a 22yr old roster player, a prospect, and a pick for him. If Bobby Ryan leaves, then I'll accept it's a rebuild again. Otherwise, he's one of the marquis players on the team.

2) Hemsky - They were trying in vain to make the playoffs. They traded 2 draft picks from a thin draft for him, and just added back 2 prospects in this trade, one of which probably projects to have a more realistic shot at making a NHL roster than either of the guys Edmonton picked. They were trying to figure out if he was going to be a part of the team going forward, and trying to see if they could sneak in to the playoffs.

No one is in denial here. They just aren't 'restarting' a rebuild, it's been underway for 3 seasons now, and there is more road behind them now than there is ahead of them. All they have left to do is to re-sign Ryan and MacArthur, find a partner for Karlsson, and get Phillips and Neil off the roster.
- the_terror

Not knocking the team. Just saying, you don't trade a futures package and then trade for a veteran when you're a rebuilding team.

When my Leafs traded that package for Kessel, I didn't consider it rebuilding. No matter how young Kessel was. You don't trade 1sts as a rebuilding team.

The idea of trading Spezza was dumb to begin with!

So, they were rebuilding when they traded a futures package for Ryan? Then traded for Hemsky?

Come on man...that isn't rebuilding. The rebuild is restarting again.
- systemtool

Ryan is a young piece himself, you can't have all prospects on the roster.

Hemsky was just a desperation move to try and get uncle euge some sweet sweet playoff revenue.

So yes, to answer your question, we were.

wat..................the...................f.....

Ryan is a young piece himself, you can't have all prospects on the roster.

Hemsky was just a desperation move to try and get uncle euge some sweet sweet playoff revenue.

So yes, to answer your question, we were.
- TommyDeVito

Not saying the whole roster should be all prospects, but you don't trade 1sts when you're rebuilding. Its oxymoronic to do both at the same time.

The other thing this does is release some money for Murray to use for free agents.

Maybe you also have to consider that anyone he adds today as part of that, as part of the return?

I don't know, I don't mind the return to be honest. I don't know much about the two prospects. 2nd round picks are not awful. Chiasson has the potential to be very good for Ottawa.

The return for Neal was worse. It's on par with Kesler.
- the_terror

It's more likely that it just releases some money for Melnyk to reduce the budget.

Ouch.

Not knocking the team. Just saying, you don't trade a futures package and then trade for a veteran when you're a rebuilding team.

When my Leafs traded that package for Kessel, I didn't consider it rebuilding. No matter how young Kessel was. You don't trade 1sts as a rebuilding team.
- systemtool

Yeah, lots of teams do that.

You've just made up your own definition of what rebuilding is, and its stupid.

You were definitely rebuilding when you traded three draft picks for what Burkie saw as a franchise player.

i'm alright with this deal.

it's obviously not great, but i'm excited to get chiasson. i've been reading about him since the idea of dallas was floated....he's a solid player.

would have preferred a better prospect, but guptil (sp) looks to be okay.

most importantly, i like this trade MUCH better than the proposal st louis made (berglund, cole, 2nd)

murray has to spend now, as they're about 10 or so mil under the floor.......can afford to throw some decent $$ at ehrhoff