I don't blame you. I probably would too for the Leafs

At the time the Leafs traded for Kessel, I was wondering why they didn't just sign Cammalleri and keep their first instead of Kessel. While Seguin will probably be the better player over their careers, Im honestly happy with the deal today. Like you, Im probably irrational about it. I honestly can't stand the look of Seguins face or his attitude. That face of his really annoys the (frank) out of me. Not that it should matter...but damn, that guy is one ugly (frank).
- systemtool

The strangest part of the Seguin/Kessel saga is that Kessel is introverted and struggles with the Toronto media. Seguin, on the other hand, is an extrovert and one of the few guys who has the personality and confidence to thrive in the pressures of a Toronto market.

FORWARDS
Clarke MacArthur ($3.250m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Milan Michalek ($4.000m) / Mika Zibanejad ($0.894m) / Alex Chiasson ($0.867m)
Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) / David Legwand ($3.000m) / Mark Stone ($0.603m)
Mike Hoffman ($0.750m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Erik Condra ($1.250m)
Chris Neil ($1.900m) / Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.613m) / Colin Greening ($2.650m)
DEFENSEMEN
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Patrick Wiercioch ($2.000m) / Eric Gryba ($1.250m)
Chris Phillips ($2.500m) / Mark Borowiecki ($0.575m)
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($2.250m)
BONUS OVERAGE
$0
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $56,415,833; BONUSES: $1,988,333
CAP SPACE (25-man roster): $12,584,167

Currently we are at 25 men if we have Lazar and Pageau up...

We need to cut 1-2 F and 1 D to get the roster size we want...

I'd like to see Stone, 2015 1st (lottery protected for top 3 pick), Gryba and Greening traded for E Kane.

FORWARDS
Clarke MacArthur ($3.250m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Milan Michalek ($4.000m) / Mika Zibanejad ($0.894m) / Alex Chiasson ($0.867m)
Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) / David Legwand ($3.000m) / Mark Stone ($0.603m)
Mike Hoffman ($0.750m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Erik Condra ($1.250m)
Chris Neil ($1.900m) / Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.613m) / Colin Greening ($2.650m)
DEFENSEMEN
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Patrick Wiercioch ($2.000m) / Eric Gryba ($1.250m)
Chris Phillips ($2.500m) / Mark Borowiecki ($0.575m)
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($2.250m)
BONUS OVERAGE
$0
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $56,415,833; BONUSES: $1,988,333
CAP SPACE (25-man roster): $12,584,167

Currently we are at 25 men if we have Lazar and Pageau up...

We need to cut 1-2 F and 1 D to get the roster size we want...

I'd like to see Stone, 2015 1st (lottery protected for top 3 pick), Gryba and Greening traded for E Kane.
- riceroni

Will take more. Not until more than 50% on this thread says it is too much are you even getting close. My guess is Winnipeg's first ask is Lehner, plus, plus.

FORWARDS
Clarke MacArthur ($3.250m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Milan Michalek ($4.000m) / Mika Zibanejad ($0.894m) / Alex Chiasson ($0.867m)
Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) / David Legwand ($3.000m) / Mark Stone ($0.603m)
Mike Hoffman ($0.750m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Erik Condra ($1.250m)
Chris Neil ($1.900m) / Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.613m) / Colin Greening ($2.650m)
DEFENSEMEN
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Patrick Wiercioch ($2.000m) / Eric Gryba ($1.250m)
Chris Phillips ($2.500m) / Mark Borowiecki ($0.575m)
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($2.250m)
BONUS OVERAGE
$0
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $56,415,833; BONUSES: $1,988,333
CAP SPACE (25-man roster): $12,584,167

Currently we are at 25 men if we have Lazar and Pageau up...

We need to cut 1-2 F and 1 D to get the roster size we want...

I'd like to see Stone, 2015 1st (lottery protected for top 3 pick), Gryba and Greening traded for E Kane.
- riceroni

Here's what the new roster would look like...
Sens get Kane!
FORWARDS
Clarke MacArthur ($3.250m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Milan Michalek ($4.000m) / Mika Zibanejad ($0.894m) / Evander Kane ($5.250m)
Mike Hoffman ($0.750m) / David Legwand ($3.000m) / Alex Chiasson ($0.867m)
Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Erik Condra ($1.250m)
Chris Neil ($1.900m) / Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.613m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Patrick Wiercioch ($2.000m) / Chris Phillips ($2.500m)
Mark Borowiecki ($0.575m)
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($2.250m)
BONUS OVERAGE
$0
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $57,162,500; BONUSES: $1,718,333
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $11,837,500

This was a strange thread from the beginning. Travis writes a blog on "Directionless." It brings out all the frustration and hostility of the "Don't Move Spezza Crowd," plus all the anger of those fans that believe by merely moving Greening or another bottom six piece it will put the Senators on the road to winning a Stanley Cup. In fact, the blog is so badly mislabeled it even stimulates some of the unsavory Toronto trolls to venture out into public since going underground after the last Leaf collapse.

In fairness to Travis he was actually sidetracked into discussing the merits of a Garrioch column and the blog itself was not nearly as bad as the title. Had the blog been entitled "Bruce Garrioch is an idiot," everything might be a lot clearer.

Nevertheless, almost the entire thread has been devoted to bashing Brian Murray and the terrible job he has done. When it was announced Murray had signed Legwand the brutality of the attacks lessened. Yet, there was very little acknowledgement or affirmation of the outstanding job of transition Murray has actually made under very difficult circumstances this past week.

I believe (hope) Murray is still seeking out his top six "hard" forward. I also think he needs to add a top 4 Dman and I think he will make both those things happen. Murray has now said, "the Senators are at the end of the rebuild, they will compete." I believe him. I am disappointed that so many of you are so unhappy with the job he has done.
- spatso

I think its fine to be critical of your team/management, and question the rationale and rhetoric released about the moves that are made. That being said and under the same logic, I think its perfectly fine to be critical of neighbourhood blogger as well, so i don't take issue with your post here.

i personally don't find the sens' "directionless"... rather, on the contrary, i think there is a very clear pattern emerging: spend as little money, but win ENOUGH to sell tickets. try to squeeze into the playoffs to increase $$. regardless of outcome: REPEAT, and when players require bigger contracts, move them out and get YOUNGER.

the question I have is how much longer are we going to continue with this pattern?...
what is the endgame? i think many of us bought into the endgame with the promises a three year rebuild would bring.... but now we arent so sure. we want answers. there is nothing wrong with being a critical thinker and asking questions. although we would like to believe melnyk will spend when the time is "right", it doesnt mean we shouldnt start thinking critically about when and if that time will ever come...

maybe all this debate is for naught, and eventually... perhaps in the near future, we will see $$$ into the team that is on ice... but in the meantime there is nothing wrong with thinking, debating, and criticizing, and i mean that from BOTH sides of the equation.

as far as specifically critiquing murray, i'd give him a B, maybe a B+. he's made some great moves, but he's made some duds also. personally, i believe he's done a great job at laying down some fundamental pieces at a cheap price, and i do believe this team is in a good spot for the near future... but he's also made some real head scratching moves, and sometimes i question the point of his pressers.

for me, the light at the end of the tunnel is that this team is in good shape, and could turn out to be a decent middle of the pack team (with one or two additions / subtractions going into this year), but eventually will be strong enough to compete for a cup.

but, at the same time, i wonder whether we will ever see the light of the end of the tunnel, and whether or not its an empty promise to keep interest and fill seats, and that we may be destined to remain a middle of the pack team, simply because we are perpetually unmanned and underfunded.

i hope not.

in the meantime, ill remain a bit skeptical of the kool aid.

FORWARDS
Clarke MacArthur ($3.250m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Milan Michalek ($4.000m) / Mika Zibanejad ($0.894m) / Alex Chiasson ($0.867m)
Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) / David Legwand ($3.000m) / Mark Stone ($0.603m)
Mike Hoffman ($0.750m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Erik Condra ($1.250m)
Chris Neil ($1.900m) / Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.613m) / Colin Greening ($2.650m)
DEFENSEMEN
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Patrick Wiercioch ($2.000m) / Eric Gryba ($1.250m)
Chris Phillips ($2.500m) / Mark Borowiecki ($0.575m)
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($2.250m)
BONUS OVERAGE
$0
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $56,415,833; BONUSES: $1,988,333
CAP SPACE (25-man roster): $12,584,167

Currently we are at 25 men if we have Lazar and Pageau up...

We need to cut 1-2 F and 1 D to get the roster size we want...

I'd like to see Stone, 2015 1st (lottery protected for top 3 pick), Gryba and Greening traded for E Kane.
- riceroni

1. i don't think winnipeg would accept that trade if the pick was lottery protected....they could get a better return then that.

2. if it's not lottery protected, i have no interest in that trade.

kane isn't the player to sell the farm for, imo.

i'd rather see a "smaller deal".

smith, greening, boro, 2nd

for

bickell, leddy

it will save the hawks over 3 mil in cap space, and they don't have to move any core pieces. they also get back some grit to play in their bottom six, and a decent prospect and pick

Will take more. Not until more than 50% on this thread says it is too much are you even getting close. My guess is Winnipeg's first ask is Lehner, plus, plus.
- spatso

I would not trade Lehner for Kane. Lehner is one of the five pieces I'd build around and I think trading him (and keeping Anderson) would be one of the biggest mistakes in franchise history...
The most I'd pay for Kane is my package I just said and add in Dallas 2nd to the mix. Anything more than that and it's not worth taking on the circus that surrounds Kane.

The strangest part of the Seguin/Kessel saga is that Kessel is introverted and struggles with the Toronto media. Seguin, on the other hand, is an extrovert and one of the few guys who has the personality and confidence to thrive in the pressures of a Toronto market.
- spatso

Thrive? No, I disagree.

He seems immature, arrogant, and says/does some stupid things sometimes. All these would be magnified in a Toronto market. While he would be fun, he also isn't all there, if you know what I mean

I think its fine to be critical of your team/management, and question the rationale and rhetoric released about the moves that are made. That being said and under the same logic, I think its perfectly fine to be critical of neighbourhood blogger as well, so i don't take issue with your post here.

i personally don't find the sens' "directionless"... rather, on the contrary, i think there is a very clear pattern emerging: spend as little money, but win ENOUGH to sell tickets. try to squeeze into the playoffs to increase $$. regardless of outcome: REPEAT, and when players require bigger contracts, move them out and get YOUNGER.

the question I have is how much longer are we going to continue with this pattern?...
what is the endgame? i think many of us bought into the endgame with the promises a three year rebuild would bring.... but now we arent so sure. we want answers. there is nothing wrong with being a critical thinker and asking questions. although we would like to believe melnyk will spend when the time is "right", it doesnt mean we shouldnt start thinking critically about when and if that time will ever come...

maybe all this debate is for naught, and eventually... perhaps in the near future, we will see $$$ into the team that is on ice... but in the meantime there is nothing wrong with thinking, debating, and criticizing, and i mean that from BOTH sides of the equation.

as far as specifically critiquing murray, i'd give him a B, maybe a B+. he's made some great moves, but he's made some duds also. personally, i believe he's done a great job at laying down some fundamental pieces at a cheap price, and i do believe this team is in a good spot for the near future... but he's also made some real head scratching moves, and sometimes i question the point of his pressers.

for me, the light at the end of the tunnel is that this team is in good shape, and could turn out to be a decent middle of the pack team (with one or two additions / subtractions going into this year), but eventually will be strong enough to compete for a cup.

but, at the same time, i wonder whether we will ever see the light of the end of the tunnel, and whether or not its an empty promise to keep interest and fill seats, and that we may be destined to remain a middle of the pack team, simply because we are perpetually unmanned and underfunded.

i hope not.

in the meantime, ill remain a bit skeptical of the kool aid.
- sen_smile

Appreciate the comment.

I realize that some people are upset with Murray's bumbling press conferences. Yet, from a media perspective that may be what he handled best of all. When you have a crisis the key is to get out front of it and stay in front. Spezza is gone, things are cooling down. It could have been much worse.

Last summer was the big debate over whether Melnyk had a financial problem. This year everyone accepts that as reality. Murray cannot fix the budget problem, he can just do his best to go forward. The budget problem will go away when the team is recapitalized. In the mean time Murray has done a fantastic job of holding it together.

Thrive? No, I disagree.

He seems immature, arrogant, and says/does some stupid things sometimes. All these would be magnified in a Toronto market. While he would be fun, he also isn't all there, if you know what I mean
- systemtool

But, in Toronto you would have his mother to slap him around when he got too cocky.

I like Foligno. One of Buffalo's better players last year.
- Travis Yost

Travis!
Buffalo is still waiting for Foligno to figure his game out. a young power forward who burst onto the scene 2 years ago for the last 15-20 games and put up numbers by p,along a physical, go to the net game. since then...meh. He plays uninspired for long periods, then puts it together for agame or so. While still young, his time to prove he is a consistent player is now.

Travis!
Buffalo is still waiting for Foligno to figure his game out. a young power forward who burst onto the scene 2 years ago for the last 15-20 games and put up numbers by p,along a physical, go to the net game. since then...meh. He plays uninspired for long periods, then puts it together for agame or so. While still young, his time to prove he is a consistent player is now.
- IonSabres

He is like his brother ,Nick both are nhlers ,but they seem to always leave you wanting more .Marcus will be that 17 goal guy that make a third line great ,or a top 6 line bad

Thrive? No, I disagree.

He seems immature, arrogant, and says/does some stupid things sometimes. All these would be magnified in a Toronto market. While he would be fun, he also isn't all there, if you know what I mean
- systemtool

I;d also say Kessel deals with the media attention rather well, by staying low-key.

Travis!
Buffalo is still waiting for Foligno to figure his game out. a young power forward who burst onto the scene 2 years ago for the last 15-20 games and put up numbers by p,along a physical, go to the net game. since then...meh. He plays uninspired for long periods, then puts it together for agame or so. While still young, his time to prove he is a consistent player is now.
- IonSabres

He needs a change of scenery to be revitalized.