He deserves another shot. Summer off might do him wonders, in a perfect sens world he will have a good training camp and come in confident. He is built for playoff hockey kind of like Raymond Bourque. If we make it into the playoffs which is a different brand of hockey he will shine. He needs to play with talent on his line. Greening Legwand Stone could be a big powerful third line. He might find chemistry with some new options. Interesting year ahead for Sens fans. Worst case we miss the playoffs in a amazing draft year and trade vets at the deadline for more pics.

Cowan, Zack Smith, and a second rounder for Tyler Myers. Then let the youngsters battle it out for that Center ice job.

He's pretty damn close, honestly. Not that many guys make over that amount.

1. Bolland
2. Engelland
3. Clarkson
4. Greening
5. Cowen
6. Ott
7. Brewer
8. Polak
9. Souray
10. Orpik
- TommyDeVito

lots of guys i'd add to that list: kelly, weiss, bourque, neil, hendricks (just under 2 mil), gonchar, gaustad, scuderi, etc

some of these guys might be a little better than greening, but some are also making more than double what he is.

Here's how you fix him. Put him in the pressbox until an injury happens to a winger on line 3 or line 2 . Then play him in that role with a better center.

Don't forget Dan Cleary
- Feds91Stammer

Cleary was only given 1.5 a year, wasn't he?

Let's suppose we do trade Greening for a 5th through 7th round pick, does that mean we could then package some assets to go get Sharp or Marchand?

lots of guys i'd add to that list: kelly, weiss, bourque, neil, hendricks (just under 2 mil), gonchar, gaustad, scuderi, etc

some of these guys might be a little better than greening, but some are also making more than double what he is.
- sensarmy_11

Kelly - better than Greening. Would have have 13/13/26 statline over a full season, and is still a great PK guy.

Weiss had one brutal season, but I still maintain he could bounce back.

Rene Bourque is exactly what we want out of Greening, has been much better last two years.

Neil doesn't make 2 mill.
Hendricks doesn't make 2 mill

Gonchar is still good for a 3rd pairing D, same with Scuderi.

Paul Gaustad is also way better than Greening.

Let's suppose we do trade Greening for a 5th through 7th round pick, does that mean we could then package some assets to go get Sharp or Marchand?
- riceroni

Don't torture yourself like this.

Don't torture yourself like this.
- TommyDeVito

We'd still have a lot of money to be able to take on to get to the $56 M internal cap floor...

But, I would actually be happy if this team spent $52M and rode the kids to either an 8th place finish or Connor McDavid!

Maybe, having Greening in the lineup is really what Eugene wants because the 14-15-25 line will help us lose a few more games and get either #1 or #2 overall!

Kelly - better than Greening. Would have have 13/13/26 statline over a full season, and is still a great PK guy.

Weiss had one brutal season, but I still maintain he could bounce back.

Rene Bourque is exactly what we want out of Greening, has been much better last two years.

Neil doesn't make 2 mill.
Hendricks doesn't make 2 mill

Gonchar is still good for a 3rd pairing D, same with Scuderi.

Paul Gaustad is also way better than Greening.
- TommyDeVito

like i said, my post was relative to salary.

yes, gaustad is better, but he's not twice as good, despite making twice as much. same as gonchar.

if we're going STRICTLY on the worst player making over 2 mil, and not "bang for your buck", then yes i agree with you.

Travis, this article was due and this subject is a good one to explore further. Greening is one example, but there are many other player (i think) that are in the same type of meltdown. Injury or not, I think it is a common thing in the NHL and maybe in other sport to see a player with a new lucrative contract to play bad the year after the signing.

It may be my personal perspective, but look at Cowen and Greening. I am talking more of extension of RFA singing. Can you look at this? Can we take a pool of random players that was extended, are young and their next season stats? I am curious to see if this is not simply a human nature as a young man to celebrate too much after a lucrative contract and neglect summer training.

Example: Cowen signed a good contract and I think he was dragging his feet last season until neil kicked his ass.

I may be wrong

Here's how you fix him. Put him in the pressbox until an injury happens to a winger on line 3 or line 2 . Then play him in that role with a better center.
- riceroni

Difficult problem. Neil is either traded or becomes healthy scratch most nights.

So, your 4th becomes Smith, Condra and Greening. But, two of those guys need to go. And, if Greening is a hard move then it has to be Smith and Condra. Opening night my fourth line would be Lazar, Hoffman and Greening.

Leo Komarov makes just shy of 3 mill per year, for the next 4 years in T.O.
- Erik6Karlsson5

Komarov > Greening. He will actually be given more than 8 mins a game this year, I expect 30-35 points from him

We'd still have a lot of money to be able to take on to get to the $56 M internal cap floor...

But, I would actually be happy if this team spent $52M and rode the kids to either an 8th place finish or Connor McDavid!

Maybe, having Greening in the lineup is really what Eugene wants because the 14-15-25 line will help us lose a few more games and get either #1 or #2 overall!
- riceroni

I dont see Ottawa that bad or that good. 10th overall pick again (but actually having it this year).
Ottawa needs a new owner

He's pretty damn close, honestly. Not that many guys make over that amount.

1. Bolland
2. Engelland
3. Clarkson
4. Greening
5. Cowen
6. Ott
7. Brewer
8. Polak
9. Souray
10. Orpik
- TommyDeVito

Bolland is a good player... just that damn contract...

I dont see Ottawa that bad or that good. 10th overall pick again (but actually having it this year).
Ottawa needs a new owner
- GardinerExpress

Picking 10th would be the worst case scenario. Not getting a 1st line guy and not getting into the playoffs... I'd rather tank this year than trying to reach the 8th spot and falling to 10th.

Let's suppose we do trade Greening for a 5th through 7th round pick, does that mean we could then package some assets to go get Sharp or Marchand?
- riceroni

Ottawa needs to do a deal, they need to create space for kids to move up. Bunch of teams are being squeezed by cap. Assume Smith is a key piece in any future deal. He is on a great contract.

The Greening situation is unfortunately another financial obstacle. On any of the other 29 NHL teams, Greening would have been bought out by now. That's not happening here, obviously, so we are stuck with him. I don't see many other teams looking to acquire an expensive 4th liner. My biggest concern is that we have this guy for 3 more seasons. Not to mention, Neil and Phillips for 2 more seasons. For a team that is looking for spare change in Mom and Dad's couch, you cannot have these kinds of players with these kinds of contracts on your squad. Would not be hard to upgrade those players with the same money.

I really liked Greening his first couple of seasons here. But it seems that he does not want to use his attributes to their full potential. He is one of the teams fastest skaters. But we only know that because of the skills competition, not games. Apparently he hits a lot according to the stat sheet, but I can't remember a single hit that help his team. He does have decent offensive instincts, but only used them playing alongside Spezza. This guy has great tools, but does not seem to put them together like fans and the team had hoped when he first arrived here.

I dont see Ottawa that bad or that good. 10th overall pick again (but actually having it this year).
Ottawa needs a new owner
- GardinerExpress

CMCD is ours, (frank) off.

Picking 10th would be the worst case scenario. Not getting a 1st line guy and not getting into the playoffs... I'd rather tank this year than trying to reach the 8th spot and falling to 10th.
- riceroni

Last year many people picked Ottawa to challenge Boston in the East. They stumbled coming out of the gate, gave up way too many soft goals. The main difference this year over last is that Spezza is gone, replaced by Legwand and the young guys are a year older. This is a good team.

Last year many people picked Ottawa to challenge Boston in the East. They stumbled coming out of the gate, gave up way too many soft goals. The main difference this year over last is that Spezza is gone, replaced by Legwand and the young guys are a year older. This is a good team.
- spatso

I think it was the right decision to move on from Spezza I really do. But, I don't think in the short term we are a better team without him and I think it's unfair to blame last season on him. It was a total team collapse. I do hope that key guys will rebound this year, Lehner, Cowen, Ryan (can't say he had a bad year but he was injured so I'd like to see him have a great season and be healthy), Anderson and Weircioch. These guys need to be significantly better.

The guys who I am not sure will be as good as last year are MacArthur and Methot. I'd like them to just stay the same as last season and I'd be happy.

Big improvements (even though they performed as expected last season) will have to be Karlsson, Turris, Zibanejad, Hoffman, Ceci (I actually don't think he was really good and I'd actually like him to be in the AHL for a full year), Stone and Michalek...

There are so many guys who had down years last year that it has to get better. At least I hope so.... Who f'ing knows...

Last year many people picked Ottawa to challenge Boston in the East. They stumbled coming out of the gate, gave up way too many soft goals. The main difference this year over last is that Spezza is gone, replaced by Legwand and the young guys are a year older. This is a good team.
- spatso

Guys who said that were very out to lunch. I don't deny there were people saying that, but I think smart hockey people knew the team was simply a potential top 8 team in the East. If cards fell into place perfectly, they may have made more noise. There were other issues besides poor defensive play by Spezza that put this team into a second phase of a rebuild.

Going into this season, I think you'll find the same prediction with the Sens being a potential top 8 team. Not because this team is good, but by because of how wide open the East is (in a bad way). The East is like the best friend of the hot girl in high school (the Western Conference). They look legit because they are always seen with the hot girl, but really are not in the same league.

Last year many people picked Ottawa to challenge Boston in the East. They stumbled coming out of the gate, gave up way too many soft goals. The main difference this year over last is that Spezza is gone, replaced by Legwand and the young guys are a year older. This is a good team.
- spatso

Legwand isn't a good replacement for Spezza

Guys who said that were very out to lunch. I don't deny there were people saying that, but I think smart hockey people knew the team was simply a potential top 8 team in the East. If cards fell into place perfectly, they may have made more noise. There were other issues besides poor defensive play by Spezza that put this team into a second phase of a rebuild.

Going into this season, I think you'll find the same prediction with the Sens being a potential top 8 team. Not because this team is good, but by because of how wide open the East is (in a bad way). The East is like the best friend of the hot girl in high school (the Western Conference). They look legit because they are always seen with the hot girl, but really are not in the same league.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Bang on, I'd know

Guys who said that were very out to lunch. I don't deny there were people saying that, but I think smart hockey people knew the team was simply a potential top 8 team in the East. If cards fell into place perfectly, they may have made more noise. There were other issues besides poor defensive play by Spezza that put this team into a second phase of a rebuild.

Going into this season, I think you'll find the same prediction with the Sens being a potential top 8 team. Not because this team is good, but by because of how wide open the East is (in a bad way). The East is like the best friend of the hot girl in high school (the Western Conference). They look legit because they are always seen with the hot girl, but really are not in the same league.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

To be fair, i think that was during the height of the CORSI wave. There were artciles where people predicted who would finish were, solely on CORSI. It didn't work too well.

Like this:

http://bleacherreport.com...al-for-the-2013-14-season

Edit: 105 points.