"and perhaps even Toronto ahead of them"

Sens finish 2nd last or dead last in the division this year, interchangeable with Florida.

Bobby has atleast 8 years of hockey left in him, I for one am all about signing him, I would even put a A on his chest possibly a C if he steps up this fall. He wants to stay but sounds like he is over Paul's stupid decisions each night, like playing Neil on the pp. If paul gets his poop together and the team is rolling he signs. If not we trade him for a nice return and move on and get over it. Go Sens

OTT traded a 1st, good prospect and current young forward with upside (not elite but solid) for Ryan. What can they expect to get back? Ryan is a UFA next year and is coming off 2 poor seasons (by his standards). So I would venture to say he has less value. Assuming they get max value for him lets say they get a 1st and good prospect or solid 2nd line player? If the Flyers were to trade for him (I hope they don't!) that might look like a 1st and Laughton OR 1st, Vinny and Hagg.

With that all said, I don't think you need to trade him ASAP. It is a risk not doing so obviously. If he has a poor season you may expect a 2nd and a 2nd or 3rd line player i.e. 2nd and Read from PHI. If he plays well you may expect a bit more at the TDL.

My 2 cents: Trade him now or risk it and try for a little more, do not trade him to PHI! and expect less coming back then you gave up to get him.

Bobby Ryan is a good hockey player. But, he is just outside the age profile of a very young and very talented Ottawa core. I would avoid the 8 year deal.

Brian Murray believes he has a good playoff team. I think he does. But I would not hesitate to trade Ryan to either the LA Kings or San Jose which is where he is likely headed if he goes as a UFA.

People ignore that Spezza was 122nd out of 122 NHL centers playing 50 NHL games last year in GA for 60 minutes. Hey guys, let's keep it in perspective. Ottawa gave up a goal every 15 minutes of Jason Spezza playing time.

On the other hand, Turris ranked 7th among all NHL centers in goal differential. Ottawa with Turris, Zibanejad, Legwand and Smith down the middle and Karlsson playing 27 minutes a night will be more than okay.

OTT traded a 1st, good prospect and current young forward with upside (not elite but solid) for Ryan. What can they expect to get back? Ryan is a UFA next year and is coming off 2 poor seasons (by his standards). So I would venture to say he has less value. Assuming they get max value for him lets say they get a 1st and good prospect or solid 2nd line player? If the Flyers were to trade for him (I hope they don't!) that might look like a 1st and Laughton OR 1st, Vinny and Hagg.

With that all said, I don't think you need to trade him ASAP. It is a risk not doing so obviously. If he has a poor season you may expect a 2nd and a 2nd or 3rd line player i.e. 2nd and Read from PHI. If he plays well you may expect a bit more at the TDL.

My 2 cents: Trade him now or risk it and try for a little more, do not trade him to PHI! and expect less coming back then you gave up to get him.
- coffee junkie

Is this a joke? Vinny actually detracts from the value of the trade. Why would the Sens take a salary dump as part of an already lop sided trade? Makes zero sense.

Bobby Ryan is a good hockey player. But, he is just outside the age profile of a very young and very talented Ottawa core. I would avoid the 8 year deal.

Brian Murray believes he has a good playoff team. I think he does. But I would not hesitate to trade Ryan to either the LA Kings or San Jose which is where he is likely headed if he goes as a UFA.

People ignore that Spezza was 122nd out of 122 NHL centers playing 50 NHL games last year in GA for 60 minutes. Hey guys, let's keep it in perspective. Ottawa gave up a goal every 15 minutes of Jason Spezza playing time.

On the other hand, Turris ranked 7th among all NHL centers in goal differential. Ottawa with Turris, Zibanejad, Legwand and Smith down the middle and Karlsson playing 27 minutes a night will be more than okay.
- spatso

I trust you Spatso. I am looking forward to a healthy Sens cup run this year. Let's bring that Cup home to Canada. Pressure's on the Sens to do this but, like you, I think they might be able to do it.

The east blows ,montreal ,toronto,ottawa etc are all pretty much hit or miss for the playoffs

I dont think they will get back what they paid for him though.

OTT traded a 1st, good prospect and current young forward with upside (not elite but solid) for Ryan. What can they expect to get back? Ryan is a UFA next year and is coming off 2 poor seasons (by his standards). So I would venture to say he has less value. Assuming they get max value for him lets say they get a 1st and good prospect or solid 2nd line player? If the Flyers were to trade for him (I hope they don't!) that might look like a 1st and Laughton OR 1st, Vinny and Hagg.

With that all said, I don't think you need to trade him ASAP. It is a risk not doing so obviously. If he has a poor season you may expect a 2nd and a 2nd or 3rd line player i.e. 2nd and Read from PHI. If he plays well you may expect a bit more at the TDL.

My 2 cents: Trade him now or risk it and try for a little more, do not trade him to PHI! and expect less coming back then you gave up to get him.
- coffee junkie

Wont get a 2015 first rounder unless its from a top team in the nhl around the 28-30 mark.

The east blows ,montreal ,toronto,ottawa etc are all pretty much hit or miss for the playoffs
- top shelf 15

No chance

They're not going to make the playoffs this year or for the foreseeable future, so you might as well clean house and start all over again.
- isitin

It is a popular trend to say that SENS will not make the Playoffs. And I understand this pertty well. But we will make the playoff. With or without Bobby Ryan. People are underestimating the development of our group. The only way I can be wrong is if Paul MacClean does not do is job well. He has about 20 games to show Bryan Murray a competitive group and a reasonnable allocation of TOI to players. For exemple, no Chris Neil on the first PP and with 19 min of TOI.

You will see, this group will compete and surprise many people.

Dumbest post I've ever read

It is a popular trend to say that SENS will not make the Playoffs. And I understand this pertty well. But we will make the playoff. With or without Bobby Ryan. People are underestimating the development of our group. The only way I can be wrong is if Paul MacClean does not do is job well. He has about 20 games to show Bryan Murray a competitive group and a reasonnable allocation of TOI to players. For exemple, no Chris Neil on the first PP and with 19 min of TOI.

You will see, this group will compete and surprise many people.
- SENSpatriot

I expect more than "just making the playoffs" from this group of players.

The east blows ,montreal ,toronto,ottawa etc are all pretty much hit or miss for the playoffs
- top shelf 15

There is a subtle but profound change taking place in how teams are being structured. The LA, Boston model is becoming more and more popular. 4 good lines, strong in the middle, a #1 Dman that can control the play and superior goaltending. Montreal and the Rangers have also made progress in that direction. If you can make it to the playoffs you can do serious damage grinding out wins on a 4 line shift by shift basis.

Winning is all about puck possession. Less about scoring goals than reducing goals against. If you look at team GF in relation to the standings it does not mean a lot. But, if you look at GA it pretty well mirrors the standings. Team goal differential (GF-GA) is the most accurate statistical proxy for team success.

When Ottawa finished the season Murray/MacLean/Dorion all said Ottawa had a single purpose goal of reducing goals against by 50 in 2014-15. As many of you know I have regarded Spezza as a liability to winning for a long time (Sens made playoffs when Spezza was injured). They are a much better team right now than the team that missed by 5 points last year.

There is a subtle but profound change taking place in how teams are being structured. The LA, Boston model is becoming more and more popular. 4 good lines, strong in the middle, a #1 Dman that can control the play and superior goaltending. Montreal and the Rangers have also made progress in that direction. If you can make it to the playoffs you can do serious damage grinding out wins on a 4 line shift by shift basis.

Winning is all about puck possession. Less about scoring goals than reducing goals against. If you look at team GF in relation to the standings it does not mean a lot. But, if you look at GA it pretty well mirrors the standings. Team goal differential (GF-GA) is the most accurate statistical proxy for team success.

When Ottawa finished the season Murray/MacLean/Dorion all said Ottawa had a single purpose goal of reducing goals against by 50 in 2014-15. As many of you know I have regarded Spezza as a liability to winning for a long time (Sens made playoffs when Spezza was injured). They are a much better team right now than the team that missed by 5 points last year.
- spatso

Who are you going to blame if we struggle this year now that Spezza is gone? And yes, stacked teams like the Kings and Bruins tend to do well. How is that surprising? Are they actually playing to simply prevent goals or are they just simply that good that it's hard to score on them?

Of course they should trade him, they should trade Karlsson too, if you think those two top level players will want to stay long-term after missing the playoffs a couple seasons in a row and KNOWING the owner doesn't spend as much as the other teams in the league, if they are a true athlete who wants to WIN and COMPETE, they will both either ask to leave or be traded. This team just seems like a waste of space to me, I liked the Sens and Leafs rivalry, but Ottawa is going to stay pretty stagnant I feel with only prospects to look forward too.
- mushton506

of all fan bases, Toronto fan should go stand in a corner and keep quite regarding this topic about making the play-offs and playing stagnant hockey.

of all fan bases, Toronto fan should go stand in a corner and keep quite regarding this topic about making the play-offs and playing stagnant hockey.
- Oneonta Penguin

This doesn't make sense. This is like saying all Yankee doodles can't talk about Olympic hockey or soccer.

Who are you going to blame if we struggle this year now that Spezza is gone? And yes, stacked teams like the Kings and Bruins tend to do well. How is that surprising? Are they actually playing to simply prevent goals or are they just simply that good that it's hard to score on them?
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

We get too carried away in measuring offensive production as the primary criteria in assessing success. Last year Turris was 7th best among NHL centers in terms of GF per 60 playing against strong opposition. Spezza, for the most part, was okay offensively but playing against weaker opposition ranked 122nd out of 122 centers for GA.

More specifically, Turris was 3.61 in GF per 60 and and 2.23 in GA, the goal differential is 1.38 per 60. Spezza did okay in offensive production at 3.21 per 60 but he was 4.15 in GA with a differential of (.84). The end number is monsterous. Turris is a full 2 goals better on the differential over each 60 minutes of 5 on 5 played.

We get too carried away in measuring offensive production as the primary criteria in assessing success. Last year Turris was 7th best among NHL centers in terms of GF for per 60 playing against strong opposition. Spezza, for the most part, playing against weaker opposition ranked 122nd out of 122 centers.

More specifically, Turris was 3.61 in GF per 60 and and 2.23 in GA, the goal differential is 1.38 per 60. Spezza did okay in offensive production at 3.21 per 60 but he was 4.15 in GA with a differential of (.84). The end number is monsterous. Turris is a full 2 goals better on the differential over each 60 minutes of 5 on 5 played.
- spatso

This doesn't answer any of the questions I posed to you.

This doesn't answer any of the questions I posed to you.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

My first level of blame would be to the youthfulness. That would buy me time. Also, not the easiest to prove either way.

Secondly. Chris Neil, Colin Greening and Chris Phillips.

Thirdly, coach Maclean for not getting the best out of this quality collection of players.

I would do anything to avoid criticizing the core.

This doesn't answer any of the questions I posed to you.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I believe that Ottawa will have strong regular season success if they are able to reduce the GA count by 50.

No chance
- walshyleafsfan

Best group of top6 players out of the three,defense is going to be an issue with all three.

Best group of top6 players out of the three,defense is going to be an issue with all three.

- top shelf 15

Goalies had unsustainable numbers last year.
Top 6 have no interest in playing their own zone.
Bottom 6 are terrible filled with cast-offs
D is atrocious
Coaching is non-existent
Bozak is our no.1 centre
Kessel's fat.
Dion's the most overrated player in the league.
Lupul is always injured
Can't draft anyone good
Can't even come up even in a trade

That pretty much sums it up

Spezza, Turris, Smith and Pageau vs. Turris, Zibanejad, Legwand and Smith

I believe that Ottawa will have strong regular season success if they are able to reduce the GA count by 50.
- spatso

I guess you don't like "what if" questions? If the team does not improve this season, why will that be? Spezza was apparently the problem. New scapegoat I guess? Karlsson perhaps?

You bring up the notion of LA and Boston who you claim win by their style of play, which may in fact be true, but doesn't it help that those teams have for the most part, pretty stacked rosters. A style of play only gets you so far, you have to have the personnel in order to take the next step.

What I'm trying to stress is that this is an addition by subtraction only in the longterm for this club. To think we are better now than we were 6 months ago is wishful thinking. As you have even said, a solid 4 line attack is important. At the moment we have one line that has proved they can play at a high level, the other 3 are totally up in the air. Time to move on from trying to blame the lack of success of this team on Spezza and look at the roster at what it is now. Lots of promise, but not a lot of guarantees. I hope for a good season, but am skeptical.