Travis Yost: Student of the Game

You should work for the Sens.

Oh yeah....Melnyk.

If the Sens do decide to move Smith, what do you expect in return for him? I know that earlier you suggested Hemsky would be a target but, if we got him we would still have too many bodies with the big club.

Michalek + Spezza = No Chemistry


If Maclean's plan is to keep them as an inseparable pair, he's barking up the wrong tree

Michalek scored more goals with Foligno as his Centreman than he did with Spezza

Michalek + Spezza = No Chemistry


If Maclean's plan is to keep them as an inseparable pair, he's barking up the wrong tree

Michalek scored more goals with Foligno as his Centreman than he did with Spezza
- conor_smythe

Did he? That was two years ago, and as I remember it it was with Spezza as his centerman.

Did he? That was two years ago, and as I remember it it was with Spezza as his centerman.
- david22

Spezza was his centerman by the end of the season. But He started off centering Butler/Greening/Filitov/Condra/Regin While Zibby was getting a tryout at 2C with Michalek and Alfie.

Zibby failed, Foligno filled the 2C spot, Michalek (and Foligno) started lighting it up together. And when Michalek was leading the lead in goals and got injured, Foligno was his centerman.

Foligno moved to the wing after we acquired Turis, So Michalek moved up and played with Spezza.. I think he went 11-15 games or something without scoring a goal

Big believer in getting the right duos together.

Natural fits for me are:

Spezza/Michalek

Turris/Ryan

Zinanejad/MacArthur

Pageau/Condra

Fill in the remainder with Greening, Smith, Neil, Conacher, Kassian, Obrien, Hoffman et al.

Michalek scored more goals with Foligno as his Centreman than he did with Spezza

Zibby failed, Foligno filled the 2C spot, Michalek (and Foligno) started lighting it up together. And when Michalek was leading the lead in goals and got injured, Foligno was his centerman.

Foligno moved to the wing after we acquired Turis, So Michalek moved up and played with Spezza.. I think he went 11-15 games or something without scoring a goa
- conor_smythe

Michalek scored four EV goals with Foligno as his center in 1112. Thirteen EV with Spezza. 68% of his EV goals that year came with Spezza on the ice.

And, it can't be all goals, because Foligno only played 106 TOI on the power-play that year, on-ice for zero goals.

Over the last five years, Michalek's scored 54% of his EV goals with Spezza on the ice, more than double any other player in that span.

Not really sure where you're getting your numbers from..

Spezza and Ryan have looked pretty smooth getting the puck back and forth to each other, they need a big fast guy to crash the next. Maybe Greening?

Here's my new lines ...

Greening - Spezza - Ryan

Michalek - Turris - MacArthur

Condra - Smith - Neil

Zibanejad - Pageau - Conacher

Oil have called about Smith again.

Oil have called about Smith again.
- Cup 06

What would we expect back?

Travis Yost: Student of the Game
- Travis Yost

Duos have always been used more so than trios. Nothing new here or unique.

I grew up an Oilers fan from the eighties. The wingers who played with Gretzky/Kurri and Anderson Messier were interchangeable.

What would we expect back?
- riceroni

I don't think the Sens will move him yet. Maybe a guy like Dacosta goes instead.

I don't think the Sens will move him yet. Maybe a guy like Dacosta goes instead.
- Cup 06

Do you think a trade is imminent? I'd also like to see da Costa go so that the kid can get an opportunity to play.

But, I think even then that still doesn't address our numbers... Who else?

Do you think a trade is imminent? I'd also like to see da Costa go so that the kid can get an opportunity to play.

But, I think even then that still doesn't address our numbers... Who else?
- riceroni

O'Brien? He has some grit, can slot in on thier 4th line. I don't know too much about that team.

What would we expect back?
- riceroni

Smith will get you a second round pick.

But, too early to do anything yet that involves a starter from last year.

[quote=Travis Yost]


How many Goals did Michalek score that season that were Assisted by Spezza? not simply 'with Spezza on ice'? How many goals did Michalek get -with spezza on ice - that spezza did not hold an assist? How many Unnassisted Goals did he score (regardless who's on ice)? How many empty netters? How many did Spezza score that were assisted by Michalek? How many first assists did each player get on each others goals? What is Michalek's ES shooting% while Spezza is on the ice?What is Spezza's ES Shooting % while Michalek is on ice? What is Michalek's Assists/game when playing with Spezza? Without Spezza?

Numbers? There's lots of numbers that suggest lots of things. You want to quantify "chemistry" you're going to need to get a lot more in depth than "Who was on the ice when this other guy scored" That kind of logic is easily as fallible as +/-


But my opinions, I get those from watching the games

How many Goals did Michalek score that season that were Assisted by Spezza? not simply 'with Spezza on ice'? How many goals did Michalek get -with spezza on ice - that spezza did not hold an assist? How many Unnassisted Goals did he score (regardless who's on ice)? How many empty netters? How many did Spezza score that were assisted by Michalek? How many first assists did each player get on each others goals? What is Michalek's ES shooting% while Spezza is on the ice?What is Spezza's ES Shooting % while Michalek is on ice? What is Michalek's Assists/game when playing with Spezza? Without Spezza?

Numbers? There's lots of numbers that suggest lots of things. You want to quantify "chemistry" you're going to need to get a lot more in depth than "Who was on the ice when this other guy scored" That kind of logic is easily as fallible as +/-


But my opinions, I get those from watching the games
- conor_smythe

This comment borders on lunacy. How can you say that having 54% of his even strength goals with player X on the ice does not quantify as a substantiation. You sir have to be huffing something. Bigger picture is realizing that not only does Spezza have superhuman vision on the ice, (when not attempting drop passes) he also possess' the ability to create space for other players just by simply being on the ice.

How many Goals did Michalek score that season that were Assisted by Spezza? not simply 'with Spezza on ice'? How many goals did Michalek get -with spezza on ice - that spezza did not hold an assist? How many Unnassisted Goals did he score (regardless who's on ice)? How many empty netters? How many did Spezza score that were assisted by Michalek? How many first assists did each player get on each others goals? What is Michalek's ES shooting% while Spezza is on the ice?What is Spezza's ES Shooting % while Michalek is on ice? What is Michalek's Assists/game when playing with Spezza? Without Spezza?

Numbers? There's lots of numbers that suggest lots of things. You want to quantify "chemistry" you're going to need to get a lot more in depth than "Who was on the ice when this other guy scored" That kind of logic is easily as fallible as +/-


But my opinions, I get those from watching the games
- conor_smythe

this is a little crazy....I think most people would have the opposite opinion than you do about spezza and michalek together...

But my opinions, I get those from watching the games
- conor_smythe

Have you considered watching sens games?

How many Goals did Michalek score that season that were Assisted by Spezza? not simply 'with Spezza on ice'? How many goals did Michalek get -with spezza on ice - that spezza did not hold an assist? How many Unnassisted Goals did he score (regardless who's on ice)? How many empty netters? How many did Spezza score that were assisted by Michalek? How many first assists did each player get on each others goals? What is Michalek's ES shooting% while Spezza is on the ice?What is Spezza's ES Shooting % while Michalek is on ice? What is Michalek's Assists/game when playing with Spezza? Without Spezza?

Numbers? There's lots of numbers that suggest lots of things. You want to quantify "chemistry" you're going to need to get a lot more in depth than "Who was on the ice when this other guy scored" That kind of logic is easily as fallible as +/-


But my opinions, I get those from watching the games
- conor_smythe

based on this post, i'm assuming that you don't actually watch the games on tv, but rather, the voices inside your head describe one to you.

this is a little crazy....I think most people would have the opposite opinion than you do about spezza and michalek together...
- TheMike12

I am actually of a similar opinion... I don't think Spezza and Michalek have especially good chemistry.

What I do think is that *of course* Michalek is more productive with Spezza setting him up... Spezza has been easily our best playmaking centre for years now. ANYONE who plays with him will be improved substantially... And when Michalek was our best goal scorer, it made sense for him and Spezza to be a tandem.

Now that Ryan is our best (most talented) goal scorer, it may be that Spezza and Ryan will make a more natural tandem.

I am actually of a similar opinion... I don't think Spezza and Michalek have especially good chemistry.

What I do think is that *of course* Michalek is more productive with Spezza setting him up... Spezza has been easily our best playmaking centre for years now. ANYONE who plays with him will be improved substantially... And when Michalek was our best goal scorer, it made sense for him and Spezza to be a tandem.

Now that Ryan is our best (most talented) goal scorer, it may be that Spezza and Ryan will make a more natural tandem.
- Mr_Clean

I agree. I think it's fair to balance the lines. How do you guys like this:

Michalek-Spezza-MacArthur
Zibanejad-Turris-Ryan

I am actually of a similar opinion... I don't think Spezza and Michalek have especially good chemistry.

What I do think is that *of course* Michalek is more productive with Spezza setting him up... Spezza has been easily our best playmaking centre for years now. ANYONE who plays with him will be improved substantially... And when Michalek was our best goal scorer, it made sense for him and Spezza to be a tandem.

Now that Ryan is our best (most talented) goal scorer, it may be that Spezza and Ryan will make a more natural tandem.
- Mr_Clean

i think the important thing here is that he clearly HAS chemistry with spezza, and if last year is any indication, he HAS NO chemistry with any of our other centers. so keep the big line together

I agree. I think it's fair to balance the lines. How do you guys like this:

Michalek-Spezza-MacArthur
Zibanejad-Turris-Ryan
- AlfieisKing

i'd rather put conacher on that wing, keep zibby at center, trade smith

that being said, if we're keeping all of our centers......i'm moving pageau. having zibby at center will probably be best for this team long term. if it comes down to moving him or JGP, i'm putting pageau on the wing.