Neil replacment,BM loves his tough role players

- top shelf 15

he had 6 goals last year, so hes not useless, but just team needs to get deeper and better so he will be cut loose or sent down to the Monsters to stay.

He wont leap frog guys like Hishon or Vincour for call ups

he had 6 goals last year, so hes not useless, but just team needs to get deeper and better so he will be cut loose or sent down to the Monsters to stay.

He wont leap frog guys like Hishon or Vincour for call ups
- DDM-Coga

I dont see them waiving him, he has some value they will get at least a pick for him watch

I dont see them waiving him, he has some value they will get at least a pick for him watch

- top shelf 15

only way he survives is as the 13th forward, but I dont like his chances with some of the depth guys chomping at the bit to take that spot

only way he survives is as the 13th forward, but I dont like his chances with some of the depth guys chomping at the bit to take that spot
- DDM-Coga

They could have the kids start the year in the minors then call them up after they move him .It wouldnt be the first time a team has done that kinda thing

They could have the kids start the year in the minors then call them up after they move him .It wouldnt be the first time a team has done that kinda thing

- top shelf 15

Roy is a bit of a wild card on this one, he has always talked about him pubically, seems to really like him, but when it came down to crunch time, never used him.

hopefully he knows he cant coach his way out of lack of depth year and realizes we cant win having him as the 11th forward on the depth chart

Roy is a bit of a wild card on this one, he has always talked about him pubically, seems to really like him, but when it came down to crunch time, never used him.

hopefully he knows he cant coach his way out of lack of depth year and realizes we cant win having him as the 11th forward on the depth chart
- DDM-Coga

Bordi has been a good soldier for him ,doesnt complain does his job when asked.Bordi will get a gig for sure ,hopefully ottawa swoops in and land him

Eklund has a Yakupov to Ottawa rumour so I'll take the bait:

Ott: Yakupov
Edm: Lazar, Methot, 2nd 2015, Guptill
- tuna99

Dude thats the worst trade proposal I've heard all summer long. Lazar is def in a no trade zone by the staff and Methot is the second best D the Sens have. I say you trade two top prospects, but obviously not Lazar, maybe Puempel and Shane Prince.

Here's my idea to kill two birds with one stone (goons-that-can't-play-hockey and weasel cheap shot artists).

If a player gets suspended, you lose that roster spot for the duration of the suspension.

So, let's say Cooke gets a 20 game suspension. The wild (or whatever team he's playing on), loses that roster spot for 20 games.

Surely, the Wild, being down a man, will choose not to dress a goon-that-can't-play-hockey while Cooke is suspended.

Anyone who says this idea isn't feasible clearly doesn't look at ice time for 4th lines and 5/6 Dmen. Teams could easily still be competitive when down a man. It just means that the guy who plays 5 mins a game will have to play 7 or a 8 mins during the suspension.

I think this rule will make teams think twice about employing both these types of players. Weasels can make you lose a roster spot for a couple months. Goons-that-can't-play-hockey won't be very useful for teams that are down a man. Maybe they will choose not to employ them.

Before Ottawa thinks about Yakupov, I would want them to take one more shot at closing a deal on Evander Kane. It would cost more but the kid has an amazing game if someone can unlock it.

I am certain that Methot is not being extended. So, I think any deal with Ottawa likely includes Methot. Also, Ottawa is very deep at center and a guy like Smith would be an outstanding fit for the young Oiler team. Hate to give up Methot and Smith for Yakupov. Would Edmonton take Cowen instead? Probably not.

If Murray does not sign Methot I believe he will come to regret it. I think he made a mistake in not resigning Gonchar last year. He can be very tough on his valuation of Dmen, especially guys who play a defensive role.

Before Ottawa thinks about Yakupov, I would want them to take one more shot at closing a deal on Evander Kane. It would cost more but the kid has an amazing game if someone can unlock it.

I am certain that Methot is not being extended. So, I think any deal with Ottawa likely includes Methot. Also, Ottawa is very deep at center and a guy like Smith would be an outstanding fit for the young Oiler team. Hate to give up Methot and Smith for Yakupov. Would Edmonton take Cowen instead? Probably not.

If Murray does not sign Methot I believe he will come to regret it. I think he made a mistake in not resigning Gonchar last year. He can be very tough on his valuation of Dmen, especially guys who play a defensive role.
- spatso

why are the words "gonchar" and "defensive role" in the same sentence. Losing Gonchar might have hurt a bit, but not signing Gonchar to anything remotely close to what Dallas offered him was a BRILLIANT move.

Before Ottawa thinks about Yakupov, I would want them to take one more shot at closing a deal on Evander Kane. It would cost more but the kid has an amazing game if someone can unlock it.

I am certain that Methot is not being extended. So, I think any deal with Ottawa likely includes Methot. Also, Ottawa is very deep at center and a guy like Smith would be an outstanding fit for the young Oiler team. Hate to give up Methot and Smith for Yakupov. Would Edmonton take Cowen instead? Probably not.

If Murray does not sign Methot I believe he will come to regret it. I think he made a mistake in not resigning Gonchar last year. He can be very tough on his valuation of Dmen, especially guys who play a defensive role.
- spatso

BM wants his Scott Stevens type on the sens blueline.Too bad there probably never be another like him

why are the words "gonchar" and "defensive role" in the same sentence. Losing Gonchar might have hurt a bit, but not signing Gonchar to anything remotely close to what Dallas offered him was a BRILLIANT move.
- sensarmy_11

Not signing Gonchar resulted in total chaos for a blue line that was pretty good the year before. Gonchar made every kid on the blue line a little better.

Eklund has a Yakupov to Ottawa rumour so I'll take the bait:

Ott: Yakupov
Edm: Lazar, Methot, 2nd 2015, Guptill
- tuna99

I wouldn't do Lazar for Yakupov straight up. One guy has leader written all over him and the other is a enigmatic russian

Some good news on the BM front ,he is feeling much better and starting to regain some of the 45 pounds he lost .As per Dan Seguin

Not signing Gonchar resulted in total chaos for a blue line that was pretty good the year before. Gonchar made every kid on the blue line a little better.
- spatso

the defene was absolutely not good the year before.....they were just as much of a disaster, but were bailed out by record setting goaltending.

the defense in ottawa didn't regress, they were simply exposed because they didn't have god-like goaltending

Some good news on the BM front ,he is feeling much better and starting to regain some of the 45 pounds he lost .As per Dan Seguin
- top shelf 15

the defene was absolutely not good the year before.....they were just as much of a disaster, but were bailed out by record setting goaltending.

the defense in ottawa didn't regress, they were simply exposed because they didn't have god-like goaltending
- sensarmy_11

Subtracting a very bad defensive player that plays almost 20 mins a game ,in Spezza and replacing him with a guy like Legwand .Should help out the young blueline

Eklund has a Yakupov to Ottawa rumour so I'll take the bait:

Ott: Yakupov
Edm: Lazar, Methot, 2nd 2015, Guptill
- tuna99

and that does it. You are no longer alowed to post on this site

How do you sleep at night?

I wouldn't do Lazar for Yakupov straight up. One guy has leader written all over him and the other is a enigmatic russian
- AlfieisKing

I like Lazar, and you may be right in the end, but a guy with Yak's kind of high-end talent isn't altogether common... I don't really know what people are basing this assessment of Lazar on, is there anything other than he's a fairly productive, relatively rounded junior player who has had success at that level to hang our hats on?

I haven't seen him play much, asides from the world juniors.

Some good news on the BM front ,he is feeling much better and starting to regain some of the 45 pounds he lost .As per Dan Seguin
- top shelf 15

I think the idea of enforcers to keep the other players honest is ridiculous and doesn't work.
Hand out some real punishment and get the crap out of the game, including the enforcers
- Aetherial

Agreed - the way you get the cheap shots out of the game is with the consistent application of suspensions, and by not waiting for someone to sustain a career-threatening injury before you start throwing around the serious numbers. And if the whole purpose of fighting is to try to keep the likes of Matt Cooke, Patrick Kaleta, or Raffi Torres in line, then all you really need are guys like Zack Smith, Jared Cowen, or Mark Borowiecki to occasionally take out the trash when the need arises. But this whole 'knuckle-dragger playing 5min/GP' business is a complete waste of time, especially when you consider how much a regular NHL roster spot could mean to a young player's development.

I wouldn't do Lazar for Yakupov straight up. One guy has leader written all over him and the other is a enigmatic russian
- AlfieisKing

Holy (frank). "Leaf fans overrate their prospects"

Subtracting a very bad defensive player that plays almost 20 mins a game ,in Spezza and replacing him with a guy like Legwand .Should help out the young blueline

- top shelf 15

I really think the goaltending was a bigger deal than Spezza. I'd love to think (as per Spatso) that simply shedding our long-time 'anchor' in Spezza will fix the majority of our defensive zone problems, I think our season will be made or broken with goaltending... It's fair to blame offensive players for not back checking strongly enough, but when slow guys like Cowen and Phillips are unable to 1) obtain the puck and 2) clear the puck, there will be turnovers and there will be glorious scoring opportunities for the opposition..

If we want a decent shot at the playoffs, we'll need at least above average goaltending, because our d-corp will be sub-average.

Holy (frank). "Leaf fans overrate their prospects"
- ClarksonDavid

There have been some pretty outrageous statements made around here this summer. I don't criticise anyone (Leafs or Sens) for being optimistic, but it's amazing how many teams seem to be the only one with 'special' prospects, according to their fans...

Holy (frank). "Leaf fans overrate their prospects"
- ClarksonDavid

On the positive side, a straight-up Lazar-Yakupov swap isn't a trade scenario that requires any additional consideration.