Everything quiet on the Spezza front. There was a lot of noise before but nothing coming from Murray or the Senators since his NY comments. All reports seem to suggest it is coming down to a head to head between Anahiem and St. Louis. But, almost always in competitive bidding like this it is the guy in the deep weeds, the guy nobody is talking about who finally gets the job done.

The fact that Murray and Michalek are talking contract further suggests that Ottawa has a pretty good idea what is coming back in a Spezza deal. Perhaps a DMan?
- spatso

It'll start to heat up by the weekend and finalizing by the draft. Other teams will jump in depending on Kesler,Thornton and Stastny's situations.

Teams I expect to make a play include:

STL
ANH
NYR
Phi
SJ
Col
Dal
PHX

None of the contracts for the players I proposed to Ottawa (other than possibly Weiss') are "old" or "bad". In fact, I expanded on the trade to include your "old bad" contracts.
- TwoPieceFeed

i wouldn't trade karlsson straight up for zetterberg AND datsyuk....you sure as poop won't get him AND spezza for a bunch of nobody's simply becuase you "take" neil and phillips.

give your head a shake

i wouldn't trade karlsson straight up for zetterberg AND datsyuk....you sure as poop won't get him AND spezza for a bunch of nobody's simply becuase you "take" neil and phillips.

give your head a shake
- sensarmy_11

I simply won't respond to any of your posts passed this one. You don't offer much worth discussing. Congratulations, and have a nice day.

None of the contracts for the players I proposed to Ottawa (other than possibly Weiss') are "old" or "bad". In fact, I expanded on the trade to include your "old bad" contracts.
- TwoPieceFeed

Thank God you included Almqvist. He was the deal breaker. Karlsson-lite

Stephen Weiss, Joakim Andersson, Riley Sheahan, Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith, Adam Almquist, and 15th Overall Pick

for

Jason Spezza, Chris Neil, Erik Karlsson, and Chris Phillips

Edit: Allow me to elaborate (I know close to 0 Senators fans are going to be happy with the idea of Karlsson being traded, so please don't highlight that.) Weiss is the same age as Spezza, but he's a natural leader and two-way center. Was productive in his career until injury woes. A fresh start and new groin might be what he needs to regain that form. Andersson is elite defensively and in key-draw situations, however average in every other aspect. Sheahan can do anything and everything (including play defense). Likely 40-60 point producer for a decade depending on his situation (2nd or 3rd line). Kindl needs a change of scenery. Good offensive skills. Average defensively. Smith is a Top-4 defenseman with elite offensive talent and skating. Never given PP time in Detroit. Hockey IQ questionable at times. Almquist is Karlsson-lite. Same cognitive skills without the skating (average to above-average). Won't get playing time in Detroit for some unknown reason (to me).

Spezza obviously wants out, and the team doesn't want him. As far as I know most fans don't want Neil or Phillips anymore, so we'll take those guys for cap and salary relief as well as roster openings. And Karlsson is Karlsson. I just wanted to expand on a trade.
- TwoPieceFeed

i dont think I would trade karlsson alone for all those players you named....

but you can have neil and philllips for like..whatever...

It'll start to heat up by the weekend and finalizing by the draft. Other teams will jump in depending on Kesler,Thornton and Stastny's situations.

Teams I expect to make a play include:

STL
ANH
NYR
Phi
SJ
Col
Dal
PHX
- Cup 06

I can't see what colorado would want to move......unless we add an asset to spezza to get RoR.

obviously duchene, landy, and mackinnon are as untouchable as almost any player in the league, what else do they have that ottawa would want for spezza?

I simply won't respond to any of your posts passed this one. You don't offer much worth discussing. Congratulations, and have a nice day.
- TwoPieceFeed

i'll propose a counter offer, that's on par with yours

neil, phillips, prince, da costa, michalek, 2nd

for

datsyuk, zetterberg, nyquist

it's about as "even" as your offer.

It'll start to heat up by the weekend and finalizing by the draft. Other teams will jump in depending on Kesler,Thornton and Stastny's situations.

Teams I expect to make a play include:

STL
ANH
NYR
Phi
SJ
Col
Dal
PHX
- Cup 06

If Thornton does not move, Stastny resigns and Kesler heads to the Pens there is not much else on the table.

Not sure you can write off Nashville or Florida. Understand the list, but reconsideration is possible.

Not sure how you plug Colorado into the thinking, they are strong down the middle. Unless you see both Statsny and ROR leaving.

Why not Chicago?

Thank God you included Almqvist. He was the deal breaker. Karlsson-lite
- Cup 06

He's an elite offensive-defenseman, the same as Karlsson. The big difference is skating and pedigree. I was making a realistic trade offer in the sense of value-for-value. Surely a deal that large would be unlikely to occur, but I'm a fan of hockey in general and put a decent amount of thought into what I would want from both organizational perspectives. It was also a starting point. It was posted to promote discussion, which most fan-bases branch off into. I haven't had that luxury here yet, apparently. I pity Yost for the poor audience he panders to on a weekly basis. And that is not a shot at all fans.

If Thornton does not move, Stastny resigns and Kesler heads to the Pens there is not much else on the table.

Not sure you can write off Nashville or Florida. Understand the list, but reconsideration is possible.

Not sure how you plug Colorado into the thinking, they are strong down the middle. Unless you see noth Statsny and ROR leaving.

Why not Chicago?
- spatso

the only reason i think chicago wouldn't work is due to cap issues.........and by that i mean, issues extending him beyond next year

He's an elite offensive-defenseman, the same as Karlsson. The big difference is skating and pedigree. I was making a realistic trade offer in the sense of value-for value. Surely a deal that large would be unlikely to occur, but I'm a fan of hockey in general and put a decent amount of thought into what I would want from both organizational perspectives. It was also a starting point. It was posted to promote discussion, which most fan-bases branch off into. I haven't had that luxury here yet, apparently. I pity Yost for the poor audience he panders to on a weekly basis. And that is not a shot at all fans.
- TwoPieceFeed

you heard it here folks, he's elite the same as karlsson. he's the same age as karlsson....except you know, if you took A SINGLE GAME from karlsson, he surpasses almquist's entire career.

go home, you're high

almquist being as elite as karlsson is like me saying that buddy robinson is as elite as datsyuk.

edit: thanks for the new location quote, that's a thousand times better than prock saying phaneuf is a top 10 dman in the league.

He's an elite offensive-defenseman, the same as Karlsson. The big difference is skating and pedigree. I was making a realistic trade offer in the sense of value-for-value. Surely a deal that large would be unlikely to occur, but I'm a fan of hockey in general and put a decent amount of thought into what I would want from both organizational perspectives. It was also a starting point. It was posted to promote discussion, which most fan-bases branch off into. I haven't had that luxury here yet, apparently. I pity Yost for the poor audience he panders to on a weekly basis. And that is not a shot at all fans.
- TwoPieceFeed

I consider myself to be unbiased and see everyone's perspectives and opinions. But that trade was really really bad.

the only reason i think chicago wouldn't work is due to cap issues.........and by that i mean, issues extending him beyond next year
- sensarmy_11

I think Chicago is the dark horse candidate. Kane has caused some rumblings, sounds being made he might move on if they don't give him a quality center.

I think the Spezza contract works really well for Chicago. If Ottawa takes 1/2 the cap hit, it costs Chicago only $3.5m on the cap.

you heard it here folks, he's elite the same as karlsson. he's the same age as karlsson....except you know, if you took A SINGLE GAME from karlsson, he surpasses almquist's entire career.

go home, you're high

almquist being as elite as karlsson is like me saying that buddy robinson is as elite as datsyuk.

edit: thanks for the new location quote, that's a thousand times better than prock saying phaneuf is a top 10 dman in the league.
- sensarmy_11

Give the guy a break. Trade was awful but you don't have to be a prock about it.

I think Chicago is the dark horse candidate. Kane has caused some rumblings, sounds being made he might move on if they don't give him a quality center.

I think the Spezza contract works really well for Chicago. If Ottawa takes 1/2 the cap hit, it costs Chicago only $3.5m on the cap.
- spatso

like i said, the issue isn't fitting him next season, but trying to fit him in beyond that......kane and toews are due for big raises, plus extensions to leddy, saad, shaw, etc. how do you fit him in long term? i don't think it's possible

Give the guy a break. Trade was awful but you don't have to be a prock about it.
- monkhouse

i'm sorry, but when you say that almquist (a 7th rd pick with a grand total of 2 NHL games) is as elite as a 23 year old norris winning d-man..........you deserve ANY and ALL criticism that's coming your way

I consider myself to be unbiased and see everyone's perspectives and opinions. But that trade was really really bad.
- monkhouse

I appreciate your unbiased honesty without attempting to attack me. I almost feel as though you deserve a gold medal. I didn't want to outright throw Mantha in there. I probably could've substituted Andersson for Pulkkinen. Etc etc etc. I was thinking about solidifying a defensive mindset for the Ottawa organization, considering how that was their Achilles heel this past season. I fairly admitted it was a starting point for conversation! Some people are too sensitive and shouldn't get so emotionally involved in blog posts. Or should avoid the internet entirely.

I appreciate your unbiased honesty without attempting to attack me. I almost feel as though you deserve a gold medal. I didn't want to outright throw Mantha in there. I probably could've substituted Andersson for Pulkkinen. Etc etc etc. I was thinking about solidifying a defensive mindset for the Ottawa organization, considering how that was their Achilles heel this past season. I fairly admitted it was a starting point for conversation! Some people are too sensitive and shouldn't get so emotionally involved in blog posts. Or should avoid the internet entirely.
- TwoPieceFeed

if you don't want to get ridiculed, then don't make ridiculous posts.

you wanted a top line center, and ELITE 23 year old #1 dman, for scraps.

if i went into the detroit boards, with the joke offer i made for datsyuk, zetterberg, and nyquist.......how would that be received?

if you want serious hockey conversation, then make serious posts. your trade offer was bad enough that i would almost consider it trolling

like i said, the issue isn't fitting him next season, but trying to fit him in beyond that......kane and toews are due for big raises, plus extensions to leddy, saad, shaw, etc. how do you fit him in long term? i don't think it's possible
- sensarmy_11

Well they were ready to take Kesler and his contract with a couple of years remaining on the deal. They would not do Saad for Kesler. I think the real problem is Chicago does not have much beyond Saad.

They are in the top end of the competitive cycle and other for a few undersized guys they don't have a lot and they are hamstrung by wicked contracts that are about to get even worse. So, they don't have much choice but to try and keep it going. They cannot risk losing Kane.

Well they were ready to take Kesler and his contract with a couple of years remaining on the deal. They would not do Saad for Kesler. I think the real problem is Chicago does not have much beyond Saad.

They are in the top end of the competitive cycle and other for a few undersized guys they don't have a lot and they are hamstrung by wicked contracts that are about to get even worse. So, they don't have much choice but to try and keep it going. They cannot risk losing Kane.
- spatso

kesler is at 5, spezza will probably want at least 7, that's a pretty significant difference.

they also have a lot beyond saad......hjalmarsson, shaw, leddy, teuravanian (no idea how to spell that).....there's lots of young nice pieces there.

i'm sorry, but when you say that almquist (a 7th rd pick with a grand total of 2 NHL games) is as elite as a 23 year old norris winning d-man..........you deserve ANY and ALL criticism that's coming your way
- sensarmy_11

Agreed. But there's a difference between criticism and being a Richard.

Agreed. But there's a difference between criticism and being a Richard.
- monkhouse

fair enough.........calling him prock WAS pretty low.

fair enough.........calling him prock WAS pretty low.
- sensarmy_11

I was calling you prock. He made an honest post (no harm intended) and you jumped all over him.

I was calling you prock. He made an honest post (no harm intended) and you jumped all over him.
- monkhouse

i know you were calling me prock (low blow by the way), i also called him prock.

and i'm sorry, but his post was not "honest". he knew it was a terrible offer. like i said, that was the equivalent of me going into a wings thread and say that neil, phillips, michalek, prince, and robinson is a fair offer for zetterberg, datsyuk, and nyquist. it's pretty much a troll post.

I still don't think shattenkirk is the kind of d-man ottawa needs. i'm not saying he isn't a good player, obviously he is, but he's not a guy that ottawa should overpay for. i honestly believe that if he's given consistent top 4 minutes, wiercioch could develop into a player who's close to being on par with shattenkirk. maybe not as good, but close enough.

ottawa needs an "all around" guy to play with karlsson. someone who can join the rush when needed, but who is also responsible and solid in his own end and can stay back when karlsson decides to jump up. a guy who can play on the PP and PK, etc. as gross as this is to say, someone like phaneuf (although i wouldn't touch him with that contract)
- sensarmy_11

I still think Yandle is a good fit. The only reason he's on second pairing is because OEL is so damn good. Although Anaheim might want Spezza, I don't think I'd want any of their left side defensemen. Shattenkirk is right handed, no? This is all assuming that a #2 D is the trade target. It may well not be.