right about what? that the false trade proposals that you made up aren't fair ones.

congrats, you're right.
- sensarmy_11

just ignore him man...not worth the trouble...

I hate this time of the year in the hockey world
- Mr_Clean

I feel the same way. My wife, however, loves it.

I feel the same way. My wife, however, loves it.
- nated81

Oh well, it's nice to get the chance to pretend there are more important things every once and a while

Oh well, it's nice to get the chance to pretend there are more important things every once and a while
- Mr_Clean

Yeah, its nice to have something that keeps your mind off of the real problems in life.

LOL, I will. The satisfaction of being right is good enough for me.
- Hull16

* clap clap clap* Want a cookie?


If you feel you were right, and it helps you sleep at night all the power to you.


I don't see any problem with how Murray has handled this trade. in fact we should be thankful that our GM is not a retarded monkey because he could have let him go for garbage. instead he knows he's more valuable with us for the year, and waiting till either after deadline, or even as late as trade deadline. Injuries happen, situations change. Someone somewhere will pay for Spezza maybe not through the moon, but he will get something decent, especially when certain guys are gone, and teams that need offence, of which there are many need to make a move. The amount of people here all up in arms about this honestly boggles my mind. This is all standard business. Murray is playing his hand very very well.

OK outside perspective here:

I think the whole "I'm demanding a trade but won't go here or here or here...." crap has to stop in this league. Ya hear me, Ryan Kesler? I get that veterans earn their NTC.. but if the player initiates the dialogue, he should be aloud to give a list of 5 teams, and 5 teams ONLY, that he will not go too. The other 24 are fair game. He would still have to waive, but it gives the team flexibility. As for Bryan Murray leaking the nixed trade thing.. not cool. I have met him personally when he was here and he was nothing but stand up and professional.

As for Nashville, I'm not sure why he wouldn't want to go there. The team is totally changing its philosophy. Lavs is going to come in with a much more offensive mind. They just got Spezza his #1 RW in Neal. They have solid goaltending and defense and a pretty good prospect pool. The fan base is great and since they aren't the most popular team (hey, I get it), he won't be in the limelight.

Just my two cents.

* clap clap clap* Want a cookie?


If you feel you were right, and it helps you sleep at night all the power to you.


I don't see any problem with how Murray has handled this trade. in fact we should be thankful that our GM is not a retarded monkey because he could have let him go for garbage. instead he knows he's more valuable with us for the year, and waiting till either after deadline, or even as late as trade deadline. Injuries happen, situations change. Someone somewhere will pay for Spezza maybe not through the moon, but he will get something decent, especially when certain guys are gone, and teams that need offence, of which there are many need to make a move. The amount of people here all up in arms about this honestly boggles my mind. This is all standard business. Murray is playing his hand very very well.
- Lord_Hellraiser

But still you guys don't hold many cards since teams know Spezza wants out. I just hope it ends well; Ottawa is the only team north of the border I like.

But still you guys don't hold many cards since teams know Spezza wants out. I just hope it ends well; Ottawa is the only team north of the border I like.
- Panthers88

I never thought the return was gojng to be as high as some thought...I just assumed it would a NHL ready player and a meh prospect...but it's hard for most fans (me included) to move spezza who is really is an elite talent, PPG 1st line center for essentially scraps...just sucks..

Asking for a trade should instantly negate any no trade clause you have.

Asking for a trade should instantly negate any no trade clause you have.
- freedomgundam

See my comment above.

What is unfortunate with this impasse with the Blues is that Berglund is a nice piece. Good size, right age, plays good two way game. Add in a reasonable second piece and you could probably have found the basis for a good deal.

Too bad it went off the rails.
- spatso

This here is my point, a reasonable person who is neither a Sens or Blues fan thinks Bergie is an acceptable player to build a trade around. Sens fans tell me he is third line garbage and no where near enough to start talks with. I tried to inform you that the situation for a trade was not optimal on Murrays part and I got trash talked for it. So yeah given the fact that he hasn't been traded and that the only known deal proposed and was ACCEPTED by Murray was Hornqvist and Spaling for Spezza. I'd say y'all had a little to high of expectations. By all means Jason Spezza is a fantastic player, and the reason I came to Ottawa's threads was bc I was excited about the prospect of him coming to STL. But you know us dumm Mericans dun't no nuttin bout hawkey....

This here is my point, a reasonable person who is neither a Sens or Blues fan thinks Bergie is an acceptable player to build a trade around. Sens fans tell me he is third line garbage and no where near enough to start talks with. I tried to inform you that the situation for a trade was not optimal on Murrays part and I got trash talked for it. So yeah given the fact that he hasn't been traded and that the only known deal proposed and was ACCEPTED by Murray was Hornqvist and Spaling for Spezza. I'd say y'all had a little to high of expectations. By all means Jason Spezza is a fantastic player, and the reason I came to Ottawa's threads was bc I was excited about the prospect of him coming to STL. But you know us dumm Mericans dun't no nuttin bout hawkey....
- Hull16

Don't worry about it, these are mostly the same Sens fans who said Schwartz being an alternate for the Olympics wasn't a big deal because it never happened (it did), because it was just the American team (it was the Canadian), and because he only plays wing (he's a natural center.)

I've heard plenty of Sens fans who realize that Berglund, a mid-level prospect, and a 1st rounder was decent value for Spezza. I'm sure a few more figured it out when Murray was happy with just Hornqvist and Spalding for him. They just aren't the ones who post here all the time.

Hi Travis. Very thoughtful post. I respectfully agree and disagree with parts. All indications point to a mutual break-up b/w Spezza and the Sens (as you mentioned). So, I understand the player not agreeing to go to Nashville (a team on his list). Spezza negotiated the NTC. Fair enough.

Was the leak from Nashville or Ottawa? If from Ottawa, it fits with the behaviour over the last little while, where the public perception battle over the current state of the team is ongoing (Sens are losing that battle with fans that pay close attention, admittedly that's probably not most fans). If from Nashville, that sort of changes what happened today. It was suggested that Spezza gave Murray permission to talk to teams on the no-trade list. Regardless of the precise origins of the leak, that appeared to be a bad idea for Spezza. Maybe for Ottawa; not sure about that.

On the bigger issue of players that request trades. I really dislike when players hand-cuff their teams. Sure, they negotiated the NTCs. But, no team can anticipate said player holding the organization hostage. If their current situation is that bad, then they should allow a trade to occur, IMO. Of course, they don't have to, legally. While teams can hold the player to the contract (e.g. Yashin), it's next to impossible. The situation becomes a circus around the team. And, the organization gets a black eye with the players that they need to sign. In this situation, the team cannot win. I guess the solution is don't give out NTCs. But, then, competing for players becomes a problem. Bottom line - I feel bad for teams when this happens, and lose pretty much all respect for the player. I don't really consider Spezza in this group. The truth about what is going on with the Sens (and Spezza) is clouded in a horrendously executed PR battle.

any chance we get Alfie back this tuesday..... want the alfie chants at the home games back

Don't worry about it, these are mostly the same Sens fans who said Schwartz being an alternate for the Olympics wasn't a big deal because it never happened (it did), because it was just the American team (it was the Canadian), and because he only plays wing (he's a natural center.)

I've heard plenty of Sens fans who realize that Berglund, a mid-level prospect, and a 1st rounder was decent value for Spezza. I'm sure a few more figured it out when Murray was happy with just Hornqvist and Spalding for him. They just aren't the ones who post here all the time.
- Antilles

Spezza was an alternate for team canada at that age too, what is your god damn point?

Spezza has a right to veto a trade, so why blast him?
He is willing to move, just not to a team where he will be hard pressed to get 60 points going into UFA status

We all know Murray was all over Rutherford to try and get James Neal, his hard forward. In fact, when Bettman announced the Nashville/Pittsburgh trade there was no draft related factor involved in the trade. Why would Bettman announce a non draft related trade from the stage on draft day? I don't think it bizarre, it was just this particular trade gone south.

So, I assume Ottawa would have ended the day with Neal, #11 (Perlini) and a prospect.

Is Nashville hard after Hemsky and, perhaps, Michalek?

This trade is just a new contract deal for Spezza away from being finalized. Watch on Tuesday to see if Hemsky signs in Nashville.

Funny reading Garrioch and some other local writers this morning. They report that both Murray and Poile are now saying the deal is dead. Poile, they believe, was trying to put together Spezza and Neal. And, he was going to do this by trading Hornqvist and Spaling for Neal and in a separate transaction he would trade Hornqvist and Spaling for Spezza.

You can't move the same asset 2x.

Another Bryan Murray summer time soap opera. He should have said nothing and just taken care of business.

Murray should work out a trade with Toronto. The Leafs are NOT on his no-trade list because Spezza is betting Ottawa would never deal him to their rivals. But he doesn't want to go there. If he thinks the pressure and the media focus was bad in Ottawa wait until he sees Toronto.

Murray can then come to Spezza and say, accept the deal I have with Nashville or you go to Toronto. Or, if he truly likes what Toronto offers, send him there anyway if that is the best deal for the Senators.

We all know Murray was all over Rutherford to try and get James Neal, his hard forward. In fact, when Bettman announced the Nashville/Pittsburgh trade there was no draft related factor involved in the trade. Why would Bettman announce a non draft related trade from the stage on draft day? I don't think it bizarre, it was just this particular trade gone south.

So, I assume Ottawa would have ended the day with Neal, #11 (Perlini) and a prospect.

Is Nashville hard after Hemsky and, perhaps, Michalek?

This trade is just a new contract deal for Spezza away from being finalized. Watch on Tuesday to see if Hemsky signs in Nashville.
- spatso

Sens didn't want Neal

Funny reading Garrioch and some other local writers this morning. They report that both Murray and Poile are now saying the deal is dead. Poile, they believe, was trying to put together Spezza and Neal. And, he was going to do this by trading Hornqvist and Spaling for Neal and in a separate transaction he would trade Hornqvist and Spaling for Spezza.

You can't move the same asset 2x.
- spatso

Poile's number one target was Spezza, when that fell through he used some of the pieces from the Spezza package to land problem child Neal.

To get Spezza he would have to create a new package. They new the deal was dead early Friday.

Poile's number one target was Spezza, when that fell through he used some of the pieces from the Spezza package to land problem child Neal.

To get Spezza he would have to create a new package. They new the deal was dead early Friday.
- Cup 06

There were reports from a week ago that Murray had made contact on Neal (true or false).

Holmqvist, #11 and Spaling was enough for Murray (true or false).

There were reports from a week ago that Murray had made contact on Neal (true or false).

Holmqvist, #11 and Spaling was enough for Murray (true or false).
- spatso

I hadn't heard that. I have heard Neal has character issues. Sens are trying to stay away from those types.

whoa wow...buffalo is starting the buyout process with ehrhoff...wow