Hmm... an aging canadian center that puts up big points, who underwhelms in the playofs, wears the C (briefly) then is traded ..... some reason I'm getting Deja Vu


- AlfieisKing

Let the historical revision continue... 9th amongst active players in playoffs point-per-game.

Thornton is generally > Spezza, but let's not be ridiculous.

Yeah it's not even close.

Thornton's contract and dead year(s) on the back-end are tricky but he obviously is still one of the best centers in the league, even at his age.
- Travis Yost

No kidding. Awesome veteran centre for a few years >> middling 'prime-aged' defenseman for a few years.

Let the historical revision continue... 9th amongst active players in playoffs point-per-game.

Thornton is generally > Spezza, but let's not be ridiculous.
- Mr_Clean

Spezza with be a Leaf next summer...

Spezza with be a Leaf next summer...
- Fruitcakenipple

good.

good.
- TheCalSen

Dont know about it being a good thing but imo it's gonna happen..

Dont know about it being a good thing but imo it's gonna happen..
- Fruitcakenipple

I wouldn't be happy.

I mean, I'd be happy if the Leafs signed him to a crippling long-term contract, but I'd be unhappy to see him playing for the provincial rivals... you know how it is.

I wouldn't be happy.

I mean, I'd be happy if the Leafs signed him to a crippling long-term contract, but I'd be unhappy to see him playing for the provincial rivals... you know how it is.
- Mr_Clean

Absolutely...would feel the same if it where the other way..(Clark M doesn't count)...

Spezza with be a Leaf next summer...
- Fruitcakenipple

I hope to (frank) not.

I hope to (frank) not.
- walshyleafsfan

It's coming man...Just like the cold and snow..

If Ottawa wants Pageau to play they can always move Zibby to the wing

Mac - Turris - Ryan
9MM-Legwand - Chiasson
Greening Smith - Neil
Zibby - Pageau - Stone

All respectable lines - best 4th line in the NHL - is almost a decent 2nd line
- tuna99

best 4th line in the league......but arguably the worst 2nd and 3rd lines......not a real good trade off.

pageau will not play center at the expense of zibanejad.


mac - turris - ryan
chiasson - zibby - stone
michalek - legwand - smith
condra - pageau - hoffman

send greening and neil to siberia

best 4th line in the league......but arguably the worst 2nd and 3rd lines......not a real good trade off.

pageau will not play center at the expense of zibanejad.


mac - turris - ryan
chiasson - zibby - stone
michalek - legwand - smith
condra - pageau - hoffman

send greening and neil to siberia
- sensarmy_11

What happened to your whole we should distribute the talent on this team. I'm happy you finally saw some reason, anyway this team isn't by any stretch of the word awful. That being said it does have some question marks, but with a bit of luck they can bring pesky back. lol

What happened to your whole we should distribute the talent on this team. I'm happy you finally saw some reason, anyway this team isn't by any stretch of the word awful. That being said it does have some question marks, but with a bit of luck they can bring pesky back. lol
- TheCalSen

i'm all about distributing.......but my limit was playing ryan with zibby and stone with turris, essentially giving us two lines that could be "1st lines".

but putting zibby and stone on the 4th line is bordering on lunacy

best 4th line in the league......but arguably the worst 2nd and 3rd lines......not a real good trade off.

pageau will not play center at the expense of zibanejad.


mac - turris - ryan
chiasson - zibby - stone
michalek - legwand - smith
condra - pageau - hoffman

send greening and neil to siberia
- sensarmy_11

No way Ottawa starts season without Lazar in line up. He will certainly get the first 9 games. Probably stays until mid December when a decision will need to be made about his being loaned to Team Canada for WJC.

Some bodies need to be moved.

No way Ottawa starts season without Lazar in line up. He will certainly get the first 9 games. Probably stays until mid December when a decision will need to be made about his being loaned to Team Canada for WJC.

Some bodies need to be moved.
- spatso

i agree that he'll get 9 games....but beyond that, unless a trade is made, he won't be up any longer. there is just nobody else to send down who you won't either lose to waivers (players you don't want to lose, hoffman, condra), or who you don't want to pay to play in the AHL (greening, neil). you could argue that you could send stone or zibby back down, but lazar won't make the team ahead of those two, IMO

i agree that he'll get 9 games....but beyond that, unless a trade is made, he won't be up any longer. there is just nobody else to send down who you won't either lose to waivers (players you don't want to lose, hoffman, condra), or who you don't want to pay to play in the AHL (greening, neil). you could argue that you could send stone or zibby back down, but lazar won't make the team ahead of those two, IMO
- sensarmy_11

I think sending Stone down is crazy enough but if Zibby ever gets sent down again I think I would lose my mind. Imo, he's our 4th best forward behind only the big 3. I like every part of his game. He's not a star yet (fingers crossed he will be) but he's a damn good player

I think sending Stone down is crazy enough but if Zibby ever gets sent down again I think I would lose my mind. Imo, he's our 4th best forward behind only the big 3. I like every part of his game. He's not a star yet (fingers crossed he will be) but he's a damn good player
- Sens1165

why is everyone so high on Mark Stone.... the guy has barely proven himself to be a regular NHLer in my opinion. 8 pts in 19 games last season is a good start... but I wouldn't go as far to say he's a solid top 6 next year. Zibanejad > Stone right now and probably at the end of the season

best 4th line in the league......but arguably the worst 2nd and 3rd lines......not a real good trade off.

pageau will not play center at the expense of zibanejad.


mac - turris - ryan
chiasson - zibby - stone
michalek - legwand - smith
condra - pageau - hoffman

send greening and neil to siberia
- sensarmy_11

I'm with you on the top two lines, just don't see pageau fitting on the 4th line. Thats a pretty small 4th line with him anbd hoffman.

Mac Turris Ryan
Chiasson Zib Stone
Michalek Legwand Hoffman
Condra Smith Neil

Greening

Lets also not forget Puempel, he'll get his chance, and isn't a center which should work in his favor.

why is everyone so high on Mark Stone.... the guy has barely proven himself to be a regular NHLer in my opinion. 8 pts in 19 games last season is a good start... but I wouldn't go as far to say he's a solid top 6 next year. Zibanejad > Stone right now and probably at the end of the season
- AlfieisKing

Stone is a good looking prospect. I agree he has a lot to prove. The only thing is who would you put on the wing in the top 6 in his place?

Michalek is about the only one, and he's iffy as well, with his injury history, i'd rather give it to the younger guy in this case.

Possibly Hoffman, but he's even more unproven.

Peumpel will get a few chances as well.

why is everyone so high on Mark Stone.... the guy has barely proven himself to be a regular NHLer in my opinion. 8 pts in 19 games last season is a good start... but I wouldn't go as far to say he's a solid top 6 next year. Zibanejad > Stone right now and probably at the end of the season
- AlfieisKing

... and probably for the rest of their careers, but good luck convincing some people that Stone's not already far better than Chiasson, that his development is more vital than Lazar's, or that he's already good enough to be used interchangeably with Ryan as a scoring line RW. I'm excited to see what Stone can do in training camp, but if he doesn't show immediately that he's a better 2nd line scoring winger than Chiasson, or that he's obviously a better checking line winger than Lazar, then I don't find it hard to envision him starting the season back in the AHL.

The fact that his contract and team situation even accommodate starting in the AHL (unlike Chiasson, Hoffman or Lazar) is a significant reason as to why he'll have to really stand out to force the team's hand to put him on the opening night roster.

No way Ottawa starts season without Lazar in line up. He will certainly get the first 9 games. Probably stays until mid December when a decision will need to be made about his being loaned to Team Canada for WJC.

Some bodies need to be moved.
- spatso

Depth is our strength, why does everyone want to make trades to deplete prospects we've been spending years and toons of money developing.

This was Murray's plan from the beginning and we are finally here and have maybe the best depth in the East and evryone wants us trading bubble players for nothing returns.

Stone, Hoffman, Methot, Gryba, Pageau, Condra, greening - none of these guys will return anything decent but as a group they give us our organizational edge.

We don't have the top end talent, we need to do it by discipline and having guys that can move into rolls - stone can play on the top line then the 3rd line, Pageau can be a 4th line center and play some games as a 2nd line center - this is how we are going to win this year

Let's wait until training camp before we start sending Stone down to the AHL, assuming Lazar makes the team, and assuming Murray is done making moves. The one thing people should expect is Mclean focusing on a 4 line attack. The day we traded Spezza was the day we said goodbye to 1 or 2 attacking lines. Our 1st line will get the bulk of ice time on paper due to extra power play time, but the ice time difference 5 on 5 between our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd lines will not be large. The 4th line will even get more ice time than people would like. Because of this, combined with the likelihood of injuries (I'm looking at you Michalek) guys like Stone, Hoffman, Puemple, and Lazar, should get a chance at some point during the season.

Let's wait until training camp before we start sending Stone down to the AHL, assuming Lazar makes the team, and assuming Murray is done making moves. The one thing people should expect is Mclean focusing on a 4 line attack. The day we traded Spezza was the day we said goodbye to 1 or 2 attacking lines. Our 1st line will get the bulk of ice time on paper due to extra power play time, but the ice time difference 5 on 5 between our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd lines will not be large. The 4th line will even get more ice time than people would like. Because of this, combined with the likelihood of injuries (I'm looking at you Michalek) guys like Stone, Hoffman, Puemple, and Lazar, should get a chance at some point during the season.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Well said. Depth and hard work, slackers will be sent packing.

Let's wait until training camp before we start sending Stone down to the AHL, assuming Lazar makes the team, and assuming Murray is done making moves.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I completely agree - my objection isn't to the idea that Stone could very well earn his spot in training camp, it's to the idea that Stone has somehow earned even a regular NHL spot at this point, let alone the top line exposure some people are willing to pencil him in for.