Apparently, my computer has seen fit to swallow up my West predictions that I poured so much time and effort into - so I won't have them out before the season starts. :(
In more upbeat news, I have taken a small writing job over at The Sens Forum as the weekly hockey roundup guy. If you haven't been over to that corner of cyberspace yet, give it a look see, it's a great place to interact with hockey fans (and obviously Sens fans in particular).
Link is here >>> http://www.thesensforum.com
LESS THAN 24HRS TO GO!!! :)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Season Predictions - East
Well, the new season is upon us, and now it's time to make my predictions. So here they are, team by team - starting with the Eastern conference teams.
Atlanta Thrashers
Last season: Finished 13th in the East. Quite disappointing, but at this stage it's all par for the course for the lowly Thrashers.
Off season: Traded Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart in exchange for Pavel Kubina and Tim Stapleton, which should help on an undermanned blueline. Also signed free agent centre Nik Antropov.
This season: Addition of Leafs reject players aside, this is a largely unchanged team with a largely unchanged outlook. Could finish in a higher rank if goalie Lehtonen manages to stay healthy (he's already had a back surgery in the off-season) and Antropov catches fire. The re-sign or trade debate on Ilya Kovalchuk will be an ever increasing sideshow.
Boston Bruins
Last season: Dominated the North-East division and ended up clinching the East conference. Somewhat unlucky to be beaten in overtime of game 7 in 2nd round.
Off season: Signed Derek Morris to an already scary good back end, and turned unaffordable Phil Kessel into 2 (!!!) first round draft picks from the Leafs. Also managed to dump the salary of Aaron Ward to the Canes AND secure an extra 4th rounder.
This season: The loss of Kessel is not such a loss to a deep team like the Bruins. They will continue to be a defensive juggernaut, led by Chara and Tim Thomas. Should take the North-East division this year without much contest.
Buffalo Sabres
Last season: Lost their way when Ryan Miller got injured. Lalime, sadly, just doesn't cut it anymore. A disappointing finish out of the playoffs for a team that was close to a Stanley Cup in 2007 (sound familiar?)
Off season: Not a whole lot. They did sign Mike Grier and turf Maxim Afinogenov.
This season: Buffalo are rolling the dice with what they've got. Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Miller...the star power is there. However, losing Numminen and Spacek will hurt the D, which never really fully recovered from losing Brian Campbell. Will likely be in a battle for a late playoff spot.
Carolina Hurricanes
Last season: A late surge after the trade deadline acquisition of Erik Cole saw the Hurricanes scrape into the playoffs. They upset the Devils and Bruins for good measure once they got there.
Off season: A few minor moves here and there, they did re-sign Erik Cole and pick up Aaron Ward from the Bruins.
This season: With Cam Ward in form and Ward and Staal re-united, the Hurricanes should continue on current form. They will benefit from a tame South-East division. Should finish in the middle of the playoff pack.
Florida Panthers
Last season: Florida surprised people in the hockey world when they almost squeaked into the playoffs. Craig Anderson in particular impressed when he stole the starter's job from Tomas Voukoun. However, the Panthers certainly benefited from playing in a very weak division last year.
Off season: After losing Anderson to Colorado, Florida went with another backup who impressed last season in Scott Clemmensen. The big loss this off-season of course was Jay Bouwmeester, but the Panthers did well to get at least Jordan Leopold in a trade for his rights. They also secured Dennis Seidenberg as a free agent.
This season: Not a lot has changed in the Florida camp. They are still the same young group of players who are missing that certain something to take them over the edge. Plus now there's no Jay Bouwmeester. They figure to contend for that final playoff spot again this season.
Montreal Canadiens
Last season: The Habs were all hyped up for a centennial season that never really got off the ground. The team battled consistency issues all year. Carey Price was again shaky at times, and Alexei Kovalev was asked to stay home to "clear his head" for a few games when the team went on a road trip. The move worked and they did just scrape into the playoffs, only to be steamrolled by the Bruins.
Off season: Where do we start. Montreal have made so many changes to the squad this off season it's hard to know where to start. At forward, there is Cammaleri, Gionta, Gomez and Moen. On D, there's Spacek, Mara and Gill. And throw in Curtis Sanford for good measure in goal. Jacques Martin also becomes the new coach.
This season: It's hard to tell. This team is very different from the one that took the ice last year. There are going to be concerns about how the team plays together, and overall size is a problem (not one top 6 forward is more than 6 feet tall). The Habs are one of a number of fringe playoff teams this year.
New Jersey Devils
Last season: Despite losing Martin Brodeur for an extended period, the Devils easily won their division when Scott Clemmensen filled in admirably. Breakout seasons up front for Travis Zajac and Zach Parise certainly helped.
Off season: There wasn't a whole lot going on for NJ until they managed to sign free agent Rob Neidermeyer a few days ago. They also picked up Yann Danis from the Islanders to replace Scott Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes. The only notable loss was John Madden, who now plays for the Hawks. Why change a winning formula?
This season: With Brodeur back and the rest of the team intact, look for more of the same. The only concern should be that if Brodeur is injured again, the Devils have a long drop in talent to Yann Danis. Otherwise, he should be more than capable of playing the 5-10 games that Brodeur has a rest in.
New York Islanders
Last season: An abysmal year for a bit-part team. Rick DiPietro was injured AGAIN and played just 5 games. In fact, injury was the key word - the Islanders lost more than 550 man-games to injury, more than any other team in the NHL. Mark Streit shone, scoring a team high 56 points and going +5.
Off season: The buzz is all about young draftee John Tavares. He set and broke many OHL records in his junior career, and now it's pro time. The Islanders also locked up the goalcrease, signing both Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron.
This season: The problems on the island are too many to overcome in one season, however, the team is headed in the right direction. Roloson and Biron are more than capable of sharing a season should DiPietro stay injured. The D in particular needs to stay healthier. It's also time for Okposo and Bailey to step it up. Could surprise a few teams this season, but probably not yet playoff material.
New York Rangers
Last season: The Rangers struggled at times but eventually came home strong enough to make the playoffs. They also scared Washington in the first round, going 7 games.
Off season: The Rangers capitalised in trades this year - sending away the grossly inflated salary of Scott Gomez and bringing in Chris Higgins from the Habs. Then New York signed gifted goal-scorer Marian Gaborik. For good measure, they also secured Ales Kotalik and Vaclav Prospal for secondary scoring and Donald Brashear to be the enforcer.
This season: What was already a decent team has filled out with some really good acquisitions. The Rangers are obviously on a mission this season. There is always concern for Gaborik's health and Kotalik's consistency, but overall this team definitely looks better on paper than it did 12 months ago. Should make the playoffs.
Ottawa Senators
Last season: The Senators experienced a meltdown. The top line didn't produce, the goaltending faltered (big time), and the team missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasonHowever, new coach Cory Clouston did manager to get a better all-round effort from his team, going 19-11-4 to end the season.
Off season: New #1 goalie Pascal Leclaire was obtained at the trade deadline. However, most of the off season was spent trying to get rid of Dany Heatley, who shocked Senators management and fans alike when he demanded a trade, then refused to go to Edmonton when a deal was reached. However, they did manage to add Alexei Kovalev from the Habs, and eventually landed Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo from the Sharks in exchange for Heatley.
This season: The Sens face an uphill battle. It remains to be seen if Kovalev will find chemistry with the existing forward group. Everyone on this team underperformed last year, but if the effort is consistent under new coach Clouston and Leclaire stays healthy, the Senators should scrape into the bottom half of the playoff race.
Philadelphia Flyers
Last season: A Flyer of a year for Jeff Carter and Mike Richards meant that the team did not really miss the absence of Daniel Briere and easily made the playoffs. Undisciplined play prevented them from capitalising, however, against the Pens in the first round.
Off season: In an effort to get even tougher, Chris Pronger was acquired from the Ducks, and Ian Laperriere from the Avalanche. In goal, Philly turfed both goalies and decided to go with Russian exile Ray Emery, formerly of the Senators, and Brian Boucher who played last season with the Sharks.
This season: The Flyers have a scary-good looking team on paper, however, there are a few question marks. A team with this much sandpaper is going to take lots of penalties, can Richards and Co. manage the workload? They did a great job last season. The bigger concern is in goal. Will Emery and Boucher be a good enough tandem? The key is offense for the Flyers. Score, score, score, and the goalies will only have to be decent and not spectacular. They have the firepower and should challenge for the division title.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Last season: The eventual Stanley Cup champs did not enjoy an easy ride. In fact, until AHL coach Dan Bylsma came in, the Pens were 5 points out of the playoff race. The team produced under his run, secured veteran leader Bill Guerin and ran all the way to the top.
Off season: There wasn't too much that needed changing, but the Pens did add Jay McKee (Blues), Mike Rupp (Devils), and toughman Wade Brookbank (Hurricanes). Brent Johnson from Washington was also added as insurance for Fleury in goal.
This season: The Stanley Cup hangover shouldn't be too much of a problem for a team that boasts so much front-end talent and star goaltending. An early injury to Sidney Crosby is worrysome but it doesn't look serious at this stage. The Pens should make the playoffs again this year.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Last season: After all the hype and boasting last year from the new Lightning owners, not a whole lot went right. An early injury to Olaf Kolzig brought out the backup tenders for the rest of the season. Then there was the constant chatter that the Bolts would sell Vinny Lecavalier to the highest bidder. The coach was canned but that didn't do much for respectability.
Off season: The Lightning struck early and often in free agency, particularly on the blueline, managing to secure Mattias Ohlund, Kurtis Foster and Matt Walker. After signing Philly backup Niittymaki to a cheap-as-chips contract, the big splash came late, locking up Alex Tanguay to play on a French superstar line of Tanguay-Lecavalier-St Loius.
This season: As much as you want to believe that Tampa are going to take a serious run this year, these are all the same rumblings we heard last year. The proof will be in the pudding. There is a lack of forward depth after that first line. Also of concern is that the Bolts still don't have a #1 goalie. It will be a struggle to make the playoffs this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Last season: Not much was expected of the Leafs last year with a bit-part roster. But they played solidly, scoring much more than other teams expected and playing fast and furious. The goaltending let them down however, Vesa Toskala looked as if he was going to join the goalie graveyard and Martin Gerber received his last rites after being waived from the Senators.
Off season: For all his bluster and talk, Brian Burke failed to achieve his two big targets at the draft, Tavares and Luke's younger brother Brayden Schenn. But the one thing the Leafs did get was tougher. Colton Orr, Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin were all signed. In goal, they secured the services of Jonas Gustavsson, who has already impressed in the off-season. But the big move was saved for acquiring Bruins sniper Phil Kessel for 5 years.
This season: The Leafs had no problem with tempo and overall effort, they just needed that extra bit of skill. How Kessel plays once he is healthy will determine a lot. Also, Toskala as a starting goaltender is on shaky ground with the young Monster breathing down his neck. Overall, the Leafs are just 1 or 2 exceptional performances away from qualifying for the playoffs.
Washington Capitals
Last season: Ovechkin. Backstrom. Semin. Green. So many scoring talents on one team. And the Caps capitalised. However, Jose Theodore looked very shaky in goal and the team's defense was not crash hot.
Off season: The Caps top line just got that much scarier, with the addition of long-time Flyer Mike Knuble. Also signed were veteran forward Brendan Morrison, and journeyman AHL starter Jason Bacashihua.
This season: There's going to be no shortage of attack from this team, but the defensive struggles will continue. Theodore in net is no sure thing, and the Caps will be heavily relying on young goalie prospect Simeon Varlamov to help shoulder the load. Playing in an otherwise weak division suits the Caps just fine and they will have little problem cracking the playoff rankings this year.
Atlanta Thrashers
Last season: Finished 13th in the East. Quite disappointing, but at this stage it's all par for the course for the lowly Thrashers.
Off season: Traded Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart in exchange for Pavel Kubina and Tim Stapleton, which should help on an undermanned blueline. Also signed free agent centre Nik Antropov.
This season: Addition of Leafs reject players aside, this is a largely unchanged team with a largely unchanged outlook. Could finish in a higher rank if goalie Lehtonen manages to stay healthy (he's already had a back surgery in the off-season) and Antropov catches fire. The re-sign or trade debate on Ilya Kovalchuk will be an ever increasing sideshow.
Boston Bruins
Last season: Dominated the North-East division and ended up clinching the East conference. Somewhat unlucky to be beaten in overtime of game 7 in 2nd round.
Off season: Signed Derek Morris to an already scary good back end, and turned unaffordable Phil Kessel into 2 (!!!) first round draft picks from the Leafs. Also managed to dump the salary of Aaron Ward to the Canes AND secure an extra 4th rounder.
This season: The loss of Kessel is not such a loss to a deep team like the Bruins. They will continue to be a defensive juggernaut, led by Chara and Tim Thomas. Should take the North-East division this year without much contest.
Buffalo Sabres
Last season: Lost their way when Ryan Miller got injured. Lalime, sadly, just doesn't cut it anymore. A disappointing finish out of the playoffs for a team that was close to a Stanley Cup in 2007 (sound familiar?)
Off season: Not a whole lot. They did sign Mike Grier and turf Maxim Afinogenov.
This season: Buffalo are rolling the dice with what they've got. Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Miller...the star power is there. However, losing Numminen and Spacek will hurt the D, which never really fully recovered from losing Brian Campbell. Will likely be in a battle for a late playoff spot.
Carolina Hurricanes
Last season: A late surge after the trade deadline acquisition of Erik Cole saw the Hurricanes scrape into the playoffs. They upset the Devils and Bruins for good measure once they got there.
Off season: A few minor moves here and there, they did re-sign Erik Cole and pick up Aaron Ward from the Bruins.
This season: With Cam Ward in form and Ward and Staal re-united, the Hurricanes should continue on current form. They will benefit from a tame South-East division. Should finish in the middle of the playoff pack.
Florida Panthers
Last season: Florida surprised people in the hockey world when they almost squeaked into the playoffs. Craig Anderson in particular impressed when he stole the starter's job from Tomas Voukoun. However, the Panthers certainly benefited from playing in a very weak division last year.
Off season: After losing Anderson to Colorado, Florida went with another backup who impressed last season in Scott Clemmensen. The big loss this off-season of course was Jay Bouwmeester, but the Panthers did well to get at least Jordan Leopold in a trade for his rights. They also secured Dennis Seidenberg as a free agent.
This season: Not a lot has changed in the Florida camp. They are still the same young group of players who are missing that certain something to take them over the edge. Plus now there's no Jay Bouwmeester. They figure to contend for that final playoff spot again this season.
Montreal Canadiens
Last season: The Habs were all hyped up for a centennial season that never really got off the ground. The team battled consistency issues all year. Carey Price was again shaky at times, and Alexei Kovalev was asked to stay home to "clear his head" for a few games when the team went on a road trip. The move worked and they did just scrape into the playoffs, only to be steamrolled by the Bruins.
Off season: Where do we start. Montreal have made so many changes to the squad this off season it's hard to know where to start. At forward, there is Cammaleri, Gionta, Gomez and Moen. On D, there's Spacek, Mara and Gill. And throw in Curtis Sanford for good measure in goal. Jacques Martin also becomes the new coach.
This season: It's hard to tell. This team is very different from the one that took the ice last year. There are going to be concerns about how the team plays together, and overall size is a problem (not one top 6 forward is more than 6 feet tall). The Habs are one of a number of fringe playoff teams this year.
New Jersey Devils
Last season: Despite losing Martin Brodeur for an extended period, the Devils easily won their division when Scott Clemmensen filled in admirably. Breakout seasons up front for Travis Zajac and Zach Parise certainly helped.
Off season: There wasn't a whole lot going on for NJ until they managed to sign free agent Rob Neidermeyer a few days ago. They also picked up Yann Danis from the Islanders to replace Scott Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes. The only notable loss was John Madden, who now plays for the Hawks. Why change a winning formula?
This season: With Brodeur back and the rest of the team intact, look for more of the same. The only concern should be that if Brodeur is injured again, the Devils have a long drop in talent to Yann Danis. Otherwise, he should be more than capable of playing the 5-10 games that Brodeur has a rest in.
New York Islanders
Last season: An abysmal year for a bit-part team. Rick DiPietro was injured AGAIN and played just 5 games. In fact, injury was the key word - the Islanders lost more than 550 man-games to injury, more than any other team in the NHL. Mark Streit shone, scoring a team high 56 points and going +5.
Off season: The buzz is all about young draftee John Tavares. He set and broke many OHL records in his junior career, and now it's pro time. The Islanders also locked up the goalcrease, signing both Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron.
This season: The problems on the island are too many to overcome in one season, however, the team is headed in the right direction. Roloson and Biron are more than capable of sharing a season should DiPietro stay injured. The D in particular needs to stay healthier. It's also time for Okposo and Bailey to step it up. Could surprise a few teams this season, but probably not yet playoff material.
New York Rangers
Last season: The Rangers struggled at times but eventually came home strong enough to make the playoffs. They also scared Washington in the first round, going 7 games.
Off season: The Rangers capitalised in trades this year - sending away the grossly inflated salary of Scott Gomez and bringing in Chris Higgins from the Habs. Then New York signed gifted goal-scorer Marian Gaborik. For good measure, they also secured Ales Kotalik and Vaclav Prospal for secondary scoring and Donald Brashear to be the enforcer.
This season: What was already a decent team has filled out with some really good acquisitions. The Rangers are obviously on a mission this season. There is always concern for Gaborik's health and Kotalik's consistency, but overall this team definitely looks better on paper than it did 12 months ago. Should make the playoffs.
Ottawa Senators
Last season: The Senators experienced a meltdown. The top line didn't produce, the goaltending faltered (big time), and the team missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasonHowever, new coach Cory Clouston did manager to get a better all-round effort from his team, going 19-11-4 to end the season.
Off season: New #1 goalie Pascal Leclaire was obtained at the trade deadline. However, most of the off season was spent trying to get rid of Dany Heatley, who shocked Senators management and fans alike when he demanded a trade, then refused to go to Edmonton when a deal was reached. However, they did manage to add Alexei Kovalev from the Habs, and eventually landed Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo from the Sharks in exchange for Heatley.
This season: The Sens face an uphill battle. It remains to be seen if Kovalev will find chemistry with the existing forward group. Everyone on this team underperformed last year, but if the effort is consistent under new coach Clouston and Leclaire stays healthy, the Senators should scrape into the bottom half of the playoff race.
Philadelphia Flyers
Last season: A Flyer of a year for Jeff Carter and Mike Richards meant that the team did not really miss the absence of Daniel Briere and easily made the playoffs. Undisciplined play prevented them from capitalising, however, against the Pens in the first round.
Off season: In an effort to get even tougher, Chris Pronger was acquired from the Ducks, and Ian Laperriere from the Avalanche. In goal, Philly turfed both goalies and decided to go with Russian exile Ray Emery, formerly of the Senators, and Brian Boucher who played last season with the Sharks.
This season: The Flyers have a scary-good looking team on paper, however, there are a few question marks. A team with this much sandpaper is going to take lots of penalties, can Richards and Co. manage the workload? They did a great job last season. The bigger concern is in goal. Will Emery and Boucher be a good enough tandem? The key is offense for the Flyers. Score, score, score, and the goalies will only have to be decent and not spectacular. They have the firepower and should challenge for the division title.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Last season: The eventual Stanley Cup champs did not enjoy an easy ride. In fact, until AHL coach Dan Bylsma came in, the Pens were 5 points out of the playoff race. The team produced under his run, secured veteran leader Bill Guerin and ran all the way to the top.
Off season: There wasn't too much that needed changing, but the Pens did add Jay McKee (Blues), Mike Rupp (Devils), and toughman Wade Brookbank (Hurricanes). Brent Johnson from Washington was also added as insurance for Fleury in goal.
This season: The Stanley Cup hangover shouldn't be too much of a problem for a team that boasts so much front-end talent and star goaltending. An early injury to Sidney Crosby is worrysome but it doesn't look serious at this stage. The Pens should make the playoffs again this year.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Last season: After all the hype and boasting last year from the new Lightning owners, not a whole lot went right. An early injury to Olaf Kolzig brought out the backup tenders for the rest of the season. Then there was the constant chatter that the Bolts would sell Vinny Lecavalier to the highest bidder. The coach was canned but that didn't do much for respectability.
Off season: The Lightning struck early and often in free agency, particularly on the blueline, managing to secure Mattias Ohlund, Kurtis Foster and Matt Walker. After signing Philly backup Niittymaki to a cheap-as-chips contract, the big splash came late, locking up Alex Tanguay to play on a French superstar line of Tanguay-Lecavalier-St Loius.
This season: As much as you want to believe that Tampa are going to take a serious run this year, these are all the same rumblings we heard last year. The proof will be in the pudding. There is a lack of forward depth after that first line. Also of concern is that the Bolts still don't have a #1 goalie. It will be a struggle to make the playoffs this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Last season: Not much was expected of the Leafs last year with a bit-part roster. But they played solidly, scoring much more than other teams expected and playing fast and furious. The goaltending let them down however, Vesa Toskala looked as if he was going to join the goalie graveyard and Martin Gerber received his last rites after being waived from the Senators.
Off season: For all his bluster and talk, Brian Burke failed to achieve his two big targets at the draft, Tavares and Luke's younger brother Brayden Schenn. But the one thing the Leafs did get was tougher. Colton Orr, Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin were all signed. In goal, they secured the services of Jonas Gustavsson, who has already impressed in the off-season. But the big move was saved for acquiring Bruins sniper Phil Kessel for 5 years.
This season: The Leafs had no problem with tempo and overall effort, they just needed that extra bit of skill. How Kessel plays once he is healthy will determine a lot. Also, Toskala as a starting goaltender is on shaky ground with the young Monster breathing down his neck. Overall, the Leafs are just 1 or 2 exceptional performances away from qualifying for the playoffs.
Washington Capitals
Last season: Ovechkin. Backstrom. Semin. Green. So many scoring talents on one team. And the Caps capitalised. However, Jose Theodore looked very shaky in goal and the team's defense was not crash hot.
Off season: The Caps top line just got that much scarier, with the addition of long-time Flyer Mike Knuble. Also signed were veteran forward Brendan Morrison, and journeyman AHL starter Jason Bacashihua.
This season: There's going to be no shortage of attack from this team, but the defensive struggles will continue. Theodore in net is no sure thing, and the Caps will be heavily relying on young goalie prospect Simeon Varlamov to help shoulder the load. Playing in an otherwise weak division suits the Caps just fine and they will have little problem cracking the playoff rankings this year.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Trade
Well I'm a little late onto this story as I was away for the weekend, but here is my analysis of the trade that went through
Dany Heatley
5th round pick 2010
for
Milan Michalek
Jonathan Cheechoo
2nd round pick 2010
Now most of you are aware, this trade is a bit of a letdown in terms of what was being rumoured and what the Sens hoped to get out of this. But look at the details of this closely...I like this trade more and more as I think about it.
1. Dany Heatley is GONE - this for me is the biggest upside to this. BM certainly took this into account when accepting the deal. It's the sort of intangible stat that won't be able to be measured by goals or assists or games won...but I guarantee you the Sens dressing room is a lot more at peace now that he is gone, and players will be able to focus more on their game.
2. Milan Michalek - this kid has a lot of potential. At age 24 he has had 3 consecutive 55+ point seasons. He's incredibly quick. He has size. I like the look of this guy as a direct replacement to Heatley. He's obviously not going to put up Heatley numbers just yet, but you know what I mean.
3. We took no defensemen back - A smart move. Take one look at the Sens blueline and even with Smith retiring recently, there is a logjam there. Phillips, Volchenkov, Kuba and Campoli will all be there this season - but then there's Picard, Lee, Schubert and Karlsson fighting for the last 2 spots. Look for one of these players to be on the trading block soon...
4. Our top 2 lines look balanced now - I can see Michalek-Spezza-Alfredsson with Kovalev-Fisher-Cheechoo. Lots of skill on the first line and lots of power/grit on the 2nd.
Now that Heatley's been traded and the season nears, I plan to be a bit more active (let's hope). We are just over 2 weeks away from regular season hockey people!!! :D
Dany Heatley
5th round pick 2010
for
Milan Michalek
Jonathan Cheechoo
2nd round pick 2010
Now most of you are aware, this trade is a bit of a letdown in terms of what was being rumoured and what the Sens hoped to get out of this. But look at the details of this closely...I like this trade more and more as I think about it.
1. Dany Heatley is GONE - this for me is the biggest upside to this. BM certainly took this into account when accepting the deal. It's the sort of intangible stat that won't be able to be measured by goals or assists or games won...but I guarantee you the Sens dressing room is a lot more at peace now that he is gone, and players will be able to focus more on their game.
2. Milan Michalek - this kid has a lot of potential. At age 24 he has had 3 consecutive 55+ point seasons. He's incredibly quick. He has size. I like the look of this guy as a direct replacement to Heatley. He's obviously not going to put up Heatley numbers just yet, but you know what I mean.
3. We took no defensemen back - A smart move. Take one look at the Sens blueline and even with Smith retiring recently, there is a logjam there. Phillips, Volchenkov, Kuba and Campoli will all be there this season - but then there's Picard, Lee, Schubert and Karlsson fighting for the last 2 spots. Look for one of these players to be on the trading block soon...
4. Our top 2 lines look balanced now - I can see Michalek-Spezza-Alfredsson with Kovalev-Fisher-Cheechoo. Lots of skill on the first line and lots of power/grit on the 2nd.
Now that Heatley's been traded and the season nears, I plan to be a bit more active (let's hope). We are just over 2 weeks away from regular season hockey people!!! :D
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Waiting Game
Well here we are, very VERY early on a Thursday morning - a couple of days before training camp. And lo and behold, we have another Dany Heatley saga unfolding right before our eyes.
Around 10 or 11 last night (i.e. a few hours ago), my Twitter burst into a hive of activity not seen since the first arbitrary trading deadline came...and went. The buzz seems to be around two separate things.
1. An article from Mr Garrioch of the Sun, stating "2 league executives" had informed him that the Kings, Sharks and the Sens had been talking 3-way trade. The payoff for Ottawa apparently includes Jarrett Stoll and Alex Frolov. Link is here >>> http://tiny.cc/fIeZN
2. A number of people on Twitter have been posting that the deal for Heatley has already been reached and will be announced in the morning. I cannot determine where this one started but some posts suggest the Rangers are the team and others say the Rangers can be ruled out.
Whatever happens, it's going to be an interesting morning. Let's just see if this time, the hype is worth it.
Around 10 or 11 last night (i.e. a few hours ago), my Twitter burst into a hive of activity not seen since the first arbitrary trading deadline came...and went. The buzz seems to be around two separate things.
1. An article from Mr Garrioch of the Sun, stating "2 league executives" had informed him that the Kings, Sharks and the Sens had been talking 3-way trade. The payoff for Ottawa apparently includes Jarrett Stoll and Alex Frolov. Link is here >>> http://tiny.cc/fIeZN
2. A number of people on Twitter have been posting that the deal for Heatley has already been reached and will be announced in the morning. I cannot determine where this one started but some posts suggest the Rangers are the team and others say the Rangers can be ruled out.
Whatever happens, it's going to be an interesting morning. Let's just see if this time, the hype is worth it.
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Ottawa Roster (part 3 of 3)
The final part of this blog looks at the Ottawa trading block
Trading block forwards: Dany Heatley
Now, this one is obvious given what has transpired over the summer. But I am even more alarmed and concerned by what I have heard today in his press conference. He REALLY doesn't want to play here. His attitude today stank richly of a sense of entitlement and a definite sense of looking out for #1.
His trade stock probably plummeted with the performance he put on today, but there is no reason the Sens shouldn't get something serviceable back. The Edmonton offer of Penner, Cogliano and Smid should be used as a template - GM Murray wants a top 6 forward, a top 4 defenseman and a prospect/pick. This seems about right. If Edmonton offered that deal again and included, say, Tom Gilbert instead of recently re-signed Smid, or perhaps Paajarvi-Svensson (or similar prospect) - the deal would be back on.
The sleeper team in this I feel is Tampa Bay. Now, I'm not claiming to be an Eklund or Senschirp here, I don't have any sources, I'm simply using commonsense. Ryan Malone is good, but he is overpaid. The Lightning need to shake things up. They have upgraded their D a lot but haven't really done anything on the front end yet. Say the package looked like Heatley for Malone, someone like Paul Ranger and a high draft pick or prospect? I think that trade actually works for both teams...but, we all know that's no guarantee that they'll want it.
Imagine a line of Heatley-Lecavalier-St Louis...pretty scary talented huh.
Outrageous, baseless rumours aside (maybe I am pulling an Eklund here come to think of it :P), let's look at the rest of the trade block:
Trading block defensemen: Christoph Schubert, Alexandre Picard, Jason Smith
Poor Schubie just can't catch a break here in Ottawa, constantly on the outer fringe of making the team on both the 4th line and the bottom-pairing D. He's copped a lot of criticism for being particularly useless up front - but as with all our bottom 6 forwards, that's not really the role a Schubert is designed to play.
If Schubie gets a shot here it will serve him well to remember his fundamentals. Forecheck with hustle. Hit players. Be more assertive. He's listed at 230lbs and he looks even bigger than that - time for him to throw some of that size around. I kinda hope he impresses enough to be kept around...but if he is traded, I can see a 4th to 6th round draft pick for him
Picard is another defenseman who has just had no luck this season. When Hartsburg finally got the boot, Picard got injured and found that his spot had been taken up by Lee and Bell. With Bell gone and Lee needing to be mentored, perhaps Picard could be swapped for a veteran defenseman presence on the blue line.
Let's face it, Jason Smith was a failed Ottawa experiment. In the final year of his contract and with a desperate need to lose salary off the books - he is almost certain to stay this season on the long-term IR. However, if a team wants him packaged into a deal I don't think BM would hesitate.
Seeing as we don't have any goaltender depth in the system, I think that wraps this post up.
Just a quick word of thanks to all you people out there reading my blog and encouraging me to keep going - the support is greatly appreciated. :)
Trading block forwards: Dany Heatley
Now, this one is obvious given what has transpired over the summer. But I am even more alarmed and concerned by what I have heard today in his press conference. He REALLY doesn't want to play here. His attitude today stank richly of a sense of entitlement and a definite sense of looking out for #1.
His trade stock probably plummeted with the performance he put on today, but there is no reason the Sens shouldn't get something serviceable back. The Edmonton offer of Penner, Cogliano and Smid should be used as a template - GM Murray wants a top 6 forward, a top 4 defenseman and a prospect/pick. This seems about right. If Edmonton offered that deal again and included, say, Tom Gilbert instead of recently re-signed Smid, or perhaps Paajarvi-Svensson (or similar prospect) - the deal would be back on.
The sleeper team in this I feel is Tampa Bay. Now, I'm not claiming to be an Eklund or Senschirp here, I don't have any sources, I'm simply using commonsense. Ryan Malone is good, but he is overpaid. The Lightning need to shake things up. They have upgraded their D a lot but haven't really done anything on the front end yet. Say the package looked like Heatley for Malone, someone like Paul Ranger and a high draft pick or prospect? I think that trade actually works for both teams...but, we all know that's no guarantee that they'll want it.
Imagine a line of Heatley-Lecavalier-St Louis...pretty scary talented huh.
Outrageous, baseless rumours aside (maybe I am pulling an Eklund here come to think of it :P), let's look at the rest of the trade block:
Trading block defensemen: Christoph Schubert, Alexandre Picard, Jason Smith
Poor Schubie just can't catch a break here in Ottawa, constantly on the outer fringe of making the team on both the 4th line and the bottom-pairing D. He's copped a lot of criticism for being particularly useless up front - but as with all our bottom 6 forwards, that's not really the role a Schubert is designed to play.
If Schubie gets a shot here it will serve him well to remember his fundamentals. Forecheck with hustle. Hit players. Be more assertive. He's listed at 230lbs and he looks even bigger than that - time for him to throw some of that size around. I kinda hope he impresses enough to be kept around...but if he is traded, I can see a 4th to 6th round draft pick for him
Picard is another defenseman who has just had no luck this season. When Hartsburg finally got the boot, Picard got injured and found that his spot had been taken up by Lee and Bell. With Bell gone and Lee needing to be mentored, perhaps Picard could be swapped for a veteran defenseman presence on the blue line.
Let's face it, Jason Smith was a failed Ottawa experiment. In the final year of his contract and with a desperate need to lose salary off the books - he is almost certain to stay this season on the long-term IR. However, if a team wants him packaged into a deal I don't think BM would hesitate.
Seeing as we don't have any goaltender depth in the system, I think that wraps this post up.
Just a quick word of thanks to all you people out there reading my blog and encouraging me to keep going - the support is greatly appreciated. :)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Ottawa Roster (part 2 of 3)
Last night, I gave a play by play of what I expected the forward lines to look like as of right NOW in the Senators lineup. Tonight, I look at the rest of the team, starting with the D
Defense pairing 1: Phillips-Volchenkov
One of the better shutdown pairings in this league. The A-Train blocks lots of shots and hits, well, like a train...and Phillips has a better first pass and can help on attack at times.
A lot of fans are dismayed that this is our first pairing and want a star defenseman with some offensive talent on the first unit. I disagree. The defense is there to play just that - defense. If you get some goals out of them it's a bonus, sure, but the Senators have plenty of young prospects on D who can run a PP and make good passes. You better believe there are teams who wish they had either one of these players in their rosters (Volchenkov especially).
Defense pairing 2: Kuba-Campoli
This is a very potent and mobile pairing. Kuba passes well and can be relied upon in his own end moreso than Campoli. But Campoli can run a PP and also has a more than adequate shot that's only going to get better with age (he's only 25).
Obviously Bryan Murray likes both players a lot - he signed Kuba to an extension last year and traded away a 1st rounder for Campoli. And for me, these were both great moves. Ottawa on the PP this year are going to be very dangerous - in no small part because of these two players on the blue line.
Defense pairing 3: Lee-Picard
The depth pairing. I am going to be brutally honest here...Brian Lee looked, at times, absolutely atrocious out there last season (especially playing with Bell). But I can honestly say I have seen an improvement with each game that went by. His problem seems to be that he doesn't know what sort of defender he should be at times - the puck moving D or the stay at home D. So he plays a game that's kinda halfway between without being good at either one. Methinks he will have to battle hard to impress at camp or risk being sent down to Bingo once more.
I didn't really see much of Picard, but he has potential and hopefully he can get a decent shot on the 3rd pairing this year. There will be other prospects breathing down his neck for sure.
Goalies: Leclaire-Elliott
Ever since Pascal Leclaire was traded to Ottawa on deadline day in March, the buzz and anticipation has been constant. Last season he spent mostly on the injured list, but the season before he had 9 shutouts (in just 54 starts!!!) and posted solid numbers.
He is easily the closest thing to a #1 goaltender that the Senators have had for a while...but will the pressure get to him? And can he produce similar numbers playing behind a system that is much less defense-orientated than what he was used to in Columbus???
We saw a lot more of Brian Elliott than we expected to last year because of the Gerber meltdown. And he definitely has promise. But there are areas of his game that need work. He MUST get a better handle on his rebounds and he also needs work on being screened. If Leclaire can stay healthy and play 60-65 games then Elliott is more than capable of doing the rest.
Part 3 (hopefully coming tomorrow) will look at the trading block and what sort of returns we could expect for certain players...
Defense pairing 1: Phillips-Volchenkov
One of the better shutdown pairings in this league. The A-Train blocks lots of shots and hits, well, like a train...and Phillips has a better first pass and can help on attack at times.
A lot of fans are dismayed that this is our first pairing and want a star defenseman with some offensive talent on the first unit. I disagree. The defense is there to play just that - defense. If you get some goals out of them it's a bonus, sure, but the Senators have plenty of young prospects on D who can run a PP and make good passes. You better believe there are teams who wish they had either one of these players in their rosters (Volchenkov especially).
Defense pairing 2: Kuba-Campoli
This is a very potent and mobile pairing. Kuba passes well and can be relied upon in his own end moreso than Campoli. But Campoli can run a PP and also has a more than adequate shot that's only going to get better with age (he's only 25).
Obviously Bryan Murray likes both players a lot - he signed Kuba to an extension last year and traded away a 1st rounder for Campoli. And for me, these were both great moves. Ottawa on the PP this year are going to be very dangerous - in no small part because of these two players on the blue line.
Defense pairing 3: Lee-Picard
The depth pairing. I am going to be brutally honest here...Brian Lee looked, at times, absolutely atrocious out there last season (especially playing with Bell). But I can honestly say I have seen an improvement with each game that went by. His problem seems to be that he doesn't know what sort of defender he should be at times - the puck moving D or the stay at home D. So he plays a game that's kinda halfway between without being good at either one. Methinks he will have to battle hard to impress at camp or risk being sent down to Bingo once more.
I didn't really see much of Picard, but he has potential and hopefully he can get a decent shot on the 3rd pairing this year. There will be other prospects breathing down his neck for sure.
Goalies: Leclaire-Elliott
Ever since Pascal Leclaire was traded to Ottawa on deadline day in March, the buzz and anticipation has been constant. Last season he spent mostly on the injured list, but the season before he had 9 shutouts (in just 54 starts!!!) and posted solid numbers.
He is easily the closest thing to a #1 goaltender that the Senators have had for a while...but will the pressure get to him? And can he produce similar numbers playing behind a system that is much less defense-orientated than what he was used to in Columbus???
We saw a lot more of Brian Elliott than we expected to last year because of the Gerber meltdown. And he definitely has promise. But there are areas of his game that need work. He MUST get a better handle on his rebounds and he also needs work on being screened. If Leclaire can stay healthy and play 60-65 games then Elliott is more than capable of doing the rest.
Part 3 (hopefully coming tomorrow) will look at the trading block and what sort of returns we could expect for certain players...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Ottawa Roster (part 1 of 3)
So we all know that Dany Heatley has not been moved.
Senators GM Bryan Murray has come out and said that he will now proceed and plan for the coming season with Heatley in the line up. And what I aim to do with this post is look at what the team should look like (IMO) with Heatley staying. Bear in mind this is the CURRENT roster - minus any crazy trades or salary dumps and all that jazz. We'll start with the first line.
Line 1: Heatley-Spezza-Alfredsson
Heatley pots the goals, Spezza sets them up and Alfie works his butt off all over the ice. It's a tried and tested formula and there's no reason to tinker with it.
Now some of you may be upset that Heatley gets to stay on the first line...well, he just HAS to rebound form-wise this year. The Olympic squad is at stake and if he is serious about being traded, he will want to impress the pro scouts and GMs from around the league. And have no doubt that Clouston will demote him if he doesn't show up to play.
Line 2: Foligno-Fisher-Kovalev
Nick Foligno is in a contract year and really needs to show management if he wants to be a top 6 or bottom 6 forward. He is definitely a hard worker, but can he put up the points? The key will be how he clicks with Alex Kovalev - and I like the possibilities here.
Fisher down the middle has the size and grit on this line and can go to the net. Kovalev certainly possesses amazing puck control and scoring capability when on his game. Foligno's tenacity on the forecheck really rounds out a solid line.
Line 3: Ruutu-Kelly-Shannon
Chris Kelly is probably the most underrated Senator in the squad - he has decent size and plays a solid defensive game. He won't wow you with amazing goals or crazy dekes, but that's not his role on the team. Shannon certainly showed he can work hard and if he can improve on his 20 points from last season, he's on the right track. And don't let Ruutu's gob fool you - that's not the only skill he has. There were flashes of brilliance last season (a certain backhanded goal comes to mind) and at his pricetag hopefully we can expect more.
Line 4: Neil-Winchester-Donovan
I'm not sure I've ever seen a guy work as hard on the ice as Shean Donovan. He is devoid of almost all finishing skills, but he just never stops! Neil was somewhat of a disappointment last year but no one can fault his heart and his determination. He's also one player on the team willing to shoulder the physical load. And Winchester locked down the 4th line centre job last year with a high faceoff percentage (when you're second on the team only to Antoine Vermette, you're doing pretty well) and tight defensive play.
Spare player: Schubert
Schubie has again drawn the short straw as swingman. He really has some potential but I don't know if he's going to get a fair shot on this team. Hopefully he gets a few games under his belt this year - if for nothing else then to improve his trade value.
Part 2 is coming up soon - I'll be looking at the defense and goalies.
Senators GM Bryan Murray has come out and said that he will now proceed and plan for the coming season with Heatley in the line up. And what I aim to do with this post is look at what the team should look like (IMO) with Heatley staying. Bear in mind this is the CURRENT roster - minus any crazy trades or salary dumps and all that jazz. We'll start with the first line.
Line 1: Heatley-Spezza-Alfredsson
Heatley pots the goals, Spezza sets them up and Alfie works his butt off all over the ice. It's a tried and tested formula and there's no reason to tinker with it.
Now some of you may be upset that Heatley gets to stay on the first line...well, he just HAS to rebound form-wise this year. The Olympic squad is at stake and if he is serious about being traded, he will want to impress the pro scouts and GMs from around the league. And have no doubt that Clouston will demote him if he doesn't show up to play.
Line 2: Foligno-Fisher-Kovalev
Nick Foligno is in a contract year and really needs to show management if he wants to be a top 6 or bottom 6 forward. He is definitely a hard worker, but can he put up the points? The key will be how he clicks with Alex Kovalev - and I like the possibilities here.
Fisher down the middle has the size and grit on this line and can go to the net. Kovalev certainly possesses amazing puck control and scoring capability when on his game. Foligno's tenacity on the forecheck really rounds out a solid line.
Line 3: Ruutu-Kelly-Shannon
Chris Kelly is probably the most underrated Senator in the squad - he has decent size and plays a solid defensive game. He won't wow you with amazing goals or crazy dekes, but that's not his role on the team. Shannon certainly showed he can work hard and if he can improve on his 20 points from last season, he's on the right track. And don't let Ruutu's gob fool you - that's not the only skill he has. There were flashes of brilliance last season (a certain backhanded goal comes to mind) and at his pricetag hopefully we can expect more.
Line 4: Neil-Winchester-Donovan
I'm not sure I've ever seen a guy work as hard on the ice as Shean Donovan. He is devoid of almost all finishing skills, but he just never stops! Neil was somewhat of a disappointment last year but no one can fault his heart and his determination. He's also one player on the team willing to shoulder the physical load. And Winchester locked down the 4th line centre job last year with a high faceoff percentage (when you're second on the team only to Antoine Vermette, you're doing pretty well) and tight defensive play.
Spare player: Schubert
Schubie has again drawn the short straw as swingman. He really has some potential but I don't know if he's going to get a fair shot on this team. Hopefully he gets a few games under his belt this year - if for nothing else then to improve his trade value.
Part 2 is coming up soon - I'll be looking at the defense and goalies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
