What now for Ottawa

[hamstercaster 2]

Now that Ottawa has once again chocked in the playoffs, what player movement is to be expected in Ottawa? They should have enough room under the cap to sign both Redden and Chara, but do they want them both back with the Sens.. most importantly does Chara and/or Redden want to come back to Ottawa?

Then there is the Alfredsson issue. Should he be traded or not? If so, who will want him? and at what price? What are they gonna do with Tyler Arnason. They didn't play him in the playoffs and barely gave him a chance when he was acquired. And the goalies!!! are they gonna go with Emery all the way as their number 1 goalie? Or give Hasek another chance?

So many questions for the immediate future of this franchise but one thing for sure they got to do something it will have to be more than a coaching change.

[Eazy_b97 1]

They have enough to re-sign Chara, Redden, and give Havlat/Spezza raises?

[gp3r 0]

I think one of Chara or Redden will leave. The Sens have to get depth up front. They need a good 2nd center, cause Smolinski isn't doing the job. Chara will be very, very expensive. So if Ottawa wants to get some players up front, and maybe a goalie, Biron or Raycroft for example, they're gonna have to let either Redden or Chara go. Considering they also have to resign Spezza and Havlat, who if I'm right, are RFA.

[hamstercaster 2]

Then I'd let Chara go. He's good, very good even but for some reason, perhaps his playoff play, I think they will be better off with Redden than Chara. They do need to replace Smolinski and quite frankly I thought it was why they went and got Arnason who can play left and center I believe. I think Emery is not ready to be a full fledge number 1 and needs to get a bit more experience as a backup. He's done rookie or should I say Peewee mistakes in the playoffs on some goals by absolutly refusing or omitting to poke check players coming from the right side.

As for Chara, I think that with Redden, Meszaros, Phillips and Volchenkov they have enough depth on defence and can let him go. Pothier also played quite well last season and during the playoffs so I wouldn't worry much on defense even if they lose Chara. But on offense? Maybe the time has come to part ways with Alfie.. What about Havlat. A very good player but where was he against Buffalo?

[Adam91 0]

Chara is as good as gone IMO. He'll be overpaid bye a bunch of teams, the guy is a little better then I thought but still way overated in my opinon

[hamstercaster 2]

Chara is somewhat overrated mainly because of his size. But when he's hot though, is next to unstopable... But now he's probably expecting to hit the 20% maximum per player salary and he will more than likely get it elsewhere that's for sure. Many teams are looking for top D'men. You can expect Redden to receive many offers too if he's not signed by the end of the month

[capes921 0]

you have to give havlat one more year before he gets moved or people start doubting him, he missed what like 50 games with his shoulder surgery. He came back just in time for the playoffs but i didn't think he was in his top form after missing so many games

[Eazy_b97 1]

you have to give havlat one more year before he gets moved or people start doubting him, he missed what like 50 games with his shoulder surgery. He came back just in time for the playoffs but i didn't think he was in his top form after missing so many games

The doubt isn't about his talent, it's about his attitude. The kicking suspensions and such don't reflect well on the team. Then there's some stupid problems he causes like the Recchi incident. Stuff he isn't "big enough" to handle himself.

[DEATHTRON 19]

They need a real number one goalie. They really need more power up front, havlat showed what he could do against tampa, Spezza was the best point per game player this year, need I say anything about Heatley? Then after that, eaves is coming along, Fisher is getting good and so on. They have so much back there on D, I say drop whoever the higher paid of the two is, find yourself a goalie that will give you a chance every night (Biron maybe now that buffalo really doesnt need him? Nabakov maybe? Giguere? too many goalies that will need to get moved). Emery let in too many soft goals in the playoffs in my opinion, hes not ready by far. They need to get a real goalie...I think that was their biggest problem in the playoffs...well that and not playing defense.

Zach

[hamstercaster 2]

Indeed they need another goalie that's for sure. As for Havlat, he may not have come onto his own fully yet but let's not forget that he's been injured more than once already, as a sh1tty attitude and wan't he in a salary dispute once where he pulled a Yashin trick on the Sens.. not sure about that one though. They'll have to move a few players though and maybe, just maybe at least give the captaincy to someone else, if not get rid of Alfie altogether if they can get something good in return as he's still a very good player.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

you have to give havlat one more year before he gets moved or people start doubting him, he missed what like 50 games with his shoulder surgery.  He came back just in time for the playoffs but i didn't think he was in his top form after missing so many games

The doubt isn't about his talent, it's about his attitude. The kicking suspensions and such don't reflect well on the team. Then there's some stupid problems he causes like the Recchi incident. Stuff he isn't "big enough" to handle himself.

Whats the Recchi incident?

[Michael9 57]

havlat slashed recchi, in the head, then the next game there was some huge fights.

[flip12 715]

If it were anywhere but the head...but then again it's Recchi, he probably deserved it. He's the league's most frequent diver. I loved seeing him go after Torres and just get splatted twice in the same shift in game 5.

Sens aren't so bad. Havlat came back and lit up round one. Wasn't the whole team kind of AWOL against Buffalo? You Sens fans are fortunate that you've got the luxury to tinker by getting rid of a top player in either Alfredsson or Chara and fill some of your needs and that your team drafts well. Every year for the last four or five I think it's been said, but any year could be the Sens year.

[Neal 41]

They should sign Pisani and ship Arnason to the Islanders to play with Yashin. I think they would be a perfect pair.

[kosydar 0]

I'll weigh in as someone who hates the Sens. Up front, I think the three most important/best forwards for them are Spezza Heatley and Havlat, and I think Havlat has the most potential of the three. Alfie has a pretty big contract I think, but I still think they should try to move him. He hasn't really done a whole lot for them (ie the playoffs), but I think still yield a good return. I think he is one of the most overrated players in the league, especially in context with that team. If I could have anybody from that team on the Leafs, he'd be like 7th or 8th. Smolinski and Neil should be shipped off, Schaffer and Vermette should be kept.

On D- if it comes down to Chara vs Redden, I think its a toss. I'd come down to whoever you could sign to a better contract. Potheir should be kept.

Finally in net, is it just assumed that Hasek is gone? Now you Sens fans know what us Wings fans dealt with. I don't think Emery is good enough right now to be a starter, especially on a team that wants to contend. If the Sens are serious about going far this year they need to pick up a veteran goalie. If they want to rebuild (which I can't see happening), then Emery is fine.

I really think that the Sens need to trade Alfie. He sucks in the playoffs, has had many opportunities to take this team somewhere and hasn't, and he is just ugly. Like I said earlier, I think he still has good trade value and could be swapped for a top tier player on a weak team. But keeping him around will only lead to more disappointment for Sens fans.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I disagree, I'd much sooner unload Spezza/Heatley/Havlat before Alfie. He's the only one who shows consistent heart in the playoffs.

[Chadd 916]

I disagree, I'd much sooner unload Spezza/Heatley/Havlat before Alfie. He's the only one who shows consistent heart in the playoffs.

Havlat should be the first to go and he's UFA in a year or so anyway. Send Alfie over to the Leafs so Mats has someone that might actually be able to find the back of the net.

[hamstercaster 2]

Alfie may have more heart then a few of the players but like his fellow teamates he cannot deliver in clutch situations. The bottom line is that they need a goalie and they players they can move to get a good goalie. Hasek has let his teamates down once again and Emery is far from being ready to be Ottawa's number one goalie next season. For some reason, I don't have much faith in Alfie and Havlat but it wouldn't take much more for me to lose faith in Heatley and Spezza too. Lets wait another season for them to show they have heart and guts. As for Alfie, he's been underachieving for all of the playoff games he's played in Ottawa. Buffalo was a very strong opponent but with all the talent Ottawa had, they had no reason to lose to Buffalo. When Ottawa is on top of their game they are next to unstoppable.. problem is that they seem to take their talent and depth for granted and seem to think they don't need to play hard to win day in and day out. Although this may prove to be true on any given night during the regular season, it's a whole different story when it comes to the playoffs, and that, they have yet to learn from their past mistakes or have yet to find a coach that will be able to hammer it through their heads that talent alone is no garantee of success