Ottawa Senators 07-08

[Viking 1]

They looked alive, and that's more than I can say about the last few games I've been to.

[ADAbsolutNDN 0]

Yeah that was a solid game...everyone stepped up their physical game, lead by Alfie of course!

[gxc999 7]

This team is in big salary cap trouble starting next season. They've committed about $30 million to Heatley ($10m), Spezza ($8m), Alfie (5.5m) and Fisher (6m). They must do something soon or they won't be cap compliant next season.

Personally, I would trade them all except for Alfredsson, (who'll be seeing a drop in salary after '08-09) as well as Emery and begin rebuilding ASAP. They should target Columbus, w/ Brule and Brassard, as well as Phoenix (another team w/cap room galore) and the Sabres (Heatley heads up for Vanek, who makes $8m next year and 6m a year thereafter)...

[sweetblazer 0]

That is AWFUL math first of all. 30? you sound like belak, umm yeah 30 goals 40 assists that's about 100 points. Second you obviously don't understand the building around a core theory. Those guys except alfredsson are super young, if anything they should do the exact opposite and deal him for youth to "rebuild" . They will easily make the cap its going up roughly 3.5-5 and the only big signing is Redden who will probably leave.

[gxc999 7]

Completely disagree. This team needs to own up to the fact that they have a lack of goaltending and defense. If Redden leaves, who are they left with as a top defenseman? Mezaros? Let discard the rose colored glasses and face reality. If Heatley would take a pay cut, maybe they could trade Fisher for a blueliner and keep their big three, but that still wouldn't address their goaltending issues...

[Law Goalie 147]

Well, in truth, what they have are two capable #1 goalies who have been brutally mismanaged. Emery was allowed to think he was a superstar, until he went too far; Gerber, who they knew FULL WELL going in was a brilliant but psychologically fragile goalie, they jerked around like a cheap marionette until he had no confidence and a headful of straw. Emery needed a taskmaster, Gerber needed trust and support, and they seem to have done neither for either.

The offseason they should be ruing was the one where they took Redden for 6m over Chara for 7.5m, and to a lesser extent, Corvo over Preissing the following year. They just haven't made good blueline decisions.

It's hardly panic time. They'll make the playoffs, and then we'll see what happens. If they flop, then it might be time to move some pieces around.

[gxc999 7]

Well, in truth, what they have are two capable #1 goalies who have been brutally mismanaged. Emery was allowed to think he was a superstar, until he went too far; Gerber, who they knew FULL WELL going in was a brilliant but psychologically fragile goalie, they jerked around like a cheap marionette until he had no confidence and a headful of straw. Emery needed a taskmaster, Gerber needed trust and support, and they seem to have done neither for either.

The offseason they should be ruing was the one where they took Redden for 6m over Chara for 7.5m, and to a lesser extent, Corvo over Preissing the following year. They just haven't made good blueline decisions.

It's hardly panic time. They'll make the playoffs, and then we'll see what happens. If they flop, then it might be time to move some pieces around.

I agree to an extent. This pattern, a blazing hot start, then going .500 the rest of the year and getting knocked out in the playoffs is like watching a re-run of "All in the Family". We know Archie's eventually going to explode, it's just a matter of when.

Management badly screwed up the goalie situation too, you're 100% right. They should've brought in one or two stay at home defenseman and given the top spot to Gerber, unless he played his way to the bench. I think they've missed their best chance and that's why I advocate rebuilding. Keep Alfie, and maybe Fisher but bring in better defenseman and solve the goalie situation for the future.

[sweetblazer 0]

It's simple math. Go to NHL numbers.com They will easily make the cap. THis is exactly why you aren't a GM. It takes patience.

I'll elaborate for you. They have phillips, mezaroz, volchenkov, commodore, lee coming up( who is dirty), then Redden if he signs cheap. If you can't see two stay at home D in there that are good then you need to do a little more research. If redden can't come back they pick up a free agent or trade for a 4 million a year D man. This leaves them under the cap. You are absolutely ridiculous in saying they should trade heater or spezza and keep alfredsson, the guy is going to retire in 3 years, they have the other two locked up for years to come. As for the goalies, keep in mind that Emery had no time to improve over the summer as he was hurt. He will be a number one, all you need to do is trade Gerbs or figure something out and you've got your #1 goalie. Fisher just resigned and will never get traded. Are you even from Ottawa or know anything about them? Or do you just make GM assumptions? Cause any actual hockey fan I know in Ottawa knows the team well and can prove just about every point of yours wrong. Do they choke in the playoffs? Yes, often. Does that mean, hey fuck it lets just give up the chance we have to go a couple rounds in maybe get lucky this year, and trade everything away and hope to do the same in a couple? Get real.

[gxc999 7]

You're right about one thing, I should've suggested they add an offensive, not defensive defenseman.

I've taken all data from NHLNumbers.com. You're seem to be viewing things through rose-colored glasses, and no, I'm not from Ottawa. I'm an objective observer who's had a bunch of Senators on his fantasy team and been rooting for them the past two seasons.

However, that has no bearing on my point. If everyone makes as much $ next year as they are currently scheduled for now, they'll barely get by the cap. Let's run the numbers, they have $36+ million going to 5 players (If they keep Redden at $6 m). Vermette, Kelly, Mezaros and Stillman are all free agents and will require salary bumps of probably $1.5-3 m each and assuming they re-sign everyone else at approximately the same level, then they'll be capped out at around $53m . My point is obviously true, if they want to have more than 1 capable scoring line, they need to take action soon or face the Lightnings miserable future.

What would I do specifically? I'd be looking to trade Emery and Heatley to Phx for Brygalov, Vrbata and a high-level prospect, something along those lines. I'd also get rid of Spezza, while keeping Fisher, Vermette, Kelly (the existing young talent) and Alfie/Stillman as offensive mentors and team leaders (Yes, I know Stillman isn't a team leader <_< ).

There's no need for you to be defensive, amigo. The numbers speak for themselves, why else would they've traded for Stillman and Commdore (one final cup run?) and one scoring line usually can't win a cup. It basically boils down to pay a little now or pay a lot later.

[ADAbsolutNDN 0]

We hit rock bottom last night against the Kings...shutout by the worst team in the league c'mon boys