Conrad

Is anyone else concerned with how far away the Senators are from the deadline with these deals? I can understand with Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly, because they both have term left on their deals and Melnyk wants to get out from under debt, but Ruutu goes 11 days before the deadline for a 6th? What’s the harm in waiting, see if a tiny bit of a bidding war opens up? Maybe the 6th –which, let’s be realistic, will not turn into anything, and may as well have been “future considerations” – turns into a 4th? And if you can’t get a deal done in time, oh well: all you lost was the chance to get a 6th. Plus he’s only making $1.2M, so the remaining term on his contract at this point must be about $300k. It’s not like they’re stuck with Kovalev’s salary. But I guess $300k is $300k, and probably represents about fifty of the season ticket packages that won’t be renewed next year. The hard economics of this thing are sobering.

Pete

When the boss tells you to trim salary, I guess you get cracking on just that.

I’m choosing to remain an optimist right now (since it’ll be so much harder to do so next year) I’m taking the approach that this is an opportunity to remake the team in whichever image the incoming GM wants. Melnyk can advertise a blank slate for candidates.

Mike Fisher got his first goal as a pred. He looks at the same time both strange and a natural in a predators uniform. They went out and beat the Canucks last night. Maybe we should adopt the predators during their playoff run? Conflicting emotions!!!!! 

Conrad

I’m always rooting for the Preds. They’re my West coast team. I like the idea of a well-coached, underfunded, hard-checking team from a “non-traditional” market winning, you know, at least ONE playoff series. Dean McAmmond should be on that team.

BREAKING (WEIRD, AND CLEARLY LATE) NEWS: Elliott to Colorado for Craig Anderson.
 
I think this shakes out to a tacit understanding that Elliott wasn’t going to get us anything, not even a ninth round pick, which is what we used to get him in the first place. We get a pending UFA who’s played horribly this year (though really well last year) and lost an RFA we weren’t going to give a qualifying offer anyway. We get a good look at Anderson, who, if he plays well, might accept another cheap-o deal to play in Ottawa next year. (Lehner is not ready.)
 
Or….maybe this means Leclaire is actually going to play some games down the stretch?

More to come…

Marc

I like all the moves Murray has pulled off so far. I haven’t been this
excited about this team since they made it to the Cup final. A new ice
age is around the corner and it starts now. I’ve been hollering for 30
+ games to give the kids some time with the team and it’s finally
happening. Like Peter, I’m feeling very optimistic even for next year.

Rainbow Cinemas is banning all screenings of E.T. to protest the
Elliott trade to Colorado, but will put Pamela Anderson movies on
heavy rotation. I’m not even going to get into all the Telcos refusal
to carry Nokia handsets going forward.

It was time for Elliott to go. Did any of us really think he was the
#1 goaltender we needed? We can blame the defense this year for
leaving him high and dry on a nightly basis. But he had a terrible
habit of letting in those infuriating softies. This would’ve been ok
he he had an endorsement deal with Cotonelle. Anderson has decent
career stats (less than 3 GAA per game and .912 save percentage for
his career) even though he’s had a tough 2010-11. Change is always
good and they will both benefit from a change of scenery. This does
leave a Chara sized question mark in terms of goaltending for Ottawa.
On the flip side, it will be awesome to see the Lehner-tic get more
starts this year. He will destroys all that that dares to get in his
way, including his teammates.

Looks like Kaberle is going to Boston, for real this time. The Bruins
are officially really scary.