Shame Day Preview: Ottawa AlleyesonAndersons Vs. New York (city) Messi Comet Sightings

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Hi!

BREAKING NEWS: Craig Anderson got a raise recently.

Craig Anderson gets his first start in the wake of signing a 10 year 45 billion dollar city on the moon and after recovering from an undisclosed case of Pascal Leclairitus. Maybe I am a little stupidstitious but it was a weeee bit scary watching Murray sign his second injured goalie in a row. Tonight’s the night for Andy to shake the bad memories out and NOT get re-injured after receiving a lucrative contract (Break the cycle if not just for me, Craig, then…for your country? Me make sense? Not no mores!)
Patrick Wristwatch will play his second game as an Ottawa Senator. According to everything I read, no one who watched the last game was happy with his play sooooo best of luck young man! His parents will be in the audience AS WILL ROMAN WICK’S! – don’t worry only a couple more of these to read before the end of the season! Oh, oh,  hold on im getting a text on my Newton, it says “Or u could just quit now bro, lol, g2g ttyl” Please someone help me figure out what a lot of that means in the comment section, Im turning 65 this month I cant be bothered to figure out new acronyms, thx.
The Senators can be mathematically eliminated from their TIGHT playoff race with the powerhouse Islanders with a loss tonight. Is that when it is fun to cheer for a win again?
Speaking of playoff spots, the New York City Rangers look to improve their playoff standing and, lets face it Sens fans, have a preeeeetty good chance considering how star defenseman Wade Redden tends to light it up against his old clu- oh hold on… just doing some very believable research on the Official Rangers’ Friendster page…hmmmph…Wade Redden doesn’t appear to be listed in tonights starting lineup…I hope its just a typo. I was really looking forward to another chapter in that epic Redden-Cheechoo rivalry.
Oh well, Lionel Messi (who wears his Coca Cola/ Claro(?)/ Adidas presents: Agentina jersey AND jacket in public apparently) gets the start in net for New York. Oh scratch that folks, it will be Henrik Lundqvist who according to askjeeves is, reportedly, dashing.

Prediction thing: Lundqvist remains dashing, Wiercioch on the ice for a goal *tugs collar*, Karlsson finishes game with more points than Wade Redden. Just kidding Redden’s new team The Ypsilanti Aristocrats don’t play until Saturday.

Enjoy the game everyone!

Shame Day Preview: The Ottawa Media Overdoing with whole Goalie Graveyard thing vs. (North) Carolina Torontoplayoffhopes

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Can we all agree that these Calvin things are the tackiest? Did you know that they cost money? If you are an adult with one of these things on your car: Please log off your supervised computer workstation and remove and resume being a grown up. Thanks, CCFR: Life Coaching Division

 So this is a weird one. Also, welcome to this website.

Does anyone else feel me that 7pm starts are too damn early (big problems on my mind!) considering our stadium is in Glendale, AZ and
my shift at the Snuggie factory ends at not long before 7pm?
Anyway, there is a hockey game tonight between the still Eastern basement dwelling Ottawa Senators and the hopefully finishing ahead of the maple loafs Carolina Hurricanes.
Usually, I spend most of these posts talking about the Senators because, frankly, I care about that team way more than whatever other team is playing them. This is no exception buuuut I do understand that the East has some pretty hefty outcomes between oh lets say, 7th and 10th place going on tonight.
 

 

Talking Point:
If you are a Sens fan that likes both the Ottawa and Toronto you are a guy I met at a Christmas party a few months ago and are also still the only person I’ve EVER heard say that. If you’re any other Sens fan, this has got to be a challenging game for you EMOTIONALLY (sorry about misusing you there, emotions).
Should the Sens WIN tonight they will greatly improve the hated leafs position in the standings. Moreover if, Jah forbid, the leafs win as well, they will become tied for 9th place with Carolina while the Buffalo Sabres continue to pretend that they will not miss the playoffs by one point.

“You’ve left me in a quandary Liz Lemon……..a quandary” – You, doing your best Tracy Jordan.

 Have the 2010-2011 garbage dump edition Senators left you struggling with the questions such as:
 
 “Do I really wish to see the Sens lose in order to help their bitter rival lose MORE?”

“Have I started to care more about the leafs losing than the Senators #winning?”

“Is this what its been like to be a leafs fan since the end of the lockout/most of the last half century and AS SUCH am I getting that same feeling I did when I first saw the mask come off of Darth Vadar and it was revealed that despite his annoying fans who boo Alfie for the dumb-babiest reason ever that he was just a feeble old man under that scary mask the whole time or to a lesser extent like the time I saw that episode of Heman where he caught #Skeletor by the hand just as he was falling into a bottomless pit and Heman was faced with the conundrum of having to decide whether to save his sworn enemey’s skeleton life OR rid the cartoon world of that weird skeleton-based…uhh..,sorcerer FOREVER?”

These are all clearly very important questions.

 “We shalt see-eth, shant we?”  – Two Time Source Award Nominee, Billy Bort Shakespeare

More game stuff:
Recent hot hand haver and hard last name to remember how to speller Curtis McElhinney gets the start because of Pascal LeClaire bad injury karma still in the building. Also drawing into the lineup is that offensive-defensemen prospect that we all forgot about in a post-Runblad world, Peter Wiercioch (AGAIN with the last names!) makes his NHL debut.
I am looking forward to getting a look at the kid’s game (which has apparently picked up considerably the past while in Binghamsandwiches) I hope he gets some PP time (#no Calvin) and an Ipad for Xmas.
 
Interestingish Thing:
Carolina has defeated Ottawa in their last two matchups by a margin of 11-1 #BrianElliot. The interesting thing is that this time they will be facing a drastically different Ottawa team in its makeup. Will this serve as a boon or a thing that’s the opposite of a boon for the Senators? And WHAT IS the nature of a boon for the Sens at this point in the season? Its been a rollercoaster of emotions up in here. What are your thoughts? Feel free to SOUND THE EFF OFF feign mild interest in the comment section.

Happy professional sporting match watching!
 
 

 

OH and Gathering of the CCCP (Cory Clouston Clown Posse) in full effect at McLarens (located at the corner of Elgin and some other street) tonight. Stop by for a chat about the Sens and a very long pause regarding who’s picking up the next round. Wow, just put us into some brave new world type shit there.    

 



2011.03.21: In which we started to discuss the 67s and then something happened

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There’s a lot of really terrible Craig Anderson wallpaper out there.
Conrad
Thought I’d turn my attention from Ottawa’s Longest Season In Recorded History (when is the draft again? 17 months away?) to the 67s. Anyone catch the playoff preview game on Sunday afternoon against the Sudbury Wolves? STATEMENT GAME. Tyler Toffoli with FOUR FUCKING GOALS. The 67s were flying. Admittedly, it was one of those blowout games where Sudbury missed an open net about seven times, and if two or three of those had gone in you have an entirely different game, but man – pretty, pretty passing from Ottawa, and Toffoli is a legit finisher. I know hindsight is 20/20, and winning the OHL scoring title doesn’t necessarily make you a prolific NHL scorer, but getting this guy in the 2nd round was a coup by the Kings. Easily a top six player. Can’t wait to see him play with Brayden Schenn. I hope Murray turns one of those 2nd rounders we got for Kelly and Campoli into something similar.

James

*CLAP CLAP* SIX-TY SEV-ENS *CLAP Cla…… we interupt this reply to bring you this special bulletin: 

Ottawa Senators sign Goaltender Craig Anderson Cooper 360 to 4 year, 12.75M contract.

Conrad

My thoughts about Anderson’s worth are pretty well documented at this point, (hint: I think he’s David Aebischer) so allow me to simply fearmonger:
  • Between this and the Phillips extension are we headed for some kind of power-sharing arrangement in the Sens front office? Hopefully it won’t be a Leafs circa JF Jr. situation, where no one knew who was calling the shots.
  • Ottawa just committed significant resources to yet another goaltender coming off of a season of injuries, and who is currently injured.
  • Is Anderson going to get another mask? Because he has to get another mask. I’m not looking at that piece of shit for the next four years.
  • Please don’t tell me this has a No Trade Clause.
I dunno, I’m about as psyched about this deal as I was about Leclaire when we traded for him and Gerber when we signed him to a three year deal. Meaning, the best I can say is “Sure, this could work out.” And hey, it’s not like they’re lacking cap space.
Pete (emerging temporarily from his cocoon of basketball xmas)

This has all the signs of a Melnyk move. Could have waited for the end of the season and it’s for two years too many.
It’s not even Easter and we’re already putting our eggs in one basket.
Gulp
(Pete descends back into basketball hell.)
James (deep breath)

This contract is been probed at many angles across the Senstuffsphere today: positive, negative…insightful…dumbsightful.

Anyway, one thing IS clear in the wake of this signing: Bryan Murray will be the Senators GM next season as…a guy who is set to retire in a couple of weeeeeks…would…not….be able to sign a guy for 4 yearrrs riiiiiiiight? Right

Whats that? Oh according to twitter, Eugene Melnyk will be both Coaching and Managing the Sens from Barbadosvia TWITTER. Cool Sens 2.0!

Update! Scratch that it will be via TUMBLR …tumblr. Lemme just mimeograph that down on my Newton (I’m old!)

K, so the term looks bad on this thing. Bad. Four years. BUT …theres a silver lining folks and that is the price.
So, some people are really giving the fact that Anderson is getting a 70% raise, which is a difficult stat to hear, an huge thumbs down.

I find this a little misleading as Craig Anderson has done a lot of stuff since his last signing. Guy was going to get a significant raise
whether here or elsewhere. Who knows, it might have been more if he went onto the open market (maybe not?…also? but probably)

I mean even Auntie (yep, Auntie) Neimi makes a billionny dollars and he’s been playing for like 45 minutes. Good hustle, player agents!

The cap hit plus ZERO no movement clause (what? it’s a regular saint Christmas day hot crossed buns miracle!) could come in handy.

What am I getting at? If we’re all expecting 1.The team to not be wildly good for say a year or two and 2. that Lehner will be in the mix
by the time the team is more competitive again I thinks a 2yr 3.1M Craig Anderson contract wont be the hardest to deal if need be, esp if the current paradigm of league-wide goalie musical chairs carries on. Even IF the Sens are still bad. Anderson himself got a lot of great press back when he was playing great on a (still) AWFUL Florida team shows that other GMs can look past a bad record.

What Im saying is this is a 4 year deal on papier. Its job security in the long view for Andy and goal security in the potentially short view for the Sens.

If it NEEDS to be short term. Its tough to believe in any goalie in this town. Conrad’s David Abeishjeradjfkfer (sic) stats are sobering but I don’t know,

I guess when it comes to goalies maybe one has no choice but be a ramblin, gamblin man (for 4 years) in the NHL. Also, HOW THERE IS SOMMMMEHOW NOT a no movement OR no trade clause involved? Check that contract for the name BRYAN Murray. So I think, CA is a good goalie who gels pretty well with the team’s D and that D, all goes well with the prospects + Phillips/Gonchar not having worst seasons of careers , will stand to improve in front of him.

Related Fact: Did you know that Brian Lee is both playing and not the bane of the fanbase’s collective existence? Give a guy a job to do and watch the results  eh? Anyway, to regain focus,
maybe you don’t feel me on any of this BUT I also have learned the past couple of seasons to find ways to make peace with moves like this early and often as there is literally noooooothing I can do to control them and I like going to hockey games and want to be Mr. Smiles times NOT Mr. Poopants. I also have enjoyed being Mr. Smiles Times more since Cheechoo and Kovalev are no longer on the team. YES I KNOW CHEECHOO IS THE NICEST DUDE I WILL HAVE HIM FOR A BAR B QUE IN MAY OR SOMETHING

Sheesh.

Geez, quite the day considering that I initially thought I was going to be discussing the underrated play of the Ottawa 67s Ryan Martindale and how he may end up being a latter round gem for the team that drafts him (probably San Jose as they draft all the good 67s). If hes not  owned by anyone right now, the Sens should consider him if solely for the prospect of the PA announcer getting to yell out
“RYYYYYYAAAAANNN MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRTINNNNDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLE” at all introductions and goal announcements. That, for me alone is worth an entry level deal and THAT is why I run several professional sports franchises.

Pete

James I appreciate your positive outlook on things. I wish I could be more chipper but I’ll probably never be that guy. As long as I have you as an example, things’ll be okay though
What does this all Anderson stuff mean for Lehner?
Ryan Martindale was drafted by Edmonton in the third round last year.

Conrad

I listened to the press conference while at work today because I cant be trusted, and it was noted that Lehner should never have been shuttled back and forth between the A and the N in order to not really play. Which then begat much thought on how best to nurture a goalie which, like a baby velociraptor, is difficult to do. It was thought (by God) that said best way is to 1) put an established guy in net as a starter, and 2) draft a new guy. And thus Goalie Of Da Future is sandwiched, threatened – and deliciously motivated! Murray said that Ottawa will definitely be drafting a goaltender in this year’s draft, and that Lehner will play next season in Binghamton.

I also think it’s funny that all of the blogs are like “I really like this deal! We can get some assets for him 3.5 years from now!” Welcome to Ottawa, Craig. We’re already talking about trading you.

It’s also funny because I don’t think this contract is very tradeable. Unlike most deals without a NTC, it doesn’t tail off at the end to make it easier to trade the player – it goes up to $3.5M. That’s a lot of peanut butter for a deadline team to take on, even if it is prorated.
Anyway – not a ton of money for a new starter. A sincere welcome to the new guy. Did you have a chance to meet Bruce Garrioch and Don Brennen yet? No? Say, that contract is signed and filed with the lawyer, right? Stampsies, no erasies?

2011.03.16: In which James and I get hyyyyyyyyyyyped

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James

I know the rebuttals on junior numbers but is anyone else at least kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind of pumped on these figures?

Jared Cowen Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 55 18 29 47 +44 87

I mean, he might be on some ‘man playing against boys’ shit (a man that was too young to play in the AHL) but +44 outside the QMJHL is +44 outside the QMJHL!
Also, 47 points in 55 games? Maybe I don’t keep as close an eye on the WHL as I should (I definitely TiVO all Spokane Chiefs and Brandon WheatKings games) but I had heard Cowan was given orders to step up his offensive game this season and…that’s a pretty awesome step up to get one’s rep up. I mean, on the Sens squad I don’t picture 18 goals or even 10 at the NHL level but I definitely love seeing a top prospect improving greatly!

Conrad

Yeah, it’s pretty impressive. I read some kind of report that said he’s playing in literally every situation. First unit PP, PK, last minute of play when down a goal, extra attacker…it really makes the argument that these kids should be returned to junior and get more playing time. I look at Edmonton, and how they’ve burnt a year on the entry level deals of all of their awesome young players so that they could still come in dead last in the league, and I wonder what the advantage is of exposing your future to intense scrutiny and losing. They’ll have to start letting guys walk because of the cap long before they’ll ever be able to develop a defense to support them.
I also love how Cowen looks perpetually stoned. Like a really chill guy. He won’t make a big thing out of it, even as he casually checks a fourteen year old through the glass and into the third row.
You know who else’s numbers are really awesome, and who gets (relatively) no respect? Barry Brust.
Name GP Min W L OTL GA GAA SA Sv% SO G A PIM
Barry Brust 42 2418 25 15 1 103 2.56 1382 .925 6 0 4 32
I meant, I get it, guy is on his third NHL team at 27, has played all over the minors, couldn’t stick with LA when they had literally no one to play in net, and so he’s basically blacklisted as a career AHLer at this point, but can we give this guy a game already? Maybe I’ve got a case of the Mike Brodeurs here, but Lehner can get blown out and no one questions that he’s still the GOALIE OF (FROM) THE FUTURE. Can we extend mayhaps about 14% of the same benefit of the doubt to a guy who’s playing his brains out every night? The team wouldn’t dare piss off Anderson, considering the entire city is collectively trying to get into his pants, but y’know, I could use a little Brust in my life. Let’s see what he’s got.

James

I have to say, Brust seems to have the respect of Binghamton’s fans and I mean…thats pretty cool when you play in Binghamton. I read an article in the Citizen about how they have a very hot selling “In Brust We Trust” T shirt. He’s for sure a fan fave down there. I think we all get a little bummed out about the bizarro hierarchical aspect of pro sports. Im sure its tough for older dudes like Brodeur and Brust to see a 19yr old with more “Pedigree” swoop in and get starts right away in the AHL and the NHL. I mean did I wish Denis Hamel got more chances in Ottawa back in the day? Yeah, but I also think it was cool that he became the Daniel Alfredsson of Binghamton. Maybe Barry Brust becomes the….actual…uhhh…good and consistent goalie that I cant find a comparison to in Sens history but for Bingo. Hey! Truth is I think its important for Bingo to make the playoffs, now that the Sens stink and I care so much about farm teams and prospects, and Brust has become their answer. Keep doin what youre doing Brusty! Maybe he keeps it up and becomes the next Tim Thomas! On the more cynical side, Im pretty sure AHL players make between 60 and 90 grand a year which…you know…is not the worst thing in the world. I agree give him a start here and there for corn’s sake he’s earned it but not during the AHL playoff hunt when he is the hot hand.

As for Cowen…HA! I couldn’t agree more! Every time I see him in an interview I expect him to sound like “DURRRR STAY OUTTA RIVERDALE!!” and am taken aback for a second when he’s just a sober, well spoken young man.

I am all for not pissing off Anderson, its not every day that there’s a guy who was a Vezina finalist in the mix of possibilities for starter going forward. I know youre heavily in favour of the Auntie (that’s right) Niemi, Bobby Boucher approach to net minding but I still have the mantra NO MORE BRIAN ELLIOTS aka AHL level goaltender playing the whole damn season. Im comfortable with the Sens not being great for a while but as we saw with the wrong goalie in net they can easily be the WORST on some 6 goals allowed EVERY game level…and thats hard to even tune into.

Conrad

Well, I’m for the Niemi / Boucher / literally whoever mode of goaltending when you have Duncan Keith or Chris Pronger on D. Otherwise, yeah, I say get yourself a goalie who can play 🙂

James

FINE I WILL! i mean…True indeed. Maybe the Sens can be that one day, if they keep using their top picks to draft defensemen
🙂 🙂

 


Shame Day Preview: Ottawa Novalevs Vs. Pittsburgh, By All Means, Enjoy Your Kovalevs

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psshhht...more like...AK...72! wtvr #hilaaaaaariousjoke

Helllooooooo everybody and welcome to a game that has Alexei Kovalev in it! So FINALLY, Kovalev returns to fasdfjhklfdjg against his former fasdfkl;rgbvbmnx tonight at Scotiabankplace.tumblr.tv
If this game is like any of the times he faced his former clubs (including Pittsburgh) as a Senator, Kovy shooooould be registering 0Gs 0As and skate to a disinterested -2. Okay, in fairness, that’s when he was playing for the BRUUTAL pre fire sale Senators …you KNOW this guy will score a heroic game winning goal because he is seriously the most frustrating player in the game.

You know what I think about this whole Kovalev thing?

“What is it?!?!?” – Everyone.

I am glad you asked, Everyone!

I don’t give a crunch about this dude anymore and I for one am very happy about that. Guy can go win the Stanley cup every single day till he retires at age 50. You know why? He doesn’t play for the Senators for $5M dollareedoos (all figures in Australian currency) per year. I remember back when Kovalev was left at home while rest of the Canadiens went on a road trip so he could catch up on his Small Engine Cessna Aficionado subscription I remember thinking, “Good lord, I am glad THAT dude does not play for the Sens.” And then my daymares came true and I got to think about like “why the hell did fans protest when the Habs weren’t going to resign him?”

Getting Kovalev off the books as quick as possible (albeit for a verrry whatevs pick but also for no salary in return!) has freed up the Sens roster and allowed future playboys like Bobby “BEEEEE” Butlah to play the top 6 minutes their game is designed for. And that’s been working out and that’s nice and I like things that are nice.

Craig Lee-Anderson gets the start and he is good at goaltending. Jason Spezza looks to score his billionth point of the last two weeks tonight, seriously dude is on a MISSION. What eeeeeelse? Oh Jim O’Brien draws into the lineup bringing much needed hilarious two way hair. Defensemen Andre Benoit has been brought up as well. Benoit is a human man…according to his Wikipedia stub plays professional hockey (cant confirm that Wikipedia exists btw).
Conversely, down to the Playoff Fightin’ Binghamton Squad are recent acquisition and star of Hollow Man 3, Ryan Poutine-ly (did this guy even play?) as well as defensemen D. Smith, who is not Zack Smith. The CCFR wishes both players best wishes and hopes they can find their visibility cloaks down in Binghamton*
*While in Binghamton, NY stop by T.J. Knickerbockers for their World Famous Pizza Salad in an Eggo bowl!  

Prediction Thing:  Alexei Kovalev – 0 points in last 6 games according to tsn.ca/nhl.angelfire.datelinenbc.html.co.nz will probably find a way to score because that’s gunna be stupid and i dont like things that are stupid so stupid things will happen.

Thing: Can you spot thing awesome thing in the background of Steven’s Shame day Image?

Serious bit: Please donate to the good people doing truly important work down at Rogers House tonight for their telethon. http://www.rogershouse.ca/en/ Roger’s House provides a “home away from home” for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

 Enjoy the game everyone!

 “We will” – Everyone

2011.03.14: Anderson aims to kick out the rubber while Murray kicks the tires.

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It looks like a real headline. Seriously…

Anyways, the city’s a buzz about keeping goaltender Craig Anderson. He’s an UFA at season’s end and we all know he’s here on a tryout. He’s played well and since Sens highlights are quickly falling in the TSN programming hierarchy he’s a big part of the conversation, positive and negative. Often, Anderson himself is the highlight. He’s displayed some flashy athleticism without a stout group on defence. So its time to weigh in. How long, at what rate? What about Lehner? What about Andy’s chances on the open market?

Conrad:

Simple question for you today: what kind of offer, if any, do we give Craig Anderson? I doubt anyone will say they don’t want him back, given someone has to play for this team next year, and I think we can agree that 19 year old Lehner probably isn’t quite it yet. But how high do you go? Would you pay him in excess of, say, $3M a year for 3 years?

It’s been exciting to see someone play their heart out for a team nowhere near the playoffs, but I think the sample size is too small to give him much in terms of money or years. He’s been playing out of his mind since coming over from Colorado, facing 40+ shots on most nights and allowing a team of B-list talent a chance to eke out 3-2 games, but no one can keep that up every night. Colorado tried to run with that strategy and ended up running him into the ground. I like him as a player, and would love to see him re-sign, but I just don’t see the organization wanting to pay him more than he makes now, which is about $2M. If he has to take a discount, I wonder why he wouldn’t take a discount for, say, Washington or Chicago. Ottawa might have to overpay to keep him, and I wonder if they should. (Though after our $5M Kovalev experiment, I’d probably be ok with the team overpaying for a character guy who also happens to be a more-than-serviceable goaltender.) So: I’d probably give him the money it will take to keep him, but I also think that’s probably why I’m no GM. Thinking with my heart here.

Side question: Is Pascal Leclaire still alive?

Peter:

I think the length of the deal is the most important aspect. Basically the question is how long till we make Lehner the numero uno? How about a two year deal? Worth about 4 mil total. Maybe put some incentives in there to sweeten instead of overpaying?

Do you think he wants to stay? Being an everyday starter is tempting but to face 40 shots a night with some suspect defenders in front of him. If he does decide to stay in Ottawa his stats won’t reflect positively on his time, eventually hurting his chances at a new deal once Robin takes over. Is the rest of the league even watching Ottawa anymore? What would be the market? I’m sure there’ll be interest but the Sens will probably over value him thus bidding against themselves. Tricky stuff.

Allow me to add a caption to Steve’s latest masterwork “I can’t clear my crease no more, cuz I got too much money in it.”

Prianka:

After Leclaire injured himself during rehab for his current injury that he had received during the rehab for that previous injury … yeah, I don’t know. Either hiding in a bubble in his basement, or confined to a hospital bed would be my best guess.

In regards to what to offer Anderson, I think Steven’s picture says it best. Although we have a small sample size to go on, I don’t feel like Murray has a lot of other options when it comes to goaltending. Either he signs Anderson to whatever he wants, or we go into next season with Lehner (who is currently injured) as our starter which is just asking for another terrible season. Lehner is great, but at 19 not to mention still in his development phase, there is no way he can carry the team.

Conrad:

Good points. With his two year deal with the Avalanche, it was his first time ostensibly being handed the starting gig. You could argue that his one phenomenal season proves that he is capable of, if not definitely is, a starter. Meaning, he’s already taken his short, low-pay deal to prove he can be the go to guy, and now he’ll want term. He’s paid his dues.
Part of what makes me so skeptical that Ottawa can re-sign him is that Colorado are in essentially the same boat as Ottawa, and probably would have loved to have him back for two years at $2M per. You don’t just trade away a goalie who was in the Vezina conversation after one bad year – and for Brian Elliott, to boot – unless there’s something keeping a deal from getting done. I suspect that part of the reason he was traded was that he wanted more than the Avs were comfortable providing.
I wager that he makes it to July 1st without signing a deal in Ottawa and looks at his options. Ottawa will put a deal on the table, and he may well take it, but not before seeing if a contender comes calling first. Or a rebuilder offers more term. I could see him in Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Edmonton, Columbus, Atlanta, Detroit, Florida. Toronto, Tampa…
All of which makes me think that Ottawa will have to give him *gulp* Leclaire money to stay.
James:
Conracts are pretty hard to talk about for the non-GM/player agent (so basically we’re cool seeing as this is an exclusive forum for GMs and player agents to sling the hash) – btw Jay Grossman still waiting for you to get at me about that etting-gay olchenkov-vay ack-bay to the enators-Say thing i paged you about! I KNOW YOURE READING THIS DUDE! 

Anyway, I go into this thinking aside from Crosby for like 8.7 years at 8.7 million because he thought that would be “pretty cool eh” fans rarely seem happy with contracts. I think why they always seem to be leave one wanting a mulligan down the road is 1. players are human men and not machines 2. because there are two people on the end of the negotiating table – i know i am blowing your heads off with deep knowledge here – the shrewd GM (minus Glenn Sather/ Mike Milbarfy) and the probably even shrewder (wow thats actually a word) player agent – who gets a piece. After a player has finished their entry level and arent seen as a marginal NHLer, there is a fixation on two things maximum payout, maximum term. You get a bit of a an idea why in our post-Marc Savard/Max Pacioretti/You name the player world.
Maybe Conrad’s right, maybe he goes to a contender, maybe Contenders have a good thing going on already hence why they are contenders. Maybe Anderson is their piece and some golden chariot swoops in and signs him. Yaaaaay (for themmmmm) But also, i dont know, maybe not…seen plenty of great goalies play on teams with less hope then the Sens (one rhymes with BROkoun)…
Anyway, back to my point about about Term/Salary, Anderson is probably (definitely) in the drivers seat on resigning here…and…the contract is probably going to be disliked by a lot of people if it goes down.
PEEERRRRSONALLY, Ottawa needs a good goalie as they always have (NO MORE BRIAN ELLIOOOOOTS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!) but i think Prianka rightly raises the issue that the sample size is small and we have the image of a glassman and a raw prospect who played in the OHL a year ago as options. What Im saying is Ottawa is going to have to find a goalie anyway and i kind hope its Andy – and if its not well, 50 save overtime and shootout shut out of the leafs in TO on a Saturday night = lifetime pass buddy…life time pass
True he cant keep facing 50 shots a night but i hope that the additions of Runblad, Cowan, Larrrrrrssssssssoooonnn??????, a not career worst season from Gonchar/Phillips will cut down on that. Maybe they sell him the future? *tugs collar*
For me I would be happy to see a competitive (read: highish/high) salary be offered at the trade off of short term – 2yrs max. Ottawa is actually in a position to overpay a little here and there with so much cap space (our first line wingers are currently Colin Greening and Bobby Butler btw…) for a year or two and maybe plug in a certain Swedish 21 year old entry level scapegoat/saviour/nutcase  by then.

2011.03.12: What do you mean, reading about draft picks isn’t as much fun as winning three in a row?

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Good article in the Citizen today.

James Mirtle had a great post on his old, now defunct blog, where he analyzed the sharp drop off in the quality of players outside of the top ten picks, and then again beyond the first round. Essentially, once you’re getting outside of those prime players, what you’ve got is a lottery ticket, the likely payout being a marginal NHLer or third liner. But what the Citizen article adds is how after the sharp drop off occurring in rounds two and on, there is as much probability of player in later rounds of making the NHL as the mid-rounds. Which is to say: not a very good chance (about a 15% chance of playing a significant number of NHL games). Food for thought, though, considering this team just gave up Alex Kovalev for a 7th rounder and Ruutu for a 6th. The notion is that these are worthless picks, but not so.

In the days ahead, I’m sure there will be plenty written about Larssen v. Landeskog v. Couturier and on and on and on. (Newest I’m reading is that the team is high on Strome, and would love to get him with a later 1st.) What will be interesting is reading about those “no names” in the lower rounds. The Senators have three picks in the 2nd round (and possibly a fourth, if Nashville turns around their sagging game and makes the playoffs, then wins a couple of rounds). Who should they pick there? What about in the third round?

Oh, and the Sens won their third in a row last night. One point behind the free-falling Avalanche (thanks Elliott!)

2011.03.11: In which we offer the following profile of foundational Senators player Francis (Frank) Lessard

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NUMBER: 49
HEIGHT: 6′ 2″
WEIGHT: 235
SHOOTS: RIGHT
BIRTHDATE: MAY 30, 1979  (AGE 31)
BIRTHPLACE: MONTREAL, QC, CANADA
DRAFTED: CAR / 1997 NHL ENTRY DRAFT
ROUND: 3RD  (80TH OVERALL)
DEGREE: MASTERS IN ENLISH LITERATURE w/ MINOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE, BROWN
THESIS: MAGICAL REALISM IN LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE AND ITS ANTI-DIALOGUE WITH RUSSIAN FORMALISM
CAREER TOTALS: 101 GAMES PLAYED, 1 GOAL, 3 ASSISTS, -6, 309 PENALTY MINUTES

With the rebuild in full swing, it will be important for Ottawa Senators fans to take stock of just what kind of players are in (inhabit?) the franchise’s cupboards (metaphor). Francis Lessard, a veteran of more than 100 NHL games played and over one hundred trillion fights, will be a building block for the team. He is used as a right winger in Ottawa, but is listed as a defenseman elsewhere, and it couldn’t possibly matter less where he plays. Now that’s utility. He can lift several bags of hockey equipment at one time. He is a pro at QuickTax, often garnering the maximum or near-maximum return for players like Chris Neil. And he’s almost finished reading the complete works of Dostoevsky in the original Russian. A staunch believer in a priori value, Lessard can often be overheard razzing Filip Kuba for reading them in the Czech translation, and thus imposing cultural subjectiveness on a canonical work of fiction. This unforgivable sin might be why Kuba was on the block this past trade deadline.

Lessard makes $550k, is a UFA this summer, and is a fan of ambient music. I think we can all expect whoever the new GM is (Lessard himself is in the running) to offer him a multi-year deal. And if it’s Brian Murray in charge, you know it will also feature a No Movement / No Trade Clause.

To you, Frank, we offer this tribute: Excelsior! Abusus non tollit usum!