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Ottawa, ON • Canada • 27 Years Old • Male
Actually I'm just kidding,

This ship is still at the bottom of the ocean. Yes i realize its very early in the season and things CAN turn around, but this club only shows flash's of potential and then reverts to the nightmare of last season.

And I've tryed very hard to stay positive about my beloved Sens but you can only hang on for so long before it's finally time to get frustrated.

This team had and still has great promise. It cleared out locker room issues like Emery and Redden. It brought in 2 guys that play my favorite type of hockey, and the type of guys Ottawa needed since they let Comrie walk. Which still pisses me off. Ruutu and Smith were great additions, yeah Smith isn't an all-star but he is a workhorse day-in and day-out. And whats not to like about Ruutu, he first 2 games of the season against his old team he basically beat-on Crosby and Malkin every chance he got. Awesome.

Then the season starts, Scoring is still and issue, 1/2 the defense is lazy, and Chenkov, Smith and Kuba can't carry it alone. And to no ones surprise Gerber is still useless in net.

While I do agree that it may be getting closer to actively considering moving Spezza, I think a bigger move has to come, and I know i'm going to get flak for it.

Fire Bryan Murray. or move him out of GM.
We have a solid coach in Hartsburg.

Yes Bryan Murray is a great GM, look at what he did from Burke and Anahiem. Because of Murray everyone thinks Burke is a phenominal GM. Look at his history Burke isn't a great GM, he's mediocre at best but thats another topic.

Yes Bryan Murray has cleaned up chunks of Muckler moronic moves.

But its like everything else in hockey - What have you done for me lately?

We are on our second season since the Stanely Cup finals, and things continue to look glim. Instead of following suit with other winning teams and making room for our youth to play and develop, Murray has held together almost the complete same roster as from 3 years ago.

Donovan, McAmmond, Neil, Richardson are all guys that have no reason to be on the same payroll at the sametime. 3 of them are slow grinder players, 3 of them are ageing vets and all 4 of them are eating up precious ice-time that Cody Bass, Zack Smith, Jim O'brien, Ilya Zubov and Ryan Shannon should be seeing.

We let Mike Comrie walk. He was easiely a top 4 player during our playoff run and he honestly looked like a guy who could have worn the 'A' for us last year. He played his heart out every game for us, but we let him walk. He wasn't commanding the same salary he was given in NY, he wanted to stay in Ottawa, and from everything I have read from other people incounters with him, he liked being in Ottawa. Canadian Boy on a Canadian Club.

Bryan Murrays' goalie fix for us was Alex Auld, while I like Auld and he is playing above expectation he isn't the Savior in net this club has been yerning for since we returned.

Hell Murray hasn't even drafted us a potential starting Goalie. While I love the Erik Karllsson draft choice as he should shore up our need for a buck-moving defender next year, Chet Pickard was available and would have been a large step towards solving the goalie crisis.

Huet, Mason, Vokoun, and Legace have all hit the FA market and only Huet signed for a huge contract, and yet not even a blip on the radar that Murray even looked to acquire any of them, instead we resign Vermette, Donovan and Richardson. I am actually worried Murray believes Elliott is a quality NHL goalie, unless he's seeing something most of us aren't, Elliot isnt an NHL calibre goalie. I'm even more worried Murray will ignore the fact that Minnesota's tandem of Backstrom and Harding will be UFA and a RFA after this season and just re-up Gerber.

I just can't find a reason to justify why Murray is still our GM, can any of you guys based on the "What have you done for me lately?" outlook?

As for Spezza, everyone is right when they say we won't get a center back with the same calibre as Spezza but I know Chris Kelly is more than qualified to feed Heatley the puck, and unlike Spezza, Kelly is cheap, plays a solid 2-way game, plays the PK and goes hard into corners.

Jordan Staal is available, Shero can say he isn't, but if a team comes a knocking with a winger who can finish Crosby/Malkin passes it'll get done. I can't fathem why the Pens wouldn't take Vermette with either a high draft pick or a prospect like Capparusso, Condra or Regin for Staal. Jordan Staal has the pieces to be a top-line center but he will never get it in Pitts.

As for where can Spezza go? Atlanta really REALLY needs a center for Kovalchuk, Minnesota needs a return for Gaborik, Columbus still lacks the center for Nash, Nashville needs anyone that can move the puck with ease. See where I'm going with this?

Atlanta can afford to move Lethonen or Pavelec, throw in a draft pick and AHL journeyman/ Talented sniper Angelo Espisito and a draft pick, we get solid value for Spezza.

Minnesota give us one of your Goalies, a conditional draft pick based on which goalie, and if they resign along with Sheppard or Clutterbuck.

Columbus can afford to move Leclaire and let Mason develop in the NHL. So package Leclaire with one of thier many talented prospects and a draft pick.

Nashville can move Pekka Rinne or Chet Pickard with picks/prospects.

Hell call Florida, move spezza for Bouwmeester and Frolik.

The Point is while we won't get an equal center in return. We can get alot that will right our ship.

But sadly going back to my earlier points, I really doubt Murray has the will/desire or guts to make a big trade, he just doesnt have the track record to do.
Filed Under:   Ottawa   Senators   Sens   Murray   Burke   Gaborik   Spezza   Sens  
November 16, 2008 12:58 PM ET | Delete
I'd just like to point out i wrote this blog a couple hours before tsn posted thier blog saying almost the same thing. Just so nobody thinks I stole and rewrote tsns
November 16, 2008 2:06 PM ET | Delete
That's great and all, but the whole "what have you done for me lately" attitude is exactly what we don't need. It is that kind of attitude that has plagued the Leafs for the last decade. Like it or not, this team is going through a transition and it's not going to be pretty until we come out the other side of it. If we get rid of our current GM now and interrupt his current game plan, and bring in another GM who has a different plan, we are no farther ahead, and likely further behind. Have some patience. Remember that year we went to the playoffs? We had a terrible start to the year and everyone was calling for Muckler to split up the team. Aren't you glad we didn't? I'm not saying this team will go to the finals, but in no way should we rip up this team for lesser parts.
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