Comments for Battle of Ontario....
Don you are on a tear - I love it!
Remind me to double your salary...
For the record, yet again, scoring goals has not generally been the Leafs problem. 10th in the NHL last year. I realize you Sens fans love to think that you have Spezza and Alfredsson and Heatley (haha) so you are all set on offense but Ottawa's offense was 8th worst in the league. Offense comes from more than 2 or 3 players but hey, if you choose not to see the forest for the trees, it ain't my fault.
Minus Kubina, Antro, Moore, and soon Kaberle I don't think those numbers are going anywhere but down.
And if the Leafs are going to lock down on goals against that's going to mean a different style of play as well likely to mean less offense.
I think this season may be the most boring hockey Leaf fans have seen in a while.
Hope you think Hall is worth it.
Don, just for the record, Hall is worth it! Watch what you say. That kid is twice the prospect Tavares is.
Sens fans, this may previously have been mentioned so if it had been discussed, then excuse this post.
One of my Buddies used to work for the Sens until last year, when he received a great promotion with a West Coast team. Thanks to Skype, we connect weekly and after talking to him last night, it seems there may be a good ole fashion fight brewing.
It will be positioned as Ottawa vs. Heatley, but it's in reality the NHL vs. the NHLPA. You see, there is now pressure for Ottawa to take legal action against Heatley and it doesn't sound like it's about the 4 million paid to him.
It seems that the NHL wants Ottawa to contest the wording of the contract where Heatley has the NMC. In Ottawa's (really the leagues) eyes, by asking for a trade he has made that clause null and void.
Murray requested Heatley to put the trade request in writing in the beginning, and Heatley did just that, with an inserted statement that said he would provide a list of teams he wished to be traded to. He signed it and sent it over.
The problem is that according to my Buddy, that doesn't make it a binding contract. The only piece of paper with both sets of signatures on it is the original contract which has the NMC, but by asking to be moved the league contends that it's no longer valid. They believe that he doesn't have a right to state teams as it was him requesting the trade, and unlike some players who have a limited NTC where they can provide a list of teams, Heatley can't just say trade me but here's where.
The story gets legs when you consider his agents are now telling Danny to take the deal as the NHLPA isn't sure they will win a legal battle and a precedent will be set where any player with a NTC/NMC that asks for a trade will have it voided and the team then controls the players location.
The NHLPA doesn't want this to go to court and as a result they want him to take the deal to Edmonton, where the NHL believes they can win and are trying to get Ottawa to push the matter.
It seems that Heatley may now accept the request to go to Edmonton, however Ottawa may be the one to say no. Further, Edmonton was told that the deal must be reworked and a better return is expected.
This is all conjecture right now as my Buddy can't find anyone on either side who will confirm this. He's meeting with the upper management in the West Coast today and will try to get more info.
Hah. Nice Don. What a suprise, a Sens fan taking a Leafs fans comments out of context.
Ottawa fan Don "The Sens totally own the Leafs when they play each other!"
Missing context: In the regular season
Other than the players I mentioned that are already Leafs property, it was "purely speculation". There will be other good UFA's available in the next few years... I'm more concerned with drafting and trading for our talent anyways.
Is somebody still a little pissy that their GM didn't do a f'ing thing on July 1st, and their star player is doing everything in his power to get the hell out of Ottawa?
And yes, like BeRed said, Hall will be worth it.
Beer this week to discuss Cockbreath?
I hope they drag Heatley over the coals.
That's the thing! When I'm not feeling good about the Sens I just have to think of the Leafs and I feel way better!
The problem with any legal scenario is that its hard to see how that helps us win games.
Sens fans, until Chip McCleary gets NHLSCAP.com re-designed and ready to go, here's a great new source:
http://www.capgeek.com/index.php
This source has the numbers for everything, even the smallest of minor-league signings. It's the first place to provide, for instance, Erik Karlsson's cap hit, which is pretty much right where I expected it to be ($1.3 mil).
It also allows you to do the math on every possible scenario, for your team or any other, and for any players. Never get busted for making speculative moves for your team because you haven't done the math. This thing does it for you.
Enjoy, Sens fans!
Sens fans, one more thing.
They have a comprehensive FA list -- for both UFAs and RFAs -- that reflects the most recent signings. Totally up to date.
Still LOTS of players left... most of them useless, mind you.
That's the thing! When I'm not feeling good about the Sens I just have to think of the Leafs and I feel way better!
Weird, I do the same. Especially when I think that your best forward wants out, your GM can't move him, your team's owner is so committed to winning that he is haggling over the $4M, and the team's finances probably won't look any better after another terrible season.
Still...Taylor Hall looked great during the Mem Cup 
Alfie wants out?!
PPP,nice of you to chime in from the picket line....must be a bitch to type and swat shit flies at the same time....don't worry about us...we'll be OK and you'll still be in TO....solidarity forever brother...It's Miller Time!!!!
Sens fans, I couldn't resist. I started doing some preliminary tinkering with that handy CapGeek.com site, just to try to get a sense the Sens potential roster and cap situation this coming year. Here are the results.
A couple of things to note beforehand:
*it assumes that the EDM deal will go through pretty much as it is. Right now, I don't think Heatley has any more options. LA's trade for Smyth, and my Buddy's comments (see above)about a potential legal battle between the NHL ans NHLPA, only give further weight to this conclusion.
*it assumes a salary dump of Smith, Schubert, and Auld, and a re-signing of Elliott and Smid at about the same money they made last year. Hopefully, Smith is the add-on in the EDM deal to help make up that $4 mil 'bonus'; Auld has real value and should be tradeable to a team like SJ; and if we get stuck with Schubert, so be it, his cap hit isn't a disaster.
*right now, especially if we assume the EDM deal goes through, we have little room for any of the kids. I know we're all exciting about the prospect of guys like Regin, Z. Smith, Bass, Karlsson and Wiercioch (men among boys at Development Camp)making the team... but, when you look at the roster, we have a log jam, especially of 7-12 forwards and 5-6 D. It's tough to find a way to get them in the lineup right now. I squeezed Regin on here as a 13th forward, and Smid/Picard as a 7th D.
*we will have a surprising amount of cap money (over $7 mil) open up. Enough to make a substantial addition, if wanted -- although that, in turn, squeezes yet another kid out of the line-up.
2009-2010 Ottawa Senators
FORWARDS
Jason Spezza $7,000,000
Daniel Alfredsson $4,875,000
* Dustin Penner $4,250,000
Mike Fisher $4,200,000
Chris Kelly $2,125,000
Chris Neil $2,000,000
* Andrew Cogliano $1,333,000
Jarkko Ruutu $1,300,000
Nick Foligno $850,000
Shean Donovan $625,000
Peter Regin $607,500
Ryan Shannon $600,000
Jesse Winchester $550,000
DEFENSEMEN
Filip Kuba $3,700,000
Chris Phillips $3,500,000
Anton Volchenkov $2,500,000
Brian Lee $1,275,000
* Ladislav Smid $915,000
Alexandre Picard $800,000
Chris Campoli $633,333
GOALTENDERS
Pascal Leclaire $3,800,000
* Brian Elliott $942,000
BUYOUTS
Ray Emery $229,167
Daniel Alfredsson $700,000
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (including bonuses)
ROSTER SIZE 22
SALARY CAP $56,800,000
PAYROLL $49,310,000
BONUS MONEY (ESTIMATED) (1.1% of cap) $598,333
CAP ROOM $7,490,000
CAP ROOM PER OPEN SPOT $7,490,000
Sens fans, our roster looks like it should be better than it plays, but for some reason, that's not the case.
I find the whole situation alarming. If I look objectively, I look up and down that lineup and, while I'm not at a loss as to why we're not better than we are, I'm positively mystified as to how we're spending so much money.
In the scenario I just produced, exactly half of the team (12 players) is making less than $1.33 mil. Of those 12, 9 guys are making under $1 mil. Where the f**k are we spending the money? And what can we do about it?
Weigh in fellow Sens fans?
We can't pencil in Cogs, Penner et al. as long as Heatley doesn't waive his NTC, which the NHL may force him into doing.
Simply, we have an aging line-up and really not much talent after the first line. I like Fisher and Donovan and Neil as much as the next guy, but that's what...65 points max? 40 from Fisher, 15 from Donovan and 10 from Neil.
We lack skill. Not just top-end skill, but skill period. We have too much money committed to easily replaceable marginal players like Kelly, Neil, Fisher, Ruutu, Donovan, Jason Smith, etc etc.
What management should really do is clean house and cut the cord with a lot of these contracts. Easier said than done though. Not only may they be hard to move, but Ottawa is incredible loyal. They will stick with these guys until their contracts come out or retire. Doing less than that will be admission they took the wrong decisions.
Perhaps, sadly, this team needs to miss the playoffs another year or two so that Melnyk and Murray take off the fan goggles and pen a strategic plan for the next five-seven year period.
Greg, I understand we haven't made a trade yet regarding Heatley and the Oilers. Hence the reason for my big disclaimer before my post. I assumed a lot of variables. With the NHL and NHLPA at each others throats over Heatley right now, I am presuming a deal. Big conjecture, I know; but I really do think it will still happen. Either way, it doesn't change the facts about out payroll.
Let's continue to assume the trade goes through as I mentioned above. I am going to surmise that when you say guys like Kelly, Fisher, Neil, Ruutu, and Donovan are easily replaceable, that you mean we have cheaper alternatives ready at our Development Camp. I agree with you, to an extent. I get that we need to move higher priced contracts to clear roster space at forward to get the kids playing, but I just don't see how. For team - and cap-reasons (one way or the other), Alfie, Spezza, Fisher, Neil, and Foligno are all locks. Presumably, Cogliano and Penner (ugh) would be, also. Winchester and Shannon look like safe bets to hang around, too. That's 9 forwards, leaving Kelly, Ruutu, and Donovan. I guess you could move one of Kelly or Ruutu, and maybe Donovan (although he is cheap, is a team guy, etc.). Our PK would take a huge hit. We can get serviceable PKing out of some mix of Winchester, Regin/Smith, Cogliano (Cogs might be able to PK, but he didn't do to much of it in EDM :35 secs. per game).
That means we can open up a max of 2 more roster spots at forward (+ a 13th forward), for Regin, Smith, and Zubov. That's the very best case scenario. And it assumes moving those above-mentioned players without taking back any players on 1-way deals. I dunno.
If you want one of Karlsson or Wiercioch (who is looking *amazing* at the DC) into the lineup, then for sure one of Lee or Picard has to go.
As for the our forwards situation, however, that's more complicated. Kelly and Ruutu are pretty much our only PKers after Alfie and Fisher That means you probably need those two guys. Neil, I thought, was done, but now for sure he's not going anywhere, either.
So I don't see a lot of moves here that make sense. Donovan, maybe, but he's been really good for us -- lots of grit, toughness, etc. Put his money where his mouth was, too, and took a discount to stay here. And for sure, barring a disastrous training camp, Foligno, Shannon, and Winchester make this team.
Not seeing a lot of candidates for trade here, or ways to make room for the kids.
One place that we are definitely wasting money is Fisher/Kelly. We should keep 1 of the 2 as their talents are both suited for 3rd line centre. One of those two players needs to be upgraded to a scoring winger. I would think Kelly should be easy to move if as everyone says he is so smart and a coaches dream.
I have reservations about losing Kelly, tho' - I think our PK might be screwed if we did - and I don't know if Fisher is moveable, from our perspective or other teams'.
Everyone is clamouring to get in guys like Regin, Bass, Z. Smith, Zubov, etc. And I agree, we have to get some of these guys in soon or we're going to start losing them, esp. in the case of guys like Zubov. With the way things seem to be heading, it might be time to start letting the kids play, and develop.
I am not even going to bother reading this post over before I press "send". My brain hurts, can't wait to read this post over...very scattered I bet.
Thanks for listening Greg.
Don, Toronto don't need Rick Nash. Matt Stajan is going to have a break out year and score 50+ goals and win the Richard! Didn't you hear?
Actually Don, scratch that Stajan comment. Just read the Leafs in hearing Nash got signed are targeting this prolific centerman:
"Reported on FAN 590 this morning, the Leafs are not only pursuing Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson, but are also trying to sign 28 year old ex-Minnesota Wild property Rickard Wallin. Wallin is Gustavsson's teammate in the Swedish Elite League."
I just found Wallin's NHL stats with the Wild.
19GP 6G 4A 10P 14PM
I'm thinking the parade should start at Nathan Phillips square, visit all the parks where garbage is being stored, and end at my house.
Hope you think Hall is worth it.
Toronto should absolutely be looking to finish in the bottom 3 this year or even better dead last. Burke definitely wants his team to play better and wants to improve, but when you look at the moves he's made he has done nothing to immediately help this teams place in the standings, only change the type of game they play.
What can Leaf fans expect this year if the roster stays the same?
Very entertaining losses with a few kids improving their game and some opposition players picking their teeth up off the ice with broken fingers.
It would beat these last few years...
And you're going to hear about this over and over again!
http://battleofontario.blogspot....07/04/
cool.html
Spring 2011 is the goal for the playoffs then? 7 years since the last time!?
Wow.
Spring 2011 is the goal for the playoffs then? 7 years since the last time!?
I would rather spring 2010, but one more year of sucking would be bearable if it helps set the team up with an incredible young player like Hall.
When are you going to put one of those shiny suns up for Ottawa? Lets do two of them, one for last playing a playoff game and another for last winning a playoff game what are we 365 and 800 days respectfully?
They should hurry up, Duff isn't getting any younger!
Get the hell of my lawn!!!1™
Leafs sign Beauchemin, 3 years 10 mil
also Kovalev to the Sens rumours abound the twitter
Kovalev a Sen. TSN.
In all of the discussion over Dany Heatley's contract and his No Movement Clause, the actual definition and meaning of the terms seems to have taken second place to the discussion over why Heatley has refused to accept the Senators' recent trade proposal.
I did some research and came up with some of the information from the National Hockey League and NHL Players' Association Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
While we don't have access to the actual wording of Heatley's contract, this information may help people understand how difficult the process can be when both Parties fail to agree.
Another aspect of Employment Agreements and Personal Service Contracts is the provision for an Addendum, a document which may specify whether or not, and under what conditions, the original Agreement may be modified.
Again, not knowing the parameters of the CBA in this respect, makes it difficult to determine whether or not there are/were provisions in the Agreement that might make it possible to modify same.
Further, the question of Resolution in the case of a dispute between the Parties can be addressed in an Agreement, or an Addendum. We have no access to that information as pertains to the contract between Heatley and the Senators.
Regarding conflict resolution, it is customary for an Agreement to contain language that provides for a process to be initiated (such as arbitration or litigation), should the Parties find themselves in conflict due to the perceived or actual failure to honor the Agreement.
From NHLSCAP.com:
NTC - player cannot be traded without his consent; consent not required for waivers for assignment to minors.
NMC - player cannot be traded, waived for a claim by another team, or assigned to the minors without his consent. [This does not protect the player from a buyout.]
From Article 11.8 in the CBA:
( a ) The SPC (Standard Player Contract--ed.) of any player who is a Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agent under Article 10.1(a) may contain a no-Trade or a no-move clause. SPCs containing a no-Trade or a no-move clause may be entered into prior to the time that the Player is a Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agent so long as the SPC containing the no-Trade or no-move clause extends through and does not become effective until the time that the player qualifies for Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agency. If the player is traded or claimed on Waivers prior to the no-Trade or no-move clause taking effect, the clause does not bind the acquiring Club. An acquiring Club may agree to continue to be bound by the no-Trade or no-move clause, which agreement shall be evidenced in writing to the Player, Central Registry and the NHLPA, in accordance with Exhibit 3 hereof.
( b ) A no-move clause may prevent the involuntary relocation of a player, whether by Trade, Loan or Waiver claim. A no-move clause, however, may not restrict the Club's buy-out and termination rights as set forth in this Agreement. Prior to exercising its Ordinary Course Buy-Out rights pursuant to Paragraph 13 of the SPC hereof, the Club shall, in writing in accordance with the notice provisions in Exhibit 3 hereof, provide the Player with the option of electing to be placed on Waivers. The Player will have twenty-four (24) hours from the time he receives such notice to accept or reject that option at his sole discretion, and shall so inform the Club in writing, in accordance with the notice provisions in Exhibit 3 hereof, within such twenty-four (24) hour period. If the Player does not timely accept or reject that option, it will be deemed rejected.
Unless otherwise specified, a NTC/NMC [whichever is applicable] is for the remainder of the player's current contract and is considered to be a full NTC/NMC [as the case may be] with no restrictions.
---
So if the Senators were to file a grievance against Heatley for what they might claim is his failure to honour the Agreement--as some have suggested--or that he might have through his actions, damaged the reputation of, or caused irreparable harm to the business of the team (for example, a negative impact on merchandise and ticket sales), what could the consequences be?
As this drama continues to unfold, and the emotions surrounding the situation become heightened, it may be useful to step back and consider the complexity of a business relationship that has gone so badly wrong.
And with millions of dollars in the balance, not only as far as Dany Heatley's compensation is concerned, but in terms of the effect on the success of the Senators Hockey Club both on the ice, at the box office and all of the ancillary revenues, the stakes are almost impossible to calculate.
I'm not an expert by any means on the subject, but having dealt with contracts and business relationships on levels that equate with the dollars being discussed here, I find the entire situation both fascinating and disturbing.
Fascinating, of course, because it demonstrates how much hockey has become an entertainment business; and disturbing, because a sport which should be fun, can turn so quickly into a public spectacle where a professional athlete once adored can become so intensely hated.
Obviously, only Sens fans will be able to comprehend the previous post.
Sens fans, with the signing of Kovalev for 2 years, $5 million per, it is safe to assume that Heatley is gone now.
We are $2 million over the cap as it stands right now.
Enjoy Edmonton Heater...or should we call you Freezer now???...it's -40 in Oil Country. Bring your parka Asshole!
obviously no one gave a shit about that last post
Beauchemin is 3 years for 11.3, still a sweet signing
Do the Leafs need another D? Kaberle must be going now, right?
Kabby is all but gone I think, unless Burkes plan is to dump VanRyan, Frogren, White or Finger (yeah right) for minor assets and picks.
Kaberle for Nathan Horton.
Make it happen Burke.
Sens fans, I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that I was astonished at how hard Robin Lehner (one of our 2nd Round picks this year) was working at Develpment Camp.
It turns out the Senators organization agreed. They just gave him the hardest working player award at the conclusion of the DC.
http://senators.nhl.com/team/
app...galleryId=11903
The future is so bright. Our prospects are unreal. Murray's drafting is 2nd to none.
Muckler, you suck!!!
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