Comments for Battle of Ontario....
Don't for get El Saviour Shenn
Game. Set. Match. Muppet.
Spezza in the news saying he likes the new direction of the Sens today.
So let me get this straight:
The team buys out it's former number one goaltender's $3.2M/year contract, and picks up journeyman Auld.
The team loses it's only puck moving d-man and signs a stay at home 5th defenceman.
They lose Commodore, Stillman and Lapointe (who they traded Eaves and Corvo to get), and pick up a 3rd liner in Jarko Ruutu.
Maszaros and Vermette are still not signed and are looking for $3.5M each, reportedly. One will probably have to be traded...
So what the hell are you so happy about Jason Spezza?
It must be that $8 MILLION dollar paycheque he's about to collect.
Ta da.
Okay, totally unrelated question, but when is Vermette's arbitration hearing? Does anyone know where I can find an arbitration sked?
http://blog.canoe.ca/offtheposts says Jul 31st.
What's Spezza supposed to say? Should he have thrown his GM under the bus? No, he'll leave that to the Jason Blakes of the league. You might want to add that the interview was done on the course at Spezza's Celebrity Golf Tournament, we're not talking an Off The Record grilling here.
I'll agree that the vesa toskala argument got a bit ridiculous but trying to lambast a guy for sounding "happy" during an offseason interview? weak.
How about realistic? I mean you can still come off as happy without sounding like your just being a homer to the mike.
I think he's really happy about having Martin Gerber in net.
I hear Vesa Toskala is Dr. Octopus
I'll agree that the vesa toskala argument got a bit ridiculous but trying to lambast a guy for sounding "happy" during an offseason interview? weak.
It was an opening for me to comment on the downward spiral of the Ottawa Senators.
How could I resist?
leaf players hold their charity golf tournaments in the first week of April.
That didn't hurt much this season DC. You're team was on the links what, 6 days later?
That didn't hurt much this season DC.
Not surprising. You should be used to it by now.
How about realistic? I mean you can still come off as happy without sounding like your just being a homer to the mike.
I'm aasuming that you didn't actually hear the interview, the gist was that Spezza and the team are anxious to get back on the ice and prove that the team is closer to a Stanley Cup Final than a first round playoff flameout, which is what you would expect any professional athlete to say. Spezza expressed optimism that the coaching change and the additions (Smith and Ruutu) would make the team harder to play against, that sounds pretty realistic to me. And, surprisingly, there wasn't one giggle or sentence that ended in a laugh or chuckle, in fact Spezza sounded, dare I say it, more mature. I'd say that the punting of Emery and Grats and the demotion to the 4th line at the World Championships has caused him to do some soul-searching.
you guess right, I didn't see the interview. But saying something like "I'm happy with the direction this team is taking" when it clearly isn't doing anything to vastly improve itself is just as dumb as Raycroft saying "I'm really happy with the way I played" or whatever when he tied the Leaf record for wins when everyone knew it was a joke.
Game, set, match?? I don't know...
Muppet:
"...the only way to go as far as goals against is up."
Leafs' GAA ... up ... now there's something every Sens fan can get behind.
Again, what is he supposed to say? It was a GOLF COURSE INTERVIEW in the MIDDLE OF SUMMER. It's not like he's on trial and has his hand on the bible. To compare a sound bite from that setting to Raycroft bubbling over about his personal win record while playing for a team that missed the playoffs, well that is as ludicrous as comparing a team that has zero playoff appearances in the last 3 years to a team that has 10 consecutive seasons of playoff hcokey.
Sundin to make a decision on August 1st. Maybe he's set to become a Sen and that's why Spezza is acting so smug?
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?
id=2441...=headlines_main
Leafs' GAA ... up ... now there's something every Sens fan can get behind.
Aaarg. Walked into that one didn't I...
"well that is as ludicrous as comparing a team that has zero playoff appearances in the last 3 years to a team that has 10 consecutive seasons of playoff hcokey."
And one with 13 cups to one with none!
Spezza and the team are anxious to get back on the ice and prove that the team is closer to a Stanley Cup Final than a first round playoff flameout...
That's actually what makes it funny.
comparing a team that has zero playoff appearances in the last 3 years to a team that has 10 consecutive seasons of playoff hcokey.
What ever will we use for compare and contrast when both teams miss the playoffs this season...
What ever will we use for compare and contrast when both teams miss the playoffs this season...
The number of BoO'ers who didn't need fake ID to watch their team's last playoff game in a bar?????7®
I saw one last year, they were playing NHL classics!
"What ever will we use for compare and contrast when both teams miss the playoffs this season..."
In the unlikely event that both teams miss the playoffs we could use the games they play against each other, but when the Sens win that again, your standard response will be "but it doesn't matter because its not the playoffs".
win it again....it was pretty close last year, who won the BoO? I honestly can't remember, much of the last 5th of the season is a Guiness based haze.
we could use the games they play against each other, but when the Sens win that again
Ahem. Actually, Toronto went 4-3-1 against the Sens last year. Or did you miss last season?
wow, the Sens can't even win the BoO anymore, what a sucky team!
They are the new Tampa Bay Lightning, only without the cup.
I hope to god that Sundin retires so that none of us ever have to go through these daily "Sundin still hasn't made a decision!" stories. What a prima-donna. He's a great player, leader, blah blah blah, but why anyone would get so worked up about a guy who isn't even sure if he wants to play any more and obviously has motivational issues if he needs to think about whether $10M/year is worth it, I'll never understand.
If I were a Toronto fan I'd prefer to have a group of eager young players than a guy who you need to beg to let you pay him $6M+ to come back and help the team go on a late season run and juuuuuuust miss the playoffs again.
Last year Sundin did the same thing (only not as long of a wait), and when he did decide he would play he was over a point a game and had a great season.
I've never seen Mats Sundin do anything for the sake of dramatics or to try and give off an impression - if he says he's thinking about playing on or not, I think most people believe him.
So although I agree that the daily stories and the constant speculation in the media is bloody annoying, it's not Mats that is leading this parade. He's just hanging in Sweden trying to decide if he has the energy and the passion to warrant taking a paycheque from an NHL team.
I think that actually makes him selfless.
I guess that's not too bad a position to be in.
I think the Vancouver offer puts him in a tough spot. There probably is some appeal in playing there, given the olympics aspect, etc. But at that kind of money he'll be expected to work miracles. They'd be doing him a lot more favors by paying him what he's worth rather than offering more than any player can live up to.
The only player who could possibly live up to 10 mill a year would be Ovechkin, and thats even pushing it.
I agree. What will they expect for their $20M? Mats is a great player, he's only going to give you 70-80 points and perhaps help your powerplay be stronger. But he's 37 man, and chances are he'll miss 10-15 games at some point. At $7M a year you can see it, but at $10M it's pretty steep.
I think the money is ridiculous and the only reasoning I can see behind it is they get him for two years and maybe provides the stability and appeal to attract some other players.
If I was Mats I would stay in Toronto before I would go to Vancouver. They have Luongo, but after that what makes them any more of a threat than the Leafs? Even if they are considered better than Toronto, they are in a far tougher conference.
Also for Mats will be the focus of the Western Conferences toughest defenceman (and there are a lot of them), and rugged checking lines all season line. All for what? To maybe make the playoffs?
Yeah, Vancouver are in trouble next year. Even if they get Sundin, having him and Demitra as their top line will only work as long as they're healthy.
Honestly, I thought Gillis would be on the inside track to more players, having been an agent for a lot of them.
I forgot about Demitra. With him and Mats and the Sedin twins, it might not be as bad as I thought. Maybe they can put two good lines together which would be a landslide victory for the Canucks.
My money is still on Mats playing for the Leafs or not at all. It seems crazy he would not leave the team and stick with his guys, and then leave anyway a few months later. That will be tough to swallow for this city, and I'm sure you will all have a hay day with it on BoO.
I can't understand why he views winning a Stanley Cup with a team on a one-year contract as less of an accomplishment than winning one with a franchise he has ties with. I mean, the latter is obviously preferable, but has he ever played in a Finals? Gone to seven games for the Cup? I don't feel like that's an unvaluable experience. I don't know why he isn't calling Detroit and saying "this is my last year, let me play for you on the cheap." The guy's reputation is pretty clean, no one would think it was cheap of him.
Although he's got a gal now. Maybe he wants babies.
I agree, if he called Pittsburgh or Detroit or even a Dallas or San Jose, than you can see him taking one last crack at it with at least some hope.
Vancouver and Toronto have no chance. And Montreal, as good as they've gotten, can't be real contenders for the cup if you ask me. Their hopes are pinned on two rookie goaltenders, and they have lots of sophomore jinxes just waiting to happen... it will be interesting to see if they improve on last year at all.
What do you make of this?
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2...ens_complacent/
Sounds about right. The Sens need to not make the playoffs for a year of two, get some youth going, a real threat to the older guys.
I think, basically, the Sens pinned their hopes on Spezz to turn into their franchise playmaker and, turns out, he really is kind of an idiot. (A talented idiot, granted.)
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