MacLean continues to insist that the goalie who is most ready to play will get the nod in Winnipeg but I have a hard time believing that will be anyone other than Craig Anderson. And assuming the one way contract keeps Ben Bishop here for now, Robin Lehner is likely the odd man out.
For MacLean, the focus can shift to deciding who fills out the rest of the line up on Saturday afternoon in Winnipeg.
There’s a little more intrigue on that front. Based on three days of camp, it certainly looks like Mike Hoffman has a real shot at a line up spot to start the season. That would mean that Jim O’Brien and Kaspars Daugavins start as healthy scratches and Ottawa would carry 14 forwards. Obviously that can change over the last couple days of camp but that’s certainly the way things look right now.
If Hoffman doesn’t stick around, it will be because of his two way contract.
On the blueline, it’s safe to go ahead and pencil in Patrick Wiercioch. He has been a standout in Binghamton this season and recent comments by Bryan Murray certainly suggest he believes the kid is ready for a shot. MacLean then has to decide whether that sixth spot goes to Benoit or Borowiecki.
Benoit may have a leg up when you consider he has been partnered with Wiercioch for most of the year down in Bingo. MacLean has also been impressed with his play so far in camp. At the same time, Borowiecki brings a little more toughness that on paper, seems to be missing from the Sens blueline.
Call it a toss up. As Garrioch points out, they'll likely carry all seven.
- While Wade Redden may not be an option for the Senators, there is one player the Sens have and will continue to consider from the free agent market and that is former Blues defenceman, Kent Huskins. Huskins is a local guy- with a Stanley Cup- that could provide a little veteran experience, should Murray decide the Bingo guys aren’t getting it done. Something to keep an eye on early in the season.
- The first SensChirp Fantasy Hockey League filled up in a hurry last night. Based on demand, I’ll be setting up another one at some point tonight. Keep an eye on the comment section for details.
On a more personal note, being a gentleman from "Good 'Ol Carleton Place", it would burn me up to have a PeckerHill Pumpkin on the SENS!!! XD
Can they keep Lehner around?
Is there room for Hoffman?
And what about the blueline?
Going to the Season Ticket Event tonight also, is there some kind of schedule or event list for tonight?
http://senators.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=85660
Believe you need to register for one session or the other.
I'd keep Hoffman. He's just a solid player. One of those "fly-under-the- radar" types that doesn't excite or disappoint.
any one have a extra ticket or access
1. Ceci & Noesen are returned to junior.
2. Lehner & Hoffman are returned to Bingo because of there two way contracts it is just easier.
3. Benoit & eventually Boroweicki are returned to Bingo & Murray signs Kent Huskins who is bigger & tougher & more experienced to a 0ne or two yr deal.
4. They keep Wiercioch in Ottawa all yr.
5. As guys get injured there will be a steady stream of players going back & forth from Bingo to Ottawa.
As you point out, this is the easiest approach and probably the way it shakes out. Hoffman will get his chance at some point. Same goes for Lehner.
Hopefully, Murray is able to trade for a good young defenceman who can be with the team for yrs to come.
I am thinking they put Dawg on waivers if Hoffman can play at the NHL level. Or use Daugavins and some other pieces in a trade for a D-man.
How are we with respect to the cap floor? I heard the Sens were under it still.
We have never had depth in nets, and from a long standing Sens fan, we have had plenty to bitch about in our goalies.
Lalime (god bless him, but he had the best team in the NHL at the time in front of him, and he could not help us past the leafs... still brings tears to my eyes)
Martin Garbage ( I still wake up in cold sweats thinking about "throw back everything" in nets)
Emery ( Finally a goalie with more balls than James Bond, but now brains to back it up, and fizzled in the wee hours of the morning )
Leclaire ( many of us were sold on this trade, but only to be broken hearted once again )
Finally Anderson, and for those of us who have seen most of the games last year, he had questionable defence in front of him when the season started, he did singlehandedly, win us enough games to get us into the playoffs, and take a very strong team, with arguably the best goalie in the NHL in Lunquist, and duelle him to 7 games.) not sure how we can question that?
So we have a very legit NHL Goalie in Andy, with a potentially strong backup project in Bishop, who will be happy with whatever amount of games he gets ( would Lehner be?).
Lehner, as long as the communication to him is very clear that he has won the future starting goalie position with the team, must go down for the good of the team to start the season.
If our starter faulters or gets injured, up he comes as the starter here. This is a very short season, and he will get his games up here, while keep sharp in the minors.
Next year one of Anderson or Bishop is gone, and in comes our future rock star as the starter... IMO only of course
Tough to say which of the three Bingo guys sits out but I have a hard time believing they'd have two Bingo guys paired (and by extension pair Phillips and Gonchar).
I'm thinking it will be Wiercioch with Gonchar and Benoit with Phillips. Then they can slot Boro in for games they feel they need a bit more grit.
Perfect thanks, I'll be in the first wave.. LOL
The fact that Winterpeg nabbed him means 8 other team passed on him, including the Islanders... think on that for a bit.
Would love the talent, but not sure I would take the attitude (My brother is a habs fan and tells me that dealing with PK can often be dramatic).
Edmonton and possibly Philly (for Couturier) seem a much better trading partner than Ottawa
Thing is, dealing with the Montreal media is what makes it so dramatic..
Chirp...popup comments don't seem to be working on my end...brings up a new screen but it is just as if you are reading the article with the comments on the bottom
And what if he gets our young stars addicted to coke
People base the "Sens under the floor" on the old floor. New salary cap floor is 44mil, but the teams can still spend to the old cap ceiling, so people get confused thinking the floor is still 54.2mil.
LMAO I think our prospects can make their own decisions. Is the Connecticut Whale addicted to coke?
I've heard that he's excellent at working with the kids in the AHL. If he wants to play for Bingo, I'm all for that. Maybe he plays well and gets a callup, but it's too short of a season to gamble on a guy that hasn't played NHL hockey in three years.
yup
I don't understand what you're refering to. Are you mad that he signed for more then he's worth? If my boss was dumb enough to give me a huge raise, there's no way in hell I'd tell him I'm not worth it.
I think you forget that when Ottawa traded Hossa for Heatley, being Chara's best buddy, he felt like we weren't a classy organization. Considering Hossa had just signed long term too. So Chara did not want to sign with us. They had the same offer for both players, i think it was 5.5 a year
Jimmy and the Dawg make #13 sit for game one.
Borocop sits with Petr in the press box.
To supplement Robin's $68K he will get 4 or 5 games @$l0K in the show during the short season.
EriK and Métot shall be fabulous.
Do you think he would be the piece to take us over the top this season and next to give us a really realistic shot at winning it all making it worth kissing away all those draft picks, especially the next draft which will be stacked?
Because I sure don't.
If you aren't going to trade a goalie for a 3-4 D-Man then we should send Lehner down I guess. For the playoffs I'd bring him up ,if Andy falters a bit. He can pick up the ball and carry the boys on his back - he's that good(a la Patty Roy). Go SENS GO! What time is practice tomorrow - will drive up from MOntreal to see my SENS! I have my Jersey and was wondering if while I was in the building if I could get the SENS Store to number it and put a name on it - was wondering if this was 50% off as well(just thinking). Thinking of going with TURRIS. Feel it will be MR Finland's break out year!
Here is my take. We'd love to start Anderson + Lehner tandem and could care less about the $$$, thing is if Andy is solid then Bishop is almost as good a backup as Lehner would be.
Use this opportunity to showcase Bishop a bit as he's been perennially buried in the AHL most of the last couple years, hope he plays really solid and with other teams starving for a solid starter or backup goaltender + injury considerations, flip him at high value mid-season and bring in the Lehner Beast.
I think optimally that is what we are hoping for.
Depends where you think we'll finish this year. Deep in the playoffs? Sure, it'd be worth a 1st and 3rd. If not, then no it wouldn't be worth it this year. You're likely right that it's not quite the right time. Maybe in 2 years eh?
Flash forward to this season and Filip Kuba returns again on opening night, however, this time as a Florida Panther! My question now becomes; is everyone fine with booing Kuba this time around?
Opening game is getting close.
I saw that Lilja was put on waivers. Now McLean should know a lot about him... being in Detroit. And to boot he's a Swede.
So Lilja or Huskins? Which would be better for the Sens?
I'm not interested in either of them. Unless Murray can acquire a legitimate top 4 defenseman that fits into the long term plans of the organization then i think we should roll with what we have. People have to remember that this is still a rebuild. Any one of Wiercioch, Boro, Gryba and Benoit can fill in the 5-6 holes on the back end.
This team needs another legitimate top four dman to help out Karlsson and Methot, as Phillips, Gonchar, Lundin, Wiercioch, Boro, Benoit and Gryba are all best suited for bottom pairing duties.
Lilja and Huskins aren't top four guys so I'll be disappointed if we bring one of them in.
http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=650587
Eggroll, please BOOO away... just make sure you dont have an eggroll in your mouth if I am in front of you :)
@ AFM11,
Based on what you are saying above, we need more than 1 top 4 defenceman. Acquiring only 1 only replaces Cowen.
You lumped all remaining defencemen as bottom 5-6 ,including Phillips-Gonchar??
Only time will tell if Methot can play with Karlsson !!
I was at opening night when Kuba and Gonchar were booed and I found it embarrassing...
feel free to booh him now though.
Neither Phillips or Gonchar are top 4 Def anymore.
I'm in the mind frame that we are rebuilding, stay the course. If our young guys can make a playoff run, I'll be cheering my mouth off. If they don't make it...then bring on a good pick. If BM can bring in a young solid top 4 D, then great! Leave the old plugs alone...they will not bring us the cup.
That's what in saying as well. Hopefully Murray can bring in a top 4 guys that fits in to the long term plans of the organization. If not then I'm more than happy to watch our prospects fill those holes instead of some old ass fringe NHLer.
I'm only for trading picks or prospects for an established but fairly young dman who will be around with the team for more than a year or two
- because he wants more money than Ottawa would be willing to pay
- because he wants a contract longer than Ottawa would be willing to give
- because Montreal would match any offer sheet
LOL !
There's been some great one-liners around here lately.
When is SensChirp Amatuer Night at the local comedy club ?
Murray seems to make substantial moves for players that need a new home and P.K deffinetly fits that type.
I've said before we need a 2-3 Dman not some lame old plug. The problem with P.K is he's an offensive Dman which wouldnt really work alongside Karlsson or Gonchar. BUT I do believe with the right coach and new surroundings (or new beginning, which ever way you wanna look at it), he could learn to become a quality 2-way Dman. He no question has the talent to do it and maybe when you put him on the same team as Karlsson he'd realize he can't be that go to offensive Dman of the team.
The thing that I can't stop thinking about is how scary him and Karlsson would be if paired together on the PP. Karlsson loves to spread the play by creating gaps by moving down the right hand side boards. This would leave Subban open for that bomb of a one-T he has.
At the same time I'm still worried he'd never change from being a careless offensive defenceman. Plus apparently he's being greedy.
self awareness is a beautiful thing
When Gonchar leaves, Subban would be a great 2nd pairing puck moving Dman for us. Teams would always be on their heels with a 1, 2 punch of Karlsson then Subban and then eventually Ceci
Can you imagine what MTL would want from the Sens if we were interested?!
Considering I suspect their starting point with Edmonton is Yakupov you would be looking at bare minimum one of our forward prospects and + at least one more piece.
Can't even see that being enough.
Hopefully PW does as that would help a lot. With the Cowan injury I think the Sens D is vulnerable.
As an aside, if guys like Regin, Greening, ZSmith and Greening find their form again there will be lots of goals for Ottawa this year. Maybe the D wont worst off as we will just outscore everybody plus the 3 headed monster of goaltending crew we have. Beast mode.
Hey Five - Go 'Old School'.... Try calling the Sens Store and order over the phone !
Yes. Believe they start at 11:00AM.
ID#- 73607
Password: senschirp2
http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/
Just know no Redden in Ottawa. Definite interest in Huskins but no urgency. They want to see what they have with young guys first.
Enjoyed myself at the STH event at SBP tonight. We got a scratch ticket when we went in that determined who's autograph you lined up for. My friend got Craig Anderson... while I got.... da...da...da..d a... ALFIE.
Went to the Alfie lineup first.. lucky to get their early... It was packed... I don't know how he would have gotten through all of those people in 1 hour. It would have been impossible..
Lundin is not on the list but Cowan still is, no shock Cowan being on the list.
I am sure it will change again later in the week.
We could very well carry three goalies being such a short season and play whoever is hot.
Add me to the list of enjoying depth at goal for once
Making another statement about not getting an invitation to the Big Camp ?
And seriously, enough with the Redden shenanigans.
All this nonsense is insulting to our quality BSens prospects.
You quoted Eklund, the Leafs, the Habs and Redden. All in one small paragraph. Shame on you.
If you want to get technical, he didn't actually quote anything.
Draft is tonight
It would be fitting if he didn't play another game down there cause he is a beauty.If Murray keeps 3 goalies up to start the season and gives Lehner his well deserved shot it could be a great story.Lawson seems to be holding the fort in Binghamton... so, let the kid play.The battle for starter doesn't have to end with camp.I figure one of the prospective forward or defensive hopefuls are on a two-way and can be sent down for Lehner's shot as starter.Bishop can be paid to sit in the press box without much concern.Obvious ly, nobody wants to trade Andy given how exciting last season was but who didn't get tingles with Lehner's shutout against Boston last year.If the KID plays lights out do what makes sense. If the return for Bishop is there take it, if not ship Anderson out.Point is Lehner can be given his shot and then the team can deal from a comfortable position where we know what we have.If our strength is the position of goalie then let the goalies sort it out and then fix the defence if needed. With lots of cap space, extra goalies are not a problem but the solution.
Anybody interested in taking that spot?
I grabbed it... Thanks Chirp, should be fun!
Question, does anyone know if the draft can be done on the Iphone app? and I think I saw that the draft was at 7:45 tonight correct? Can't seem to find that info now..
Actually I'm going to drop out too. I'm in Korea so I'll be working during the draft and I'm not sure if I'll have time for it. First one to grab it gets it
1 spot available... AND GO!Crazy rumours about Burke's firing are making the rounds. Apparently he knocked up Hazel Mae!
[quote name="do due dew doodoo"]Eric Gryba was PLUS 4 tonight.
GREAT!
If being left out results in elevating his game to the next level then, I guess they made the right decision.
Ultimately, he will need to play his way on to the team, it's not going to be handed to him and the three guys that called up have earned the right so far. With that said, I like the physical dimension Gryba brings and I'd be surprised if he doesn't get a couple games in before the end of the season.
Now don't get me wrong, I can't stand the Leafs, but I applaud these two moves they have made in the last 24 hours. Next up they have to buy out Komisarek and they will be on the right path.
This upsets me a little. All I want is to watch them to continue to fail.
Mark Borowiecki just left the ice - may have cut left arm.
CGY puts Henrik Karlsson and Irving Leland on waivers.
I'm not to sure about their one way/two way status, but I would love for Murray to claim one of these, perhaps Irving
Simply for the reason of the lehner/bishop decision. Should we keep all 3 goalies up, we need help in the minors and Lawson is terrible
These are two good goalies (irving still fairly young) and they would help bingo continue their trip to another calder cup potentially
And KLINKHAMMER is back on the market... of so tempting, I loved bellowing
UNLEASH THE KLINKHAMMER!!! at games when he played last year.
He has missed a large portion of the year and is not game shape and hasn't been that great when he has been healthy?
I am assuming cause they would rather have him play games than practice. Don't think they have any plans to insert him yet and for good reason.
You can boo anyone in a visitors jersey. How is that even a question? Booing guys in Senators jerseys however is pretty classless and lame. If you're not there to support the team, stay home and save your money for plum sauce.
My sentimonies exactly.
Leafies dumping salary so they can take a run at Luongo? Subban? Perry? Getzlaf ?
there I said it ;)
I agree and I think Ottawa would be foolish to let them go through. We probably will trade Bishop at some point, so this woiuld be added security
Mackenzie is saying that calgary put both on waivers as they battle for the abckup job so who ever loses will be demoted the other will stay
Claiming either makes no sense because we'd then have to waive them to send them back to the minors and Calgary can then reclaim them. It only makes sense to claim these players if you have room on your NHL roster for them or the team waiving them is trying to get rid of salary.
Islanders should make a run at 1, but the Sens would be further muddying the goaltending waters.
Karlsson is 29 and appears to have missed the boat as a goalie prospect. Very inconsistent. I liked him a lot his rookie year though, so it would be nice for him to return to that form.
The Sens will also take 3 goalies to Winnipeg. My fingers are crossed that THE LEHNER starts. How he plays determines where he ends up.
So how many are left in camp? 24 or 23?
Great to hear Lehner's getting a shot to at least start the season while Anderson catches up to speed. Hope he's here for the long haul!
Sad for Hoffman, really seemed like he deserved a roster spot, but that Daugavins signing did him in. Hopefully he's solidified himself as the first callup.