(UPDATE 12:19 PM)- Bryan Murray just spoke briefly about Volchenkov on Hockeycentral and said that they have not started negotiations as of yet but are hoping to do so shortly. He also mentioned that they are hoping Volchenkov is looking for term rather than a huge salary raise.
Just a couple of quick notes from Senators practice today courtesy of the Ottawa Senators Twitter Feed.
The line combinations looked like this...
Kovalev-Fisher-Alfredsson
Michalek-Spezza-Cheechoo
Foligno-Regin-Neil-
Winchester/Ruutu-Kelly-Shannon/Donovan
Couple of interesting thing to note there. Jesse Winchester, who has been out the past few weeks, did skate with the team this morning and looks like he could be ready to return. Also, it looks like Regin will draw back into the line up in the spot of Ryan Shannon.
With the forward ranks finally starting to get healthy you can expect trade speculation to pick up again.
Also, Filip Kuba was once again absent from practice. Its pretty clear that the injury to Kuba is worse than originally thought and a return to action this Thursday is a long shot.
26 comments:
Apparently The 6th Sens disagrees with your A-Train take. I agree that he should not be signed for longer than 3 years. This would ensure that we have lots of cap space for our 3 blue chip D prospects.
I understand that these line combos have been working out alright, but i think the only way to get Spezza going is to put him with Kovalev. He has been playing very well but not putting up any points. With the recent play of Fisher and Michalek I don't think this will be putting all our eggs in one basket.
Why would we trade away forwards?
Eventually more forwards are going to get injured... who will replace them?
once all of our forwards and dmen get healthy, I think our lineup should look like this:
Kovalev-Fisher-Alfie
Michalek-Spezza-Cheechoo
Foligno-Regin-Neil
Ruutu-Kelly-Donovan
Phillips-Volchenkov
Kuba-Karlsson
Carkner-Lee
I don't think there is any room for Shannon and he has done absolutely nothing this year, plus Dono is playing his ass off, and we need Ruutu's style of play, plus he's playing some offense as well. Defensively, I'm not content with Picard's play and have never been a fan. I don't know why we sent Lee down when he's played progressively better the past 2 two years with the big club. BRING HIM BACK. Carkner is simply the man.
If anything I would trade kelly. shannon or Whinchester can play the fourth line center for alot less money than kelly makes
Why would we trade Regin for Frolov?
Here is Clouston's comments from the Sens Twitter feed (re Winchester)
Clouston: For Thursday's game against Nashville, Regin is probable, while Winchester id doubtful.
Hey Chirp.... just read a quick blurb on TSN's Ice chips that Carkner just signed a 2 year deal today. Any word on this?
Thats great news about Volchenkov, hopefully he's locked up soon.
If he's looking for term more so than salary, then Murray should give him a Franzen/Zetterburg type deal, so if he retires before the end of the term he's off the pay books because he signed the deal before he turned 35.
Something like a 8 year deal with a cap average of 3.2 mill/year.
Get it done Murray!
As for Kuba, chirp any word if he reagravated the injury or is this still an ongoing recovery from the injury?
Carkner 2 year deal.
Nice deal to keep carkner!!!
2 year contract extension...
Yup, Carkner signed a 2 year deal. No word yet on the amount. Awesome news, GO M.C. HAMMER!
Let's not give up on Shannon please. What's he making? 600k? He was very impressive last year and has plenty of upside and is cheap - what more do you want? I'm not saying he can't lose his spot when other guys play better, but trade him? No thanks - what do we gain by trading a guy making less than $1M?
I'm not sure what the fascination is with trying to trade away our extra players, especially at such an early stage of the season. As we've already seen, players will get injured over the course of the season, and it's better to have these extra players on hand to fill-in as necessary than to have to resort to raiding the farm team of all of their talent again, like in years past. Also, let's not forget that these extra players are generally earning relatively small salaries, so it's not as if we are wasting an exorbatant amount of cap space by keeping them around either. Personally, I much rather have players like Shannon, Kelly, etc. on hand that we know what they are capable of, than to call up a player from the farm team where we have no idea what they can do, if anything.
we're under the cap, so trading is unnecessary...everyone settle down for now. However, Picard and Kelly will be traded before next season begins. Book it. Makes room for volchy, foligno, Regin and Winny's new contracts. Don't be surprised to see campoli and/or ruutu go also. Lastly, Kuba could go during next season if Cowen or Weircioch steps up.
I would like to see shannon plauy the wing on a line with Regin. I just don't think we need Neil on the 3rd line when he can make our 4th that much better. I also love shannaon on the PP. He'll get going, no worries.
Shake a leg, Murray. I want a Volchie jersey for Xmas...
Wish Zubov and Shannon could be re-united! They had great chemistry!!!
Were the hell is Zubov and why is he not with this team?
Thing is. It may be easier to trade Kelly now than after the season, especially if there is a cap reduction. IMO, the smart thing to do is move him now as there appears to be adequate depth to cover.
Kelly and Campoli/Picard are the only real tradeable parts in my opinion. The other players are required to keep our mix of players real good. However, I'm not sure its a good idea to trade them now, maybe wait till the deadline and get something more valueable for them, while keeping more bodies around for injuries throughout the season.
Well said Hax
Could not agree more re: Shanny
Anon 12 pm, cmon there dood, picard has played well above expectations and to give up this early on shannon would be quite simply foolish.
Not having the start he would like, no thanks to that inury, but assuming he can stay healthy he will be just fine, in fact more than fine actually.
Great speed and plays both ends of the ice well and can PK and be on PP (can you say all around player) and and all this for 600-700k.
Need to be patient here with Shanny.
Some of you surprise me, Winchester is a total BUST! The guy was very inconsistent last year and already in his second year he's having injury problem. I think he should be waived, packaged with Zubov/Lee for a bonifide top 4 dman.
Heck a Zubov/Lee/Winchester package would fetch something decent for sure.
Hokay there Anon 6:38 - Winnie a bust? Hey man, if you'd like to actually watch a game sometime just let me know - I own a TV.
And if he is such a bust why would a package with a guy on his way to the KHL and a guy demoted to the AHL "fetch something decent"??
ROFL @Anon 6:38
Winchester is a bust after playing ONLY ONE season?? Wow! Damn, I didn't realize that a ROOKIE season decided your entire future in terms of playing in the NHL. :P Not to mention, I love how ONE injury sustained is sudden a "problem."
If that's not a completely ridiculous notion, then I'm not sure what is!! Honestly, I have to wonder if some of the anonymous commenters just say any old thing that pops into their head, without actually using some common sense to think it through before posting. *sigh*
Also, I'm not sure how a Zubov/Lee/Winchester package would fetch anything, if you claim they're all supposedly a bust. Your logic seems flawed in that respect as well, Anon 6:38. :P
I have to agree with Anon 6:38. Winchester is definately a bust, he looked out of place in the pre-season and score but 2 goals in the last 33 games for the Sens last season.
Anon 9:02 and 1:23pm, need to watch more hockey before they comment, as their posts look foolish...
Winchester will get another shot, but only in advent of injuries.
Today he's below average NHL at best, a stop gap grinder that can play forth line.
But he was also the captain of Colgate his final year of college, so we know somebody believes he has leadership abilities. He's also a local which has appeal to Brian Murray. I wouldn't throw him under the bus yet. His FIRST pro season of hockey was alright for the role he played on the team he played for.
Winchester's trade value is nil and there aren't enough GOOD number 4 defencemen in the league for a team to give them up for a Brian Lee package, unless its a salary dump for the likes of Redden or Rozsival.
PS What Anonymous October 20, 2009 12:00 PM said...
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