Monday, November 23, 2009

Sens Get Set for Caps

Nothing new on those Hawks rumours yet today.

I didn't see it myself but somebody emailed me late last night and said that the trade was very briefly listed on ESPN as being a done deal but was pulled shortly after. Still have to classify this whole story as nothing more than a rumour for now.

I'll keep digging around today...

Meanwhile, the Senators get set for a tough test tonight in the Washington Capitals.

Anton Volchenkov was back on the ice with the team this morning but is not expected to play tonight. Alex Kovalev was absent from practice this morning. His status is still not known although according to Ian Mendes, Clouston said he was doubtful for tonight.

The good news is Pascal Leclaire was back on the ice with his teammates this morning. The injury he suffered on Saturday night is obviously not all that serious. According to James Gordon of the Ottawa Citizen, Clouston will talk to Leclaire again before deciding on his starter for tonight. (ELLIOTT WILL START TONIGHT)

Here are the lines from this morning's game day skate...

Michalek-Spezza-Alfredsson
Foligno-Fisher-Neil
Ruutu-Kelly-Cheechoo
Regin-Winchester-Shannon

I'll be live blogging this game for theScore.com tonight. Stop by later today for the link!

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

did a news search on alex kovalev and The sports Network (sourced in Miami Herard says
"The Senators are expected to get Alex Kovalev back in the lineup this evening. The veteran forward missed Saturday's contest to attend his mother-in-law's funeral back in his native Russia."



http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/hockey/hockey-wires/story/1347833.html

Nathan said...

Foligno-Fisher-Neil? Are you serious?

Leave FFS alone!

Marc said...

That Barker trade could be huge for the Sens in the long run.

If Murray can get Volchy to sign, our D-corp could look like this next season (pending Barker trade):

Philips-Kuba
Volchenkov-Barker
Cowen-Karlsson
Lee-Campoli (both pending RFAs)

REALLY INTERESTING!!!

Cap'n Clutch said...

Nathan,

The FFS line, the S part anyway, wasn't doing it's job. Neil looked good up there and has had chemistry with Fisher in the past. It worked last game so why not tonight?

Anonymous said...

GOD I MISSED WINNIE AT CENTER

he is rocking so far at the dot!

CanuckAbroad said...

Agree, Shannon was sent down to the fourth during the buffalo game as being on the second line wasn't working for him.

Be interesting to see winnie, Regin and shannon on that fourth line. that has potential to be a good fast surprising fourth line.

Hope it works out. GO Sens!

Nathan said...

Cap'n,

Fair enough, I didn't see the game against Buffalo and wasn't aware that FFS crapped the bed. :o

Anonymous said...

Clouston hasn't been playing the 4th line enough for them to be effective of late. Cheech should be on the 4th, or the press box...he's getting slower by the game

SensChirp said...

Sounds like Brian Elliott will get the call tonight...

Anonymous said...

Hi, I don't know Barker's play well enough but it seems people are a little mixed on his effectiveness. Could someone tell me: 1) Is he worth his paycheck? 2) is he really worth paying over $2 million better more Picard, given what he brings to the team?

Seems to me he's have to add a lot to justify tying up 2mil per year.

Tim

Geoff said...

I know that Barker would be useful on the sens, but I really think we need a high end number one D-man. Barker is not in that group.

Anonymous said...

I've see Barker play a fair amount and he's a pretty solid defenceman. Good size, skilled and a heavy shot from the point. Needs to work on his play in his own end but that's improving.

Picard and him should not be mentioned in the same breath. The Hawks have no interest in Picard, just his expiring contract.

Anonymous said...

Barker is a #1,2 dee man in the making, he's still learning but has all the offensive upside and skating ability to become great. If this trade is true it's a steal...picard is our worst dee, shannon is only playing cause Clouston has a man-crush on him. I prefer Winnie in the line_up, he's so effective when he plays physical.

Go Sens Go

Joe Doggs

Anonymous said...

Aye Carumba!!

Neil on the second line!!

I agree that Shannon and Cheechoo haven't done the job but Neil??

I guess I better start drinking now - it is going to be a long nite

When does Kovie get back?

KCL

Anonymous said...

Kovie out tonight ..

Anonymous said...

darren dreger has posted on his twitter that the hawks have presented the leafs and other teams with some options. Sopel and a prospect or sopel and a pick. If this goes down i doubt we get barker

Mat said...

Bryan Burke is dumb enough to go for Sopel and a prospect/pick. Especially since Boston has all of their picks...

Anonymous said...

Guess Leclaire not up to, nor near 100%, so better to have Elliott at 100% in this Key Game, in which a win keeps the confidence level to a peak, and gets us closer to top 5 in Conference !!

During Pens game last Thursday, did not expect Kovalev to be on the ice,but he sure was ,and played his best game !!

Hope he appears suddenly, and bumps Neil out of 2nd line !!
If not, it should be cool to see Neil with Foligno and Fisher !!

GO SENS GO !!!!!

Robert Cyr

Anonymous said...

Again, it's the Hartsburg school of accountability. Neil takes dumbass penalty that could have caused what Dean Brown would call, "a calamity of massive proportions" against the Sabres and he get REWARDED!!!

Sigh....

Oscar

Anonymous said...

I live in IL and I have seen Barker play quite a bit. He's good offensively, average defensively. Not sure he is 3.1M good.

I am also concerned about running out of cap room to sign Volchenkov.

PL

Anonymous said...

Just heard on TSN, Mike Brodeur and 2nd round pick for Barker.

Geoff said...

no way 1:17.

Anonymous said...

@Anon 1:19

On the site or a Sportscenter update? Beacause it's bowling on TSN right now.

doug. said...

nah.. the hawks don't need a goalie... they have huet... hahaha

Anonymous said...

cmon guys, its just a joke

SensCP21 said...

nothing on tsn.ca

Anonymous said...

Got ya!

anon 1:19

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:19 Brodeur and a 2nd would be a great deal for Ottawa but, we don't have the cap space to make that deal, unless Murray makes other moves.

Anonymous said...

i can't believe how many people actually responded to that guy saying mike brodeur and a second. you should know by now that some people just come on here to make shit up and provoke a response, better just not to acknowledge them

Anonymous said...

Steven Hindle, covering the caps just reported starting lineups.

Sens as follows (looks strange)

Michalek-Fisher-Alfredsson
Cheechoo-Spezza-Neil
Foligno-Kelly-Ruutu
Regin-Winchester-Shannon

Phillips-Kuba
Campoli-Lee
Picard-Carkner

Anonymous said...

Everyone seems fairly chill about Leclaire's injury since it does not appear serious. I found it interesting that they did say it was not his ankle. It was good they pointed that out. But I think that when a Sens goalie has a lower body injury, they should always tell us that its not his abductor either!

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Hey !!

Like the lineup conveyed by Anon at
1:45 PM !!

Should give Spezza new challenge and maybe turn his luck around ,by taking more shots than passing, if choice is to shoot !!

Robert Cyr

Geoff said...

know this is way out there, but what would the Sens have to give up to get Phaneuf? Obviously a lot - could Murray put together a package to get him here?

Cap'n Clutch said...

Anon 1:45,

That is a strange looking lineup.

James D said...

people on here have been crying to see Fisher and Alfredsson on the same line and Spezza alongside Cheechoo - perhaps they can shut up now.

Of course if those lines don't produce they can all safely come back here in their anonymity and bitch about what a dumb move it was.

SBP said...

Picard, Lee and Campoli are three guys I simply don't trust enough in our own end. I think Barker will bring that same doubt if brought in...the Sens need someone more defensively responsible.

Anonymous said...

Nothing new yet SC ?

Anonymous said...

A quote from Sportsnet.ca. Is anyone as pumped about Lehner as I am?

"The Swedish goaltender, whom some suggest is the best goaltender in the league, won all three contests, picking up two shutouts along the way. The Ottawa Senators prospect was beat just twice on 76 shots for a sparkling .974 save percentage."

Anonymous said...

hey chirp, ive been looking around for info on barker. Do you have good evidence that the league may of nixed a deal or is it just a rumour about that. We could use a guy like barker but im having a hard time believing it would be shannon and picard. we get rid of our crap for a pretty decent player.

thanks.

steve said...

say we do get barker, where does that leave matty carkner once cowen and karlsson are ready to go big time?

Anonymous said...

Congrats to fisher for 3rd star of the week... the rumour are rumors i dont think murray will make moves now since we are on winning streak

Go sens go

SensChirp said...

To Anon at 4:30,

Definitely just a rumour. Like I said yesterday it was nothing more than speculation at this point.

It came from a decent source but I haven't been able to get any kind of confirmation today.

BeJamin said...

I don't think Barker is that good yet. He really doesn't have very good foot-speed and is a minus on a high scoring team that also happens to have the lowest GAA in the league. However it's hard to be worse defensively than Picard so it's a wash.

That being said Barker is very young and has potential to get a lot better than he is right now. He will get his points and he would be an upgrade for the back end of our PP.

Anonymous said...

barker for sens held up by leafs

http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/features/rumors?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnhl%2ffeatures%2frumors