Jonathan Cheechoo has apparently just cleared waivers. Bruce Garrioch mentioned on Twitter that the Leafs may have put in a claim but that is not the case. Cheechoo could now be headed to Binghamton but a decision has not yet been made.
Here is a look at the forward lines heading into tonight's game against the Wings. New acquisition Matt Cullen will make his Ottawa Senators debut tonight in Detroit.
Michalek-Spezza-Shannon
Regin-Cullen-Kovalev
Kelly-Fisher-Alfredsson
Ruutu-Winchester-Neil
Matt Cullen will wear #7. Call ups Brian Lee and Derek Smith will both dress on the Senators backend tonight. Smith will wear #51.
Brian Elliott will get the start.
49 comments:
Holy crap, when Foligno is back and Kelly drops down to the 4th line (with Winchester sitting in the pressbox), those lines are going to be unreal!
I like it. Good decision by Clouston to spread out the offense. We now have 3 very capable lines of scoring and a very good 4th line. GO SENS GO!!!
Holy balanced lines ..... love it, man!
Hey Sens Fans,
We may see cheechoo traded still, as some teams that may have been interested were not able to take him on without moving at least a million or so dollars back Ottawa's way. If not, i believe cheechoo will be used in our long playoff run when/if someone gets injured. This is why i don't think cheechoo is "done" just yet. In this case aswell he will be bought out after season's end which would leave the sens with a cap hit of 875,000 per year for next year and the year after...not great but better than 3 mill. I hope my math is correct i am sure you'll all let me know.
There is no doubt Ottawa will need another defenceman for the playoffs. Here's hoping Ottawa could acquire someone with the skill of Hamhuis, Zidlicky, Sutton or Robidas. This would leave Campoli or Carkner as our seventh defenceman and that is an encouraging thought. Enjoy the Olympics Fans! Go Sens Go.
C-Mac
holy crap, looks like i've got a tough task at hand tonight, says detroit defenceman
Really liking those lines!!
I agree, once Foligno comes back, we'll probably have some of the deepest forward ranks in the league. Really like that Clouston has put Cullen in as our 2nd line centre.
Let's hope we can pick up a good D-man at the deadline, and then with the return of Karlsson, we'll be in great shape!
Just a side note question, has anyone noticed that at the past few homes games, it has been a different PA announcer? I'm hoping Stuntman Stu is just sick or on holidays...Stu is the best PA announcer in the league IMO! They better not have replaced him.. :\
I wondered that too. Apparently he is in Vancouver for the Olympics.
I like those lines chirp.
Chirp have you heard if Murray is intrested in Andy Sutton?
I would like to see a package deal of Andy Stutton and Trent Hunter.
C-Mac
If Cheechoo is traded he will be traded for someone else who is has fallen big time. I am thinking Cheechoo would be traded for someone like Erik Cole. I am just using that a example.
Personally I don't think that Cheechoo will be traded and think that Cheechoo is done with the Senators.
Stuntman stu will be back after the olympics. The team 1200 said he the pa announcer for the womens hockey. Good for him.
Chirp whats the cap situation with cheech?
thanks for the update chirp! wow, im falling in love with those lines...imagine when karlsson and foligno come back
I would hope Cheechoo stays in Bingo for the rest of his contract but thats probably unrealistic, I just hope they don't put him on re-entry waivers.
Chirp are you hearing any names as far as dmen coming to Ottawa by the deadline?
How is Stuntman Stu the best PA announcer in the league, IYO? You have no idea what other PA announcers around the league are like...just saying.
if i'm not mistaken, we haven't played in detroit since 2006! :-o
Will we be seeing a NEW Brian Lee tonight?
One who is gritty and physical when on the ice and listens to the coaches when on the bench ?
Here's hoping.
Stuntman Stupid got an Olympic gig?
ZOUNDS!
He was probably the worst sports radio guy in Canada when he was on AM 1200.
C-MAC,
If they decided to buy out Cheechoo we will have to pay 2/3 of his salary which is 2mil. That is a tough pill to swallow since Melnyk would have to eat that.
I think they will throw him on Re-Entry waivers and LA will take the contract at 1/2 price.
As for tonight they have a great chance to win. With the addition of Cullen the team will be playing with an extra gear. Also on the back end Smith played with Carkner in Bingo last year so he should be pretty comfortable there. He should also drive hard since this could be an audition for the team next year. Lee also has something to prove to the team at why he should not be sent down when Campoli and Karlsson get back in after the break
he was better then those other dip shits they have on in the morning
Too bad about Cheechoo. I always wondered though, if a player really wanted to stay and play hockey in a particular city (e.g., Ottawa), couldn't they negotiate like a pay cut, knowing that they are underperforming? Or is the money so important, that they are willing to not play or be relegated to a non-NHL team?
Does anyone know if this is possbile? Or am I simply being an idealist?
Harman you're being idealist .. After I saw Zach Smith I completely changed my mind on Cheechoo or even Donovan. How can you have some player sitting in the minors who is cheaper and more superior to somebody on your roster ?
Spezza scoring a goal a game.
Murray gets a contract extension.
Cheechoo sent to the minors.
Heads Up there Pascal LeClaire - here come the Haters.
Murray will acquire Dan Hamhius at the deadline.
michalek-spezza-alfredsson
regin-cullen-kovalev
foligno-fisher-shannon
ruutu-kelly-neil
phillips-volchenkov
kuba-karlsson
carkner-hamhuis
we will be set.
Anyone else think Kubina would be a nice pick-up for our blue line?
C-mac: I think it would be $1M cap hit next year and the year after (as stated in other replies). Totally agree with you thoughts though.
ANON/Sensfan56/Cole-lover: Now that Cheechoo has cleared waivers, he only gets traded on re-entry which means he's half the price. That changes things and we wouldn't likely have to take on anyone else's garbage in return. Really, he'll be recalled at some point - either just before a trade (or someone agrees to claim him) or at the end of the season for the playoff run.
Harman: The NHLPA would never allow a player to renegotiate their contract. In the past what you describe could happen - and likely would have with Cheech as I think Clouston and Murray liked the guy. They might have approached him and offered him a 4 year extenstion for $1.5 per year or something.
Harman,
I wish it were possible too, but it's against the current CBA to re-negotiate a contract.
I think Cheech probably will be moved back onto the roster in the last game of the season or as soon as the playoffs start.
I fully expect he'll be around for the drive. The very fact that there is a decision being made about whether he should stay here practicing with the team or head down to bingo shows he's probably not done with the organization just yet.
Big no to Andy Sutton.
Zidlicky or Hamhuis, sure.
Next up for Murray, dump Leclaire on anybody. His $4.8 Million next year is a lot to swallow for a goalie made of glass.
Should clarify that Cheechoo (if claimed on re-entry) is only half the price for this season. The team picking him up would have to pay his full ticket next season (I'm fairly sure anyway). So someone would need to be rolling the dice and in need of a forward for the playoffs. So a buy out in the summer looks more likely, but I still think he'll be on the roster in the playoffs since it costs us nothing.
Maybe some team looking to sell more tickets (and located close to a large population of First Nations people) will pick him up. No denying that he has a good fan base.
Heck just playing in Bingo during the break rather than sitting at home is good for Cheechoo. That alone makes this a good move. If he scores a few in Bingo and gets a little swagger back he may slot back in somewhere. Cullen's not a lock to be the next big thing so who knows?
Man, if Cheech had just shot from his forhand a couple of times last game he might have had a goal or two. He's definitely snake-bit. Then again, if he had scored a couple of goals then Murray would have looked like a heartless bastard waiving him - and we needed to waive him to clear cap room.
Let's hope some other team has a forward get injured at the olympics so they get desperate and want Cheechoo. LOL - imagine if Heatley gets hurt and SJ claims Cheechoo back??
It could very well be that Cheechoo has been waived to free up dollars for a D man AND give him some playing time in Bingo during the break to get his confidence back. However, if the Sens deal for a defenseman worth 3 mil or more, then Cheechoo is done in Ottawa. I guess we'll know for sure by the 3rd of March.
-KJ
Love those lines - though surprised the Shannon haters haven't shown up in the comments.
I imagine that Alfie will take a shift or two from Shannon if Clouston doesn't shuffle completely.
I hope Lee plays well enough to make Campoli a scratch come playoff time (unless we pick up a D at the deadline when Lee can be 7th D). I think Lee's always been better than Campoli/Picard - just his 2-way contract that saw him end up in Bingo.
KJ - "done" for the regular season maybe. If Cheech is not picked up by another team he'll be on the playoff roster for sure. If everyone's healthy and playing well he may be a scratch I suppose, but depending on who we're playing we may want Cheech over a guy like Shannon. And if 1 guy gets hurt then Cheech figures into the line-up for sure (again, playoffs where there's no cap).
I believe Cheechoo had to be waived not only to make this team more balanced but the need to free up cap space for next year for volchenkov. With the lines we have now we will have a balanced offence but eveybody on each line is good at backchecking so our defences game is going to improve as well. I don't think we will see Cullen back next year we will probably give andre peterrson a chance. And our D will probably have cowen, karlsson, kuba, phillips, volch and campoli.
Hax
You did not read my coment properly I was resopnding to the other reader comment just say Cheechoo has no value on the trade market Cheechoo value would be someone like Erik Cole in return.
JohnnyHolmes
Why don't you want Murray to get Andy Sutton? I think that Andy Sutton would be a good fit with Senators. So I don't agree with you.I would like to see Murray trade for a package deal Andy Sutton and Trent Hunter.
ANON 2:52 - waiving Cheech now has nothing to do with next year. We have plenty of cap space at the moment so can sign Volch to an extension at any time (cap-wise). If we need the room that Cheech is taking up (or just don't want to use it on him) we'll buy him out in the summer if he's still with us.
why is cullen wearing #7?
8 is retired.
I really didn't see the point of telling Cheechoo he would not be accompanying the team with them on their road trip unless a team told Murray they would put a claim in.
I dont see the harm in having him play the next to games and then deal with the situation after the roster freeze. He might not have scored the past two games but he looked good on the top line and even got first star against Calgary because of it. I'd much rather see Cheechoo over Shannon up there. Yes Shannon is quicker but he doesn't have the size and grit to play along the boards and go into the corners to fight for lose pucks and be successful, Cheechoo does.
This is just my opinion but I think they should've had him play against Detroit and NY Islanders, showcase him as best they could, then after the freeze either trade contract for contract (Ethan Moreau for Cheechoo), demote him, and keep him there till you can buy him out or put him on recall waivers and see if there are any takers.
On a side note, I am drooling over these lines as much as anyone (except for Shannon on the top line) but just wait till Foligno is back.
I really think we are one defenseman (Dan Hamhuis) and either Leclaire or Elliott being very solid in the playoffs away from doing some serious damage.
Really excited for the game tonight.
Good call having Cullen 2nd, and fish 3rd center
Oh! is that why when Zack Smith was up he had Z. Smith on the back of his jersey and not just Smith? lol it makes sense now :P
GO SENS GO!!!!!!
James Ray - good point. Though not sure if the Olympic freeze comes into play here - i.e. maybe teams can't put players on waivers during the freeze??
But yeah, unless there's some reason why they had to do it when they did I agree with you. Scratch Winnie or Shannon and keep Cheech in the line-up for two more games.
Though I guess if he were to score a few goals then they'd have a harder time sending him down and they clearly need to.
Chirp - any thoughts? I was under the impression we weren't over the cap before Cheech went on waivers but maybe that was it?
Really wish I could be watching the game but tonight we're doing Valentine at a restaurant.. DAMN IT was really looking forward on seeing Cullen play and seeing that line up perform.
Shannon gets more pucks off guy's sticks in the corners in one period that Cheechoo does in an entire game. Shannon keeps the puck alive in the other team's zone much better than Cheech could ever dream of.
Mich-Spezza- Alfie
Fisher-Cullen-kovy
Folino-Regin-shannon
Ruutu- Kelly-Neil
(winchi, donovan)
Phillips- volch
Kuba- Karlsson
Carnker- Campoli
(lee)
Elliot, leciare
When everyone is heathly.. looks scary to me..
Weak rebound by Elliot and then overplays the shot...
Its a long game, Sens win 4-2!!
Well look at that, first game Cheechoo misses and the Sens are flat and don't win. Get him back in the line up, now. It isn't all about point production.
Seems Cullen's arrival has disrupted team chemistry. Was Cheechoo in fact a part of the 'glue' that holds teams together due to his indefatigable work ethic and effort? Sure, he was grossly overpaid but it seems he knew his role.
Hopefully this Cullen guy proves himself by helping vault the team to the Conference finals...Leclaire starting tday?
ANON 11:37 .... Without question the most interesting use of the word 'indefatigable ' I've seen in a while.
God love the synonym check in Microsoft Word huh ... lol
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