Really not a ton of good to take from last night's beat down at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins were the better team from start to finish. Ottawa really couldn't get anything going offensively and struggled to register any sort of chances on Brent Johnson. Couple in a rough night from Craig Anderson and you have the recipe for a blowout.
If I had to take a positive away from this one, it would have to be the play of Chris Neil. He had energy all night and did his best to get his struggling teammates going.
The loss means the Sens hold on to the 29th spot in the NHL. They trail the Avs by just one point but have played two more games. Colorado takes on Vancouver tonight.
Plenty of talk about NCAA free agents and the Sens are looking at two in particular. Paul Thompson out of New Hampshire and Stephane Da Costa from Merrimack College go head to head in the Hockey East semifinals.
Ottawa has a serious interest in both of them. There are a number of teams watching both of those players.
That game goes on Friday night.
Totally outplayed, outhustled, and of corse outscored, by
a Pens team decimated with many players out with injuries, especially Crosby and Malkin.
This team is playing like a "pack", term used by Coach Bylsma, and they are winning more games than losing some.
Should Crosby return soon, they will be a much stronger team offensively !
???? 3 in a row? 2 in a row.....
As I looked at it again, I realized you are correct.
We did beat Tampa Bay 3 games ago !
this teams defence is horrible, i still believe cloutson's system is causing most of these mistakes at the moment.
No need to respond to your 'attempt at humour' from yesterday, which I should warn you will only rack up more thumbs downs votes.
I think you're real concern is that you've talked smack to a lot of posters for a long time and now you're concerned with the fact that you can't see the lack of love your peers have from some of your negative dribble that bounces onto this site. There's no need to make people feel like shit for something they feel is a 'good idea' or something they want to share.
Be courteous to people's thoughts and comments. They may not be what you think they should be, but on the other hand we all can't call ourselves 'the tyrant'.
On a positive note, you like everybody here makes this site what it is. We all bleed Red & White for the same team! Go Sens!
If they announced the contract and started faltering, either the fans would revolt or the NHL would think they're tanking on purpose.
That Pitt team is so deep, if Crosby comes back they have to still be considered one of the top 5-7 teams for the playoffs.
No need to respond to your 'atte
I must applaud you for your analysis on The Tyrant !
He is what he is, but most posters on here will give him credit for sane comments , and knock him for his arrogant and condescending statements !
Wonder what his reply will say, if he does reply !
+- does come into play when it reaches absurd new lows like Karlsson's. He was -3 last night and got completely outplayed by everyplayer going against him.
I was pretty skeptical of Anderson as well, he never really impressed me, but that run he had really showed potential, lets just hope and pray for more of that next year.
I dont think anyone pegged him as being the savior, I think he is a competent goalie thats going to help us through the rebuild.
Plenty of people on here were pegging him as a savior and clamoring to sign him asap. Some had some pretty ridiculous term and money amounts too. Others blamed BM for not having signed him immediately. Not sure where you've been, but several comments definitely went that far.
He's good, and like any goalie he'll have stretches where he looks great, but he's no Hasek or Miller, he needs a pretty good team in front of him long term.
Emery cost us a lot of wasted money , and Leclaire will walk away with almost $ 8 million, for 2 years of playing when healthy ( 14 games this year) ??
To me, the posters that were suggesting $3.0 to $3.5 million
over 3 years, thought we had a Roy or Brodeur on our team ??
Agreed, he's definitely no Roy or Brodeur. I imagine Anderson will get the 2.5-3mil or so from someone, but some suggested upwards of 4. Let's just be sure we're not so desperate for a date we go out with the ugly girl who put on makeup for the first time!
Karlsson looked so lost on the ice. In our defensive zone, he didn't have his head on a swivel and because of that, he was always late picking up his man. I wonder what the coaching staff said to him afterwards.
As much as i love to see Ottawa lose at this point blowouts like this are brutal. Still like Andersons game though, hopefully a string of a few bad games drives down his asking price.
I am surprised no on has mentioned the Spezza hit on Cooke. HAHAH I laughed so hard. I was right up close and you could actually see the WTF look on Cooke's face
Yeah I havent been around much lately (work) but I think the high range was to make a point of we have to reach the cap floor and giving him 3/3.5/4 Mil would be justified in that case?
I wouldnt sign him 3 years tho.
I think it's unlikely that Anderson can be gotten for that money. He'll go elsewhere. But it is absurd to claim that people asking for him to be signed at 3m for 3years thought he was "Roy or Brodeur". Really? Brodeur is past his prime and still make 5.2m per year. Thomas makes $5m. Luongo 6.7m.
I'd be fine with Anderson at 3 years for 3m. Ge is an above average goaltender.
Why do you want to throw money ,when we are still paying over a $1million in total, to Emery this year and next ? Also blew $8 million on Leclaire.
Anderson is an average good goalie, earning $1,812,500 on his last contract. Signing him for $3million is a 50% increase, and for 3 years is at least $9 million.
Let's see how he pans out in balance of games before he signs on the dotted line !
agreed. Better coaching all around is needed for this team.
So, Luke Richardson as the Coach of the defencemen, is responsible for the defensive teaching of Karlsson .
Hope they work dilligently on improving his skills as soon as possible .
Only way trading Karlsson would ever make sense is if we ended up drafting Larsson or another highly touted top defenseman in the next couple drafts, and even then it could be a terrible move.
I'm okay with Karlsson being a defensive liability just as long as he puts up his points and is surrounded by other reliable defenseman and a solid goaltender.
Check out the Ottawa Sun's (I know, I know) article about how Melnyk views the rebuild. Murray apparently told him it could be 1-2yrs insted of 3-5.
Doesn't this worry anybody else? We see a bunch of kids have a few good games with no pressure near season's end and all of the sudden Melnyk thinks we could be competitive next year?!?!?
This males me think 1) Murray will be here next year and 2) He will not take the patient route where you refrain from dangerous UFA signing
Snipers get a free pass it seems, but if a team has poor D, then the entire team needs to pick it up and play a better team defensive game. Minus 17 in 24 games, bad team or not, is horrible.
My argument was I'd rather pay Bryzgalov or Vokoun 5-6 mil and know we have a top end goalie then 4 mil on Anderson who is up and down. I agree close to the 3mil range makes sense, but given he turned down a 2 year/7.5 mil extension from Colorado, and he's supposedly turned down a 2yr 4mil per season offer from the Sens, he's either looking for the cup contender or serious star goalie type of cash.
I don't think he deserves either one.
Agree that Richardson has probably not tutored Karlsson too much, as this young defenceman has produced a whole lot of the Sens offense throughout the year.
Now that they know his weakness on defensive side of his game, I'm sure they will remedy that situation gradually.
His greatest assets defensively, are his speed and poke check and moving puck up the ice himself or by pinpoint passing .
My argument was I'd rather pay Bryzgalov or Vokoun 5-6 mil and know we have a top end goalie then 4 mil on Anderson who is up and down. I agree close to the 3mil range mak
If what you wrote above is an actual fact, and that he turned down 2 above offers, he is being unrealistic in
wanting something higher than his worth in my books !
He will be pricing himself out of the market .
When Anderson was playing perfectly, the team salvaged 1-0 and 2-1 wins. When he even struggles just a little, it becomes 6-4 and 5-1. MAYBE, it's the team of kids and sh!tty d-men in front of him? BRIAN LEE is in our top pair right now. Let that soak in. Sure he's playing good, but would Brian Lee be in any team's top pair?
Keep a level head people. THIS IS A REBUILD.
http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2011/03/16/17640021.html
it looks as Chris Phillips has taken Jared Cowen spot on the roster next season. I don't see him fitting the Bill and buying out Kuba is not an option considering Senators want to shred unwanted contracts not keep them on the books.
My position on Anderson hasn't changed, it's just no longer in a clear minority now that others realize he's no star goalie. This guy has 1 good season as a starting goalie in him and wants a lot of money, good term and to be on a good team.
The losses aren't all his fault, just like they weren't all Elliott's fault either, but the wins also aren't all his doing. Let's just ride out the season and see how reasonable his contract expectations are, that's all I've been preaching.
It's a rumor for sure, but here's 1 of several places I've seen it http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/What+about+Lehner/4391959/story.html
That is only IF Karlsson doesnt get MUCH better on D. Right now he cant even stop Nathan Gerbe...
When a goalie stops more than 35+ shots a game and the team wins by a 2-1 margin, that's called "stealing games". I know it's a strange phenomena in Ottawa as it rarely happens, but during Anderson's hot streak, he carried this team through it. Now that he's slightly "cooled off" - the vultures are out to throw him under the bus because he dare have the audacity to sign a term deal with numbers in the $3 million to $4 million range.
If Melnyk has indeed bought into the one to two year re-build stategy I think it's fair to say that we are not in the process of building a Stanley Cup winner. We might wind up with a team that can make the playoffs but seldom, if ever, gets by the first round. I never realyy thought Melnyk would have the patience for a proper re-build and I'm still hoping to be wrong about that but this is very disturbing news.
As for Anderson, the guy is the goaltender we need. He has one of the best records in the NHL the last few years when facing a lot of shots, and this Senators team is one that will be out-shot more often than not.
The Sens have a ridiculous amount of holes in their roster, so what is the point in going out and signing a Bryzzy or Vokoun for twice the money that Anderson will command, when they won't give us much better results.
I know I would feel very comfortable to see Andy between the pipes for the next few seasons at 3 mill per, but not much more than that.
I think you're missing the point. I'm not coming out like a vulture I'm saying the same thing I've said before. Also, he's not looking for a 3-4mil contract for 2 years, he's looking for more and longer.
As for the Florida backup references, not sure how you give him credit as a starter for what he did there as a backup. There's no doubting he's a starter, it's whether he's a top 10 starter or just average at best. I'm pretty sure he's in the average at best category.
Thanks for the pop-culture psychology. I particularly enjoyed your lame assumptions about how I feel. Let me kindly inform you that there is no special reason. I will respond to your retarded post with a pop quiz.
If I gave a shit how people responded to me would I...
A) Change my behavior
B) Continue to be condescending, rude, and a straight up asshole to those who post opinions I think are stupid.
I'm aware that I'm a condescending know-it-all prick who thinks most hockey fans are drooling morons who's knowledge of the game is about as deep as a thimble. I'm quite happy to endorse the reputation. I just genuinely think +/- is useless if you can't see your own. That's all. There is no special psychological reason.
Murray's probably telling Melnyk that just so he can get that extension though.
This whole post smacks of speculation. You have no idea what Anderson has been offered, what he wants, etc. other than what you've read reported from an Edmonton journalist and a Colorado journalist. Chirp has reported that Anderson is looking for 3-4 years around the $3 to $3.5 million mark. Is that out of whack for a goalie with his stats?
If you're pretty sure he's in the "average at best" category, I'd like to see who you think is better than him. Especially in the FA market. If he's "average at best", that would still be better than the crap we've had between our pipes for 20 years.
If Anderson comes in at half the contract that Bryzgalov and Vokoun get he's worth it, I'm not arguing that, I'm saying it doesn't sound like he's willing to accept that little. 5-6mil for a star I'll do. 2.5-3.5 for an average goalie I'd do. 4 mil plus for an average goalie I won't.
Tyrant's right...there's no psychological reason. He's just a bitter sad f#ck because no one bothered to read his sh!tty blog.
I can tell you one thing, if Anderson is looking for $4 a year, Murray would say see ya later! Just like he would if Bryz and Vokoun's asking price is as high as expected. We may have the cap space but both Murray and Melnyk have stated that they have restructured the budget and won't be looking to spend as much dough as they have in the last few years.
The team can't afford to dish out that kind of cash right now.
Amazing the bombardment of opinions, posted all in a bunch, over Anderson potential contract, which is still not even
done and signed !
I truly like the performances of Anderson. He is a quality goalie, but not an elite one.
His last contract, as I posted earlier was for $1,812,500.
Top goaltenders are in $5 to $6million , and he is not even close to being a top goalie.
We gave Kovalev about $9million for 1.75 of a seson.
Pens picked up the other$1 million.
Gave Leclaire $8 million for a few games in 2 years.
I say give Anderson $2.5 to $3.0 for 2 years, and if we make the playoffs in those 2 years , sign him for 3 years at higher rate. But produce first, then get paid !!
4 years for Anderson IS too much.
Top 10 goalies in the NHL (no particular order): Luongo, Brodeur, Miller, Lundqvist, Thomas, Price, Hiller, Bryzgalov, Vokoun, Ward ... that's without even mentioning Quick, Rinne, Fleury, Backstrom, Kiprusoff, Halak, Rask who all deserve top 10 consideration well before Anderson.
I love how somehow on this site I'm the crazy one in this conversation. Anderson isn't even in the top half of goalies in the league. He might not even crack top 20. If u can't see that now, there's not much else for me to say.
Why would term be a problem? Are you clairvoyant enough to know the state of the team in 4 years so much so that Anderson's $3.5 million deal would be an albatross? What would Bryzgalov or Vokoun making $6 million in year 4? A good idea?
So of those 15 goalies you listed, do you honestly believe ANY of them will sign with Ottawa - if they were free agents?
Secondly "might not even crack top 20". So you're saying if we were to sign Anderson for 3 to 4 years, we'd be in the bottom third of the league in goaltending. I don't even know where to begin with that.
Honestly man, after the shit you pulled in that other thread, your input means absolutely nothing. If you can't understand the points being made, leave the conversation to people who actually know their shit.
Here's the thing about rumors and the internet. All one has to do is report it and others pick it up and pass it off as their own, possibly by adding something dumb to it to call it all their own.
It's like the game "Telephone" - if it was played by retarded monkeys.
Unless Chirp or Yost said it, then I don't care about it. Yost and Chirp have both said Anderson's agent is looking for 3 years around $3.5 million. We have an advantage because he likes it here and his agent already represents many Senators.
He is unproven, you don't give him that kind of term. Simple as that. I've also not said we'd offer Bryzgalov or Vokoun that kind of term either, but I would be more open to it than Anderson. Personally I feel we need a bridge goalie for 3 years, but I'd make Bryzgalov THE goalie for longer if the money was decent and he was interested.
The goalie market has been shit the last few years as we all saw with Niemi and Nabokov last offseason. Who knows what these goalies may have to accept if they want to stay in the NHL instead of going to KHL or Europe. There are only a few teams looking for a goalie every year. Phoenix would be crazy not to sign Bryzgalov, but weirder shit has happened, especially with all the uncertainty there. So yes it's a POSSIBILITY!
Then don't respond to what I post if you don't care about it. I'm allowed to post my opinion and knowledge on this shit. If you don't care about it unless it comes from those 2, that's fine, but don't bash me just because you don't care about my opinion.
The tyrant had a blog that nobody cared to read, let alone comment on? Now it now makes much more sense...
@ the tyrant
It's OK, there are very few out there that can produce a first rate site like SensChirp does each and everyday.
My thinking is maybe all you need is a giant SensChirp group hug and some hot coco. Heck, if it puts a smile back on your face, I'll even throw in my game worn Yashin, Daigle & Hasek jerseys.
Tyrant, we want to like you, you just have to like yourself first.
GO SENS GO!
I've never once advocated a TML style, thanks for proving my point about you.
Show me your abilities over 2 years, and then I might DOUBLE your salary !??
Do not have your agent try to get you DOUBLE your last contract, before earning all of it !!
The problem is always the same, "Show me the money".
Spezza had some nice moments too.
Shannon's effort levels have been amazing the last little while. I think he's gunning for Fisher's place on the team.
258 120 96 — 16 2.55 .914
Who's stats are who's? Bryz vs Anderson
According to the almighty posters, one is worth double the other. And we would be crazy to give one of the above 3 year $10m but crazy not to give the other guy 3 year $15m???
WTF?
You clearly demonstrated a list of goalies that you think is better than the "unproven" Anderson (I guess 3 years of consistent play isn't proof enough these days), but you have yet to answer my question, WHO of those goalies would be wearing a Senators jersey next year. If you think Bryzgalov or Vokoun at double the salary and term of Anderson is a good move to make for a rebuilding franchise at least 2 years away from being a competitor, then again, I don't know what to tell you.
And re: my line about "I don't care", I wasn't talking about your opinion, I was talking about not validating rumors of guys from the Edmonton Journal or Eklund over guys like JC and Yost. Relax.
Don't forget, all those people also wanted Vokoun at a Kovalchuk rate.
Sadly Snoop, that's not how it works in the NHL. You tell any player who knows that there is a free agent market for him: "Here's a low ball salary, if you play well, then we'll double it", you can forget about it signing him or any talented player to any deal.
Again, for those of you saying: "If Anderson wants anything more than x amount over x years then forget it!" WHO will you sign in his place? Overpay for Vokoun or Bryz? Settle for Theodore or Matthieu Garon? What? We all know Lehner isn't ready and won't be for two years MINIMUM. What are our options?
I highly doubt either are interested in coming to Ottawa unless we offer something ridiculous that bites us in the ass in the future.
Its kinda misleading though, just like plus minus in the NHL.
Somebody could post something, like 'trade chris kelly' and get a whole lot of haters
But a few months later you look at it, and it turns out to be a good move.
will be interesting to see if all the people giving the thumbs downs actually know what they're talking about, or if they're just haters..
Well, most Sens fans are fairly balanced. At least there's no Habs fans here. We'd all be minus a million by now.
Def, those stats don't belong to either of them...check your source
93w - 87L - 21otL :: 2.81gaa - .912sv% - 15so
Bryzgalov:
151w - 113L - 33otL :: 2.55gaa - .915sv% - 22so
Vokoun:
261w - 264L - 43otL :: 2.56gaa - .917sv% - 43so
Source TSN (NHL Totals)
GD Wikipedia
haha dick.
What is an "average good goalie" and how does that differ from an "above average goalie"? Would you say he is an experienced NHL starter? Because they generally get paid more than 1,812,500. The guy has two shaky games and all the sudden he is only worth $2m. He is the best shot the team has at solid goaltending for the next couple of years. Unless you want to overpay for Vokoun? To be confident in that position for the rebuild is good for 3m/year. Which must be about an average price for a veteran starter on his second contract.
The roster that's been playing this year since the deadline, and the roster with Spezza before his injury, was getting points in close to 50% of the games with no #1 goalie for almost 2/3 of that time. The team next year will not be a bottom feeder unless Spezza, Alfie and Michalek are injured long term again. This team has a chance at making the playoffs next year if not the year after, so yes I want to give them the best shot at competing.
My philosophy is much like BM's, hence why I agree with a lot of what he does. There is no need for a 3-5+ year rebuild, and the team is already better then that.
He is a slightly above average goalie, I will give you that.
An increase of $500,000 to $1,187,500, brings him to : $2,312,500 up to $3,000,000 for 2 year contract.
How do we know that he will perform as a slightly above average goalie ?? What if he turns into a Leclaire or Elliott ??
Curtis McElhinney played very well against the Lightning, and he might be a great backup to Anderson in the rebuild.
We do not need a Bryzg nor a Vokoun ever.
Simply never overpay for a goalie, but consider investing in 2 snipers for Spezza.
But somehow defplayer posts incorrect stats and gets a +5 rating lol, what a joke!
The best part of that thumbs up thumbs down system is I now realize how much of a waste of time trying to be rational with some of you has been. Best of luck in your bubbles.
Deep breathe. The stats I posted were once correct (haha). The 'to date' stats paint the same picture.
The point I was trying to make, which was missed by the comment section guru of goalies, is that all have similar numbers. Yet, two are valued as true number ones and one is "not yet proven" and thus not worth the estimated $3.5 per that has been discussed. Whereas, if the other two were made offers $3.5m would be a steal.
If you play 150 games in front of terrible and/or developing hockey teams and post a above .9% saves percentage while winning games for your team, do you not think that $3.5 million is fair?
What the hell does this guy have to do to prove he is a true number one worth $3.5m? Take a puck in the face while sitting on the bench?
The goalies on that list are very good indeed. But I do remember earlier this season very bad stretches for Brodeur, Kiprusoff, Lundquist, Miller, Halak.
Even great goalies go through rough patches.
Anderson is probably tier 2 goalie. No one, that I can remember reading referred to him as a Brodeur or Roy... because he certainly was not that.
He has played some very good games for this team. The last 2 not so well. But where was he help.. NOWHERE.
I can't remember what goal it was last night.. but Kuba was caught up ice with an odd-man rush the other way... then he lazily skates back to the Sens end too late to do anything.
No wonder Karlsson struggles when playing with Kuba. I don't think Kuba will be with the Sens next season.. the question is how do you get rid of him.
Again, you haven't answered my question: if Anderson is "unproven" then who does team sign? Vokoun & Bryzgalov are not coming here. Despite your optimism, a team led by Spezza, Michalek (both of which haven't played a full season in 2 years) and an aging Alfredsson, littered with youth and a sub-par defense will find it hard to compete next year. Who will be the goalie for this team while it rebuilds over the next 2-3 years?
Back to my "bubble".
not really sure why people care whether we pay him 2 million or 4 million, we aren`t going to be against the cap and we aren`t in a position where an elite goalie is the best fit for us.
personally i have no issue with the sens re-signing both goalies we have now. i`d go two years on anderson and 1 year on mc.
Thanks for the update on these stats.
Pretty close save % for all 3 -- with Anderson being the younger of the 3 and probably less playing time.
Vokoun & Bryz will not be in Ottawa. They will want to go where they get a chance at the Cup -- and with Ottawa that's not happening any time soon. If Philly has the Cap Space they will land one of these two.
Just think Murray had the chance to grab Bryz off of waivers and did not.. just think there would have been no Glascal Leclaire/
how come some comments dont offer the thumbs up / thumbs down?
Only your own won't show up.
i hopped on the site with a different computer and it appeared the same. that being said i had logged on with that computer in the past.
Sens have to send some better players down to help or there will be no playoffs at all.
Brust was in net tonight..
Too bad some of the prospects in Europe & College aren't available yet.. Rundblad's team, being the underdog, beat a strong team of Petersson's HV71... so he still keeps on playing.
Does anyone know if Petersson's injury is still bothering him? Is it possible to get him signed to play some games the rest of the season?
http://www.silversevensens.com/2011/3/6/2033477/swedish-elite-league-playoffs-begin-tomorrow
@Sandy - I agree about all goalies having bad stretches and good stretches. I actually made a similar statement earlier in this thread. I completely admit he's a starter in the nhl, I just put him in the bottom half.
@The Dutch Treat - I've mentioned several times over the last few months my order for UFA goalies is Bryzgalov, Vokoun, Anderson. Howard used to be above Anderson, but that is my list. You are discussing as if I am 100% against signing him, he's 3rd on the list and not worth overpaying.