It will be different with the subtraction of Spezza and addition of at least some of Chiasson/Stone/Hoffman, but I'm not sure what you mean by 'reduced'. I imagine that there will be different ice time for a lot of players in terms of "top line minutes", PP, PK and who-is-playing-with-who, and I think this is what BR wants to look at to see where he fits in. I believe he wants to be a top line / top minute player, and his skills and the tempo/dedication he plays with show he deserves a lot of ice time.
His skating will be better this year now that he's had surgery in the off-season, and 16-7-6 is going to be as fun to watch as they were last year, perhaps even more so. How the other lines fit in around it will dictate ice time at least a bit.
Makes sense on the Ryan front - I'm sure they need to evaluate how well he's recovered from surgery, and how he does with the reduced lineup they will be icing this season.
Comments from GMBM on Methot and Ryan (full interview will be on the CTV Ottawa website later today, and parts of the interview will be on the sports segment of the evening news, around 1840h or so):
Methot - both sides have their idea, based on current market values and contracts, of what the player is worth. They are still talking and will continue to talk.
Ryan - not talking to his camp until after training camp / beginning of the season as BR wants to see where he fits in with the new lineup, what his responsibilities will be, and where he fits in.
Tim Leiweke steps down as Pres and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Ent.-- he does this without winning the Cup, I thought for sure he said when hired that was his goal. They sure do fall short of reaching goals in MLSE land.
why would another team want Weircioch? Has he shown anyone that he can actually play a full season in the NHL? if they do trade him can they get more than a 4th or 5th round pick which is virtually worthless, he's at a low point and the Sens won't get much so I say keep him and see if he has what it takes to compete for a spot on the top 6 D.
Given how little Wiercioch played last year, I don't think him leaving the team and going elsewhere would be much of an impact on Turris. Yes, they are friends, but they've played apart in years past (Wiercioch in the minors, Turris in Phoenix) and players have friends on lots of other teams from previous time playing together.
The Boro extension is puzzling at best. There has been a good discussion going on at Silver7Sens. I don't necessarily think it's stupid, but it's a risk (by doing it now) and seriously restricting the organisational flexibility of the team.
One thing to consider on a possible Wiercioch trade (which this could indicate), and I don't think I have seen this anywhere yet, is that Wiercioch and Turris are 'besties'. Not that you retain a player on that capacity alone. But what would a potential trade do to Turris' play? To his general feeling playing in Ottawa?
I was feeling the same as you, TJ, but it's 1.1M per year. Nice part of having contracts like Phillips, Gryba, Boro & Ceci on an entry is that it leaves lots of room (and affordability) to pay a forward $8M a year if need be. I'd like to see Andy stay for the year but still don't see a benefit of keeping him, or him wanting to re-sign here, so could be lots of cash available to re-up Ryan and maybe get him a friend next summer.
I kind of wish they would actually wait a few seasons on some of these guys before extending them and see if they can play and be consistent over multiple seasons instead of the short sample size they've been using. Karlsson and Turris were signed as complete bargains but they were picked #3 and #15 overall. I don't think other teams are clamoring to sign these other guys they've extended over the last few years. Anderson to me shouldn't be a priority unless he signs for cheap and short term.
Apparently BoroCop has agreed to a three year extension. Doubt this is a sign and trade so I'd say it's a definite that Wiercioch is as good as gone. Makes it interesting on the Methot front as well.
Also, there's this:
Don Brennan @SunDoniB · 18h
Senators AGM Pierre Dorion has spent last couple of days in Chicago talking contract extension for Craig Anderson with agent. #sens #nhl
Up to leaving for the non-connected countryside a week ago, I was hearing rumours that there was still a "deal" to be made, but no specific names mentioned. I still think we'll see a change on the blueline, quite possibly only a player out rather than getting one in return, and Condra/Greening/Stone/Hoffman/who-knows-who-else could be on the move as well.
To quote Stooli........WHO KNOWS!
....and now, back to my regularly scheduled fishing time. I'll be back in another week or so, unless I find yet another lake with nobody on it that I feel like fishing.
Of all the right wingers, Ottawa is trying to trade Condra? (Or so it's rumoured). And I thought Melnyk was high on value for money and stuff. I'm not saying that Condra is even hard to replace, but at that price...? You tell me who.
The worst thing is, I could very well see Buffalo going for it. They know what they'd get.
I'm not thinking the worst about Bryan's situation, but this makes the loss of his nephew to Buffalo all the more poignant. Although even if he'd had known a possibility to replace his uncle was closer than he thought, even then Buffalo might have been more attractive because of the ownership situation.
But as said not thinking the worst about GMBM's situation. Thoughts and prayers go out to him and his loved ones.
-- Edited by labru on Thursday 10th of July 2014 05:33:21 AM
