I wouldn't call him a poor mans Alfredsson. From what I gather he is more of an Alex Semin type of player. Scouts say he doesn't back check a whole lot, and isn't great in his own end. Agree with your post though.

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Well at the beggining he was considered a Semin type.

Though Murray said he is now becoming a VERY hardworking player who is backchecking much more often and compared him to Alfy.

I think Brandon gave that quote or Josh...I can't remember.

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Now here's a proposal - Malkin, Eaton, and Pittsburgh's 2010 1st Rounder to Chicago for Sharp, Versteeg, and Seabrook. The salaries match out, and the deal would make so much sense for both teams:

The heart of the deal is Malkin, obviously, but Staal is a legit 2nd liner and deserves the minutes, but he's too character to trade. And Crosby needs wingers... well, imagine this lineup:

Kunitz - Crosby - Sharp
Cooke - Staal - Versteeg
Fedotenko - Talbot - Guerin
Dupuis - Rupp - Kennedy

Gonchar - Seabrook
Goligoski - McKee
Orpik - Letang

Fleury
Johnson

That's a consecutive Cup.


Hossa - Malkin - Brouwer
Kane - Toews - Byfuglien
Ladd - Madden - Kopecky
Eager - Fraser - Bolland

Keith - Campbell
Barker - Eaton
Hjalmarsson - Sopel

Huet/Niemi

Isn't a bad lineup either. It's cap-friendly, could leave them almost $7 million next year to sign Madden, Eaton, Ladd, and Eager, or else making room for a couple prospects while signing someone else. That's not to mention having 2 first round picks in what many seem to think could be the last stacked draft for a while.

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Hmmm, here is what I would do if I'm Bryan Murray:

Firstly, pull off this rumored deal with Edmonton, Brian Lee, Jim O’Brien and our 2nd round pick for Andrew Cogliano. We now have some much needed offensive depth up front and a young speedy guy who could be a 60 point player some day. Imagine the speed of him and Michalek on a line together…

Unfortunately, in order to afford him under the cap we have to try to trade either Shannon or Donovan, if we can’t get anything for them, then we put one on waivers. It sounds a bit like cap suicide adding another RFA with our already scary cap situation this summer, but that can be rectified, it will just take a couple moves that some people might not be too fond of.

First, we trade Kelly at the deadline, there should be some teams out there looking to add a penalty killing expert for the playoffs or a late season playoff push. And because he is signed through next year (not just a rental) we should be able to get a 2nd round pick for him, maybe we throw in a 6th rounder if need be. If there is absolutely no 2nd rounder to be had, we take a 3rd and a 5th. Our forward lines for this season’s playoff run look like:

Foligno-Spezza-Alfredsson
Michalek-Cogliano-Kovalev
Ruutu-Fisher-Cheechoo
Winchester-Regin-Neil
Donovan

Our offense will be excellent, with arguably 7 top 6 forwards, our defense still needs work but that will come from within.

Firstly, with all of the upcoming FAs and signings we need to make, we need to make a trade at the draft to make room. St Louis need help on their powerplay and has a number of defensemen’s contracts expiring, we give them Filip Kuba for Jonas Junland, Philip McRae and a 2nd round pick. Essentially a salary dump on our part but we pretty much replace what we lost in the Edmonton trade except maybe better. St Louis has tons of depth in their prospect pool so they can afford it easily. Jonas Junland is about where Lee is in terms of development (perhaps not as much upward potential) and could be NHL-ready as early as next year, thus speeding up the aforementioned building the defense from within.

We now go into the draft with a first round pick, likely around 20th, St Louis’ second round pick, around 40th, missing our own 2nd, but with San Jose’s and another from the Kelly trade, say 55th and 60th. In the first round we draft a talented, gritty, hard-working right winger in either Nino Niederreiter or Austin Watson. Then we draft another offensive forward with our first pick in the second round. Someone who may have fallen a bit because he is a bit of a long shot but has huge upside, maybe someone like Kitsyn, Pulkkinen, Galiev, Toffoli (a 67 boy would be great) or Spooner could fall that low. With our next two 2nd rounders we pick the best goalie available (to solidify our prospect depth in net, one of our biggest organizational weaknesses) and a good two-way defenseman from NCAA.

So now for the off-season re-signings (some of these will likely happen during the remainder of this season). First and foremost is Anton Volchenkov for 3.75 million (6 years). Then sign Foligno for 2.25 (3 years), Cogliano for 2.1 (2 years), Regin for .95, Winchester for .75, Donovan for .55, Picard for 1.2, Campolli for 1.5 and Junland for .9.

Now our lines for next season

Foligno-Spezza-Alfredsson
Michalek-Cogliano-Kovalev
Ruutu-Fisher-Cheechoo
Winchester-Regin-Neil
Donovan

Phillips-Volchenkov
Campolli-Karlsson
Picard-Carkner

That puts us at about a million under the cap, enough to call up Junland at any time if Picard or Campolli get out of line. After that though our depth is fairly slim as Cowen and Wiercioch are still in Spokane and Denver, respectively. But we have a few solid AHLers who could fill in decently (Derek Smith, Tomas Kudelka) in case of injuries. On the forward front, everybody knows we have plenty of young guys just waiting to step in in case of injuries, Zach Smith, Cody Bass, Kaspars Daugavins, Ryan Keller, Martin St. Pierre

And thats where I’m gonna leave it for tonight. To be continued…

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Looks like we were both working out late-night proposals

Haha looks like it, by the way I seen Petersson in two games live at the WJC, I didn't see a ton of back checking or defensive presence, I did see a player with phenomenal talent who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and who always seemed to stay on the ice about for about 15-20 seconds after his linemates went off. I can't really say what hes like along the boards or on the forecheck or anything like that because Sweden was such a puck possession team there was almost no sign of anything like that, so its really hard to say how he will adapt to the NHL, where probably 60% of the game is spent grinding along the boards and in the corners.

But from what I've read and heard he is a small winger with enormous offensive upside, but needs to work on a lot of things in order to be an NHLer some day. From consitency to strength and conditioning to defensive play. From everything I've seen and heard he will certainly not be a bottom six grinder, he is a long shot boom-or-bust prospect who will spend his career as either one of the best offensive players in the SEL or a top 6 winger in the NHL.

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Innocent bystander (what can I call you for short?),

While I like your proposal, skating our current leading scorer on next year's third line doesn't sit well with me. That said, we need the centreman, so why not keep Kelly, since dropping Kuba is enough to support Cogliano's salary:

Kovalev-Spezza-Alfredsson
Michalek-Cogliano-Fisher
Foligno-Kelly-Cheechoo
Ruutu-Regin-Neil
Donovan/Winchester

Phillips-Volchenkov
Campolli-Karlsson
Picard-Carkner

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Dump kelly, regin & winchester 3 & 4 line centres, then I agree

You have a point about Fisher. I have always said that I prefer Fisher as a 3rd line center but he has definately shown this season that he has the offensive touch to play on one of the top 2 lines. And wow, imagine Michalek-Cogliano-Fisher... Pretty sure that would be the fastest line in hockey, the forecheck would be unstoppable. But I'm not sure how well Fisher could play the right wing (I know he has played the left wing very well at times) and I'd prefer to keep Kovalev on the right wing. And actually, the way I figured out the contracts, dropping Kuba alone would not be enough. This is how I worked it out on capgeek:

2010-2011 Ottawa Senators
PLAYER BONUS CAP HIT
FORWARDS
Jason Spezza — $7,000,000
Alexei Kovalev — $5,000,000
Daniel Alfredsson — $4,875,000
Milan Michalek — $4,333,333
Mike Fisher — $4,200,000
Jonathan Cheechoo — $3,000,000
Nick Foligno — $2,250,000
Chris Kelly — $2,125,000
Andrew Cogliano — $2,100,000
Chris Neil — $2,000,000
Jarkko Ruutu — $1,300,000
Peter Regin — $950,000
Jesse Winchester — $750,000
Shean Donovan — $550,000

DEFENSEMEN
Anton Volchenkov — $3,750,000
Chris Phillips — $3,500,000
Chris Campoli — $1,500,000
Erik Karlsson ($425,000) $1,300,000
Alexandre Picard — $1,100,000
Matt Carkner — $700,000

GOALTENDERS
Pascal Leclaire — $3,800,000
Brian Elliott — $850,000

BUYOUTS
Ray Emery — $562,500
Daniel Alfredsson — $700,000

ROSTER SIZE 22
SALARY CAP $56,800,000
PAYROLL $58,295,833
BONUSES $425,000
CAP SPACE $-1,070,833

Remove Kelly and we have a little over one million in cap space, which gives us some flexibility to call up Junland any time we like without having to put anyone on IR or send anyone down, but maybe more importantly, in case we are looking like serious contenders by the deadline next year, it gives us a bit of room to make a move to bolster our defense for a cup run. Our forward lines are certainly capable of making one.

maybe:

Fisher-Spezza-Alfredsson
Michalek-Cogliano-Kovalev
Foligno-Regin-Cheechoo
Ruutu-Winchester-Neil

Thats gotta be the best top nine in the NHL

I think we could live without Kelly, as Regin and Winchester are both very serviceable centers who could both play either the checking role on the 3rd line or energy role on the 4th line. The big place it would hurt is on the PK, where Fisher, Michalek, Alfredsson, Ruutu and especially Winchester would have to step up and get bigger minutes, fortunately we have the the PK specialist of our future less than a year away in Zach Smith. Its an incredibly versatile lineup, where based on performances and needs against certain teams, we have a ton of options:

Foligno-Spezza-Alfredsson
Michalek-Cogliano-Kovalev
Regin-Fisher-Cheechoo
Ruutu-Winchester-Neil

or this:

Michalek-Spezza-Kovalev
Fisher-Cogliano-Alfredsson

or maybe this:

Michalek-Spezza-Alfredsson
Fisher-Cogliano-Kovalev

or even this:

Michalek-Spezza-Cheechoo
Fisher-Cogliano-Kovalev
Foligno-Regin-Alfredsson
Ruutu-Winchester-Neil

And yes, Fisher is very capable of playing left wing, if need be he could take the important face-off for Spez or Cogs at any given time, then move back to the wing.

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Oh and for short, ummm, IB? Haha IBuprofen... Advil? My friends call me Matches (The name I rap under), so whatever, make something up if you want.

Dude, I want to hear some of your raps! I also have delved into rapping, and I'm learning to make my own beats.

Why couldn't Fisher play RW if he can play LW? He's a right shot...

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I'd really love to get Ray Whitney, but I doubt he waives to come here, he's likely Pittsburgh bound. So with that said I have a back up plan for a similar but grittier player...

Brian Lee and Chris Kelly

For

Owen Nolan and Andrew Brunette and maybe a Pick...

Seeing that Brunette and Nolan are well into their 30's and Lee isn't even close and Kelly is just hitting it. I think asking for a pick isn't asking to be over paid. We would have Brunette for another season and could Re-Sign Nolan depending on his impact and performance

As for Kovalchuk, If Boston is involved I CAN GUARANTEE you, that it will mark the end of Blake Wheeler's days in Bean Town. Probably something like

Wheeler, Boychuk, 1st (Their Pick) and a Second

for

Kovalchuk

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Die Hard Sens Fan Since Day 1.
For now and forever! GO SENS GO

Show us a few of your raps man

If we are going to EVER get the best offense we can from Cheech this is the line he HAS to be on! well any line with Spezz IMO.

DAY 1,, DAY ONE! Cheechoo should have been put AND LEFT playing alongside Spezza. No doubt in my mind with how Cheech has played depite being stuck on the 3 and 4th lines he would have 10-15 goals at this point,,, but he's got 5 playing with mostly Kelly and Rutuu, but VERY quietly Cheech ranks 3rd on the team in shots. Alfie should catch up soon however, speaking of the Captain, I really can't see Alfie on the 3rd line. IF we were to get Cogliano, pencil him in on line 3 and see if he earns himself more playing time, then have Fish between AK and Alfie. I'd love to see Fish on the LW, I know he can do it, set him up for the off wing one timer, as they SHOULD be doing with Kovalev on the PP.

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Die Hard Sens Fan Since Day 1.
For now and forever! GO SENS GO

iBump

Haha I don't see it ever happening, but it is a cool idea. But I don't like your lines, Versteeg is a left wing, Sharp is a center/left wing, Kane and Hossa are right wings, and you have a 3.5 million dollar center sitting on Chicago's 4th line right wing. Also I think Malkin is worth more than that. Maybe take out Pittsburgh's first rounder.

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Yeah, I'm getting the shit kicked out of me for the proposal over at HF too

If it helps, they don't like any trade over there.

Oh, I know. That place has a really bad vibe to it, but it also makes it that much more validating when any of your proposals go by unanimously accepted.

This would be sick, but it does relegate Cheechoo to the 4th line, unless he plays better than Nolan:

Brunette - Spezza - Alfredsson
Michalek - Fisher - Kovalev
Foligno - Regin - Nolan
Ruutu - Winchester - Cheechoo
Neil

Actually, I think if we did that trade it would make a lot of sense to get rid of Cheechoo...

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