Spezza to be traded?

[Mr. Guru]

Very doubtful the Sens make the playoffs at this point.

They have 17 games left, and have to win at least 11. Highly unlikely. Can't believe they are in position to draft top 10 right now.

[deantime419]

[QUOTE=Big Ev;1244392]He isnt a number one centre, that's the point. If he played like joe Thornton fine, but he doesn't.

Turgid, zibanejad, smith, lazar if needed is good enough.

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If you wanna go full blown rebuild sure. I can see that maybe he's not the face of a franchise you'd expect to win a cup, but take him out of there forward core and I don't see any hope of a contender.

Let's not forget that with their current roster he doesn't necessarily have to be their everything, they do have a Norris winner on the blueline you know.

You think going full rebuild is gonna make EK happy?

Until you feel he's really in the way of 2 top notch young centers to play in the top 6, I think you keep him as long as he wants to be there.

Mika/Turris look promising but haven't shown that level of upside just yet.

[newfcollins]

It did look like he was out of gas, but I don't know for sure. I feel bad for Phillips, he is probably beating himself up for turning the puck over on that last play. As for Spezza, Shiva and others can say what they like. He battled, and picked up 3 points. Spezza was instrumental in the comeback. Even though they came up short, I hope Maclean told them all to be proud of the character they showed.

I agree with part of it. But I wonder what the feeling would be if that was Ovi. Scores three points in a third-period comeback, but doesn't skate all the way back? All we would hear is about how he doesn't care about defence, how he'll never win anything, this is why his plus/minus is so bad, all he cares about is scoring goals, etc. People would be making "Xbox controller disconnect" gifs.

It seems like when Jones stops skating, so does Spezza. I do think it was the end of a long shift, but just keep the legs moving. You never know what might happen.

[Big Ev]

[QUOTE=deantime419;1245637]

He isnt a number one centre, that's the point. If he played like joe Thornton fine, but he doesn't.

Turgid, zibanejad, smith, lazar if needed is good enough.

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If you wanna go full blown rebuild sure. I can see that maybe he's not the face of a franchise you'd expect to win a cup, but take him out of there forward core and I don't see any hope of a contender.

Let's not forget that with their current roster he doesn't necessarily have to be their everything, they do have a Norris winner on the blueline you know.

You think going full rebuild is gonna make EK happy?

Until you feel he's really in the way of 2 top notch young centers to play in the top 6, I think you keep him as long as he wants to be there.

Mika/Turris look promising but haven't shown that level of upside just yet.

Getting rid of Spezza wouldn't mean you're rebuilding. Anyway, Karlsson is 23 years old, he's not an established guy even with his Norris. Hell I'd wager he'd prefer the team get rid of Spezza so he can become the captain.

I think they are contenders with or without him in the next 3 years as they have built/ are building from the net out. Once the d matures and gets better, the team gets better.

I'm not saying Turris or Zibanejad will put up the points Spezza does, I'm saying that doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Say for example they brought in Paul Stastny or a Ryan O'Reilly...a one-two punch of Turris and O'Reilly as 1-2 centres would be better than Spezza-Turris in my opinion.

But all this to say that I don't think they would trade Spezza if he continues to show the chemistry with Hemsky and produce at a good clip. Re-signing Hemsky is a priority.

[Big Ev]

Very doubtful the Sens make the playoffs at this point.

They have 17 games left, and have to win at least 11. Highly unlikely. Can't believe they are in position to draft top 10 right now.

It's not impossible to go 11-6, they always go on some streak every year, and they had a record like that during the middle of the season. But I doubt they have to win at least 11. They are three points back, and not everyone in front of them will win every game.

They don't have their first round pick by the way.

[mister_mcgoo]

Say for example they brought in Paul Stastny or a Ryan O'Reilly...a one-two punch of Turris and O'Reilly as 1-2 centres would be better than Spezza-Turris in my opinion.

and remember gang, the 1-2 punch of Spezza-Turris was already among the best in the league so if they get O'Reilly now Pittsburgh better watch the **** out!

[Big Ev]

and remember gang, the 1-2 punch of Spezza-Turris was already among the best in the league so if they get O'Reilly now Pittsburgh better watch the **** out!

with the Spezza of two years ago it would have been

[Mr. Guru]

I think 93 pointsish equals a playoff birth. I didn't say impossible I said highly unlikely and doubtful.

It could happen but I wouldn't bet on it.

And I didn't realize they don't have their first round pick. The Ryan deal, right? That trade might equal out in the long run now.

[Big Ev]

Anaheim got a great deal for a guy they weren't going to re-sign, but on Ottawa's side, none of the pieces are going to be Bobby Ryan. Win-win for both imo.

[Bass56]

You guys can have Rene Bourque. ;-)

Yeah, I agree a deal isn't really possible. I think if the Sens do deal Spezza, you'll see a first rounder go back to Ottawa since they don't have one this year. I'm guessing Spezza is more likely to be dealt around draft day for this reason. Get a semi-decent first rounder once the draft order is known, and a player that can help the team for the next couple of years, for Spezza. Zibs can become the #2 centre next year behind Turris at that stage.

I don't get the Spezza haters out there. He's an elite playmaker with a knack for getting injured. He still manages to get ppg numbers on a given year. Give him good linemates and he will turn them into great linemates! I would LOOOOOVE to have him in a Habs uniform!

[Big Ev]

I don't get the Spezza haters out there. He's an elite playmaker with a knack for getting injured. He still manages to get ppg numbers on a given year. Give him good linemates and he will turn them into great linemates! I would LOOOOOVE to have him in a Habs uniform!

It's not hating, it's being realistic. He isn't the same player. Hemsky has raised Spezza's game so far. All the time it was, we need a winger for Spezza, but imo it was actually we need a centre for the wingers. Good player yes, but not elite. He gets flack for giveaways and crap like that but I don't critize that. I just watch a Sens game and then turn to a Bruins/Sharks/Blues game for example and it's night and day the kind of effort, intensity, skill on display from their centremen.

He's not the kind of guy the Habs would need either. Especially in that market...

[Bass56]

It's not hating, it's being realistic. He isn't the same player. Hemsky has raised Spezza's game so far. All the time it was, we need a winger for Spezza, but imo it was actually we need a centre for the wingers. Good player yes, but not elite. He gets flack for giveaways and crap like that but I don't critize that. I just watch a Sens game and then turn to a Bruins/Sharks/Blues game for example and it's night and day the kind of effort, intensity, skill on display from their centremen.

He's not the kind of guy the Habs would need either. Especially in that market...

Ya, I know you see a whole lot more Sens games than most of us so I wasn't referring to you when I said ''haters''. There are alot of posts here that say he is worthless and a ''has-been''.

I agree with you that the Sens need a new center more than Spezza needing new wingers. Sometimes, a player just needs a change of scenery to get the machine rolling again. Hemsky is a temporary solution but he is not the answer.

Lastly, Spezza in Montreal could go both ways. Remember, Kovalev in Mtl was hated and idolized at different times. To be liked in Montreal, you need to produce when it counts. Kovalev used to cherry pick and be a defensive liability which in turn led to fan and media criticism. However, a goal here or a sweet dangle there and all was forgotten. If Spezza were to score 70 points, he would be idolized for sure, no matter how ''soft'' he played on given nights.

[Achilles]

What the Sens need is better team defence. They give up too many chances and too many goals. I don't know if the problem is personnel or the system, but defence is clearly the biggest problem. Te owner is probably a close second. Spezza is not the problem. He never has been.

Ev has his reasons for wanting Spezza gone, I understand that. But a lot of people have always scapegoated Spezza because he's not your typical "good ol' Canadian boy" that plays with a chip on his shoulder. (Though he does stick up for his teammates - ask Phaneuf). Anyway, because Spezza doesn't fit that mold, people rag on him. It's all part of the hyper-masculine machismo that is hockey culture.

I am not going to repeat everything I said above. I hope Spezza and Hemsky both re-sign. However it wouldn't surprise me if Spezza wanted out. He must be getting tired of being constantly ripped by his own fanbase.

[Big Ev]

Spezza already asked for a trade 3 seasons ago because he was being booed.

Guys like Spezza (and Michalek) contribute to bad team D since his line was always hemmed in, he's slow, and doesn't forecheck very well.

The team was night and day better defensively, even though they gave up a lot of shots, when Spezza and Karlsson were not playing last year, and Alfie was in the lineup.

All I know is, the team captained by Spezza looks like Jason Spezza whereas the team captained by Alfie looked like Alfie.

[Fast Tony DeNiro]

All I know is, the team captained by Spezza looks like Jason Spezza whereas the team captained like Alfie looked like Alfie.

So, Swedish with a dirty 'stache?