SENShobo
Lack Of Deadline Focus Dooms Sens
by SENShobo on 03/04/09 at 09:20 AM ET
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A 6-3 loss to Calgary, division basement losing to another division’s leader; no surprise there, especially with all the buzz surrounding several Ottawa players. Spezza dropping the gloves for a questionable Phaneuf hit on Heatley ranks as the biggest surprise, that an ill Auld was pulled after three weak goals over two periods was not.
Schubert got showcased, Kuba potted his second goal of the season, and now we are just about ready to believe any fanciful rumour that crosses our screen these last six hours before all moves have been made.
Last trade update: 10:15 AM EST
A few days ago, it was reported that Murray was not planning on addressing his team’s goaltending this trade deadline. But you would have none of that, would you? Ottawa’s been a graveyard for goalies, no chance that they could let up trying to nab one while they’re sellers, right?
First, you hear that Columbus has been watching many Ottawa games, supposedly craving Vermette, in need of forwards, specifically centers. However, there’s an extreme reluctance to give up draft picks, no desire to part with any promising defensemen, and trading forwards would not yield any gain. Enter Pascal Leclaire, recently dethroned as starter by rookie sensation Steve Mason (and I’ll rub it in again: he was chosen with the 69th pick when Ottawa was picking 68th, and he’s been anything but an unknown quantity his entire career). He’s 45-55-12 lifetime with 10 shutouts (led the League last season with 9), .907Sv% and 2.82GAA, playing for the only team to have never made the playoffs. Also, it turns out that Leclaire looks an awful lot like Sylar of Heroes infamy. Secretly, his history makes me wonder if he’s friends with Havlat.
Don’t want to lose the 5th best face off man in the League? Why not ask what the Devils want for Clemmensen, Paul alerting us to his availability. Do you gawk at how he was able to keep the Devils afloat during Brodeur’s injury, his 25-13-1 record with a .917Sv% and 2.39GAA? Or do you wonder if it was the Devils that made him look good? You probably had to ask that while dreaming of Backstrom coming to Ottawa, before he was re-signed yesterday to a $24 million, four year deal. But Clemmensen is a UFA, and playing out a $500,000 deal, he’s the biggest steal for any playoff GM, whether that be Holland admitting that Conklin and Osgood splitting an 8-0 loss to Nashville needs improvement, Washington coming clean that the Theodore experiment did not work so well, or Montreal deciding that last year’s clearing the crease of all experience was the wrong way to go. He won’t be in Ottawa today, and any team that gets him will likely pitch him enough woo to ensure that July 1st he’s not visiting this nation’s capital.
It takes a lot to be Ottawa’s goalie. A 38-14-6 record did no good, other than to get Gerber signed after that season with the Canes. For all Ottawa’s GMs, none have been able to solve that one quandary.
On a more amusing Ottawa goalie note, Elliotte Friedman suggests that Toronto could be interested in Gerber, should they move Toskala or he be too sick and Pogge and Joseph not enough to hold the fort (TSN’s Bob McKenzie also got in on the action, but was 95 minutes late with the suggestion). I have my doubts, that’s all I can say.
Nothing’s changed though. If you read around, it’s the same old story, so I felt no need to post any. Neil and Kuba are not yet where Murray wants them to be, but are still hopeful. Schubert was happy to be playing last night, wants to stay in Ottawa, but will play if he can wherever he is dealt. Vermette’s name keeps popping up but it would take something eye-popping to pry him out (the other night he was 14-0 in face offs, more wins without a loss than anything in over half a decade).
Noon should be interesting enough; it’s when we might find out if Bell gets to help out Binghamton, or if Elliott might find his way down there as well if Gerber clears waivers. Plenty of players dumped onto the wire might leave teams wondering how many of them they could be interested in, perhaps delaying other deals until sometime early afternoon. I still find myself wondering where Guerin will end up, a twisted thought that perhaps in a parallel universe he was held out as the team’s 2nd leading scorer and leading goal scorer to ‘rebuild’ their Tavares sweepstakes lead, which has shrunk to a mere five points over Atlanta.
And no, the Wings will not be dealing Jimmy Howard and a 3rd round pick to Ottawa for Neil. Even the random rumour generators out there get it better than that.
Not that there won’t be a bevy of sources to check, but I’ll do my best to keep KK unclogged and offer up short news and thoughts via Twitter. See you all on the other side.
Update - 10:15 AM EST
First, Murray signs Kuba to a three year deal with a $3.7 million cap hit. Overall, not a bad deal, considering the team should be expected to turn some thus far unseeable corner by then. I wouldn’t have paid $4 or $4.5, but I guess $3.7 isn’t that far off from the $3.5 million limit I imposed on my own imaginary dealings.
Second, Vermette is gone. To Columbus, no surprise there, for G Pascal Leclaire and a 2nd round pick, where he will be first or second line center. Whether it’s Nash or Filatov, they will appreciate how he gets them the puck twice as much as the other team will, currently 5th in the League in face offs. I will miss his speed, always thinking he could have been so much more in Ottawa. Had Fisher left and Vermette been a 2nd line center with decent wingers, I expect he would have done better. Next year in Columbus will be a career one for him, and he will be happy with his success.
Leclaire hasn’t put up mind-boggling numbers, see the start of this post, and you won’t see him soon as he’s been injured, not playing since before Christmas. Give him some rest (no need to burn him now) and he might be able to do some good here.
I’d congratulate Murray on the 2nd rounder, but it won’t be a high one, and that has more to do with the player comparison. Vermette has one year left, and will be happy with his role in Columbus and will re-sign there. Two more years of Leclaire at $3.8 million is the harsh point, as that second year the cap is expected to drop, making him comparably more expensive.
Now, what of Neil? Still a day left for Murray to do some more juggling.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
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