First of all, I'd like to state that, contrary to another blogger's statement, Jason Spezza is NOT going anywhere. He is among the top 5 centermen in the league and unless there's a bigger deal in the works wherein someone like Crosby and Luongo comes back, it isn't happening.
OK, enough with that nonsense.
To me, this years' Sens have looked like a team with no direction and no identity. The team was assembled to be one thing yet played like another. New defense partnerships, new forward line combinations, new coaching strategy and so on. With their last game against the Sabres, the team played the way they were designed and built to play. They got solid if unspectacular goaltending from Alex Auld, they got points from their defense, they got secondary scoring from the fourth line and the big line dominated, especially Spezza. The team played an in your face, simple game that worked hard and took advantage of their opponents' errors.
What is up with Mike Fisher? OK, he stuck up for Alfie by jumping Weber, but how about, Mikey? $4.2million/season should be good for a decent 2nd line center. Mike is playing like a fourth line grunt who could be replaced for $3.5 million less by Cody Bass.
Speaking of guys with recent big contracts..... Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly.....hello...... where are you guys? Although Vermette had a better game last time out, he needs to be used properly by the club and play a little tougher. Nice to see him knock someone off the puck to set up a goal. Keep it up. Don't let us regret taking you over Meszaros like we cried over choosing Redden over Chara.
I liked Schubert on defense. Please keep him there and let him develop. He does have some skills. Please, coach, give him till Christmas.
I also like Alex Picard. I know, I know, he s prone to defensive lapses, but come on, he is very young and adjusting to new teamates. He will be a solid 2 way defenseman in the future. Book it. Picard for Meszaros straight up seems like a decent move, but throw in Kuba and did Bryan Murray ever stick it to Tampa.
Speaking of Kuba, I know he has 8 points to start the season, but it really bugs me that a guy that big can be so soft physically. If he played up to his size, he'd be AWESOME.
Hats off to Chris Neil, taking a puck in the face only to return for his next shift to fight Buffalo heavyweight, Andrew Peters. Good on ya, Chris.
I knew the Sens were going to beat the Sabres as soon as Afinogenov was jumped for a shot at Auld after the whistle. A team that sticks up for each other is destined for great things. It shows a will to win. Same goes for Fisher defending Alfie.
Hopefully this game was a sign of things to come this season and the Sens have finally found their groove after an awkward start to the 2008-2009 season.
Showing posts with label Picard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Picard. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Analyzing the Andrej Meszaros Trade.
Andrej Meszaros for Filip Kuba, Alex Picard and SJ's first round draft pick in the 2009 entry draft.
Meszaros promptly signs a 6 year $24million contract with th Lightning.
What the Sens get is a suitable short term replacement for the greedy Slovak Defenceman in Filip Kuba. Their career stats are compared below:
Andrej Meszaros:
As you can see, they have similar numbers and Kuba is a one year deal with $3million remaining on it as opposed to gambling on Meszaros for 6 years at $4million per. Simply put, if Kuba doesn't pan out, he's gone next season and there is cap space available to sign a covetted puck moving D-man and Powerplay Quarterback. But wait...... The Sens also received Alex Picard in the deal. This promising youngster could flourish under new coach, Craig Hartsburg. Picard is signed for 2 years at well under $1million per. But wait, the Sens ALSO got SJ's first round pick which would in all likelihood be a late pick, but that's exactly what Meszaros was in the first place.
Murray did some smart managing here.....again. Not only did he plug the hole left by the departed player in the short term, while avoiding a cap-unfriendly albatross of a contract in the long term, he also received potential long term replacement for said departed player in the terms of an NHL ready young defenseman and a draft pick that could also be used to replace said player long term. All under cap friendly terms.
Simply put, Meszaros was not worth the contract he signed with Tampa Bay. Murray refused to handcuff himself long term by caving in and moved him. Meszaros is as much a gamble as Picard or any other promising young defenseman. He had a great rookie year followed by 2 sub-par seasons. Would you be willing to risk 6 more years of sub par play? Would you be willing to handcuff your cap structure to find out? Would you be willing to gamble a good chunk of your teams cap space that Meszaros will rediscover his rookie form? Murray was not and took the safe road here. Kuba will be no worse than Meszaros was the past 2 seasons and has never really played on a decent team. He could surprise fans this season. Same could be said for Picard. He played on terrible Flyers team then on a horrible Lightning squad. I'd bet he steps it up playing for his hometown team with a decent defensive system in place. Both these players can easily replace a Meszaros even when he was at his best. Failing that, they can't be any worse than Andrej was at his worst. And if all that fails, the Sens get a third kick at the can with the draft pick. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.
Meszaros promptly signs a 6 year $24million contract with th Lightning.
What the Sens get is a suitable short term replacement for the greedy Slovak Defenceman in Filip Kuba. Their career stats are compared below:
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1994-95 | Vitkovice HC | Czech | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 1995-96 | Vitkovice HC | Czech | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1996-97 | Carolina Monarchs | AHL | 51 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 38 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1997-98 | New Haven Beast | AHL | 77 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 58 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998-99 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1998-99 | Kentucky Thoroughblades | AHL | 45 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 33 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1999-00 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1999-00 | Houston Aeros | IHL | 27 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2000-01 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 75 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2001-02 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 62 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 32 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2002-03 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 78 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 29 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 24 |
| 2003-04 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 77 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2005-06 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 65 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 44 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2006-07 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 81 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 2007-08 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 75 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 40 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Andrej Meszaros:
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2002-03 | Dukla Trencin | Slovak | 23 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||
| 2003-04 | Dukla Trencin | Slovak | 44 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 2004-05 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 59 | 11 | 30 | 41 | 94 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
| 2005-06 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 82 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 61 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| 2006-07 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 82 | 7 | 28 | 35 | 102 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 |
| 2007-08 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 82 | 9 | 27 | 36 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
As you can see, they have similar numbers and Kuba is a one year deal with $3million remaining on it as opposed to gambling on Meszaros for 6 years at $4million per. Simply put, if Kuba doesn't pan out, he's gone next season and there is cap space available to sign a covetted puck moving D-man and Powerplay Quarterback. But wait...... The Sens also received Alex Picard in the deal. This promising youngster could flourish under new coach, Craig Hartsburg. Picard is signed for 2 years at well under $1million per. But wait, the Sens ALSO got SJ's first round pick which would in all likelihood be a late pick, but that's exactly what Meszaros was in the first place.
Murray did some smart managing here.....again. Not only did he plug the hole left by the departed player in the short term, while avoiding a cap-unfriendly albatross of a contract in the long term, he also received potential long term replacement for said departed player in the terms of an NHL ready young defenseman and a draft pick that could also be used to replace said player long term. All under cap friendly terms.
Simply put, Meszaros was not worth the contract he signed with Tampa Bay. Murray refused to handcuff himself long term by caving in and moved him. Meszaros is as much a gamble as Picard or any other promising young defenseman. He had a great rookie year followed by 2 sub-par seasons. Would you be willing to risk 6 more years of sub par play? Would you be willing to handcuff your cap structure to find out? Would you be willing to gamble a good chunk of your teams cap space that Meszaros will rediscover his rookie form? Murray was not and took the safe road here. Kuba will be no worse than Meszaros was the past 2 seasons and has never really played on a decent team. He could surprise fans this season. Same could be said for Picard. He played on terrible Flyers team then on a horrible Lightning squad. I'd bet he steps it up playing for his hometown team with a decent defensive system in place. Both these players can easily replace a Meszaros even when he was at his best. Failing that, they can't be any worse than Andrej was at his worst. And if all that fails, the Sens get a third kick at the can with the draft pick. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.
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