Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
Ah, here we are. July 26th(will be midnight once this is up), 2012-2013 NBA season is over, 2013 offseason has had it's big names taken away as we are already looking forward to next season. We simply want to see how the acquisitions each respective team made will contribute to their new/same team. We want to know how much more can next year's team improve from the previous season's team. In this case, let's take a look at the Brooklyn Nets and review this team's offseason.
Let's take one step backwards first however. Let's go back and take a look at how the Nets did last season. This was the inaugural season for the Brooklyn Nets with a new atmosphere and new arena provided by the Nets' minority owner, Jay-Z. There were high expectations for the team set by Owner, Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets went on to doing some great things in their first season in Brooklyn, as well as recapturing a fan base that was simply no where to be found in New Jersey. Let's take a look at some of the things the Nets were able to accomplish in their first season in Brooklyn:
- Retained Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez.
- Nets brought in:
1. SG, Joe Johnson
2. PG, C.J. Watson
3. F, Jerry Stackhouse
4. PF, Reggie Evans
5. PF, Andray Blatche
6. PF, Mirza Teletovic
7. PG, Tyshawn Taylor
8.F, Keith Bogans
9. PF, Josh Childress
10. F, Tornike Shengelia
- Tied the season series with the NewYork Knicks at two a piece.
- Finished with a record of 49-33, placing themselves 4th in the Eastern Conference.
- Made the playoffs for the first time since 2007, and took the 5th seeded Chicago Bulls seven games before being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
- Posted a winning record for the first time since the 2005-2006 campaign.
Despite the firing of Avery Johnson halfway through the season, and Jay-Z leaving near the end of the season with aspirations in becoming a Sports Agent, the Nets bounced back quite well under interim Head Coach, P.J. Carlesimo.
Now, that's what the Nets did in their inagural season, but what's next? What did they do to improve and make themselves even bigger threats? Let's take a look at the Nets' offseason moves, both departures and arrivals this offseason, and then I'll talk more in depth on the moves.
Departures:
-PG, C.J. Watson
- F, Keith Bogans*
- SG, Marshon Brooks*
- PF, Kris Humphries*
- 2014, 2016, 2018 1st round draft picks.
- SF, Gerald Wallace*
- HC, P.J. Carlesimo
Arrivals:
- PF/C, Kevin Garnett*
- SF, Andrei Kirilenko
-SF, Paul Pierce*
-SG, Jason Terry*
- PG, Shaun Livingston
- C, Mason Plumlee ( 2013 1st round pick)
- HC, Jason Kidd
- Assistant HC, Lawrence Frank
I know that there may be some names that aren't on this list, but for the most part, these are the names to keep in mind. The asterisks next to the players' names signify that they were part of the blockbuster deal between Brooklyn and Boston.
Simply looking at both the acquisitions the Nets made this offseason as well as the departures, I can't help but think how much this team has improved. I think the biggest loss other than the three 1st rounders would have to be Gerald Wallace. When healthy, he was one of the best players on the court, giving it his all, as he played exceptional defense as well as bringing down a ton of rebounds as well as providing a scoring threat to the team. Aside from those two departures, these are players that the Nets have used as trade bait for quite some time. The Nets have been floating around Humphries' name as well as Marshon Brooks' name in trade possibilities. It will be interesting to see how Shaun Livingston and Tyshaun Taylor play out to be this season as they look to fill the backup PG void.
When we look at the assets the Nets made this offseason, you can't help but be excited with the direction this team is going in and what this season has in store. With a most likely starting 5 of Williams-Johnson-Pierce-Garnett-Lopez, the Nets easily made themselves a legit contender in the East. The bench has significally gotten better as you add names such as Kirilenko,Terry, Livingston, and perhaps Plumlee in addition to the players who are returning such as Blatche, Evans, Shengelia, Taylor, etc. There is no doubt that the Brooklyn Nets are a far better team than they were last season.
The BIG Picture
As you may already know, the Nets' biggest splash this offseason was going out and acquiring SF, Paul Pierce and C, Kevin Garnett in a trade with the Boston Celtics. The Nets would send Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph, Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks, Gerald Wallace, and three 1st round draft selections( 2014, 2016, 2018) in exchange for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry, and D.J. White. White was recently cut by the Nets however. The acquisitions of these three players make this team incredibly better and give them more stability. Not only do they provide help to the team with their performance, but also their leadership. There are many young players who are still learning the game at the NBA level and who else to mentor them other than two future Hall of Famers.
I was a bit skeptical however on the naming of Jason Kidd as Head Coach after the team told, interim HC, P.J. Carlesimo that he would not return for another season. I believe time will tell if GM, Billy King made the right call or not, but coming off of retirement and straight into a Head Coaching job isn't the best idea in my opinion. However, I do like the idea that Kidd will be working a lot with Deron Williams, and the other guards on ways they could improve their game.
My thoughts:
I believe that the Nets had a really successful offseason. They were able to bring in three great players to Brooklyn, and even though the price in my opinion was quite high, it's the only thing that the Nets could do in order to become a contender. This trade enables the Nets to quickly enter contention to get an NBA Championship. I want to keep a close eye on how Jason Kidd adjusts to being a Head Coach rather than a player. This season will be one that Nets fans haven't had the chance to be happy about in quite some time. This is my first of many more blogs for the Nets as I will cover them more as the season approaches, so I outlined the offseason as a starting point for Nets fans. These are just my thoughts on what I see. Bring your questions along, and let's get ready for another great season! BROOOOOOOOKLYYYNN!
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Senators ink Wiercioch to extension & other thoughts.
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
You can cross out one of the big two question marks the Ottawa Senators had this offseason as the Sens inked Defenseman, Patrick Wiercioch to a three year extension. The deal will have the 22 year old defenseman making $2 million per year. Wiercioch appeared in 42 of Ottawa's 48 games this past season. Wiercioch registered 5 goals, 14 assists(19 points) as well as a +9 rating.
This is a great deal for both parties. Wiercioch hasn't reached his ceiling just yet, with plenty that's still left to see at the NHL level, but having him around for simply $2 million per season isn't bad at all, so kudos to GM Bryan Murray once again. This can also signal that we can almost assure that Wiercioch will get plenty of playing time next season in Ottawa.
Other thoughts:
- Sens also re-signed Forward, Corey Cowick to a one year, two way deal. Make or break for Cowick in my opinion.
- The Devils signed future Hall of Famer, Jaromir Jagr to a one year deal. This deal struck me as interesting for a couple of reasons. First, I don't know how much Jagr has left in the tank and if it will be enough to carry the Devils in the right direction. Jagr showed many signs of fatigue last season especially in the postseason. However, Jagr is still a proven playmaker so his presence should complement the other players in the locker room as well. I do believe that the Devils could've gone after someone perhaps younger such as Detroit's, Damien Brunner, but time will tell on this signing.
- Man, is Sweden looking good or what looking ahead for the 2014 Olympics?! Team Canada tends to headline the Olympics each time in Hockey, but watch out for Sweden this time around. All around, this team is looking solid.
- Jack Johnson favorite for Team USA Captaincy? Next...
- Ottawa needs one more RFA to sign and that's young, promising defenseman, Jared Cowen. I'm pretty confident that a deal gets done no later than by the end of next week.
- St. Louis Blues RFA Defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo is looking for $7 million per season! It's interesting to see how much Pietrangelo is asking for especially as he comes off his entry level deal. I don't see anyone putting an offer sheet out there, but it should be interesting to see how this story unfolds. St. Louis will more than likely sign him sooner than later.
Thanks for reading!
You can cross out one of the big two question marks the Ottawa Senators had this offseason as the Sens inked Defenseman, Patrick Wiercioch to a three year extension. The deal will have the 22 year old defenseman making $2 million per year. Wiercioch appeared in 42 of Ottawa's 48 games this past season. Wiercioch registered 5 goals, 14 assists(19 points) as well as a +9 rating.
This is a great deal for both parties. Wiercioch hasn't reached his ceiling just yet, with plenty that's still left to see at the NHL level, but having him around for simply $2 million per season isn't bad at all, so kudos to GM Bryan Murray once again. This can also signal that we can almost assure that Wiercioch will get plenty of playing time next season in Ottawa.
Other thoughts:
- Sens also re-signed Forward, Corey Cowick to a one year, two way deal. Make or break for Cowick in my opinion.
- The Devils signed future Hall of Famer, Jaromir Jagr to a one year deal. This deal struck me as interesting for a couple of reasons. First, I don't know how much Jagr has left in the tank and if it will be enough to carry the Devils in the right direction. Jagr showed many signs of fatigue last season especially in the postseason. However, Jagr is still a proven playmaker so his presence should complement the other players in the locker room as well. I do believe that the Devils could've gone after someone perhaps younger such as Detroit's, Damien Brunner, but time will tell on this signing.
- Man, is Sweden looking good or what looking ahead for the 2014 Olympics?! Team Canada tends to headline the Olympics each time in Hockey, but watch out for Sweden this time around. All around, this team is looking solid.
- Jack Johnson favorite for Team USA Captaincy? Next...
- Ottawa needs one more RFA to sign and that's young, promising defenseman, Jared Cowen. I'm pretty confident that a deal gets done no later than by the end of next week.
- St. Louis Blues RFA Defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo is looking for $7 million per season! It's interesting to see how much Pietrangelo is asking for especially as he comes off his entry level deal. I don't see anyone putting an offer sheet out there, but it should be interesting to see how this story unfolds. St. Louis will more than likely sign him sooner than later.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Worries Galore Part III
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
In Part I and II of Worries Galore, I talked about what the Ottawa Senators needed to address this offseason, and the worries that are looming on the wait for Patrick Wiercioch and Jared Cowen's contract extensions. If you want to find out more, I'll drop the links to both at the bottom. I've talked about this offseason, but there are also many questions left to be resolved in the future.
As of now, there are nine NHL level players coming off the books, and eleven AHL level players coming off. Let's take a look at the NHL level players coming off next offseason:
- Milan Michalek
- Cory Conacher
- Colin Greening
- James O' Brien
- Matt Kassian
- Chris Phillips
- Joe Corvo
- Eric Gryba
- Robin Lehner
I'm going to say it straight off the bat. Out of the nine NHL level players coming off the books next offseason, I see only four/five coming back. I personally don't see Kassian coming back. Most of us can probably agree that the Senators are handcuffed with him, and will have to deal with him for one more year before both parties can go their own ways. I don't see Jim O' Brien coming back either considering his lack of play this past season, and I don't see this one being any different barring any injuries. I hope that the Senators don't bring back Chris Phillips, and I don't think they will either. Although, he has been a leader on the Senators for numerous years, he's simply too old and doesn't fit with what Ottawa is trying to do, and his salary isn't Melnyk friendly, so I expect Ottawa to salute him out similar to the way they did to Gonchar. Joe Corvo and Eric Gryba are interesting cases simply because an extension will have to do with how well they play this season. I see Gryba having a slight advantage simply because of his age, and Corvo isn't getting any younger.
So, let's assume the players I just talked about don't return in 2014, you then have:
- Milan Michalek
- Cory Conacher
- Colin Greening
- Robin Lehner
- Eric Gryba*
Milan Michalek:
I think it'll be quite interesting to see what Ottawa does with Michalek. I think that the first half of the season will determine Michalek's future in Ottawa. Michalek has been plagued by injuries the past few seasons especially this offseason has he underwent knee surgery overseas. The reason I say that Michalek has the first half of the season is because if he doesn't come back from injury and plays like the Milan Michalek that Bryan Murray is expecting, then he'll look to deal him by the trade deadline. This could be the time to sell Michalek at a high and bring in some assets. On the other hand, Murray could keep him for the season if healthy and complementing the team well enough to help the Senators make the playoffs. Murray could then keep the scoring winger, and either sign him to an extension or let him walk. I personally think that if it got to this point, Ottawa would let him walk and look at someone younger.
My thoughts: Michalek sticks around for at least a year, and if anything, he gets a 2 year extension at most.
Cory Conacher:
I do believe that Conacher will be back with the team once his contract expires. Conacher, who is set to come off his entry level deal at the end of this upcoming season, will be looking for NHL level money as all rookies who come off their entry level deals. Conacher was acquired at this past season's trade deadline from Tampa Bay for Ben Bishop. You better believe that management will definitely keep a close eye on Conacher to see how he performs. He had a phenomenal start last season leading the way to the Calder Cup before slowing down and paving the way for Jonathan Huberdeau from the Panthers to take the Calder Cup. Conacher did show flashes in Ottawa and is ultimately still a very young player learning the game at the NHL level. There is much more to learn, and who better to learn from than the Jack Adams winner, Paul MacLean.
My thoughts: Cory Conacher re-signs with Ottawa on a deal no more than $2 million AAV.
Colin Greening:
Similar to Conacher, I also see Colin Greening returning to Ottawa. He likes Ottawa, Ottawa likes him. I don't see Greening's demand for money being a factor in this, and it shouldn't be. Greening has played well in these past two seasons, so I am pretty certain that he'll be back to the team he's played his whole career with.
My thoughts: Colin Greening will be back in Ottawa. However, I don't see the deal being any more than $1.5 million AAV. I could even see Greening taking a pay cut to stay in Ottawa, to be honest.
Robin Lehner:
Ah, Robin Lehner, the FUTURE of the Ottawa Senators. I think that line in itself should tell you if he will be back in Ottawa or not. Lehner, who is coming off his entry level deal will certainly be asking for more money than all these players listed, as well as he should. His play has been exceptional especially this past season. He's been an anchor in the AHL the past few seasons, and is set to see his role increase as he will officially become the backup to Craig Anderson come October. Lehner is a lock to return to Ottawa, it will just be interesting to see how much Ottawa pays him. Remember, I've said numerous times that goalies are very difficult to predict when it comes to contract negotiations so this situation will be interesting to watch unfold.
My thoughts: Lehner will obviously be back in an Ottawa uniform next season. It will just be interesting to see how much longer the Senators ride Craig Anderson until the Sens turn to Robin Lehner. I see Lehner making anywhere from $3-3.5 million AAV maybe for a length of five seasons?
Eric Gryba:
Like I said before, Gryba is very much in the air, so this season will decide his career in Ottawa. Gryba is still developing but the Senators want to make sure that Gryba is the real deal before they make any further investments into him. All I can say is that, you'll have to sit back and watch how his play transforms as he seeks negotiations.
My thoughts: Gryba returns but in a much lower role than people will expect. I see him no more than a 3rd defensive pairing with glimpses of a 2nd pairing. I don't see Gryba being signed for anything over $900,000 AAV. He will have to let his play make his case in negotiations.
Funny part? This is just the Free Agents at the NHL level. The AHL level free agents are another story. Melnyk has decisions to make. He's tight on money, and there are a lot of players on this roster seeking money. Consider this an easy offseason Ottawa, the real head scratcher is in two years when Ottawa will have players like Bobby Ryan, Jason Spezza, Mika Zibanejad, JG Pageau, Craig Anderson, and all those other good players. Eugene, get ready to pull that wallet out and open the door, the money's knocking!
Worries Galore Part I: http://bit.ly/17pnpgE
Worries Galore Part II: http://bit.ly/122uzcr
Thanks for reading!
In Part I and II of Worries Galore, I talked about what the Ottawa Senators needed to address this offseason, and the worries that are looming on the wait for Patrick Wiercioch and Jared Cowen's contract extensions. If you want to find out more, I'll drop the links to both at the bottom. I've talked about this offseason, but there are also many questions left to be resolved in the future.
As of now, there are nine NHL level players coming off the books, and eleven AHL level players coming off. Let's take a look at the NHL level players coming off next offseason:
- Milan Michalek
- Cory Conacher
- Colin Greening
- James O' Brien
- Matt Kassian
- Chris Phillips
- Joe Corvo
- Eric Gryba
- Robin Lehner
I'm going to say it straight off the bat. Out of the nine NHL level players coming off the books next offseason, I see only four/five coming back. I personally don't see Kassian coming back. Most of us can probably agree that the Senators are handcuffed with him, and will have to deal with him for one more year before both parties can go their own ways. I don't see Jim O' Brien coming back either considering his lack of play this past season, and I don't see this one being any different barring any injuries. I hope that the Senators don't bring back Chris Phillips, and I don't think they will either. Although, he has been a leader on the Senators for numerous years, he's simply too old and doesn't fit with what Ottawa is trying to do, and his salary isn't Melnyk friendly, so I expect Ottawa to salute him out similar to the way they did to Gonchar. Joe Corvo and Eric Gryba are interesting cases simply because an extension will have to do with how well they play this season. I see Gryba having a slight advantage simply because of his age, and Corvo isn't getting any younger.
So, let's assume the players I just talked about don't return in 2014, you then have:
- Milan Michalek
- Cory Conacher
- Colin Greening
- Robin Lehner
- Eric Gryba*
Milan Michalek:
I think it'll be quite interesting to see what Ottawa does with Michalek. I think that the first half of the season will determine Michalek's future in Ottawa. Michalek has been plagued by injuries the past few seasons especially this offseason has he underwent knee surgery overseas. The reason I say that Michalek has the first half of the season is because if he doesn't come back from injury and plays like the Milan Michalek that Bryan Murray is expecting, then he'll look to deal him by the trade deadline. This could be the time to sell Michalek at a high and bring in some assets. On the other hand, Murray could keep him for the season if healthy and complementing the team well enough to help the Senators make the playoffs. Murray could then keep the scoring winger, and either sign him to an extension or let him walk. I personally think that if it got to this point, Ottawa would let him walk and look at someone younger.
My thoughts: Michalek sticks around for at least a year, and if anything, he gets a 2 year extension at most.
Cory Conacher:
I do believe that Conacher will be back with the team once his contract expires. Conacher, who is set to come off his entry level deal at the end of this upcoming season, will be looking for NHL level money as all rookies who come off their entry level deals. Conacher was acquired at this past season's trade deadline from Tampa Bay for Ben Bishop. You better believe that management will definitely keep a close eye on Conacher to see how he performs. He had a phenomenal start last season leading the way to the Calder Cup before slowing down and paving the way for Jonathan Huberdeau from the Panthers to take the Calder Cup. Conacher did show flashes in Ottawa and is ultimately still a very young player learning the game at the NHL level. There is much more to learn, and who better to learn from than the Jack Adams winner, Paul MacLean.
My thoughts: Cory Conacher re-signs with Ottawa on a deal no more than $2 million AAV.
Colin Greening:
Similar to Conacher, I also see Colin Greening returning to Ottawa. He likes Ottawa, Ottawa likes him. I don't see Greening's demand for money being a factor in this, and it shouldn't be. Greening has played well in these past two seasons, so I am pretty certain that he'll be back to the team he's played his whole career with.
My thoughts: Colin Greening will be back in Ottawa. However, I don't see the deal being any more than $1.5 million AAV. I could even see Greening taking a pay cut to stay in Ottawa, to be honest.
Robin Lehner:
Ah, Robin Lehner, the FUTURE of the Ottawa Senators. I think that line in itself should tell you if he will be back in Ottawa or not. Lehner, who is coming off his entry level deal will certainly be asking for more money than all these players listed, as well as he should. His play has been exceptional especially this past season. He's been an anchor in the AHL the past few seasons, and is set to see his role increase as he will officially become the backup to Craig Anderson come October. Lehner is a lock to return to Ottawa, it will just be interesting to see how much Ottawa pays him. Remember, I've said numerous times that goalies are very difficult to predict when it comes to contract negotiations so this situation will be interesting to watch unfold.
My thoughts: Lehner will obviously be back in an Ottawa uniform next season. It will just be interesting to see how much longer the Senators ride Craig Anderson until the Sens turn to Robin Lehner. I see Lehner making anywhere from $3-3.5 million AAV maybe for a length of five seasons?
Eric Gryba:
Like I said before, Gryba is very much in the air, so this season will decide his career in Ottawa. Gryba is still developing but the Senators want to make sure that Gryba is the real deal before they make any further investments into him. All I can say is that, you'll have to sit back and watch how his play transforms as he seeks negotiations.
My thoughts: Gryba returns but in a much lower role than people will expect. I see him no more than a 3rd defensive pairing with glimpses of a 2nd pairing. I don't see Gryba being signed for anything over $900,000 AAV. He will have to let his play make his case in negotiations.
Funny part? This is just the Free Agents at the NHL level. The AHL level free agents are another story. Melnyk has decisions to make. He's tight on money, and there are a lot of players on this roster seeking money. Consider this an easy offseason Ottawa, the real head scratcher is in two years when Ottawa will have players like Bobby Ryan, Jason Spezza, Mika Zibanejad, JG Pageau, Craig Anderson, and all those other good players. Eugene, get ready to pull that wallet out and open the door, the money's knocking!
Worries Galore Part I: http://bit.ly/17pnpgE
Worries Galore Part II: http://bit.ly/122uzcr
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Worries Galore Part 2
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
It's been fifty-six days since the Ottawa Senators played their final game of the 2012-2013 campaign, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference SemiFinals. It's been fourteen days since the Free Agency period began, and what a crazy fourteen days it's been. If you want to get all the details of what happened on Day 1, I'll drop the link below. For the most part, Ottawa has been able to bring in some great talent to compete and get a step closer to the thing every team competes for, the Stanley Cup. However, there are still some questions that still haven't been resolved by Ottawa management, and it's starting to become a bit worrisome. Bryan Murray has been able to retain:
- Forward, Erik Condra
- Forward, Mike Hoffman
- Forward, David Dziurzynski
- Defenseman, Mark Borowiecki
- Goalie, Nathan Lawson
Like I said, for the most part Bryan Murray locked up the players he felt would be a great fit with the direction the team is going. However, as you can see, all these players with the exception of Erik Condra are all AHL players. There are still two big names that need to sign the dotted line in Ottawa, and those two players are Defensemen, Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercioch. We already know that Ottawa wants them back without a doubt as these two players are well on their ways to making the roster come October. Cowen, who should've been in the NHL roster, was sidelined basically the whole season with injury, and Wiercioch came in relief and did well in his stint up with the Senators.
So, considering the fact, that both these players have proven that they are NHL ready, they will be asking for a higher dollar amount than they had before, especially Wiercioch who is coming off his entry level deal. Cowen is coming off a season highlighted by injury and sloppy play in the time he returned, so those will be highly detrimental in any negotiations he may try to have.
I'm curious to see what the asking prices are for both of these players. Ottawa has been pretty quiet on this front, and it's a bigger deal than many expect it to be considering the lack of depth in defense with the departure of Sergei Gonchar. As of now, the Senators only have five defensemen signed throughout the 2013-2014 season. I want to say that I'm almost a hundred percent sure that Murray will get them signed, but as we saw with Alfie, nothing is a guarantee, especially if the money is coming from Eugene Melnyk.
Worries Galore Part I : http://bit.ly/17pnpgE
Day 1 of Free Agency: http://bit.ly/15rIVAe
Thanks for reading!
It's been fifty-six days since the Ottawa Senators played their final game of the 2012-2013 campaign, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference SemiFinals. It's been fourteen days since the Free Agency period began, and what a crazy fourteen days it's been. If you want to get all the details of what happened on Day 1, I'll drop the link below. For the most part, Ottawa has been able to bring in some great talent to compete and get a step closer to the thing every team competes for, the Stanley Cup. However, there are still some questions that still haven't been resolved by Ottawa management, and it's starting to become a bit worrisome. Bryan Murray has been able to retain:
- Forward, Erik Condra
- Forward, Mike Hoffman
- Forward, David Dziurzynski
- Defenseman, Mark Borowiecki
- Goalie, Nathan Lawson
Like I said, for the most part Bryan Murray locked up the players he felt would be a great fit with the direction the team is going. However, as you can see, all these players with the exception of Erik Condra are all AHL players. There are still two big names that need to sign the dotted line in Ottawa, and those two players are Defensemen, Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercioch. We already know that Ottawa wants them back without a doubt as these two players are well on their ways to making the roster come October. Cowen, who should've been in the NHL roster, was sidelined basically the whole season with injury, and Wiercioch came in relief and did well in his stint up with the Senators.
So, considering the fact, that both these players have proven that they are NHL ready, they will be asking for a higher dollar amount than they had before, especially Wiercioch who is coming off his entry level deal. Cowen is coming off a season highlighted by injury and sloppy play in the time he returned, so those will be highly detrimental in any negotiations he may try to have.
I'm curious to see what the asking prices are for both of these players. Ottawa has been pretty quiet on this front, and it's a bigger deal than many expect it to be considering the lack of depth in defense with the departure of Sergei Gonchar. As of now, the Senators only have five defensemen signed throughout the 2013-2014 season. I want to say that I'm almost a hundred percent sure that Murray will get them signed, but as we saw with Alfie, nothing is a guarantee, especially if the money is coming from Eugene Melnyk.
Worries Galore Part I : http://bit.ly/17pnpgE
Day 1 of Free Agency: http://bit.ly/15rIVAe
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Carmelo & LeBron to LA in 2014?
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
The 2013 offseason hasn't even concluded yet, and many people are already looking forward to the 2014 offseason. This offseason was headlined by Dwight Howard and where he would ultimately end up going to. Would he stay in LA with the Black Mamba? Would he choose to go elsewhere? Dwight chose Houston. Ultimately, this duo was nothing compared to what Kobe and Shaq once were. At the beginning of the season, many critics had the Lakers as favorites to make a trip to the NBA Finals after the acquisitions of PG, Steve Nash and C, Dwight Howard. Many people also compared Nash, Bryant, and Howard to the Big 3 across the country in South Beach. This was simply a roster put together that seemed great on paper, but not when put in action. It was quite strange to see the Lakers bring in Steve Nash simply because for years, we've seen Kobe take over the PG position and take control of games. Some may argue that Kobe is even a ball hog, but when you have the talent that Kobe has, I think you have the right to hold on to the ball a little more. Dwight was never able to be the Dwight Howard we all are used to seeing. Let's take a look at Dwight's past three seasons:
2010-2011:
37.5 MPG
22.9 PPG
14.1 RPG
0.596 FT%
2011-2012:
38.3 MPG
20.6 PPG
14.5 RPG
0.491 FT%
2012-2013:
35.8 MPG
17.1 PPG
12.4 RPG
0.492 FT%
We see that Howard had his minutes per game decrease the past two seasons as well as his PPG, RPG, and FT%. Some may argue that it was due to his back issues and the injuries that sidelined him this past season. I'll argue that Howard was never a match in LA. So, what's my point? Dwight Howard needs to be the man in charge on whatever team he plays for. Howard needs to be heavily involved to be effective in games, and with Kobe and Nash in the picture, that simply wasn't going to happen. This ultimately leads me to the point of the blog.
Next offseason, teams will be very interested as the Free Agent market will be headlined by All Stars, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. I have been mainly talking about the Lakers in this blog simply because there has been a rumor that the Lakers want to reel in both players. Carmelo and LeBron have two things in common, and that is they ultimately want to win NBA Championships! LeBron has won two straight in Miami, while Carmelo is still seeking to win his first. Another thing that both these players have in common is that they both need the ball in their hands, just like Kobe. Now, I will argue that none of these players can fit into a team with Kobe's style of play, as well as his play after an Achilles tendon injury. This year will speak volumes in the decision making for both Carmelo and LeBron.
What do I think?
I don't even know! I could very well see Carmelo staying put in NY. I think he has found his niche with all the fans at Madison Square Garden as well as with the players. I think he likes the direction and believes that they're not too far from a ring. However, I can see him getting paid A LOT of money elsewhere on a team who is trying to make a serious push. It'll be interesting to see what Carmelo decides.
On the other hand, I can see LeBron staying put or going elsewhere. LeBron is unarguably the best player in the NBA, so he will definitely have a crap load of money coming his way if he decides to hit the market instead of re-signing with the Heat. People tend to ask, why would LeBron leave the team he got his only two rings with? The answer is simply, Dwyane Wade is aging pretty quickly and injuries are starting to catch him every season now. We all know D-Wade can still play, but in order to repeat for another championship, the Heat need him at 100% and nothing less than that. Also, we don't know what the future holds for Chris Bosh. I would say he's "underperformed" this past season, which raises many questions in the Miami front office. I could see LeBron staying, but I can see him also going elsewhere. I just simply don't see Carmelo and LeBron getting anywhere near LA. Kobe isn't getting any younger, and who knows how much Nash has left in his tank, but that's all that the Lakers have left. Imagine him going back to Cleveland, and playing alongside Kyrie Irving?! Okay, Okay, I got ahead of myself for a second, but anything can happen.A Food For Thought, if Dwight Howard wasn't the solution, then what will be? I just don't see there being room for more egos on the Lakers. We have one more season before anything is set in stone, so let the wait until next offseason commence!
Thanks for reading!
The 2013 offseason hasn't even concluded yet, and many people are already looking forward to the 2014 offseason. This offseason was headlined by Dwight Howard and where he would ultimately end up going to. Would he stay in LA with the Black Mamba? Would he choose to go elsewhere? Dwight chose Houston. Ultimately, this duo was nothing compared to what Kobe and Shaq once were. At the beginning of the season, many critics had the Lakers as favorites to make a trip to the NBA Finals after the acquisitions of PG, Steve Nash and C, Dwight Howard. Many people also compared Nash, Bryant, and Howard to the Big 3 across the country in South Beach. This was simply a roster put together that seemed great on paper, but not when put in action. It was quite strange to see the Lakers bring in Steve Nash simply because for years, we've seen Kobe take over the PG position and take control of games. Some may argue that Kobe is even a ball hog, but when you have the talent that Kobe has, I think you have the right to hold on to the ball a little more. Dwight was never able to be the Dwight Howard we all are used to seeing. Let's take a look at Dwight's past three seasons:
2010-2011:
37.5 MPG
22.9 PPG
14.1 RPG
0.596 FT%
2011-2012:
38.3 MPG
20.6 PPG
14.5 RPG
0.491 FT%
2012-2013:
35.8 MPG
17.1 PPG
12.4 RPG
0.492 FT%
We see that Howard had his minutes per game decrease the past two seasons as well as his PPG, RPG, and FT%. Some may argue that it was due to his back issues and the injuries that sidelined him this past season. I'll argue that Howard was never a match in LA. So, what's my point? Dwight Howard needs to be the man in charge on whatever team he plays for. Howard needs to be heavily involved to be effective in games, and with Kobe and Nash in the picture, that simply wasn't going to happen. This ultimately leads me to the point of the blog.
Next offseason, teams will be very interested as the Free Agent market will be headlined by All Stars, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. I have been mainly talking about the Lakers in this blog simply because there has been a rumor that the Lakers want to reel in both players. Carmelo and LeBron have two things in common, and that is they ultimately want to win NBA Championships! LeBron has won two straight in Miami, while Carmelo is still seeking to win his first. Another thing that both these players have in common is that they both need the ball in their hands, just like Kobe. Now, I will argue that none of these players can fit into a team with Kobe's style of play, as well as his play after an Achilles tendon injury. This year will speak volumes in the decision making for both Carmelo and LeBron.
What do I think?
I don't even know! I could very well see Carmelo staying put in NY. I think he has found his niche with all the fans at Madison Square Garden as well as with the players. I think he likes the direction and believes that they're not too far from a ring. However, I can see him getting paid A LOT of money elsewhere on a team who is trying to make a serious push. It'll be interesting to see what Carmelo decides.
On the other hand, I can see LeBron staying put or going elsewhere. LeBron is unarguably the best player in the NBA, so he will definitely have a crap load of money coming his way if he decides to hit the market instead of re-signing with the Heat. People tend to ask, why would LeBron leave the team he got his only two rings with? The answer is simply, Dwyane Wade is aging pretty quickly and injuries are starting to catch him every season now. We all know D-Wade can still play, but in order to repeat for another championship, the Heat need him at 100% and nothing less than that. Also, we don't know what the future holds for Chris Bosh. I would say he's "underperformed" this past season, which raises many questions in the Miami front office. I could see LeBron staying, but I can see him also going elsewhere. I just simply don't see Carmelo and LeBron getting anywhere near LA. Kobe isn't getting any younger, and who knows how much Nash has left in his tank, but that's all that the Lakers have left. Imagine him going back to Cleveland, and playing alongside Kyrie Irving?! Okay, Okay, I got ahead of myself for a second, but anything can happen.A Food For Thought, if Dwight Howard wasn't the solution, then what will be? I just don't see there being room for more egos on the Lakers. We have one more season before anything is set in stone, so let the wait until next offseason commence!
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Puck possession vs. Goal scoring players
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
Much debate has risen about the topic of a puck possession player vs. a goal scorer. Although, many people believe that acquiring a goal scorer seems to be the most important item on many GM's lists, should it be the top thing that a team should look at? Fans tend to overlook the background of a goal and just focus on the goal scorer rather than how the play was set up. No one will talk about who exactly carried the puck over the blue line into the offensive zone, but instead they'll zoom in all their attention on the goal scorer and the goal itself. This situation is similar to pitching in baseball. The closing pitcher doesn't earn a save unless he gets support from his starting pitcher, relievers, and ultimately has to get some run support as well, but you get my point. Without the puck moving forward/defenseman gaining the zone, the goal scorer doesn't even get a chance to score. Let's take a closer look at the Top 5 puck possession players in the NHL by looking at their individual Corsi to figure out how much time they held the puck, and then we'll look at the Top 5 goal scorers in the NHL this past season.
Top 5 Puck Possession Players 2012-2013:
1. Max Pacioretty
2. Alex Ovechkin
3. Evander Kane
4. Brendan Gallagher
5. Erik Karlsson
In this short list, we are already exposed to some great players, as we see Ovechkin, Evander Kane, and Erik Karlsson mentioned above. Am I saying that just because these people are on these lists, they aren't scorers? Not at all! Let's take a look at Ovechkin's stats the past three seasons:
2010-2011- 85 points, (32G, 53A) 23.290 Corsi
2011-2012- 65 points, (38g, 27A) 21.258 Corsi
2012-2013*- 56 points, (32G, 24 points) 21.687 Corsi
The asterisk is just to note that it was a shortened season. However, let's take a look at Ovechkin's Corsi the past three seasons. We can obviously see that the 2011-2012 was a down season for Ovechkin as he almost surpassed his point amount the following season as it was a shortened season as well. If we look at the 2010-2011 campaign along with the 2012-2013 campaign, we see that the more involved he is in the point department is direct result from his puck possession numbers. Ovechkin is one of the best players to gain the zone with his speed and stickhandling that is off this planet. The better Ovechkin's puck possession time numbers are, the more the reflect on his individual statistics.
Let's take a look at another player whose puck possession numbers have simply increased since the day he stepped into the NHL, and that is Erik Karlsson. Let's take a look at his first three seasons in the NHL.
2010-2011- 45 points, (13G, 32A) 12.242 Corsi
2011-2012- 78 points, (19G, 59A) 15.099 Corsi
2012-2013*- 14 points, (6G, 8A) 21.090 Corsi
The asterisk is because Karlsson suffered that Achilles tendon injury which sidelined him nearly the whole season which is why the point levels are at an extreme low, so for our sake, we'll be mostly looking at the first two seasons. We see the clear difference in points between the 2010-2011 campaign and 2011-2012 as he went on to win the Norris Trophy that season. However, once again his stats between his first two seasons was a direct result of his puck possession abilities. If anyone looked at Erik Karlsson two seasons ago and his role on the Senators, you'd see how much of a PG he actually was. The whole offense revolved around him, and Karlsson made very few mistakes with the puck.
Now, let's take a look at last season's top goal scorers:
Top 5 Goal Scorers in 2012-2013:
1.Alex Ovechkin (32G)
2. Steven Stamkos (29G)
3. John Tavares (28G)
4. Jeff Carter (26G)
5. Patrick Kane (23G)
Ovechkin is one of those fortunate ones to make both lists which makes is what makes him an elite hockey player. However, let's take a look at one of the NHL's proven premier goal scorers in Steven Stamkos the past three seasons.
Steven Stamkos 5v5 EV STR Corsi+Stats:
2010-2011 - 50 points, (26G, 24A) 16.244 Corsi
2011-2012 - 63 points, (41G, 22A) 15.079 Corsi
2012-2013 - 30 points, (14G, 16A) 14.511 Corsi
Stamkos is an interesting case simply because Tampa hasn't been really good which also reflects in Stamkos' performance. Now that Lecavalier is gone, the spotlight is all on him, and with a very quiet offseason for the Lightning, teams will be more aggressive towards Stamkos simply hindering his puck possession abilities. The past three seasons, Stamkos' Corsi on 5v5 has dropped. Could it be just a matter of teams learning his style of play? I believe that it's just that Stamkos is nothing more than a sniper, and has to rely on his teammates to carry it into the zone in order for Stamkos to find the back of the net.
Ultimately, this brings us back to the big question, who would YOU want on YOUR team? I'm not necessarily saying that all puck possession wingers will turn out to be scorers as well, but they do make teams better without a doubt!
My 2 cents? As much as I'd love to have that Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, etc. I'd have to say that I would much rather have smaller pieces excel in puck possession and play the background to a potential goal scorer. This league is all about putting the puck into the opponent's net, and keeping pucks out of yours, but how is the puck getting into the offensive zone? Once again, a closing pitcher in baseball cannot earn a save without a little help from his batters and his pitchers, and a goal scorer cannot score without a puck moving forward/defenseman there to help him gain the zone.
Thanks for reading!
Much debate has risen about the topic of a puck possession player vs. a goal scorer. Although, many people believe that acquiring a goal scorer seems to be the most important item on many GM's lists, should it be the top thing that a team should look at? Fans tend to overlook the background of a goal and just focus on the goal scorer rather than how the play was set up. No one will talk about who exactly carried the puck over the blue line into the offensive zone, but instead they'll zoom in all their attention on the goal scorer and the goal itself. This situation is similar to pitching in baseball. The closing pitcher doesn't earn a save unless he gets support from his starting pitcher, relievers, and ultimately has to get some run support as well, but you get my point. Without the puck moving forward/defenseman gaining the zone, the goal scorer doesn't even get a chance to score. Let's take a closer look at the Top 5 puck possession players in the NHL by looking at their individual Corsi to figure out how much time they held the puck, and then we'll look at the Top 5 goal scorers in the NHL this past season.
Top 5 Puck Possession Players 2012-2013:
1. Max Pacioretty
2. Alex Ovechkin
3. Evander Kane
4. Brendan Gallagher
5. Erik Karlsson
In this short list, we are already exposed to some great players, as we see Ovechkin, Evander Kane, and Erik Karlsson mentioned above. Am I saying that just because these people are on these lists, they aren't scorers? Not at all! Let's take a look at Ovechkin's stats the past three seasons:
Alex Ovechkin 5v5 EV STR Corsi+Stats:
2010-2011- 85 points, (32G, 53A) 23.290 Corsi
2011-2012- 65 points, (38g, 27A) 21.258 Corsi
2012-2013*- 56 points, (32G, 24 points) 21.687 Corsi
The asterisk is just to note that it was a shortened season. However, let's take a look at Ovechkin's Corsi the past three seasons. We can obviously see that the 2011-2012 was a down season for Ovechkin as he almost surpassed his point amount the following season as it was a shortened season as well. If we look at the 2010-2011 campaign along with the 2012-2013 campaign, we see that the more involved he is in the point department is direct result from his puck possession numbers. Ovechkin is one of the best players to gain the zone with his speed and stickhandling that is off this planet. The better Ovechkin's puck possession time numbers are, the more the reflect on his individual statistics.
Let's take a look at another player whose puck possession numbers have simply increased since the day he stepped into the NHL, and that is Erik Karlsson. Let's take a look at his first three seasons in the NHL.
Erik Karlsson 5v5 EV STR Corsi + Stats:
2010-2011- 45 points, (13G, 32A) 12.242 Corsi
2011-2012- 78 points, (19G, 59A) 15.099 Corsi
2012-2013*- 14 points, (6G, 8A) 21.090 Corsi
The asterisk is because Karlsson suffered that Achilles tendon injury which sidelined him nearly the whole season which is why the point levels are at an extreme low, so for our sake, we'll be mostly looking at the first two seasons. We see the clear difference in points between the 2010-2011 campaign and 2011-2012 as he went on to win the Norris Trophy that season. However, once again his stats between his first two seasons was a direct result of his puck possession abilities. If anyone looked at Erik Karlsson two seasons ago and his role on the Senators, you'd see how much of a PG he actually was. The whole offense revolved around him, and Karlsson made very few mistakes with the puck.
Now, let's take a look at last season's top goal scorers:
Top 5 Goal Scorers in 2012-2013:
1.Alex Ovechkin (32G)
2. Steven Stamkos (29G)
3. John Tavares (28G)
4. Jeff Carter (26G)
5. Patrick Kane (23G)
Ovechkin is one of those fortunate ones to make both lists which makes is what makes him an elite hockey player. However, let's take a look at one of the NHL's proven premier goal scorers in Steven Stamkos the past three seasons.
Steven Stamkos 5v5 EV STR Corsi+Stats:
2010-2011 - 50 points, (26G, 24A) 16.244 Corsi
2011-2012 - 63 points, (41G, 22A) 15.079 Corsi
2012-2013 - 30 points, (14G, 16A) 14.511 Corsi
Stamkos is an interesting case simply because Tampa hasn't been really good which also reflects in Stamkos' performance. Now that Lecavalier is gone, the spotlight is all on him, and with a very quiet offseason for the Lightning, teams will be more aggressive towards Stamkos simply hindering his puck possession abilities. The past three seasons, Stamkos' Corsi on 5v5 has dropped. Could it be just a matter of teams learning his style of play? I believe that it's just that Stamkos is nothing more than a sniper, and has to rely on his teammates to carry it into the zone in order for Stamkos to find the back of the net.
Ultimately, this brings us back to the big question, who would YOU want on YOUR team? I'm not necessarily saying that all puck possession wingers will turn out to be scorers as well, but they do make teams better without a doubt!
My 2 cents? As much as I'd love to have that Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, etc. I'd have to say that I would much rather have smaller pieces excel in puck possession and play the background to a potential goal scorer. This league is all about putting the puck into the opponent's net, and keeping pucks out of yours, but how is the puck getting into the offensive zone? Once again, a closing pitcher in baseball cannot earn a save without a little help from his batters and his pitchers, and a goal scorer cannot score without a puck moving forward/defenseman there to help him gain the zone.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, July 12, 2013
Looking at Offense
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @a_santiago1517!
A few days ago, I outlined the Senators' defense and how the look would look like come the beginning of the season barring any other moves. ICYMI, I'll drop the link below. Now, I'd like to switch gears and look at the offense, and see what Ottawa has at the moment, and what my opinion would be on line pairings. I'm going to do something a little different however. This time around, I'll give my opinion of the line pairings we could see deployed on Day 1, and the reasoning behind it. Before all that though, let's see what pieces we are working with. The Ottawa Senators' roster on offense looks like this:
1. Jason Spezza
2. Bobby Ryan
3. Milan Michalek
4. Chris Neil
5. Kyle Turris
6. Clarke MacArthur
7. Zack Smith**
8. Erik Condra(just signed a two year deal today.)
9. Cory Conacher
10. Colin Greening
11. Matt Kassian
12. Jim O' Brien( Don't see him on the roster, however.)
13. Mika Zibanejad *
14. Jean-Gabriel Pageau *
Notes:
-You may see that I have two asterisks next to Zack Smith. The reasoning behind it is because his name has been floated around in a trade possibility for quite sometime now. The most common one being linked to a possible trade between Edmonton and Ottawa. The most common thing I've heard is a Hemsky-Smith trade; however, once again, this rumor has been floating around for quite sometime now, so I'm not sure if this move will ever be triggered or not. I do believe Ottawa is trying to shop Smith nonetheless.
-You will see simply one asterisk between my last two players on this list which are, Mika Zibanejad and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Although, they are listed as AHL players on the roster, I think that their play last season did more than just give Ottawa the reason to promote them full-time to the NHL roster.
- There are obviously more players that can be included on this list as we know that Ottawa does an exceptional job with their prospects so you can see any of the young players from Binghamton make the move at any moment. These are just the NHL-ready players at the moment in my opinion.
With that being said, let's take a look at what I believe we will see come Day 1 of the season barring any further moves:
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris- Pageau
Conacher-Zibanejad-Neil
Kassian-Greening-Condra
Now, for some thoughts:
1st Line: Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
Basically, the line you'd expect to see deployed. Ottawa's top paid forwards/ best forwards are expected to tack on the heaviest minutes against the opponent's top lines. Also, this is basically the same line we've seen for the past couple of seasons other than the significant change of former Captain, Daniel Alfredsson who is now replaced by newly acquired winger, Bobby Ryan. This will be the line that will come out when Ottawa is seeking the most offense. However, the loss of Alfredsson is a HUGE one. Bobby Ryan has big shoes to fill as he looks to fill in the shoes of an icon in Ottawa. I'm curious to see how this line plays defensively and if they can stay healthy. We know that the past couple of seasons Spezza and Michalek have been taken down with injuries and it's hurt Ottawa to an extent, but Head Coach, Paul MacLean was always finding ways to continue to win. Alfredsson was a great defensive player as well, as him and Condra were great penalty killers. Alfredsson brought this line together. It'll be interesting to see the chemistry between this line. Keep a close eye on them.
2nd Line: MacArthur-Turris- Pageau
I may get some reactions on this line, but hear me out on it. Clarke MacArthur is a proven scorer but has been on the decline the past few seasons. Jean-Gabriel Pageau emerged against Montreal in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs recording his first career NHL hat-trick. There's some guy whose name is Kyle Turris on this line as well. I think all of you know him as well. I don't need to say anything else on him. So why am I saying that two players that have been on the decline should be considered Top 6 forwards? Bottom line, Paul MacLean will make it work! Since MacLean made his coaching debut and came to Ottawa two seasons ago, he has made a roster full of young talents believers! I also believe that this line will supplement the first line quite nicely as well. Murray wanted to address the scoring need this offseason, and hauling in Clarke MacArthur will help this second line a lot.
3rd Line: Conacher-Zibanejad-Neil
The almost Calder Line! GM Bryan Murray has made it clear that he'd like to see Zibanejad play Center this season. Cory Conacher is rebounding off a solid rookie season last year, and is looking to make a bigger impact this season. Conacher, who had a great start to the season last year, slowed down the second half of the season before being traded from Tampa Bay to Ottawa in exchange for netminder, Ben Bishop at the trade deadline. Neil is a solid third liner and he is proven to have success when paired with Zibanejad so it would make sense to pair him with Zibanejad and ride the wave. He is also a good addition to the forecheck as he brings in his solid, gritty play, and hard hits to the table. Also, would you really want to see Neil and Kassian as wingers on the 4th line? I didn't think so. This combination would make the most sense, in my opinion.
4th Line: Kassian-Greening-Condra
To be honest, I hope that Ottawa can make a move to bring in another bottom six player to replace Kassian because I don't think it's bearable to watch him anymore. On the other side, you have two great penalty killers in Greening and Condra. With Alfredsson gone, Condra is now the team's top penalty killer and Ottawa did a great job in re-signing him before he made it to the arbitration hearing. He's a very important piece in this lineup. The only reason why I have Condra on the 4th line is simply because of his success with Colin Greening. Also, you'd tend to assume that he'd be getting most of his minutes from the penalty kill. I look at Condra as the anchor of this line and his presence adds some much needed defensive help on this line, and aside from Kassian, it really isn't a bad line overall. Then again, that is without Kassian, and as of now he still wears an Ottawa uniform, so they are stuck with him. There could also be the possibility of seeing Zack Smith on this line in place of Kassian, but that's if Ottawa doesn't move him by that time.
There you have it, this is my look at the Ottawa offense. I really think Ottawa has something great here especially with the additions of Bobby Ryan and Clarke MacArthur. From the first line all the way to the fourth line, they can all play. I'd like to see Murray bring in a bottom six forward, mostly to replace Kassian, but this lineup isn't too bad, and once again if we don't think it'll work, watch Paul MacLean make it work!
Here's the link to my previous blog, where I take a look at Defense -- http://antoniosantiago15.blogspot.com/2013/07/looking-at-defense_10.html
Thanks for reading!
A few days ago, I outlined the Senators' defense and how the look would look like come the beginning of the season barring any other moves. ICYMI, I'll drop the link below. Now, I'd like to switch gears and look at the offense, and see what Ottawa has at the moment, and what my opinion would be on line pairings. I'm going to do something a little different however. This time around, I'll give my opinion of the line pairings we could see deployed on Day 1, and the reasoning behind it. Before all that though, let's see what pieces we are working with. The Ottawa Senators' roster on offense looks like this:
1. Jason Spezza
2. Bobby Ryan
3. Milan Michalek
4. Chris Neil
5. Kyle Turris
6. Clarke MacArthur
7. Zack Smith**
8. Erik Condra(just signed a two year deal today.)
9. Cory Conacher
10. Colin Greening
11. Matt Kassian
12. Jim O' Brien( Don't see him on the roster, however.)
13. Mika Zibanejad *
14. Jean-Gabriel Pageau *
Notes:
-You may see that I have two asterisks next to Zack Smith. The reasoning behind it is because his name has been floated around in a trade possibility for quite sometime now. The most common one being linked to a possible trade between Edmonton and Ottawa. The most common thing I've heard is a Hemsky-Smith trade; however, once again, this rumor has been floating around for quite sometime now, so I'm not sure if this move will ever be triggered or not. I do believe Ottawa is trying to shop Smith nonetheless.
-You will see simply one asterisk between my last two players on this list which are, Mika Zibanejad and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Although, they are listed as AHL players on the roster, I think that their play last season did more than just give Ottawa the reason to promote them full-time to the NHL roster.
- There are obviously more players that can be included on this list as we know that Ottawa does an exceptional job with their prospects so you can see any of the young players from Binghamton make the move at any moment. These are just the NHL-ready players at the moment in my opinion.
With that being said, let's take a look at what I believe we will see come Day 1 of the season barring any further moves:
Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris- Pageau
Conacher-Zibanejad-Neil
Kassian-Greening-Condra
Now, for some thoughts:
1st Line: Michalek-Spezza-Ryan
Basically, the line you'd expect to see deployed. Ottawa's top paid forwards/ best forwards are expected to tack on the heaviest minutes against the opponent's top lines. Also, this is basically the same line we've seen for the past couple of seasons other than the significant change of former Captain, Daniel Alfredsson who is now replaced by newly acquired winger, Bobby Ryan. This will be the line that will come out when Ottawa is seeking the most offense. However, the loss of Alfredsson is a HUGE one. Bobby Ryan has big shoes to fill as he looks to fill in the shoes of an icon in Ottawa. I'm curious to see how this line plays defensively and if they can stay healthy. We know that the past couple of seasons Spezza and Michalek have been taken down with injuries and it's hurt Ottawa to an extent, but Head Coach, Paul MacLean was always finding ways to continue to win. Alfredsson was a great defensive player as well, as him and Condra were great penalty killers. Alfredsson brought this line together. It'll be interesting to see the chemistry between this line. Keep a close eye on them.
2nd Line: MacArthur-Turris- Pageau
I may get some reactions on this line, but hear me out on it. Clarke MacArthur is a proven scorer but has been on the decline the past few seasons. Jean-Gabriel Pageau emerged against Montreal in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs recording his first career NHL hat-trick. There's some guy whose name is Kyle Turris on this line as well. I think all of you know him as well. I don't need to say anything else on him. So why am I saying that two players that have been on the decline should be considered Top 6 forwards? Bottom line, Paul MacLean will make it work! Since MacLean made his coaching debut and came to Ottawa two seasons ago, he has made a roster full of young talents believers! I also believe that this line will supplement the first line quite nicely as well. Murray wanted to address the scoring need this offseason, and hauling in Clarke MacArthur will help this second line a lot.
3rd Line: Conacher-Zibanejad-Neil
The almost Calder Line! GM Bryan Murray has made it clear that he'd like to see Zibanejad play Center this season. Cory Conacher is rebounding off a solid rookie season last year, and is looking to make a bigger impact this season. Conacher, who had a great start to the season last year, slowed down the second half of the season before being traded from Tampa Bay to Ottawa in exchange for netminder, Ben Bishop at the trade deadline. Neil is a solid third liner and he is proven to have success when paired with Zibanejad so it would make sense to pair him with Zibanejad and ride the wave. He is also a good addition to the forecheck as he brings in his solid, gritty play, and hard hits to the table. Also, would you really want to see Neil and Kassian as wingers on the 4th line? I didn't think so. This combination would make the most sense, in my opinion.
4th Line: Kassian-Greening-Condra
To be honest, I hope that Ottawa can make a move to bring in another bottom six player to replace Kassian because I don't think it's bearable to watch him anymore. On the other side, you have two great penalty killers in Greening and Condra. With Alfredsson gone, Condra is now the team's top penalty killer and Ottawa did a great job in re-signing him before he made it to the arbitration hearing. He's a very important piece in this lineup. The only reason why I have Condra on the 4th line is simply because of his success with Colin Greening. Also, you'd tend to assume that he'd be getting most of his minutes from the penalty kill. I look at Condra as the anchor of this line and his presence adds some much needed defensive help on this line, and aside from Kassian, it really isn't a bad line overall. Then again, that is without Kassian, and as of now he still wears an Ottawa uniform, so they are stuck with him. There could also be the possibility of seeing Zack Smith on this line in place of Kassian, but that's if Ottawa doesn't move him by that time.
There you have it, this is my look at the Ottawa offense. I really think Ottawa has something great here especially with the additions of Bobby Ryan and Clarke MacArthur. From the first line all the way to the fourth line, they can all play. I'd like to see Murray bring in a bottom six forward, mostly to replace Kassian, but this lineup isn't too bad, and once again if we don't think it'll work, watch Paul MacLean make it work!
Here's the link to my previous blog, where I take a look at Defense -- http://antoniosantiago15.blogspot.com/2013/07/looking-at-defense_10.html
Thanks for reading!
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