SensViking

What's Alfie been doing tonight?

Realistically Cowen's just not on the table but Zibby has had trade talk all over him since last year. Personally I was surprised that Silfverberg got sent the other way in the Ryan deal and not Zibby but who knows. Truthfully I am waiting for another Pavol Demitra to come back and bite us. What we didn't have room for THAT guy? I guess my my thoughts would be Mantha for Zibby. We don't need another D prospect and you have no other firsts to dangle. Also I don't think a first round pick in this years draft for Zibby is good value because it would be a low 1st rounder- thank you Alfie for that. So while it might be interesting I just am not seeing Detroit and Ottawa as dance partners.

Ok, Zibby's a first round pick 6th.....and it's not a fire sale and Mantha's a first round pick #20. What other first round pick do you have to dangle? We don't want Franzen,Cleary,Sammy,Emmerton,Smith,Bert,Quincey,anyone on the IR. We do need a first round pick this year so a good prospect and your first?

What would you give up in return realistically? Mantha?

underrated PKer in Ottawa, we just expected him to do it all and he did. He just put the team on his back. There's no slow start to this guy- I'll bet it never occured to him. Amazing compete level. How is it that you guys make a 5-3 PK look like 5-5? No panic,no scramble.....just wow.

I won't....Orr just beat Parros up with one punch and stole his lunch money, that's the life of a goon. Poor Montreal they all just got 2"smaller. I do hope he's ok though.

Yes, you are right. Toronto was handcuffed into paying him what the market will bear. They can't afford to lose him this soon into their 9 year rebuild for nothing-and no one to replace him. Management did what they had to do-the leverage was all Kessel's. I don't think he bleeds blue maple leafs and they knew it. I just am not convinced that it is good value for Toronto.

Great point: <Quote>This is not a shot at the Senators, I would react the same if Holland called out a prospect via the media, I just don't like that stuff. Yes, they are pros but these guys are also young, so having patience and thinking about the stuff one is saying to the media shouldn't be to much to ask. Murray could have told the media "we had a one on one conversation and I told him how we came to this decision, thats all I am going to tell you" --> same effect but a much friendlier tone and you don't throw your player under the bus. ​Simple as it is I just don't think that would have occurred to the Sens management and as history has shown these gaffes repeat themselves time and again. You have Alfie to prove it. How they managed to insult such a proud and honest man is beyond me but to get back to the thread it speaks to the Zibby situation and how they treat their players.

Sure Kessel followed the money and got it but he will never be considered one of the greats of the game. Toronto paid him the me,me,me money. I bet Yzerman could have taken the same path but chose to sacrifice pure goal scoring for a more team 2 way game. Alfredsson is a better 2 way player, so is Datsyuk(in addition to being brilliant). I'd never pick Kessel over Alfie or Z, or D. Kessel's contract is not going to help win Toronto a cup.

Believe me we're 'special'. We say special things and have special ideas but there hasn't been one good or new idea in this town in decades. Honestly it is a nice,safe city but cripes you think no one has ever left, seen it done better elsewhere and brought that magic back. Now I like my Sens and Melnyks internal cap come from his PERSONAL and BUSINESS life bleeding money not the Sens. I personally think he needs a partner or something because the day is going to come when some of our talent are going to be due for raises in the next couple of years and what then? Why did Murray out Zibby publicly? What else could he do? Say what he did behind closed doors and then say what to the fans? Uhhhm,ahhhh, it was a team decision? I'm not saying it was pretty but it is what it is. Look at what Kadri has gone through and it seems to have worked ugly as it was. Ottawa has never had the luxury of letting their fruit get overripe like Detroit and it seems they have a lot to learn from the Wings philosophy- getting MacLean was a brilliant start and if there was one team I'd model the Sens after it would be the Wings.

Yup, this pretty much sums it up except for the term. 8 years? This is a 26 year old playing in the body of a 42 year old. He may be fast but he always looks about 2 breaths short of a heart attack sitting on the bench. I just can't see him maintaining that level of play for the duration of this contract and 8 years will only make him 34 when its over.

Isn't Ottawa special? There must be something in the water here that causes the city to run itself like the keystone cops and the Senators shooting themselves in the foot every couple of years-see Alfredsson,Healtey. Add in the Melnyk divorce (that had to cost $$$$$), selling his biovail shares at a bad time, and a nasty fight with the city over a soccer/shopping complex/casino-all failed bids. Wow-cue the monkey with the organ. Now to Zibby- yes it is a numbers game, he has a two way contract. Yes- his compete level this year has been suspect. He's had a strange transition to the NHL. Fist year he gets a look and is sent back to Sweeden under the agreement that he'd be on the top line and his game and responsibilities expanded. His team Djurgården had a terrible year and none of those things happened. Last year was lockout and he only played 20+ game in Binghampton and was injured. Lockout ends and he's called up because of a TON of injuries. Where has he's competed and proven himself against healthy competition? Circumstances haven't allowed it ​Fast forward to this year-full competitive camp and he's floating along maybe resting on his laurels. Guys with one way contracts and other issues want it more. It'll be good for Zibby to go down and define who he is and what he can bring. I think Murray is being honest with him and setting the tone for the other young guys- earn your place. Lord knows the Red Wings don't hand out rosters spots based on draft position! Seemed to work out ok for Spezza and Karlson both who howled over being demoted but were the better for it.

I am waiting on the edge of my seat for Alfie's regular season debut and I know this: Alfie is a thinking man playing hockey not a dump it and hope someone else retrieves it guy. He is THE master at keep away. He's so responsible with the puck that he's not going to throw it into the corner and say oh well I hope someone retrieves that. He's going to play cat and mouse with that puck until he has options. Guys are going to play hard to get that pass from him and good things are going to happen. If he wanted to mentor other players he could have stayed in Ottawa so I'm going to believe.

Ok, I see your point but.... Ottawa vs.NYR in the 2012 playoffs and Boyle takes liberties with Karlsson. Alfredsson blows a gasket and cross checks Rinaldo to the face. None of these are enforcers. Carkner takes Boyle to school in an epic beatdown. Everything calms down and we get back to hockey and the Sens lose in 7. Ottawa still lost. Carkner never fought another enforcer in that series and left as a UFA to fade into hockey's wilderness. How did Carkner change the outcome of that series other than making the highlights at 11pm? Ottawa was still beaten by skill.

I'm really looking forward to this season with the Wings adding Alfie to the mix. As I've stated previously I see good things for the Wings so my question is: The Wings IMHO seem to concern themselves with how they play not the other team-they focus on skill not shenanigans-hence no true enforcer(s). Why change that? Let the other team put plugs on the ice and just skate around them. I'll put skill first any day. If an enforcer has no one to fight them what good is he? It's not like the West doesn't have evil weasels and you seemed to work through that. I think you'll be ok as is, no need for an enforcer because that's just not your game.

Truthfully I'm not worried. Alfie is a warrior and I can't ever recall him starting out the season slowly. It's just my opinion but Alfie is the icing on the cake not the straw that will stir the Wings drink. If he's tweaked his groin they will let him rest and work out-he always comes to camp in great shape- no need to work him like a rented mule. I'll bet #11 is reveling in not having to be the answer every night for the team and because of that look out! Go Alfie!

I only post this link tongue in cheek because of all the cross check to the face comments.... http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2013/03/02/alfredsson-cross-checks-zac-rinaldo-in-face/

and I totally agree with you Euro, I was there in the moment watching. It was crazy, so crazy that even my non hockey watching GF came down to watch and that says A LOT. but that Shiz just doesn't go down well in the East ever unless the goalie and the shooter were former BFF teammates.. I'll admit I don't know how things work in the West but in the East and with Toronto and Buffalo being practically kissing cousins this means war. PHI and PTT only have to give a stink eye and the gloves are flying.............. Again welcome to the East.

It was- in a micro way. Ask Alfie how his hilarious joke about mock throwing his stick into the TO crowd in reference to Sundin's broken stick flying into the stands went............and goes on to this day. Listen to them boo him in the ACC this year. I thought it was hilarious but that's the thing with the Leafs, they can dish it but they can't take it. No wonder why Buffalo was a little uhhhhm chippy tonight? I guess Buffalo learned a lesson not standing up for Miller was it last year? Welcome to the East!

Welcome to the East.

Seriously, what goalie wants to be punk'd on national TV? No wonder he took a slash at Ranger. God I hate the Laughs, even when they try to be cute they look like A**holes. I can't wait to see Detroit bag skate them. Detroit=class Toronto=crass

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What a sad way for TT to fade into the sunset....Boston to Florida. Fade to black now.

whaaaaat? You really think that? Maybe the East homers are drinking that kool-aid..........anyone I've talked to in the East is talking about the winged wheel and how they're going to change the landscape. Going to be an interesting season in the East............ sorry,should have quoted this.

Yup.