Today Bryan Murray moved Alex Auld to the Dallas Stars for a sixth round pick in 2010. What does that mean? Well, a couple of things. The Senators can now have Elliott up full time to backup Pascal Leclaire for 30-35 games which will do wonders for the kid's development. It also means that the Senators dropped additional salary ($1mil to be exact) and are closer to getting the club under the salary cap.
Meanwhile, Alex Kovalev wants to reach out to Dany Heatley and asked the pissy winger to stay. Kovalev wants to be a team player and not be the torch carrier in Ottawa, which speaks volumes about his character. I could have been wrong, but one day does not entirely convince me that Kovalev will hold to his word. However, Bryan Murray and owner Eugene Melnyk have postured that Heatley is staying in Ottawa unless a stellar deal comes through. In that idea and should Kovalev be successful in his attempts to convince the superstar to tough it out, the Senators still need to drop some salary to get under the cap. Moreover, Murray likes being a few million under so that he can add a part in the mid-season point ... Count on more changes and soon.
How do you feel about Heatley staying? Check the poll!
- BigW
ps. Most likely that $1mil dump will be offered to Elliott as he is a RFA still.
Showing posts with label Alexei Kovalev. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alexei Kovalev. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Is that Blood in the Water I Smell?
While talking about Dany Heatley is about as exciting as ramming nails into my eyelids it is unavoidable. I was pretty apathetic about him as an Ottawa Senator and I am still apathetic about him. However, I was hoping that Senators general manager, Bryan Murray, would at least go out and sign a free agent that can deflect some of the complaints about Heatley and turn them into positive energy. I was wrong.
Today the Ottawa Senators signed floatable right-winger, Alexei Kovalev, from the free-agent market a day after Montreal faithful held a rally to entice the star to stay. The signing came as a big shock to the Senators fans as Kovalev inks with the club for a whopping $5-million per year contract, but fortunately only for two years. As you can probably tell I am not a fan of this signing in the least and I think it is signalling the end of Murray's tenure with the club if Kovalev ends up being a bust.
Two seasons ago, Kovalev was only shy of his all highest points gain from 2000-01 by a slight nine points. However, every season comes and passes with Kovalev fans all asking the same question, "will he come to play tonight or not?" Consistency and teamwork are issues Ottawa has been plagued with since the disappointing cup run and bringing in a scorer who has a gifted talent for the game is a great idea. Someone who wants to play all the time and is willing to work for the puck. Someone who can inspire Jason Spezza to work equally as hard. Someone who can take a demanding coach and accept their style. Someone who buys into the philosophy that the coaching staff and club demand and has a desire to win every game
That's not Alexei Kovalev!
All too often Kovalev has been in the sports media for his poor attitude, his lack luster play and his willingness to quit on his club. Equally so he has been in Russian media about how much he does not like whatever coach or team for whatever reason. The Senators are struggling to get a tangible team identity again and signing a selfish and usually lazy player does nothing to help their cause short of comparing him to Heatley and saying "well, he's a bit better". Truth is, Heatley is miles above Kovalev even when Dany is playing his laziest... Alexei, on the other hand, just up and quits and loves to take spa vacations rather than win.
It would have been nice to see Murray address secondary scoring with a more affordable option. At $5/mil per season for two seasons, Kovalev is a hefty gamble. I can't see him winging for Fisher. He will demand being on the top line and I cannot see Spezza and Kovalev clicking consistently when both of them tend to zone out and go their own way too often. Some are hoping Clouston will straighten it out--fans and Murray alike, I assure you--but I am tired of hanging my hat on hopes and dreams. We were close to the cup once and since then it's been a rough skid on our ass down since.
Bad signing. Murray's contract renewal for next year is frayed down to its last thread and all of the weight of Kovalev is pulling down on it.
- BigW
Today the Ottawa Senators signed floatable right-winger, Alexei Kovalev, from the free-agent market a day after Montreal faithful held a rally to entice the star to stay. The signing came as a big shock to the Senators fans as Kovalev inks with the club for a whopping $5-million per year contract, but fortunately only for two years. As you can probably tell I am not a fan of this signing in the least and I think it is signalling the end of Murray's tenure with the club if Kovalev ends up being a bust.
Two seasons ago, Kovalev was only shy of his all highest points gain from 2000-01 by a slight nine points. However, every season comes and passes with Kovalev fans all asking the same question, "will he come to play tonight or not?" Consistency and teamwork are issues Ottawa has been plagued with since the disappointing cup run and bringing in a scorer who has a gifted talent for the game is a great idea. Someone who wants to play all the time and is willing to work for the puck. Someone who can inspire Jason Spezza to work equally as hard. Someone who can take a demanding coach and accept their style. Someone who buys into the philosophy that the coaching staff and club demand and has a desire to win every game
That's not Alexei Kovalev!
All too often Kovalev has been in the sports media for his poor attitude, his lack luster play and his willingness to quit on his club. Equally so he has been in Russian media about how much he does not like whatever coach or team for whatever reason. The Senators are struggling to get a tangible team identity again and signing a selfish and usually lazy player does nothing to help their cause short of comparing him to Heatley and saying "well, he's a bit better". Truth is, Heatley is miles above Kovalev even when Dany is playing his laziest... Alexei, on the other hand, just up and quits and loves to take spa vacations rather than win.
It would have been nice to see Murray address secondary scoring with a more affordable option. At $5/mil per season for two seasons, Kovalev is a hefty gamble. I can't see him winging for Fisher. He will demand being on the top line and I cannot see Spezza and Kovalev clicking consistently when both of them tend to zone out and go their own way too often. Some are hoping Clouston will straighten it out--fans and Murray alike, I assure you--but I am tired of hanging my hat on hopes and dreams. We were close to the cup once and since then it's been a rough skid on our ass down since.
Bad signing. Murray's contract renewal for next year is frayed down to its last thread and all of the weight of Kovalev is pulling down on it.
- BigW
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