Silver Nuggets: Leclaire starts tonight, Murray looking for forward help

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 10, 2009 12:29 PM EST in Silver Nuggets

It's game day between the Ottawa Senators and the Edmonton Oilers, and there is plenty of news to go around:

For tonight's game, Pascal Leclaire gets the start, while Jesse Winchester joins Shean Donovan in the press box. I still don't get it; why not change the lineup a bit more significantly after your team had such a disappointing loss last game? Mix it up a bit? (Twitter)
Prediction panel, whoooo! And the Oilers get no love. (Citizen)
Daniel Alfredsson missed practice on Monday, but don't worry, he's fine. Meanwhile, Anton Volchenkov had a setback in his rehab, and might still be out a while. (Citizen)
Apparently Bryan Murray thinks the Senators need to add another forward. Really, they just need to add a better forward, in exchange for some third- and fourth-liners. (Hockey Capital)
Don Brennan discusses what he calls the "suspicious discrepancy" between powerplays and penalties for the Senators. The numbers (67 times short-handed, 51 powerplay opportunities) are a piss-off, but I'm not ready to call them 'suspicious' just yet. (Sun)
Things don't look pretty for Alex Kovalev (oh, you hadn't noticed?), and now even fantasy hockey pundits are suggesting he's "droppable" because he's not fitting in in Ottawa. (ESPN)
Geez, Andrew Peters said Jarkko Ruutooth bit him again? Get over it, guy. (Sun)
UPDATE: Wysh did another 'Top Ten' today, this time the biggest hockey upsets of the decade. I'm actually quite pleased Ottawa stayed off the list, because I'd rather not relive the 2000-01 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals when the second-in-the-East, 109-point Ottawa Senators were swept by the seventh-in-the-east, 90-point Toronto Maple Leafs. *shudder* (Puck Daddys)
Binghamton Senators goaltender Mike Brodeur is starting to look like the AHL All-Star the organization thought they were getting when they signed him, and he won the Player of the Week award: Two wins in three games, stopped 94 of 96 shots in that span, good for a GAA of 0.67 and a SP of .979. (Sharp on the Sens)
The Sens have their prospect rundown available again in .PDF format. US college prospects Jeff Costello (5G, 5A, 8GP) and Derek Grant (5G, 7A, 10GP) are looking good, as is 2009 first-rounder Jared Cowen (3G, 9A, 15GP) and fifth-rounder Michael Hoffman (9G, 5A, 13GP). (Twitter)

It's pretty amazing that there really seems to be no ill will between Ray Emery, the Ottawa Senators, and fans. It's kind of remarkable, really. Apparently, he's only a little bit extra excited to come back here and play this Thursday. (CSNPhilly.com)

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Comments

Wait... we need another forward?

That’s ridiculous. We have too many forwards, and a lot of them are quality. We need another defenseman, not a forward.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 10, 2009 12:42 PM EST reply actions

Maybe he’s acknowledging that Kovalev and Cheechoo both look like busts, so far.

Also, he said he needed to ‘tweak’, so maybe he’s hoping to swing a two-for-one deal with forwards.

www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 10, 2009 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

It’s too bad no one will take either of their contracts off our hands. A two-for-one isn’t going to get us a good enough player. I’d love to see something like Kelly, Lee, and some other forward for someone like Bobby Ryan. I know, I know… pipe dream.

by Mark Parisi on Nov 10, 2009 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

Like Peter said in the article we dont need more players, we simply need better players. At this point if we were to add either a forward or a d-man it only makes sense that we’re sending away more (mediocre) players than we get in return.

by Andrew J on Nov 10, 2009 2:45 PM EST up reply actions

I don't believe we need better players.

I think we just need the players we have to start playing how we all know they are capable of. Leclaire needs to be more consistent, Kovalev needs to start playing, Cheechoo doesn’t even exist. I am confident we have the talent, they all just need to get it together.

And most of all we need to stop surrendering leads!

by sens_24 on Nov 10, 2009 7:04 PM EST up reply actions

You dont think we need better players? You think this team is ready to contend for a Stanley Cup? While I admire the leap of faith I can’t help but think you’ll end up disapointed.

by Andrew J on Nov 10, 2009 10:37 PM EST up reply actions

Also:

Donovan should be playing.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Nov 10, 2009 12:56 PM EST reply actions

You're damn right.

It doesn’t make sense. There are so many messages he could have sent to players that are or have been taking stupid penalties… I guess he just wanted to send a message to the guy who took a penalty after being a little over-aggressive physically in his first NHL game of the season (Winchester) instead of anyone else.

www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Nov 10, 2009 1:01 PM EST up reply actions