Senators for Sale: Mike Fisher

I know Mike Fisher chose not to submit his 10-team list, but that can always change. Maybe he submits it later this week once he hears that the Islanders will take him for Calvin de Haan.

That might be a realistic offer, but if it is, the Sens just won’t trade Fisher. It’s not worth it for a middling prospect and a low pick. The Sens would be asking for a high-potential prospect and a high pick if they’re going to part with him, and, to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if they could get that.

But his leadership in the locker room. This is a guy who sewed Nick Foligno’s mom’s initials on his equipment to show his support for him. A guy who routinely goes out into the community with little to no fanfare and just visits kids in the hospital. He’s a responsible player and good influence on a lot of young, impressionable players.

It’s all about the “intangibles” as they say.

Do you have any thoughts on the kind of linemates that would suit him best?

My overall criticism of Ottawa right now is that they have no coherent team identity or structure that you can point to and identify. They have a collection of players and they are trying to make them fit. Has Fisher been tried, for example between Foligno and Winchester? That seems, on paper at least, to have a theme to it: grind, cycle, go to the net. Whereas Spezza needs a quick puck retrieval winger coupled with a shooter.

Sorry to hijack, but this was interesting:

However, since I’ve been here for over a year now, a few people have gone out of their way to talk with me in large part to my objective blogging, and subsequently have become pretty reliable sources. The man passing today’s news is none other than the same guy who confirmed the Roman Wick deal, the Jason Spezza non-move last season, and the draft day deal for David Rundblad. In short: The guy’s proven himself, so it’s worth (at the very least) passing along to you guys.

Now, with that brief disclaimer for the twice-a-year readers, let’s get to the details. The Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers have both shown serious interest for aging defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Come again?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Travis-Yost/Source-New-York-Rangers-Colorado-Avalanche-Inquire-About-Sergei-Gonchar/134/33487

With Savard out, Fisher is a center they’d be very familiar with and I think he fits their team style (mind he’s not the set-up type that Savard is/was).

I think some of these trade returns you guys are throwing around might be low-balling a little. There really doesn’t seem to be that much available on the trade block and A LOT of teams sitting in limbo regarding play-offs (i.e. not in a clear-cut selling position). So, unless most of these teams decide to stand pat and hope for the best, the market price for “quality” players this year could be inflated.

I think Montreal might be a realistic destination for any of Phillips, Neil or Fisher. They have all played for Jacques Martin, so they would know his system and fit in easily. Montreal could use depth and grit and all those guys would bring those qualities. Phillips might be of special interest given their depth issues on defense last year. Having not looked over their prospects I don’t know what would be realistic, but Hamilton has had a consistently good team, so their could be something to work with in terms of getting a deal done.

If we trade any body, I certainly do not want to see them haunt our team for 6 games a year.

When I heard Kessel talking in his stall about the possibility of a change. I just kept thinking that Burke is going to go berserk.