This Is The Post That Never Ends
1 Comments Published by Dany Heatley Speedwagon on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 6:43 PM.
Picture size reduced for your eye protectionMoving right along with where we started yesterday we continue the season preview conversation between yours truly and our wonderful blog creator, Sherry.
Dany Heatley Speedwagon: Finish this sentence: Pascal Leclaire...
Sherry: ... sure is skinny.
Q: Aside from EVERYBODY, who is expected to step up their game this year?
DHS: Tough question for a team full of underachievers a year ago but I'm going to go with Jason Spezza. Last 4 seasons, 68 GP 90 Pts (1.32 per), 67 GP 87 Pts (1.30 per) , 76 GP 92 Pts (1.21 per), 82 GP 73 Pts (0.89 per). Anyone noticing a disturbing trend here? I think Spezza needs to have a powerful season and silence his critics (about as likely as his defensive game improving) once and for all. His first full season in 4 years was also his lowest in terms of point production, which doesn't bode well for the nonstop trade rumours that always seem to follow our boy giggles. As much as hewhoshallnotbenamed ruined my summer his movement is a blessing in that it was one of, one too many, big contracts the Senators needed to shed. The team has committed to the Spez dispenser and I think he needs to prove that the team was right to sign him to a big dollar deal and show that he can be a top line player in this league. Parting ways with Spezza now would pretty much obliterate any chance the team has of convincing itself and its fans that they are a legitimate contender. With numero uno cinqo gone, trading Spezza isn't as attractive as it once was.
Q. What do you think the Senators are missing going into this season?
Sherry: I think the Senators are missing what I thought they've been missing since Chara left: adequate D. Don't get me wrong, I like what Chris Phililps and Anton Volchenkov bring to the team, but there just hasn't been that skill and talent on the blueline since Chara left.
Q: Which one of the young guys do you think has the most potential (currently on the team, not a prospect)?
DHS: I'd say Ryan Shannon, hands down. His size could be a problem but some of the speed he showed last year definetly got me excited in the pants. Shannon and Fisher seemed to have a chemistry when they played together. I can see him being the player I wanted Mike Comrie to be. I've also liked some of the fire and excitement I've seen from Pinchy Winchy but I think Shannon has showed some of the best skill and promise. It concerns me this is already his third team is it but I think The Bryan went out and got him for a reason.
Q: It seems we've covered all the traditional issues that season previews cover, worsening D, questionable goaltending, secondary scoring so lets delve a little more into the Northeast division and of course our favorite team to hate... the Leafs. With the truculance infusion and both teams seemingly attempting to return themselves to playoff contention and quite possibly fighting for the same playoff spot will we see a return of form in the Battle of Ontario? It has seemed the last few years the focus has shifted to an equal degree of ire spread out evenly amongst the Northeast Division. (boy, that was a long question)
Sherry: We might see a return to the Battle of Ontario as I feel like the teams are both sort of evenly keeled now in terms of talent (or lack thereof). Both teams have major question marks still and I don't think either one will be Northeastern Champs but it would definitely be interesting to see some of the competitiveness and...spiciness back into this rivalry. The BoO was built on the playoffs and since that hasn't exactly happened recently, it'd definitely make it a lot more interesting to see some edge back into the regular season match-ups, especially if we're going to be seeing the Leafers so many times.
Come on back tommorow for the trifecta finale of the awesomeness that is our blogger questionaire. We'll talk about former Senators, my namesake and we'll get to exactly how both of us feel about the teams chances at the post season.
Dany Heatley Speedwagon: Finish this sentence: Pascal Leclaire...
Sherry: ... sure is skinny.
Q: Aside from EVERYBODY, who is expected to step up their game this year?
DHS: Tough question for a team full of underachievers a year ago but I'm going to go with Jason Spezza. Last 4 seasons, 68 GP 90 Pts (1.32 per), 67 GP 87 Pts (1.30 per) , 76 GP 92 Pts (1.21 per), 82 GP 73 Pts (0.89 per). Anyone noticing a disturbing trend here? I think Spezza needs to have a powerful season and silence his critics (about as likely as his defensive game improving) once and for all. His first full season in 4 years was also his lowest in terms of point production, which doesn't bode well for the nonstop trade rumours that always seem to follow our boy giggles. As much as hewhoshallnotbenamed ruined my summer his movement is a blessing in that it was one of, one too many, big contracts the Senators needed to shed. The team has committed to the Spez dispenser and I think he needs to prove that the team was right to sign him to a big dollar deal and show that he can be a top line player in this league. Parting ways with Spezza now would pretty much obliterate any chance the team has of convincing itself and its fans that they are a legitimate contender. With numero uno cinqo gone, trading Spezza isn't as attractive as it once was.
Q. What do you think the Senators are missing going into this season?
Sherry: I think the Senators are missing what I thought they've been missing since Chara left: adequate D. Don't get me wrong, I like what Chris Phililps and Anton Volchenkov bring to the team, but there just hasn't been that skill and talent on the blueline since Chara left.
Q: Which one of the young guys do you think has the most potential (currently on the team, not a prospect)?
DHS: I'd say Ryan Shannon, hands down. His size could be a problem but some of the speed he showed last year definetly got me excited in the pants. Shannon and Fisher seemed to have a chemistry when they played together. I can see him being the player I wanted Mike Comrie to be. I've also liked some of the fire and excitement I've seen from Pinchy Winchy but I think Shannon has showed some of the best skill and promise. It concerns me this is already his third team is it but I think The Bryan went out and got him for a reason.
Q: It seems we've covered all the traditional issues that season previews cover, worsening D, questionable goaltending, secondary scoring so lets delve a little more into the Northeast division and of course our favorite team to hate... the Leafs. With the truculance infusion and both teams seemingly attempting to return themselves to playoff contention and quite possibly fighting for the same playoff spot will we see a return of form in the Battle of Ontario? It has seemed the last few years the focus has shifted to an equal degree of ire spread out evenly amongst the Northeast Division. (boy, that was a long question)
Sherry: We might see a return to the Battle of Ontario as I feel like the teams are both sort of evenly keeled now in terms of talent (or lack thereof). Both teams have major question marks still and I don't think either one will be Northeastern Champs but it would definitely be interesting to see some of the competitiveness and...spiciness back into this rivalry. The BoO was built on the playoffs and since that hasn't exactly happened recently, it'd definitely make it a lot more interesting to see some edge back into the regular season match-ups, especially if we're going to be seeing the Leafers so many times.
Come on back tommorow for the trifecta finale of the awesomeness that is our blogger questionaire. We'll talk about former Senators, my namesake and we'll get to exactly how both of us feel about the teams chances at the post season.
Time To Get Along
1 Comments Published by Dany Heatley Speedwagon on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 10:11 PM.
Well it's been just over a year since Sherry made the mistake of getting herself a co-blogger. In that time Sherry and myself have done a pretty good job of keeping out of each other's way with the exception of the occaional live blog.
With a new season comes new fun so we've decided to team up for a psuedo, sort of, full-assed season preview type thingy post. I assure you it will be as awesome as it sounds. Also, we can both take credit for finally posting something! I figure it's better to do this than rehash my anger at the whole situation and resulting trade windfall from the departure of Hewhoshallnotbenamed. (What is more useless now, my moniker or my number 15 jersey?) So here is how it's going to work...
About a week ago I emailed Sherry and asked if she was on board with this and she was. So we started bouncing emails back and forth off each other with an assortment of questions revolving around our favorite team and the upcoming season. It's pretty long so I figure best to break it down into a few parts and spew it out at you over the next couple days leading up to the season opener saturday. Strap yourselves in and here we go... question the first:
Dany Heatley Speedwagon: On a scale of 1 to 10, on this the 23rd day of september where would you rank your excitement for the upcoming season?
Sherry: I'd have to say around a 7 but most of it is for the hockey season finally starting. Usually I'm cautiously optimistic about how the team will perform, this year...not so much. I think the whole entire Hewhoshallnotbenamed drama has just taken a bit of a toll on all of us. I want the team to go out there and give it their all but realistically looking at this team, I think we all should learn not to set the bar too high. I believe Clouston will be good for the team and he'll get through to them, but assessing the talent and skill level of this group, I'll count making the playoffs as a victory.
Q: How do you think Bryan Murray did this off-season?
DHS: I would have to say public perception is probably that The Bryan did the best he could with what he had to work with, given the situation and yadda yadda. My own perception is that while he probably won't lose his job and that the trade for hewhowillnotbenamed actually worked out pretty well, things could be better still. CheeChooChrain ain't what he used to be but M&M is the centre piece of the deal plus they also got a decent pick. I'm more concerned with the fact Chris Neil is back for the same amount of time as Colton Orr at double the price, and the defence wasn't really addressed, oh yes and Alex Kovalev was hired and it's not to pilot the charter. Visably it looks like The Bryan made a lot of moves but I'm skeptical they were the right ones. I think the biggest change for this team will depend just as much on players rebounding from awful performances last year as it will on any moves that were made by Herr Bryan.
With a new season comes new fun so we've decided to team up for a psuedo, sort of, full-assed season preview type thingy post. I assure you it will be as awesome as it sounds. Also, we can both take credit for finally posting something! I figure it's better to do this than rehash my anger at the whole situation and resulting trade windfall from the departure of Hewhoshallnotbenamed. (What is more useless now, my moniker or my number 15 jersey?) So here is how it's going to work...
About a week ago I emailed Sherry and asked if she was on board with this and she was. So we started bouncing emails back and forth off each other with an assortment of questions revolving around our favorite team and the upcoming season. It's pretty long so I figure best to break it down into a few parts and spew it out at you over the next couple days leading up to the season opener saturday. Strap yourselves in and here we go... question the first:
Dany Heatley Speedwagon: On a scale of 1 to 10, on this the 23rd day of september where would you rank your excitement for the upcoming season?
Sherry: I'd have to say around a 7 but most of it is for the hockey season finally starting. Usually I'm cautiously optimistic about how the team will perform, this year...not so much. I think the whole entire Hewhoshallnotbenamed drama has just taken a bit of a toll on all of us. I want the team to go out there and give it their all but realistically looking at this team, I think we all should learn not to set the bar too high. I believe Clouston will be good for the team and he'll get through to them, but assessing the talent and skill level of this group, I'll count making the playoffs as a victory.
Q: How do you think Bryan Murray did this off-season?
DHS: I would have to say public perception is probably that The Bryan did the best he could with what he had to work with, given the situation and yadda yadda. My own perception is that while he probably won't lose his job and that the trade for hewhowillnotbenamed actually worked out pretty well, things could be better still. CheeChooChrain ain't what he used to be but M&M is the centre piece of the deal plus they also got a decent pick. I'm more concerned with the fact Chris Neil is back for the same amount of time as Colton Orr at double the price, and the defence wasn't really addressed, oh yes and Alex Kovalev was hired and it's not to pilot the charter. Visably it looks like The Bryan made a lot of moves but I'm skeptical they were the right ones. I think the biggest change for this team will depend just as much on players rebounding from awful performances last year as it will on any moves that were made by Herr Bryan.
To be continued tommorow, where we will talk about the goaltending, the division and of course how we actually feel about this team's chances at making the playoffs. (Because everyone still has a chance... right?)
