GAME DAY: Chicago Blackhawks @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Tue. Jan. 19th, 2010

hemlock wrote:

Probably the projector isn't in the same galaxy cost-wise as a new scoreboard. Hard to compare the two.

I have no idea actually but you're probably right. I should have said if you had to choose between all those flat panel TVs, the new Merchandise stores and other little upgrades and that projector OR the Score board which would you vote for?

Michallica wrote:Go Sens! Enough can't be said about our young players from yesterday's game. How about that Karlsson?? He's coming into his own now, as is Regin. I'm lovin' it.

I gotta say, he's proving alot of skeptics wrong, but Chris Neil is proving he's worth every penny that he's being paid. Really glad Murray re-signed him.

I was at the game last night (thank god my wife let me go for a change), I rarely enjoy going to games anymore as I miss so much of the other games going on in the NHL, more about that in anothe thread, but last night was a must see for me.

I have to say that I expect Z. Smith to get sent down, but not because of his play, but cap room. If we didn't have all those injuries earlier in the year, then I could see them keeping him around as the extra $$$ for having him around wouldn't break the bank.

Karlsson is really developing nicely, and while I was dead set against having him up here playing instead of down in Bingo getting quality time, it's easy to see that he's no longer shy about playing his game.

Last night he took risks and in some cases they cost him and the other team (Hossa in one case) stole the puck and took off in the other direction on a 2 on 1, but Karlsson is just so quick that he quickly got back into the play and actually stole the puck back.

If he can learn to shoot the puck more, teams will reailze quickly that standing in front of his shot is going to cost you as it's going to hurt, which will give him more room.

Love the way they are playing, and now just to trade Spezza.

On that note, I had a conversation with a former player with the sens (friend of a friend if you will) that is still involved in the organization and he strongly hinted that Spezza knee injury wasn't the reason for him being out 8 weeks. That the injury was healed after 3 or 4 weeks, but that the Sens used the knee injury as a reason to keep him out longer for the real injury which is his back.

Makes sense in a way, because if teams know his back is an issue, then can and will target it, but targetting a knee is both difficult and not normally done. Using the knee as an reason to hide the fact that he's off 8 weeks due to back issues has allowed him to heal and this player thinks we'll see the old Jason back when he returns.

Alfie was sort of the same way from what I gathered, that he had a nagging injury that was around since the start of the year, and the 3 weeks off due to the shoulder issue helped both the shoulder and the nagging injury to both heal, and voila the Lord of the Ice has returned.

On one last note, saw Mlakar last night and spoke briefly with him. I wasn't aware he was still around in Ottawa, but I guess he has some things he's involved with that he wants to make sure are completed/properly transitioned before he leaves the city.

He said he loves this town and he and his better half are considering staying around, at least part of the year.

Lastly for those that like this sort of stuff, Spezza's sale of his house has gone through and I found it odd that it was never listed. The reason? Well the person he bought it from was moving back to Ottawa and approached Jason about buying it back from him. From what I understand it was a private sale, and he did very well in the transaction.

Devo

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Probably the projector isn't in the same galaxy cost-wise as a new scoreboard. Hard to compare the two.

I have no idea actually but you're probably right. I should have said if you had to choose between all those flat panel TVs, the new Merchandise stores and other little upgrades and that projector OR the Score board which would you vote for?

But....

Did you know the Senators (or Melynk and his sports entertainment company) spent at least a million dollars (i believe it was multiple millions) on the Ventilation system over the summer.

Anyone notice a difference?

Clouston speaks today:

http://senators.nhl.com/v2/ext/Audio/100120_Clouston.mp3

SpezDispenser wrote:

Cool! Tell us more!

what my 1200 line post isn't enough...

I didn't realise it was that long...seems like I type like I talk...ie I never shut up.

Nice update Devo... here's hoping that Spezza returns like Alfie did and is rip rarin' to go.

Devo wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Probably the projector isn't in the same galaxy cost-wise as a new scoreboard. Hard to compare the two.

I have no idea actually but you're probably right. I should have said if you had to choose between all those flat panel TVs, the new Merchandise stores and other little upgrades and that projector OR the Score board which would you vote for?

But....

Did you know the Senators (or Melynk and his sports entertainment company) spent at least a million dollars (i believe it was multiple millions) on the Ventilation system over the summer.

Anyone notice a difference?

I knew that was happening and I actually noticed that my seats aren't freezing cold which is nice.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:Melnyk speaks...

http://bit.ly/68lbH3

Oh no...I'm scared to listen. Hopefully he's not planning the parade routes and guaranteeing wins.

They briefly touched on getting a new score board. All he said was it was a huge investment, they'd like to do it, it would add to the excitement of the game and to talk to Cyrill about it.

Long overdue is all I can say.

Would you blame him if he said that the moment the SBP starts to sell out again is the moment he invests the several million dollars in a new scoreboard?

I'm sure he'd love to tell Ottawa 'fans' who don't even show up anymore to kiss his arse.

No but, I do blame him for wasting his money on the tiny flat panel screens all over the arena that are 3 quarters filled with Ads and one quarter with the actual game. Also I can blame him for wasting money on Berts Bar instead of keeping Marshy's. I can further blame him for wasting money on new merchandise stores. As well I can blame him for wasting money on that stupid projecter that shows video on the ice surface.

Throw all that money together and you've got yourself a state of the art score board which would have been a lot more bang for his buck.

Yeah, but all those things lead to visible money streams, and guaranteed money. You sell the ad space, you see the money there. He owns Bert's, thus he'll see that revenue stream as well. Merchandise is another huge money stream. Projector not so much.

I fail to see how a new scoreboard will increase attendance. And even if it does, it's an increase that is hard to measure. How much would be because of that, how much would be because of the economy, or how the sens are doing, or ticket prices, etc...

The one thing that will surely increase attendance, and would come almost guarantee home sellouts would be to build a new rink in Lebreton flats. That certainly will not happen. But barring that, a new marketing team around the city would do well. I find it is too geared towards children, who just cannot yell loudly enough. We need more drunken yuppies and university students. This will surely raise the volume in the crowd.

Futhermore, they need to rectify the transport situation. The expensive parking is also not cool.

Devo, you know Luke Richardson!?!?!

SpezDispenser wrote:
Cool! Tell us more!

EDIT: Just how close are you to the NHL and the execs? Are you close close, like, scout close, or are you involved, or can you not say? Sounds like you might be involved, so...yeah, hire me immediately.

I know one of the coaches well enough that if he sees me he'll stop and say hi. In fact he's in a circle of friends that I frequently hang out with.

Also my wife is very close friends with a couple of people who work for the building booking everything from concerts to the pro bull riding. She reports directly to Cyril and used to report to Mlakar, which is how I know him to say hi and talk.

R.A.M. is a strange guy...he is probably one of the very people in this world I know that would actually raid the work refrigerator and take pieces of peoples lunch. The people knew it and in some cases would pack stuff they knew he liked so he'd have something to steal when he went searching.

You'll not find a more dedicated person in Ottawa to the boards/charities that he works for and believes in. I honestly believe he'll always be involved in Rogers House...

As for hiring you...I asked that question once and I can send you a PM with the response if you really want it.

Dash wrote:Devo, you know Luke Richardson!?!?!

Not quite like knowing a superstar is it...yeah I know him.

Friends of mine grew up with him and it wasn't uncommon to go over to my friends house and end up discussing hockey with his Mom and Dad (they would be there visiting).

**EDIT**

It wasn't Mr. Richardson that tipped me onto the Spezza scenario. Another former player though. Living in Kanata has it's benefits...

Talk about some scoop Devo! Stron +1 from me

marakh wrote:Talk about some scoop Devo! Stron +1 from me

The house thing came out of the blue...I have in's with a very high profile real estate person in the city, so I got the dish from them. I wondered whether it was because his wife didn't like the location, or he wanted to live else where or was getting tired of the city and asked for a trade, but it was from what I understand a matter of a deal too good to turn down.

Devo wrote:On that note, I had a conversation with a former player with the sens (friend of a friend if you will) that is still involved in the organization and he strongly hinted that Spezza knee injury wasn't the reason for him being out 8 weeks. That the injury was healed after 3 or 4 weeks, but that the Sens used the knee injury as a reason to keep him out longer for the real injury which is his back.

Makes sense in a way, because if teams know his back is an issue, then can and will target it, but targetting a knee is both difficult and not normally done. Using the knee as an reason to hide the fact that he's off 8 weeks due to back issues has allowed him to heal and this player thinks we'll see the old Jason back when he returns.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that Spezza was held out a little longer than the knee required so he could heal his back, but he's only been out for 5 weeks, thusfar. If it really is to heal his back, then he should probably be out for longer than another few days to a week. That back's been his achilles heel for years...

SpezDispenser wrote:

Devo wrote:
As for hiring you...I asked that question once and I can send you a PM with the response if you really want it.

It's okay, you can just say Diddle no on here. Everyone can see my failure.

It wasn't a no that I got. It was after one of those Season Ticket Luncheons and I asked Bryan Murray what would be the best way to get into scouting. I don't know if you've seen it, but there are a couple of American Universities that offer a degree in Sports Administration, everything from cap management, to scouting, to player procurement.

Anyway I asked him about taking that course, and he said that it would help, but the best way is to build a reputation. He suggested using what we have here in Ottawa (seeing as it's a great hockey market) and build a database of the Pee Wee/Minor Bantam players in the area and provide those to the 67's. Sending in scouting reports and player profiles, and eventually if you are good and hit they will notice. He said one of two things would happen, either they would tell you to piss off, or they would actually contact you about helping them.

Seeing as they are Junior teams they don't have the budget for large staffs, but you could get in the door as a free helper if you wish. Once your in, it's only a matter of time before you can leverage your experience with that team to move into a pro organization.

The key he said, and I'll always remember it, is to not just provide a statement about player x, but to follow it up with how he's progressed, ratings (explaining how your rating system works) and trend those over time (ie monthly) so the team can see that you didn't just go to one game and see a kid play well, but that you've watched them over a period of time and can pin point weaknesses and strengths.

Gohan wrote:

Devo wrote:On that note, I had a conversation with a former player with the sens (friend of a friend if you will) that is still involved in the organization and he strongly hinted that Spezza knee injury wasn't the reason for him being out 8 weeks. That the injury was healed after 3 or 4 weeks, but that the Sens used the knee injury as a reason to keep him out longer for the real injury which is his back.

Makes sense in a way, because if teams know his back is an issue, then can and will target it, but targetting a knee is both difficult and not normally done. Using the knee as an reason to hide the fact that he's off 8 weeks due to back issues has allowed him to heal and this player thinks we'll see the old Jason back when he returns.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that Spezza was held out a little longer than the knee required so he could heal his back, but he's only been out for 5 weeks, thusfar. If it really is to heal his back, then he should probably be out for longer than another few days to a week. That back's been his achilles heel for years...

Speaking for myself ( i suffer from chronic back issues since I had surgery 20 years ago), it depends on what it is, but 5 weeks will do a lot to heal muscle/disk issues.

True enough, but it seemed to take him only a few weeks to reinjure it after an entire summer away from the grind of the NHL...If he's going to stay healthy for the stretch drive, it might be best for him to rest it longer than "just enough" Then again, I'll trust the professionals to handle this one

Gohan wrote:

Devo wrote:On that note, I had a conversation with a former player with the sens (friend of a friend if you will) that is still involved in the organization and he strongly hinted that Spezza knee injury wasn't the reason for him being out 8 weeks. That the injury was healed after 3 or 4 weeks, but that the Sens used the knee injury as a reason to keep him out longer for the real injury which is his back.

Makes sense in a way, because if teams know his back is an issue, then can and will target it, but targetting a knee is both difficult and not normally done. Using the knee as an reason to hide the fact that he's off 8 weeks due to back issues has allowed him to heal and this player thinks we'll see the old Jason back when he returns.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that Spezza was held out a little longer than the knee required so he could heal his back, but he's only been out for 5 weeks, thusfar. If it really is to heal his back, then he should probably be out for longer than another few days to a week. That back's been his achilles heel for years...

Good point. An "8 week hiatus" would put his return at Feb. 10th.

I know that a lot of the guys own Doyle homes and I know Trevor's brother, so he tells me some stories.

Not so much gossip stores, I meant just like how his brother (Trevor) used to play with Ruutu over in Finland and that they will play hockey over the summer's together. I know Donovan owns a Doyle home in Stittsville I believe it is. Hockey families seem to stay in touch. Trevor Doyle was probably the best fighter back in the day. There's a site out there with videos of him fighting and even referee's getting involved physically. There was a chance he was going to end his pro career in Ottawa but that never happened.

Where's neely? I haven't seen him since Spezz went down

I just realized it!!! Neely = Spezza!!!

Dash wrote:I just realized it!!! Neely = Spezza!!!

Interesting...

shabbs wrote:

Dash wrote:I just realized it!!! Neely = Spezza!!!

Interesting...

Swirlominoes!

Perhaps Neely or should I say Spezza has some self loathing issues?

maybe neely/spezza is loathing himself in public so he has an excuse to leave town? he's learned from last summer's debacle

Of course the "real" Spezza aka Neely would say he hated Spezza, because who would think someone would say negative things about themselves?!?

Now, which one of you is Heatley?

Dash wrote:Of course the "real" Spezza aka Neely would say he hated Spezza, because who would think someone would say negative things about themselves?!?

Now, which one of you is Heatley?

SpezD/ 504Heater perhaps?

SpezDispenser wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Dash wrote:Of course the "real" Spezza aka Neely would say he hated Spezza, because who would think someone would say negative things about themselves?!?

Now, which one of you is Heatley?

SpezD/ 504Heater perhaps?

If that's the case, I'll go and kill myself...slowly.

Don't do that. Just play really crappy from here on out. Miss open nets disappear in the playoffs and such.

SpezDispenser wrote:The word around is to watch the first replay a little closer and you'll notice Regin do a fake back-hander before he does the wrap around, making Huet freeze. It's the first angle and it's pretty slick.

Like I said a while ago. Reginiculous.