Let’s Talk Senator’s Rumors
Jamie Fraser | Dec 06, 2010 | Comments 5
It seems like every week there’s something new popping up about the Senators. Considering Ottawa’s less then stellar play the more they show. Here is my take at what’s being talked about recently.
Well let’s take a look at some rumors:
The idea of Kevin Bieska being traded to the Senators. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun suggested that Bieska would be a perfect fit for Bryan Murray’s want of “blueline grit”. My issue with the idea of Bieska being traded to the Senators is the cap issues with the Canucks. Vancouver doesn’t have a lot of cap space money so Ottawa would be dealing a prospect Cowen,Hoffman and Weircioch are ruled out so that would probably Gryba or O’Brien. Bieska’s fit would be nice to have but Bieska being a UFA at the end of the season could command more than the 3.75 mil that he earns already.
Last week rumor popped up about Wojtek Wolski being a peak interest of Ottawa. This rumor came from SensChirp and Eklund(pretty much the National Enquirer for hockey). This rumor kinda confused me. Wolski is a playmaker not a goal scorer which doesnt fit Ottawa’s need in the forward department. Ottawa has trouble scoring goals but has tons of passing talent in Spezza,Karlsson,Gonchar and Alfredsson. Wolski making 3.80 mil this year and next is kinda inexpensive but I just dont see him coming to Ottawa unless Scottie Upshall is packaged with him.
Brian Lee, since October there hasn’t been a week where he hasn’t been a name in the rumor mill. Bryan Murray seems to be working the phone and even put him on waivers. But is there interest in this former first rounder? The Ottawa Sun said 3 teams would be interested in Brian Lee as long as the Senators took money back. I would think the best thing for Lee is to package him in a bigger deal for a team that requires some salary relief. Vancouver dealing Beiska would be ideal to package Lee. Ottawa should have some kind of deal in the new year but now with the NHL Christmas freeze coming up it’s unlikely Lee will be moved.
Ottawa Citizen’s Wayne Scanlan tweeted that Bryan Murray tried to target Devin Setoguchi in the Heatley trade. Setoguchi hasn’t had the most wonderful season being a -7 and only collecting 7 points in 21 games. He is sitting out with a upper body injury as well. Bryan Murray could target this player again consider Setoguchi’s weak start. Logan Couture has been better for the Sharks which could push Setoguchi down the lines. So I’d say Bryan go for a deal but it’s probably unlikely that it will happen.
If some of you think a coaching change might fix this group think again. Ottawa Senator’s owner Eugene Melnyk has already told Bryan Murray that he won’t permit a new coach coming in at this point of the season. So if Cory Clouston is fired Bryan Murray will take over the bench and that’s not something he is eager to do. So Clouston has some job security until the end of the season.

Well there’s some gossip about the Sens. I want to hear what you guys/gals think about Ottawa’s next move will be.
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Filed Under: NHL • NHL Teams • Ottawa Senators • Rumors
About the Author: Hi,I'm Jamie. I live in Crosbyland aka Halifax,Canada and I am currently the Ottawa Senators blogger for hockeyindependent.com
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Jamie, being in Ottawa (though I am not a Sens fan) I have a closeup view of just how ugly the situation has become.
Since the trip to the Finals, the Senators have been in a steady decline (they have won just two playoff games in three seasons), with overspending and bad decisions at every level.
Trading away draft picks for March rentals like Mike Commodore, Cory Stillman, Mike Comrie, Matt Cullen and Andy Sutton has only compounded the problems.
Right now the Senators are not worth the price of admission, and the fact that several thousand fans chose not to attend last night’s game doesn’t bode well for a team Eugene Melnyk says has been losing money for the last several years.
Bryan Murray has no cap room, and even if he does manage to make a trade, he can’t fix this team.
Rumours can fly all they want…Murray doesn’t make ‘bold’ moves.
Though you have to wonder how long Eugene Melnyk can put up with the mess.
I believe Clouston will be fired in the next month (likely after Christmas) by Murray as his job is also at risk! The Sens are a mess on the ice, they were very pathetic Tuesday in Montreal where they were listless and easily beaten 4-1 by a superior team who played a bad game!
Fred> Melnyk’s not in a position to pay three fired coaches. He’s been paying Paddock and Hartsburg, and to add Clouston to the list would strain his already maxed-out budget even more.
Murray and Clouston’s contracts (along with a number of FAs) are up at the end of the season, so Eugene may just choose to ride the bus to the end of line.
To really understand the Senators’ problems, one also has to look at the questionable decisions made by the owner, such as agreeing to sign Alex Kovalev, a perpetual ‘problem child’ to a two year, $5 million per year contract.
The latest chapter in the Alex Kovalev soap opera here:
http://www.senatorsextra.com/main/
http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2010/12/10/16503051.html
Kovalev apparently claims he’s being made a scapegoat for the team’s woes.