Free Mika

[DylanSensFan]

A player like Zibanejad who's never been a big scorer at any level can only benefit by spending some time in the AHL. It allows him to try things against lesser competition that he might be reluctant to attempt in the NHL. It's very tough to develop an offensive game in the big leagues unless you've already had success at a lower level. Zibanejad is where he should be for now.

Actually, Murray suggested that some players games are more tailored for the NHL than the AHL.

 

[We Want the Cup 2010]

What? Silf only started in the AHL because their was a lockout, and when that ended he started with the big team right away. They even brought him in in 2011 during the playoffs when his season with SEL ended.It's not that I disagree with Sens Brass on how they are developing Zib, but more feel like now would be the right time to call him up to help the team win.

Last year was Silfverberg's rookie year at age 22... Developing prospects is not an exact science, and if management thinks some time in Bingo for a 20 yr old Zibanejad is helpful then so be it.

Like others have mentioned, he's putting up points and could be recalled at any point really. But one player is not going to change what's going on with Ottawa right now. The whole team is out of sync, and MacLean needs to get the team playing better as a whole. Patience... It's a long season

 

[NyQuil]

If he keeps playing well he'll be up before too long.

Murray will get tired of the questions and bring him up.

He just needs someone to get injured as an excuse.

But one player is not going to change what's going on with Ottawa right now. The whole team is out of sync

I may be wrong, but I thought that the last time he was brought up (e.g. with Condra and O'Brien), the team went on a bit of a tear as they led the team offensively for a few games.

 

[SenzZen]

He came up and stayed up last year with Spezza out.

This time around especially I doubt they bring him in to address the bottom 6- although I agree he would make it better.

He's made too much traction to go back to the bottom 6, and they aren't going to risk him developing habits there for a quick-fix.

 

[benjiv1]

In the one pre-season game he played with Greening and Neil, Mika looked really good.

The two of create a lot of space / time with the puck to do his thing.

If anything, try that out again and have Smith/Pageau/Condra be the 4th line.

I don't see why we need Kassian in for so many games.

The following players can and will drop the gloves:

-Neil
-Smith
-Cowen
-Methot
-Greening
-Phillips
-Gryba

Pretty much at any given time, we have players that will fight on the ice.

 

[Qward]

In the one pre-season game he played with Greening and Neil, Mika looked really good.

The two of create a lot of space / time with the puck to do his thing.

If anything, try that out again and have Smith/Pageau/Condra be the 4th line.

I don't see why we need Kassian in for so many games.

The following players can and will drop the gloves:

-Neil
-Smith
-Cowen
-Methot
-Greening
-Phillips
-Gryba

Pretty much at any given time, we have players that will fight on the ice.

Career fights (I am not including preseasons)

Neil = 145 (he is slowing down how much he fights the older he gets.
Smith = 23, not dropping the gloves as much as he used to.
Cowen = 5.
Methot = 5. He is not a fighter.
Greening = 5. Only fights if he gets pissed off.
Gryba = 0 fights in the NHL. Not a fighter.
Phillips = 7 in his entire career. Not a fighter.

 

[NyQuil]

Detroit had the second fewest fighting majors last season. (#29 in the NHL)

If Kassian dresses, I officially have given up trying to understand the Senators brain trust.

This after we played Edmonton, which was #30 in the NHL last season.

 

[Wiercioch2Karlsson]

Detroit had the second fewest fighting majors last season. (#29 in the NHL)

If Kassian dresses, I officially have given up trying to understand the Senators brain trust.

This after we played Edmonton, which was #30 in the NHL last season.

Agreed, dressing Kassian has become beyond ridiculous at this point. While I don't agree all of the above-listed players are "fighters," there is PLENTY of toughness among that group and others (save Greening, who merely has size and strength) to police any funny business from the other side.

 

[mat_sens]

Detroit had the second fewest fighting majors last season. (#29 in the NHL)

If Kassian dresses, I officially have given up trying to understand the Senators brain trust.

This after we played Edmonton, which was #30 in the NHL last season.

You mean you didn't know that RNH was a threat to our star players?

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

With that vicious Taylor Hall stick swing I was thanking the heavens we had Kassian on the bench.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

With that vicious Taylor Hall stick swing I was thanking the heavens we had Kassian on the bench.

If Kassian wasn't on the bench I bet he would of hit someone with that stick

 

[Larionov]

We as fans noodle over the bottom six, who our 12th forward dressed will be, etc., but the bottom line is that it's your top six forwards, top four defencemen, and your goalie who determine how the game is going to unfold for you. It's easy to blame the interchangeable parts when things go sour, as it prevents you from having to confront the fact that it's the guys you CAN'T replace on a whim who let you down that day...

 

[NyQuil]

We as fans noodle over the bottom six, who our 12th forward dressed will be, etc., but the bottom line is that it's your top six forwards, top four defencemen, and your goalie who determine how the game is going to unfold for you.

The play of the bottom six affects the play of the top six.

If you're playing Kassian 4 minutes, that means everyone else has to pick up that additional time.

These guys don't get ice time in a vacuum.

Not to mention, good teams don't win Cups with 11 guys.

It's easy to blame the interchangeable parts when things go sour, as it prevents you from having to confront the fact that it's the guys you CAN'T replace on a whim who let you down that day...

So you're saying it's easiest to change the interchangeable parts?

That's all that people are saying.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

We as fans noodle over the bottom six, who our 12th forward dressed will be, etc., but the bottom line is that it's your top six forwards, top four defencemen, and your goalie who determine how the game is going to unfold for you. It's easy to blame the interchangeable parts when things go sour, as it prevents you from having to confront the fact that it's the guys you CAN'T replace on a whim who let you down that day...

...except in the playoffs.

Looking at rosters, it's Chicago, Boston (maybe not this season, but the past 3-4 years), and LA that have the most solid bottom 6.

That's the real key. When someone's 3rd line has a decent shot at competing reasonably even with your 2nd line, then you're in trouble. That's when you see the "Bickell Effect."

 

[Tampacuseforever]

We as fans noodle over the bottom six, who our 12th forward dressed will be, etc., but the bottom line is that it's your top six forwards, top four defencemen, and your goalie who determine how the game is going to unfold for you. It's easy to blame the interchangeable parts when things go sour, as it prevents you from having to confront the fact that it's the guys you CAN'T replace on a whim who let you down that day...

If your stating your best players need to be your best players I agree, but a good team has a bottom 6 that can effect the game as well. Playing 4 and 5 minutes what is the point of this !!

 

[Hammertyme]

This is hilarious. Keep posting and you think it will Free Mika. The only person who might read these is Eugene and I can guarantee he isn't making the decision to have sent him down. Mika's there for a reason. They want him to mature and bring his ego back down to the real world. It isn't money. It's a life lesson. It has nothing to do with hockey. It's life outside hockey.

Secondly I think if Kassian is on the team he needs to play or there is no sense having him. Play him against 4th lines and he won't get walked on. He actually skates fairly well albeit his turns are a tad slow.

 

[Larionov]

Not to mention, good teams don't win Cups with 11 guys.

Sometimes they do. I can remember seeing the playoff ice times for the '04 Lightning, and the '07 Ducks. (Bad flashback for us, I know.) I was shocked at how much Tortorella and Carlyle shortened their benches in the Finals. Their fourth lines barely saw the ice. Sure, you need depth and contributions from everyone along the way during the season, but when the chips are down, coaches are going to ride the guys they trust. In Game 6 of last year's Cup Finals, for instance, the two bottom ice time players from the Hawks and Bruins played 3, 5, 6 and 8 minutes respectively.

 

[NyQuil]

Sometimes they do. I can remember seeing the playoff ice times for the '04 Lightning, and the '07 Ducks. (Bad flashback for us, I know.) I was shocked at how much Tortorella and Carlyle shortened their benches in the Finals. Their fourth lines barely saw the ice.

Moen-Pahlsson-Niedermeyer was as important as anyone on that team.

I do get it.

Spezza or Turris' line scores a goal and the game is entirely different and all the *****ing about bottom pairing/bottom 6 is pointless.

Kassian is going to be a headscratcher though until he does something.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I liked konopka more since he actually won faceoffs, I think he's 70% in Minnesota. Kassian is fine if he sits in the pressbox more then he dresses and is used as a fill in for when we need it. I think most is the time we don't need it though

 

[SenzZen]

The play of the bottom six affects the play of the top six.

If you're playing Kassian 4 minutes, that means everyone else has to pick up that additional time.

These guys don't get ice time in a vacuum.

Not to mention, good teams don't win Cups with 11 guys.

It wouldn't surprise me if this is a reason for dressing him some nights. It's not easy rolling yourself over the boards twice a period and be effective (don't flame me, I'm just saying).

Stache could be counting on the minutes Kassian isn't playing going to whomever is feeling it on any given game- be it Spezza, Turris, Ryan...penalty killer X...

 

[NyQuil]

It wouldn't surprise me if this is a reason for dressing him some nights. It's not easy rolling yourself over the boards twice a period and be effective (don't flame me, I'm just saying).

Stache could be counting on the minutes Kassian isn't playing going to whomever is feeling it on any given game- be it Spezza, Turris, Ryan...penalty killer X...

I think you can overplay guys.

At least with a bottom six with some speed and energy, you still have the flexibility.

It's not as if you can send Kassian out there to wake up the team.

You can send him out there to wake him up.

But not the team.

 

[Sun God Nika]

people who want to free mika need to get life. Hes down in binghamton so he can develope as a number 1/2C not a bottom 6 grinder,

 

[SenzZen]

I think you can overplay guys.

At least with a bottom six with some speed and energy, you still have the flexibility.

It's not as if you can send Kassian out there to wake up the team.

You can send him out there to wake him up.

But not the team.

I agree that you can, but I don't know who you can say that about besides Karlsson- who is averaging 6+ minutes/game more than the next highest Sen. And he isn't taking any of Kassian's TOI.

But maybe I just found another reason why Kassian's in the lineup? That it isn't just for the Orrs and Parros' of the league, but also the Boyles and Cookes and Browns.

And I would like to buy that rock.

 

[NyQuil]

But maybe I just found another reason why Kassian's in the lineup? That it isn't just for the Orrs and Parros' of the league, but also the Boyles and Cookes and Browns.

And I would like to buy that rock.

I don't think Kassian on the bench has the kind of deterrent factor that people assume.

Brown was being a ******* anyway in LA.

There's a tiger that the rock didn't keep away.

I just get McGrattan PTSD when I see him out on the ice playing "hockey".

 

[SenzZen]

I don't think Kassian on the bench has the kind of deterrent factor that people assume.

Brown was being a ******* anyway in LA.

There's a tiger that the rock didn't keep away.

I just get McGrattan PTSD when I see him out on the ice playing "hockey".

Should have specified Mike Brown. Sorry.