Tribute John Muckler passes away at the age of 86

[Masked]

Signing Hasek was a good move as well. At the time the Hossa for Heatley trade was a winner too.

He was in a tough spot with the salary cap that really screwed over the Senators but Hossa for Heatley was a long term loser and the way he handed the situation apparently led directly to Chara leaving.

 

[bert]

He was in a tough spot with the salary cap that really screwed over the Senators but Hossa for Heatley was a long term loser and the way he handed the situation apparently led directly to Chara leaving.

Hossa for Heatley trade was never good. Hossa was clearly the superior player at that point. He blew Chara/Redden got a horrible return for Havlat, never got a player to put the team over the hump and drafted horribly. I am not going to pretend he wasnt the reason they never won the cup but he is the main reason. He didnt build that roster. Marshall Johnston made the Yashin deal and Kekkelainen drafted Alfie, Havlat, Hossa etc.

Rest in Peace John Muckler you were amazing in Edmonton.

 

[Xspyrit]

You guys talk about the moves that hurt the franchise but what hurt even more was the prospect pool we had when we needed to inject young/cheap talent in 2008. The 6 drafts from 2002 to 2007 didn't amount to much and that's what hurt the most in the end.

That being said maybe we shouldn't discuss that here. RIP Mr. Muckler.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Will never forget his reaction when Corvo scored the double OT winner in Buffalo in 07

 

[Masked]

Hossa for Heatley trade was never good. Hossa was clearly the superior player at that point. He blew Chara/Redden got a horrible return for Havlat, never got a player to put the team over the hump and drafted horribly. I am not going to pretend he wasnt the reason they never won the cup but he is the main reason. He didnt build that roster. Marshall Johnston made the Yashin deal and Kekkelainen drafted Alfie, Havlat, Hossa etc.

Not disagreeing with any of that because it's all true but Muckler was in a tough spot since the Senators had too much talent to stay under the cap with the new CBA. Heatley actually turned out better than expected because he was very much damaged goods when traded to Ottawa.

 

[Silencio]

Hossa for Heatley trade was never good. Hossa was clearly the superior player at that point. He blew Chara/Redden got a horrible return for Havlat, never got a player to put the team over the hump and drafted horribly. I am not going to pretend he wasnt the reason they never won the cup but he is the main reason. He didnt build that roster. Marshall Johnston made the Yashin deal and Kekkelainen drafted Alfie, Havlat, Hossa etc.

Rest in Peace John Muckler you were amazing in Edmonton.

Heatley put up back to back 50 goal seasons, had incredible chemistry with Spezza and Alfie and was a big part of the cup run. Of course his relationship with Ottawa ended on a sour note and Hossa ended up having the better career, but I disagree that the trade was never good.

 

[Timüthy18]

RIP John. Thank you for this.

 

[bert]

Not disagreeing with any of that because it's all true but Muckler was in a tough spot since the Senators had too much talent to stay under the cap with the new CBA. Heatley actually turned out better than expected because he was very much damaged goods when traded to Ottawa.

Yeah agreed the cap screwed the sens but he didnt do much to help himself.

Heatley put up back to back 50 goal seasons, had incredible chemistry with Spezza and Alfie and was a big part of the cup run. Of course his relationship with Ottawa ended on a sour note and Hossa ended up having the better career, but I disagree that the trade was never good.

Heatley was good yeah but I mean put Hossa on that line with the new rules and see what he would have done. Hossa never got to play for anyone but Jaques Martin who stapled Bonk and Arvidsson to his hip. Hossa put up 96 ad 100 point seasons as a selke level two way forward playing with trash for the most part. Him and Kovalchuk only played together on the PP. It also partially lead to Chara leaving. So yeah I hate it and hated it at the time he is also my favorite player so maybe I am biased, but the rest of his career says he was much better.

 

[Stylizer1]

He was in a tough spot with the salary cap that really screwed over the Senators but Hossa for Heatley was a long term loser and the way he handed the situation apparently led directly to Chara leaving.

At the time is was a smart move. In hindsight it was terrible.

 

[Tuna99]

After the lockout the trade for Heatley the city was buzzing, not everyone was happy but I can’t remember a single offeseason day the fans were more excited and it carried into the regular season. 18500 people chanting ‘we want pizza’.

those were good days

long term vision of Muckler was when Alfie missed a beauty shot on his wing late in a playoff game vs Buffalo and Muckler thought it was going in, his reaction also summed up the end of that season for Sens fans

 

[BloodRedArmy]

Signing Hasek was a good move as well. At the time the Hossa for Heatley trade was a winner too.

NEVER. NEVER NEVER NEVER.

 

[Stylizer1]

Yeah agreed the cap screwed the sens but he didnt do much to help himself.


Heatley was good yeah but I mean put Hossa on that line with the new rules and see what he would have done. Hossa never got to play for anyone but Jaques Martin who stapled Bonk and Arvidsson to his hip. Hossa put up 96 ad 100 point seasons as a selke level two way forward playing with trash for the most part. Him and Kovalchuk only played together on the PP. It also partially lead to Chara leaving. So yeah I hate it and hated it at the time he is also my favorite player so maybe I am biased, but the rest of his career says he was much better.

no team really knew how to use the cap

 

[Beech]

the 04/05 CBA changed the hockey world dramatically. He was right in the middle of it. Some of his moves were forced on him. And he both hit and missed.

His drafting was poor. This continues to haunt the team to this day. The 02 to 08 drafts should only be retiring today. And should have been either players here or traded assets that should been at the heart of this team from 08-20 if not outwards. Take a look at this team 08-20!!!

A good coach, a poor GM. RIP

Funny, Murray was the same.

 

[TheDebater]

Hossa for Heatley trade was never good. Hossa was clearly the superior player at that point. He blew Chara/Redden got a horrible return for Havlat, never got a player to put the team over the hump and drafted horribly. I am not going to pretend he wasnt the reason they never won the cup but he is the main reason. He didnt build that roster. Marshall Johnston made the Yashin deal and Kekkelainen drafted Alfie, Havlat, Hossa etc.

Rest in Peace John Muckler you were amazing in Edmonton.

Was Hossa "clearly" superior though? Heatley is the only player in Senators history to score 50 goals....let alone do it back to back. Does he not also own the record for most points in a single season?

 

[Micklebot]

Was Hossa "clearly" superior though? Heatley is the only player in Senators history to score 50 goals....let alone do it back to back. Does he not also own the record for most points in a single season?

Well he was certainly significantly better two way player, and while he never hit 50 he did get in the 40s a couple times.

I mean, I'd take Alfie the player over Heatley no questions asked, i think Hossa is closer to Alfie than Heatley.

 

[Silencio]

At the time is was a smart move. In hindsight it was terrible.

Yeah that's what I was trying to say. Maybe if Hossa stays, so does Chara and Ottawa wins a cup...who knows. In his final year with Ottawa Chara did seem like he was struggling to adapt to the post lockout rules, but worth remembering that his first season in Boston wasn't great either, he was a minus player for the first time since his Islanders days.

 

[SensHulk]

Remember the mindset was also different. As great as Hossa was, he was part of the team that lost 4 times to the leafs in 5 seasons. They probably also pulled the trigger to shake up the core a bit (money being the first and foremost reason though). So with that in mind, and the fact Heatley and the gang ran roughshod over the East for two seasons culminating in our first ever Stanley cup final, it’s tough to fault Muckler for the trade. If anything, considering the circumstances and the results, he should be praised for being ballsy and pulling off a huge deal like that. Whether it was worth it or not in the long run can be debated forever (probably wasn’t) but that did lead to our most successful time as a franchise.

 

[cudi]

Youg guys talk about the moves that hurt the franchise but what hurt even more was the prospect pool we had when we needed to inject young/cheap talent in 2008. The 6 drafts from 2002 to 2007 didn't amount to much and that's what hurt the most in the end.

That being said maybe we shouldn't discuss that here. RIP Mr. Muckler.

The Josh Hennessy Era ™ wasnt a fun time.

 

[branch]

RIP John. Thank you for this.

Hey I know the guy in the back, the off ice official. One of my dad's good friends. Lovely guy who sadly passed away a few years and was way too young.

 

[Silencio]

Remember the mindset was also different. As great as Hossa was, he was part of the team that lost 4 times to the leafs in 5 seasons. They probably also pulled the trigger to shake up the core a bit (money being the first and foremost reason though). So with that in mind, and the fact Heatley and the gang ran roughshod over the East for two seasons culminating in our first ever Stanley cup final, it’s tough to fault Muckler for the trade. If anything, considering the circumstances and the results, he should be praised for being ballsy and pulling off a huge deal like that. Whether it was worth it or not in the long run can be debated forever (probably wasn’t) but that did lead to our most successful time as a franchise.

Were it not for Hasek's groin the Hossa for Heatley deal could have ended up being Ottawa's version of the Kawhi trade.

The buzz around the team definitely jumped to another level those first couple of post lockout seasons. I remember being at the boxing day 2005 game vs the Rangers - Ottawa spotted NY a 2 goal lead then casually flicked a switch and ran them out of the rink with 6 unanswered goals, 19,000 fans roaring for pizza the whole time. Muckler had a horrible drafting record and couldn't swing a good deadline deal to save his life, but I will miss that absolute swagger and big league ambition that he brought to the Senators team and organization while he was here.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

A polarizing but nevertheless important figure in Senators history. RIP.

 

[Masked]

They probably also pulled the trigger to shake up the core a bit (money being the first and foremost reason though). So with that in mind, and the fact Heatley and the gang ran roughshod over the East for two seasons culminating in our first ever Stanley cup final, it’s tough to fault Muckler for the trade.

He pulled the trigger to stay under the cap. There's no other justification for moving the most valuable asset on the roster at the time for a guy who was still getting over his injuries from his car crash and was looking to be moved.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Damn. This guy broke my heart trading hossa.
But that’s just hockey. RIP

 

[Burrowsaurus]

He pulled the trigger to stay under the cap. There's no other justification for moving the most valuable asset on the roster at the time for a guy who was still getting over his injuries from his car crash and was looking to be moved.

Well if multiple stories are to be believed. Negotiations were not friendly between hossa and muckler.

 

[Icelevel]

Excellent talk with Roy Mlakar. Great job by Lloyd and creech