Bad things happen when you let your D thin out. The babyface is back for another go.
22-year-old Brian Lee was signed to an extension by the Senators today. Details of the deal have yet to emerge -- I'll update this post as soon as they come out. One would assume that it's got to be either a one-way contract, or a half-and-half (first year two-way, second year one-way). For the record, Lee has two goals and one assist in his 18 games with the big club this year.
So far, the informal reaction received by yours truly has been -- shall we say -- ambivalent. Some don't know whether to start drinking now to numb the pain, or head directly for the shower rod and get it over with. Ack.
P.S.: Top comment so far from the HFBoards: "This might be a buffer in case we lose (Anton) Volchenkov." Where's a big freaking gong when you need one?
Stay tuned.
UPDATE: The Team 1200 is reporting that the deal is indeed one-way. No terms yet, though. Also, a request from reader Ryan B. for a popular TUC "Brian Lee" photo shall now be fulfilled. Here ya go:
UPDATE #2: According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, the deal is for $1.75 million over the two years.
Posts
JEBUS! He makes Ryan Shannon look old.
Dany Heatley Speedwagon
2:35 p.m.
Jesus wept.
Senators Lost Cojones
7:44 p.m.
It's a good signing.
Lee has just gotten lost in the Murray system because he's not a "good character guy" (read, a talentless, slow, 30+ rearguard) and instead has actual skill. With Murray needing to justify his faith in Karlsson (penned by Jason York as being the "best offensive defenseman this team has ever seen", barring Norm MacIver's 61 point effort I guess...) Lee will be passed around like a bowl of popcorn (to be polite) until we can finally flush the Murrays.
Once we lose the Shawville Senior League, we can go like this:
Phillips - Kuba (Volchenkov goes FA)
Lee - Sutton
Karlsson - Carkner
Not great but not bad either.
Anonymous
5:27 p.m.