What's Next For The Senators?

jamvan wrote:

davetherave wrote:So, with the UFA moves so far, and with the Heatley situation being what it is, what does everyone think Bryan Murray should/can/will do over the summer?

I suspect Smith to either be moved or spend most of the season on the IR ( a move out of Philly's book). I still think they will sign another free-agent. Hopes are for oe of the big remaining names, but if not, Murray could take a 1 year flyer on a guy like Afiniganov, Axelsson, Willsie, Pyatt, Sykora.

In any case, if we start the season as is, I have to say I'm not overly optomistic unless one or two of the young guys come bursting onto the scene.

Do you think Murray will make a trade for a Top 6 forward?

davetherave wrote:

Do you think Murray will make a trade for a Top 6 forward?

I don't think he can do much until the Heatley situation is settled to be honest with you ...

davetherave wrote:

Do you think Murray will make a trade for a Top 6 forward?

Other than Heatley, who do we have to trade? A bunch of 3rd/4th liners? 5th/6th defensemen?

Murray's best chance is the free agent market, but he needs a little more cap room than we have now. Let's not forget the $1.3M cap hit for Karlsson, who I think will make the team. We are going to have to swap some middle-tier salaries for entry-level contracts. Man, I keep coming back to that Neil signing and liking it less and less.

wprager wrote:

davetherave wrote:

Do you think Murray will make a trade for a Top 6 forward?

Other than Heatley, who do we have to trade? A bunch of 3rd/4th liners? 5th/6th defensemen?

Murray's best chance is the free agent market, but he needs a little more cap room than we have now. Let's not forget the $1.3M cap hit for Karlsson, who I think will make the team. We are going to have to swap some middle-tier salaries for entry-level contracts. Man, I keep coming back to that Neil signing and liking it less and less.

Who do you think Murray should sign who's still available as a UFA?

davetherave wrote:Who do you think Murray should sign who's still available as a UFA?

There's complex problems for us right now IMO. We have a full roster as it is, most of them are bottom 6 forwards and the majority are 2nd and 3rd pairing D-men, so...we can either try to squeak out a few wins with this offence or we can plug some money into the team by getting a guy like Tanguay, Sergei Zubov if we go defence, Sykora. If we go the UFA route, we need SKILL - not grit.

If we can just get Heatley to SJ for Clowe and another piece, we can move on will filling out the roster.

There's also guys who have the potential to be traded. Chris Kelly (2.1), Lee (1.3), Smith (2.6), Schubert (0.9), Neil (2.0), or maybe because we signed Neil, Ruutu (1.3) becomes expendable. Auld (1.0). I realize these guys have to be replaced, but let's just say...we're not in a position to be competitive, shouldn't we use Regin in Kelly's position to say 1.2 million? Or Picard in Smith's place to save 1.8 million? We can keep Schubert, but if we do, we have to get rid of Donovan (0.6). We have more than enough role players IMO.

Or even if we are to be competitive, let's just look at it for a second:

Chris Kelly - replaced with Peter Regin (1.2 saving)
Jason Smith replaced with Picard (1.8 saving)
Auld replaced with Elliott - no saving
Schubert no longer needed (0.9 saving)

Forget Ruutu for now, that's still 4 million dollars off the books and off the cap - if you can get back lowish picks. Couple that with the money Heatley is likely to save us in a trade (probably 2 million or so) and that's a heck of a top 6 player to acquire (not forgetting the player we'd get back in return for Heatley).

The team would become more balanced and the attack would arguably be better in some areas and weaker in others.

So...I would start seeing if I can clear my roster of guys that may be redundant - and if people want to keep Kelly - and if Murray wants to - that's fine, he's a good hockey player, I'm just trying to open spot or two for kids like Regin who need to start their NHL careers.

davetherave wrote:

wprager wrote:

davetherave wrote:

Do you think Murray will make a trade for a Top 6 forward?

Other than Heatley, who do we have to trade? A bunch of 3rd/4th liners? 5th/6th defensemen?

Murray's best chance is the free agent market, but he needs a little more cap room than we have now. Let's not forget the $1.3M cap hit for Karlsson, who I think will make the team. We are going to have to swap some middle-tier salaries for entry-level contracts. Man, I keep coming back to that Neil signing and liking it less and less.

Who do you think Murray should sign who's still available as a UFA?

Someone who would sign a one-year deal and not ask for the moon. Lang, Bertuzzi, Bonk, Satan.

The entire Habs' first line is still out there, no?

asq2 wrote:The entire Habs' first line is still out there, no?

C'est exact.

I would love Koivu. He shouldn't have been a top line center there, he'd be great here on line two with Alfie - and we'll continue to roll Spezza and Heatley.

I would also really love to have Tanguay, but I assume he's off to the Avs.

Kovalev? Would he take a 2 year, 4.5 million a year contract? I doubt it, but if so, sign me up.

SpezDispenser wrote:I would love Koivu. He shouldn't have been a top line center there, he'd be great here on line two with Alfie - and we'll continue to roll Spezza and Heatley.

I would also really love to have Tanguay, but I assume he's off to the Avs.

Kovalev? Would he take a 2 year, 4.5 million a year contract? I doubt it, but if so, sign me up.

How much does Bryan Murray have in his UFA budget?

davetherave wrote:
How much does Bryan Murray have in his UFA budget?

If you look at the equation up top there, I would say 4+ million. If you live strictly by what we have now (Heatley), not much really.

SpezDispenser wrote:

davetherave wrote:
How much does Bryan Murray have in his UFA budget?

If you look at the equation up top there, I would say 4+ million. If you live strictly by what we have now (Heatley), not much really.

NHLNumbers says 4.694MM.

http://nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?team=OTT&season=0910

davetherave wrote:
NHLNumbers says 4.694MM.

http://nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?team=OTT&season=0910

Let me have a look.

Alfie's hit is incorrect. It should be either 5.4 or 5.6, I can't recall what it is exactly.

So, that's 1 million there, so we have 3.7 million to the cap. We always keep 2 million, so 1.7 of usable cap.

Now if we do what I said ^ up there, we can add as much as 4 million to that number and make it close to 6 of usable cap space.

Tanguay would work well in Ottawa IMHO...if you can get him.

davetherave wrote:Tanguay would work well in Ottawa IMHO...if you can get him.

Yes indeed. Him or Koivu. Depends on what Heatley does. Will he go to Edmonton? And if so, how long under he poops and gets off the pot?

Come on.

Actually, I think we can still go ahead and try to add Tanguay and start thinking about trimming some fat as the summer goes on.

I'm gonna say it until it someday happens, this team needs a guy like Bertuzzi. I don't care about the stigma he brings with him because of what happened way back when.

I think this guy would look great on a line with Fisher and Foligno...hell Foligno might even be able to learn something about powerforwards from the guy.

PKC wrote:I'm gonna say it until it someday happens, this team needs a guy like Bertuzzi. I don't care about the stigma he brings with him because of what happened way back when.

I think this guy would look great on a line with Fisher and Foligno...hell Foligno might even be able to learn something about powerforwards from the guy.

He's all used up, but, he had flashes last year. A one year deal certainly brings the element of size - and that line would be nuts.

1 year, 1.9 million. That's my offer.

The Leafs should get him. That fits with the size thing they're trying to do.