Which pieces will the Sens move to acquire a top forward prospect?

Instead of trading up, trading down or standing pat to get a forward prospect, the Sens acquired defenseman David Rundblad -- last year's #17 pick of the Blues. While the deal in itself (#17 in a deeper draft and a year closer to the NHL, for a #16) is good, the organization need was very clearly to get some top-end forward prospect. The scouting staff obviously realized that this was not the draft to fill this need, which partially explains this move. The other part has to be a trade.

We now have Phillips, Kuba, Lee and Carkner on one-way deals; Karlsson is *not* being sent down. Campoli likely has little choice but accept the qualifying offer. Cowen, Wiercioch, Gryba and, now, Rundblad will all be pushing for a roster spot. We're still hoping to re-sign Sutton.

So, all signs point to a trade -- deal some of our defensive depth, possibly mixed with some of our offensive shallowness (i.e. our plethora of 3rd/4th liners) -- for a top-3 prospect or even a fully-developed top-3 player.

Who stays, who goes. One obvious candidate is Lee. Kuba would be a cap-friendly move if we are getting a roster player back, but if we don't re-sign Sutton, Phillips would be our only returning veteran. It could get very exciting, in a 1994 kind of way.

Do we need a top-three winger to play with Spezza or is Fisher that guy? If Fisher is slotted to play wing, do we anoint Regin as the second line center or is that the piece we need coming back?

So, have at it. Tell us who you think should go, who you *think* will go, and who you would like in return.

Is O'Brien worth anything?

Because that's pretty much all we've got...Lee, O'Brien, Volchenkov's rights. That's it.

Im not sure if Murray really does anything at all.

How much can he do? He could package the 3rd and 4th for a 2nd, but is that worth it?

Fisher isn't a top line player, either at centre or wing. We need a top line winger for Spezza, as we don't have another one other than the captain, who isn't getting any younger.

I don't think Kuba is fetching a top-line player, so I'd look more to a package of Lee and Foligno, plus perhaps a kid like Wiercioch to acquire a true number top line guy.

Obviously in a perfect world, we could package up Cheechoo, Lee, Campoli and the rest of our "spare parts" for a top line guy, but that's not happening, hence the adding Wiercioch to Lee and Foligno.

Gohan wrote:Is O'Brien worth anything?

Because that's pretty much all we've got...Lee, O'Brien, Volchenkov's rights. That's it.

Maybe Foligno but with The Sens not drafting a forward this year... could be tough to justify moving him.

Sens have Wick, Butler, Foligno, Greening, and perhaps Daugvanins who are under 25 and can be NHL players in short order then there is Capusso, Grant, Petersson, and Silfverberg, not bluechippers by any stretch but guys that might be able to jump into The NHL at some points. Are any of the players left this year better then any of the guy I mentioned or have the potential to be? Debatable.

Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

Thank you.

Too often do I see Cowen in the lineup and Campoli out. I just don't get it.

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

Agreed. He was fantastic in Games 5 and 6.

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

That's a 6 game stretch. I remember him struggling to get into the lineup at times during the regular season. Hell, he pulled a Schubert and lined up at forward to get some playing time.

I don't think he's worthless, I just don't see him as a top 6 guy for very much longer on the Ottawa blueline. If you can package him up for a nice forward, why not?

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

That's a 6 game stretch. I remember him struggling to get into the lineup at times during the regular season. Hell, he pulled a Schubert and lined up at forward to get some playing time.

I don't think he's worthless, I just don't see him as a top 6 guy for very much longer on the Ottawa blueline. If you can package him up for a nice forward, why not?

Do you even faintly remember who his partner was for most of the year? That defensive vortex Picard.

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

That's a 6 game stretch. I remember him struggling to get into the lineup at times during the regular season. Hell, he pulled a Schubert and lined up at forward to get some playing time.

I don't think he's worthless, I just don't see him as a top 6 guy for very much longer on the Ottawa blueline. If you can package him up for a nice forward, why not?

That had more to do with too many bodies than it did with struggles. You'll recall too how hard he competed at forward just to stay in the lineup.

Why don't we package Cowen for a nice(r) forward?

SeawaySensFan wrote:

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

That's a 6 game stretch. I remember him struggling to get into the lineup at times during the regular season. Hell, he pulled a Schubert and lined up at forward to get some playing time.

I don't think he's worthless, I just don't see him as a top 6 guy for very much longer on the Ottawa blueline. If you can package him up for a nice forward, why not?

That had more to do with too many bodies than it did with struggles. You'll recall too how hard he competed at forward just to stay in the lineup.

Why don't we package Cowen for a nice(r) forward?

Oh, I don't have a problem with his compete level. I just don't see a spot for him on the blueline going forward.

Cowen is a tough one. He could be the tough shutdown guy we'll need once Phillips rides off into the sunset. If the right deal came along though, I'd do it.

hemlock wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:Why is Campoli always an afterthought when we talk about our D. After Phillips, he was our best defenseman in the playoffs last year.

That's a 6 game stretch. I remember him struggling to get into the lineup at times during the regular season. Hell, he pulled a Schubert and lined up at forward to get some playing time.

I don't think he's worthless, I just don't see him as a top 6 guy for very much longer on the Ottawa blueline. If you can package him up for a nice forward, why not?

That had more to do with too many bodies than it did with struggles. You'll recall too how hard he competed at forward just to stay in the lineup.

Why don't we package Cowen for a nice(r) forward?

Oh, I don't have a problem with his compete level. I just don't see a spot for him on the blueline going forward.

Cowen is a tough one. He could be the tough shutdown guy we'll need once Phillips rides off into the sunset. If the right deal came along though, I'd do it.

Be that as it may, that day is a long way away yet. Right now, he could be as good as Kuba. Campoli and Karlsson played Top2 minutes together with great success in both zones.

If Campoli gets squeezed it's because our Top 4 is so good that he will be a Top 4 playing at 5 - 6. That I can see.

I think he moves Lee and a 3rd for a 2nd today. That's what I think shakes out.

And unless he's REAL confident about Michalek (who knows if he's even interested...), I would try to acquire his rights today as well.