GAME DAY #57: Senators @ Blue Jackets - 7:00 pm - Wednesday, Feb 13 2016

Is it too much to ask that we get a top 5 pick now that we got Phaneuf? And maybe drouin too?

Was too busy watching some real entertainment

https://vine.co/v/inPtUOxahnE

Cute! That mascot was so pleased.

Ok, I'll get the tank warmed up. Who's got the fork?

wprager wrote:Ok, I'll get the tank warmed up.  Who's got the fork?

Yeah. Getting ready to jump on.

It's a bit cold but nevertheless appropriate:

wprager wrote:Ok, I'll get the tank warmed up.  Who's got the fork?

It's interesting you say this...and on the radio this morning, Steve Warne was talking about embracing tank nation...but we can't really tank, can we? There are two things of significance that Bryan Murray could do to make the team worse in the short-term, and I don't think he has the balls (or the support from Melnyk) to do either:

1) Trade Anderson (as you've been suggesting). No doubt Andy has some value on the trade market, but this is essentially throwing the towel in for this season and then you just hope they can get someone good via free agency. But Andy's on a good contract, so it's likely just more appealing to keep him.

2) Trade The Hoff. As I've stated for a long time here, I think the Hoff is counting the days until he can get out of Ottawa, so trading him soon would maximize his value to the Sens. That said, if Murray thinks he can be signed long-term, then he's gonna try and do it.

tim1_2 wrote:

wprager wrote:Ok, I'll get the tank warmed up.  Who's got the fork?

It's interesting you say this...and on the radio this morning, Steve Warne was talking about embracing tank nation...but we can't really tank, can we?  There are two things of significance that Bryan Murray could do to make the team worse in the short-term, and I don't think he has the balls (or the support from Melnyk) to do either:

1)  Trade Anderson (as you've been suggesting).  No doubt Andy has some value on the trade market, but this is essentially throwing the towel in for this season and then you just hope they can get someone good via free agency.  But Andy's on a good contract, so it's likely just more appealing to keep him.

2)  Trade The Hoff.  As I've stated for a long time here, I think the Hoff is counting the days until he can get out of Ottawa, so trading him soon would maximize his value to the Sens.  That said, if Murray thinks he can be signed long-term, then he's gonna try and do it.

You can start giving Hammond a few more starts without trading Anderson. The other thing is to start sitting players who are not fully healthy, get a jump on off season surgeries so that they have extra time to heal. You can reduce EKs workload by a few minutes a night.

All the above would help tank but the most important factor is to keep doing whatever the staff is doing in setting up and coaching the PK.

Trading Hoffman wouldn't tank us. I think it would boost us in the short term. Too selfish of a player for my liking

Ev wrote:Trading Hoffman wouldn't tank us. I think it would boost us in the short term. Too selfish of a player for my liking

Yeah I dunno about that.
I'm not against trading Hoff but in the rot deal. And obviously if it looks like we won't be able to extend him.
People here underestimate the value this guy would have if he hit the market. A lot of GM's would be salivating.

Flo The Action wrote:

Ev wrote:Trading Hoffman wouldn't tank us. I think it would boost us in the short term. Too selfish of a player for my liking

Yeah I dunno about that.
I'm not against trading Hoff but in the rot deal. And obviously if it looks like we won't be able to extend him.
People here underestimate the value this guy would have if he hit the market. A lot of GM's would be salivating.

Who says we wont be able to extend him?

SpezDispensed wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

Ev wrote:Trading Hoffman wouldn't tank us. I think it would boost us in the short term. Too selfish of a player for my liking

Yeah I dunno about that.
I'm not against trading Hoff but in the rot deal. And obviously if it looks like we won't be able to extend him.
People here underestimate the value this guy would have if he hit the market. A lot of GM's would be salivating.

Who says we wont be able to extend him?

There is a fear that Hoff might be looking to hit the FA market if he stick around here. And I said "IF" . Nothing is for sure.

We hold the cards though, if he wont extend long term, then you can explore trade options.

SpezDispensed wrote:We hold the cards though, if he wont extend long term, then you can explore trade options.

That's not holding the cards? He holds the cards. It's like having him a year away from FA. He can choose to not sign for anything less than a year. Even if we trade him. That's the bargaining power we hold.

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispensed wrote:We hold the cards though, if he wont extend long term, then you can explore trade options.

That's not holding the cards? He holds the cards. It's like having him a year away from FA. He can choose to not sign for anything less than a year. Even if we trade him. That's the bargaining power we hold.

He'll sign any contract that his agent deems market value. Likely 5.75 x 5 or around there. Cameron is a tool with Hoff sometimes, but it's the same with any org. Coaches are strange sometimes.

I bet Murray would give carte blanche to teams to come to an arrangement with him first to maximize value if it comes to that.

Just ask yourself if you want to pay the kid near 6 million per year and if the answer is yes, you can have it done tomorrow - not that there's a rush on this one.

To be fair, his torrid pace he was on earlier in the season has come down by a fair bit. What looked like a sure bet to score 40 goals might be in tough just to get to 30.

That said, I think he'll get there and will be well over 50 points. Not worth $6M, and would barely be worth $5M.

What did the last 30 goal guy get on the open market? Id guess it's nearer to 6

SpezDispensed wrote:What did the last 30 goal guy get on the open market?  Id guess it's nearer to 6

I don't know, these days none of them make it to UFA status.

I'm looking at James Neal as a comparable. $5M on the dot.