Ottawa Senators (present and past) TIDBITS & QUICK HITS!

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:So apparently Konecny is on the market. 24 years old, RW,  4 x $5.5M remaining on his contract, former Ottawa 67.

If this isn't a good fit for the Sens I don't know what is.

I am not really sure what the Flyers would want in return but they also have Nolan Patrick who I'd be interested in acquiring as well.

To Ottawa: Konecny, Patrick
To Philly: White, L. Brown, D'Accord/Forsberg, 2021 2nd rd pick

Say Ottawa can bring in Konecny, Patrick, and Henrique (X% salary retained) and it costs a combination of White, L. Brown, D'Accord, and a few picks/prospects to make it happen (just speculating), does this team make the playoffs?

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Stutzle-Pinto-Konecny
Paul-Henrique-C.Brown
Formenton-Patrick-Dadonov
Extra: Watson

Chabot-Zub
Brannstrom-UFA (Demers)
Mete-Zaitsev
Extra: J. Brown

Murray
Forsberg/Gus

Adam Larsson could be another RHD target for the Sens. At 28 years old he may be looking for term though which doesn't really fit with what the Sens are trying to do.

Ev wrote:

wprager wrote:The only thing odd about this hiring (other than Melnyk spending money) is the title of Senior Director of Player Development. Sens still don't have a real AGM yet it really sounds like that would be a large component of what McGuire will be doing. We all hope he will also help pro scouting, but that's not in his title, either.

Title doesn’t mean anything. He’s basically an advisor of everything.

Basically.

If you want another title you could also call him GM in waiting.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:So apparently Konecny is on the market. 24 years old, RW,  4 x $5.5M remaining on his contract, former Ottawa 67.

If this isn't a good fit for the Sens I don't know what is.

I am not really sure what the Flyers would want in return but they also have Nolan Patrick who I'd be interested in acquiring as well.

To Ottawa: Konecny, Patrick
To Philly: White, L. Brown, D'Accord/Forsberg, 2021 2nd rd pick

There isn’t much value in there apart from the 2nd rounder. White is about negative to neutral value du to his large contract. D’accord is good but still not a grade A prospect (which they don’t actually need a goalie either). Anyone on Ottawa’s side should be falling over each other to pull that trigger. So it’s definitely not happening. I’m not high on Patrick either.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Adam Larsson could be another RHD target for the Sens. At 28 years old he may be looking for term though which doesn't really fit with what the Sens are trying to do.

Could be a guy they bring in. Guys usually do better when they leave the oilers.

I’m not sure about term. I think a lot of guys are looking for one or 2, maybe 3 year terms till the salary cap starts growing again.

With about a week left before the expansion draft I really hope Dorion is on the phone all day.
I doubt there will be another opportunity like this to squeeze a team for a top 6 C that can play top line.

I’ll be annoyed to say the least if he stands pat.

I think there's little chance he stands pat after Melnyk already gave him his marching orders (top C, top RHD) and has hired his potential replacement if the marching orders aren't obeyed.

Pierre, apparently, once was offered a GM position but only a 2-year term, where he still had a 5 year contract with NBC (I could be off on the numbers a bit) and Pierre turned it down. He's made no bones about wanting to be in NHL management -- does this post qualify? Maybe. But he's already turned down one GM position so there's that, too. Personally, I'm 100% that if another position opened up he'd move mountains to take it. But is he gunning for GMPD's job? Not sure. He certainly would not be doing anything to undermine him, at least not at the detriment to the team. If the Sens succeed (make the playoffs, win a round or two in the next two years) it only benefits him. If they tank again he'll never get hired again. But if they tank, Melnyk fires PD and offers Pierre the GM role I don't think he could say no.

Maguire now has access to the second best prospect pool in the NHL. Dorion's been challenged to deliver "unparalleled success" with next to no resourcing or help, and has worn the pain of the organization and the fan base the past 5+ years. My guess is Dorion gets canned if the Sens don't make the playoffs this year.

Dorion has to do something big pre expansion draft. He needs to use the leverage of having a ton of cap space, nd a bunch of players and picks that don't need to be protected that can be used as trade-bait. Tkachuk, Batherson, Connor Brown, Chabot and Gustavsson would be the only five players I'd be upset about losing at the expansion draft. Everyone else I could get over. That leaves 3 forward positions and 2 dmen positions that we should be looking to improve on. We're literally wasting 'protected' positions on Josh Brown, Zaitsev, or Mete and Nick Paul, Dadonov, Austin Watson, etc when teams like Tampa, Colorado, etc are going to lose better players for nothing. Dorion should be trying to swoop in and getting players for picks or 2 for 1s.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Maguire now has access to the second best prospect pool in the NHL. Dorion's been challenged to deliver "unparalleled success" with next to no resourcing or help, and has worn the pain of the organization and the fan base the past 5+ years. My guess is Dorion gets canned if the Sens don't make the playoffs this year.

Dorion has to do something big pre expansion draft. He needs to use the leverage of having a ton of cap space, nd a bunch of players and picks that don't need to be protected that can be used as trade-bait. Tkachuk, Batherson, Connor Brown, Chabot and Gustavsson would be the only five players I'd be upset about losing at the expansion draft. Everyone else I could get over. That leaves 3 forward positions and 2 dmen positions that we should be looking to improve on. We're literally wasting 'protected' positions on Josh Brown, Zaitsev, or Mete  and Nick Paul, Dadonov, Austin Watson, etc when teams like Tampa, Colorado, etc are going to lose better players for nothing. Dorion should be trying to swoop in and getting players for picks or 2 for 1s.

I think you’re right about everything here.
There’s a lot of players on this list that will get protected that we could easily lose if we went ahead with acquiring better players.

There are some serious deal to be made with other teams to improve our lot.
I think it would be right to question Dorion’s inability to be a good GM if he can’t make use of all our assets to trade for some improvement.


The only caveat I’d add is that there is no guarantee there is gonna be that 1C available for trade. That’s the type of player teams are trying to protect from all this. But you gotta try. At the very worst you acquire a young guy that could be a number 1 guy down the road as part of a deal that helps a team with their protection issues.

But now I’m wondering if Melnyk’s posturing saying we would be acquiring a top C and a RHD isn’t more of a public request so that if Dorion can’t execute, the backlash of his firing falls more on the side of Dorion.
Pierre McGuire has always been close to Melnyk so I’m not surprised he’s brought in and I 100% believe he’s Dorion replacement if he can’t deliver.

wprager wrote:I think there's little chance he stands pat after Melnyk already gave him his marching orders (top C, top RHD) and has hired his potential replacement if the marching orders aren't obeyed.

Pierre, apparently, once was offered a GM position but only a 2-year term, where he still had a 5 year contract with NBC (I could be off on the numbers a bit) and Pierre turned it down.  He's made no bones about wanting to be in NHL management -- does this post qualify? Maybe.  But he's already turned down one GM position so there's that, too.  Personally, I'm 100% that if another position opened up he'd move mountains to take it.  But is he gunning for GMPD's job?  Not sure.  He certainly would not be doing anything to undermine him, at least not at the detriment to the team.  If the Sens succeed (make the playoffs, win a round or two in the next two years) it only benefits him.  If they tank again he'll never get hired again.  But if they tank, Melnyk fires PD and offers Pierre the GM role I don't think he could say no.

I think that’s the correct take.

If I was Melnyk though I might demote Dorion if he can’t deliver. Keep him in the scouting department. And that’s probably why he’s currently working on an extension. It’s not often you hear of GM’s not being fired but it happens. I think it happens in management more often then we remember. It’s phrased as “moving them as senior advisor roles” and what not but Melnyk being cheap and all, he’s more likely to keep him onboard and benefiting from his talent than paying him a salary if fired.

Besides, same applies for Dorion. He can stay working until another team comes knocking.

Flo The Action wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Maguire now has access to the second best prospect pool in the NHL. Dorion's been challenged to deliver "unparalleled success" with next to no resourcing or help, and has worn the pain of the organization and the fan base the past 5+ years. My guess is Dorion gets canned if the Sens don't make the playoffs this year.

Dorion has to do something big pre expansion draft. He needs to use the leverage of having a ton of cap space, nd a bunch of players and picks that don't need to be protected that can be used as trade-bait. Tkachuk, Batherson, Connor Brown, Chabot and Gustavsson would be the only five players I'd be upset about losing at the expansion draft. Everyone else I could get over. That leaves 3 forward positions and 2 dmen positions that we should be looking to improve on. We're literally wasting 'protected' positions on Josh Brown, Zaitsev, or Mete  and Nick Paul, Dadonov, Austin Watson, etc when teams like Tampa, Colorado, etc are going to lose better players for nothing. Dorion should be trying to swoop in and getting players for picks or 2 for 1s.

I think you’re right about everything here.
There’s a lot of players on this list that will get protected that we could easily lose if we went ahead with acquiring better players.

There are some serious deal to be made with other teams to improve our lot.
I think it would be right to question Dorion’s inability to be a good GM if he can’t make use of all our assets to trade for some improvement.


The only caveat I’d add is that there is no guarantee there is gonna be that 1C available for trade. That’s the type of player teams are trying to protect from all this. But you gotta try. At the very worst you acquire a young guy that could be a number 1 guy down the road as part of a deal that helps a team with their protection issues.

But now I’m wondering if Melnyk’s posturing saying we would be acquiring a top C and a RHD isn’t more of a public request so that if Dorion can’t execute, the backlash of his firing falls more on the side of Dorion.
Pierre McGuire has always been close to Melnyk so I’m not surprised he’s brought in and I 100% believe he’s Dorion replacement if he can’t deliver.

I agree. There isn't really a 1C available for trade. Not one that meets our criteria anyway. Dubois was probably the closest thing we'll have seen available aside from Eichel and he looked terrible in Winnipeg. Eichel has his own health issues making that a difficult situation too. I'm confident one of Pinto and Norris can become a 1b/2a combo. Maybe Stutzle can slide over to C and he'll be our 1a? I'd much prefer he become our Bure and be a threat from the wing though...

Tampa doesn't have a 1st or 2nd this year and we have their 2nd next year. They're going to lose 3-4 players off their roster just to get them under the cap, and they're probably going to lose their 1st next year at the deadline to help load up for a playoff run. Tampa could easily trade Cernak to Ottawa for a pick and someone that doesn't need to be protected (Thomson?). Hell I'd double-down and try to get Cal Foote out of there at the same time and take on Tyler Johnson/Cirelli contract to help with their cap issues. If needed, we could ship over Thomson, Logan Brown, and their 2nd back and a 3rd and we'll take on their cap problems while acquiring a top-six center and two young RHDs - all of which we can protect. If they lose Brown or Paul to expansion they'd be elated.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Maguire now has access to the second best prospect pool in the NHL. Dorion's been challenged to deliver "unparalleled success" with next to no resourcing or help, and has worn the pain of the organization and the fan base the past 5+ years. My guess is Dorion gets canned if the Sens don't make the playoffs this year.

Dorion has to do something big pre expansion draft. He needs to use the leverage of having a ton of cap space, nd a bunch of players and picks that don't need to be protected that can be used as trade-bait. Tkachuk, Batherson, Connor Brown, Chabot and Gustavsson would be the only five players I'd be upset about losing at the expansion draft. Everyone else I could get over. That leaves 3 forward positions and 2 dmen positions that we should be looking to improve on. We're literally wasting 'protected' positions on Josh Brown, Zaitsev, or Mete  and Nick Paul, Dadonov, Austin Watson, etc when teams like Tampa, Colorado, etc are going to lose better players for nothing. Dorion should be trying to swoop in and getting players for picks or 2 for 1s.

I think you’re right about everything here.
There’s a lot of players on this list that will get protected that we could easily lose if we went ahead with acquiring better players.

There are some serious deal to be made with other teams to improve our lot.
I think it would be right to question Dorion’s inability to be a good GM if he can’t make use of all our assets to trade for some improvement.


The only caveat I’d add is that there is no guarantee there is gonna be that 1C available for trade. That’s the type of player teams are trying to protect from all this. But you gotta try. At the very worst you acquire a young guy that could be a number 1 guy down the road as part of a deal that helps a team with their protection issues.

But now I’m wondering if Melnyk’s posturing saying we would be acquiring a top C and a RHD isn’t more of a public request so that if Dorion can’t execute, the backlash of his firing falls more on the side of Dorion.
Pierre McGuire has always been close to Melnyk so I’m not surprised he’s brought in and I 100% believe he’s Dorion replacement if he can’t deliver.

I agree. There isn't really a 1C available for trade. Not one that meets our criteria anyway. Dubois was probably the closest thing we'll have seen available aside from Eichel and he looked terrible in Winnipeg. Eichel has his own health issues making that a difficult situation too. I'm confident one of Pinto and Norris can become a 1b/2a combo. Maybe Stutzle can slide over to C and he'll be our 1a? I'd much prefer he become our Bure and be a threat from the wing though...

Tampa doesn't have a 1st or 2nd this year and we have their 2nd next year. They're going to lose 3-4 players off their roster just to get them under the cap, and they're probably going to lose their 1st next year at the deadline to help load up for a playoff run. Tampa could easily trade Cernak to Ottawa for a pick and someone that doesn't need to be protected (Thomson?). Hell I'd double-down and try to get Cal Foote out of there at the same time and take on Tyler Johnson/Cirelli contract to help with their cap issues. If needed, we could ship over Thomson, Logan Brown, and their 2nd back and a 3rd and we'll take on their cap problems while acquiring a top-six center and two young RHDs - all of which we can protect. If they lose Brown or Paul to expansion they'd be elated.

So you’d have to protect chabot, Cernak and Foote in that scenario?
I dunno if that deal does it. Johnson had his stock rise this off season even though I’d rather not take him.

Yeah. Protect Foote, Chabot, cernak. Brannstrom and Zub are protected. Leaves mete, brown, zaitsev available which who cares. Johnson's contract isn't bad . We have the cap room and he'd be a top six center here. Worst case he's your third line center for two years more. He's got vet experience and two cups.

Maybe ottawa needs to add something else but they're making Tampas life really easy from a cap perspective with this one

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Yeah. Protect Foote, Chabot, cernak. Brannstrom and Zub are protected. Leaves mete, brown, zaitsev available which who cares. Johnson's contract isn't bad . We have the cap room and he'd be a top six center here.  Worst case he's your third line center for two years more. He's got vet experience and two cups.

Maybe ottawa needs to add something else but they're making Tampas life really easy from a cap perspective with this one

I’m not saying no but I feel Tampa won’t want to lose all those players for the assets. They could easily just lose Foote to the expansion draft and do a separate deal with higher value for some other player(s).
It’s a special time in terms of covid and cap so it’s a bit harder to see what’s possible and what they will be able to do.

IMO they will likely not make one big move but see and manage who they feel they want to lose in expansion first then they will face the cap reality.

Maybe they put someone else on IR all year next year? ‍�

Today may be the day we start seeing activity. Expansion lists are due on Saturday and will be announced Sunday.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Today may be the day we start seeing activity. Expansion lists are due on Saturday and will be announced Sunday.

Yeah, it sounds like there could be a ton of activity according to pretty much any insider I've heard talk about it. Should be very entertaining, and we might just see some more whacky moves like Parise/Suter being bought out. Fingers crossed!

Come on Dorion! Don’t fail us now!

Just watched Garrioch’s segment on what’s next for the sens.
It’s interesting how he echoes that the main objective and need for the sens is to acquire a number 1 C but how the hell is that Kadri? He’s by no definition a number 1 C. He can stand in as a 2 on a average team of a 3 on a good team but no way Jose is he a number 1. I’d rather they look at guys I’m not ideally behind like monahan or Johansen in the trade market or see if Tampa wants to part with someone (Cirelli or gourde) or look to give good money to a guy like Stastny or maybe offer a 3 year contract to wennberg (he’s not a top line guy but could be top 6 in Ottawa). Not all these guys are top line centers but they’re better options than Kadri. Seriously. Kadri is not the answer.

Plus he’s UFA in a year. Don’t spend assets on a guy that is likely heading out of town next year.