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

wprager wrote:OK, so Bergeron and Krejci are officially back.  Now what?  Bring back Rask and Chara for one last kick at the can?

Ya these moves help but are also pretty inconsequential. Boston won't make the playoffs this year

World Juniors in the summer. Feels weird.

Boston have a little over $1M in cap space but that doesn't include the up-to $4.5M in performance bonuses on Bergeron's and Krejci's contracts. I thought bonuses always had to count -- or was that only for ELCs?

wprager wrote:Boston have a little over $1M in cap space but that doesn't include the up-to $4.5M in performance bonuses on Bergeron's and Krejci's contracts.  I thought bonuses always had to count -- or was that only for ELCs?

Isn’t there a clause where they can be differed to the following year?

Flo The Action wrote:

wprager wrote:Boston have a little over $1M in cap space but that doesn't include the up-to $4.5M in performance bonuses on Bergeron's and Krejci's contracts.  I thought bonuses always had to count -- or was that only for ELCs?

Isn’t there a clause where they can be differed to the following year?

Yes - bonuses can be moved into the next year. It seems like Boston is trying to be competitive for one more year. Next year will be the start of their rebuild

Jarventie is having a pretty dominant period. Very strong on the puck and has some excellent vision. 

Kemell the most noticeable player imo. Lambert too but he doesn't know how to pass the puck

Didn't watch but sounds like Kleven was 2nd in d-man minutes for Team USA.

Big performers from day 1: Luke Hughes, Attu Raty, Joakim Kemmell.

I figure there are going to be a ton of teams kicking themselves for not taking Raty.

Greig reminds me a lot of Mike Fisher. Albeit a really talented Mike Fisher who knows how to hit the net

Also crazy that the Sens could dress a pretty dominant line of players at the world juniors

Ostapchuk-Greig-Jarventie
Hamara-Kleven
Merilainen

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Greig reminds me a lot of Mike Fisher. Albeit a really talented Mike Fisher who knows how to hit the net

I think that’s what the Sens are hoping. Although I think he’ll be a winger.

Greig is a great prospect and exactly what we need on our bottom lines going forward if he’s not traded. He plays the way this team wants to play.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

wprager wrote:Boston have a little over $1M in cap space but that doesn't include the up-to $4.5M in performance bonuses on Bergeron's and Krejci's contracts.  I thought bonuses always had to count -- or was that only for ELCs?

Isn’t there a clause where they can be differed to the following year?

Yes - bonuses can be moved into the next year. It seems like Boston is trying to be competitive for one more year. Next year will be the start of their rebuild

Just checked CapFriendly and (now) they are actually $2.2M *over* the cap. I don't see any transactions since Krejci so what happened? Can they put players like Marchand and McAvoy on LTIR -- what are the rules for that? They will need to bring in replacement players until those injured players come back and they don't have any "spare change". Buying out Foligno would not be enough -- any chance they can move him? $3.8M for a guy who scored 2 goals - yikes!

https://www.capfriendly.com/

13 teams are over the cap, and the Sens need a top-4 RHD. Hmm. But they also need to move on from Zaitsev. My gut feel is moving Zaitsev for a pricier D-man (enough difference to bring the other team under the cap) you are likely getting an over-priced player back. Not helpful. Arizona is reportedly asking for picks for Chychrun, but without his $4.6M cap hit they would be $3.5M under the floor.

Zaitsev ($1M retained) plus a 1st and 2023 2nd, 2024 1st and 2nd -- would that get it done?

wprager wrote:https://www.capfriendly.com/

13 teams are over the cap, and the Sens need a top-4 RHD.  Hmm.  But they also need to move on from Zaitsev.  My gut feel is moving Zaitsev for a pricier D-man (enough difference to bring the other team under the cap) you are likely getting an over-priced player back.  Not helpful.  Arizona is reportedly asking for picks for Chychrun, but without his $4.6M cap hit they would be $3.5M under the floor.

Zaitsev ($1M retained) plus a 1st and 2023 2nd, 2024 1st and 2nd -- would that get it done?  

So my issue with giving up 1st rd picks:

- 2023 draft is deep
- When you consider the Boucher pick (huge reach), it would mean that we've essentially given up a 1st in 2021, 2022 (DeBrincat), 2023 and 2024
- Chychrun isn't worth 4 top 60 picks even if it includes getting rid of Zaitsev. That's a lot of draft capital and I'm not sure how much he actually moves the needle.
- The fact that Chychrun hasn't been traded means that Arizona is asking way too much or there isn't a lot of interest. .
- We don't know what will happen with Formenton and Batherson - Batherson being the bigger contributor of the two. I wouldn't be in a rush to get rid of my 2023 1st just yet. We don't know if DeBrincat will re-sign which also poses as risk in 2024 - but it could mean we also get a 1st back in a trade

I'd be okay giving up Brannstrom, Zaitsev, Formenton, and a 2024 1st for Chychryn but nothing more.

If we're willing to give up that much for a LHD that really isn't all that special, I'd look at other options like Dobson, Theodore, Girard - all players on teams with cap problems. I think Vegas should be looking at a mini-rebuild and a few assets/picks coming back will help them out quite a bit.

We also have to consider that Zaitsev's bonus was already paid out so his actual salary is pretty low for the remainder of the season. If he sits in the press box this year or plays a random game here or there on the bottom pairing, the depth isn't the worst thing in the world to have.

He may have some value at the deadline - especially if we're willing to retain some of his cap hit - or worst case his buyout in the off-season wouldn't cost all that much though it's not the route I think the team should go.

I wouldn't be dishing out too many assets to save $2.5M salary this year especially when we don't need the cap space until next season.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

wprager wrote:https://www.capfriendly.com/

13 teams are over the cap, and the Sens need a top-4 RHD.  Hmm.  But they also need to move on from Zaitsev.  My gut feel is moving Zaitsev for a pricier D-man (enough difference to bring the other team under the cap) you are likely getting an over-priced player back.  Not helpful.  Arizona is reportedly asking for picks for Chychrun, but without his $4.6M cap hit they would be $3.5M under the floor.

Zaitsev ($1M retained) plus a 1st and 2023 2nd, 2024 1st and 2nd -- would that get it done?  

So my issue with giving up 1st rd picks:

- 2023 draft is deep
- When you consider the Boucher pick (huge reach), it would mean that we've essentially given up a 1st in 2021, 2022 (DeBrincat), 2023 and 2024
- Chychrun isn't worth 4 top 60 picks even if it includes getting rid of Zaitsev. That's a lot of draft capital and I'm not sure how much he actually moves the needle.
- The fact that Chychrun hasn't been traded means that Arizona is asking way too much or there isn't a lot of interest. .
- We don't know what will happen with Formenton and Batherson - Batherson being the bigger contributor of the two. I wouldn't be in a rush to get rid of my 2023 1st just yet. We don't know if DeBrincat will re-sign which also poses as risk in 2024 - but it could mean we also get a 1st back in a trade

I'd be okay giving up Brannstrom, Zaitsev, Formenton, and a 2024 1st for Chychryn but nothing more.

If we're willing to give up that much for a LHD that really isn't all that special, I'd look at other options like Dobson, Theodore, Girard - all players on teams with cap problems. I think Vegas should be looking at a mini-rebuild and a few assets/picks coming back will help them out quite a bit.

I think I messed up on updating my draft post. What I meant was 2023 2nd and 2024 1st and 2nd. Yes, 2023 is a deep draft and we may still not even make the playoffs.

I guess I was looking to kill 2 birds (Zaitsev out, top-4 RHD in) with one trade, and in that case taking advantage of a team over the cap won't work. There's just been too much chatter about Chychrun to Ottawa -- they must be talking. Looks like Arizona is asking for too much so Dorion is just waiting them out. Just don't wait too long -- injuries can happen early in the season (or even pre-season) that would force other teams to go shopping for a top-4 D.

Id wait for the price to go down. I’m sure Dorion made a decent offer. If anything in the past has shown us is that Dorion will pay a little extra than we would like In trades. So if Arizona isn’t hitting then it’s because they’re asking way too much.