DANIELPALFREDSSON'S OTTAWA SENATORS GM LOG: SEASON 2 PREVIEW AND OFF SEASON
CHAPTERS
1-
Rules and Settings
2-
Roster Edits and Changes
3-
Season 1 Off Season and Preview
4-
Season 1 Trade Deadline and End Of Season Summary
5-
2015 NHL Entry Draft
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SIGNIFICANT EXTENSIONS
PLAYER
|
TERM
|
NTC
Mark Stone 87oa | 7 year 5.4M | Limited
Mike Hoffman 83oa | 8 year 3.3M | Limited
Mika Zibanejad 85oa | 8 year 4M | Limited
Andrew Hammond 85oa | 3 years 3.9M | Limited
Jean Gabrielle Pageau 81oa | 2 year 1.5M | N/A
Alex Chiasson 81oa | 3 year 1.5M | N/A
Shane Prince 81oa | 2 year 1 Way 900k | N/A
Chris Wideman 79oa | 3 year 2 way | N/A
Chris Neil 79oa | 1 year 900k | N/A
*Andrew Hammond was a UFA, but I didn't randomize whether he'd extend since he already did so in real life and it just hadn't been added to the game since EA has not issued a roster update in a while.
**The Ottawa Senators have spent just shy of their 62M internal budget. So there is no space to sign any big name UFA's.
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TOP PROSPECTS
PLAYER
|
AGE
|
OVERALL
|
POTENTIAL
Zibanejad C TWF | 22yo | 85 | 4G*
Konecny C PLY | 18yo | 84 | 4.5*
Pageau C TWF | 22yo | 81 | 3G*
Lazar C TWF | 20yo | 81oa | 4*
Dzingel C TWF | 23yo | 76oa | 4R*
Puempel LW SNP | 22yo | 84oa | 4*
Prince LW SNP | 22yo | 81oa | 3.5*
Lindberg LW SNP | 20yo | 74oa | 4R*
Sprong RW SNP | 18yo | 63oa | 4.5R*
Korostelev RW SNP | 18yo | 61oa | 4*
Ceci RTWD | 21yo | 85oa | 4*
Meyer LDFD | 18yo | 55oa | 4*
Englund LDFD | 19yo | 71oa | 4*
Driedger HYB G | 21yo | 75oa | 3.5*
Schneider HYB G | 18yo | 59oa | 3.5*
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TOP STORY: AS THE WORLD TURRISNS...I MEAN TURNS
After the Senators drafted the highly touted NHL ready Travis Konecny at 6th overall, trade rumours came flying out of Canada's capital.
The Senators, a budget team, can likely not afford to pay all three of Turris, Zibanejad, and if he pans out, Konecny long term. Turris is a UFA in two years and it is not yet known if he intends to test the market, in which case, as a first line centre who put up 69 points last season, he'll likely command a substantial increase over his current bargain 3.5M cap hit.
Turris does not have a NTC in his deal, which will make him a hot commodity across the league as multiple teams have been trying for years to find a number 1 centre. A logical destination for Turris might be out West to the Nashville Predators who attempted to get Jason Spezza when Ottawa was previously trading him.
If Turris is receptive to the idea of staying in Ottawa, the Senators will have a tough choice to make. Unless after his rookie season, they have concerns about his long term progression, Ottawa isn't likely to trade a cost controlled asset like Travis Konecny. That leaves trading then 23 year old Mika Zibanejad as the only alternative to Turris. Zibanejad just inked an 8 year 4M per offer with the intention of staying in Ottawa, so it'd be a huge blow for him to be moved.
Zibanejad also doesn't have nearly as much value as Turris. As a first line centre, Turris could possibly return Ottawa a top 2 defenceman to play alongside Erik Karlsson.
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FORWARD PREVIEW
The only free agent move Ottawa made was signing former Senator 79oa LW Erik Condra to a one year two way deal to be a healthy scratch as their 14th NHL forward.
Ottawa's top 6 is largely the same as last year with the only difference being that Hoffman will get a shot playing on the top line with Turris and Ryan, while the more experienced Clarke MacArthur will play on Zibanejad's wing with Stone on the second line.
There are some major changes to the forward core that stem from the previous trade deadline. Mostly for salary issues, Ottawa was forced to trade Michalek and his three year contract to Edmonton for the minimal return of a third round pick. The Senators then flipped that pick to Florida in order to acquire Jaromir Jagr as a rental to take Michalek's place, but as expected, Jagr retired in the off season.
These moves have resulted in a drastically different looking bottom 6. Konecny 84oa who was drafted 6th in the 2015 draft (originally projected to go number 2) will center the third line. With Puempel and Chiasson on Konecny's wing, the third line looks like it could become a legitimate scoring threat.
Former 2nd round pick 22 year old Shane Prince signed a 2 year 1 way deal in the off season. Prince who played 3 games for the Senators last year as a call up had 15 goals and 34 points in 55 AHL games. Despite being a sniper, Prince has decent two way attributes and will get a chance on the fourth line with veterans Zack Smith and Chris Neil.
The Senators have Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Erik Condra as healthy scratches, as well as Curtis Lazar 81oa playing in the AHL. Pageau a TWF with some playmaking attributes could potentially make find chemistry with Prince on the fourth line.
Overflowing with middle 6 talent, rumour has it that Ottawa is still looking for legitimate first line left winger to take the Turris line over the top. Senators fans have been biting their nails, as acquiring that type of player might require moving fan favourite Mike Hoffman as part of the deal.
Rookie Travis Konecny is expected to battle Mika Zibanejad throughout the entire year for the second line centre spot.
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DEFENSE PREVIEW
Ottawa's defence took a massive step forward this off season. Cowen, Wiercioch, and Ceci all made steps forward in their development and can now be considered legitimate top 4 defenders.
Karlsson won the Norris trophy last season and is looking to repeat his 80+ point season.
Although Methot makes a great partner for Karlsson, if the opportunity presents itself look out for Ottawa to attempt to acquire a top 2 left handed defender in the near future. Doing so would require moving one of Cowen or Wiercioch in the package.
Ottawa is preparing for a future without Marc Methot. At 30 years old the Ottawa native has 4 years left on a 4.9M deal that has a NTC. There are no plans to trade Methot, but the Senators have to prepare for the very real possibility that his abilities might begin to decline in the coming years.
In 2014, the Senators used their first pick of the draft on Swedish DFD Andreas Englund. Englund is a left side D who is described as the stay at home meat and potatoes type of defender. Although he is not as mobile as Methot, he has potential to fit the big DFD mould that Ottawa needs to play with Karlsson.
We saw Ottawa use two of their second round picks on big stay at home DFD types at the 2015 draft. Notable is Jarrett Meyer. Meyer went as high as he did as a result of his generational size. At 6'9” and well over 200 lbs, Meyer has the potential to be Karlsson's future top pairing partner. At only 55oa, Meyer is considered to be a long term project and will continue playing in the CHL this year.
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GOALIE PREVIEW
After a respectable season as Ottawa's starting goalie, Andrew Hammond inked a three year 3.9M deal with a limited NTC. Hammond will be a UFA when the deal expires. Similar to Anderson's previous extension with the Senators, it was signed with the clear notion that Lehner will be given the opportunity to develop into a starter, and if he does so, Hammond could see himself traded as early as next year.
Ottawa would need to sign or trade for a backup if they moved Hammond next year, as nobody in the system is ready. With Lehner's development still in question, Ottawa will have to think about drafting an 18 year old who has elite or starting potential in the first round of the 2016 draft. Ottawa has Driedger in their system who is developing well, but scouts feel that he will cap out as a very good backup and isn't the goalie of the future.
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PROJECTED LINE UP
Hoffman SNP 84-Turris PLY 88-Ryan SNP 89
MacArthur TWF 85-Zibanejad TWF 85-Stone PLY 87
Puempel SNP 84-Konecny PLY 84-Chiasson PWF 82
Prince SNP 81-Smith GRN 83-Neil GRN 79
Scratches: Pageau C TWF 81-Condra LW TWF 79
Methot DFD 86-Karlsson OFD 92
Wiercioch TWD 84-Ceci TWD 85
Cowen DFD 84-Borowickie DFD 80*RD
Wideman ROFD 79
Hammond HYB 85
Lehner HYB 84
UP NEXT: 2016 TRADE DEADLINE AND SEASON SUMMARY
|Sharks lead 1-0
|Calgary leads 1-0
|San Jose leads 1-0
and if we go to the second it will be NYR or PHI, another great rivalry
|Chicago leads 1-0
|
San Jose leads 1-0
