Confirmed Trade: [CHI/OTT] Nikita Zaitsev, 2023 2nd round pick, and 2026 4th round pick for future considerations

[Golden_Jet]

Why the Sens ever traded for Zaitsev in the first place is still bizarre to me.

They liked Conner Brown

 

[3headeddragon]

Damn I really wanted that guy!!!! Ottawa got one helluva piece for the future!!

 

[Space umpire]

Why wouldn't there be a group chat with all 30 GM's where they can all see when a player is available and start a bidding war?

I don't see the logic in offering up a guy to only a handful of teams and not allowing other teams to top that offer...

Mmm ok, all 30 GM’s LOL
I think you’ll notice certain GM’s work together often.

 

[BoardsofCanada]

Why the Sens ever traded for Zaitsev in the first place is still bizarre to me.

Ottawa Senators Acquire: Connor Brown · $2,100,000 Nikita Zaitsev · $4,500,000 Michael Carcone · $0 (AHL/JR) (Signing Rights) Sum: $6,600,000 Change: +$5,875,000

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire: Cody Ceci · $0 (Signing Rights) Ben Harpur · $725,000 Aaron Luchuk · $0 (AHL/JR) 2020 3rd round pick (CBJ - #83 - Alex Laferriere) Sum: $725,000 Change: -$5,875,000

They got a hard working forward in Connor Brown. He was good for the Sens for two seasons. They were also pretty thin on D and probably thought Zaitsev was better than a minor league call up.

 

[Empoleon8771]

They liked Conner Brown

It's kinda neat that they traded for Zaitsev in the first place because they liked Brown, but also paid basically the same price to get out of Zaitsev's contract today as what they got for trading Brown last off-season.

Kinda like they negated out each others value twice now, once when Brown was making up for Zaitsev in the initial trade and once after now.

 

[WarriorofTime]

It's sick how many draft picks we got. 3 firsts and 2 seconds in 2022, five picks in the first two rounds of 2023. We're gonna be overflowing with prospects in a few years.

 

[NinjaKick]

By gawd is that Erik Karlsson music ..

it needs to happen

 

[General Disarray]

Why? What do they need the cap space for so urgently?

 

[uncleben]

Ottawa Senators Acquire: Connor Brown · $2,100,000 Nikita Zaitsev · $4,500,000 Michael Carcone · $0 (AHL/JR) (Signing Rights) Sum: $6,600,000 Change: +$5,875,000

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire: Cody Ceci · $0 (Signing Rights) Ben Harpur · $725,000 Aaron Luchuk · $0 (AHL/JR) 2020 3rd round pick (CBJ - #83 - Alex Laferriere) Sum: $725,000 Change: -$5,875,000

They got a hard working forward in Connor Brown. He was good for the Sens for two seasons. They were also pretty thin on D and probably thought Zaitsev was better than a minor league call up.

Zaitsev also did have a pretty solid rookie season too
The contract was an unnecessary risk that clearly didn't pay off, but I can understand why OTT saw Zaitsev as more than just a cap dump if they could get him in the right situations on the ice
Even now, I'd still say he's an NHL defenseman ...just not at that price

 

[Korpse]

Why? What do they need the cap space for so urgently?

Been looking to bring in a top 4 RHD since the summer. Wether that happens before the trade deadline or in the summer, Zaitsev had the be moved. The rumours of Zaitsev being on the move started in the summer as well. Pretty simple.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Zaitsev is not as bad as people want to imply

He shouldn't play above 3rd pairing though. He is far from Ian Mitchell/Jack Johnson/Caleb Jones level. Those guys are atrocious

Fine with trade as I advocated for it though a bit disappointed, we couldn't pry loose a 1st

Hopefully we can dump Murphy at some point

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

What is Ottawa even doing. They are sellers themselves.

Watch them get another handcuffing contract after they cleared space lol.

What do they have to sell?

Talbot? Watson? Big returns there. All their good pieces are locked up, or have their rights controlled.

They're building for next season. Needed to clear zaitsev to do it. And who knows, another stretch of 10 games like what they just had and all bets are off.

It's not likely rhat they make it this season, but they're closer to the wildcard than conner Bedard.

Zaitsev is not as bad as people want to imply

He shouldn't play above 3rd pairing though. He is far from Ian Mitchell/Jack Johnson/Caleb Jones level

Fine with trade as I advocated for it though a bit disappointed, we couldn't pry loose a 1st

Hopefully we can dump Murphy at some point

Up until he was waived this season he's been pretty damned bad, man.

Since being called back up he's probably played his most consistent hockey as a senator.

Can definitely pitch in on the third pair. Just around 3 and a half to 4 million overpaid.

 

[Golden_Jet]

It's kinda neat that they traded for Zaitsev in the first place because they liked Brown, but also paid basically the same price to get out of Zaitsev's contract today as what they got for trading Brown last off-season.

Kinda like they negated out each others value twice now, once when Brown was making up for Zaitsev in the initial trade and once after now.

Plus got 3 years of Brown playing

 

[Leafs87]

I remember these trades were illegal at one point. Believe the leafs tried acquiring a really shit overpaid goalie (Cujo, Gerber?) about 10 years ago and the league deemed it a “cap dump” trade and nixed it. Even fined the Leafs I believe.

Time have changed as essentially almost every selling is taking garbage for picks if they can afford the cap.

The caption is the best from Sens PR. We have acquired future considerations.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Zaitsev is not as bad as people want to imply

He shouldn't play above 3rd pairing though. He is far from Ian Mitchell/Jack Johnson/Caleb Jones level. Those guys are atrocious

Fine with trade as I advocated for it though a bit disappointed, we couldn't pry loose a 1st

Hopefully we can dump Murphy at some point

We were never getting ottawa’s first

I remember these trades were illegal at one point. Believe the leafs tried acquiring a really shit overpaid goalie (Cujo, Gerber?) about 10 years ago and the league deemed it a “cap dump” trade and nixed it. Even fined the Leafs I believe.

Time have changed as essentially almost every selling is taking garbage for picks if they can afford the cap.

Obviously the league hates the leafs

 

[Rockomax]

It's sick how many draft picks we got. 3 firsts and 2 seconds in 2022, five picks in the first two rounds of 2023. We're gonna be overflowing with prospects in a few years.

That 2nd rounder will also be fairly early within the 2nd round of the draft too.

 

[stardog]

Good trade for the Sens, the caps freed is way important than the 2023 2nd round pick.

I mean, they were FAR from being close to the cap before moving him...like nowhere near the cap. They could have afforded to trade for anyone in the league and still been compliant I think so a cap clearing move for at least the Sens wasn't really a huge priority...at least this year.
So I don't know that it's more important than the 2nd for a team that has no reason to worry about the cap.
Payroll (which would include internal cap) might be a decent reason but the salary cap shouldn't be.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I remember these trades were illegal at one point. Believe the leafs tried acquiring a really shit overpaid goalie (Cujo, Gerber?) about 10 years ago and the league deemed it a “cap dump” trade and nixed it. Even fined the Leafs I believe.

Time have changed as essentially almost every selling is taking garbage for picks if they can afford the cap.

The caption is the best from Sens PR. We have acquired future considerations.

The leafs had Cujo and Gerber both.
Probably need some more info or research on your post, as in what are the actual facts of what happened.

Tried searching came up empty.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Nikita Zaitsev has looked like a solid #5 D since returning from Belleville. He is invisible makes a quick touch on the puck and gets it to his supporting d partner plays hard on the boards. There are moments where he makes bad judgment plays and looks like he completely does not belong in the NHL. Zaitsev was an absolute anchor at the start of the year. If he keeps up his recent play in Chicago its not that bad. If he reverts to how he has played like a for majority of his career he will help Chicago tank next year.

 

[Golden_Jet]

That 2nd rounder will also be fairly early within the 2nd round of the draft too.

Probably about 45th overall.

 

[Larry Hanson]

Ottawa Senators Acquire: Connor Brown · $2,100,000 Nikita Zaitsev · $4,500,000 Michael Carcone · $0 (AHL/JR) (Signing Rights) Sum: $6,600,000 Change: +$5,875,000

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire: Cody Ceci · $0 (Signing Rights) Ben Harpur · $725,000 Aaron Luchuk · $0 (AHL/JR) 2020 3rd round pick (CBJ - #83 - Alex Laferriere) Sum: $725,000 Change: -$5,875,000

They got a hard working forward in Connor Brown. He was good for the Sens for two seasons. They were also pretty thin on D and probably thought Zaitsev was better than a minor league call up.

Ya I get that they liked Brown but it was still a brutal trade. Toronto was desperate for cap space, they just paid a first to get rid of 1 year of Marleau's cap hit. The price should have been Brown+++ to take on 6 more years of Zaitsev at 4.5M but instead they add in 2 prospects, signing rights for a decent veteran and a draft pick?

And then they have to pay a 2nd and a 4th to dump that same contract with 2 years left?

This was Dorian's mid life crisis moment. Dump the wife, buy a Corvette, date a stripper, make a crazy trade.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Ya I get that they liked Brown but it was still a brutal trade. Toronto was desperate for cap space, they just paid a first to get rid of 1 year of Marleau's cap hit. The price should have been Brown+++ to take on 6 more years of Zaitsev at 4.5M but instead they add in 2 prospects, signing rights for a decent veteran and a draft pick?

And then they have to pay a 2nd and a 4th to dump that same contract with 2 years left?

This was Dorian's mid life crisis moment. Dump the wife, buy a Corvette, date a stripper, make a crazy trade.

Next year left, plus 25 games this year.

And yes Dubas did pay a first to dump Marleau, then paid a first dump Mrazek.

Luckily the Sens don’t have the albatross contracts Treliving has.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The leafs had Cujo and Gerber both.
Probably need some more info or research on your post, as in what are the actual facts of what happened.

Tried searching came up empty.

I think the poster above you made it up, I've never heard of this supposed nixed trade.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I think the poster above you made it up, I've never heard of this supposed nixed trade.

That would make more sense,

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Great trade for Chicago.

Don't really get this from Ottawa's PoV unless they have something big coming up. We shall see I guess.