Player Discussion Fabian Zetterlund traded to Ottawa

[Senator Stanley]

He probably wants to be paid like a 2nd liner but played for us like a 3rd liner.

I think we put too much into these 2nd liner/3rd liner labels. To me, he's a top 9 forward who can be a complimentary winger on any of the top three lines. Same with guys like Perron or Amadio. What he's not is what I'll call a "top six duo guy", the way Stutzle-Tkachuk are our top line duo, Cozens-Batherson are seemingly our second line duo, and everyone else kind slots in around them.

If he wants to be paid on the low end of a top six duo guy, he and the team are in for a fight. But hopefully he's being realistic, especially with the numbers he put up down the stretch, and they can get him on a deal in that top 9 complimentary winger price range - somewhere between $2.6m and $4M, depending on term and how the rising cap effects the market.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

He can probably play the Perron role, and Perron isn't getting any younger or faster.

 

[NyQuil]

I think we put too much into these 2nd liner/3rd liner labels.

I agree, but I think we're looking at a $2M difference in salary which isn't insignificant.

To me, he's a top 9 forward who can be a complimentary winger on any of the top three lines. Same with guys like Perron or Amadio. What he's not is what I'll call a "top six duo guy", the way Stutzle-Tkachuk are our top line duo, Cozens-Batherson are seemingly our second line duo, and everyone else kind slots in around them.

There are roles to be played in the top six in terms of getting pucks out of corners, forechecking around and behind the net, and screening goalies.

But I also think that you have to be a net positive with the puck as well. That doesn't mean putting up sparkling offensive numbers, but it does mean that you are able to keep possession going and make smart plays with the puck.

I haven't seen that quality from him yet.

If he wants to be paid on the low end of a top six duo guy, he and the team are in for a fight. But hopefully he's being realistic, especially with the numbers he put up down the stretch, and they can get him on a deal in that top 9 complimentary winger prince range - somewhere between $2.6m and $4M, depending on term and how the rising cap effects the market.

Ultimately we would be paying him on what we hope he can deliver, as opposed to what he actually did IMO.

There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but it is a risk.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Lazar was vastly over rated coming into Ottawa. Fortunate to be in the league now.

He had a very strong junior career. Like a lot of 1st round picks, he didn't take the next step to become a star in the NHL.

He was rushed to the NHL, which was part of the reason he was overhyped.

He's had a great career. He just wasn't #TheNextMikeFisher.

 

[Senator Stanley]

He had a very strong junior career. Like a lot of 1st round picks, he didn't take the next step to become a star in the NHL.

He was rushed to the NHL, which was part of the reason he was overhyped.

He's had a great career. He just wasn't #TheNextMikeFisher.

I've always felt that the single biggest issue for Lazar was poor puck skills. Some guys just can't control a puck at NHL speed, and it's very hard to develop that ability. Colin White struggled with this as well, and I think it's part of what's held back Tyler Boucher. All three are NHL athletes, no question, but if you can't control the puck - to carry it, to make plays - it's very hard to be effective in anything more than a 4th line grinder role.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Didn't contribute much overall to end the year. Curious to see what we do with him going forward. Hopefully he signs a reasonable 1-2 year in the 2-2.5M range. I don't think he's worth anything more at this point until he proves it.

His numbers for the past two seasons speak well of him…. He was and still is a good pick up by the GM… his play next season will change a lot of minds

 

[otown]

He's in the league because he's continuously valued by teams around the league.

Unfortunately, that value is not commiserate with his draft position.

Definitely agree that Lazar's value does not commensurate with his draft position.
Obviously he has persevered (which is admirable) and been a member of 6 different NHL organizations in his 10 year career. Better than the AHL I guess!

 

[ottawagm]

His numbers for the past two seasons speak well of him…. He was and still is a good pick up by the GM… his play next season will change a lot of minds

View attachment 1028163

The sample size is large enough. I think he can get better but we shouldn't assume it will happen. If he wanted 4-5M / year in SJ, that could be a problem.

 

[SEALBound]

Just came to check in with you guys to see what the future plans might be. This a guy you anticipate resigning or would he come available?

His numbers for the past two seasons speak well of him…. He was and still is a good pick up by the GM… his play next season will change a lot of minds

View attachment 1028163

Role and ice time are the big differences between SJS vs OTT. He was getting 17min/game in the top 6 with SJS. Then down to 14min on the 3rd line OTT so a drop in production is certainly expected.

 

[flyingfingers]

Iafallo signed for 3x3.67 in Winnipeg.

Zetterlund has produced a bit more, but on worse teams, and doesn't have the track record. He's also an RFA while Iafallo was a UFA.

I could see something like 3x3.75M.

He gets a bit of security and his first real payday, but will also have a chance to cash in again at 28.

Medium term deal is probably best for both sides. Alleviates some of the risk for Zetterlund and Ottawa.

And from what I've read, he wasn't traded because of any sort of contract ask. He was traded because San Jose has several scoring wing prospects in the pipeline and Grier wants to add size in his bottom 6.

 

[ottawagm]

Iafallo signed for 3x3.67 in Winnipeg.

Zetterlund has produced a bit more, but on worse teams, and doesn't have the track record. He's also an RFA while Iafallo was a UFA.

I could see something like 3x3.75M.

He gets a bit of security and his first real payday, but will also have a chance to cash in again at 28.

Medium term deal is probably best for both sides. Alleviates some of the risk for Zetterlund and Ottawa.

And from what I've read, he wasn't traded because of any sort of contract ask. He was traded because San Jose has several scoring wing prospects in the pipeline and Grier wants to add size in his bottom 6.

Way too much for a guy with no record at all with us. I hope we go short term 1x2M. We don't have cap space to spare this summer.

 

[flyingfingers]

Way too much for a guy with no record at all with us. I hope we go short term 1x2M. We don't have cap space to spare this summer.

2M is a completely unrealistic amount. 3M is the floor.

 

[ottawagm]

2M is a completely unrealistic amount. 3M is the floor.

That's Greig and Pinto money. He got 13-14min per night, often with good players, and brought no offense. 5 points in 20 in regular season, 0 points in 6 games in the playoffs. Without offense he should be on the 4th line for this team because we need more scoring in the top 6.

 

[flyingfingers]

That's Greig and Pinto money. He got 13-14min per night, often with good players, and brought no offense. 5 points in 20 in regular season, 0 points in 6 games in the playoffs.

Greig is at 3.25M and Pinto is at 3.75M.

On a short-to-medium term deal, I agree he gets Pinto or Greig money. Which is more than 2M.

Also, most of his time was spent with Gaudette, Cousins and Highmore. Not exactly burners.

They clearly like the long-term fit for him here, otherwise they wouldn't have traded that much for him. I expect him to be in a much bigger role after a full training camp here.

 

[ottawagm]

Greig is at 3.25M and Pinto is at 3.75M next season.

On multi-year deals. You said 3x3.75 for Zetterlund earlier.

We'll see what management does. I hope they don't overpay him, like Dorion did with Brannstrom, because we traded for him.

 

[Senator Stanley]

That's Greig and Pinto money. He got 13-14min per night, often with good players, and brought no offense. 5 points in 20 in regular season, 0 points in 6 games in the playoffs.

You can't just throw out everything else he's done in his career. That's not how this works.

 

[flyingfingers]

On multi-year deals. You said 3x3.75 for Zetterlund earlier.

We'll see what management does. I hope they don't overpay him, like Dorion did with Brannstrom, because we traded for him.

3x3.75 is a multi year deal. Greig got 4x3.25.

 

[ottawagm]

You can't just throw out everything else he's done in his career. That's not how this works.

We need to stop paying for past or future performance. We need to pay players based on who they are today.

I hope it works out but SJ was happy to dump him based on his ask and their perception of the player and that was a player who was actually scoring for their team, vs. what he brought to Ottawa.

 

[flyingfingers]

We need to stop paying for past or future performance. We need to pay players based on who they are today.

I hope it works out but SJ was happy to dump him based on his ask and their perception of the player and that was a player who was actually scoring for their team, vs. what he brought to Ottawa.

They were happy to get a big 21 year old center who fits their timeline plus a 2nd round pick.

I don't think they were happy to dump him.

And today, based on comparable players, Zetterlund is a 3M-4M per year guy.

And he has arbitration rights, so if they can't come to terms on a medium term deal, he is 100% getting that for 1 year.

The team knew that when they made the trade, so they've most certainly accounted for it.

 

[Micklebot]

That's Greig and Pinto money. He got 13-14min per night, often with good players, and brought no offense. 5 points in 20 in regular season, 0 points in 6 games in the playoffs. Without offense he should be on the 4th line for this team because we need more scoring in the top 6.

He also put up 80 pts in 146 games over the last two seasons while with SJ, last year playing with Duclair and this year Eklund and Granlund.

26 games as a senator, not exactly a solid sample, so do you assume his time with Ottawa is more representative, or his time with SJ?

I think we might see Greig get tried in the top 6 again, he seemed to find his stride late this season and into the playoffs. If that happens, the 3rd line is imo a good spot for Zetterlund,

 

[ottawagm]

He also put up 80 pts in 146 games over the last two seasons while with SJ, last year playing with Duclair and this year Eklund and Granlund.

26 games as a senator, not exactly a solid sample, so do you assume his time with Ottawa is more representative, or his time with SJ?

I think we might see Greig get tried in the top 6 again, he seemed to find his stride late this season and into the playoffs. If that happens, the 3rd line is imo a good spot for Zetterlund,

I think his time in our system / role is more representative of future performance here; however, if he thinks he will improve on SJ numbers moving forward, then he should take a 1 year deal < 3M and prove it. Then next year he can go for a long term deal for 5M+ if he proves it.

I think the team will be very hard on him in arbitration if it goes there. Sure you got some points in roles where defense didn't matter, where other players carried the play for you, but when you had to focus on D and generate yourself, you did not.

 

[Senator Stanley]

I think his time in our system / role is more representative of future performance here; however, if he thinks he will improve on SJ numbers moving forward, then he should take a 1 year deal < 3M and prove it. Then next year he can go for a long term deal for 5M+ if he proves it.

I think the team will be very hard on him in arbitration if it goes there. Sure you got some points in roles where defense didn't matter, where other players carried the play for you, but when you had to focus on D and generate yourself, you did not.

By this logic, we should have handed Matthieu Joseph an $8M contract.

Zetterlund's next contract will be negotiated based on what he's done in his career and how the two sides project he'll perform over the life of his next contract. That's how it works.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I would not give him over 3 on any deal 4 years or under
Qualify him at the minimum and make him sweat they have 2 years to UFA 2.25x1 2.5x2 2.8x3 3x4

 

[DJB]

He was disappointing truly. He lacks hockey IQ and clearly just benefited from playing a top 6 role

 

[Icelevel]

Played well. No points. So not great. Expect him to score 30 next year though.