GDT: Free agency madness, brought to you by the letter G

[RAFI BOMB]

Sens defense is still on the smaller side as we currently don't have a single D man listed at 220 lbs+. We have some D prospects that could end up being that size but they are still a while away and Sanderson could be that big but he isn't that size yet.

Jakob Chychurn is 6'2 220 lbs so acquiring him would give us some more size. But he is likely expensive to acquire via trade.

If we go for a more cost effective trade while looking to dump Zaitsev then Tyler Myers could be an option and he is listed at 6'8 229 lbs.

Then there is Zdeno Chara who is a UFA and is expected to make a decision on whether he will play or not closer to September. Chara is 6'9 250 lbs. He wouldn't be a top 4 option but he could be a decent depth signing and it might be nice to have him put on the Sens jersey one more time before he retires.

The Sens could do both by getting one of Chychurn or Myers and then adding Chara as an extra d. It would certainly be entertaining to see a Chara-Myers pairing even if it was only for a few games or a few shifts.

 

[Cosmix]

I'm thinking we might go after a less coveted RD option...

Larsson, C.Murphy, Matt Roy, Holl, T.Myers,

Not going to carry a pairing, but maybe just being good enough is enough

I hope not. We need an upgrade on Zaitsev, Hamonic, & Holden, plus we need to jettison the $3-$4M salary to afford a better D'man.

 

[TheNewEra]

If Nemec is expected to make the team from day 1 then Severson should be available

If Larsson is remotely available then we have a chance at dumping zaistev there as well since seattle shouldnt be going for it next year

Calgary has 8 dmen (once kylington is signed) so even if they arent rebuilding we could get someone

 

[Silencio]

Maybe I'm just being impatient but I think we may all have to come to grips with another season of Nikita Zaitsev in Ottawa. There are many more teams than just the Sens trying to move contracts and not finding any takers. It's starting to look like the cost of moving him out would be more painful than keeping him. Is it too late to buy him out?

Joseph filing for arbitration opened up another buyout window for Ottawa, so technically it's not too late. Whether they'd actually pay the steep price to do so is another question.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Joseph filing for arbitration opened up another buyout window for Ottawa, so technically it's not too late. Whether they'd actually pay the steep price to do so is another question.

I don't see a point in buying out Zaitsev after we paid him his bonus already. He'll probably be easier to move next year with only a year left on his contract too.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

I get that everyone is pretty "done" with Zaitsev, but the guy gets 34% offensive zone starts at even strength, blocks shots, and hits.

He was only -7 on an Ottawa team that was highly negative in goal differential. Mete at -19, Brannstrom at -17, Brown at -9, Thomson at -8, and MDZ at -4. He played more games than any of them. MDZ would have been worse if pro-rated. Only Hamonic, Zub, Holden, and Chabot were better.

He's absorbing some of our toughest minutes every year on bad teams with bad goaltending. I know he's not worth 4.5M, but I'm not convinced he should be bought out either. If we're going to dump him and replace him, I'm down, but I'm not seeing a whole lot of better players being suggested.

 

[Yost]

See, nerd stats.
No one is saying he's a #1 or 2 dman, but if you actually watched the games you would have seen he was the best dman we had on the ice regularly. Saying his season was "grim" or however you described it is proof you weren't indeed watching the games. The kid is improving and can certainly become a good 2nd pairing guy playing on a decent team.

 

[Hale The Villain]

If we actually manage to acquire a top 4 D and then have to dump cap to fit him in, it would be far smarter to deal Hamonic away if a team is willing to take him on for free or at little cost instead of trading multiple quality assets to dump Zaitsev.

Hamonic is better but in the 6th D role it shouldn't matter a whole lot. Especially since we could just scratch Zaitsev and play Brannstrom/Thomson/JBD (whoever performs best) if Zaitsev continues to suck.

 

[TonySoprano11]

I'm down for Subban. Not only is he serviceable but he is a great community ambassador. This organization right now needs a good community guy like Subban to help the casuals reconnect with the franchise.

 

[JackieDaytona]

I'm starting to come around on the idea that we shouldn't do anything to shore up D this offseason. If we're going to spend assets to upgrade D (short term) let's do it when we're poised for playoff picture, and have a solid understanding of what we have right now (so like earliest at the TDL or next offseason).

It's going to be tough keeping all the current pieces, so adding more means something will have to be shipped out.

I'd rather shore up our coaching staff, bring in someone who is strong at instilling defensive structure, and think more about defense as a whole team (or expect our high flying top 6 to have the puck all the time to avoid playing as much in our own end - both DeBrincat and Giroux are great forechecking players) and run with what we have on D. Zaitsev can serve as resrves for injuries, and we can see where JBD and Thomson are throughout the year, along with giving Brannstrom a shot to show how he's come along (I'm a supporter, I know not everyone is). Maybe our D is not as far off as we think, especially with a lot of improvements up front? Maybe I'm just overly optimistic after the past couple of weeks.

 

[Senscore]

I'm down for Subban. Not only is he serviceable but he is a great community ambassador. This organization right now needs a good community guy like Subban to help the casuals reconnect with the franchise.

Great dude off the ice sure, but he's lost more than a few steps and just goes around slew footing everyone.

There's a reason he's still available.

 

[JackieDaytona]

Yeah signing old washed up guys who we used to like was pre hot Pierre summer moves. We don’t play that shit no more.

No subban, the guy would rather be on intermission commentary panels than on the ice anyway imo. Actually I look forward to that, he does pretty well in that role.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Apparently Dubois wants to go to Montreal?

Is there any way we can take advantage of Montreal's compulsive need to acquire French players that underperform?

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Apparently Dubois wants to go to Montreal?

Is there any way we can take advantage of Montreal's compulsive need to acquire French players that underperform?

I heard Zaitsev is part French

 

[IranCondraAffair]

I heard Zaitsev is part French

Apparently Zaitsev means Hare, or some derivation of it.

Nicolas Lapin it is.

 

[Micklebot]

I'm down for Subban. Not only is he serviceable but he is a great community ambassador. This organization right now needs a good community guy like Subban to help the casuals reconnect with the franchise.

He seems a bit devisive in locker rooms, or at least that appeared to be the case in MTL, warranted or not that isn't something we need if it's still the case.

Not the player he once was, and I'm not sure he plays over Hamonic so I don't know if he's a fit.

 

[Qward]

Hmmm trouble in Flames land continuing?

 

[Big Muddy]

Damnit people. Stop having conversations like we are in your head and understanding what you are thinking.

I find a portion of posts/posters are pretty cryptic. Not much harder to post something that makes sense, but whatever I suppose.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Hmmm trouble in Flames land continuing?

So many parallels with the Sens in the 2018/19 off-season.

Gaudreau (their EK) is gone and now their top line RW Tkachuk (their Stone) is about to get a 1 year deal and probably be dealt for pennies on the dollar during the season or at the deadline.

Feel for them.

 

[Korpse]

I kinda feel sympathetic but also I remember how they wanted to poach Brady and suggested he didn’t want to be in Ottawa.

 

[benjiv1]

PD needs to call Seattle ASAP and try to get one of Larsson or Oleksiak.

Both would likely cost less than Chychrun to acquire.

 

[Blotto71]

PD needs to call Seattle ASAP and try to get one of Larsson or Oleksiak.

Both would likely cost less than Chychrun to acquire.

This is a great drum to beat! I like Oleksiak more, but think Larsson is perhaps the better option given years remaining on his deal.

 

[saskriders]

If Tkachuck becomes available and the cap goes up enough do you do this (in 2024-25). Sanderson and Pinto would need bridges. Formenton and Joseph trades.

 

[Senscore]

PD needs to call Seattle ASAP and try to get one of Larsson or Oleksiak.

Both would likely cost less than Chychrun to acquire.

If Larsson is available he'd be the ideal guy to go after. Solid, dependable guy with some size that isn't uncomfortable chipping in on offense.

 

[Silencio]

So many parallels with the Sens in the 2018/19 off-season.

Gaudreau (their EK) is gone and now their top line RW Tkachuk (their Stone) is about to get a 1 year deal and probably be dealt for pennies on the dollar during the season or at the deadline.

Feel for them.

Maybe we could offer Brannstrom and Sokolov