Free Agent Frenzy - Top 4 RHD Options

Good in Osgoode

Registered User
Jan 15, 2018
287
326
Osgoode
With July 1st almost upon us and all kinds of speculation that Ottawa is pursuing Tanev and Matt Roy, I had wanted to get a sense of what other Top-4 RHD options might be available in Free Agency.

I am hearing that Dallas is working on signing Tanev and that Roy will be highly sought after.
With Demelo and Chatfield already being re-signed by the Jets and Canes respectively, it seems the list of options is tightening up on a position that seems to be increasingly tough to find every season.

In pulling up the top 20 RHD UFA's, based on TOI, the list gets pretty thin pretty quick:

1719496269863.png


I get the sense that FLA will be doing everything that they can to hold on to Montour and if not, he will be pursued by a large number of teams and we would probably not be on his list and/or will be priced out for us.

In my opinion, that leaves Pesce, Walker, Myers & Carrier as possible options for us.
Is there anyone else on this list or otherwise, that could be considered a viable option?
 

Micklebot

Moderator
Apr 27, 2010
54,795
32,208
Here's some projected cap hits from AFP Analytics,

Bold are the guys I'd consider for various roles,

Montour, Brandon​
FLA​
$7,726,400.00​
Pesce, Brett
CAR​
$6,283,200.00​
Roy, Matt
LAK​
$5,843,200.00​
DeMelo, Dylan
WPG​
$5,340,133.33
Walker, Sean​
COL​
$4,646,400.00​
Tanev, Christopher
DAL​
$4,481,400.00​
Carrier, Alexandre
NSH​
$3,995,200.00​
Chatfield, Jalen
CAR​
$3,673,511.11
Myers, Tyler
VAN​
$3,171,520.00​
Dumba, Matt
TBL​
$3,041,094.74​
Schultz, Justin​
SEA​
$2,402,400.00​
Miller, Colin​
WPG​
$1,839,200.00​
DeAngelo, Anthony​
CAR​
$1,753,714.28​
Barrie, Tyson​
NSH​
$1,745,333.33​
Klingberg, John​
TOR​
$1,646,040.00​
Hakanpää, Jani
DAL​
$1,515,800.00​
Lyubushkin, Ilya
TOR​
$1,474,573.92​
Shattenkirk, Kevin​
BOS​
$1,465,200.00​
Johnson, Erik​
PHI​
$1,322,200.00​
Desharnais, Vincent​
EDM​
$1,119,637.90​
Stecher, Troy​
EDM​
$1,058,444.44​
Zaitsev, Nikita​
CHI​
$1,019,577.77​
Brown, Joshua​
ARI​
$958,711.11​
Bortuzzo, Robert​
NYI​
$926,933.33​
 

Joeyjoejoe

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
6,312
9,037
I like Carrier as a Top 4 option if we do miss out on Tanev, Roy, Pesce etc.

Also like Shatternkirk, Colin Miller for the bottom pair as I think Hakanpaa might demand too much.
 
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aragorn

Do The Right Thing
Aug 8, 2004
28,891
9,353
It seems Staois is set on signing Chris Tanev RD & I hope he does & probably will try & trade with Seattle to get his brother Brandon at some point, if that is what it will take to get Chris signed. If not, he might take a flyer on a cheap rental like Shattenkirk for a yr until Brandon becomes a free agent the following season.
 

h2

Registered User
Mar 26, 2002
4,772
2,141
Carrier would be a good add and likely a very good partner for Chabot
I like Hakanpaa for the bottom pair

Yeah, if we can't get any of the big dogs on RHD (Tanev, Roy, Pesce), this is what I'd like to see done.

Carrier for the 2nd pair and Hakanpaa for the 3rd pair would be sufficient IMO. Keep JBD as the #7 and send Hamonic to the pressbox or Belleville.

The other shopping item would be a nice vet on the bottom six. Maybe a cheap option on the 2nd line like Perron.
 

Xspyrit

DJ Dorion
Jun 29, 2008
30,948
9,894
Montreal, Canada
My list in that order, not really interested in anyone else

Pesce, Brett
Roy, Matt
Tanev, Christopher
Carrier, Alexandre
Hakanpää, Jani
Walker, Sean
Desharnais, Vincent

Yeah, if we can't get any of the big dogs on RHD (Tanev, Roy, Pesce), this is what I'd like to see done.

Carrier for the 2nd pair and Hakanpaa for the 3rd pair would be sufficient IMO. Keep JBD as the #7 and send Hamonic to the pressbox or Belleville.

The other shopping item would be a nice vet on the bottom six. Maybe a cheap option on the 2nd line like Perron.

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Carrier
Brannstrom - Hakanpää
Kleven - JBD

This could be a really good defense if coaching and goaltending provides
 
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frightenedinmatenum2

Registered User
Sep 30, 2023
1,944
1,940
Orange County Prison
I don't think it's realistic to expect that we get one of the top free agents.

Tanev only makes sense because of his age. It creates a scenario where we might be able to get him by overpaying in terms. Similar to Marleau choosing the Leafs because they have him the third year.

Myers might be a realistic second tier option if him and Green have any affinity for each other. Green coached him before in Vancouver. He could be a good option for our #5 spot, where he is slotted in as a veteran on the bottom pair, but can play up the lineup if needed.

Sanderson-Tanev
Chabot-Zub
Kleven-Myers

Maybe Kleven doesn't earn the #6 spot right away, but he would be in the mix. That group could be a big upgrade compared to last season.
 

bicboi64

Registered User
Aug 13, 2020
4,788
3,011
Brampton
If Roy wants $5.8 million, see if you can offer him some term and get him locked up.

A 7 year deal at $5 million would get us a solid 3-3.5 years of top 4RD, and by the time he started declining at 33-34, the cap will have gone up enough that he isn't too bad on our bottom pairing (especially since we'll have had a cup).

If we can't get Roy or Pesce, sign two of Carrier, Hakanpaa and Lybushkhin and our D has enough depth to not be ass.
 

Gil Gunderson

Registered User
May 2, 2007
31,397
17,227
Ottawa, ON
If Roy wants $5.8 million, see if you can offer him some term and get him locked up.

A 7 year deal at $5 million would get us a solid 3-3.5 years of top 4RD, and by the time he started declining at 33-34, the cap will have gone up enough that he isn't too bad on our bottom pairing (especially since we'll have had a cup).

If we can't get Roy or Pesce, sign two of Carrier, Hakanpaa and Lybushkhin and our D has enough depth to not be ass.
I'd offer him 6.5-7 mil if that's what it takes, but I think Detroit (his hometown) has the cap room to do it too.
 

Ouroboros

There is no armour against Fate
Feb 3, 2008
15,275
10,754
I think among the 'names' Tanev is the only one the Senators have a shot at, and with Dallas buying out Suter's contract I'm not even sure he gets to the market anymore.

Desharnais does a lot of what they need [defends at a high level, kills penalties, blocks shots, hits, clears the crease, can fight] it just comes down to whether you think he can handle an expanded role. Guys like Hakanpaa and Mikkola were nobodies until Dallas and Florida signed them and gave them more opportunity.

Alex Carrier is a better player, but he doesn't really change the composition of the defense. Still would be good here I think.

Sean Walker doesn't defend well enough. I have concerns about Hakanpaa's health. I don't see a ton of options here for the Sens.

For Belleville players that can give NHL games if necessary I like Kyle Capobianco and Alex Petrovic.
 
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BonHoonLayneCornell

Registered User
Oct 16, 2006
15,963
11,110
Yukon
I think among the 'names' Tanev is the only one the Senators have a shot at, and with Dallas buying out Suter's contract I'm not even sure he gets to the market anymore.

Desharnais does a lot of what they need [defends at a high level, kills penalties, blocks shots, hits, clears the crease, can fight] it just comes down to whether you think he can handle an expanded role. Guys like Hakanpaa and Mikkola were nobodies until Dallas and Florida signed them and gave them more opportunity.

Alex Carrier is a better player, but he doesn't really change the composition of the defense. Still would be good here I think.

Sean Walker doesn't defend well enough. I have concerns about Hakanpaa's health. I don't see a ton of options here for the Sens.

For Belleville players that can give NHL games if necessary I like Kyle Capobianco and Alex Petrovic.
I have nothing to base this on, but I'm betting Tanev does not settle down in the bible belt and returns to Canada with one of Ottawa, Toronto or Vancouver.
 

stempniaksen

Registered User
Oct 12, 2008
11,140
4,425
I think Montour, Pesce and Roy will end up getting big money in a more desirable location. Demelo and Chatfield are already re-signed. Guys like Walker, Schultz, Deangelo, Barrie aren't what the Sens need (and personally I'd add Dumba to that list).

The names that that I'd target are Tanev, Carrier, Myers, Hakanpa, Lyubushkin, Desharnais. Shattenkirk might work as a 6/7 next to Kleven as well as a veteran puck mover.

In a semi ideal world the defence would look something like this next season:

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Tanev/Carrier
Kleven - Myers/Hakanpa/Lyubuskin/Desharnais/Shattenkirk
Myers/Hakanpa/Lyubuskin/Desharnais/Shattenkirk /De Haan/JBD
 
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