I’m not sure why you’re linking Hamonic and Zaitsev. ‘Most people’ assumed that Brown was traded to free up money for a potential D addition both now and going forward into the season.
Trading for Hamonic didn’t have anything to do with now having to move Zaitsev. Zaitsev not being very good, especially to start the season is why he needs to be moved. Hamonic isn’t signed for next season so he isn’t a cap issue for us at all. Getting rid of Zaitsev’s contract is necessary to make room, I agree with you there though. Hamonic obviously hasn’t forced us to move Zaitsev.
Hamonic has been fine in his role. He’s the fourth best all around defender on the team at the moment as is the spot the team is looking to upgrade on. Sure it would be great have that player now, but it is what it is. Since you like ‘facts’ It’s good that we have him to play the spot, otherwise your boy Zaitsev would be filling that role right now!
Savard is a huge no for me as well. He was bad when people coveted him last time, and he’s as now.
I know you understand what I’m saying, you’re just being overly defensive.
Zaitsev’s salary, which will still be on the books next season unless the Sens trade an asset to get rid of it, + Hamonic’s salary made it difficult to acquire another top 4 D.
If you don’t add Hamonic, you have another 3 million to work with for the 2022-2023 season.
I agree that without Hamonic Zaitsev would likely still be on the team. He’d likely be overpaid on the third pair, which is a worse on-ice outcome than Hamonic but would nevertheless free up money to add someone else into top 4 role.
If we trade for Savard, we’re adding a 3.5 million dollar defenseman for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, while still having Zaitsev on the books for 2023-2024. We’re once again jammed, in a tight spot to add more D.
The reason I think they’re linked is that in any trade rumours we see, the Sens seem to be asking the other team to take on Zaitsev (Chychrun, Myers etc). It could just as well be linked to additions like DeBrincat and Giroux, but those guys are playing in proper slots (top 6 players) and so it makes sense to pay them accordingly.
Obviously getting rid of Zaitsev would have been the best case scenario. His contract is far more the problem in this situation than Hamonic’s, but Zaitsev is so bad that it will take assets to move him. I think Savard will be the same in 2024-2025.
I’d be far more interested in extending Hamonic on a short term, discounted deal than trading for Savard (who is the same age as Hamonic). If he’s not interested in that, I’d take my chances with the trade market or JBD/Thomson next year.
You perfectly understood slotting/salary concerns in the Brown for a 2nd thread :
Who is he bumping from the roster though.
Of course there is physical space on special teams, by the idea of him bumping Joseph, who we also like down to the 4th line, and then Watson or Kelly off the roster, for 4 million dollars, seems a bit silly for defensive play and PK.
Brown was awesome for us, but the top 6 was filled, and the top 9 is also full. Brown wants more cash than Joseph, and good for him, but picking up those two wingers meant that Brown and his aspirations for more minutes and a solid opportunity for his contract year died.
We had room for Brown if we ignore role, the players interests, and the cap. But brown doesn’t want a reduced role and dead end for his contract year, and nor should he, and we don’t want a 4 million guy on the 4th line.
He and Paul were great players, wrong team at the wrong time for a long stay.
What?? Formy scored 18 goals and he gets a demotion to the 4th line so that Paul and his 10 goals can drag Pinto down???
We can love our hard working awesome bottom 6 players, but also wish them well as they love on to have their shot on teams that aren’t as deep as our is shaping up to be.
No chance that Brown or Paul bump Formy down the lineup at this stage in the game, and I loved both players and am happy for them.
You have to tweak your understanding of value to include cap space.
The value of the trade was a 2nd round pick AND 4 million of cap/spending space.
That’s valuable. We as Sens fans need to start adding that to the equation now. Seemingly gone are the days of deals to shed spending, now we’re all about freeing up space to sign huge deals to UFA’s and RFA’s.
Feels pretty good when you think about it, we’re finally playing a big league game.
I don’t see how not wanting to pay bottom pair defenders more than bottom pair money in order to afford adding another top 4 defenseman is any different than not wanting to pay Brown 4 million to play on the bottom lines.
