The end has finally come! Today marks the end of the first round in the Pierre Dorion’s Best Trade Tournament. In the last blog, ridding the team of Dion Phaneuf’s contract was enough to earn a win. The current matchup features two once-promising names that were kept around for just a touch too long, to the point that their perceived value on the marketplace had dropped substantially. Timing can be everything when it comes to trading in the NHL:
Trade: Ceci --> TOR
Out: Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur, Aaron Luchuk, 2020 3rd Round Pick
In: Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown, Michael Carcone
The idea of not having to witness Cody Ceci’s defensive mistakes on a nightly basis is, on the surface, a really good one. The problem with this deal is that the Senators took back Nikita Zaitsev’s contract in return. Ceci’s handful of missteps in any given game were typically obvious, but Zaitsev’s death-by-a-thousand-papercuts routine hurts just as much. Sure, it looks like Zaitsev is moving his feet and doing the “little things” that coaches love, but the reality is that the Senators spend an inordinate amount of time defending in their own zone when he’s on the ice. The other team is almost always controlling play. Taking that on through 2023-24 is a rough bargain.
The saving grace here for Dorion is the fact that Connor Brown turned out to be a wonderful fit for the Senators. He produced well throughout the season, was able to slot in anywhere in the lineup, and is still young enough to contribute as this team moves back towards contention.
Trade: Lazar --> CAL
Out: Curtis Lazar, Michael Kostka
In: Jyrki Jokipakka, 2017 2nd Round Pick
Curtis Lazar was one of junior hockey’s hottest commodities, but he was never quite able to translate it into the professional game. While trading Lazar earlier while he was still viewed as full of potential likely would have resulted in a larger haul for Dorion, it’s tough to complain about how things turned out. That second-round selection turned into Alex Formenton, who is one of the more promising names in the Ottawa system. Everything about Formenton’s rookie year in Belleville suggests that the Senators organization is going to get more out of him than they ever did out of Lazar.
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