Well you can't expose Tavares he is protected by his NTC (Kadri has a limited NT deal). Or, perhaps you want to move Matthews, Marner, Nylander Johnsson or Kapanan. Oops, that is already 7 players and we have not talked about Dmen or goalies.

Point is several of those guys will be moved due to CAP pressures and expansion.
- spatso

(frank). if only teams were allowed to protect 7 forwards.....

(frank). if only teams were allowed to protect 7 forwards.....
- Tumbleweed

That's all folks!

No place to go after 7.

That's all folks!

No place to go after 7.
- spatso

i'm envious of the sens. they won't even need 7 spots.

i'm envious of the sens. they won't even need 7 spots.
- Tumbleweed

Actually, it is not even easy for the Sens. They will certainly have to expose one of their young players or cut a deal with Seattle on something else.

Las Vegas really changed the way an expansion draft is understood.

Virtually impossible for a team to be able to protect their top 7 forwards (based on salary). So, you get into tough choices. Would you rather give up Nylander or Kadri?
Or, maybe you deal one of them for a pick and mid level player that you can expose in the draft.

Actually, it is not even easy for the Sens. They will certainly have to expose one of their young players or cut a deal with Seattle on something else.

Las Vegas really changed the way an expansion draft is understood.

Virtually impossible for a team to be able to protect their top 7 forwards (based on salary). So, you get into tough choices. Would you rather give up Nylander or Kadri?
Or, maybe you deal one of them for a pick and mid level player that you can expose in the draft.
- spatso

tough choice.... if it were me, i'd probably choose hyman to be exposed.

but i'm sure you have well thought and grounded reasons as to why hyman > nylander or kadri.

Actually, it is not even easy for the Sens. They will certainly have to expose one of their young players or cut a deal with Seattle on something else.

Las Vegas really changed the way an expansion draft is understood.

Virtually impossible for a team to be able to protect their top 7 forwards (based on salary). So, you get into tough choices. Would you rather give up Nylander or Kadri?
Or, maybe you deal one of them for a pick and mid level player that you can expose in the draft.
- spatso

nothing is easy for the sens.

tough choice.... if it were me, i'd probably choose hyman to be exposed.

but i'm sure you have well thought and grounded reasons as to why hyman > nylander or kadri.
- Tumbleweed

Don't know, it is really complex. Looks like the top 7 Leaf salaries (forwards only) will be in the range of $55m. On the surface, I don't think any team is able to sustain healthy balance if your top 7 are averaging close to $8m per season.

Not sure how you unpack the situation. Theoretically people struggle with the idea that one of Tavares, Matthews or Marner should be moved for big time return. But, that is really hard to do. As much as people have watched the Pens struggle with the salaries of their big 2 centres. We have never seen what the Leafs are trying to manage.

I stopped reading this after u wrote down Cody Ceci at 5X5 lololol the sad part is you live here & know he is a pylon! b better than that man... throwing more bullpoop money at mediocre players can make the Sens just like everyone else eh!

& i dont wanna hear about comparables & the future & blah blah blah NO! jut enough! no more money for guys that barely belong in the NHL! its time to re establish the hierarchy! Ceci is a skid mark on underwear... thats his comparables lol
- Lockette

You clearly have never read my work before (or the entire sentence that I wrote in the blog). I would never give that to him, but it's probably what Ottawa will do.

Love the way Duchene played, especially over the first half of this season. But the Sens are now in full rebuild. It is 3-4 years before Sens become serious playoff contenders. Better to hold off on taking on huge contracts.

If, for example, you took on Kadri, his contract at $4.5 m is complete in 4 years (age 32). Duchene is likely a $10m hit that expires when he is 38. I believe a guy like Kadri makes far more sense to Ottawa than Duchene at close to $10m.
- spatso

I still say signing Duchene and Stone would have been great moves for a rebuild. They are franchise players you can build around. Could have sped up the rebuild by a couple of years. People love to throw out “you’ll be paying a 38 year old at the end of the contract” argument, but if you win it all somewhere in the middle, that’s a small price to pay in my opinion.

Unfortunately, and understandably, they chose to move on. Now the team will have to spend more money on lesser talent to get to the cap floor but may get some nice pieces in the next couple of drafts. Just going to be 5+ years until any real results are seen.

Love the way Duchene played, especially over the first half of this season. But the Sens are now in full rebuild. It is 3-4 years before Sens become serious playoff contenders. Better to hold off on taking on huge contracts.

If, for example, you took on Kadri, his contract at $4.5 m is complete in 4 years (age 32). Duchene is likely a $10m hit that expires when he is 38. I believe a guy like Kadri makes far more sense to Ottawa than Duchene at close to $10m.
- spatso

The problem with that is we have no "star" players to build around. Other than really just Chabot. There is no one leading the young guys. WE had a great chance to lock up Stone and Duchene to build around and they screwed that up.

Kadri is fine but not a star, he is a 2nd line C who is good but you don't build a cup contending team around "good" you have good players but you build around "Great"

Well you can't expose Tavares he is protected by his NTC (Kadri has a limited NT deal). Or, perhaps you want to move Matthews, Marner, Nylander Johnsson or Kapanan. Oops, that is already 7 players and we have not talked about Dmen or goalies.

Point is several of those guys will be moved due to CAP pressures and expansion.
- spatso

You get to protect seven forwards, 3 d men and a goalie.

They protect those seven forwards. Kadri included. The end.

You get to protect seven forwards, 3 d men and a goalie.

They protect those seven forwards. Kadri included. The end.
- poopstash

dude.

you don't get it. its far more complex than that.

so complex, that the sens won't be able to protect all of their top players.

The problem with that is we have no "star" players to build around. Other than really just Chabot. There is no one leading the young guys. WE had a great chance to lock up Stone and Duchene to build around and they screwed that up.

Kadri is fine but not a star, he is a 2nd line C who is good but you don't build a cup contending team around "good" you have good players but you build around "Great"
- Maverick1818

I assume the plan now is to hopefully get the 1st overall pick (or at least lottery pick) and draft that great franchise player. Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfeild seem to fit that mould right now but still very early to project the 2020 draft.

I agree an opportunity was missed with Stone and Duchene but that in turn creates another opportunity. It will just be a longer road. This season is a write off as well as the season after that most likely. Then hopefully some of the draft work will begin to blossom.

Sucks to know the season is a wash before it even begins, but hopefully that means better times ahead, which is a tad optimistic with Eugene still around.

I assume the plan now is to hopefully get the 1st overall pick (or at least lottery pick) and draft that great franchise player. Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfeild seem to fit that mould right now but still very early to project the 2020 draft.

I agree an opportunity was missed with Stone and Duchene but that in turn creates another opportunity. It will just be a longer road. This season is a write off as well as the season after that most likely. Then hopefully some of the draft work will begin to blossom.

Sucks to know the season is a wash before it even begins, but hopefully that means better times ahead, which is a tad optimistic with Eugene still around.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

For me Lafreniere and Ottawa would be perfect and since we are likely in the bottom of the league next year anyways, I'm all tank this season.

What I would like to see is some signings. I still think we should try to resign at least Duchene. If we have to over pay someone to the cap, might as well be a #1 C who can skate and score and build around.

That way in a few years we'll have all these young guys, Lafreniere, Chabot, Brown, White, Bran, Batherson, Formenton, all in their primes, while still having Ryan and Duchene etc still good. We'll have a decent shot at a cup for a few years.

dude.

you don't get it. its far more complex than that.

so complex, that the sens won't be able to protect all of their top players.
- Tumbleweed

What’s complex is looking at your non-existent blue line about to get even thinner.

For me Lafreniere and Ottawa would be perfect and since we are likely in the bottom of the league next year anyways, I'm all tank this season.

What I would like to see is some signings. I still think we should try to resign at least Duchene. If we have to over pay someone to the cap, might as well be a #1 C who can skate and score and build around.

That way in a few years we'll have all these young guys, Lafreniere, Chabot, Brown, White, Bran, Batherson, Formenton, all in their primes, while still having Ryan and Duchene etc still good. We'll have a decent shot at a cup for a few years.
- Maverick1818

Few things:

We need to be bad.

2020 is THE draft.

Lafreniere will be a can’t miss winger. But even if we don’t get the first, there are some stars right behind him.

There’s no point in signing Duchene, that ship sailed with stone (who should’ve been the one signed)

Sens need to take on contracts no longer then 2yrs, and need to accumulate as many draft picks for 2020

What’s complex is looking at your non-existent blue line about to get even thinner.
- Trilla

Zaitsev is losing more weight???

(frank)ing guy needs to eat a few more sandwiches this summer.

Look like you need the leadership of David Backes.

If Ottawa doesn't snag Colin Miller as a bundle with David Clarkson for like a 4th round pick, they're hopeless. Need help on RD and there's a plum ripe for the picking right there, and Clarkson's contract is insured if he's on LTIR. Nobody loses. But we Sens fans always lose, so I won't get my hopes up.