Well that was pretty dark LOL

Some of this is true but I don't think Dorion will be 'forced to succumb'. This is on the Thachuk family as much as it is on anyone. AS got 7.75 down in Carolina. F*** Brady and his family if they want more. I disagree the best time to become UFA is 25, 26. It's 27-29. At this age, if you are an established player, you can get a contract that is far better and likely into years you are not productive (Lucic, Skinner, Karlsson, Panarin)
- AlfieisKing

I suppose Freddie Talladega is well enough intentioned. He just seems a little slow in grasping the discussion. Sometimes I wonder if he is trying to do a Ricky Bobby impersonation but even that explanation seems to fall short on his confusion issues.

Many of the off ice antics were melynk unrelated over the past years. But its hard to ignore his treament of #11 still lingers to this day as perception.

Its obvious why the impasse is here. It was openly told to us. why would anyone not believe it?
- spazzbot

And the Hossa sign and trade. Hossa commits for 3 years and is traded the same day. The Tkachuk camp must be weary of a heavily backloaded deal on an 8 year commitment when Melnyk might push for a trade in the fourth year of a deal "to maximize the asset and minimize the dollars paid".

And the Hossa sign and trade. Hossa commits for 3 years and is traded the same day. The Tkachuk camp must be weary of a heavily backloaded deal on an 8 year commitment when Melnyk might push for a trade in the fourth year of a deal "to maximize the asset and minimize the dollars paid".
- SensFan25

this is exactly WHY the contracts of the recent signings are back loaded, it is to trade them when their actual dollar paid is higher than their cap, you think melnyk has the money to pay 80-90M in actual dollars for all players when their total cap hit would be in the 70s.

And the Hossa sign and trade. Hossa commits for 3 years and is traded the same day. The Tkachuk camp must be weary of a heavily backloaded deal on an 8 year commitment when Melnyk might push for a trade in the fourth year of a deal "to maximize the asset and minimize the dollars paid".
- SensFan25

Yep definetly. But the Hossa trade was good for the Sens for a few years. People dont relate that to poor ownership. That pizza line terrorized the league for 2-3 years. Allfy was the face that everyone loved. Melnyk should have bit the bullet on giving him a overpriced contract at that point.
But back today. It was openly told to us why this would happen.

Any chance BT holds out long enough to warrant a conditioning stint in Belleville due to lack of a training camp?

Any chance BT holds out long enough to warrant a conditioning stint in Belleville due to lack of a training camp?
- ktownfan

I don't think so. Hold out does not make a lot of sense. They appear to be close to agreement on dollars and term. The debate is now on peripherals. People on both sides are already bored by the process.

I don't think so. Hold out does not make a lot of sense. They appear to be close to agreement on dollars and term. The debate is now on peripherals. People on both sides are already bored by the process.
- spatso

I thought he was going to be in training camp day 1 ? It is contract dispute now. I do think your correct though , this is boring and tedious. But it was to be expected as we were told it would happen.

I thought he was going to be in training camp day 1 ? It is contract dispute now. I do think your correct though , this is boring and tedious. But it was to be expected as we were told it would happen.
- spazzbot

I thought it would be an easy resolution. Contract negotiations are often settled at the last minute because negotiators are aware of the ticking clock and the money folks are losing as a result of the delay. Strange thing here is that there is no substantial disagreement but no rush to yes.

Regarding the Hossa - sign n swap.
I have for years been wondering about the "screwing over" over the player in this story. However Dean Brown came on the radio and specifically answered my text regarding this story, saying that Hossa KNEW. Muckler had told Hossa and his agent, I can't afford that deal. If I give you that money i'll have to trade you. It was a game of chicken. Hossa said it has to be this. And Muckler traded him. I also wondered if Charra left because of how he perceived his countryman being screwed over. Turns out they just liked Redden better.

The point being, that there's stuff going on behind the scenes. We can speculate all we want. We aren't in the room.

Regarding the Hossa - sign n swap.
I have for years been wondering about the "screwing over" over the player in this story. However Dean Brown came on the radio and specifically answered my text regarding this story, saying that Hossa KNEW. Muckler had told Hossa and his agent, I can't afford that deal. If I give you that money i'll have to trade you. It was a game of chicken. Hossa said it has to be this. And Muckler traded him. I also wondered if Charra left because of how he perceived his countryman being screwed over. Turns out they just liked Redden better.

The point being, that there's stuff going on behind the scenes. We can speculate all we want. We aren't in the room.
- Octavarium

Makes sense about Redden, he was an elite PMD at the time. Unfortunately, I believe losing his mother was something he never came back from.

Regarding the Hossa - sign n swap.
I have for years been wondering about the "screwing over" over the player in this story. However Dean Brown came on the radio and specifically answered my text regarding this story, saying that Hossa KNEW. Muckler had told Hossa and his agent, I can't afford that deal. If I give you that money i'll have to trade you. It was a game of chicken. Hossa said it has to be this. And Muckler traded him. I also wondered if Charra left because of how he perceived his countryman being screwed over. Turns out they just liked Redden better.

The point being, that there's stuff going on behind the scenes. We can speculate all we want. We aren't in the room.
- Octavarium

I wonder how fans perspectives would have unfolded if social media was prevalent as today. So much speculation and opinions disguised as truths today . Its part of our world to navigate it all.

Regarding the Hossa - sign n swap.
I have for years been wondering about the "screwing over" over the player in this story. However Dean Brown came on the radio and specifically answered my text regarding this story, saying that Hossa KNEW. Muckler had told Hossa and his agent, I can't afford that deal. If I give you that money i'll have to trade you. It was a game of chicken. Hossa said it has to be this. And Muckler traded him. I also wondered if Charra left because of how he perceived his countryman being screwed over. Turns out they just liked Redden better.

The point being, that there's stuff going on behind the scenes. We can speculate all we want. We aren't in the room.
- Octavarium

Based on Hossa's very visible shock and disappointment following the trade I find this very difficult to believe.

Based on Hossa's very visible shock and disappointment following the trade I find this very difficult to believe.
- SensFan25

as have I, all these years. But to hear Dean tell it.......I hold him in higher regard than Garrioch.

I think the shock and disbelief was that Muckler DID what he said he would do.

Regarding that other comment about Wade's mother.....we are now in a similar spot with Murray and his father's passing (I believe). I recall Pens fans saying his noticeable decline was after going through this in his life, and not being able to find his game again.

Let's package brady and Logan brown to NYR for lafreniere and strome/chytil/ or maybe a zibby return?


Laffy and stutzle together 😊😊😊
- SENS-sational

sorry but it is more likely that BT will sign a 3 or 4 year contract get to UFA and tell Melnyk to F off. That is his goal to get to STL asap.

It seems like the Tkachuk ‘team’ isn’t really negotiating in good faith. I was onboard with overpaying him (8mil for what he brings is crazy, but I was okay with it to get the deal done), convinced that the shorter term was okay to get the deal done, but now it’s signing bonus and forcing a higher QO.

Honestly, if the guy’s going to hold out, screw him, let him sit and slap the C on Chabot. The Tkachuk’s have been pretty clear that they’re going to get as much as possible (which is their right) and they’re exploiting Ottawa’s history to rob them for everything they can. Let him make nothing for a bit.

I want Brady in camp now! I think both Montreal and Toronto will struggle this year. Good chance both may miss playoffs. I expect they will blow the Blue team up at the trade deadline. I want the SENS flying and ready to go on opening night.

There have been notable players hold out on negotiations into training camp before. While I'd rather see Brady signed and partaking in camp, it's too early to panic.

Worse comes to worse, trade him for some quality pieces.

From Pro hockey rumours:

"In his latest 32 Thoughts column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wonders if the delay in discussions for Senators restricted free agent Brady Tkachuk is more about structure than actual dollars. Year-to-year distribution has become more important with a high escrow rate now while it declines in future years while signing bonuses and trade protection are always important elements in talks for core players. Tkachuk is only eligible for trade protection in the UFA-eligible seasons of a long-term agreement and he’s four years away from getting to that point."

This really is complicated stuff. Not a lot of history for long term deals for players coming off their entry level deals. Melnyk does not want another Dany Heatley and Tkachuk's reps are trying to figure out how to prevent the Sens from trading him at the end of year 4.
- spatso

I thought he wanted to get to St. Louis as fast as possible.

I wonder at what point does management feel pressure to “give him what he wants” before all the fans turn on him. There’s a shocking number of people here who are just saying, “F him. Trade him if he doesn’t like it.” And you’ll be the same people chanting his name in your #7 jerseys in October.

Fickle, fickle fan base. Let’s not turn into Montreal or Toronto here, guys. Yes, it’s frustrating, and we’d like for all of our guys to immediately sign on the dotted line for team-friendly contracts. But that’s not the way it works. For all we know it took forever for the Chabot deal to get structured and finalized, and we just weren’t aware of it, because it was an in-season extension. And we were busy watching hockey instead of hating Thomas in online comment threads.

As Octivarium said, we’re not in that room. So chill.

(Small caveat: Hating on Melnyk is perfectly acceptable, because of his many years long history)

Why does this come down to Sens fans being fickle?

Perhaps most simply do not want to pay this player the rumored $8M+ for what he brings to the table. Combine that with the drama his family creates and you have fans that simply do not mind moving the player for value.

I like the player but if I were the team's GM I would not sell the team's long term cap soul to sign this player.

I wonder at what point does management feel pressure to “give him what he wants” before all the fans turn on him. There’s a shocking number of people here who are just saying, “F him. Trade him if he doesn’t like it.” And you’ll be the same people chanting his name in your #7 jerseys in October.

Fickle, fickle fan base. Let’s not turn into Montreal or Toronto here, guys. Yes, it’s frustrating, and we’d like for all of our guys to immediately sign on the dotted line for team-friendly contracts. But that’s not the way it works. For all we know it took forever for the Chabot deal to get structured and finalized, and we just weren’t aware of it, because it was an in-season extension. And we were busy watching hockey instead of hating Thomas in online comment threads.

As Octivarium said, we’re not in that room. So chill.

(Small caveat: Hating on Melnyk is perfectly acceptable, because of his many years long history)
- PavohnDatsvares

Im one of those guys now. We’re cheering for the team, not the player. I want him to stay, but if he truly doesn’t think he’s being offered fair value, move along or take a seat and we’ll see who blinks first .

And you’re right, we’re not in the room; but every time I read something from guys that know more than me, it sounds like The Senators are sliding and his camp isn’t. His brothers rhetoric drives that point home for me.

If the rumoured deals are true, then there’s no reason (in my mind) that he shouldn’t have signed by now. It’s his right to maximize his deal, doesn’t mean we have to agree with him on it.

Im one of those guys now. We’re cheering for the team, not the player. I want him to stay, but if he truly doesn’t think he’s being offered fair value, move along or take a seat and we’ll see who blinks first .

And you’re right, we’re not in the room; but every time I read something from guys that know more than me, it sounds like The Senators are sliding and his camp isn’t. His brothers rhetoric drives that point home for me.

If the rumoured deals are true, then there’s no reason (in my mind) that he shouldn’t have signed by now. It’s his right to maximize his deal, doesn’t mean we have to agree with him on it.
- CooCooKaChoo

It sounds like he doesn't want to be locked in for 8 years if Ottawa turns into another Buffalo.

He wants shorter term. If in that time Ottawa turns into a contender, then he'd likely want to re-sign

It sounds like he doesn't want to be locked in for 8 years if Ottawa turns into another Buffalo.
He wants shorter term. If in that time Ottawa turns into a contender, then he'd likely want to re-sign
- david22

This is where I actually do have sympathy for Tkachuk, because he made his intentions pretty clear way back in the summer. The report indicated that he really liked the team, players, city, etc., and was excited to sign an extension... but before signing long-term, he wanted to make sure that ownership was 100% committed to putting a winning product on the ice. He never said he wanted $9M/yr, or an 8yr deal... he said he wanted to see proof that the team was serious about trying to win a Stanley Cup. It's the team that's desperately pushing the long-term deal, and even trying to use the "C" as some kind of weird non-monetary incentive.

Meanwhile, what's waiting for Tkachuk at training camp? A team with major roster gaps, that's not even compliant with the NHL salary cap floor. They said they wanted to add a top-4 d-man and #2C, and wound up adding a 31yo Del Zotto and inviting Ennis to training camp on a PTO... after trading away the team's highest-paid forward. If they're honestly going to cheap out for another year of development, then I have no idea why they would expect Tkachuk to sign on for 8yrs without playing serious hardball about the $$$/NTC.

Personally, I think if Dorion put down the exact same deal that Dahlin just got from the Sabres or something close to it, Tkachuk would probably sign it. Give the "C" to Chabot, and see if you can't work on having a legitimate playoff roster on the ice by the end of Tkachuk's 3yr term. If you're still fumbling around the $65M mark, then all you've done is proven Tkachuk right about not believing that you're serious about trying to win.

players who want to be paid what they are "worth" or more usually do not win cups until they are in their late 30s, making league minimum, playing on the 4th line, if the team does not have the cap to surround you with good support, you ain't winning poop, ask McDavid and the leafs.

players who want to be paid what they are "worth" or more usually do not win cups until they are in their late 30s, making league minimum, playing on the 4th line, if the team does not have the cap to surround you with good support, you ain't winning poop, ask McDavid and the leafs.
- Mithos

Agreed... with the added irony that Tkachuk doesn't actually seem to want the kind of long-term deal the team is pushing on him.