I agree with What's.
Actually I think most are in agreement that Smith has to go.
Not too many "yay DJ Smith, love how he's managed assets in down years" people in here.

I think the Orleans Operator has his Zaitsev move already lined up. If he deals him now then he'll have to pay more for whatever D he's after or there's the perception of that. If he still has him, then he can deal for his D from a position of "well I don't really need your guy" kinda place.

....I wonder what it would cost to get Carson Soucy out of Seattle?

A top 4 defender that can skate, move the puck and be a physical presence would be the best case scenario for the Sens.

Shawn Simpson
@TSNSimmer
·
1h
I wouldn't lock in the Sens top 6 forwards, I could see this top 9.

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Debrincat Stützle Joseph
Formy Pinto Giroux


At first glance I did not think this was all that good. But the more you look at it the more you think this is going to be a pretty deep roster.

Also hoping that Grieg finds a way to break into line up.
- spatso

Honestly... you're not worth your salt as a reporter if you have Mathieu Joseph playing ahead of Claude Giroux in your lineup. I like Joseph well enough, but he was playing bottom-6 minutes for 4 years in TB, the vast majority of which were 4th line minutes. He's not going to be playing ahead of a $6.5M/yr veteran player like Giroux in the first year of his contract, after making him one of the centrepiece additions of the off-season.

#clickbaithorse$hit, #useyourg-dbrain

Honestly... you're not worth your salt as a reporter if you have Mathieu Joseph playing ahead of Claude Giroux in your lineup. I like Joseph well enough, but he was playing bottom-6 minutes for 4 years in TB, the vast majority of which were 4th line minutes. He's not going to be playing ahead of a $6.5M/yr veteran player like Giroux in the first year of his contract, after making him one of the centrepiece additions of the off-season.

#clickbaithorse$hit, #useyourg-dbrain
- khawk

Still the top 9 looks really good.

Take out Thomson and put in Sokolov 🤙
- sens4life1971

As much as I want Arizona to take this trade, taking Zaitsev will cost a 2nd rd pick alone if the rumors are true. Maybe 2. And they want 3 1st rd equivalent plus a 2023 first pick just for JC. So you'd have to add at least a 2nd to this deal to make it work.

Arizona doesn't have to make any move. I think the hold up there is they absolutely don't want Zaitsev, especially after taking the Rangers salary dump.

And Arizon definitely doesn't want 3 LD going back.

If Formenton takes any longer to sign I could see him going back. And as much as I don't want Brannstrom on this team it will take one of JBD or Thomson to move the needle.

I say don't do the deal unless they can get Weegar from FLA for 3 pieces

Or, better yet, play the kids on D to see what we have. Which is what we should have done last year when the games meant nothing.

Didn't Chabot say he likes playing with Thomson ffs?

...and honestly Khawk. If anyone needed another reason to not be on twitter (besides the obvious poison to society) it's goofy media trolling for likes/mentions/followers.

Honestly I am unsure why Arizona keeps coming up so much as a cap dump location. AZ has six D men under one way contracts, and a couple of young guys in ELC who didn't look completely out of place in the big show last year. The only clear thing that makes sense is Arizona have a 2 year 'being bad' window planned given the cap dumps they took on, and Zaitsev fits that.

...but Chicago has also set themselves up for two rebuilding years and have far less right handed NHL talent on the blue line. Davidson has a scorched earth policy underway and had made some questionable trades to make their team worse.... CHI seems like a much better fit for a Zaitsev dump.

....I wonder what it would cost to get Carson Soucy out of Seattle?
- Octavarium

Ottawa looked into him during the season, I wrote about it twice. He was a healthy scratch a lot in the first half of the season, but seemed to get a regular spot in the lineup more as the season went on. He would be great here.

As much as I want Arizona to take this trade, taking Zaitsev will cost a 2nd rd pick alone if the rumors are true. Maybe 2. And they want 3 1st rd equivalent plus a 2023 first pick just for JC. So you'd have to add at least a 2nd to this deal to make it work.

Arizona doesn't have to make any move. I think the hold up there is they absolutely don't want Zaitsev, especially after taking the Rangers salary dump.

And Arizon definitely doesn't want 3 LD going back.

If Formenton takes any longer to sign I could see him going back. And as much as I don't want Brannstrom on this team it will take one of JBD or Thomson to move the needle.

I say don't do the deal unless they can get Weegar from FLA for 3 pieces

Or, better yet, play the kids on D to see what we have. Which is what we should have done last year when the games meant nothing.

Didn't Chabot say he likes playing with Thomson ffs?
- GrimmdaGoalie

Chabot said he liked playing with Thomson a few times. I know Brady and Chabot weren't happy with how the young prospects were handled during the season, they made this known to PD in the exit interviews....that's why all this talk about DJ is loved, etc....far from it....there were too many nights that this team quit on him....in fact there were a few games in which they quit on him due to what he did with a few players! I wrote about it during the season when it happened.

Curios how signings of UFAs and RFAs seem to have slowed down. Only a few teams have cap space. Next year will be even tighter. Would be interested to hear some feedback and reaction from the player agent side of the bargaining. There are going to be some very good discounted contracts reported in the next few weeks.

Superstars will always get top dollar. But, some veteran players may be required to take a haircut over the next few years.

Shawn Simpson
@TSNSimmer
·
1h
I wouldn't lock in the Sens top 6 forwards, I could see this top 9.

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Debrincat Stützle Joseph
Formy Pinto Giroux


At first glance I did not think this was all that good. But the more you look at it the more you think this is going to be a pretty deep roster.

Also hoping that Grieg finds a way to break into line up.
- spatso

Ya.....
16:50 - Mathieu Joseph played 5 most mins last year of players still left on the team (ironically Connor Brown played the most at over 20mins; paul is other gone)

19:14 (2nd most on PHI)
18:34 (3rd most on FLA, only behind Huberdeau, Barkov)

I have to agree that Giroux belongs in the top 6 - and 99% sure he had that convo with Dorion. You don't sign a big name player like that and start him on 3rd line

Ya.....
16:50 - Mathieu Joseph played 5 most mins last year of players still left on the team (ironically Connor Brown played the most at over 20mins; paul is other gone)

19:14 (2nd most on PHI)
18:34 (3rd most on FLA, only behind Huberdeau, Barkov)

I have to agree that Giroux belongs in the top 6 - and 99% sure he had that convo with Dorion. You don't sign a big name player like that and start him on 3rd line
- AlfieisKing

Giroux is in the top 3 in the league in faceoffs, has excellent puck control and passing. Exactly what you need to gain possession and to feed passes to a 40 goal scorer and another elite shot in Stutzle. Time for Stutzle to have some fun!!!

I'd like to see Zaitsev move now. Help Chicago with the tank for Connor Bedard and take away DJ's favorite d-man.

Potential RD-man

23:22 - MacKenzie Weegar
23:06 - Matt Dumba
22:13 - John Klingberg
21:59 - Tyler Myers
21:53 - Henri Jokiharju
21:42 - Brett Pesce
21:29 - Andrew Peeke
21:26 - Rasmus Ristolainen
21:20 - Anton Stralman
20:59 - Matt Roy
20:47 - David Savard
20:38 - John Marino
20:12 - Justin Holl
19:03 - Dante Fabbro
18:59 - Josh Manson
18:59 - Collin Miller

Can play more PK mins*

Giroux is in the top 3 in the league in faceoffs, has excellent puck control and passing. Exactly what you need to gain possession and to feed passes to a 40 goal scorer and another elite shot in Stutzle. Time for Stutzle to have some fun!!!
- SensFan25

Ya man, so you move Stutzle LW? Bc can't have everyone in top 6 unless he or giroux move to wing

Ya man, so you move Stutzle LW? Bc can't have everyone in top 6 unless he or giroux move to wing
- AlfieisKing

Of course you play Giroux on the wing and he can still take the faceoffs. Stutzle is far better at C than he was at LW.

So nobody bites on Matthew?

Speaking of Atlantic teams signing OTTs worst players, Panther signed Tierny to a 1 year, 2-way deal

So nobody bites on Matthew?
- spatso

I've been working on a piece about the Top 4 dman still not happening....but my phone...email, twitter, all IM's are heating up....and it truly has to to do with Matthew Tkachuk....Ottawa is talking to Calgary!

A top 4 defender that can skate, move the puck and be a physical presence would be the best case scenario for the Sens.
- HoweHatrick

Very few of them available....which is why no team crazy enough to do so, would make their defense take a step back by trading someone like this.

I'd like to see Zaitsev move now. Help Chicago with the tank for Connor Bedard and take away DJ's favorite d-man.
- SensFan25

I've been putting together a piece on it now but this Matthew stuff is interesting.

I've been working on a piece about the Top 4 dman still not happening....but my phone...email, twitter, all IM's are heating up....and it truly has to to do with Matthew Tkachuk....Ottawa is talking to Calgary!
- Kevin Francis

There are only a few scenarios where Matthew comes to Ottawa:
1 - he wants to come to Ottawa
2 - he agrees to a long term deal before any trade
3 - such a deal will be exactly $19 more OR less than the deal Brady just signed ( I will let the brothers figure out seniority vs captaincy)

But if he truly wants to be in the states he ain't coming to Ottawa. And I very much doubt he signs the deal i laid out in #3 or agrees to less money than Chabots deal.

If...and huge IF...he agrees to the first three conditions I just laid out the ONLY deal that makes sense for both teams is some deal involing either Debrinicat or Forementon. And if I'm Calgary I insist on Grieg being a part of the deal

So either Debrinicat and Grieg for Matthew. Or Formenton, Brannstrom, Grieg and JBD/1st rd.

And Ottawa would still need a RD after all is said and done.

Tempting. Very tempting. But they both do the same thing IMO and Matthew would cost too much.

Spend the draft capital on Weegar instead.

Is Calgary a playoff team next year if Matthew leaves?

Is Calgary a playoff team next year if Matthew leaves?
- GrimmdaGoalie

Not a chance....