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Forums :: Blog World :: Kevin Francis: Sens road trip/Sens RFA's/Former Sens players!
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Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 1:44 PM ET
Kevin Francis: Sens road trip/Sens RFA's/Former Sens players!
Gord_Wilson_2.0
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 10.11.2011

Dec 13 @ 2:15 PM ET
Great blog!

For RFA’s, I’m only concerned with Norris and Formenton. I assume Brannstrom will be at least qualified. Norris should get a sizable deal. He is still just a 2C in my eyes, but that is nothing to shake a stick it. Formenton is a bridge deal to me. Not enough yet to warrant a big deal. Let’s not Colin White-up that one.

As for former players, you have the obvious Stone and Karlsson, but to me Matt Duchene was a real missed opportunity. Too much was made of the trade and organization result after. He had 107 points in 118 games. While his first 2 years in Nashville have been underwhelming, he has bounced back this year and is demonstrating that he is still a 1C. He may not be ‘elite’, but he is a true 1C. He is just 30 years old. Still, lots of hockey left in him. I miss the way he polarized shifts with his creativity. There’s lots of talk about bringing in a Giroux-type player, but you could have just kept a similar player a couple of years ago that may have helped the transition process. Heck, the money you would have given Duchene could have prevented moves like Murray and Delzatto

The Sens have replaced Karlsson with Chabot. Batherson is starting to look like an admirable replacement for Stone. I don’t think Norris is the level of a prime Duchene but perhaps an admirable replacement for Turris. Perhaps Stu can get there if he sticks at centre.

End of the day, I often wonder if Duchene was signed long term what the forward group may look like.
Octavarium
New York Islanders
Joined: 01.03.2007

Dec 13 @ 2:17 PM ET
Great blog.
I might have thought you'd comment on why aren't seeing JBD in likely any game until maybe the Phlyer game. I've heard the arguments for and against it. I'm on the fence.

Boston - Nick Foligno, Curtis Lazar, Mike Reilly (Nick great human--Shoulda kept Reilly)
Buffalo - Craig Anderson (that he's never even gotten a sniff at the USA Olympic team is a travesty)
Detroit - Vladislav Namestnikov (we had this guy?)
Florida - Anthony Duclair (we fixed him, he moved on - no thoughts on him)
Tampa Bay - Brian Elliott, Fredrik Claessen(they served their roles with Ottawa)
Montreal - Chris Wideman, Mike Hoffman, Cedric Paquette(indifferent about these 3)
Toronto - Jason Spezza (great human who was run out of town mostly by the Team 1200---who then bytched we had nobody to run our power play)

Carolina - Derek Stepan, Max Lajoie(who?)
New Jersey - Christian Jaros (oh well)
NY Islanders - JG Pageau, Zdeno Chara (were amazing for Ottawa needed a change)
NY Rangers - Mika Zibanejed (classic example of putting people in the wrong situations and then giving up on them)
Philadelphia - Derick Brassard, Nate Thompson(buh bye)
Arizona - Alex Galchenyuk, Ryan Dzingel(ya...didn't mind Dzinger...)
Nashville - Matt Duchene, Mark Borowiecki, Ben Harpur(better somewhere else)
St. Louis - Logan Brown (thanks for figuring it out somewhere else you suckhole)
Winnipeg - Dylan DeMelo (shoulda kept him and paid him)
Anaheim - Jacob Silfverberg, Buddy Robinson, Derek Grant(3rd liners)
Calgary - Erik Gudbranson (shoulda retired before Ottawa and turned into a coach)
Edmonton - Cody Ceci, Kyle Turris (loved Kyle, Cody's hot tub is broken)
San Jose - Rudolps Balcers, Erik Karlsson (We got every ounce out of EK closest thing to Orr, since Orr)
Seattle - Joey Daccord(he may not really be all that good after all)
Vancouver - Alex Chiasson(can't believe this guy has managed to eek out a career)
Vegas - Mark Stone, Robin Lehner, Evgenii Dadonov, Michael Amadio (Stone is the closest thing to Daniel Alfredson we've ever had. Should never have traded him. There are fans that wont come back--STILL--because of the loss of Mark Stone)

also added a couple to your list.

Ottawa Senators - Colin White (team and fans alike have given up on this guy already, buy out will happen, and success somewhere else
Gord_Wilson_2.0
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 10.11.2011

Dec 13 @ 2:47 PM ET

Ottawa Senators - Colin White (team and fans alike have given up on this guy already, buy out will happen, and success somewhere else

- Octavarium

The good thing about Colin White is that his contract is likely not movable. Buy out is a possibility but part of me thinks it's unlikely. So there is really nothing getting in his way to show people in Ottawa who have sort of written him off that they are wrong.

With 4.7 million a year contract, comes expectations.

Curious, what makes you think he going to dramatically improve?
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:05 PM ET
I will reply in a bit to these great comments!

I can't believe what's happening today with covid and pro sports.

Adam Schefter tweeted out saying 37 NFL players tested positive today!

Flames arent playing until at least Thursday so 2 more games are postponed in the NHL! 3rd team now in the NHL with games being postponed.

Chicago Bulls 2 games postponed due to outbreak!

TSN Raptors TV announcers out due to close contact with someone who tested positive.

I'm telling you the NHL players would be nuts to go to the Olympics with this new variant raging out of control!
Mithos
Joined: 04.14.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:18 PM ET
I will reply in a bit to these great comments!

I can't believe what's happening today with covid and pro sports.

Adam Schefter tweeted out saying 37 NFL players tested positive today!

Flames arent playing until at least Thursday so 2 more games are postponed in the NHL! 3rd team now in the NHL with games being postponed.

Chicago Bulls 2 games postponed due to outbreak!

TSN Raptors TV announcers out due to close contact with someone who tested positive.

I'm telling you the NHL players would be nuts to go to the Olympics with this new variant raging out of control!

- Kevin Francis


you mean the variant that has killed no one, that has the African doctors who found it looking at the west like you all are a bunch of retards for all the over panic over a variant that is non-lethal with mild symptoms if you even get sick?

were not all these players "vaccinated"? well seems the this heart attack shot does jack poop for covid but sure does give a lot of people heart problems.
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:23 PM ET
The good thing about Colin White is that his contract is likely not movable. Buy out is a possibility but part of me thinks it's unlikely. So there is really nothing getting in his way to show people in Ottawa who have sort of written him off that they are wrong.

With 4.7 million a year contract, comes expectations.

Curious, what makes you think he going to dramatically improve?

- Gord_Wilson_2.0


I think the team would buyout Zaitsev before Colin White, just a hunch from who I have talked too. The shoulder injury though might've changed that though. At least 80% of his salary is insured this year, wonder what Eugene did with that money saved? Oh right, nothing!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:25 PM ET
you mean the variant that has killed no one, that has the African doctors who found it looking at the west like you all are a bunch of retards for all the over panic over a variant that is non-lethal with mild symptoms if you even get sick?

were not all these players "vaccinated"? well seems the this heart attack shot does jack poop for covid but sure does give a lot of people heart problems.

- Mithos


Just saying how it's affecting pro sports and it seems a lot of these athletes are going out a lot, putting themselves in this situation, they were saying on MNF Countdown. Teams are telling players to stay home for the next month of the season to get the season over with!
Mithos
Joined: 04.14.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:32 PM ET
I think the team would buyout Zaitsev before Colin White, just a hunch from who I have talked too. The shoulder injury though might've changed that though. At least 80% of his salary is insured this year, wonder what Eugene did with that money saved? Oh right, nothing!
- Kevin Francis


ya they would buy out Zeitsev long before White, White represents the first player to commit long term to the team and he has not been able to display what he can do without Stones and Eks being on the team do to injuries, he would be a good 3C next to paul and Brown or on the LW with Pinto and Brown
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:38 PM ET
Great blog!

For RFA’s, I’m only concerned with Norris and Formenton. I assume Brannstrom will be at least qualified. Norris should get a sizable deal. He is still just a 2C in my eyes, but that is nothing to shake a stick it. Formenton is a bridge deal to me. Not enough yet to warrant a big deal. Let’s not Colin White-up that one.

As for former players, you have the obvious Stone and Karlsson, but to me Matt Duchene was a real missed opportunity. Too much was made of the trade and organization result after. He had 107 points in 118 games. While his first 2 years in Nashville have been underwhelming, he has bounced back this year and is demonstrating that he is still a 1C. He may not be ‘elite’, but he is a true 1C. He is just 30 years old. Still, lots of hockey left in him. I miss the way he polarized shifts with his creativity. There’s lots of talk about bringing in a Giroux-type player, but you could have just kept a similar player a couple of years ago that may have helped the transition process. Heck, the money you would have given Duchene could have prevented moves like Murray and Delzatto

The Sens have replaced Karlsson with Chabot. Batherson is starting to look like an admirable replacement for Stone. I don’t think Norris is the level of a prime Duchene but perhaps an admirable replacement for Turris. Perhaps Stu can get there if he sticks at centre.

End of the day, I often wonder if Duchene was signed long term what the forward group may look like.

- Gord_Wilson_2.0


Thanks for the props! I thought it would be something different to talk about by bringing up the former players.

Duchene has had a bounce back year. I really thought he would stay here, but oh well, he sure would look good as the 1C now!

The one thing I give Dorion credit for is walking away from Turris' demands. I think he knew he was breaking down and was on the downside of his career and boy was he right to walk away!

RFA wise, Norris is going to cost for sure if he keeps up what he's doing this year, that'll be 2 seasons of proving his worth. Formenton can be had on a bridge deal as he has only seen 3rd line minutes during his time here.
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:39 PM ET
ya they would buy out Zeitsev long before White, White represents the first player to commit long term to the team and he has not been able to display what he can do without Stones and Eks being on the team do to injuries, he would be a good 3C next to paul and Brown or on the LW with Pinto and Brown
- Mithos


It would be nice to see him healthy for a year. Last year was another rough year for him too. Stone and Pageau got him that contract plus Karlsson like you said. It would be nice to see him with Brown and Pinto on the 3rd line!
Mithos
Joined: 04.14.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:41 PM ET
Just saying how it's affecting pro sports and it seems a lot of these athletes are going out a lot, putting themselves in this situation, they were saying on MNF Countdown. Teams are telling players to stay home for the next month of the season to get the season over with!
- Kevin Francis


More athletes have died do to the heart attack shot than the actual virus....if you are healthy with no serious underlying condition you have a next to zero chance of dying from the virus, however healthy athletes have been dropping dead from heart problems at an alarming rate the last few months.

Unless a real vaccine is developed that works, EVERYONE will eventually get covid, no one can hide from a infectious viral flu like disease.

Give the players Ivermectin and in 3-5 days they will be covid free.
Mithos
Joined: 04.14.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:41 PM ET
Thanks for the props! I thought it would be something different to talk about by bringing up the former players.

Duchene has had a bounce back year. I really thought he would stay here, but oh well, he sure would look good as the 1C now!

The one thing I give Dorion credit for is walking away from Turris' demands. I think he knew he was breaking down and was on the downside of his career and boy was he right to walk away!

RFA wise, Norris is going to cost for sure if he keeps up what he's doing this year, that'll be 2 seasons of proving his worth. Formenton can be had on a bridge deal as he has only seen 3rd line minutes during his time here.

- Kevin Francis



i think Norris base ask will be what Suzuki got in MTL.
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:49 PM ET
Great blog.
I might have thought you'd comment on why aren't seeing JBD in likely any game until maybe the Phlyer game. I've heard the arguments for and against it. I'm on the fence.

Boston - Nick Foligno, Curtis Lazar, Mike Reilly (Nick great human--Shoulda kept Reilly)
Buffalo - Craig Anderson (that he's never even gotten a sniff at the USA Olympic team is a travesty)
Detroit - Vladislav Namestnikov (we had this guy?)
Florida - Anthony Duclair (we fixed him, he moved on - no thoughts on him)
Tampa Bay - Brian Elliott, Fredrik Claessen(they served their roles with Ottawa)
Montreal - Chris Wideman, Mike Hoffman, Cedric Paquette(indifferent about these 3)
Toronto - Jason Spezza (great human who was run out of town mostly by the Team 1200---who then bytched we had nobody to run our power play)

Carolina - Derek Stepan, Max Lajoie(who?)
New Jersey - Christian Jaros (oh well)
NY Islanders - JG Pageau, Zdeno Chara (were amazing for Ottawa needed a change)
NY Rangers - Mika Zibanejed (classic example of putting people in the wrong situations and then giving up on them)
Philadelphia - Derick Brassard, Nate Thompson(buh bye)
Arizona - Alex Galchenyuk, Ryan Dzingel(ya...didn't mind Dzinger...)
Nashville - Matt Duchene, Mark Borowiecki, Ben Harpur(better somewhere else)
St. Louis - Logan Brown (thanks for figuring it out somewhere else you suckhole)
Winnipeg - Dylan DeMelo (shoulda kept him and paid him)
Anaheim - Jacob Silfverberg, Buddy Robinson, Derek Grant(3rd liners)
Calgary - Erik Gudbranson (shoulda retired before Ottawa and turned into a coach)
Edmonton - Cody Ceci, Kyle Turris (loved Kyle, Cody's hot tub is broken)
San Jose - Rudolps Balcers, Erik Karlsson (We got every ounce out of EK closest thing to Orr, since Orr)
Seattle - Joey Daccord(he may not really be all that good after all)
Vancouver - Alex Chiasson(can't believe this guy has managed to eek out a career)
Vegas - Mark Stone, Robin Lehner, Evgenii Dadonov, Michael Amadio (Stone is the closest thing to Daniel Alfredson we've ever had. Should never have traded him. There are fans that wont come back--STILL--because of the loss of Mark Stone)

also added a couple to your list.

Ottawa Senators - Colin White (team and fans alike have given up on this guy already, buy out will happen, and success somewhere else

- Octavarium


Thanks for the kind words! Ouch on the Ceci comments, no comment there. I hear ya on Stone, Dorion just screwed that one up soooo bad! Ottawa got V.Namestnikov from NYR and played here for 2/3 of a season. I think Zibby is the one that haunts Sens fans the most!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:50 PM ET
i think Norris base ask will be what Suzuki got in MTL.
- Mithos


I was thinking the same thing, his agent will definitely use that contract as a comparable for Norris!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:53 PM ET
Simmer said it best on Twitter earlier today. He said to have the hockey tourney at 2 former Olympic host cities in Calgary and Salt Lake City! There won't be fans in attendance anyways in China!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 7:59 PM ET
So Calgary has 6 covid cases today, the Canes have a few more today and the NHL cant figure out that these 2 teams just played 4 nights ago! Yet Carolina is at Minnesota tomorrow night.....I bet the Canucks and Oilers have positive cases coming in the next few days as they played Carolina too.....you would think the NHL would cancel the Canes game.....but they cancel the Flames games....what?!
Mithos
Joined: 04.14.2021

Dec 13 @ 8:00 PM ET
I was thinking the same thing, his agent will definitely use that contract as a comparable for Norris!
- Kevin Francis



Stars win you the regular season, depth wins you cups
Whatisavailable
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 08.20.2021

Dec 13 @ 8:40 PM ET
you mean the variant that has killed no one, that has the African doctors who found it looking at the west like you all are a bunch of retards for all the over panic over a variant that is non-lethal with mild symptoms if you even get sick?

were not all these players "vaccinated"? well seems the this heart attack shot does jack poop for covid but sure does give a lot of people heart problems.

- Mithos

I don't know if you have noticed but Omicron is an anagram for Moronic, which is sooooo appropriate.

You would think that the heart attacks would start to wake people up!

I would trade Pierre"Proudest Day of My Life" Dorion for Logan Brown straight up but only if I could throw in DJ Smith as a sweetener.

Stone isn't worth 9.5 million. I must be getting old and senile but I don't remember seeing him in the playoffs last year.

Always liked Boro and DeMelo would be nice.

As far as Norris goes I really don't think Montreal's cap management model is one that Ottawa should follow. They gave Suzuki too much.

Bridging Formenton is fine but I bet we regret that move down the road if he's given a fair shot at a top six role.
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 11:54 PM ET
I don't know if you have noticed but Omicron is an anagram for Moronic, which is sooooo appropriate.

You would think that the heart attacks would start to wake people up!

I would trade Pierre"Proudest Day of My Life" Dorion for Logan Brown straight up but only if I could throw in DJ Smith as a sweetener.

Stone isn't worth 9.5 million. I must be getting old and senile but I don't remember seeing him in the playoffs last year.

Always liked Boro and DeMelo would be nice.

As far as Norris goes I really don't think Montreal's cap management model is one that Ottawa should follow. They gave Suzuki too much.

Bridging Formenton is fine but I bet we regret that move down the road if he's given a fair shot at a top six role.

- Whatisavailable


Great points on MTL in regards to Norris! As for Formenton, we all know DJ wont keep him in the top 6 for more than a few games, so Ottawa will get him on the cheap on a bridge deal, just a hunch from DJ's history with young players

I agree, having Boro and DeMelo right now would change the way teams cross our blueline, but Dorion wanted Reilly over Boro and even Boro himself said he saw the writing on the wall when he acquired Reilly but Dorion was trying to fool the fans into thinking they would re-sign Boro. Go back and check out Dorions' lying comments at the time about Boro and always being a Senator for life, please Pierre!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 11:54 PM ET
Pageau is having a tough year in NYI but so are many on that roster!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 13 @ 11:55 PM ET
So DJ had Heatherington/JBD on the PK in practice but JBD was the 7th defensemen on rushes in practice, hmmm.....this coach makes no sense when it comes to young players. He would rather have that trainwreck Mete in the line up over JBD!
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators
Joined: 07.21.2021

Dec 14 @ 12:09 AM ET
Florida have claimed goaltender Jonas Johansson off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche. The Panthers have Knight and Bobrovsky as their goalies, so makes you wonder if their are possible covid issues in Floriday to claim him?
PuckPix
Joined: 01.12.2021

Dec 14 @ 2:02 AM ET
I personally think the Sens are getting Florida in a nice spot tonight. I know everyone says the Panthers are 14-1 on homeice, blah blah but Ottawa is trending up and Florida has taken teams lightly. They were lucky 2 weeks ago when Buffalo got up 3-0 after the 1st period in Florida but it woke up the Panthers and they came back and won 7-4. Ottawa isn't like that Buffalo that way, so if Florida takes Ottawa lightly tonight, I can totally see the Sens winning tonight.
PuckPix
Joined: 01.12.2021

Dec 14 @ 2:13 AM ET
Florida have claimed goaltender Jonas Johansson off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche. The Panthers have Knight and Bobrovsky as their goalies, so makes you wonder if their are possible covid issues in Floriday to claim him?
- Kevin Francis


I missed this today. Why would Florida claim a goalie unless there's something we don't know about yet. I will watch the starting goalies on this game today very closely. This makes no sense to me.
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