Guest Writer: Senators head into the NHL all-star break on a 4-game winning streak

if OTT wants a good balanced team that can compete for the cup they cannot keep Cat at 8-9M per, they would not have the cap space to get another top 4 RHD and keep Sanderson when his ELC expires unless they trade Chabot and or Norris

The long awaited blog refresh. Excellent piece khawk, kudos.

A+. Great start Ken.

Just heading out the door, meeting a friend for lunch (he is lifetime Hab fan). It is my turn to pay...but it is worth it after the last game. No doubt he will prefer talking about the weather.

Will have more comments when I get back late this afternoon. Hope everyone pitches in and adds a word or two.

Fantastic blog.

I guess we can debate what Dorion will do over the next couple of weeks. Personally I'd like to see him be both a buyer and a seller. I'm on the fence about the Cat. He's young, he's good--he'll get back to his numbers, but he's expensive. Really expensive.

I almost feel like you're selling low with him now too. I don't think a playoff contender is gonna look at him and say ya..this guy will get us over the hump in the playoffs.

My answer on the Debrincat sign or trade debate goes with knowing what will happen to Formeton. If Formenton is not elligible to return and we don't resign Debrincat we are left with a top 9 as follow:

Brady- Stu - Batherson
Greig- Norris- Giroux
Joseph- Pinto-???


Now who in the Bsens can fill that hole. Sokolov, Jarventie, Boucher, Crookshank?

If we don't intend to resign Debrincat we need to get a top 4 RD and find out if we have a potential 3rd liner now not next year.

The way Stu is progressing is going to make that contract look like one of the best in the NHL. Love seeing Greig taking a step and stepping up - he looks like he and his line-mates are having a lot of fun.

In terms of the buy / sell, unless there are bargains to be had, I would hold and let the kids play and develop. One or more of our young D could take a step.

The long awaited blog refresh. Excellent piece khawk, kudos.
- Bartacus

Thanks - it was initially a bit frustrating trying to get ahold of anyone, but was a relatively straight-forward process once I heard back. Really appreciate the assist from both Mike Augello (TOR) and Trevor Neufeld (CGY).

The folks at HB seemed relatively open to the idea of an interim structure with a rotation of guest writers, so maybe we can start to put together a list of interested people, and then develop an assignment schedule based on the remaining season schedule.

Fantastic blog.

I guess we can debate what Dorion will do over the next couple of weeks. Personally I'd like to see him be both a buyer and a seller. I'm on the fence about the Cat. He's young, he's good--he'll get back to his numbers, but he's expensive. Really expensive.

I almost feel like you're selling low with him now too. I don't think a playoff contender is gonna look at him and say ya..this guy will get us over the hump in the playoffs.
- Octavarium

I think the best option for Debrincat is to move him at the Draft. I'd like to see them move him as the main to piece to get a top 4 D. At that time, you'll have 31 teams to deal with.

If a good deal comes along, it makes sense to pull the trigger, but I don' t see that happening. No contending team is going to drop a Dman that Ottawa needs. You might be a buyer and grab a rental in hopes to resign him, but then Dorion's given the player all the power and he'd rather sign him to a terrible deal than let him walk and look like he made a mistake.

I think the best option for Debrincat is to move him at the Draft. I'd like to see them move him as the main to piece to get a top 4 D. At that time, you'll have 31 teams to deal with.

If a good deal comes along, it makes sense to pull the trigger, but I don' t see that happening. No contending team is going to drop a Dman that Ottawa needs. You might be a buyer and grab a rental in hopes to resign him, but then Dorion's given the player all the power and he'd rather sign him to a terrible deal than let him walk and look like he made a mistake.
- CooCooKaChoo

Would DeBrincat for Chychrun lower the price for Arizona? So far their asking price has not come down from a 1st round pick, a prospect and something else. Maybe DeBrincat straight up gets it done.

Would DeBrincat for Chychrun lower the price for Arizona? So far their asking price has not come down from a 1st round pick, a prospect and something else. Maybe DeBrincat straight up gets it done.
- Octavarium

I think the specifics around a possible Karlsson trade may set the tone for some deals happening over the next month. Most teams wanting to be buyers do not have the cap space to pull off a huge deal other than a rental. So, is it possible we will see proposals involving multiple team trades?

Dorion probably still wants to take a run at Chychrun.

Who could the Sens partner with to get a deal done for Chychrun? What would they give up?

I could see the Rangers, Sens and Coyotes finding a deal making everyone really happy.

Sens are 6 points out of a playoff spot.

I don't care if they make the playoffs or not.

I said it at the beginning of the season and I say it again...I just want them to be relevant in the stretch. Sometimes it is better to miss and come back hungry next October.

I'd keep Debrincat another year unless you can get a crazy return. I wouldn't do any contract extension until later next season to see if he can get back to 40 goals. Hell, I'd take 30. I think he's only on pace to get 25 or something this year? But that month of November was pretty awful for everyone and I think Sens have hit a couple scoring skids this year. 5-on-5, as has been touched on all season, is the biggest issue for everyone on this team, but especially Debrincat.

Phaneuf comes off the books after this year! WOO!

Sens are 6 points out of a playoff spot.

I don't care if they make the playoffs or not.

I said it at the beginning of the season and I say it again...I just want them to be relevant in the stretch. Sometimes it is better to miss and come back hungry next October.
- spatso

When was the last time the Sens missed the playoffs and came back hungry the next year?

This isn't the Tampa Bay Lighting of 4-5 years ago

When was the last time the Sens missed the playoffs and came back hungry the next year?

This isn't the Tampa Bay Lighting of 4-5 years ago
- AlfieisKing

My concern is the opposite. Young team makes playoffs, think it is easy and fall off the next year.

Great blog. Nice to have new discussion.

I feel Dorion knows he's in the hot seat with impending new ownership and might make a move in an attempt to save his job, but we will see.

If this squad can improve their 5 on 5 play down the stretch, it will be nice to see, but I won't hold my breath.

Excellent blog, glad to see it back online. I'm not on Twitter so I don't really know what happened to Kevin. I did like his blog style but this one's great too!

When was the last time the Sens missed the playoffs and came back hungry the next year?

This isn't the Tampa Bay Lighting of 4-5 years ago
- AlfieisKing

Sure, but when was the last time they missed from anywhere but the basement? The idea would be finishing 10th in the conference would be different and the team taking a step forward as we hoped.

Or maybe it would just be another step in us lying to ourselves, hoping for change that doesn't really come.

I read this week that Arizona’s demand for Chychrun hasn’t changed. They want 2 first round picks and a top prospect. No GM would make that trade unless he was desperate to save his job. Hopefully the 3 man board he reports to would laugh in his face. Chychrun is going nowhere until the asking price drops significantly.

I think there's a good chance Debrincat will opt to take his QO to max earnings and bet on himself in hopes he turns out a better season next year and boosts his value. He won't sniff 9+ without better numbers, and right now he's on pace for 65 points, which is about a 7M player with term, a far cry from his QO. Good player, but he's been weirdly snakebit in Ottawa... I wouldn't be adverse to flipping him but we won't get back the value we gave. Noticed Matt Murray doing the Matt Murray thing when it comes to playing Ottawa, mysteriously absent. That guy gets into his own head way too much.

I think there's a good chance Debrincat will opt to take his QO to max earnings and bet on himself in hopes he turns out a better season next year and boosts his value. He won't sniff 9+ without better numbers, and right now he's on pace for 65 points, which is about a 7M player with term, a far cry from his QO. Good player, but he's been weirdly snakebit in Ottawa... I wouldn't be adverse to flipping him but we won't get back the value we gave. Noticed Matt Murray doing the Matt Murray thing when it comes to playing Ottawa, mysteriously absent. That guy gets into his own head way too much.
- Bartacus

Boy oh boy, you packed a wicked amount of content into a few lines.

Yes, I think DeBrincat signals that he is going to take the QO. So, Sens need to act before QO date and sign him long term, flip him (short term) or auction him off (Matthew Tkachuk). 3 decently good options.

What if DeBrincat was offered up in a 3 way with the Rangers and Coyotes.?The players/picks moving would be Rangers #1, Senators #1, JBD, DeBrincat, Lafreniere and Chychrun. So, Coyotes end up with Rangers #1, Sens #1 and JBD, Sens get Lafreniere and Chychrun and Rangers get DeBrincat heading into the playoffs.

Murray rumblings come out of Toronto that they may need a goalie for the playoffs. Delightfully delicious thought.

I read this week that Arizona’s demand for Chychrun hasn’t changed. They want 2 first round picks and a top prospect. No GM would make that trade unless he was desperate to save his job. Hopefully the 3 man board he reports to would laugh in his face. Chychrun is going nowhere until the asking price drops significantly.
- Barrykerr1

Not unreasonable ask for deadline. It is in same range as Vancouver got back from Islanders this week. Could Ottawa equivalent be a 1st, Formenton and JBD? I think that offer has already been on the table for awhile.

Sure, but when was the last time they missed from anywhere but the basement? The idea would be finishing 10th in the conference would be different and the team taking a step forward as we hoped.

Or maybe it would just be another step in us lying to ourselves, hoping for change that doesn't really come.
- david22

Certainly we are lying to ourselves. Sens fans are always telling themselves little white lies. Not like Leaf fans who tell themselves whoppers every year involving the best regular season team in hockey winning a playoff round.

The Leafs really are relevant to the Sens conversation. The Leafs rebuilt too fast. They drafted Nylander, Marner and Matthews up front and Rielly on D. The young guys were really good and made it into the playoffs ahead of schedule. But the Leafs got greedy and signed Tavares. Leaf fans have been unhappy ever since. They did not need Tavares. What they really needed was balance and decent 3 line depth along with a top 4 D capable of going deep into the playoffs. Now, they are caught in this cap nightmare and magical thinking. They believe Matt Murray can journey to Lourdes for the cure. He will return fully healed, capable of leading them to the promised land.

A good young team can be enjoyed for the improvement they make from one year to the next. But, once they make the playoffs expectations go up and real disappointment almost always follows.

And now we fired the wrong coach in the organization.

Something stinky about Troy Mann being let go.

And now we fired the wrong coach in the organization.

Something stinky about Troy Mann being let go.
- Octavarium

Most likely an off ice issue. Nobody gets fired at 8:00am in the middle of the season. Strange brew. Also thinking that all star break would see Bettman make some sounds on the progress towards new ownership. Hard to figure out!