Kevin Francis: Logan Brown trade imminent? Tkachuk contract talks ongoing!

Quick 2am post after a redblacks game... Is this shoebeer?

Quick 2am post after a redblacks game... Is this shoebeer?
- Kunger7

Nope! I started the piece at 11pm when we got in, then took a break once the kids finally settled down to get to bed. Then I was caught watching the SF Giants game while I did the piece.

Batherson and Farabee essentially got the same deal, and I think the price was right for everyone all the way around. Little expensive at first, but I expect both of those two will be a steal sooner than later.

I think Tkachuk will hit that 50 number. It’s a biggie, and players want to get to it.
7 years in the very low 50 mil range.

Batherson and Farabee essentially got the same deal, and I think the price was right for everyone all the way around. Little expensive at first, but I expect both of those two will be a steal sooner than later.
- Hesh_

No doubt that in 3-4 years their AAV will look graet if they both continue to progress the way they should.

I think Tkachuk will hit that 50 number. It’s a biggie, and players want to get to it.
7 years in the very low 50 mil range.
- Hesh_

Absolutely if the Sens go 7 years on the term, the number will hit 50 million. But Brady doesnt seem to want 7 or 8 years at this point I am told. Which is why the 6 year deal, is ideally what Ottawa wants. Otherwise, it goes back to getting that bridge deal done for 3 years.

Absolutely if the Sens go 7 years on the term, the number will hit 50 million. But Brady doesnt seem to want 7 or 8 years at this point I am told. Which is why the 6 year deal, is ideally what Ottawa wants. Otherwise, it goes back to getting that bridge deal done for 3 years.
- Kevin Francis

Oh, yeah. No doubt. As we discussed earlier, he really wants to hit FA one more time in his 20s, and I can’t blame him.

I hope you're wrong about Logan Brown but I can easily see why he'd want to get away from a pigheaded Smith and I can see why hockey people familiar with the player would love to snap him up for next to nothing and maybe even take Dorion to the cleaners in the process.. Another really bad move by this franchise would be no surprise.

Since Dorion would love to cover up the stupidity of the proudest day of his life how about Logan Brown and Brannstrom plus next year's first for a fringe, underperforming middle six center or rw with a high and lengthy cap hit? Or maybe a reasonably good middle six center or rw but only under contract for a year and looking for a substantial raise with term?

How about Jordan Martinook or Jesper Fest? It would be really funny if it was Kotkaniemi. How about Nick Bonino or a couple of favourites like Hertl or Dvorak? That will really move the needle!

I can just see Ottawa finally winning the lottery just to put the icing on the cake because this team is not going anywhere without consistent goal tending and will almost certainly be a lottery team this year again.

Brady should for his own sake only take a bridge deal to see what's happening a couple of years down the road. He doesn't need to be in any rush and the whole frustration drama could just be a way to justify not making a long term commitment to the team.

Kevin Francis: Logan Brown trade imminent? Tkachuk contract talks ongoing!
- Kevin Francis

Brownie to the Sabres for a 7th.
Dorian means 'seventh rounder' in French.

Team and Logan Brown both need to move on from one another.

It has not worked out for him in Ottawa. He certainly has an NHL skill set. But does he have the work ethic to push himself to next level?

I hope they give l. Brown a chance. At this point after all the time invested ( see what he can bring to the tablefor 20 games)why bother trading unless someone else way overvalues him or ils part of a big game trade.
Nice call on Bath. Its a slightly overpay at this time but hopefully becomes a steal of a deal..
What is Stutzle going to be worth?

OTT is in a no win situation with L.Brown, if they keep him and he craps out what ever value he had will be gone and is they trade him at his current low value and he explodes they will look bad for trading a good player. We are seeing the same with Branny.

Smith is a bad coach, when dealing with rookies and prospect you cannot play favorites but he does and because of that OTT will loose 2 players who never got a shot in OTT and could turn out to be top end players and Abromov could be the next Radulov.


As for Brady, i see no reason why he should sign long term, OTT has done nothing to show to him they are willing to build a cup contender unless they tried to trade for good players that fell through that we do not know about but Brady does. Very good chance Brady does 3 years, then 1 year then bolts, do not forget melnyk is still owner and he is cheap and broke as hell.

This is probably why i have no clue as to salary structure.
My question is why escelate Bath salary so its more money in salary in the later years? I know the cap hit remains the same for 6 years wich is probably the bottom line.
My thinking would be pay more now while the team is gaining momentum. And while Bath is gaing momentum.
Then pay less in later years.
I think that due to mostly negative what ifs. Lets say this rebuild fails to turn the corner. It would be nice to have lower salaries.
Or if Bath fails or succeeds on a individual level a lower salary could have many advantages in later years.

This is probably why i have no clue as to salary structure.
My question is why escelate Bath salary so its more money in salary in the later years? I know the cap hit remains the same for 6 years wich is probably the bottom line.
My thinking would be pay more now while the team is gaining momentum. And while Bath is gaing momentum.
Then pay less in later years.
I think that due to mostly negative what ifs. Lets say this rebuild fails to turn the corner. It would be nice to have lower salaries.
Or if Bath fails or succeeds on a individual level a lower salary could have many advantages in later years.
- spazzbot

melnyk saves money now and trades the players when they get hier salary to cap hit.

You have to stop thinking that melnyk wants to build a contending team, what he wants is the cheapest playoff making team...ever, to cash in on playoff money, building a perennial cup contending team is out of his price range.

melnyk saves money now and trades the players when they get hier salary to cap hit.

You have to stop thinking that melnyk wants to build a contending team, what he wants is the cheapest playoff making team...ever, to cash in on playoff money, building a perennial cup contending team is out of his price range.
- Mithos

I don't believe that Melnyk intends to sustain the burden of player salaries beyond a few years. Every decision seems to suggest that Melnyk is negotiating with a view to selling all or part of his ownership in the Sens.

melnyk saves money now and trades the players when they get hier salary to cap hit.

You have to stop thinking that melnyk wants to build a contending team, what he wants is the cheapest playoff making team...ever, to cash in on playoff money, building a perennial cup contending team is out of his price range.
- Mithos

I do believe Melnyk at his word so far.
However you did plant a tiny seed of doubt in my mind.

It could also may be as simple as. They truly project Bath to be very good and want him to be happy with salary at that point.

I do believe Melnyk at his word so far.
However you did plant a tiny seed of doubt in my mind.

It could also may be as simple as. They truly project Bath to be very good and want him to be happy with salary at that point.
- spazzbot

if Bradys, Stutzle and Norris contract is similar in structure Melnyk will be paying much much more in actual salary than cap hit, this is the complete 180 from what he has been doing for the last 6 years and he has been struggling with paying his payroll the last few years, you think he will keep that up for 3-4 years, no way, once these players hit their higher salary, they will be traded.

Chabot Contract also goes up like Drakes, up to 10m for 3 years strait starting in 2024-2025, drake hits 6.5m in 2025-2026 with 5.4m the 2 previous years.

if Bradys, Stutzle and Norris contract is similar in structure Melnyk will be paying much much more in actual salary than cap hit, this is the complete 180 from what he has been doing for the last 6 years and he has been struggling with paying his payroll the last few years, you think he will keep that up for 3-4 years, no way, once these players hit their higher salary, they will be traded.

Chabot Contract also goes up like Drakes, up to 10m for 3 years strait starting in 2024-2025, drake hits 6.5m in 2025-2026 with 5.4m the 2 previous years.
- Mithos

Yes that seems to be the trend of their contracts. Salary escalation.
I am unsure if that is unique to Ottawa.
Unless they do become a perennial contender it does seem unsustainable otherwise. We will have to wait and see if Tkachuk and Stutzle are structured similarily.

For the last many years is hard to use as a comparable due to the slash and burn rebuild. It was to be expected so i cant call him out on being cheap or broke using that data.

This article reads like it was written by Eklund.

The salary structure of these new contracts is a little strange. When they did it with Matt Murray, I thought they were making it so he would be less attractive to Seattle in the expansion draft.

Now, with these new contracts being back loaded with heavy cash, I think its because:

- EM is going to sell within 2 to 3 yrs, and wants to limit the outlay in real cash without hurting the value of his team and its players

- the Sens don't have much real cash lying around due to the pandemic and are playing it smart with the contracts, hoping for the cash infusion that will come when restrictions are lifted

- the players themselves want the deals backloaded, to get the majority of their money away from the present high escrow

Probably some combination of all three.

All gone! Unless he sells the team.

I hope they trade L. Brown. He does not fit on this team because the coaching philosophy is all wrong for him. It's like trying to put a square peg in a round hole. He is what he is and he'll be a good NHL player somewhere else. The same applies to Brannstrom who's in the same situation.

P.S I still believe that LBro is the Sens best C.

This article reads like it was written by Eklund.
- Distrad

That’s because it was.

Parts of this article mirror what it's like for me the rare times i get something right around the house and how I feel the need to tell the wife about it...."See? Got that right? Did you see? Did ya?"

Now, I may be justified in doing that but it's not going to help me out at all.

Youre doing a great job and your articles are pushing the discussions. Vast improvement over previous Sens writers. Take the wins but try not spend the majority of a post tooting your own horn.