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More Comparables As The Hoffman Clock Ticks, Mika In Ranger Gear

July 21, 2016, 10:36 AM ET [62 Comments]
Jared Crozier
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
As the clock winds down to the showdown between new GM Pierre Dorion and Mike Hoffman, more comparable players are reaching agreements and singing deals.

Yesterday, it was the only non-Senator to reach the arbitrator's decision stage from last year, Marcus Johansson, who agreed to a 3 year, $13.75M contract with the Caps. The agreement was finalized about 3 minutes before the hearing was scheduled to start, so obviously the sides didn't want to go through the process for a second consecutive year.

That is another comparable for Hoffman to use, as the $4.58M cap hit is around where you would expect him to be on a slightly longer term (4 or 5 years) deal.

The longer this goes, the worse it looks on Senators management. Hoffman bit his tongue and played for an underwhelming $2M last year, paid his dues and did what he was asked.

It is going to look even worse if the Senators have to play the game and when it is publicized what the player is asking and what the Senators are offering. Obviously, the club will have to go with a lower number than they would actually be willing to pay, but that is going to reflect on the continuous "cheap" reputation, regardless of the way the arbitration game is played. Hoffman will ask for more than he is worth, undoubtedly, but that is par for the course as well, and nobody is going to begrudge him if he comes in with a $6M ask.

For the record



so they did end up meeting somewhere in the middle. If it is a 1 year deal, the Senators will obviously offer less than they would if it was a term contract that bought UFA years. There should be an agreement somewhere in between, a case where neither side really feels like they won which is how you generally know it is a relatively fair deal.

It is reaching the point, as time ticks down, (the hearing is scheduled for 2 weeks from today) where Pierre Dorion et al. will soon be in a no-win situation regardless of whether they reach the arbitration room or not. Hoffman did his thing, and I think he has the overwhelming support of the fan base to get a medium to long term deal done. As the time ticks down, Dorion has less leverage, because Hoffman can walk next year with a big payday if the Senators don't ante up.

Any goodwill by adding cap money in the form of Dion Phaneuf will be gone at that point. Melnyk always said that he would spend when the time came, on their own free agents.

Well the time has come, and on this topic I feel like a broken record.

And to those of you who were jumping for joy and said I was being overly negative that day I warned you to temper your expectations when Melnyk and Co. won the exclusive rights to negotiate the LeBreton redevelopment wasn't necessarily going to change spending habits in the short term, I hate to say "I told you so" but...



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As an aside, my friend's kid is in a hockey camp at the Sensplex this week and he sent me this...even in summertime, new gear arrives quickly!



Former Senator Mika Zibanejad sporting his new gear.
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