St. Louis trades Ben Bishop for a 2nd round pick to Ottawa.

That 2nd round pick becomes Tommy Vannelli. The Sens traded Bishop to Tampa for Conacher and 4th - Lindberg - which was used to get Phanuef.

The Blues should feel worse about their return, rather than the Sens, yet few are smart enough to talk about that
- AlfieisKing

So.... if hindsight is really 20-20.... then look at this..... Ottawa got a way better deal than St. Louis

So.... if hindsight is really 20-20.... then look at this..... Ottawa got a way better deal than St. Louis
- SensnRBs

Exactly.

In my opinion if you're building a contending team, you have to start with people that can identify talent and then you have to have the right people developing. I think development is underrated and overly discussed. I look at a player like Jason Spezza - I think his development at some point needed some defensive refinement and he could of been a hall of fame shoe-in. Back issues certainly became an issue, but at his peak he was such an offensive force that if he developed the small parts of the defensive game he would of became a hart trophy nominee.

Getting back to building a contender, you have to have a solid plan and stick to it. I think if you simply tank and don't invest in the development and trying to have a winning attitude you end up like EDM. On the other hand, the leafs are doing what seems like the perfect rebuild because they have a coach that knows how to coach young players, have stock piled picks and prospects, and will now likely add a top prospect with Marner, Reilly, and Nylander. Those guys have high end skill and will be coached by one of the best for years.

The Sens drafting and developing deserves a lot of credit but the ability to put the pieces together and make the right moves at the pro (nhl) level is what confuses me. You trade away Bishop and Lehner and keep an aging Anderson. You trade Spezza to make room for Zibanejad but don't get enough in return; also Zibanejad doesn't have the offensive pedigree of Spezza. Not drafting in the top 5 for 15 years means you better have about 2-3 homeruns like Karlsson.

Ryan, Turris, and Phanuef are high picks but from 2003-2007.....also how much do they have left

A goalie is the hardest position to predict the career future for. I don't think the Sens did too well with Bishop, but I'm fine with Anderson for Elliot. I still say that, while not perfect, the goalie performance for the Sens has been good enough. The performance in front of them is less than stellar. It's often tough to judge a goalie when there is so many breakdowns in the defensive end.

In more positive news:

Francis Perron had a hat trick tonight and a +4. This gives him 21 points in 10 playoff games. The between the legs goal tonight was a thing of beauty to watch.

Gabriel Gagné also had a 3 point night, with 2 goals and an assist. He's now at 17 points in 14 playoff games.

The success of Gagné came at the expense of Chabot who was a -2 in a 7-3 thumping. He did manage to pick up an assist to give him 19 pints in 15 games. There's talk that Chabot is in the hunt for playoff MVP. Combine this with Perron winning regular season MVP, and that makes these Q prospects interesting.

Perron tied for 2nd in points. Chabot 7th, and Gagné 12th.

Exactly.

In my opinion if you're building a contending team, you have to start with people that can identify talent and then you have to have the right people developing. I think development is underrated and overly discussed. I look at a player like Jason Spezza - I think his development at some point needed some defensive refinement and he could of been a hall of fame shoe-in. Back issues certainly became an issue, but at his peak he was such an offensive force that if he developed the small parts of the defensive game he would of became a hart trophy nominee.

Getting back to building a contender, you have to have a solid plan and stick to it. I think if you simply tank and don't invest in the development and trying to have a winning attitude you end up like EDM. On the other hand, the leafs are doing what seems like the perfect rebuild because they have a coach that knows how to coach young players, have stock piled picks and prospects, and will now likely add a top prospect with Marner, Reilly, and Nylander. Those guys have high end skill and will be coached by one of the best for years.

The Sens drafting and developing deserves a lot of credit but the ability to put the pieces together and make the right moves at the pro (nhl) level is what confuses me. You trade away Bishop and Lehner and keep an aging Anderson. You trade Spezza to make room for Zibanejad but don't get enough in return; also Zibanejad doesn't have the offensive pedigree of Spezza. Not drafting in the top 5 for 15 years means you better have about 2-3 homeruns like Karlsson.

Ryan, Turris, and Phanuef are high picks but from 2003-2007.....also how much do they have left
- AlfieisKing

Ya..... but The Leafs still suck Donkey C0cks!!!!

Ottawa has a very strong group of prospects coming through their system. Colin White gets great reviews for his play at Boston College and with the US juniors. Thomas Chabot has had a phenomenal season from a development perspective (19 points in 17 QMJHL playoff games so far). Gabriel Gagne (3rd round last year) was injured for the first half of this season but is lighting it up for Shawinigan in the playoffs this spring (17 pts. including 9 goals in 14 playoff games). And, Francis Perron scored 3 goals last night. He is scoring at a blistering rate of 2.10 pts per game in the playoffs this year.

Ya..... but The Leafs still suck Donkey C0cks!!!!

- SensnRBs

Maybe but that might change.. things are looking up

Ya..... but The Leafs still suck Donkey C0cks!!!!

- SensnRBs

what happens if they win Matthews on saturday. Now you look at a group of Austin Matthews, Kasperi Kapanen, William Nylander, Morgan Reilly, and Mitch Marner.

Not to mention you have assets in Gardiner and JVR. The leafs' are still YEARS away from being a contender, but those are SOLID building blocks; not to mention Babcock behind the bench coaching these guys.

Neither Bishop nor Lehner had a run of success with the Senators like Hammond did. The year Binghamton won the Calder Cup, Lehner had been a backup most of the season to a journeyman goaltender and only played well in relief of the starter in the playoffs. Bishop's numbers were no better than Lehner's in the minors and his play while in Ottawa was not earth-shaking.

Since Ottawa's defensive woes have been evident for three seasons or so, I fail to see how Bishop could have posted better stats.

I also fail to see how Hammond can be tagged a "perennial back-up" when he has never been given the starting role. When has Hammond (since his playoff run mind you) been given a string of 5 consecutive starts to get in a groove? Hmmm, hard to be a starter when you don't get many starts. And for the record, Anderson let in far too many first goals and soft goals (often while misplaying the puck) to have deserved the amount of starts he got, and I could care less how many shots he faced. The Sens would be better served from a prospect/roster perspective, to trade Anderson at the draft and go with either Hammond/O'Connor or Hammond/Dreiger for next season. That way they either pick up a needed positional player or player + picks.

Once Hammond has the #1, he will be able to show whether or not he's got what it takes. Until then, no one should be labeling him a "career" or "perennial back-up.

what happens if they win Matthews on saturday. Now you look at a group of Austin Matthews, Kasperi Kapanen, William Nylander, Morgan Reilly, and Mitch
- AlfieisKing

Kapanen has sat out game 1 of the playoffs for the marlies after struggling in his stint with the big club. He was a big piece in the Kessel trade. I'm betting Leafs fans are hoping this is just a blip in his development. He's one among other prospects, so not everything rests on him turning into a big NHLer, but I'm sure there were and are high hopes for him.

Kapanen has sat out game 1 of the playoffs for the marlies after struggling in his stint with the big club. He was a big piece in the Kessel trade. I'm betting Leafs fans are hoping this is just a blip in his development. He's one among other prospects, so not everything rests on him turning into a big NHLer, but I'm sure there were and are high hopes for him.
- MaxTLimit

There is nothing on the Leafs that comes close to the prospect talent assembled by the rebuilding Oilers. And we all know the struggles of the Oilers. McDavid will change their fortunes. But, not sure the Leafs have a saviour on the horizon.

One of the Oiler rebuild challenges is that it left them too small. Leafs seem to be following the same blueprint.

But, I do believe the Leafs are finally headed in the right direction and doing it the right way and they will experience success at some point. Expect them to be ugly next year and beyond.

There is nothing on the Leafs that comes close to the prospect talent assembled by the rebuilding Oilers. And we all know the struggles of the Oilers. McDavid will change their fortunes. But, not sure the Leafs have a saviour on the horizon.

One of the Oiler rebuild challenges is that it left them too small. Leafs seem to be following the same blueprint.

But, I do believe the Leafs are finally headed in the right direction and doing it the right way and they will experience success at some point. Expect them to be ugly next year and beyond.
- spatso

Gotta give the Leafs some credit. I think they are more on the right track then they have ever been. The summer will be a turning point for how long their rebuild will be. If they draft Matthews and sign Stamkos, to me, all they really have to do it wait a couple of years to get back in the conversation. Miss out on those guys, then there is likely a longer wait until they become respectable again.

Nylander and Marner look like legitimate players. Gardiner and Reilly look like staples on the blue line. Assuming they get a big pice or two this summer (prospect or player-wise) all they really need to do is add some legitimate depth. Something the Oilers can't seem to achieve.

Kapanen has sat out game 1 of the playoffs for the marlies after struggling in his stint with the big club. He was a big piece in the Kessel trade. I'm betting Leafs fans are hoping this is just a blip in his development. He's one among other prospects, so not everything rests on him turning into a big NHLer, but I'm sure there were and are high hopes for him.
- MaxTLimit

Kapenen is a nice prospect but he's no where near where Nylander and Marner are for prospects. The marlies are also stacked and are sitting lots of guys that would be top 6 players on there ahl teams. Kapenen is on the first line with Nylander today also so.. I'm also not to worried cause if he busts they have lots of other high end prospects so to go along with like 6 picks in the first 70 picks this year..

Kapanen has sat out game 1 of the playoffs for the marlies after struggling in his stint with the big club. He was a big piece in the Kessel trade. I'm betting Leafs fans are hoping this is just a blip in his development. He's one among other prospects, so not everything rests on him turning into a big NHLer, but I'm sure there were and are high hopes for him.
- MaxTLimit

To be honest the hopes aren't too high for him. Nor the focus. Right now most of us are focused on the Pitts 1st round pick we got. Even in terms of team prospect depth Kapanen is just another guy in the mix. No more prominent than Connor Brown, Soshnikov, Hyman etc.

As for Spatsos need to compare the Leafs to the Oilers for some stupid reason, don't fall into that trap. The Leafs will be far better run and coached to be like the Oilers.