It was meant to read a 1st or one of those prospects.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

ah, in that case I feel that's a good deal in terms of value.....still leaves Ottawa very weak on the wing. unless we move zibby to the left side (and he hasn't been great on the wing in the past) our best 2 LW's would be macarthur and puempel I guess.....that's pretty awful.

ah, in that case I feel that's a good deal in terms of value.....still leaves Ottawa very weak on the wing. unless we move zibby to the left side (and he hasn't been great on the wing in the past) our best 2 LW's would be macarthur and puempel I guess.....that's pretty awful.
- sensarmy_11

It's not like you make that deal and cease trying to get other pieces. The left wing would have to be addressed, but it's my opinion we will have to anyway within a year. This way you get a d-man of equal value to Ceci (Barrie should be easier to sign with a new club) and a centre who is close to elite for Hoffman and a big prospect. You then could possibly move Zibby or even Turris for a winger if juggling bodies doesn't work. This RFA nonsense with Hoffman and Ceci is grinding my gears essentially.

This RFA nonsense with Hoffman and Ceci is grinding my gears essentially.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I'm trying to console myself with the hope that this is just your typical negotiation process with young players. Try to plan for the future and keep the costs as reasonable as possible etc. It seems likely that we will have Hoffman and Ceci in the line up for the season. If Ceci is going to hold out for the first bit of training cap, or even into the season a bit...I can accept that. It's his only leverage to draw out a larger offer from the Sens.

Hard to view something you are passionate about as a dispassionate business, but that is how it goes.

Hoffman skates in Kitchener/waterloo.

http://kitchener.ctvnews....1147261&playlistPageNum=1

Good to see him going back home - it's good to play in the same province (atleast I hope). I think giving Hoffman a long term deal would be a great thing BUT , IF ..you're going to trade him, you do it NOW, in the summer and make sure you get value.

this post seems a little ridiculous..........that's like saying imagine we had drafted pronger instead of daigle.....who cares, it's over, move on.

the one thing I have an issue with is you somehow thinking that shero getting hall was brilliant "GMing" on his part. that was 100% desperation and stupidity by chiarelli and had nothing to do with shero being "brilliant".
- sensarmy_11

I brought up those points b/c Sens need to learn from the past. (atleast fans should)

Keeping Chara was arguably about $ ($13M for Redden; 37.5M for Chara)......then you pass on Bruce Boudreau who probably cost alot since he is the most winning-est coach in what?...nhl history!?

The Sens will NEVER win anything if they keep recycling mediocre minds to keep it competitive. Melynk is the one to point the finger at - it starts with him. Stop selling fans on the future and talking out of his @$$.

The fact is that this team has won ONE playoff series in the past 8 years! But somehow people think this team is headed for the promise land. I'm not it's all doom and gloom, but there's 30 teams (let's say 20) that are trying to build a winner and you have to pick people when their there. I don't mind Boucher but we'll see if he can get his team to a better record than Minny. As far as Shero goes, I have a hard time believing that Chiarelli approached him looking to trade Hall. It likely started as one of their other forwards and Shero, somehow, got the best player in that organization outside of McDavid.

If $ wasn't an issue, the Sens could sign Russell 4 years @3.5M and trade Zibanejad + Ceci for RNH.... or maybe more fair is add Yakupov and Smith.

Hoffman - NugentHopkins - Ryan
MacArthur - Turris - Stone
Lazar - Pageau - Yakupov
Paul - Kelly - Neil

OR

Ryan - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - RNH - Yakupov
Mac - Pageau - Lazar

Methot - Karlsson
Russell - Phanuef
Borowieci - Chabot

If $ wasn't an issue, the Sens could sign Russell 4 years @3.5M and trade Zibanejad + Ceci for RNH.... or maybe more fair is add Yakupov and Smith.

Hoffman - NugentHopkins - Ryan
MacArthur - Turris - Stone
Lazar - Pageau - Yakupov
Paul - Kelly - Neil

OR

Ryan - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - RNH - Yakupov
Mac - Pageau - Lazar

Methot - Karlsson
Russell - Phanuef
Borowieci - Chabot
- AlfieisKing

I am so glad your are not our GM. Russell (by the eye test or advanced stats) sucks and moving Zibanejad AND Ceci weakens the team overall. I'm all for change but it has to make sense (if that makes sense?)

Hoffman skates in Kitchener/waterloo.

http://kitchener.ctvnews....1147261&playlistPageNum=1

Good to see him going back home - it's good to play in the same province (atleast I hope). I think giving Hoffman a long term deal would be a great thing BUT , IF ..you're going to trade him, you do it NOW, in the summer and make sure you get value.
- AlfieisKing

His skating looked awful in the video. Trade him now.

His skating looked awful in the video. Trade him now.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I'm assuming you're making fun.

Are you saying that I wanted to trade him?

If I was moving someone right now, it would be Zibanejad or Ceci - but it would have to address the #1C slot. RNH is a #1C, 1st overall pick, and could work really well with Hoffman.

MacArthur (4.65) Turris (3.5) Stone (3.5)
Hoffman (5.75) Nugent-Hopkins (6) Ryan (7.25) << could be #1 line
Smith (1.9) Pageau (0.9) Lazar (0.9)
Paul (0.7) Kelly (0.9) Neil (1.5)

Methot (4.9) Karlsson (6.5)
Russell (3.5) Phnauef (7)
Borowieci (1.1) Chabot (0.9)

Anderson (4.2)
Hammond (1.1)

It's interesting. Zibanejad is about the same age as RNH. Last year Zibanejad had more points and a higher points per game than RNH. Zibanejad is taller and larger than RNH. Neither of the 2 have put up 60 point years yet. Granted RNH was injured last year, but I'm not quite certain RNH is the magic solution for a #1 centre that some people think he is. He's looked like a guy that hit 60 points in a good year.

Does he qualify as an improvement over Zibanejad? Yes, I think his added play making ability and creativity give him the edge despite the size difference.

Is he better than Turris? Well, he certainly seems to have the potential, but there is little to suggest it is a slam dunk. I'm pretty sure slotting RNH isn't going to be this magical boost to the team. He could become more than a 60 point guy, but no one has seen it, yet.

There is a lot of talk about giving up a large package of assets for RNH and Yakupov.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. If the Sens lose Ceci, there isn't really anyone to replace him. Phaneuf has experience playing his off side, but that is where some of his worst play has come. I don't think the Sens CAN trade Ceci without adding a right shot top 4 D. Kris Russel is a left, and I don't think he's as 'top 4' as some folks believe, and he is likely going to be very overpaid.

Only right-shot D on the free agency I can think of are Michael Stone, or Jame Wisniewski. Not great. So ANOTHER trade would be needed and MORE assets would need to go. How much will it be to trade for a top 4 D? At this point the Sens have lost Smith, Ceci, and a pick / prospect for Yakupov and RNH. So I'm assuming that means moving Zibanejad, or Zibanejad+ for a top 4 RD.

IF that happens, the Sens would have lost a lot of their prospect pool, and big chunks of their roster for RNH, Yakupov, and a replacement top 4 RD. Those 3 guys add $13M-$14M, and only $4.5M out the door. That puts the Sens ~$70M in cap hit ( assuming Hoffman re-signs for about $5M )

Organizing several large deals at once. Spending to the cap. Depleting the prospect pool. Making it impossible to resign at least 1-2 upcoming contracts... and I'm not sure how much better the roster is ( as a whole ) for it.

I'd like to have RNH, but the Sens aren't really in a position to put up an offer to the Oilers that doesn't make things very difficult for the Sens. I doubt the Oil do RNH for Ceci straight up, now. Yakupov has been given lots of opportunity, but has never hit 20 goals OR 40 points. A top 4 right shot D isn't going to come cheap.

All these moves don't come cheap...and I'm not convinced I even like the end result. I'd like to keep Zibanejad, Hoffman and Ceci.

A lot of the guys I'd make moves for, or want to sign for are gone or moved already. I guess Versteeg as a depth RW replacement would be an interesting guy to take a look at. I wouldn't mind signing Seidenberg as a fill in for bottom pairing LD. I doubt that happens though. I'm thinking we are seeing Chabot this year. I'm thinking there won't be many more moves, actually. I think the only news from the Sens will be Ceci and Hoffman Signings. Sens will sit around $66M in cap hit. Near the bottom of the league again.